reviewer Johnny Black argued that "the songs are waiting to be found and are as melodic, passionate and vital as ever." Although a critical and commercial disappointment upon release, Dazzle Ships came to be seen as a noble failure. It was endorsed by Mojo as a "buried treasure" and an "ignored masterwork", while Ned Raggett of AllMusic wrote that the "dazzling" record "beats Kraftwerk at their own game, science and the future turned into surprisingly warm, evocative songs." In The Rough Guide to Rock (1996), co-author Dave Castle said of Dazzle Ships, "This austere evocation of modern alienation is the classic OMD album. Excellent use of samples and incredible synths on strong, melodic and above all highly intelligent pop music." Trouser Press remained unconvinced, describing the record as "impressive but not satisfying". The magazine noted "some amazing sounds and a powerful atmosphere", but felt that "found-tape gimmickry" had taken precedent over songwriting. Dazzle Ships met with critical acclaim upon its re-release in 2008. Tom Ewing of Pitchfork wrote, "Luckily, you don't need a contrarian streak to love it... history has done its own remix job on Dazzle Ships, and the result is a richer, more unified album than anyone in 1983 could have imagined." In a five-star review, Record Collectors Daryl Easlea observed "consistently eccentric" and "dark and detailed" content, calling the album "a weirdly satisfying listen". Luke Turner of The Quietus asserted, "It stands the test of time as a heroic statement... Dazzle Ships was a fine realisation of that desire to be both pop and important that OMD first hinted at with 'Enola Gay' and 'Electricity'." The record has been routinely hailed as a "masterpiece" in the press. Legacy Critics have recognised Dazzle Ships as an underrated and misunderstood work, and a record ahead of its time. John Bergstrom of PopMatters argued that while positive reappraisals of flop albums had become "all-too-common", the "prescient" Dazzle Ships lived up to the hype. Quietus writer Stuart Huggett charted the record's journey "from 1983 release to 2016 Classic Album", stating that it features some of the band's strongest work but is "likely to remain too off the wall ever to permanently join the general public's Classic Albums canon". Dazzle Ships has nevertheless maintained a cult following, and has appeared in The A.V. Clubs "Hall of Fame", the Chicago Tribunes "10 Essential New Wave Albums", and music journalist Paul Roland's "Ten Essential