How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 75 | 23 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 69 | 58 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (9)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“Cannon Dancer is an undeniably polished product and has Yotsui’s action-cinema aspirations stamped all over it. Speed, dynamism, and full-bodied combat snap will keep bringing you back for more. While visually inspired and boldly artistic, it's a concise affair, as was Strider, buoyed by a refined control scheme and consistently interesting stage developments. While the finale is no Third Moon, and could have been improved with a few adjustments, it still qualifies as the Strider sequel you always wanted but never knew.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Cannon Dancer Osman is a fun action platformer with great set-pieces, but one that would've been an easier recommendation if it cost half of what it does right now. The lack of any extra content like a gallery or interviews with the team makes it disappointing even as a retro re-release.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Cannon Dancer is a fun action game for the short time it lasts, offering the extra dose of Strider thrills that you may have never known existed. It’s great to see it available on home consoles at long last. The problem is that it’s priced like a celebration, but the bare bones way it’s presented feels like anything but. With the same old Ratalaika emulation front-end and no extra materials or even any context for the game, it feels like the publisher has thrown a decent burger patty between two slices of Wonderbread and is charging the price of a steak. Really hard to recommend to any but the dedicated fans.”
read full review ↗ - 91
“It’s pretty cool to see a port of this relatively obscure action-platformer make its way to consoles nearly 30 years after its original release. My only real complaint is that I wish there was a little more to the overall package in the way of supplemental material, background info, concept or flyer art, cabinet shots, etc. The cheats and enhancements are cool, and borderline necessary considering the overall difficulty of the game, but for the asking price I’d expect just a little more. Depending on how hardcore your love is for 90’s arcade action games you may want to hold off for a sale down the road, but if you have any affection for Strider or games of its ilk, then Cannon Dancer, Osman will likely be right up your alley. ”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Cannon Dancer: Osman is a wild ride with high replay value, showing off some of the best of the 90s’ in its outlandish presentation and precise 2D action gameplay. It’s a great game to have restored and preserved for a new audience and is a fascinating missing piece in the Strider continuity. That being said, it’s a short and sweet gameplay experience that feels far too expensive as a home release, especially given the lack of meaningful extra content. This is one definitely worth picking up on sale.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cannon Dancer: Osman isn’t a perfect port due to some clunkiness, but it’s the definitive way to experience a long-forgotten classic that can finally get its just due. It never got a console port and would have been a nice fit on the Saturn, but having it come out now when the market is more open to spiritual successor-style games, it almost feels like the best possible timing. It’s a near-perfect Strider clone with more visual flash than anything that series ever had thanks to its stunning pixel art and lush animation. The soundtrack is also full of killer tracks and anyone who loved any Strider game should check out Cannon Dancer as soon as possible.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“While Cannon Dancer, Osman is a wild piece of gaming history, the casual and curious may want to wait for a sale before traveling back in time to '90s Kalamazoo. [Issue #66, July/August 2023, p. 21]”
- 80
“Old-school 2D action fireworks: short, crisp, iconic. The technical implementation of the retro exotic is exemplary - we'd love to see more of it for modern consoles.”
read full review ↗ - 66
“Although this is a proficient port of Mitchell’s 1996 arcade title, the pricing feels prohibitive. As such, only the most fervent Strider fans should consider a purchase of Cannon Dancer, Osman until a sale arises. This six-stage jaunt is likable, at least until the last level, but it also feels inferior when measured against Capcom’s classic title.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Gaming Age
Noisy Pixel
Hardcore Gamer