Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
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 (OpenCritic) | – | 71 | 34 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 72% | 68 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 82% | 76 | 4 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 11 reviews sampled · 6 total reviews in window · weighted 4.5 up / 1 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (56)
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.
- 70
“West of Dead borrows a lot from Dead Cells and blends it with nice twin-stick shooter with covers mechanic. But it really suffers from lack of variety.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“With an atmosphere thick with tension and a world full of eerie mysteries waiting to be uncovered, West of Dead offers an intriguing foray into the dark underbelly of the Wild West. It will appeal not only to fans of shooters but also to players seeking subtle storytelling and thematic exploration. Anyone who wants to grapple with existential questions and experience a darkly enchanting adventure should undoubtedly step into the shoes of William Mason and immerse themselves in the chaos of purgatory. Here lies a game that masterfully blends action, tradition, and striking visuals, delivering an engaging experience that’s worth every moment. And the icing on the cake is Ron Perlman’s voice acting.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“West of Dead is a game that conceivably had a lot of potential. However, on PlayStation 4 at least, the game is far too broken in vital areas to ever let players discover whether there was any substance to back up its undeniable style.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“While there are many roguelike shooters on the Switch (and quite a few of them are absolutely terrific) none of them plays quite like West of Dead...”
read full review ↗ - 60
“While West of Dead makes only a fleeting pass at innovation, it is still enjoyable for a time and does a great job of nailing a sense of personality that will resonate with fans of the good ol' Western. It's only avid rogue-like players, though, that will find much here to keep themselves invested. The repetition in the core gameplay quickly saps it of its charm, in turn requiring a concerted effort to see this title through to the bitter end.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Challenging yet rewarding, with some unique atmosphere and voice acting thrown into the mix.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“A run-of-the-mill procedural twin-stick roguelike that has a unique aesthetic and premise, but little else. Without more content, more variety, and more exciting unlockables, West of Dead is dead in the water. Or will remain in gaming purgatory. Either way, I have very little faith in West of Dead's future.”
read full review ↗ - 78
“Overall, West of Dead is a really neat Twin-Stick Shooter style and I look forward to hopefully seeing more of it in the future.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“There's nothing original about this Mike Mignola-style Western shooter, but fun gameplay mechanics and a limited scope make it just and just worthwhile for a quick visit.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“West of Dead is a great rogue-like bringing a really gloomy atmosphere that matches this cowboy’s journey through purgatory perfectly.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“West of Dead does most things right as far as roguelites go. The random nature of almost every element of every run can cause some large difficulty spikes, but the overall difficulty evens out in the end. The premise works fine even if it means having to hear it countless times over multiple runs, and while the measured combat feels fresh for a Western, the zoomed-out camera angle doesn't help you appreciate it. Overall, West of Dead is a solid roguelike for those who aren't burned out on the genre yet.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“If you have Xbox Game Pass, it's worth checking out. Otherwise, rogue-lite fans should find something that they'll enjoy here.”
read full review ↗
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Worth Playing
Game Freaks 365…and 44 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Update 1.11.8.29 is out now!Jul 8, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Update 1.11.7.11 is out now!May 12, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Update 1.11.6.2 is out now!Mar 16, 2021
- The Bone Orchard Update, Now Live!Jan 31, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Wayfarin Stranger HotfixSep 15, 2020
- Hot Fix - 0.10.0.8Aug 17, 2020
- Wayfarin Update, Available Now!Aug 5, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- v. 0.9.23 Patch - More Quick and More DeadJul 29, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Sure Shot PatchJul 1, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes for v0.9.18Jun 23, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes v0.9.16.0Jun 19, 2020