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) | – | 81 | 9 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 84% | 77 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 90% | 83 | 9 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 25 reviews sampled · 27 total reviews in window · weighted 17.6 up / 2.1 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (12)
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
“Buried Stars is an intricately woven visual novel with a lot of cool concepts. An interesting and varied cast keep you on your toes, while a plot filled with twists and mystery makes Buried Stars a must for fans of the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“This visual novel survival was the surprise of the year in the genre, it's has good characters, better story and the mecanics are very addictive. I recommend the game to fans and not fans for the visuals, because it's a game that you don't want to miss.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“I really enjoyed Buried Stars, but being overwhelmed by how in-depth and involved all of the mechanics were was a frequent occurrence. The presentation was easily my favorite aspect, but it thankfully didn’t do too much heavy lifting on the whole experience. I’ve never seen any other games from this developer before, but Buried Stars left a very good impression and I’m going to keep my eye out for their future releases. I hope they continue to push for worldwide releases for their games, and even with an imperfect localization, I think Buried Stars benefited from getting this kind of push. If you crave mystery visual novels, are okay overlooking the issues I mentioned, this game should be on your radar.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The Korean developers of Buried Stars intended to show the reality of struggles that Korea is currently facing the ‘popularity culture’. The current status of anonymous acts over the internet culture as well as the shades over the popularity contest (such as being a celebrity) is the main focus of the game’s story plot. The game shows some of the best illustrations and visuals and the contents are well designed to cover up some of the little nitpicks here and there.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Buried Stars is such a fantastic addition to the murder mystery genre. Said to be inspired by Danganronpa, it shows. While the story here is much more serious, I pushed me forward as it did. Despite the tedious nature of reading all keywords, I couldn’t quit.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Buried Stars delivers an interesting and current premise, although with an execution that could be refined in order to make the player's journey less tiresome.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Buried Stars came out of nowhere but it has become one of my favorite visual novels of this year. The titles’ fantastic presentation paired with the gripping narrative creates a unique experience within the genre. The localization can seem flat at times, but this is well worth the time of any adventure fan.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Buried Stars could have been a 5/5 game, easily. Unfortunately, the narrative thought behind the game really relied on me having a personal interest in the characters and their plight, and thanks to the inelegant and overly literal localisation, it became impossible to see them as anything but constructs and narrative tools.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Buried Stars will slip under the radar for most people; I implore you to check this wonderful visual novel out, as it's perhaps one of the best narrative experiences this year. With a relatable and fleshed out cast of characters mixed with simple yet engrossing mystery mechanics, this one deserves your time and attention.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Buried Stars is a high quality representative of mystery visual novels. With solid gameplay systems and an extraordinary art direction, even its text issues aren't enough reason to ignore this work.”
read full review ↗ - 78
“Buried Stars will challenge you to solve mysteries while trapped in a collapsing studio with a few survivors as you struggle to build rapport and maintain your own sanity. Overall, it's a gripping story that will have you replaying until you reach its ultimate conclusion.”
read full review ↗ - –
“One of the strongest parts of Buried Stars is in its layered characters, who have enough depth to feel human, with their many flaws and strengths combined. Additionally, their responses to both the dire situation around them and the truths of their own traumas are penetratingly realistic and raw, with the majority of impact coming from the impressive voice actors. The same can be said for the game’s clever use of social media, both useful as a gameplay mechanic, and its relevance to the narrative.”
read full review ↗
Push Square
GaminGuardian
Nintendo Insider
IGN
NookGaming
PSX Brasil
Noisy Pixel
Digitally Downloaded
GamingTrend
GameBlast
Video Chums
Rice DigitalPatch history
- 2021-12-06 Update NoteDec 6, 2021
- 2021-12-03 Update NoteDec 3, 2021
- 2021-12-01 Minor bug fix updateDec 1, 2021