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) | – | 84 | 14 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 90% | 85 | 771 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 96% | 90 | 8 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 22 reviews sampled · 14 total reviews in window · weighted 16.4 up / 0.8 down · computed 8h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (19)
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
“Astalon: Tears of the Earth may be yet another in a long line of retro 2D action/platformers available for the Nintendo Switch, but it deserves to be moved towards the front of that line. Fans of the genre will find plenty to like here, so long as they're willing to accept backtracking as a core gameplay element.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“With a great variety of environments, simple gameplay, and a strong line-up of enemies, Astalon: Tears of the Earth turns out to be one of the more successful action platformers we’ve seen in recent months. It will likely only last a handful of hours, but there’s a lot here to love, and it's a relative no-brainer if you’re a fan of high fantasy Metroidvanias.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Astalon: Tears of the Earth has just about everything a fan of Metroidvania-RPGs could want in the sub-genre. The plot is simple but flexible, the characters are well presented, and the tower is a meatgrinder.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“I tend to have a love/hate relationship with retro throwback games of various kinds...”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Astalon: Tears of the Earth is a very, very simple mix of metroidvania-like exploration, and rogue-lite challenge, but a simple mix that works wonders. You'll die a lot, but you'll keep on returning just to get a little further on the journey towards the top of this treacherous spire, and learn of its secrets, with your skill and perseverance being your main tools. Don't miss out on this modern-yet-retro indie gem. 'Conglaturation!!!' LABS Works!”
read full review ↗ - 90
“An amazing game only dragged down a bit by luck or prior knowledge being required to make it through side areas earlier, plus the most unnecessary bit of artificial difficulty I've seen in recent years. It's called the Ruins of Trash and I just wanted to say that one more time. I'd write that on a brick and throw it through a window if I could.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Astalon inserts itself into an ever-more-crowded genre that starts with "M" and ends with "vania," but it absolutely nails the joy of discovery and the satisfaction of progression, both through noticeable character improvement and the acquisition of unique items and powers. Underneath the solid gameplay lies an interesting story and premise, with neither trying to steal the spotlight from the action and exploration. A not-imposing set of achievements and unlockables, in addition to map and items found percentages push the longevity score even higher, and ultimately I just had an incredibly tough time putting this one down. Anyone who loved whipping through games like Bloodstained, Axiom Verge, and similar indies should do themselves a favor and delve into the amazing adventure that is Astalon.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Astalon: Tears of the Earth brings us a Metroidvania-type where the players will be exploring a tower with three different characters, with the need to think about which character to use according to the obstacles. For a simple-looking game, Astalon is amazingly varied when it comes to level design and enemies, which works great in its favour to present us with an adventure that's enjoyable and worthy of our attention.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Astalon: Tears of the Earth is a great looking rogue-like Metroidvania game with a good story. It is incredibly challenging and can get very frustrating with the amount of backtracking, collision detection issues and lack of direction of what you need to do to progress.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Astalon: Tears of the Earth is a REALLY good old-school adventure, with its character-switching mechanic certainly proving to be a highlight. The level design is complimented by the varied abilities at your disposal, and knowing which character to use to overcome each challenge adds to the fun. Add to that a neat upgrade system and a brilliant chiptune soundtrack that fits the vibe of the game perfectly, and it becomes clear that Astalon: Tears of the Earth offers a heck of a lot more than might initially meets the eye.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Astalon: Tears of the Earth is an unexpected masterpiece of retro designs blended so delicately with modern roguelite elements. Death doesn’t punish the player as much as it sets them up with improved ways to approach situations. There’s a sense of discovery in every area, but this does limit direction causing some confusion when trying to figure out where to go. Further, bosses can be underwhelming compared to normal enemies, which creates an awkward balance of challenge. Regardless, this is the must-play game of the summer.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A blistering, brutal battle from start to finish, Astalon: Tears of the Earth is not for the fainthearted. It rewards talent and curiosity as frequently as it punishes inability and complacency. It will test your patience, abilities, and resolve, but the journey through the Tower of Serpents is so worth it.”
read full review ↗
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Hey Poor Player…and 7 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Astalon: Tears of the Earth - Update 1.1.0Jan 27, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Hotfix 1.0.14 NotesJun 17, 2021
- Version 1.0.12 Patch Notes (Windows/Mac/Linux)Jun 17, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Hotfix 1.0.11 NotesJun 8, 2021
- Hotfix 1.0.10 NotesJun 8, 2021
- Version 1.0.9 Patch NotesJun 8, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Version 1.0.7 Patch NotesJun 5, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Version 1.0.6 Patch NotesJun 4, 2021