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) | – | 77 | 37 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 80 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 78% | 72 | 923 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 93% | 87 | 5 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 13 reviews sampled · 7 total reviews in window · weighted 7.4 up / 0.6 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (52)
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
- 80
“Narita Boy is a great debut project from Studio Koba, and hopefully not the last. A world steeped in love and detail deserves your attention.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Narita Boy joins a plethora of entertainment franchises that pay homage to '80s culture. But where others have failed, Narita Boy transcends its inspiration with exceptional world building, a complex yet thoughtful narrative, and stunning combat gameplay. It occasionally feels a little too vague and abstract in its structure, and ultimately this holds it back from being a true masterpiece, but if you're longing for a great Metroidvania title, then Narita Boy is absolutely what you've been waiting for.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Narita Boy fully succeeds in being a great homage to pixel titles of the past yet brings so many great modern features with it.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Dive deep in this immersive 2D pixel-savvy world Studio Koba has created; just mind the controls.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Narita Boy delivers in almost every facet and I thoroughly enjoyed my time facing down the Stallion threat. But while it’s positively dripping with 80s nostalgia and style, there’s a lot more to it than just a trip down memory lane, and the fun sword fighting and exploration into a spectacular universe is only the half of it.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“With an old school cinematic action adventure feel and dripping with neon-lit nostalgic ooze I have no doubt that Narita Boy is targeted squarely at people like me who practically grew up in the arcades...”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Narita Boy is among the best Metroidvanias in recent years. Its beautiful world, surprisingly emotional story, and diverse enemy pool will leave you wanting more from its short run time.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“If it isn't already clear, Narita Boy is a great indie adventure. It's got satisfyingly slick gameplay, and the visuals are a delight. But perhaps the true star of the show is the stellar electronic soundtrack. Whether it's twinkling ambient tunes or booming synth chords, the music is superb.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Many times, an NPC would tell me where to go or whom to seek out, and I would just chance upon my destination rather than know exactly where to go; the naming conventions at play don't do the game any favors. Still, I'm leaving Narita Boy behind happy that I spent time in his world, and both captivated and a little miffed by how his story turns out. But sometimes that's the mark of a tale worth hearing.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Narita Boy is a surprisingly melancholic experience that puts forth a narrative exploring the power fantasy that video games provide people. While the execution of the game itself can sometimes be lacking, it pays enough of an homage to its inspirations and celebration of the era while at the same time creating a visually creative world that could’ve been mistaken as having released a few decades ago.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Narita Boy is a feat of imagination, one of the most conceptually interesting games I’ve ever played. The retro world of the Digital Kingdom, its pixelart, design and art direction, are some of the most eye-catchingly beautiful ever committed to code. Its soundtrack is mesmerising, truly special synthwave. Narita Boy ends up more than the sum of its parts, going beyond the source code to deliver a game that should take its place alongside the greatest indies.”
read full review ↗
Stryftek
GameMAG
Nintendo Life
Seasoned Gaming
Kakuchopurei
VGamingNews
Nindie Spotlight
PC Invasion
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
Checkpoint Gaming
FingerGuns…and 40 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- ❗Update RequiredOct 3, 2025
- Narita Boy – Hotfix (Servohorse)Mar 31, 2021