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 (Metacritic) | – | 74 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 91% | 85 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 79 | 3 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 89% | 83 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 5 reviews sampled · 5 total reviews in window · weighted 2.4 up / 0.3 down · computed 2h 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.
- 100
“But suffice to say Space Pirates and Zombies isn't just a grand open-world space action RPG in the tradition of Star Control. It's also a rare expression of zombies that belongs alongside Dead Rising and Atom Zombie Smasher.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“It takes a while for Space Pirates And Zombies to really play its hand, but that's the trouble with something so wilfully creative - it takes time to peel away the layers. But if you make the effort, it's worth the effort.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Admirable, but maybe not lovable. Requires stubborn determination on the part of the player. Then it's rewarding. [Nov 2011, p.50]”
- 67
“The germ of a cool game, not quite ready for prime time, but with plenty of potential if the right choices are made. [Oct 2011, p.90]”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Pirates and zombies. Two popular themes for both filmmakers and game developers make together a strikingly entertaining space shooter. Only if devs had worked harder on A.I. and difficulty balancing. [Issue#208]”
- 88
“Eminently playable and entertaining old school top down 2D shooter-RPG-adventure that is hard to classify. They just don't seem make games like this any more, making Space Pirates and Zombies a pleasant surprise for us old geezers. Those too young to remember Star Control may want to check the demo first.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“For a title that offers equal billing to both pirates and zombies, the latter get left backstage for a large portion of the game.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“A valiant first effort from MinMax, and worth at least a try. Especially considering that, like many indie devs, they're adding more content post release.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Space Pirates and Zombies still has a few minor bugs here and there, and its collection of throwback gameplay components isn't likely to appeal to everyone. For those looking to invest themselves into a fairly robust adventure on the cheap, however, SPAZ is a worthwhile investment old-school gamers may want to check out.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“I'll probably be able to get to the end-game a little quicker this time now that I know how to play, but suffice it to say that if you can get into its brand of action and strategy, SPAZ is easily worth the $15 that MinMax Games are charging.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“If you're into strategi, roleplaying, action and science fiction, Space Pirates and Zombies offers a delightful mix that, once you've grown aquinted to it, offers an insane amount of playtime and catchy entertainment.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“A great indie plenty of depth, choices and fun: one of the best mix of genres in a long time.”
read full review ↗
Eurogamer
PC Gamer
GamePro
Multiplayer.itPatch history
- Massive update released for the Clanfolk Demo!Mar 21, 2022significant · resets scoring window