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) | – | 74 | 77 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 75 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 65% | 64 | 278 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 85% | 78 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 5 reviews sampled · 2 total reviews in window · weighted 2.4 up / 0.4 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (109)
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.
- 90
“The overal design choices and visual presentation of Cris Tales are one of its most strongers suits. The game looks like an animated film, and paired with lots of calm and relaxing tunes, you get a very cozy atmosphere that feels nice to get back to every single time.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“Cris Tales's description states that this is a "love letter" to JRPGs. However, with game's boring combat, uninspiring plot and lack of variety it is hard to recommend Cris Tales for the fans of the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“That charming, throwaway exchange is just one of the many ways in which the game’s strong writing and character development help to mitigate the campaign’s tedious final hours. It feels like the video game equivalent of a shaggy-dog joke, and while its narrative is fascinating enough to compel you to backtrack not once, but twice, through areas and boss fights that you’ve long since mastered, it’s hard not to wish that Cris Tales had used a little time magic on itself and sped things along so we could have gotten to the good stuff sooner.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cris Tales offers up a satisfying take on classic JRPG tropes while sprinkling in some interesting new gameplay ideas and an incredible art style. Though some aspects of combat can be frustrating and the pacing can occasionally feel like it's wasting your time, we'd still give this one a recommendation to anyone looking for a cool new RPG for their Switch. Cris Tales does just enough to stick out from the pack and assert itself as a title worth adding to your library; JRPG aficionados should definitely give this one a shot.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Cris Tales falls short of its lofty aims, but the zeal and indelible spirit of the game make it more than the sum of its parts.”
read full review ↗ - 45
“The way characters move and express in combat never gets old, even as everything around it quickly does. I can see the massive amount of love and care put into one element of the game, which conveniently is the most visible one for observers. But once I pick up the controller, it becomes clear that level of detail is only surface deep.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Cris Tales is the type of game you really want to love. You see the gorgeousness on the screen and hear the lovely score… but then you remember you have to play it. The visual and auditory elements are so stand-out in quality that they cause the more simplistic gameplay and unexciting narrative to feel stunted in comparison.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Cris Tales is definitely a praiseworthy effort from Colombian studios Dreams Uncorporated and SYCK, both of whom have crafted a JRPG adventure worth playing through from beginning to end. This game proves that even JRPGs can transcend their origin country, becoming a worthwhile and memorable experience, even with some of its issues.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Cris Tales is a game with a lot of charm and good ideas that doesn’t quite deliver on its ambition. Some mechanics seem a little undercooked and the nostalgia for older RPGs will likely be lost on the younger players who seem, from the story and presentation, to be the game’s target audience.”
read full review ↗ - 64
“This is one of those titles where I feel a bit torn on where I land with it...”
read full review ↗ - 70
“In sum, we have a creative, solid and flawed game. The kind of game that makes a service like Xbox Game Pass sing.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“I had my issues and frustrations with Cris Tales, but once I dusted myself off from the finale, I emerged with a big smile. It reminded me why I loved JRPGs. Though it featured the usual JRPG tropes, they were executed so well that I feel Cris Tales is an easy recommendation to anyone eager to find an escape, as it was a fun ride despite some hit-and-miss time travel elements.”
read full review ↗
GameMAG
3DNews
Slant Magazine
Nintendo Life
RPGamer
Paste Magazine
Gamer Escape
Kakuchopurei
VGamingNews
Nindie Spotlight
Prima Games
Too Much Gaming…and 97 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- A New Patch is Now Available - Including a New Character!Dec 16, 2021significant · resets scoring window