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) | – | 55 | 17 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 87% | 80 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 85% | 79 | 300 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Apr 18, 2025) · 300 reviews sampled · 241 total reviews in window · weighted 145.5 up / 25.4 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (25)
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.
- 70
“Calico is relaxing, delightful and just the perfect escape from reality. While there's no extensive story (the main story is about four hours long), the game is full of quests, cafe designing and pet collecting. Plus, who wouldn't want a game with the ability to put a cat on your head while riding a giant cat with a bunch of cats behind you?”
read full review ↗ - 40
“Calico is still a little too buggy for us to recommend. It's fun to ride a huge cat off a cliff in an ice cream sundae outfit, but less fun when you get stuck in said cliff and your face turns inside-out. There's a lot of love in this game, but it doesn't quite outweigh the issues, and given that we've already seen more than one patch issued since launch, we're not convinced the developer can pull this one back from the brink.”
read full review ↗ - 62
“I can respect games that aren't made for the adrenaline junkie set, whose goal is to proceed at a slower pace and enjoy taking everything in...”
read full review ↗ - 40
“Combining cats and other likeable creatures with a café should be a winning formula, but unfortunately Calico fails to offer an enjoyable time. Cute graphics and inventive concepts alone do not excuse the multitude of issues that give the game a feel of a draft version, rather than a finished product despite post-launch updates. Perhaps one day running a cat café will run like a dream, instead of a cute-themed nightmare.”
read full review ↗ - 16
“What sounded like the combination of a management game, Animal Crossing, and The Sims turned out to be barely influenced by all three. If you’re looking for a relaxing Switch game where you can collect clothing, decorate your home, and hang out with animals, there is already the perfect game for you: Animal Crossing New Horizons. If you’ve already played it to the point of needing new joysticks, then there are plenty of other indie alternatives to pick up before giving Calico consideration.”
read full review ↗ - 76
“Calico is a lovely game that provides a very calming atmosphere and some delightful moments.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“Pets, coffee and cuteness: what could possibly go wrong? Turns out, a lot. Calico proves that good intentions don't automatically lead to good products, with its short development period leading to a game that feels more and more undercooked at every turn.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“The fluffy pastel-candy aesthetic and charming setting of Calico is soured by simplistic gameplay.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Both a tranquil and amusing game that has its moment of natural charm in certain gameplay and narrative elements, but falls short when that charm feels forced. The lack of quality in its visuals and quest lines hinder it from being a great game, but still worth a look for younger audiences.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Calico is a wonderfully weird and whimsical game. With a few tweaks to the rendering of the game, a few glitch fixes, and the ability to customise the controls, it would be an ideal island to visit for a few hours at a time. If only I could get my Animal Crossing island to have the same atmosphere…”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Calico is a magical game about witches, cats, cute villagers and a cat café, what more could you want! While there is no denying that Calico has a few problems on the Switch, I hope this is a game that will be regularly updated and more added to the game in future. If you’re looking for a game to get lost in a whimsical, magical pink infused world where you can wear cats as hats then Calico is the game for you.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Calico is a peaceful simulation game about collecting cats to live at your cat café, and helping your friends on a magical island. Simple, soothing fun.”
read full review ↗
Gaming Professors
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
Nintendojo
Gamerheadquarters
The Game is a Lie
GameSpot
GameGrin
TheSixthAxis
LadiesGamers.com
SwitchRPG…and 13 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Small Bug Fix PatchApr 18, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Fixes for Pawsome UpdateJan 16, 2023
- Calico Pawsome EditionDec 22, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Free Update! Calico: Pawsome Edition Out Now!Dec 22, 2022
- Bug fix and polish patchSep 23, 2021
- Small fix for customization update!Jun 28, 2021
- The Customization Update!Jun 19, 2021
- Small fix for garden furniture!Apr 20, 2021
- Garden Furniture Update!Apr 9, 2021
- Patch notes for February 12thFeb 12, 2021
- Calico Update 1.04Jan 27, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Calico 1.03Jan 7, 2021
- Happy New Year and And Patch Notes!Jan 1, 2021
- More Bug Fixes!Dec 21, 2020
- First Patch!Dec 17, 2020