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 | 15 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 67% | 65 | 83 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (24)
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
“The Persistence is a game built of components that any fans of the horror and sci-fi genres will recognise, in a format that merges seamlessly with them to make an absorbing and challenging game.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The Persistence is a good game for fans of space horror, which without PSVR lost a little effect of immersion. However, it is still interesting to play, especially if you get used to the monotonous generation of levels.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The Persistence is a unique and unsettling sci-fi horror roguelite that does an excellent job of transferring its tense atmosphere and absorbing gameplay loops from its original VR form to the Nintendo Switch. There are tons of weapons and toys to tool around with as you run the gauntlet, the permanent aspects of the gameplay are refreshingly generous and survival mode and New Game+ provide a properly stiff challenge for those who prefer their roguelites to be tough as nails. Firesprite Games has done a fantastic job of porting the entire ghoulish affair over to Switch, with flawless performance in both docked and handheld modes; overall, this is another very strong addition to the console's ever-expanding collection of excellent roguelite experiences.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The Persistence is worth playing overall, but the game is unfortunately plagued with artificial difficulty solely to pad out the length.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Our only criticism is that the gameplay hasn’t quite made the transition to pancake play perfectly; looking at objects made sense on PSVR, but is odd in a more traditional medium. You get used to it quickly, though, and from there the rewarding loop hooks you in.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“After playing The Persistence on Xbox One I’m sort of disappointed I skipped it on PlayStation VR. The game is really well done and is built in a way that every small step helps; even if I die on a level, as long as I have collected something my time is not wasted. I’m fairly open that horror games are sort of a new passion of mine and I really liked the atmosphere in this game and a big part of that is how good the enemy AI is. There is a lot to like in this game as long as randomized gameplay (rogue light elements) are not a turn off. The Persistence is definitely one of the best rogue light experiences I have played in quite some time and I will likely go back and try the VR origins of this title.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Given the game’s small size on the hard drive and its very affordable price, it is almost impossible to bypass what The Persistence offers, especially for those looking for something different in the survival horror genre.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The Persistence doesn’t break a lot of new ground, but it is a tense sci-fi rogue-lite with some interesting ideas and solid throughout.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“With a simple but engaging upgrade system; enough weapons and gadgets to make James Bond blush; and a great parrying mechanic that brings an unexpected rhythmic element to combat, this is one title that warrants a purchase even without any fancy VR setup. Repetition with enemy variety and level structure may mar the experience for some players, but it's easy to overlook these faults when the core game has so much to offer.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Previously an exclusive for the PlayStation 4, The Persistence seeks to meld the roguelike genre with horror while bringing it all to VR. The recent...”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The Persistence may not fully escape its VR origins, but it's a good game that's worth your time without it, provided you can endure the slog of the last areas.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The Persistence Enhanced is well worth checking out if you’re a horror fan, especially if you also like a bit of stealth. Those fond of roguelikes will no doubt get a kick out of it too. However, the game’s repetitive nature alongside its clunky and often unfair combat will likely result in some frustration, and maybe even cause some to give up on their bid for freedom. Players who do see their journey to its end, though, will find a welcome assortment of complimentary modes that will entice them to go back for more deck exploring action.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
GameMAG
Nintendo Life
PC Invasion
Push Square
ZTGD
Enternity.gr
Game Freaks 365
GameGrin
Rely On Horror
GamingBolt
GameSpew…and 12 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- The Persistence Enhanced: Patch 1.01Aug 17, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- The Persistence Enhanced: Out NowJun 11, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- NVIDIA® DLSS SupportJun 1, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- The Persistence Enhanced Coming to Steam June 4thApr 29, 2021significant · resets scoring window