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) | – | 81 | 35 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 93% | 87 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 95% | 89 | 10 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 29 reviews sampled · 23 total reviews in window · weighted 23.5 up / 1.3 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (53)
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
“Paradise Killer offers more style than substance, but that's not necessarily a fault. It's a choice. The game's unique characters and story are open throughout gameplay and beyond completion, tasking you with solving a gory murder through low-pressure investigations and…well, hoping you were right.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Paradise Killer is a very intriguing detective story with an interesting and deep world and well-developed characters, which suffers from a number of shortcomings.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Paradise Killer may have bitten off more than it can chew. Weak courtroom mechanics, disappointing finale, and rudimentary dialogue system keep it from reaching the dizzying heights it aspires to and allows you to jump from. Yet every other part of the game is a joy, from the energetic soundtrack to the strange, alluring locales of Paradise Island. Let's hope the next one is Perfect 25.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“There’s a refreshing freedom to Paradise Killer we’ve not previously seen. You can start the trial almost immediately if you desired, which is far from sensible, but without a narrative constraining you, Lady Love Dies’ investigation is what you make it. Coming to your own conclusions can be a little overwhelming in places but successfully solving this case is immensely satisfying. For murder-mystery fans, this comes highly recommended.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Paradise Killer succeeds by selling all of its ostensibly contradictory artistic choices as inseparable parts of a greater whole.”
read full review ↗ - 69
“This is one of those games where you just sort of need to be well-hydrated, strap in, and get ready for quite a bit of "Huh?" weirdness...”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Paradise Killer is an exceptionally enjoyable piece of entertainment. I loved the world and characters and I loved solving the mystery. Anyone who enjoys piecing things together and carefully combing over a digital world for goodies will likely be elated by what's on offer.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“However, Paradise Killer will gradually win you over. Part of its smart design is letting you begin the endgame trial, where you'll make your final accusations, whenever you like, giving you complete control over the outcome. When you're satisfied you know what happened, you can start proceedings and present your case, there is no single correct answer. Combined with a great, low-tech aesthetic and an excellent soundtrack, and this is a game with both style and substance.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The character names do more harm than good, and the visuals are merely serviceable. Fortunately, the soundtrack provides incredible travelling music, and it's worth seeking out tapes to add to your collection of tracks. If you can get into the world and its mysteries and intricacies, you'll find an experience worthy of being called Paradise. If you're expecting another Danganronpa, this might be more of a buzz killer.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Roughly speaking, Paradise Killer is a game about an exiled detective being welcomed back to solve a heinous crime everyone is a little too quick to pin on a lower-class citizen, but that glosses over many of the weird details that make it shine so brightly. I’m talking about aliens, demons, gods, and immortal upper-class residents of a parallel realm who harness the psychic energy of thousands of their slaves in order to resurrect the cosmic beings that they were once thralls to. These extra touches do a lot to separate Paradise Killer from similar games, Disco Elysium, Smile For Me, and Phoenix Wright seem like adequate comparisons once you squint and picture them as nightmarish bizarro versions of themselves, and no charm is lost in the process.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Paradise Killer offers up a layered detective story set in a unique world with a distinct aesthetic. If you’re keen on titles like Phoenix Wright and are open to detective stories set in an unusual environment, chances are you won’t want to miss this one. With a thrilling plot and quirky characters, Paradise Killer is sure to have you hooked.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A bright and breezy game that unfortunately drags a little at points, Paradise Killer is nevertheless an enjoyable jaunt that does something a little different with a genre that has a reputation for being somewhat dour. Absolutely worth your time, just be prepared to dedicate a little more of it than you might expect in the early stages.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
GameMAG
Jump Dash Roll
Nintendo Life
VGChartz
Nindie Spotlight
PC Invasion
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
Killa Penguin
Checkpoint Gaming
FingerGuns…and 41 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- 5th Anniversary Bug Fix Patch is Live!Oct 29, 2025
- Paradise Killer - Huge FREE Content UpdateMar 16, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.0.14 Released 11/09/2020Sep 11, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- June / July Dev LogJul 16, 2020significant · resets scoring window