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Stonefly

Stonefly

Flight School Studio · released Jun 1, 2021

ActionRPGPCPlayStation 4Xbox One, Xbox Series XNintendo Switch

Stonefly is an action-adventure RPG in which you pilot a tiny robot mech. Hop along rocks and canopies while you upgrade your rig with an arsenal of wind abilities. Follow the journey of Annika as she attempts to recover a stolen family heirloom, strategically battling bugs across an epic story.

76
VGC Score
·No trend datalow confidence
74%
At launch
90%
Steam all-time
65%
Press
n/a
Recent sentiment

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.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)6522
All-time Steam reviews90%8464
Metacritic user ratings0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)0
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 18m ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (30)

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.

  • 50
    trust 80Jun 11, 2021

    Stonefly delights the eyes and ears. But the gameplay mix, despite offering some depth, can't do the same. The combat simply isn't much fun, and exploring runs the risks of glitches. This strange premise just isn't executed that well. I'd stick with Creature in the Well until Stonefly gets a discount and patch.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 71Jun 4, 2021

    [Despite the repetition & lack of level variety], I’d still recommend Stonefly if you’re looking for a fun and “chillaxing” game; it’s beautiful to look at and listen to, and it’s fun to play a nimble and agile flight-capable mecha that isn’t from an anime for once.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 70Jun 1, 2021

    Over my time playing games on the Switch I’ve become a sort of connoisseur of weird games, enjoying the unexpected journeys they tend to take you on...

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 69Jun 1, 2021

    You can float about and gather materials as you please, which is pleasant, but the game doesn't quite have enough to hold your interest. Sadly, the story aspect falls a bit flat, the main thread is interesting but the writing isn't particularly engaging, and any cutscenes lack impact. Overall, the game is a tranquil journey through a unique world, but it doesn't quite have the narrative pull or gameplay bite that it needs.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 68Jun 20, 2021

    Even with those bouts of frustration, Stonefly is a thoroughly unique game that has novel gameplay ideas and a wonderful story. Dancing around the world while piloting your mech, trying to find emotional catharsis for your heroine while also beating up some bugs so you can get more resources to upgrade your current ride is a heck of a gameplay loop. It's well worth experiencing if you want a chill adventure.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 66Jun 1, 2021

    Stonefly is a strong indie featuring tiny humans in tiny mechs vying with the bugs of the forest canopy for resources. Its tale is enough to drive you through a 10-hour campaign with little embellishment, and its mech-customisation and mineral-gathering systems are satisfying, intuitive, and purposeful. Pacifist bug combat is fast and frenetic, but also plagued with fiddly controls and a few too many abilities to be comfortable.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 66Jun 4, 2021

    This gorgeous microcosmic mech game just about survives its more frustrating moments.

    read full review ↗
  • 40
    trust 65Jun 8, 2021

    Stonefly is too weighed down by unwieldy combat and grind to get off the ground.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 65Jun 23, 2021

    Stonefly is bristling with creative ideas, but doesn't quite manage to deliver them properly. The world is beautiful, but its design damages gameplay, combat is unique but make it very difficult to manage the amount of enemies required at once, and traversal is interesting but manages to feel unreliable due to its mechanical design. It's a game of missed opportunities, but there's still a number of reasons why you should experience this uniquely designed action RPG.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 64Jun 10, 2021

    In the end, Stonefly shouldn't be taken for anything else than a pleasant yet ambitionless game. Its major flaws revolve around its gameplay, quite frustrating sometimes, but the overall game setting reveals to be picturesque and unique, not to mention the soothing soundtrack. Ideal for small game sessions.

    read full review ↗
  • 71
    trust 63Jun 2, 2021

    Piloting insect mechs in a beautifully tiny world is a breeze, but heavy resource grinding stops this adventure taking full flight.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 63Jun 1, 2021

    Flight School Studios delivers an enjoyable experience with Stonefly. While the concept of King of the Hill combat is unique it's hard to feel it could have taken it a bit further. Exploration and upgrading your rig is an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

    read full review ↗

…and 18 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

  1. Camp Patch 1.1 Available Now!
    Sep 1, 2021significant · resets scoring window