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) | – | 89 | 27 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 87 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 94% | 89 | 13 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 36 reviews sampled · 33 total reviews in window · weighted 21.9 up / 1.3 down · computed 8h 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.
- 90
“Surprisingly attractive, powerful and in a good way strange game, which will remain in memory for a long time.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Norco is the good kind of point-and-click game; its engaging story is paired with a great world and solidly enjoyable gameplay for an experience that shouldn't be missed by fans of the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“In fact, the only area where it lets itself down is the UI. Games that use a cursor on console are starting on the back foot to begin with, but navigating what you can interact with is a particular nuisance in Norco. The cursor is fond of resetting, so you have to drag it all the way across the screen often, it's very easy to accidentally repeat dialogue choices, and sometimes it takes a few tries to hover over something before the interaction prompt actually shows up. Apart from this, the game offers a rich, fulfilling experience that you should try to experience as soon as you possibly can.”
read full review ↗ - 94
“NORCO is one of the rarest games in existence. It’s a find to be remembered. Its imaginative and thoughtful writing will keep your mind occupied for days. It is unquestionably a must-play for every fan of this genre and anyone who’d love a story that cuts deep.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Even if you don’t normally enjoy point-and-click adventures, Norco is a must-play for anyone interested in story-driven games. It’s one of the best-narrated tales since Dysco Elysium, rich with the real-life history of the town of Norco with some imaginative fiction mixed in. It’s dark, funny, and scary in all the right places, and even if the ending doesn’t wrap up all the mysteries it opens, it’s still sure to leave its mark on you.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Norco is a beautiful, surprising, human, and utterly magnetic debut.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Norco weaves a compelling and utterly wonderful story that's dark, beautiful, evocative, and distinctly human.”
read full review ↗ - 80
- 80
“One of the best story-based games of the year, with a complex mix of dystopian sci-fi, religious meditation, and a razor-sharp script.”
read full review ↗ - 94
“A must-play for anyone interested in narrative-driven games.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“This pairing of humans and the natural world up against a common antagonist, not necessarily as allies but as common victims, makes it clear how intimately Norco is tied to the swamps, valleys and fields that surround it. This interconnection between individuals with little in common on the surface but a shared place and history is where “Norco” locates the possibility for hope, a provocation that might offer those of us playing a model for our own local responses to corporate encroachment and environmental devastation. Through these mutually affecting connections between humans, nature and technology, “Norco” creates its own robotic story, disturbing, personal and fresh, an experience that should not be missed.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“NORCO is a brilliant game with an incredibly high level of craft, particularly with its writing. It is one of the most entertaining and thought-provoking games in years, and everyone should play it.”
read full review ↗
3DNews
Jump Dash Roll
Push Square
GamesCreed
Checkpoint Gaming
Eurogamer
GameSpot
MonsterVine
Metro GameCentral
PC Gamer
Washington Post
TechRaptor…and 18 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- NORCO 1.5.0Feb 19, 2025
- NORCO 1.4.5 Update - Steam Deck Verification & MoreMar 31, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- A year-end review, with gratitudeDec 16, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- NORCO 1.3.7Sep 9, 2022
- NORCO 1.3.6 Patch NotesSep 2, 2022
- NORCO 1.3.5 Windows Patch NotesAug 29, 2022
- NORCO REVIEWS & PATCH NOTESApr 1, 2022
- Update v.1.0.4 ENApr 1, 2022
- Demo v.1.1.7 is now liveJun 16, 2021