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 | 46 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 80% | 74 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 80% | 74 | 1869 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jul 22, 2024) · 300 reviews sampled · 1869 total reviews in window · weighted 192.1 up / 32.1 down · computed 2h 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.
- 100
“Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is a metroidvania that stands out for its solid narrative and a gameplay whose mechanics slightly manage to make it stand out among its peers. A petit metroidvania that can brighten up a weekend, since it won't let us escape from its clutches until it's finished.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Aletheia also gradually attains a suite of powers that allow you to reach previously inaccessible areas, but backtracking grows tedious due to the barebones map and the limitations of fast travel. You can only teleport to and from a handful of locations, meaning that you often need to embark on odysseys to use warp spots to get elsewhere. This tedium leads the game’s Metroidvania elements to feel shoehorned in rather than integral to its design. Though it has the bones of a winning action platformer, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder contorts them in submission to generic norms and expectations. The adventure becomes a chore, the fire stamped out.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Gestalt: Steam & Cinder could be just another metroidvania, but it goes much further than that. It manages to maintain solid gameplay tied to an intriguing story. Highly recommended.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is a nostalgic platformer with RPG elements, featuring enchanting visuals and imaginative environments. Its dark steampunk world has a unique atmosphere that will draw you in. It’s just a shame that it only lasts a few short hours.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Despite occasional bouts of excessive linearity, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder firmly establishes itself as one of the most captivating 2D metroidvanias we’ve experienced. Its exceptional gameplay and richly crafted characters, both in design and personality, will immediately immerse you in their compelling tales.”
read full review ↗ - 78
“Gestalt: Steam & Cinder has all the things that make a good metroidvania; even though it doesn't take many risks, it has a solid floor and a well balanced gameplay. The story stops the flow of the game a few times, but the great combat, exploration and progression compensates it.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“A typical Metroidvania, with an emphasis on storytelling and pixel-art graphics, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder quenches the insatiable thirst of fans of the genre, but it doesn't impress anywhere.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Gestalt: Steam and Cinder is a rock-solid retro metroidvania that borrows some of the best aspects of its main inspirations.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Gestalt: Steam & Cinder pays homage to the games that came before it without falling into a nostalgia trap of repeating the same elements from those it draws inspiration from. Instead it tries to refine them into a new and rewarding experience that while familiar, is not just more of the same.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Gestalt: Steam and Cinder shines in its simplicity without any of its components feeling watered-down. The story and its lead character shine and work well alongside a great feeling set of attacks and abilities. For this being a studio's first game, it is remarkably polished with superb animations and detail. Make no mistake, this is one gorgeous game that shines with an equally great soundtrack to boot. It may not set the genre on fire, but it is an excellent entry that stands alongside some of the best to ever do it.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is a gorgeous-looking metroidvania title with smooth controls and a deep story. It's a bit short to play through, but it is an enjoyable experience.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is a charming metroidvania with a unique world that's ultimately undone by its overstuffed and underwhelming storytelling.”
read full review ↗
La Orden del Pixel
Slant Magazine
GameFM
Gaming Professors
STWGames Italia
LevelUp
GameSpot
GameLuster
Analog Stick Gaming
GameGrin
TheSixthAxis…and 18 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Updated Simplified Chinese & Bug FixesOct 3, 2024
- Gestalt v1.0.8 Patch NotesAug 22, 2024
- Gestalt v1.0.7 | Patch NotesJul 29, 2024
- Gestalt v1.0.6 | Patch NotesJul 25, 2024
- Gestalt v1.0.5 | Patch NotesJul 23, 2024
- Gestalt v1.0.4.1 | Patch NotesJul 22, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Gestalt v1.0.3 | Patch NotesJul 22, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Gestalt v1.0.2 | Patch NotesJul 19, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Gestalt v1.0.1 | Patch NotesJul 17, 2024
- Community Update: Pre-launch FAQJul 4, 2024
- Community Update: Release date changeMay 10, 2024
- Steam Demo v0.14.13 | Patch NotesFeb 11, 2023
- Steam Demo v0.14.12 | Patch NotesFeb 10, 2023
- Steam Demo v0.14.11 | Patch NotesFeb 9, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Gestalt: Steam & Cinder - Developer Update!Jun 7, 2021
- Demo Update 3Jun 19, 2020
- Demo Update 2Jun 19, 2020
- Demo Update!Jun 17, 2020significant · resets scoring window