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) | – | 87 | 10 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 99% | 95 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 90 | 7 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 98% | 94 | 24 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 94.3, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 5,832 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 68 reviews sampled · 68 total reviews in window · weighted 57.4 up / 1 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (17)
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.
- 80
“In this bursting-at-the-seams collection of over 350 handcrafted puzzles, you’ll need to think both inside and outside the box.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“If you enjoy puzzle games, and especially if you’re into advanced spatial geometry, you definitely shouldn’t miss Patrick’s Parabox. This game offers excellent gameplay, well-designed levels, and overall high-quality production. Players looking for a challenge will find plenty of fresh and appropriately challenging fun that will keep them entertained for many, many hours.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Patrick's Parabox is the rare game that's both highly challenging and highly approachable in equal measure without once dropping a beat. This is a must-play for fans of the genre, especially more logic-driven puzzlers like Baba Is You. Even if you're not the most hardened puzzle veteran, Patrick's Parabox does a great job of teaching you to solve even its most difficult puzzles thanks to a clever level structure and approachable progression system.”
read full review ↗ - 77
“It's like a fine dining set for puzzle fans. But it's unsatisfying in that its limited reward systems does not motivate gamers to play repeatedly.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Beneath Patrick's Parabox's minimalist surface are layers upon layers - a masterclass of simplicity and puzzling challenge.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Patrick's Parabox is a fun puzzler for all ages, whether you like puzzles or not. It's easy to play, and I found myself becoming easily addicted to solving each puzzle, losing hours of time into this fun little game.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A wonderful puzzle game that knows how to teach the player how to understand, and enjoy, its great collection of paradoxes.”
read full review ↗ - 90
- 90
“Patrick’s Parabox shakes up the traditional formula of Sokoban (box pushing) puzzle games by implementing boxes within boxes. The moment you realize the box you are pushing is a stage in itself is something truly magical that adds new depth to the genre. The visuals, polish and difficulty balance make this one of the best games in the genre to date. A must-buy for any puzzle gamer.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Patrick’s Parabox may not be the most original of video games but the way it borrows ideas and blends them together is simply exceptional. Its paradoxical puzzles will mangle your brain, the concept of applied infinity will stun you. Do you like Baba Is You? If so, play this and thank us later. ”
read full review ↗ - 91
“That’s the kind of game Patrick's Parabox is: it worms its way into your brain and sticks there, and if you’re a fan of deceptively simple puzzle games, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Patrick's Parabox is an excellent puzzle game that you'll want to be going back to not just to clear its 364 puzzles, but because it is the perfect cerebral-cozy game that has a calming yet exciting vibe as you solve puzzles and relax with a soundtrack that amplifies your ability to enter a calm flow state of thinking. The pacing of each new mechanic and rule to the puzzles is great, and discovering each new mechanic as you solve a puzzle only makes you want to play the next puzzle more to see how creative developer Patrick Traynor gets with it, and he certainly doesn't disappoint.”
read full review ↗
Slant Magazine
Gaming Professors
Nintendo Life
INVEN
Eurogamer
GameGrin
AnaitGames
PS3Blog.net
IGN
Gaming Age
PlayStation Universe…and 5 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Minor bugfix update 2022-04-13Apr 13, 2022