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) | – | 71 | 8 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 75% | 71 | 16 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (10)
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
“Residual is a comprehensive survival experience that fans of the genre will absolutely adore. Exploring the procedurally generated planets feels a bit daunting at first, but when the game opens up and starts dishing out essential resources, it becomes a lot more manageable. There are a few teething issues that we hope will be ironed out in time, like the confusing inventory UI, overly frequent need to eat/sleep, and the slightly dodgy navigation controls, but overall Residual is a fun, engaging 2D survival game that can sit proud alongside genre heavies like Minecraft and Don't Starve.”
read full review ↗ - 63
“While they got off to a bit of a slow start on the Switch, over the years survival games have become more common and some excellent examples of the genre have made their way to the system...”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Residual is ideal for those looking for a fast-paced survival game without complex mechanics.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Residual is another winner from Orange Pixel. An intriguing survival exploration game that will keep you busy for long or short bursts of gaming. If you’re not a fan of the genre I’m not sure there is anything here to win you over. In a way, it’s fitting Apogee published this game as it kinda did bring back some of that nostalgia of that era in gaming. A game that doesn’t totally hold you by the hand, but the more you invest in it, the more you discover. What started as a stressful experience became one of wonder and intrigue. If that sounds good to you I highly recommend venturing to the stars with Residual.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Residual is great for a quick survival experience, with less in-depth gameplay than other survival titles. Those who like Minecraft's Vanilla mode will likely enjoy the unique worlds, goal-oriented exploration, and resources collection. However, gamers looking for a complex survival experience like Terraria or Valheim may find the lack of standard survival mechanics frustrating and limiting while exploring.”
read full review ↗ - 45
“Residual is not a bad game, and if you like resource collecting survival games, this one is fine. It just lacks any sort of exceptional or original aspect that would have me recommend it over anything similar.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Still, even with a small handful of flaws, this is a solid game. Residual has awesome pixel art, a unique premise, addicting gameplay, and the promise of unique playthroughs every time you start a new game. While it’s not a perfect game, my complaints are fairly minor all things considered. I’d definitely recommend this game to anybody looking for a unique survival/platformer mashup.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“A crashed spaceship, an unknown planet, and a mysterious secret hiding beneath the surface: side-scrolling survival game Residual appears to have it all. But is it a hidden gem, or bogged down by its own inexplicable ooze?”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Residual has a good main idea, but I found that there’s too little around it to make the experience compelling in the long run. I liked the world and the exploration, but I was less impressed with the crafting or the puzzle design. I wished for a stronger narrative hook to give me a clear reason to get somewhere or mine minerals or find more vines.”
read full review ↗ - –
“If you enjoy games like No Man Sky, Animal Crossing, and Terreria, this is the game for you. There is an unlimited amount of worlds to explore and playing Residual is almost calming. The various dungeons are really cool to explore and the puzzles spread throughout the maps don’t take me out of the experience. There is a ton of replayability in this survival exploration game and if you want more of a challenge, feel free to turn on the permadeath option. With each planet, there are new puzzles and secrets to discover. There were a couple times during gameplay where I feel I may have locked myself out of being able to complete a planet but, it is quick and easy to jump back in to a new playthrough. Residual is a charming survival exploration game created by a person that is clearly passionate about his craft.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Enternity.gr
LadiesGamers.com
Screen Rant
Nintendo Link
Hey Poor Player
KeenGamer
Softpedia
The Game FanaticsPatch history
- Version 1.3.2May 25, 2024
- Improved radar and other featuresMar 29, 2024
- v1.1.5: Map markers and RecyclerOct 18, 2021
- Residual v1.1.3: Recall Teleporters and the BIG future of ResidualSep 17, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- v1.1.2: Ladders, location and fishing!Sep 14, 2021
- PATCH UPDATE FROM THE MOTHERSHIPSep 11, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Wrapping up the work!Apr 2, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- We now have 3000 creatures in the universeMar 26, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Improved dialog system and near feature completeMar 19, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- More cuteness and characterMar 12, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Residual v0.0.30: A discovered and named galaxyFeb 26, 2021
- Residual v0.0.28: Tying up loose endsFeb 12, 2021
- Residual v0.0.27: Working on the detailsFeb 5, 2021
- Residual v0.0.26: Generating a complete universeJan 29, 2021
- Residual v0.0.24: The mushroom effectJan 15, 2021
- Residual v0.0.23: We have lift-off!Jan 8, 2021
- The BIG status update on ResidualDec 21, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Let's open that spaceship!Aug 3, 2020
- Adding sandworms, and adding Depth to Mining! | Devlog #13Jul 20, 2020significant · resets scoring window