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) | – | 80 | 56 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 86% | 80 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 79 | 48 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 76% | 71 | 25 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 65 reviews sampled · 70 total reviews in window · weighted 41.7 up / 12.9 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (76)
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
“F.I.S.T: Forged in Shadow Torch is a great Metroidvania, that does everything it needs to very well without re-inventing the formula.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“F.I.S.T .: Forged In Shadow Torch combines a beautiful world full of anthropomorphic animals, stunning locations, great music, deep combos and fun exploration, but at the same time shows probmelms with uneven difficulty levels and unbalanced combat system.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Considering how awesome this game is, it doesn’t get talked about much, which I think is a shame. I had an incredible time playing F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch, and I hope this isn’t the end of it, given how it wrapped up. At times you get to enjoy the game’s beautiful graphics, and at other times I thought I was going to smash something when I had to defeat a boss on my thirtieth try. The story was so comprehensive that not a single detail was left unexplained, and so well-crafted that it could make for a great movie. I was even surprised that an average computer could handle this game without a single issue. The game is exciting; brutal combat, exploring locations, and plenty of other features set it apart from titles in the same genre. It’s definitely worth playing.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Although we may sound quite negative when discussing the game, FIST: Forged In Shadow Torch really is worth playing; it just has so much potential that it doesn't quite reach. It rides on the cusp of greatness so often, while not quite making it over the hurdle. We can't wait to play a sequel because if it was iterated on, FIST could be something really special. Sadly, due to the technical issues associated with this Switch version such as the unbearably long load times, it's let down even further. Overall, a promising foundation that we hope leads to better things in the future.”
read full review ↗ - 78
“F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch stands out as a well-structured classic metroidvania, offering a solid and engaging gameplay experience. While it doesn’t introduce any groundbreaking innovations, the game shines through its aesthetic quality, dieselpunk setting, and fluid combat. Fans of the genre will find a satisfying and immersive challenge, while minor drawbacks, like the parry system, don’t diminish a game that is, overall, well worth playing.”
read full review ↗ - 79
“Metroidvania fans should be thrilled to have another viable indie contender in the space to enjoy, even if it has some flaws”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Personally, rarely does a Metroidvania game capture the imagination, often being lost to the backlog due to their constant trial and error navigation and repetitive backtracking. With that thought at the forefront, it's a credit to developers TiGAMES that F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch still hasn't been put out to pasture in the backlog farm. Everything about this title is a joy and great, engaging gameplay is complimented by a beautiful world that springs to life on the PS5 both visually in its setting as well as its characters and stories. Top this off with a great protagonist and you have a game of the year contender in every respect. Metroid Dread? Who needs it.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“F.I.S.T: Forged in Shadow Torch is a high-quality punk diesel product with Metroidvania elements that can be a good option for users interested in this genre and even players of 2D side-by-side games.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch is a stellar Metroidvania adventure set in a beautifully realised world, replete with challenging combat encounters, rewarding exploration, and some spicy platforming action. Rayton Rabbit might be of diminutive stature, but he's punching well above his weight here in what is one of the best games of 2021 so far.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“With the inclusion of a new difficulty option, F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch brings challenging combat and atmospheric world to more players resulting in an amazing example of the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The detailed combination of levels, the shortcuts that are unlocked by using upgrades and the battles that break the "monotony" of exploration give the game a character that definitely makes it stand out in the metroidvania universe out there.”
read full review ↗ - 78
“With its interesting Dieselpunk world and gameplay that successfully reflects the characteristics of the genre, it is a game that Metroidvania lovers should not miss. Other players can also enjoy this interesting world, if they can ignore some little problems.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
GameMAG
Gaming Professors
Nintendo Life
Indie Games Devel
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
Zoomg
Push Square
Capsule Computers
Enternity.gr
Merlin'in Kazanı…and 64 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- NVIDIA DLSS 3 is now supported in F.I.S.T.Nov 7, 2022
- 1.004.006 Patch Notes for PCOct 18, 2021significant · resets scoring window