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Fuga: Melodies of Steel

Fuga: Melodies of Steel

CyberConnect2 · released Jul 28, 2021

RPGSimulationStrategy

Fuga: Melodies of Steel is an RPG where you place children, each with their own unique characteristics and skills, at different gun turrets in a tank to fight against the enemy.

87
VGC Score
Improvingmedium confidence
84%
At launch
94%
Steam all-time
83%
Press
100%
Recent sentiment

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.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)8322
All-time Steam reviews94%88638
Metacritic user ratings0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)100%976
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 16 reviews sampled · 13 total reviews in window · weighted 12.2 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (28)

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.

  • 85
    trust 80Aug 27, 2021

    Overall, Fuga: Melodies of Steel is a charming, beautiful, and challenging game that shows just how determined a child can be in the face of seemingly impossible odds. The love these children have for their parents is truly unstoppable.

    read full review ↗
  • 100
    trust 72Jul 30, 2021

    Fuga: Melodies of Steel is perhaps one of the most impactful games I’ve ever played. The story and gameplay both serve to complement each other, with the story adding so much importance to your decisions, but with the horrible impact of firing the cannon entirely within your power to prevent if you pay attention to all your options. I don’t know if my experience will match everyone else’s, but I sincerely and genuinely felt something from this, and sometimes it just feels good to have something connect with you even as it hurts.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 69Jul 29, 2021

    And yet I still can't shake the feeling that Fuga could have been so much more if it cut back on the boring base building and truly committed to a tone that the premise deserves. If a solid linear RPG that can be beaten in under 20 hours is something you're in the market for or if you're curious about the successor to Solatorobo then Fuga is at least worth a look. But if your interest was piqued by the trailer or heard the premise of children, war, and permadeath; then you should know there is a lot less here than you may have initially thought.

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    trust 68Aug 18, 2021

    ‎Fuga is a game that has a lot to offer you if you like turn-based strategy video games. It's fun, deep in story and mechanics, and full of playable options. Although in the long run it can get repetitive and the chapters too long. All in all, I feel like it's a highly enjoyable game. The difficulty spikes encountered in boss battles can become frustrating. So it can be a demanding game at least as long as you fully understand its mechanics.‎

    read full review ↗
  • 100
    trust 68Aug 11, 2021

    Its not often that you find such a dark and adult story wrapped up in such a whimsical and beautiful package, this one could be a contender for RPG of the year.

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    trust 67Aug 24, 2021

    Fuga: Melodies of Steel is a game filled with constant tension. Seeing all of those adorable children didn’t prepare me for how much fretting and consideration that would go into my every move. How a handful of bad tactical decisions can result in your tank getting blown to pieces or worse, seeing one of the main characters die permanently to save the others.

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    trust 67Aug 24, 2021

    Just … don't use the Soul Cannon, please.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 65Oct 9, 2021

    Fuga: Memories of Steel is a turn-based strategy game that is unlike any other one I have played. The story is incredibly deep and a lot more serious than you would expect a game with cats and dogs to be. Definitely worth checking out if you like RTS games mixed with RPG elements.

    read full review ↗
  • 100
    trust 65Aug 6, 2021

    Truly, this game ended up being the best surprise gem for me in years, and when it contains all the aspects of my favorite games of all time, with great characters, world building, soundtrack, writing, and addictive gameplay loops, Fuga creeped up from behind and led to an unforgettable adventure, where the saddest part for me was when it all came to an end.

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  • 80
    trust 65Aug 2, 2021

    Balancing excellent strategic gameplay with great writing and a tank-full of heart, Fuga: Melodies of Steel continues the excellent track record of the Little Tail Bronx series. A set of great characters, beautiful visuals and excellent music precede an emotional journey through a war-torn world through the eyes of a group entirely unprepared for the choices they will have to make. This won't be for everyone by any means, but what is here was clearly made with a lot of care.

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  • 75
    trust 64Oct 6, 2021

    Overall my experience with Fuga: Melodies of Steel was pretty solid, and I enjoyed the 20 or so hours I spent on it. The characters were cute, the setting was interesting, and perhaps in a less dark story this could really get fleshed out well. I just think the WW2 time period is a bit outplayed at this point, especially for a game about anthropomorphic dogs and cats.

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  • 80
    trust 64Aug 25, 2021

    While Fuga: Melodies of Steel’s linear gameplay may be a bit stifling, CyberConnect2’s new step in game development is one that shouldn’t be overlooked.

    read full review ↗

…and 16 more tracked reviews.

Patch history