Sophstar | VGC Score 84

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)	–	77	8
All-time Steam reviews	100%	97	54
Metacritic user ratings	–	–	0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)	–	–	0
Calibration prior (typical game)	–	72	50

Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Aug 17, 2026) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (9)

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.

70
Nintendo Life
trust 76Oct 27, 2022
“That said, it's still a competently assembled title: smooth, clean, and enjoyable. What it lacks in gravity and bravado it makes up for in balanced scoring mechanics and an interesting teleportation twist. While its Cadet Mode is its brightest spark, the main campaign shoots for the stars but falls just short of reaching them.”
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90
NintendoWorldReport
trust 69Oct 28, 2022
“Going through its Arcade Mode on different difficulties and using new ships is a genuine treat because each one feels distinct from the one before. While it's a bit annoying that sleep mode seems to regularly disconnect the game from its online servers, requiring a manual reconnection in the menu, there's little else about the game that is worth criticizing. Sophstar marks a stellar debut effort from developer Banana Bytes, and it's both an easy recommendation for vertical shooter fans and a title I'll be coming back to regularly.”
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80
ZTGD
trust 68Nov 8, 2022
“Sophstar is a fantastic game that feels like it was made by a team that loves shooters. Being someone who will play just about any one released, this one stands out among the pack with its unique teleport mechanic and addictive Cadet School mode. There is a lot here to enjoy and for less than $10 it is a no-brainer for fans of shooters. Don’t sleep on this team’s debut game, cannot wait to see what they deliver next.”
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100
Otaku Gamers UK
trust 62Nov 17, 2022
“Essential Switch Shmup Action”
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80
Hey Poor Player
trust 56Nov 25, 2022
“Even with those gripes, however, there is nothing here that would stop me from recommending Sophstar to shmup fans. It takes a familiar genre, nails the fundamentals, and then builds upon those with unrivaled ship variety and its teleportation mechanic that is so core to the experience and blows the genre wide open to the extent that I’m not sure I want to ever play another shmup that doesn’t have this feature. If you’re not put off by the lack of progression and are up for the immense challenge presented by Sophstar, then I would encourage you to not let this little gem pass you by.”
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70
PSX Brasil
trust 56Nov 7, 2022
“With a good variety of gameplay, Sophstar is a traditional shoot'em up that has its personality. It still lacks more depth and ways, which affects the experience as a whole to reach its potential.”
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70
Movies Games and Tech
trust 56Dec 2, 2022
“Sophstar is a casual shmup that is addictive and fun. With 6 game modes and 6 difficulty settings, this will keep you busy. What's more, the never-ending bullet hell will test your patience and reactions.”
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85
GameBlast
trust 53Nov 3, 2022
“Sophstar respects the time-honored shoot 'em up formula while adding a lot of personality and interesting features, such as the variety of ships with unique attributes and teleportation. For those who want an adventure to get to know the genre better, this title is a great choice and will definitely sharpen your skills.”
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73
Video Chums
trust 45Oct 23, 2022
“Sophstar is a good vertical shmup that's bursting with many unique controllable ships so it makes for quite a varied and fulfilling arcade shooting experience. It may have rather generic stages but its overall sense of non-stop action still puts it on my recommended list.”
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Patch history

Version 1.13
Aug 17, 2026significant · resets scoring window
1.12B
Jun 18, 2026
Sophstar V1.12
Jun 17, 2026significant · resets scoring window
1.11 Update
Aug 29, 2023
Rollback to previous version
May 10, 2023
1.10 Update
May 4, 2023
Version Update: 1.09
Aug 31, 2022
Version 1.08
Jul 18, 2022
Update 1.07
Mar 29, 2022
1.06 Update
Mar 16, 2022
1.05C Update
Mar 1, 2022
1.05 Update
Feb 27, 2022
1.04 Update
Feb 27, 2022
1.03D Update
Feb 23, 2022significant · resets scoring window
1.03C Update
Feb 23, 2022
Update 1.03B
Feb 21, 2022
1.03A Update
Feb 20, 2022
New Borders options!
Feb 19, 2022
Version 1.02
Feb 19, 2022
1.01 Update
Feb 11, 2022
Demo update.
Jun 17, 2021