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) | – | 89 | 77 |
| Creator reviews (3 tracked) | – | 82 | 3 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 98% | 94 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 86 | 119 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 97% | 92 | 87 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 91.8, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 21,217 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) · 249 reviews sampled · 115 total reviews in window · weighted 158.7 up / 5.1 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (86)
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
- 80
“Neon White is a rare example of a game that is basically almost impossible to put down.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“That misstep is surprising considering how perfectly calibrated the rest of the game is. Though Neon White’s heavenly setting encourages perfection and players are required to earn a certain number of Gold medals to advance the plot, those are attainable even with the occasional mid-run mistake. (Ace medals, and a spot atop the global leaderboard, are reserved for pros.) It takes a bit of time to get used to playing at the game’s frenetic pace, but once you understand that each enemy and obstacle has been deliberately placed, it gets easier to read how the game wants you to move between them, and that’s a blissful experience.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“From its excellent writing, music, and presentation to its intense and satisfying core gameplay, Neon White is one of the most exciting things we've played all year, and it's a game we can't see ourselves putting down for a long time as we try to best our previous times. It successfully brings together elements from apparently disparate genres in new and exciting ways and seems poised to become the next great speedrunning title. It's one that action game fans and Switch owners in general won't want to miss.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“For most of its runtime Neon White is a real treat to play, and the unique tradeoff of gunplay and movement choices is a fun gimmick that holds the title together quite well.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Although Neon White goes by in a blur, that fast pace is only made greater with excellent level design, fun characterisation, and so many little secrets to find. Though I was expecting to be entertained by Neon White's gameplay for a few hours, its likeable cast and surprisingly sincere geekiness has managed to stay in my mind long after the credits have rolled. It's hard to really grasp its long-term staying power but Neon White has secured its place on many lists for the end of the year. ”
read full review ↗ - 96
“Right out of the gate, the highest compliment I can pay Neon White is how quickly its tight controls and smart design can make stages that initially look utterly impossible become satisfyingly complete...”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Neon White is a welcome addition to the Xbox Game Pass library, serving up a unique and exhilarating indie experience. Its gameplay has a great sense of flow and it does a fantastic job depicting the afterlife. The game does have slower moments in-between levels, but it's primarily about speedrunning and perfecting your runs. As long as you can keep up, Heaven awaits.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“It feels incredible to play and is designed to be a constantly upward ramp in both difficulty and execution. The basic tools and ideas it teaches you in its early stages come full circle when it has you running the gauntlet in its final sections of level”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Neon White is a concoction of incredible game design, beautiful visuals, a stunning soundtrack, and a great story to top it all off. Every moment I was playing Neon White put a smile on my face, and the only negative I can think of is that I've now finished the game.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Neon White is a tour de force, combining incredible level design, excellent storytelling, and brilliant mechanics.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The only major gripe we have is the severe screen-tearing. It's present throughout, and an unfortunate blemish on an otherwise very sleek game. VRR or a 120Hz-compatible display may solve this, but without those options, it's a slightly distracting technical hiccup. However, you're unlikely to notice in the midst of things, and Neon White is otherwise a highly entertaining, stylishly presented adventure.”
read full review ↗
Stryftek
GameMAG
Slant Magazine
Nintendo Life
VGChartz
Gfinity
Nindie Spotlight
Pure Xbox
Prima Games
GamingINTEL
PC Invasion
Push Square…and 74 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Neon White 1.0 Revision 1.3 Patch NotesJul 13, 2022
- Neon White 1.0 Revision 1.2 Patch NotesJul 8, 2022
- Neon White 1.0 Revision 1.1 Patch NotesJun 27, 2022significant · resets scoring window