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 | 23 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 85% | 79 | 846 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 96% | 91 | 5 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 15 reviews sampled · 11 total reviews in window · weighted 4.9 up / 0.2 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (20)
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.
- 90
“Mail Time is one of the sweetest and most comforting experiences I’ve had in a long time. Despite its relatively short five-hour runtime, Mail Time doesn’t feel small. It’s a great example of quality over quantity. If you are remotely interested in cute forest animals and/or the mail, you’ll want to add Mail Time to your gaming route.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Mail Time is so far one of my favorite cozy games of 2023. And this is a cozy game, to a T. There's no violence, well, I mean, there is, unfortunately, a landlord, plus an offbeat caterpillar named Soks who might throw a real stinging quip or two your way. But in this casual platformer and collect-a-thon, there are no timers or penalties on your quests, no fall damage taken when you accidentally glide straight past your destination, and no real way to fail. It's a game where the biggest challenge is picking the cutest outfit, knapsack, and glider combo within the character creator. In short, Mail Time isn't perfect, but it's a two- to three-hour quest for joy and neighborly connection, and there's nothing wrong with that.”
read full review ↗ - 72
“This is a case of a cute and very pleasant game, which is a nice change of pace, sadly lacking quality in overall execution”
read full review ↗ - 70
“I admittedly went postal a bit the first ten minutes when I was hopelessly lost. Nintendo Switch version reviewed.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“It's disappointing to come away from Mail Time feeling more frustrated than relaxed. All of the elements for an adorable, wholesome experience are there: its cast of animal characters are incredibly well-written, its art direction is delightful, and the entire premise is utterly charming. Unfortunately, a litany of glitches and janky platforming controls really disrupt its vibe. While I'm hopeful that its incredibly ambitious solo developer is able to support the game with patches down the track, it's sadly difficult to recommend Mail Time in its current state.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Whilst having well paced gameplay, cute cottagecore aesthetic and whimsical environments. Mail Time has been delivered with the video game version of annoying spam; significant screen tear, unfixable features in game impacting the story and texture popping. A lovely game which can only be recommended once the spam is returned to sender.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Mail Time is the type of game you want to curl up with on a cold day. I recommend it to any cozy game enthusiast.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“If you're looking to relax for a couple hours and are into the Cottagecore vibe, you could definitely do worse than Mail Time. However, you may want to wait for a patch to fix the more mundane mechanics that ensure a smooth experience for all players.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Mail Time is definitely one to write home about. The short adventure delivers you to the whimsical world of Grumblewood Grove, with its quirky houses and fascinating residents. The imagination in both the scenery and characters makes for a truly delightful experience.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Bugs aside, though, we’ve thoroughly enjoyed our time with Mail Time. This is a cute, whimsical adventure that anyone who likes cosy, relaxing games will enjoy. The silly dialogue won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but we still reckon it’ll raise a smile or two even from the sternest of faces. Leave action and violence aside for a bit, and Mail Time is the ideal chilled-out experience to spend a couple of hours with.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Mail Time is a thoughtful achievement for a single developer working with a miniature team. The whimsical game will delight cottage-core enthusiasts who want to venture, and literally float, around in a 3D-platform landscape. But the title’s lack of map and depth, and its brevity, may put off other players.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.”
read full review ↗
The Punished Backlog
video games are good
Nindie Spotlight
Siliconera
Checkpoint Gaming
FingerGuns
GameLuster
Garage Band Gamers
LadiesGamers.com
GameSpew
Switchaboo
Destructoid…and 8 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Patch v.1.00.19: 🍄 The Mushroom Sample Fix!Jul 1, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Patch v.1.00.11! ✨Apr 29, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Mail Time update (almost there!!)Mar 16, 2023
- Timeline Update :(Sep 12, 2022
- Mail Time May Update: 1 year anniversary!May 25, 2022
- Mail Time Demo Update - V.0.11.14Apr 22, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Mail Time Demo Update - V.0.11.12Feb 21, 2022
- Mail Time Demo Update - V.0.11.11Feb 16, 2022
- Mail Time December Update: Item InventoryDec 3, 2021
- Mail Time October Update: Item Inventory!Oct 20, 2021