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 | 25 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 92 | 469 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 3 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 89.1, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 947 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) · 9 reviews sampled · 9 total reviews in window · weighted 3.3 up / 0 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (33)
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
“Nuclear Blaze is an absolute blast. The 2D platforming and fire-based puzzles keep you on your toes while unraveling a mystery. There’s something satisfying about clearing a room of flames, not to mention rescuing cute kittens. Despite its short runtime, this one comes highly recommended.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It may not last very long, but Nuclear Blaze is a cool action platformer that does a good job of exploring its core idea of prioritizing fighting fires over fighting enemies. Things like Hold My Beer Mode and all the hidden cats help pad out the replayability a bit, while the strong level design and tight gameplay makes the moment-to-moment action feel worthwhile. For 15 bucks, Nuclear Blaze feels like it does just enough to justify the price of admission, especially if you’re a fan of 2D action games; we’d recommend you give it a go.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“All together, Nuclear Blaze is a perfect tiny package, but I had so much fun that I only craved more in the end. The developer has mentioned he'd like to make more levels, my own dream is for a tile-based level editor to be released so the community can keep the game alive eternally. Even if it never saw one drip of extra content though, Nuclear Blaze isn't just blowing smoke. These few hours of firefighting bring extremely enjoyable, bite-sized action. As I've said time and time again, I'd rather have a year's worth of these tiny experiences than some 120-hour blockbuster, so I hope Nuclear Blaze is a sign of changing tides in the indie space.”
read full review ↗ - 91
“A creative take on a puzzle platforming adventure that’s challenging but fair, and has plenty of secrets to discover along the way”
read full review ↗ - 70
“On its own, Nuclear Blaze is an entertaining, intense game that ended abruptly just as it got interesting, leaving players with a lingering sour taste of missed opportunities in their mouths.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Nuclear Blaze could have been one of the best firefighting games ever made. It has the mechanics, level design, and presentation down pat. But, it squanders its potential with a super short runtime and massive amounts of artificial difficulty.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Nuclear Blaze is an enjoyable pixel platformer that gets all the basics right but lacks any meaningful depth to keep you engaged. Its vast array of difficulty options can be praised for making it accessible to all, however its incredibly short runtime makes it a very passable experience.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Nuclear Blaze is a brisk experience, but one that will give just enough timing and puzzle challenges to keep you engaged through the entire run. Its simplicity is its strength, focusing on the action first and foremost and using those limited toolsets to approach each flame. An impressive approach to difficulty and an appropriate amount of mystery puts this game into a neat package that is approachable and as challenging as you’d prefer. Nuclear Blaze is short, sweet, and definitely worth a look.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Nuclear Blaze is a decent romp that is impressive on the idea of how it was created. Firefighting games are few and far between so having a good one is always nice. Finally coming to consoles is good and I recommend giving it a shot if you enjoy the theme. I have always liked the idea and it is always good to get more entries in the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Nuclear Blaze is an absolute graphical feast, with beautiful colours that popped gorgeously, and a very nice pixelated graphic style. I only wish the game had been longer and more difficult, as the two hour campaign truly did come as a disappointment.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Nuclear Blaze arrives on Switch with extra content and provides a Metroidvania-like experience that gets immersion right. While the game world nearly makes up for what the story lacks, and the gameplay offers up the odd moment of frustration, this one easily finds itself in the better half of Switch titles of the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“If you are looking for another Dead Cells, another indie souls-lite-vania, then you might be disappointed by Nuclear Blaze. If, on the other hand, you are after a fast, fun, 90's styled action adventure firefighting puzzle game, then you'll love this game as much as I do.”
read full review ↗
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Patch history
- Quick Friday patch and Linux newsMar 18, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Hold My Beer: Major content update 1.5 is out!Mar 16, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Update 1.0.3Oct 22, 2021
- 1.0.2Oct 20, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- 1.0.1Oct 18, 2021