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) | – | 81 | 31 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 74% | 70 | 640 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 61% | 61 | 333 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Dec 19, 2024) · 300 reviews sampled · 333 total reviews in window · weighted 106.6 up / 68.8 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (19)
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.
- 75
“Rogue Waters is a fun and immersive pirate-themed tactical rogue-lite that offers a unique blend of naval and melee combat. While there’s room for growth in terms of content and UI polish, the game’s core mechanics are addictive, and its short, engaging runs make it perfect for players seeking bite-sized adventures. If you’re a fan of tactical combat and swashbuckling tales, this is one treasure worth digging into, especially if you can catch it on sale.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Overall, Rogue Waters is a good roguelite, turn-based combat game withs some interesting mechanics and features. It looks good and sounds OK. Some elements are a bit predictable, but I suppose you get that with a bunch of pirates.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Rogue Waters isn’t a revolution, but it’s definitely a game that knows what it wants to be and does it well. It offers clever tactical gameplay, an original pirate theme, and addictive roguelite elements. It’s a game for those who love a challenge, tactics, and aren’t afraid of permadeath. If you don’t mind the occasional hint of repetitiveness and can overlook the simpler presentation, you’ll be rewarded with an excellent, engaging, and surprisingly deep strategic journey into the world of sea wolves.”
read full review ↗ - 79
“A refreshing mix of roguelike elements, strategy, and pirate fun… but it absolutely moves at a peg-legged pace”
read full review ↗ - 73
“Rogue Water establishes itself to be a complete package of what modern rogue lite feels with its unique elements that make the ‘pirate’ aspect of the setting stand out. While the story plays safe with very generic OSTs, the game starts by being a big grindy. But if that’s something you can overlook, you’re in for sinking a lot of hours, given you’re not sinking your ship that is.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Between the unique raid maps, various crew builds, and sea monsters to summon (yes, you get to unleash a Kraken), every run feels like a new adventure. It’s a game that you can easily lose hours in, and the depth of customization keeps things interesting even after multiple raids.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Rogue Waters delivers an enjoyable mix of tactical ship combat and crew management with fun roguelike elements. However, its repetitive gameplay, predictable story beats, and flat progression system prevent it from being truly great. It’s a solid game for casual roguelike fans and pirate enthusiasts but lacks the depth and variety to keep players fully engaged long-term.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Rogue Waters is a solid title for those who like the weirdly common overlap that pirates and the supernatural have, and will definitely please those who enjoy a good Firaxis-adjacent turn-based combat system.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Rogue Waters is a fun game with interesting mechanics, but not particularly refined or challenging compared to other titles of the same genre.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Rogue Waters is a fun pirate-themed game, accessible to less experienced roguelike players, with enjoyable combat and flexible difficulty settings that keep it engaging as you progress and experiment with new tactics.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Rogue Waters is a very well-designed TRPG that has many customization options and does a great job of getting beginners involved by perfectly explaining everything so they can get to the fun factor much more quickly. Combine that with an interesting pirate tale, a great atmosphere, and great visuals, and you’ve got a fresh game worthy of the TRPG genre.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Rogue Waters is worth a sail, especially if you’re craving something with a pirate theme. Just don’t expect to find buried treasure beneath its surface, this is more of a pleasant day cruise than an unforgettable voyage.”
read full review ↗
TheBigBois
Pure Nintendo
Gaming Professors
Nindie Spotlight
Gameffine
Pro Game Guides
MonsterVine
Niche Gamer
CrazyGameCommunity.it
Gameliner
Final Weapon
Entertainment Geekly…and 7 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Rogue Waters 1.0.15.3290 Patch is live!Jun 25, 2026
- Hotfix Patch LiveNov 6, 2025
- Rogue Waters: PC Hotfix Today!Feb 12, 2025
- Rogue Waters Winter Update Is Out Now!Dec 19, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Rogue Waters November Update Is Out Now!Nov 27, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Rogue Waters First Beta for Early Access to Changes and New Steam Community ItemNov 22, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Rogue Waters: Demo and Update Out Now!Nov 6, 2024
- Rogue Waters Patch Notes for v1.0.2.3161Oct 9, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Hotfix Patch v1.0.1.3150Oct 4, 2024