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 | 15 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 88% | 81 | 12 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 18m ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (16)
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.
- 85
“Kombinera describes itself as a brain-bending puzzle platformer, and it succeeded in every word of that description. If you're a fan of simple yet stunning visuals and popping colors coupled with a highly addictive puzzle game Kombinera is precisely for you.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“There's nothing like a relaxing puzzle game to take a break from the stresses of more action-based and intense games... but if you're looking for that sort of experience Kombinera likely isn't going to make you happy since it generally works in the opposite direction...”
read full review ↗ - 80
“You can make two different evaluations on "Kombinera" depends on how you conceive its genre as a 'puzzle' or a 'platformer'. While the elaborately designed 300+ puzzles are enough for a challenge, the fact that these puzzles require detailed controls rather than using brain can be polarizing among players. The game's simply but immersive storytelling, flawless UI design is also impressive.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“As a puzzle game, Kombinera understands the assignment with ease. Conceptually, it feels familiar, easy to pick up, and perfect for handheld play, but it holds its own on a console as well. Where it falters is in its desperation to be something it isn’t. The game’s story is over the top and if anything takes away from the soul of the game. Similarly, the repetitive music can make the game feel underdone, which is a weird statement considering how polished the puzzles are.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Kombinera is an interesting minimalist puzzle game that offers some fresh ideas, but its difficulty seems to be unbalanced in some levels. Repetitive music will annoy you as hell.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Kombinera is a modern-day arcade experience, offering enough difficulty that it would have left me broke if I was paying a pound (or even 50p) per death. Incredible puzzles and charming visuals comprise a definite must-try for puzzle fans.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Kombinera is quite different from most of Atari’s other games but if you’re a fan of tough puzzles then this will be right up your alley. With over 300 of them in total, you’ll be spending quite a bit of time trying to work out how to beat each one. Add the time trials and hidden crowns on top of that and you can get a lot of playtime out of this one. The difficulty won’t be to every player’s tastes out there but if you enjoy working your brain then this will be for you.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“To sum it all up, Kombinera is an excellent platform puzzler with a steady increase in challenges that will keep you coming back for more.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“It’s tough, but Kombinera impresses with its clever ball puzzles. Like most classic puzzle games, the concept is simple and easy to get your head around, but allows for some serious brainteasing as more elements are added. Some may quickly become frustrated with it, and it’s a shame there’s little in the way of help when you truly do become stuck, but that shouldn’t stop puzzle fans from lapping this up. It might just be one of the best puzzle games in years.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Kombinera isn’t a puzzle game that will please most fans of the genre. It is really minimalistic, and its difficulty curve is all over the place. Still, it is oddly charming. There is something about its really creative premise, as well as the fact Atari is backing it, that makes it amusing. At times, it does feel like I’m playing a hidden gem from the 80s, a game Atari could have released back in its heyday.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Nonetheless it's easy to forgive these problems thanks to the tone of the game and just how satisfying it is to solve a level. Kombinera is a very well constructed puzzler that knows just how far to go with its design choices. With parallels to be found in excellent indie puzzle games like Baba Is You and Thomas Was Alone, Kombinera is a clever little game that is excellently suited to the on-the-go nature of the Switch.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Kombinera is a smart but vicious little puzzler. It doesn’t pull any punches. Fans of puzzle platformers should absolutely check it out but be warned: you’re bound to learn new some new colorful language before all is said and done. Despite its accessibility, it’s not for the faint of heart (or those with high blood pressure).”
read full review ↗
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Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.