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) | – | 82 | 22 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 75% | 71 | 44 |
| 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 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (13)
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
“The Perfect Pencil is a triumph of artistic vision and solid game design. It takes the familiar Metroidvania template and injects it with enough personality and heart to feel fresh. While the combat might feel slow to some and the soundtrack is divisive, the overall package is a compelling journey into the human psyche that is well worth the price of admission. It is a game for the "artsy folk that ponder deeply," but also for anyone who just wants to smash weird monsters with a giant pencil.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“The Perfect Pencil mixes a really cool hand-drawn style with a dark, symbolic story about inner struggles. The gameplay follows a familiar Metroidvania formula, but creative enemy designs and the analysis mechanic keep it engaging. Frustrating save points hold it back a bit, but it's still a solid and slightly unsettling experience.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Despite being another in an ever increasing genre stable, The Perfect Pencil brings a uniquely twisted world to the genre. Its mysteries can be a bit dense, but the eerie atmosphere, complex themes, and strange landscapes make it worth exploring.”
read full review ↗ - 73
“Undoubtedly a strange action adventure that does its own thing, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a home run either”
read full review ↗ - 75
“The Perfect Pencil is a beautiful artistic and psychological experience that blends exploration with dark themes. Any fan of Metroidvania games will find it worth trying and immersing themselves in its terrifying world, we recommend it especially for the fans of this genre the only thing that’s need to check out is the price.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The Perfect Pencil is a great metroidvania full of exploration, a rich story, and odd, hand-drawn characters that give the game a surreal feel you need to experience for yourself.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“ The Perfect Pencil is a metroidvania wrapped in a rather unusual outfit. If the game's mechanics are fairly standard insofar as we will do what most games of the kind expect from us, the plot and theme set it apart. By integrating the experience within a world that deals with issues of mental and emotional health and where every interaction and development derives from that theme, The Perfect Pencil manages to create a captivating space of its own, even if at some moments the game has a tendency to become rather repetitive. ”
read full review ↗ - 55
“A surreal, engaging story, but there's too much dialogue and NPCs, unusual for a metroidvania. Combat is clunky, scanning is a waste of time, but the hand-drawn world is captivating, and the orbs that reveal the map encourage exploration.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It’s easy to see that The Perfect Pencil was made with a deep love for the genre, impressing its own unique spin on each element of the gameplay for better or worse. A well-written and deeply meaningful story ties all of these elements together spectacularly, don’t let the whimsical appearance fool you; this game doesn’t pull its punches. Sadly the game also loses half a star due to a lack of accessibility options.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“The Perfect Pencil, ironically, is not perfect in the gameplay or pacing, but it does stand out in concept and delivery. While some moments are a trifle ham fisted, it nonetheless promises and delivers a unique metroidvania that keeps you moving, keeps you exploring and does a lot for fans of the genre wanting to try things from another angle. I’m not sure if I’m the ideal audience, but I listened, and I think I was able to hear John clearly. I hope others can, too.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“The Perfect Pencil aims for a different experience within the Metroidvania genre, and for that it deserves praise. The creativity of the art team stands out, with very different environments and a world-building that, at the very least, is intriguing. However, this is not enough to sustain the entire experience. Seeking pillars through the power of words, it ends up becoming as fragile as the graffiti that scribbles on them, becoming repetitive in its themes and deprioritizing the genre elements that need to be given more consideration. The result is a slow, disjointed game that takes away the magic of the background art.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Surreal Metroidvania that places you in a hand-drawn kingdom”
read full review ↗
TheBigBois
Pure Nintendo
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
ReGame It
GameGrin
Starbit
So Many Games
WayTooManyGames
NintendoBoy
PS4Blog.net…and 1 more tracked reviews.