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 | 89 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 75 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 90% | 84 | 752 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 74 | 24 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 85% | 79 | 6 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 18 reviews sampled · 11 total reviews in window · weighted 6.9 up / 1.2 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (92)
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.
- 70
“Solar Ash feels like a middle ground between something like Jet Set Radio and Shadow of the Colossus. Sadly, the new game by Heart Machine lacks any meaningful ambitions or novelty, and yet if you love the genre, Solar Ash is worth a try.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“A lot of games did similar things to what you can find in Solar Ash, and unfortunately this new Heart Machine's game can't offer anything new. It's still a fine game, but one would expect something much more than just fine from these developers.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“That emptiness only becomes harder to ignore when the story foregrounds itself, pulling you back for chats with your AI partner or scattering insipid post-apocalyptic lore documents all over the levels. For all of Solar Ash’s sense of genuine, thrilling speed in its mechanics, the game fails to muster any sense of accompanying narrative momentum, content to warm over imagery and ideas from Anno Hideaki’s Neon Genesis Evangelion, Shadow of the Colossus, and countless media inspired by each. Solar Ash reaches for awe and splendor somewhere beyond its overall poverty of imagination, succeeding occasionally yet also suggesting that the wordless storytelling of Hyper Light Drifter had been the right way to go.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“Despite the comparisons it might draw to Shadow of the Colossus, Jet Set Radio or Hyper Light Drifter, Solar Ash delivers a wholly unique experience that combines a smooth, unparalleled sense of speed, incredible level design, and a gorgeous art style. Even if the same can't be said about its narrative or controls, Solar Ash skates in at the last minute to become one of the year's most interesting games.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“[T]his 3D action platformer is as good as it gets. Definitely a speedrunner's delight, if you're into that sort of thing. And if you love unfolding stories with that personal touch injected with high concept sci-fi, Solar Ash's tale will delight alongside its mesmerizing visuals and score.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“The developers at Heart Machine have created a game with an impeccable amount of heart, it’s just a shame they didn’t give it enough soul.”
read full review ↗ - 79
“There’s a sense of freedom and fun as you’ll explore the world, and it has terrific moments, but it doesn’t all work well on Switch”
read full review ↗ - 90
“If you’re looking for an exciting platformer with a stellar style and fast-paced action, Solar Ash will scratch that itch and more. Its puzzle-solving and exploration are hefty enough without overstaying its welcome. It’s not without flaws, but despite all of them, the mobility in Solar Ash is unrivaled, making it one of my favorite platformers in recent memory.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“An endearing experience with a well-integrated narrative, Solar Ash trades the action of its predecessor for speed-based platforming. It's a compelling play, but it feels a little light.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Solar Ash pushes for a sense of momentum and fluidity with its take on 3D platforming, and it does work very well indeed. Rei's controls and abilities give the game a sense of ease, making it feel very gratifying simply moving through the game's world. While the main quest doesn't really evolve the challenge, and the picturesque environments can feel somewhat empty, the traversal at the heart of everything does about enough to carry you through to a satisfying conclusion. It's an ambitious second effort from Heart Machine that mostly sticks the landing.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Solar Ash is a very well-built $20 platform that offers you a very entertaining package of stages, maps and platforming.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Solar Ash is a surreal adventure that allows us to literally swim through the game. And although over time the fun becomes quite repetitive, losing some charm, the style does not allow us to break away from it until the very end.”
read full review ↗
GameMAG
3DNews
Slant Magazine
Paste Magazine
Kakuchopurei
VGChartz
Nindie Spotlight
Prima Games
PC Invasion
Push Square
Zoomg
PPE.pl…and 80 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.