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) | – | 85 | 10 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 99% | 95 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 84 | 8 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 99% | 95 | 20 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 93.9, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 5,331 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) · 56 reviews sampled · 51 total reviews in window · weighted 30.1 up / 0.2 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (18)
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
“Ib is a surprising experience people should check out if they want a pixel-art title with an extremely creepy atmosphere. Ib makes you feel uncomfortable around every corner and builds tension whenever you go near any painting. The puzzles, the main “meat and potatoes” of Ib are also quite clever, even if a few of them lose the cleverness for a trial-and-error approach. That said, Ib is an extremely short game that feels like it was made for a specific audience. If you hear pixel-art, horror-like titles and are excited by the sound of Ib, you may enjoy Ib. If those words don’t immediately get you intrigued, then you might be best to look somewhere else for your next game.”
read full review ↗ - 74
“Provides enough story beats and creepiness to mostly compensate for its tendency to kill you somewhat abruptly”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Ib is an unsettling, creepy, and incredible experience on Nintendo Switch. It has excellent music, great art, and an amazing narrative through its multiple endings. If you enjoy exploration, horror, and 2D adventure games, you need to play this. ”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Overall Ib proves that it is considered a classic among its peers for a reason, and for the most part it still holds up today. It may still have the issue many of this type of game have, being that anything and everything can hurt or kill you even if it’s not entirely obvious that it will do that, but this is not only not as prevalent as other games I have experienced and is also made less impactful by the fact that you are constantly finding save points as you go. Between the atmosphere, soundtrack, artwork, and characters, if you enjoy creepy experiences Ib is definitely something you should check out. This adventure through art that may or may not have it out for you managed to still find a way to scare and stress me out over ten years after its original release, and honestly I just find that impressive.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Having not known anything about Ib going into it for this review, I finished and came away from it very impressed. If you’re a fan of horror and pixel art experiences then Ib will be right up your alley. The atmosphere is unnerving throughout and the puzzles never left me stumped for too long. Ib is a spooky delight and one I fully recommend if you enjoy such things.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“One of the greatest horror themed games based on other worldly liminal environments, Ib is certainly a masterpiece fueled by the classic RPG maker tool. With spotless storyline, puzzles and characters, the gameplay is as immersive as the surprisingly natural and well fitted horror elements throughout the entire gameplay. The difficulty is not much of a hurdle at all and as you can play it as laid back as you want without any guides or instructions, which is partially the best thing about it. Once your first playthrough is complete, it will definitely get withdrawals to come back for more.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Ib does a lot with its limited set of characters and scope. If you enjoyed games like Corpse Party, Ib will fit right in with your tastes. Following its freeware launch back in 2012, it is great to see the game come to a console for the first time. 2023 has been a really amazing year for the Switch, but don’t let Ib slip past in that crowd. It is one of the best adventure games I’ve played in a while, and a joy to play on the go. Even given my general disinterest in horror, I had trouble putting it down until I finished it.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Ib is a slow burn of disquiet and high strangeness that gets you with a scare and keeps you with the story. It’s a fantastic marriage of art and gameplay, and it’s worth a trip to see the crafting of something truly unique. Beware; the art may not show what you want to see.”
read full review ↗ - 82
“Ib is a special little game that horror fans should definitely look into. Fans of adventure games might not find it as complex or amusing as the Monkey Island games, but it certainly has its charms. For anyone who has an image that pops up in their head whenever RPG Maker is mentioned, I’d urge them to take a look at Ib and see what’s possible when an independent developer decides to bend their tools to their whims like a mad artist expressing their delusions. Ib is a short and sweet experience that is well worth the time and money.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Ib is a short and sweet experience with a super engaging mystery, fun puzzles to complete, bringing great immersion in its exploration and story. It has very charismatic characters and is super convenient to replay the game with the goal of getting new endings and extra content. If enjoy titles with a more eeriee premise, less focused on action, it's certainly a title worth checking out.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Ib is not a game I would recommend to everyone since enjoying it requires the other party to have an affinity for not only the horror genre but also the pixel-like presentation. Ib’s strengths don’t transcend the bounds of who you’d expect to appreciate it, though, for those who do find themselves impacted, it will likely be an experience you’ll remember for as long as you’re able. The endearingly chilling setting, coupled with the compact well-written cast, creates something genuinely heartfelt that I’m thankful hasn’t been lost to time and has been made more accessible.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“While Ib is not as fully fleshed out as many of the other pixel horror games, it’s certainly a strong entry in the genre. Its creepy atmosphere, well-timed and executed jump scares, and a delightfully unique setting make for an engaging, addicting game. There’s a decent amount of replayability as well, with a post-game bonus dungeon, multiple endings, and the True Guertena Exhibit, where you can examine every piece of art you discovered while playing the game. It’s not a perfect game by any stretch; it’s a little too short for my tastes, and it’s not very clear how to select answers to questions posed by the others trapped in the museum with you to get different endings, and I felt it was perhaps a little too easy. Still, Ib is a delight if you’re looking for a couple of hours to get your horror on.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Nindie Spotlight
NintendoWorldReport
ThisGenGaming
IGN
WayTooManyGames
RPG Fan
NintendoBoy
Noisy Pixel
Hey Poor Player…and 6 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- ver 1.09 UpdateMar 14, 2024
- ver 1.05 UpdateJun 3, 2022
- ver 1.04 UpdateMay 19, 2022
- Next Ib Update (ver.1.03)May 16, 2022
- ver 1.02 UpdateApr 20, 2022
- ver 1.01アップデートApr 15, 2022