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) | – | 61 | 16 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 82% | 76 | 112 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 2 reviews sampled · 1 total reviews in window · weighted 1.6 up / 0 down · computed 5h 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.
- 100
“Bontemps Games makes its debut with While The Iron's Hot, a simulator that leaves aside farms and crops to focus on manufacturing, appealing to a relaxed and fun game loop. an adventure that delivers what it promises and provides a good handful of hours of fun. But above all, a remarkably different approach within the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 79
“Who knew that what’s roughly a blacksmithing adventure / RPG could be both engaging and generally chill”
read full review ↗ - 60
“While the Iron's Hot offers diverse gameplay packed with an immersive narrative, innovative ideas, and crafting depth. However, there are some quality-of-life improvements needed, mini-games lack challenge, and you may find yourself with an overflow of work orders without incentives to complete them. Overall, the game delivers a captivating blacksmithing experience with some limitations that may unfortunately impact player satisfaction.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“While the Iron's Hot is an interesting take on a blacksmith simulator, but it feels like the game can be a tedious chore sometimes.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“While The Iron’s Hot does just about everything in its package well, it also never progresses any of its components into great territory. It offers an involved crafting process as its primary gameplay system that successfully engages you in feeling like a blacksmith, though the system does not evolve as your character hones his craft. Along with this, a fun adventure unfolds with eccentric characters and suitable change-of-pace activities.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“With excellent writing and a satisfying crafting loop, there’s plenty of time to be spent enjoying While the Iron’s Hot. It’s a nice option for passing the time between your other gaming adventures, though it may not stand well enough on its own to hold your attention as a must-have. If you don’t enjoy the puzzles and exploration as much as the crafting, you can take your time coming back to those parts as you’re in the mood.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Iron's Hot is something of a mixed bag. There's a lot of charm and a lot of promise, but a lack of variety and some unfortunate bugs and sloppy design hold it back from being a must-play. Those who enjoy a cozy game or are after a light-hearted fantasy will still likely enjoy it, but that recommendation does come with some footnotes.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While the Iron’s Hot is a fantastic little indie game that really does put its heart into FORGING an identity. It STRIKES a nice balance between all of its elements and fits them into a space with a very pleasant atmosphere. Where it really HITS THE NAIL ON THE HEAD is in its characterisation and all of the silly little incidental character interactions the player will have across the whole experience. There is a lot to do and with all of the focus on the key art of smithing the developer managed to design around that key concept in a fun and interactive way. It’s just a really good time!”
read full review ↗ - 55
“There are definitely good ideas here that could be polished even further into a phenomenal game, but the state of it now doesn’t make me care about the island or the people who live in it. Instead, they feel like window dressing for a single mini-game that gets dull after a few hours in.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“What makes While the Iron's Hot work is a combination of a pleasant series of tasks and quirky, entertaining characters in every new town and point of interest.”
read full review ↗ - 45
“While the Iron's Hot provides an authentic crafting experience for players looking to not engage with enemy combatants, survival aspects, or other variables that come with so many crafting games. With the game's story, characters, and gameplay repetitive and forgetful to the end, the visuals and soundtrack ignite a spark that regrettably ends up burned out.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“At its core, While The Iron’s Hot doesn’t necessarily break the mold when it comes to such adventures, although its focus on blacksmithing does bring a more involved perspective that works pretty well for those that like to get their hands dirty in that manner. The art and music make for fine companions, especially as there is an extended amount of time being spent toiling away, but its plot and side quests are nothing spectacular. Just like a masterpiece, this is a game that has potential, but there is still work to be done in order to hammer out all the kinks.”
read full review ↗
La Orden del Pixel
Nindie Spotlight
Checkpoint Gaming
Siliconera
Explosion Network
LadiesGamers.com
Screen Rant
Noisy Pixel
Hardcore Gamer
GamingTrend
Twinfinite…and 1 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- While the Iron's Hot - Hotfix #3Dec 7, 2024
- While the Iron's Hot - Hotfix #2Jan 10, 2024
- While the Iron's Hot - Steam Hotfix #1Dec 15, 2023
- While the Iron's Hot Demo - New Update Live Now!Jun 16, 2023significant · resets scoring window