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 | 9 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 91% | 85 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 82% | 76 | 92 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jul 15, 2026) · 73 reviews sampled · 92 total reviews in window · weighted 39.2 up / 8.5 down · computed 11h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (10)
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
“Shotgun King does a wonderful job of setting itself apart from the veritable deluge of roguelikes available today. Its blending of classic chess principles with shooting elements and randomized gameplay makes for a fun and highly replayable experience that we'd suggest you give a shot. If you're looking for a relatively short, addictive game that requires a bit of thinking to get the most out of, Shotgun King is undoubtedly something you should look into.”
read full review ↗ - 77
“Undoubtedly a unique take on both chess and roguelikes, this strategy title is refreshing but ultimately a bit limited”
read full review ↗ - 70
“It's a very concise game with a laser focus on its core idea. Framing the action with lo-fi presentation and a daft plot about the black army defecting to the white kingdom, it feels like a forgotten 90s PC game. To that point, there's not much to it beyond the main mode, though there are extras for clearing it, Endless mode is self-explanatory while Chase mode is a interesting take on survival. It's a tight-knit package that, while repetitive in the end, succeeds with its less-is-more approach.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“That said, runs are generally quite short, under 20 minutes in most cases, and so it's easy enough to start right back up again after a loss. The presentation is quite clean and straightforward, but there's a strong flash of light that accompanies the defeat of the enemy king–not something that normally affects me, but I did turn it off in the settings menu. It might not be a certain checkmate, but Shotgun King kept me in check more often than not, and it's a pleasant and worthwhile distraction that deserves a spot among the higher tiers of run-based Switch games.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Chess in an unconventional presentation brings fun and interesting possibilities, but it is repetitive over time and has only simple graphics.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It may look basic, but don’t be fooled: Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate is packing one hell of an enjoyable strategy game underneath its old-school aesthetic. If you’re not a chess fan you’re going to struggle, but if you are, the only struggle is going to be tearing yourself away from jumping in for just one more game. Playing chess has never felt so bad-ass.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The presentation and content of Shotgun King will put a lot of people off. However, if you like chess and rogue-based games it is well worth a bash. I adored its presentation, it reminded me of games form my youth, yes, I am that old. Pairing one of the oldest games on the planet with rogue-lite elements works far better than it has rights too and Shotgun King is truly unlike anything else I have played. We need more games like this, its what drives the industry forward in a sea of cut and paste shooters and RPG's.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Just enough roguelike to keep it chess, and just enough chess to keep it roguelike. A curious mix that will leave no one indifferent, especially lovers of the classic board game.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate turns chess upside down with its offbeat idea of putting a gun in the hand of a king. Aiming and shooting adds dynamism to matches, and cards with abilities for both armies create unpredictable situations. Even with skill elements, the title maintains the tactical aspect of chess, with coordinated moves by enemy pieces. Despite being creative, the game has numerous problems, such as a steep learning curve, difficulty spikes and randomness so pronounced as to disrupt the tactical elements. There was also a lack of variety, as the runs quickly get repetitive. At least there are several additional modes and difficulties to explore. Simultaneously creative and problematic, Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate is a compelling experience.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Even with its goofy premise, Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate is a cleverly strategic roguelike that'll certainly keep you hooked.”
read full review ↗
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Video ChumsPatch history
- Quickpatch v1.623bAug 4, 2026
- Patch Notes for v1.623: Another round of bugfixesJul 15, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Quickpatch v1.622bJun 26, 2026
- Patch Notes for v1.622: BugfixesJun 19, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes for v1.621: Even more bugfixesApr 29, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Patch notes for v1.620: More bugfixesApr 17, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes for v1.619: BugfixesApr 16, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Shotgun King 1.6: Bad Company Update - Available Now!Apr 11, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Crashfix on tutorialNov 4, 2025
- Crashfix on Steam Deck and MacOS for Chinese and a few other languagesOct 14, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Patch notes for v1.515g: German translation updateJan 17, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Patch notes for v1.515e: More bugfixesDec 26, 2024
- Happy Holidays! Patchnotes for v1.515d: Fixes and new LATAM spanish localizationDec 23, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Patch notes for v1.515: Bugfixes + New Rank Tracking per ShotgunOct 15, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Patch notes for v1.514: Bugfixes!Oct 3, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Shotgun King v1.5 Content Update: New Cards, New Shotguns, New Mechanics & MoreSep 30, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Summer Content Update news and spoilers!Jun 28, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Shotgun King v1.4 is here!Jan 21, 2024
- Patch v1.38 & v1.39: engine update and game fixesSep 8, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Shotgun King now available in Catalan! Patch v1.37Jan 19, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Patch v1.36: Fixes and Balance ChangesDec 16, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Patch v1.35: Fixes and small Balance changesNov 25, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Quickpatch v1.344: Chinese, Korean and Japanese fixNov 23, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Quickpatch: v1.343 ChangelogNov 17, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Quickpatch: v1.342 ChangelogNov 15, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Shotgun King Content Update: New Difficulty System, New Game Mode, New Cards...Nov 15, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Big Content Update and Price Increase coming on November 14thNov 4, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Bugfixes: v1.251 quickpatchJun 8, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Patch notes for 1.25 - Shotgun King now available in Chinese!Jun 6, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- QoL improvements and bugfixes: v1.245 PatchMay 17, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Successful release! // First patch // Future plansMay 13, 2022significant · resets scoring window