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) | – | 80 | 10 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 91 | 579 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 4 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 89.6, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 1,170 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) · 10 reviews sampled · 11 total reviews in window · weighted 4.9 up / 0 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (14)
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
“If you could only play one modern shoot 'em up, I would recommend Drainus. It’s accessible to all types of gamers, plays great, looks stunning, and features a combination of elements that were beloved in older shooters. It also blends Japanese and Western approaches to the genre. And despite all that, it never loses its originality.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Team Ladybug is really demonstrating its programming expertise with Drainus. It’s both dangerous and brave to attempt a shooting game on the scale of Gradius V or Einhander, yet for the most part, the developer pulls it off in convincing fashion. It’s not entirely perfect, arguably overly easy, and various aspects will sit better with some players than others. But, at the very least, it’s a spectacular sci-fi action epic that constantly evolves, creates, and showboats. To that end, Drainus will land well with both hardcore and casual players alike.”
read full review ↗ - 69
“Taking you on a somewhat unusual and highly political journey back to Wonderland mixing strategy and storytelling”
read full review ↗ - 95
“The wait for Drainus from Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth developer Team Ladybug on Nintendo Switch was long, but absolutely worth it. The Switch arrives with all post-launch updates from the start, and it is an excellent conversion that looks and plays brilliantly on Nintendo's hybrid system. This is one of the best modern shoot 'em ups, and a perfect fit for the Switch library. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While it’d be great to see online leaderboards and more content added down the road, I’d still recommend DRAINUS to fans of the genre and–given the manageable challenge it offers–even newcomers looking to try one of these for the first time.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Though if you’ve any affection for the genre, or any love for the likes of Darius and Gradius, then there’s really no reason to wait until then. Drainus has a silly name and a few small frustrations, but that doesn’t stop it delivering the same heart-soaring spectacle and sharp, satisfying action that makes the greats soar. This might fall just short of being one of them, but it’s an exquisite shooter all the same.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The best 2D shooter for several years and a fantastic homage to the genre, with some of the best pixel art graphics of the year.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“With the interesting draining and upgrading mechanics, a striking presentation, and a surprisingly fair level of difficulty, Drainus stands out in a very competitive genre to offer a different kind of deal for players. While it isn’t directly comparable to the likes of Ikaruga in specific ways, I get the sense it will have a similar wider appeal to the one that game enjoyed. On the flip side, the lack of online leaderboards and lower emphasis on scoring mechanics might hurt the game with the hardcore fans of the genre. Overall, however, it’s an amazing effort with a lot of obvious thought put into its design that pays off handsomely.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“It's a polished, fun, and very interesting game from many perspectives. It's definitely impressive and demonstrates the team's full potential, giving me a lot of hope for their next game. Despite the harsh criticism in the last paragraph, I've played all of the company's games (even the promotional Fate/Stay Night) and I feel a tremendous affection for KROBON's career. My excessive criticism comes from a place of legitimate admiration and expectation, so I hope the reader still leaves with the following information: Drainus is a spectacular game, and worth your money.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Drainus is the perfect price point and the perfect game to play if you have 20 minutes to kill. While you can get through the six stages in less than an hour, it will likely be the most fun few hours you’ve had playing a shmup in a very long time. The unique systems and various customizable options make me wish more was offered in the package, but as it stands, this is a must-play shmup.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“DRAINUS is a very high quality shoot'em up that shows very well the level of experiences of the genre available on the market. With a mechanical proposal that values the player's strategic effort and good variety in the design of stages and bosses, the game is guaranteed fun.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“DRAINUS merges classic elements and unique ideas to create an impressive shoot 'em up. The mechanics of absorbing enemy shots bring dynamism to the stages, which have several creative and varied moments. In addition, the setting stands out with a stylish look and breathtaking imposing scenes. At times the challenge is low and there is not much content, but the general care of the title's production compensates for these problems. In the end, DRAINUS is an unmissable experience.”
read full review ↗
Gaming Professors
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
NintendoWorldReport
Eurogamer
Metro GameCentral
NintendoBoy
Noisy Pixel
Nintendo Blast
GameBlast…and 2 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Update Ver 1.0.3.4Jun 8, 2022
- Update Ver 1.0.3.1Jun 2, 2022
- Update Ver 1.0.2.9Jun 1, 2022
- Update Ver 1.0.2.8May 31, 2022
- Emergency Update Notice - Ver1.0.1.9May 23, 2022