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) | – | 74 | 14 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 86% | 79 | 63 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 0% | 15 | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 1 reviews sampled · 1 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0.2 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (15)
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.
- 90
“At the current asking price of $9.99, Atari's arcade action game Yars: Recharged is an easy recommendation for your Nintendo Switch library. This is a fun game with enough challenge to keep you playing for hours.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“If you liked the previous Atari Recharged titles, Yars: Recharged presents another enjoyable diversion and interesting take on the theme. While not always as thrilling as it could be, the design overhaul still works well. That said, those who aren’t entirely intrigued by the formula may find it repetitive and ultimately tiresome. This reimagined Atari catalogue would probably be better off as a compilation title rather than a segmented anthology. And who knows, that may still eventually come to pass.”
read full review ↗ - 86
“The classic Atari 2600 has gotten a significant upgrade, helping it more fully realize the potential it always had”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Yars: Recharged is a remake of the best-selling Atari 2600 game, and it's easy to see why it was so popular! This game will keep bringing you back for more with fun and challenging gameplay.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Another Atari classic got its neon makeover, and this is the best one so far. Yars: Recharged will keep you entertained with its easy to understand action and responsive controls.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“I’m a big fan of Yars: Recharged. The first time I fired it up, I ended up playing it for the rest of the evening. Admittedly, I love the original game too. But I think this game does a wonderful job of adapting the basic loop of that classic and bringing in enough modern elements and new ideas to justify itself as something of a sequel. I really like its unusual blend of frantic shooting and calculated puzzle-solving, and I would happily recommend it to Atari fans and newcomers alike.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“Yars: Recharged will please fans of the 1981 original, but that isn't enough to excite in this day and age. Poorly implemented upgrades to aged mechanics and a flat presentation make this recharge run out of juice right out of the gate.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“More than just a reskinned version of a very old Atari game, Yars: Recharged is the culmination of what this particular subseries from Atari was intended to be. It’s not a mere HD version of a classic arcade game with one or two new elements, it fully reinvents the formula of the original with a brand new gameplay loop, all while staying true to its roots. Add in an addictive (and very infuriating, may I add) mission mode, and you get what’s possibly the peak of the Recharged series, and most certainly the best title Atari has released in more than a decade.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Yars: Recharged is a fantastic arcade title that oozes nostalgia. Can you complete every mission and destroy the enemy hive? Chew, shoot, and blast your way to victory. Enjoy this solo or with a friend as you aim for the top score.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Atari didn't owe us this one. The best selling original game is back, and it's just as fulfilling as the old one. There are some unfair nuances that you have to get past, but for $10, you owe it to your childhood to play this game, beat this game, and help Yar finally get the revenge they seek. Step up. This IS your grandparents' bullet hell game.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Yars: Recharged is a great remake that vastly improves the gameplay of the original classic, featuring new weapons, more challenges and more balanced difficulty, with original graphics and music that reinforce its modern retro spirit. Unfortunately the gameplay can become repetitive over time, in addition to having a bug that reduces the music as we go through the levels and that spoils the experience a little. Still, it's a solid, fun game for anyone who wants to challenge themselves with a simple, mechanically satisfying indie game.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Yars: Recharged has all of the underpinnings of a successful score chaser, but the premise just isn’t taken far enough to stand out in this day and age.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
GameGrin
SECTOR.sk
TechRaptor
WayTooManyGames
Movies Games and Tech
Gaming Nexus
Nintendo Blast
Gamers Heroes…and 3 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.