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) | – | 81 | 11 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 98% | 94 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 93 | 14 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 96% | 91 | 103 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 92.7, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 8,523 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) · 293 reviews sampled · 215 total reviews in window · weighted 233 up / 10 down · computed 1h 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.
- 75
“If you’re going to get into Witch on the Holy Night, perhaps while waiting for someone to tie George R. R. Martin to a chair long enough to finish off their magnum opus, it’s going to be a commitment. 20+ hours of either nudging an analog stick to stop the system from going into screen saving mode or jamming A will get you a well-written story that sets up a lot of things for the future.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“With a few translation errors and some pacing issues aside, Witch on the Holy Night serves as a great introduction to the Nasuverse. Type-Moon newcomers will find the story to be accessible, and old fans will want to support this English release as well. This is an easy recommendation for those who are fond of visual novels.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Though it's part of a vaster universe, Witch on the Holy Night is a self-contained story, a small piece that represents TYPE-MOON's visual novel catalogue. With impeccable direction and writing, this is definitely the best entrypoint for those who wish to know the universe created by Kinoko Nasu, besides being an easy recommendation to those who still hold prejudice against the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Your enjoyment of Mahoyo will heavily rely on its narrative and characters. Despite lacking multiple routes found in later Nasu works, such as Tsukihime and Fate, Mahoyo's story remains highly engaging and is truly worth the long wait in English. If you're into the Nasuverse, do yourself a favor and give this game a read.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Before jumping into Witch on the Holy Night you should understand what kind of story it is. It's not a long drawn out experience filled with tons of action and drama, but instead a quick read that sets up exactly what it needs to. It introduces the characters, sets up the world's lore, brings in the main plot, and throws in a key event that brings our main cast together. From that point on, we get to see the characters learn more about each other and develop their relationships, as we eventually make our way to the climax. It's a more grounded story, and it uses it's setting and atmosphere to help draw it's readers in. The "Holy Night" in the title refers to Christmas, and the snowy backdrop of the game really helps set the mood. Sure, there are some laughs here and there, but overall this is a melancholic tale that features a group of characters you'll want to hold onto.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“It only took ten years, but now, we finally have the first official English TYPE-MOON visual novel in our hands. And it’s absolutely stunning. With some fantastic characters, brilliant writing, and the best visual novel presentation I have ever seen, Witch on the Holy Night is a must-read for anyone interested in the visual novel medium. Maybe they’ll get to Fate/Stay Night next time. But it won’t look as good as this.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Overall, Witch on the Holy Night is an excellent visual novel that shows why the studio behind it is so famous and responsible for some of the biggest franchises of the genre. Apart from some minor criticisms, such as the localization and the balance of the scenes, this might be the genre's best release this year.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“As far as visual novels go, Witch On The Holy Night stands among the best in the genre. Strong writing, great characters, and stellar world-building make this a memorable experience. While chapter length is all over the place and some plot points feel a bit forced, Witch on The Holy Night keeps you well-invested and rewards you with a strong body of work from beginning to end.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Despite a slow start, Witch on the Holy Night does earn its reading time. It takes well-established character paradigms and works them in fun ways. The limited animations punctuate and accent the words, creating vivid action scenes with color choices that pop. This is a title for kicking back and relaxing, as there isn’t anything happening on the gameplay front. As long as it’s understood that the first couple of hours need to be processed before it gets good, this is one of the better visual novels to come out in recent years. A patch fixing up the text is almost required, but a forgiving reader will find a lot to enjoy here. Witch on the Holy Night is mostly a tale of action, but it mixes in creepy shots and relatable humor, making for a fun, but flawed, romp.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“We have been very satisfied with the experience we have had with Witch on the Holy Night, and we definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good supernatural story with a dose of mystery. Yes, in the end it's a game for a very specific niche of players, but it's a very good one: a must-play for anyone who wants to get into the wonderful world of visual novels.”
read full review ↗
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Hardcore GamerPatch history
- Fixed issuesJan 11, 2024