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) | – | 82 | 46 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 95% | 90 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 94 | 21 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 94% | 89 | 42 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 89.1, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 7,271 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) · 119 reviews sampled · 86 total reviews in window · weighted 90.2 up / 5.7 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (55)
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
“Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is one of the most surprising games we've experienced in a good while. Its overarching narrative, while initially quite heavy on exposition, is wonderfully told, interweaving the lives of multiple protagonists and tasking the player with progressing their stories in meaningful ways. The puzzles are fantastic, the characters well realised, and the visuals top-notch, making those brief moments of horror and terror exceedingly effective. It's an experience we fully recommend going into with as little information as possible, as this will prove to be an incredibly memorable experience; one that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Switch's best visual novels.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is another fantastic game from Square Enix, and an essential for fans of mystery, horror, and adventure games. It feels great to play on both Switch and Steam Deck. I want to see more releases like Paranormasight and The Centennial Case from the publisher.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Complex at the beginning and with an uncertain start, it doesn't take long for PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo to cloak you in its darkness, suspense and terror to provide you with hours of high-quality interactive entertainment.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Overall, I would say that Paranormasight surprised me in a way I don’t think I have been in a long time. My only issues with the game are the controls which can feel sort of sluggish and unruly on a controller, though not to an obscene degree. If playing in handheld mode you can get around this by using touch controls, which I found worked just fine for the game’s purposes. The “horror mystery” also seems to steer away from the horror part at certain points, which might disappoint those hoping to see a lot of curse action, but the plot during these moments is just as interesting as when those curses are involved. I am happy my eye was pointed in Paranormasight’s direction, as I think it may already be one of my favorite experiences of the year, and if this kind of game sounds like it appeals to you, it just might be one of yours, too.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Paranormasight is a well-crafted mystery-horror that leans more into the mystery while keeping things light with a snappy script.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Overall, Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is a fun little visual novel that doesn't quite hit all the marks but is still a breezy and enjoyable romp with some creative use of gameplay mechanics. I had a difficult time getting past the fact that it wasn't the game I was had expected based on the first couple of hours, but once I did, I was able to enjoy it for what it was. The setting is clearly built up to potentially allow for more games in the same universe in the future, and I hope the next game in the series is willing to be a bit more daring.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is a great example of the visual novel genre and an immense step up from many other versions of this style of gameplay. It has a great story, although there is some weaker characterization in the early game, and it’s just fun to figure out how to use your curses on others while doing your best to avoid theirs. It’s a great game for lovers of the genre and mystery stories in general.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“PARANORMASIGHT: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is a gripping page-turner of a visual novel. It occupied my brain so much that every second not playing felt like a second wasted. It felt like I was hit with so many fitting and bending twists I was second-guessing everything I once knew, always on my toes. Immensely powerful and engaging writing in-game is bolstered with memorable and distinguished characters. Those characters and the late 20th century Japan setting are incredibly realised; a feat only possible by the industry legends at the helm. In art, music and writing, players are in for a meaningful and unforgettable experience that’s a must-play for the genre. Better yet, it even has fun with the genre tropes and traditions, creating engaging puzzles and problem-solving throughout. If there’s one visual novel game you play this year, make it this one. You won’t regret it.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“"Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo" has a story that leaps off the page, letting players be God while challenging the morality of right and wrong.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Navigate a world of information and folklore in this memorably moody visual novel.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“While very well written and highlighted by some excellent fourth-wall breaking horror, Paranormasight far outstays its welcome with hours of unskippable rehashed and replayed text.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Square Enix seems to have taken to releasing smaller-scale games in between their big-name releases, and I couldn't be happier. If you enjoy horror visual novels and games with branching viewpoints that come together to tell a single narrative, Paranormasight is one you shouldn't miss. It's short, but it's a creepy delight from start to finish with a lot of little details that make it a unique experience.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
LevelUp
NintendoWorldReport
Siliconera
Worth Playing
GamesCreed
Checkpoint Gaming
SVG
Eurogamer
GameLuster
MonsterVine…and 43 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Update ContentOct 20, 2025
- Ver1.1 Update ContentJul 27, 2023significant · resets scoring window