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) | – | 83 | 64 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 86% | 80 | 243 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 84% | 78 | 324 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jan 28, 2025) · 300 reviews sampled · 324 total reviews in window · weighted 220.1 up / 40.7 down · computed 10h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (37)
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
“Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is a turn-based, roguelike adventure that will help skeptics understand the appeal of such games. Frustration is part of the fun. And although the gameplay can feel unfair, every attempt to beat it is a joyful run.”
read full review ↗ - 70
- 80
“It may have taken over ten years to finally come out, but Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is a new high-water mark for the storied roguelike franchise. Its masterful blend of uncompromising difficulty with a wealth of content to overcome makes for a game that'll easily keep you satisfied for dozens of hours as you learn its tricks. Combine that with some cool online features and a charming art style, and you've got a game that's an easy recommendation for any roguelike fans out there. This is a tough nut to crack, but the experience is well worth it.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“All in all, Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island provides a thoroughly enjoyable and constantly engaging adventure. It updates the presentation and online features of the series, while stubbornly sticking to the tried and true mechanics that have worked since the SNES era.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“It may have taken over ten years to finally come out, but Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is an unforgiving experience that will either make or break players. Success relies heavily on personal skill, luck, and meticulously planning every move to ensure survival until the very end. Yes, all the points I've made mostly sound negative but if you're the type who love a devilish challenge, I recommend this title. Otherwise, there are others that are much more lenient for players new to the roguelike genre. Like I said earlier, it's under the "love it or really hate it" category of niche entries.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is a triumphant return to the Shiren series, roughly 14 years after the last mainline entry. It benefits from an ever-expanding story, a cast of colorful characters, a revamped asynchronous multiplayer mode, and, most essentially, the same challenging tactical gameplay and extraordinary replay value that has defined the franchise for generations.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“It is clear that Serpentcoil Island was largely made for longtime fans of the series. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and players who already love Shiren and can embrace the high-stakes risk-reward loop should welcome him back to the gaming landscape with open arms. Serpentcoil Island offers intense dungeon crawling with minimal frills, and there definitely is an audience that will gobble this up and come back for more. However, for newcomers or casual players, the learning curve will likely prove too steep and the payoff feels like too much of a trek to get to. Even experienced roguelike players who have come to enjoy the genre’s modern expansions may find this new Shiren a bit too dated in design to hold interest. It feels like it will enthrall certain audiences and bore others to tears, with very little middle ground between those two extremes.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is an addictive, thought-out strategy title that will keep you climbing floors until your fingers give out - making it easily one of the finest roguelike titles to hit modern platforms in years.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Even if you're not dabbling in the worldwide mystery dungeon web, Shiren 6 is still a beefy game that holds a wealth of secrets. The main dungeon is only 30 floors, but by progressing through the game, you can unlock various shortcuts and side dungeons that usually come with a greater challenge and an even greater reward. This is a flavor of game that might not be for everyone, but if you're looking for a thoughtful, challenging game that constantly evolves and builds, Shiren's journey to the mysterious Serpentcoil Island might be perfect for you.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island maintains the series' challenge and ads plenty of dungeons.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is an extremely polished and deeply enjoyable entry in the franchise. It doesn't break the mold or introduce wild new gimmicks, but it focuses on giving you more challenges, more options, and making the basic experience shine. This is a fantastic entry point for newcomers and a welcome return to form for longtime fans. It is the embodiment of what Shiren the Wanderer should be: easy to pick up, difficult to master, and addictive enough that you keep coming back.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island doesn't re-invent the wheel, but adds a new entry in a solid, dependable series of rogue-like adventure games.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Fintendo
Nintendo Life
RPGamer
Kakuchopurei
VGChartz
Cubed3
Capsule Computers
NintendoWorldReport
Siliconera
Worth Playing
GameLuster…and 25 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Version 2.2.3 Patch NotesJan 28, 2025significant · resets scoring window