Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 429 sampled Steam reviews (427 positive / 2 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
Positive reviews don't converge on specific aspects.
What negative reviews complain about
Negative reviews don't converge on specific aspects.
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
96%
48 reviews
5-15h
100%
76 reviews
15-40h
100%
111 reviews
40-100h
100%
69 reviews
100h+
100%
125 reviews
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 | 12 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 90 | 1166 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 87 | 40 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 98% | 94 | 460 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 300 reviews sampled · 1315 total reviews in window · weighted 249.2 up / 4.7 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (50)
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.
- 100
“The simulation elements are top-notch, the core gameplay is fun, and it actually feels like I’m learning something while playing. There is an intense learning curve to get over, but it can be a pretty rewarding experience during this time.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Kerbal Space Program is a comprehensive space sandbox simulator where every single detail matters, which is why I recommend it to all players who are more like Sheldon Cooper and less like Charlie Sheen. Building a rocket, launching it into space, and performing various space maneuvers, that’s exactly what awaits you in this game. One final note: the price of this game has also skyrocketed, and it’s a bit on the high side.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“You don't often get the sense of achievement and exploration Kerbal Space Program offers for its price-tag. After you manage to get around the learning curve you'll find an immensely educational and fun game. You can't truly call yourself a space enthusiast and miss out on that one. After all, how hard can rocket science be?”
read full review ↗ - 75
“As a concept, Kerbal Space Program is something unique. Its depth and realism provide a unique and very satisfying experience if you have the necessary patience and dedication, but the game also suffers from several design problems that bring it dangerously close to the terrain of frustration and, as an adaptation, it is a product that could have been much better. That said, if you're a fan of everything space-related or sci-fi, it's worth it and not as expensive as an average game.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Kerbal Space Program is just that, a program concerning space and the computations of getting a craft in space and making the trip alive. There is plenty of room for human error and it can also be a bit trial by error, but if it's a genre that players can appreciate or get into, there isn't anything quite like it on consoles. That said, it's a tough to learn, it's rough around the edges, and there isn't really an easy way to get accustomed to the game even with the tutorials. Recommend only for the most hardcore of space simulation fans and patience is a must.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Kerbal space program is more than a game. It's a teacher, a guide and a key to understanding how the universe works.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Several times, I've taken to the skies and exploded. Several times, I've wanted to snatch a Kerbal by his unconcerned cheeks and scream, "Don't just sit there in slack-jawed amazement! Fly this thing, dammit!" But with all that failure and frustration followed intense self-congratulation -- the moment I realized I got a ship shaped like a pizza to fly, or the second I safely returned my Kerbal physicist from a successful Mun (Moon) orbit. Through persistence, trial-and-error, and learning the fundamentals of actual space travel, I somehow met with success. It's the type of success that's intoxicating, and, if you have a penchant for physics or space exploration, completely necessary.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“An essential sandbox for anyone with an interest in space, rocketry, or explosions.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Even with its cartoonish humor and quirks, Kerbal Space Program has an almost sacred respect for the tiny miracles involved in space travel, and even at its most difficult, it deserves that respect in return.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Kerbal Space Program is one of the most educational games I have played in years. While I'm nowhere equipped to apply for the ESA or NASA Kerbal Space Program does make understanding the science of space travel easier to digest. It is a complicated game but offers a real sense of achievement when you get something right. There are a couple of issues when it comes to the actual user experience, like the movement of non fixed cameras and text sizes, but even if you have just a small interest in Space travel then this is recommended.”
read full review ↗ - 92
“KSP is bloody fantastic! The possibilities are endless and the feeling you get after a successful mission is the best ever. You should probably buy this video game. [Jul 2015, p.063] ”
- 80
“An inspired mix of real science, sandbox gameplay, and space simulation, that is both a lot more entertaining and a lot more accessible than you’d expect.”
read full review ↗
cublikefoot
Gaming Professors
LevelUp
ZTGD
Merlin'in Kazanı
Chalgyr's Game Room
Eurogamer
GameSpot
TheSixthAxis
Power Unlimited
Metro GameCentral…and 38 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Blast into Summer with Kerbal Space Program 2Jun 22, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Small PatchJan 25, 2023
- Kerbal Space Program 1.12.5 is live...Jan 11, 2023
- Kerbal Space Program 1.12.4 is liveNov 2, 2022
- Kerbal Space Program 1.12.3 is live!Dec 13, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.12.2 is live!Aug 3, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.12: "On Final Approach" is now available!Jun 24, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- KSP Loading...: Getting ready to celebrate!Jun 10, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.11.2 is live!Mar 16, 2021
- Kerbal Space Program 1.11.1 is live!Jan 28, 2021significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.11: "Some Reassembly Required" is now available!Dec 17, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.10.1 is live!Jul 28, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.10: “Shared Horizons” is now available!Jul 1, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- KSP Loading...: Sharing Horizons with ESAJun 17, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.9.1 is live!Feb 27, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.9: “There’s No Place Like Home” is now available!Feb 12, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.8.1 is live!Oct 29, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.8: “Moar Boosters!!!” is now available!Oct 16, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.7.3 is live!Jul 11, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.7.2 is live!Jun 12, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.7: “Room to Maneuver” is now available!Apr 10, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- KSP Loading... A Renewed Galaxy and History and Parts Pack Gets a Release Date!Mar 14, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- End User License Agreements UpdateMar 12, 2019
- KSP Loading...KSP Enhanced Edition is getting some loveFeb 14, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.6: “To Vee or not To Vee” is now available!Dec 20, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- KSP Loading... A closer look into Update 1.6Dec 12, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- KSP Loading... Our New Dev Diary!Nov 21, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.5: “Dressed for Success” is now available!Oct 15, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.4: Away with Words MK-II is now available!Mar 7, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.4: Away with Words MK-II is now available!Mar 7, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Kerbal Space Program 1.3.1 is live!Oct 6, 2017
- Kerbal Space Program 1.3.1 is live!Oct 6, 2017
- Kerbal Space Program 1.2.2 is live!Dec 7, 2016
- Kerbal Space Program 1.2.2 is live!Dec 7, 2016
…and 24 earlier patch announcements.