Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 300 sampled Steam reviews (278 positive / 22 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Multiplayer & servers14% mention it
- Combat7% mention it
- Performance6% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Multiplayer & servers14% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
88%
72 reviews
5-15h
92%
61 reviews
15-40h
98%
58 reviews
40-100h
91%
45 reviews
100h+
95%
64 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 (Metacritic) | – | 74 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 86 | 1096 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 88 | 23 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 82% | 75 | 23 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 67 reviews sampled · 52 total reviews in window · weighted 37.5 up / 8.4 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (23)
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
“Those tired of the main stream Michael Bay FPS offerings can try Insurgency in confidence, with the knowledge they’re about to play a different brand of FPS.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The steep learning curve hides a well-crafted FPS, best suited for those who like tactics and real teamwork more than fragfests.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Intense tactical encounters filled with firefights and flying bodies prove thrilling enough to make it easy to look beyond Insurgency's less impressive visual design. The team dynamic and unique squad system inject something different into the mix too, offering match after match of absorbing cooperative killing that proves good looks aren't everything.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Fun enough, but hardly anything new under the shooter sun. [May 2014, p.58]”
- 77
“There may be prettier and more heavily populated first person shooters, but few reward teamwork as well as Insurgency.”
read full review ↗ - 77
“Insurgency is a breath of fresh air that stands apart from the shooter duality of Battlefield and Call of Duty. It rewards patient play and encourages teamwork, with satisfying results for players who don’t give into the temptation of taking a run-and-gun approach.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“If you don’t mind fighting over the same cluttered iraqi streets and desolate afghan hills that you’ve seen a hundred times before, Insurgency brings enough hardcore sensibility and competent execution to stand out from the other multiplayer shooters. The old-school gameplay combined with updated mechanics are a breath of fresh air in a genre crowded with games that don’t understand that failure can still be fun.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Insurgency was made by someone who’d experienced warfare for people who wanted to get as close to experiencing it as they dared.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“It’s slow, and methodical, and there isn’t a grindable unlock or weapon crate to be found. It attempts to make you think about every step you take and every slight weapon tweak, but the odd hitboxes and frustrating lack of saved loadouts undermines some of the good work.”
read full review ↗ - 76
- 80
“After a long time a military shooter that is not pretentious, and that scores with emphasis on both hardshell mechanics and tactics/feel. Maybe there could have been many more gaming modes along with maps.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“The things that Insurgency does well can already be found in its original Source mod form while the new changes are not substantial enough to really make the game something worth trying out unless you’re completely wet behind the ears or looking to scratch an Insurgency itch.”
read full review ↗
ZTGD
Eurogamer
GameSpot
PC Gamer
AusGamers
GameSpew
IGN
Darkstation…and 11 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Important Notice: Removal of BattlEye SupportDec 12, 2025
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Update 1.5 and Free Week!Dec 10, 2019
- Community Update #5: Behind the curtainAug 14, 2019
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Pre-Order Beta 2 is open!Aug 30, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Insurgency Sandstorm Community Update and Release DateMay 31, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Insurgency Patch: 4th May 2018May 4, 2018
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Community UpdateJan 3, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Insurgency: Sandstorm Community UpdateJan 3, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Insurgency Hotfix August 18Aug 18, 2017
- Insurgency Hotfix August 18Aug 18, 2017
- Insurgency Patch August 15Aug 15, 2017
- Insurgency Patch August 15Aug 15, 2017
- Insurgency Hotfix February 23Feb 23, 2017
- Insurgency Hotfix February 23Feb 23, 2017
- Insurgency Patch February 22Feb 22, 2017
- Insurgency Patch February 22Feb 22, 2017
- Insurgency Hotfix February 9Feb 9, 2017
- Insurgency Hotfix February 9Feb 9, 2017
- Insurgency Patch February 8Feb 8, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Insurgency Patch February 8Feb 8, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Insurgency Hotfix October 6, 2016Oct 6, 2016
- Insurgency Hotfix October 6, 2016Oct 6, 2016
- Insurgency Patch Changelist October 5, 2016Oct 5, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Insurgency Patch Changelist October 5, 2016Oct 5, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Insurgency Hotfix August 2, 2016Aug 2, 2016
- Insurgency Hotfix August 2, 2016Aug 2, 2016
- Day of Infamy Patch - July 29thJul 29, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Day of Infamy mod update May 26, 2016May 26, 2016
- Day of Infamy mod update May 26, 2016May 26, 2016
- Insurgency update changelist May 26, 2016May 26, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Insurgency update changelist May 26, 2016May 26, 2016significant · resets scoring window