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Everdeep Aurora

Everdeep Aurora

Nautilus Games · released Jul 10, 2025

AdventureIndiePCNintendo Switch

An ongoing apocalyptic meteor shower has forced the world’s population to settle underground. As Shell, a feline child who awakens to find her mother missing, drill downward from the surface layer through a tile-based underground and discover the Everdeep.

79
VGC Score
·No trend datamedium confidence
79%
At launch
90%
Steam all-time
76%
Press
65%
Recent sentiment

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.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)7646
All-time Steam reviews90%85105
Metacritic user ratings0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)65%643
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 5 reviews sampled · 8 total reviews in window · weighted 1.7 up / 0.9 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (24)

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.

  • 85
    trust 83Jul 10, 2025

    My time with Everdeep Aurora is an unforgettable experience. This world is full of memorable characters and stunning set pieces. At some point, after you delved deep underground, you’ll realize you need to get back, look up at the winding, chaotic path you’ve made to get here, and discover how this game uses the player’s curiosity and exploration in such a fun way. While it’s not entirely perfect, Everdeep Aurora is a wonderful, short, cozy experience you won’t want to miss.

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 80Jul 29, 2025

    Everdeep Aurora, a pixel art platformer from Ysbryd Games, has its faults. It also has enough charm and personality to overcome them. Striking visuals, fun gameplay, and an absolutely adorable cat make this a game that arcade adventure fans should definitely check out.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 78Jul 9, 2025

    Everdeep Aurora is a very lamp–like story in a trendy retro style about friendship, adventure and mutual assistance, completely devoid of violence or adult content.

    read full review ↗
  • 91
    trust 77Jul 15, 2025

    Everdeep Aurora is a 2D exploration game set during a devastating meteor shower that is forcing the entire world to evacuate into the safety of the depths below. Its charming graphics gave me a nostalgic feeling as I, Shell the kitten, drilled my way through the rocks on my own personal quest for protection. Through text based dialogue, each enchanting character I encountered told me their stories and uncovered the secrets of Everdeep and the location of Shell’s mother. If you’re looking for your next indie adventure, look no further than this delightful gem from Nautilus Games!

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 71Jul 15, 2025

    The nostalgic visuals, carefully crafted exploration, and thought-provoking themes keep me digging for more, despite the game’s narrative haze.

    read full review ↗
  • 79
    trust 70Jul 11, 2025

    While it has some retro-styled visual appeal, and some unexpected story beats to discover, it mostly feels like a pretty ordinary metroidvania

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 70Jul 17, 2025

    Do I think it’s a fun game? Not entirely. The gameplay angered me at times with how slow it was at the start and figuring out where to go was a pain. But gameplay was never really the focus for me. This is a slow burn game that relies on characters, story, and occasional puzzle solving. Those were the main draws for me, and it’s more than enough to keep people invested.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 69Jul 24, 2025

    Everdeep Aurora offers a retro-styled game world that's fun to immerse yourself in and a story that, while it could have done with fewer text boxes, still works well with its various endings and lovable characters. The different endings make it worth listening carefully and exploring everything attentively and the 7-8 hours you spend underground with Shell will fly by quickly.

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  • 60
    trust 67Jul 19, 2025

    I love the concept behind Everdeep Aurora, as the design direction is flawless, but it can also be quite a cumbersome game.

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  • 65
    trust 66Jul 9, 2025

    I enjoyed my time with Everdeep Aurora, although it could have been better. Nautilus Games very deliberately nails the feel of an old Game Boy game from the mid-1990s, although it may turn off players looking for something more complex or challenging. With its charming art style and gameplay, it's hard not to have a smile on your face as you drill down into the Everdeep. That said, the lack of clear guidance regarding exactly what the game is asking you to do a lot of the time left me longing for a quest log or objective marker. If you're looking for a chill platformer with retro stylings and don't mind a lack of clear direction, Everdeep Aurora is worth checking out.

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  • 70
    trust 66Jul 9, 2025

    While Everdeep Aurora doesn't break new ground (ha), it does offer a very polished take on the genre, emphasizing clever platforming and an initially simple narrative that unveils rich deep lore for those willing to seek it.

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  • 75
    trust 65Jul 9, 2025

    Everdeep Aurora is a chill game full of exploration and puzzles. It has a fun cast of animals to interact with, but the map is very vague and hard to follow.

    read full review ↗

…and 12 more tracked reviews.

Patch history