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) | – | 65 | 16 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 84% | 77 | 64 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 83% | 77 | 54 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Aug 22, 2024) · 54 reviews sampled · 53 total reviews in window · weighted 25.2 up / 5.2 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (9)
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.
- 35
“Even though the game suffers from performance issues, weak gameplay, and repetitive content, Shoulders of Giants is not unplayable by any means; it’s just difficult to find reasons to play it when most roguelikes currently available are much more enjoyable.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Overall, a nice roguelike game for both single player and multiplayer experiences. It has some rough edges and does not shine under any specific aspect, yet it competent gameplay and lenghty adventure could keep you entertained for a long time.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Overall, Shoulders of Giants: Ultimate is a solid entry to the roguelite library in my book. The gameplay loop may feel somewhat repetitive at times, but that’s kind of how roguelikes and roguelites are generally built. With only some minor frustrations, the game provides plenty of variety in both structure and building your character to suit your style.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Shoulders of Giants: Ultimate is not the roguelike that breaks the mold for those trying to get into the genre, and I can't say that roguelike veterans would find its gameplay loop compelling either. It's wide range of weaponry and abilities does create bursts of fun, but unfortunately it wears thin relatively quickly.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“Shoulders of Giants is an excellent independent product, one of the best in the RPG shooter sector in terms of quality-price ratio. The gameplay crafted by the developers is solid, fun, and enhanced by four-player online co-op. Despite some technical imperfections and conceptual limitations, the game is sufficiently entertaining and rewarding.”
read full review ↗ - 78
“Shoulders of Giants is a wonderful surprise. It’s a third-person action roguelike with a ton of heart. Great gameplay, stylish graphics, satisfying progression, and a killer soundtrack combine to create a game I loved spending time with. I know it’s great solo so as long as the co-op runs well this is a title you and your friends won’t want to miss.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Shoulders of Giants is a fantastic action game, with a great variety of weapons, abilities and progressions hooks to keep you keen.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Shoulder of Giants is a fun roguelike with tons of customization, immersive planets, and fluid melee combat. It does struggle with world-building and dialogue, and some weapons aren't as fun to use, but there's a lot of fun to be had if you're looking to spend a few hours exploring alien worlds.”
read full review ↗ - 79
“Playing Shoulders of Giants is a joy, especially after you unlock some impressive gear and really start to wreak havoc on invading evil forces. When you throw in the lovely environment-transforming visuals and take the fight online, you're left with a winning formula.”
read full review ↗
Niche Gamer
IGN
Thumb Culture
Gaming Nexus
Console-Tribe
DayOne
God is a Geek
WhatIfGaming
Video ChumsPatch history
- Patch 1.9.6 is ReleasedAug 22, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Update 1.9.5 is LiveAug 16, 2024
- Patch 1.9.3 is liveAug 13, 2024
- 1.9.2 HOTFIXAug 12, 2024
- Development Report #2Oct 13, 2023significant · resets scoring window