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) | – | 85 | 10 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 92 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 94% | 89 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 90 | 17 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 5 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 14 reviews sampled · 9 total reviews in window · weighted 7.6 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (66)
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
“Although The Swapper was originally released on PC nearly a year and half ago, this does little to dampen its appeal on Wii U; this is a title feels fresh and unique when stacked up against some of the other download games the eShop has to offer. With its unsettling environment, intriguing storytelling and some truly mind-bending puzzles, the entire experience oozes quality.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Taking many tropes from the Metroidvania sub-genre of games, and adding a mechanic all of its own, The Swapper succeeds in creating an interesting world to explore and challenging puzzles to conquer amidst one of the most atmospheric backdrops ever put to a video game.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Few games fully realize their potential. Thankfully The Swapper is able to execute all of its ideas. The challenging and thought-provoking puzzles are only outdone by the rich narrative which will stay in your mind well after the credits roll. The Swapper is a masterpiece that needs to be experienced.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The Swapper is an indie puzzle platformer with a gameplay hook which is cleverly married to a grand operatic narrative. Its strange visuals and atmospheric soundtrack augment this vision, creating a wholly unique and cohesive experience. While some of its later puzzles are a bit too fiddly for their own good, and the overall pacing sometimes feels a little off kilter, this is still a space voyage that comes highly recommended.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“But the core gameplay, puzzle-solving with clones, is distinctly enjoyable. In a way, it reminded me of the Clank puzzles in Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time, but on a 2D plane. If that kind of puzzle-solving is up your ally, I'd give The Swapper a try.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“This is serious sci-fi, concerned not so much with aliens and gadgetry, but the effects these things have on the soul.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Unique visuals and clever puzzle design help the philosophical puzzle game The Swapper feel fresh throughout its relatively short life span.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Facepalm Games have created something special with The Swapper, with Cruve Studios helping to bring the game to PlayStation. The unique cloning abilities of the mysterious Swapper device pave the way for some challenging puzzle designs and a gripping story, that sci-fi fans will no doubt love. However, you can't help but feel that it's all over far too soon.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The Swapper is a short, but sweetly addictive puzzle platformer that begs the statement, "If Dead Space were only a puzzle game."”
read full review ↗ - 80
“One of the best action puzzlers for several years, made all the better by some surprisingly distinctive storytelling and visuals.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“Low-key, effective storytelling and a hyperfocus on puzzles. The Swapper exemplifies the adage that less is more.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The Swapper is a fantastic game although it's not without its limitations. The nagging feeling while working your way through the puzzles is that the idea was never really stretched quite far enough. The self-contained puzzles are good in their own right, but it can at times feel like a procession of challenges. It would have been nice to get to grips with multipart puzzles or something just a little meatier. For fans of the genre though this is invaluable, although it's all-too-short 4-hour length could leave seasoned puzzlers wanting.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Cubed3
Pure Xbox
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
Eurogamer
GameSpot
TheSixthAxis
GameSkinny
Metro GameCentral
PC Gamer
Game Debate…and 54 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Maintenance update out now!May 28, 2025
- Maintenance update deployed to beta datastreamMar 21, 2025
- Linux + OS X support, compatibility fixes!Feb 18, 2014
- Linux + OS X support, compatibility fixes!Feb 18, 2014
- Gamepad + Big Picture mode update is out!Jan 11, 2014significant · resets scoring window
- Gamepad + Big Picture mode update is out!Jan 11, 2014significant · resets scoring window