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) | – | 84 | 76 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 95% | 89 | 572 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 63 | 55 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 95% | 89 | 11 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 30 reviews sampled · 30 total reviews in window · weighted 8.1 up / 0.4 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (46)
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
“In the core, it's a short sketch of happy childhood memories, a slice-of-life video game, but somehow it manages to take a place in the heart - and make heart warmer.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Despelote is a very unique narrative that appropriates the language of the video game world to write a poem to childhood. Personally, I believe that those of us who grew up playing video games are gradually connecting much more with this type of narrative that puts us in a contemplative place. A place that invites us to rediscover ourselves and be amazed by the encounter with those things that we had long since given up for lost.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Despelote is transportive in its vision of a messy childhood.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Despelote is, above all, the struggle of a people. Of people who, even in the face of adversity, carry on with pride in their country. Who found refuge in football, and who over the years embraced not only the British sport, but many other passions. Even though it took place in Ecuador, the game brought me nostalgia. Latin American experiences are shared, after all, who has never heard an old man complain that you are playing football in the street? Although it is not a perfect experience, Despelote was certainly one of the most memorable I have had in recent times, leaving me slightly emotional at the end. Long live football!”
read full review ↗ - 90
“With its distinctive presentation and light-touch mechanics, Despelote builds a mesmerising feeling of a community brought together by a fleeting football obsession. The historic moment of Ecuador's journey towards World Cup qualification grounds the story in time and place, perfectly capturing the author's salad days. Whether you play, watch, or avoid football, this is a beautifully-told story you can enjoy.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Despelote is a fascinating experience. It plays like an interactive documentary, and it feels like a true depiction of a place and time I've never experienced but feel like I can somewhat understand now. As I look back on that day in my acrid garage, or as I remember two years later when I sat in a dark room crying because the Padres lost their playoffs spot on the last possible day, I'll also remember this game. I'll remember me in 2025 crying at 2 a.m. with a controller in my hand alongside the people of Ecuador who were no doubt crying as their team went for glory in 2001. Because that's what sports (and video games) are all about.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Warning: despelote may cause unexpected feelings… from a soccer game. Yes, seriously. It’s like Field of Dreams had a baby with a soccer ball and a warm empanada.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Apropos its soccer-themed subject matter, Despelote pulls off an impressive hat trick: successfully fusing unique aesthetic, narrative, & mechanical decisions with an assured vision.”
read full review ↗ - 72
“A touching tribute to soccer, as well as childhood and some adversity, that is let down by poor mechanics”
read full review ↗ - 80
“despelote is a short game that might only take two or three hours but it’s worth every second. It’s a very charming game that only costs $14.99, so it’s worth a buy.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“despelote is a work with a strong cultural identity, which aims to tell a personal and meaningful story through video games. However, by prioritizing its documentary aesthetic, the title compromises the gameplay and doesn't deliver a satisfactory interactive experience.”
read full review ↗ - 59
“Despelote is a title with a sure aesthetic feel but which, in other areas, is too uncertain, imprecise, and directionless. The lack of an incisive narrative and a central mechanic that is scarcely enjoyable even in the short term are the two most obvious shortcomings of a production that I really do not understand who it is for. In its totality, Despelote gives me the idea of a work intended for a museum and not a console, a pixel canvas too ephemeral in its goals to claim real pleasure in interacting with it on a videogame level. As a non-interacting audiovisual work, I am convinced, Despelote would be much more impactful.”
read full review ↗
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