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) | – | 72 | 5 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 89% | 83 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 77 | 4 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 83% | 77 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 6 reviews sampled · 3 total reviews in window · weighted 2.3 up / 0.5 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (16)
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.
- 60
“Hammerwatch can be a good time, but only really if you play it with friends.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Those looking for a game that properly ends may be disappointed in its initial simplicity, but those who enjoy challenging themselves with speed runs or complex rules with find a good time. Heck, there's even the promise of online play in the future, so those with family or friends afar can enjoy it together down the road. Regardless of how you want to play Hammerwatch, it's a satisfying experience through and through.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While many games have tried to emulate the look and feel of Gauntlet over the years I don’t think any that I’ve played have nailed it quite as well, overall, as Hammerwatch...”
read full review ↗ - 75
“The wonderfully crafted campaigns present both fun and challenging tasks that can be tackled in a number of different ways depending on which of the seven classes you choose. It's likely that the game will run thin before really messing around with all the classes, but the soon to launch online mode could help elevate that feeling. Even with a few blemishes with the music and a couple of crashes, the hook of exploration and monster slaying kept me crawling back for more.”
read full review ↗ - 75
- 60
“I loved Hammerwatch II's fighting and gameplay, but the lacklustre narrative, unrewarding sidequests, and uninformative quests and world traversal leave much to be desired.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Hammerwatch is a very welcome addition to the Nintendo Switch catalog that brings a fluid visual environment, a good variety of characters and a well developed local multiplayer mode to a retro-style adventure game that will certainly entertain many players. While the solo mode is less compelling than the local multiplayer and the promised online multiplayer is not available from the start, Hammerwatch is well worth a visit from those looking for an action-packed adventure.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Hammerwatch on Switch is a great looking pixel art game with plenty of content to enjoy both in single player and multiplayer mode. With seven classes to choose from, character upgrades to unlock and two whole campaigns to complete, not to mention the game's extra modes, this is a Nintendo Switch release that is easy to recommend.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Though its been a few years since Hammerwatch was released on PC, it is a welcome addition to the console platforms. It will take you back to the days of the original Gauntlet games, but feels lonely when playing solo. The maximum amount of fun lies within the multiplayer.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“I would argue that Hammerwatch is best experienced with a group of like-minded adventurers. There’s far more fun to be found in the chaotic mayhem of heroically charging down a corridor together, slinging spells at your enemies, cutting them down to size and knocking back an arrow or two, compared to when having to endure the game’s repetitive design alone. There are enough successes to consider a purchase, and even more so once online support arrives.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“As a solo venture, the game can feel boring and tedious as it starts off way too slowly, despite throwing in some interesting boss fights later on. My recommendation is that you play it with friends, chat over some third-party voice program, and forget about your worries as you mindlessly slay hundreds upon hundreds of worms and skeletons and bugs and bats.”
read full review ↗ - 78
“Hammerwatch is quite good looking, nice sounding ordinary, if not limited, hack & slash. Perfect for half an hour of mass murdering of worms and skeletons, but the game lacks content for a longer session.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
NintendoWorldReport
Eurogamer
GameGrin
FNintendo
PS3Blog.net
Geeks Under Grace
Nintendo Insider
Destructoid
Pixelophobia…and 4 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Patch Notes for 1.41 (August 2018)Aug 30, 2018
- Hammerwatch 1.4!Aug 13, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes for 1.32 (April 2016)Apr 1, 2016
- Patch Notes for 1.32 (April 2016)Apr 1, 2016
- Patch Notes for 1.31 (April 2015)Apr 14, 2015
- Patch Notes for 1.31 (April 2015)Apr 14, 2015
- Hammerwatch Expansion (v1.3 - Sept 2014)Sep 16, 2014significant · resets scoring window
- Hammerwatch Expansion (v1.3 - Sept 2014)Sep 16, 2014significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes for 1.23 (July 2014)Jul 1, 2014significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes for 1.23 (July 2014)Jul 1, 2014significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes for 1.22 (April 2014)Apr 16, 2014
- Patch Notes for 1.22 (April 2014)Apr 16, 2014