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) | – | 81 | 28 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 95% | 89 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 96% | 91 | 1186 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 89.7, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 2,312 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jun 3, 2025) · 300 reviews sampled · 1186 total reviews in window · weighted 240.5 up / 12.9 down · computed 2h 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.
- 80
“Whether you find a deeper meaning to the narrative RPG Cabernet, the game still has much to offer and does a wonderful job of keeping you playing. It's educational, fun, relaxing, charming, and emotional, and definitely worth the playthrough.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“Cabernet is unlike anything I’ve played before, especially within the visual novel genre. The addition of RPG elements is intriguing, but what truly sets it apart is its unique leveling system, gaining experience through decisions and reading books is something I haven’t seen done this way before. I love that I’m learning alongside Liza, which deepens the role-playing experience and makes every choice feel meaningful. The story is compelling and pulls me into its dark, immersive world, I just wish the voice acting matched that same level of quality. At times, the dialogue felt disjointed, especially when I had already learned certain information by speaking to characters out of order. However, these minor flaws don’t overshadow what Cabernet accomplishes. For those looking for a visual novel where choices truly matter, Cabernet is a must-play.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“A refreshing overall take on becoming and being a vampire, that manages to set itself apart”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Cabernet is a unique vampire games I’ve played, and I enjoyed maintaining the balance managing Liza’s life while dealing with pressing tasks.”
read full review ↗ - 92
“Overall, Cabernet is a fantastic narrative game that allows you just to sit back and enjoy the story, especially on a rainy day. While there are a lot of mechanics to learn, along with a time crunch, and it can seem overwhelming at times.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Cabernet is a game with a lot of heart. It puts so much work into establishing the eastern-European setting, the vampire lore and all of its wonderful characters, which all have impressive voice acting that makes the story more emotional throughout. While the game does certainly lack a little polish in spots, it's a highly engaging story that's more than worth sinking your teeth into.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“A few glitches hold it back, but Cabernet is an incredible story-driven RPG that grounds its mythical threats in real-world politics.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cabernet delivers a compelling, blood-soaked adventure that’s worth sinking your teeth into.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cabernet is a fantastic experience. The story is so much fun, and the gameplay facilitates it perfectly. The world is fleshed out with a lot of vampire lore that feels very well-developed as you play. The visuals are another huge part of this success, and the sound is a fantastic addition. Cabernet is also fully voice-acted, and the actors bring a lot of nuance and humour to the well-written script.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Solid 2D narrative RPG set in a 19th-century Eastern European-inspired world with a supernatural twist”
read full review ↗ - 70
“I would love to give Cabernet a higher score; at its heart, it’s an excellent narrative RPG with thoughtful writing, interesting mechanics and a charming presentation. Unfortunately, to experience all that, you have to put up with a few too many bugs and crashes, and other rough edges besides. If you’re willing to overlook that, then you may well find yourself playing through multiple times, trying different choices and quests. But I’d recommend waiting for a few updates to smooth things out before you buy.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cabernet delivers a compelling vampire tale where every decision matters. Its rich narrative, memorable characters and meaningful moral choices make it one of the most engaging narrative RPGs in recent years.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
The Gamerheads Podcast 
Nindie Spotlight
Siliconera
GamesCreed
Checkpoint Gaming
GameSpot
Quest Daily
NoobFeed
PS3Blog.net
Switchaboo
EntreMandos…and 4 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Japanese UpdateOct 22, 2025
- A BIG Thank You & Patch Notes 1.0.18Jun 3, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Patch Notes 1.0.14 - Fixing more edge casesApr 9, 2025
- Patch 1.0.13 - Fixing more edge casesMar 27, 2025
- Patch notes 1.0.10 - Fixing More BlockersMar 3, 2025
- Patch 1.0.9 - Fixing Progress Blockers and MoreFeb 25, 2025
- Cabernet 1.0.8 Steam Chapter 2 HotfixFeb 20, 2025
- Cabernet Appeared on Patch Magazine CoverJan 10, 2025