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) | – | 75 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 88% | 82 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 67 | 1 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 68% | 65 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 4 reviews sampled · 3 total reviews in window · weighted 1 up / 0.5 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (28)
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.
- 50
“Nihilumbra is the kind of game that clearly has grand ambitions, but it seldom has the chops to properly pull things off.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Playing out as puzzle platformer, Nihilumbra is all about making use of a variety of abilities you’ll acquire as you move through each world to survive a variety of scenarios and try to escape the ominous Void...”
read full review ↗ - 70
“From the gorgeous settings, to the wonderful narrative development, and the smart implementation of sharp puzzle elements, Nihiliumbra is an absolute joy to play.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“All in all, Nihilumbra is a fun platformer, which allows for those who are new to puzzle games and those who are well versed in them to enjoy the game equally. With the creative and unique elements that are used in each puzzle, it is definitely a nice game for its price.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“With its gorgeous visuals, moody story, and clever platforming gameplay, Nihilumbra is definitely trying its best to join the hallowed halls of indie greatness. However, I think it falls short, but not by much. Though they might seem contradictory, I would argue that the narrator needed a bit more gravitas while the story needed a little more subtlety to let the gamer decipher more of their own emotions. And while the gameplay is great, I really would have preferred a longer campaign that continued the brilliantly conceived difficulty curve and fewer post game levels that drastically up the difficulty. Of course, there are plenty of people who will probably adore the challenge, but I imagine that many will also be upset to find half of the game is overly frustrating. These problems, though, are actually quite small because the core package is so well executed and well worth just about any gamer's time.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A gloomy, intelligent platformer, Nihilumbra will keep you playing until the bitter end.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Nihilumbra does a perfect job at creating a nihilistic setting which will plunge the player in a gloomy, depressive spiral. Its visual and sound environments fit the game's plot without any flaws and the initial difficulty level allows the player to finish the plot-driven part of the game without problems. Things get more complicated once the player reaches the following segment, where the difficulty level hikes dramatically and the whole experience becomes much harder.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Clever puzzles, immersive presentation, and an intriguing plot combine in one of the most ambitious and original smartphone games of the year.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“With a story that will leave thought waves pulsating to the tune of the excellent writing, intriguing gameplay that breaches boundaries of immersion, and with a Wii U version coming soon that will be much more accessible for those with physical disabilities because the controller will replace a mouse, Nihilumbra is a demonstration of how video games that immerse the player in telling stories, gameplay that challenges the forefront of perception, and having puzzles that will be remembrances at lunch can never be beaten by mainstream titles, no matter how unique the fire particles get.”
read full review ↗ - 87
“Dark atmosphere, unprecedented drama for an App Store game, amazing finale. Finally, the iOS platform has discovered its own thatgamecompany.”
read full review ↗ - 84
“If you are looking to play Nihilumbra now is a better time than ever before.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“It's a triumph for those who favor experiential gaming over the challenge of eking out ever-smaller, incremental degrees of satisfaction from more skill-based titles.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
NintendoWorldReport
Nintendojo
FNintendo
Metro GameCentral
DarkZero
Gamers FTW…and 16 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Nihilumbra v1.35 Released!!!!May 21, 2015
- Nihilumbra v1.35 Released!!!!May 21, 2015
- Nihilumbra v1.34 Released!Dec 10, 2014
- Nihilumbra v1.34 Released!Dec 10, 2014
- Nihilumbra v1.33 Released!Dec 9, 2014
- Nihilumbra v1.33 Released!Dec 9, 2014
- Nihilumbra 1.31 update.Jan 10, 2014
- Nihilumbra 1.31 update.Jan 10, 2014
- Nihilumbra 1.3 update is up and running!Jan 7, 2014
- Nihilumbra 1.3 update is up and running!Jan 7, 2014