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) | – | 67 | 53 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 82% | 76 | 128 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 63% | 62 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 6 reviews sampled · 6 total reviews in window · weighted 3 up / 1.8 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (33)
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
“Yars Rising combines modern and retro sensibilities into a fun and quirky package. It's both a solid new Metroidvania and a great celebration of Atari classics.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Yars Rising is a terrific platformer. It features satisfying puzzles, shooting elements, a fast-paced and humorus story, along with a clever integration of a classic Atari game. Apart from some annoying loading screens, this is absolutely a game worth checking out.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Yars Rising is a fun title on its own, but is even better as a love letter to the Atari classic. You have to appreciate the effort put in to researching the game's lore and expanding on it, and fans of the original will absolutely love it. Those of you who are new to this world will still find an enjoyable Metroidvania game with some fun dialogue and new elements to keep things interesting. Not only that, but the addition of classic challenges will continue to test your abilities (and patience). The price tag may cause some to pause, but if you complete everything there is to do (including two playthroughs), you're easily putting 30-ish hours into it. I would recommend picking up this title especially if you're a fan of the genre, and I hope to see more WayForward interpretations of classic Atari games. A Centipede turn-based RPG, anyone?”
read full review ↗ - 50
“When it isn’t tipping its hat to Yars’ Revenge, the game offers only simplistic platforming.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Yars Rising is an ambitious interpretation of a classic Atari 2600 game that resoundingly succeeds in appealing to both newcomers and veterans alike. The Metroidvania structure is good enough on its own, but when combined with the awesome Yars' Revenge-inspired hacking minigames, you've got an experience that feels wholly unique while being great fun from start to finish. Some of the characters may prove to be a bit irritating, and the final boss is a massive letdown for us, but overall this is a great effort from WayForward.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“WayForward's handling of this Atari franchise following this new 2D search action direction has a lot of potential. With a little more tweaking and refining, the next game in the series could be a breakout hit. As it stands, Yars Rising is a solid take on a tried-and-true Metroidvania formula with slick controls and the occasional challenge.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“The final product doesn't do much to elevate the Yars franchise, due to an excessively flippant tone, an over-reliance on unsatisfying stealth and hacking mechanics, and generally straightforward, unsurprising gameplay. The controls are solid, the power-ups are interesting, and the exploration is rewarding, but that's not quite enough to save the game from mediocrity.”
read full review ↗ - 76
“An unusual mix of pretty ordinary Metroidvania action with variations on the Atari classic used for hacking”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Yars Rising offers a unique interpretation of the classic Yars' Revenge. While the narrative may be unmemorable and the cutscenes intrusive, the gameplay remains engaging, thanks to its surprising remixes of the original game and how they fit in the structure of a Metroidvania. The stealth mechanics, though simplistic, contribute to the overall experience.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Yars Rising is a great game. In fact, it was one of my most pleasant surprises of the year, as I really wasn't expecting anything like this.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Yars Rising is a creative take on a classic that not only incorporates it into the game but expands upon it with an unexpected genre alongside a charming main character and solid storyline.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Yars Rising reminds us why Atari games have made a mark on the video game industry”
read full review ↗
Geek to Geek Media
Pure Nintendo
The Gamerheads Podcast 
Slant Magazine
Nintendo Life
Kakuchopurei
VGChartz
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
Pizza Fria
Capsule Computers
Enternity.gr…and 21 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.