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) | – | 70 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 87% | 81 | 662 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 90 | 7 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 2 reviews sampled · 3 total reviews in window · weighted 1.9 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (38)
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
“Though he has lost his memory, Tex hasn’t lost any of his charm or humor, and Tesla Effect is a beautifully crafted love letter to a bygone era, made specifically with series fans in mind.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“If you're a fan of the noir genre or '90s adventure games, you're gonna like the cut of its jib.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“There are not enough adjectives to describe what a pleasure it is to experience Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure. From the smart acting and intriguing story, to the clever puzzles included and great locations to explore, everything in Big Finish Games' project is a resounding success. Adventure fans have been waiting a long time for this, and it is pleasing to see that the wait was indeed more than worth it. Tex Murphy is back, and hopefully there is much more to come, especially with the officially-supported fan remake of Overseer, The Poisoned Pawn well underway.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Tex Murphy is back, and that's exactly as good, and as bad, as it sounds.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“Despite its minor flaws, Tesla Effect marks the return of a beloved character, it's overflowed with feeling, shows a perfect use of money gathered in Kickstarter and offers many hours of gameplay, inviting us at the same for extra playthroughs, in order to see its alternative endings.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“For Tex Murphy veterans it’s like finding an old photo album full of happy memories, and for outsiders it’s a solid, if occasionally frustrating, adventure game.”
read full review ↗ - 79
“Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure is more than a love letter to the series' die-hard supporters. It's a solid adventure title that's loaded with brain teasers, personable characters, and a great musical score.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Prepare yourself for a time travel. Tesla Effect is far from being perfect, but seeing Tex Murphy back in action in a classic point-and-click adventure is surely a positive thing for videogames.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“It stands on good footing, but may not be approachable enough for modern players and gamers who didn't share Tex's original adventures.”
read full review ↗ - 58
“Not half bad. Until the half that is makes for a disappointing return.”
read full review ↗ - 74
“Tex Murphy returns after 14 years to solve what happened to Chelsee, but first he must regain his loss of seven years memory. Meet old friends and of course the best P.I. in the universe: Tex Murphy.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Tex is back and it's right where he left off, ignoring more than 15 years of gaming evolution. It would've helped if he kept himself a little more up to speed.”
Cubed3
PC Invasion
ZTGD
Worth Playing
Eurogamer
Niche Gamer
PC Gamer…and 26 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.