videogamescritic
← all games
Cloudbuilt

Cloudbuilt

Coilworks · released Mar 20, 2014

ActionAdventureIndiePC

Rocket parkour your way through dizzying obstacles and lethal robot hazards, in this 3rd person action platformer with over 40 levels, and even more community levels.

81
VGC Score
·No trend datahigh confidence

anchored at patch: “Features & Quality Update!” (1y ago)

76%
At launch
87%
Steam all-time
71%
Press
79%
Player sentiment
98%
Recent sentiment

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.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)716
All-time Steam reviews87%81475
Metacritic user ratings791
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)98%9446
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Dec 27, 2024) · 46 reviews sampled · 40 total reviews in window · weighted 23.4 up / 0.4 down · computed 4h 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.

  • 80
    trust 70Oct 23, 2014

    First-person games are often dominated by a theme of shooting, but Cloudbuilt is one of the few games to place a low emphasis on combat. The game would work perfectly well without any confrontation and it is possible to complete the majority of it as a pacifist. Cloudbuilt's strengths lie in its amazing platforming elements, which are in abundance throughout the game. Whether it is running along walls, boost jumping between platforms or scaling high walls, the game creates a rush of adrenaline that makes it one of the most enjoyable experiences available.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 69Mar 31, 2014

    Cloudbuilt is a pretty game with a strong incentive to replay. If your primary interest is in a story, it's probably not for you. If you're more intrigued by jetpacks, rocket boosts, wall-running and the thrill of flying off a ramp as you make your way to levels end as fast as you ruddy well can, Cloudbuilt is heartily recommended.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 67Mar 31, 2014

    A precise, highly challenging parkour platformer with a heavy emphasis on replaying stages and somewhat unfortunate fascination with projectiles.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 67Apr 28, 2014

    It's very smooth and nice to look at, but loading times are quite long and made the wait for constant death quite boring. It seems unable to decide whether it is a parkour game or a third-person shooter, and that hampers what could be a much better game had it decided between the two.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 64Apr 12, 2014

    It's hard not to recommend Cloudbuilt between it's innovative take on a third-person action adventure platforming game and it's easy price tag. It's also very easy to see that this is Coilworks first game as it lacks a layer of polish, but it's a valiant effort and I am personally excited to see what they do next. While most won't find much replay value once they beat the game those who come to master Cloudbuilt will certainly keep the community alive through ghosts and challenges.

    read full review ↗
  • 78
    trust 63Apr 9, 2014

    Cloudbuilt's platforming-as-time-trial-racing premise puts Sonic to shame, but its visual design detracts rather than supports it.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 62Apr 8, 2014

    Cloudbuilt is a fantastic platforming game that's simply held back by substandard controls.

    read full review ↗
  • 65
    trust 61Apr 14, 2014

    Cloudbuilt is based on parkour and is at times able to achieve its vision and reveals its potential. When you run, jump and cross everything, with a smooth combination, you feel free. Sadly, some control issues and the useless combat scheme tear its wings.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 60Mar 31, 2014

    A precise, highly challenging parkour platformer with a heavy emphasis on replaying stages and somewhat unfortunate fascination with projectiles.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 60Mar 26, 2014

    Cloudbuilt succeeds remarkably in proving that how a game feels and what you do within it can tell stories all on their own. The monologues contextualise the gameplay, and knowing that Demi is pushing through her own recovery maps cleanly onto the difficult jumps, complicated wall-runs and well-placed shots. Cloudbuilt is a game in which you'll die a lot, and that's not an accident. Demi's progress is slow and painful. Yours will be too, but that in itself carries meaning. Sometimes the quiet, narrow victories are the most meaningful.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 59Mar 24, 2014

    Brilliant and brutal, breathtaking and exacting, Cloudbuilt lights a rocket underneath traditional platformers. Exceptional level design, stunning visuals and a lofty skill ceiling make for an impressive debut, though its ferocious difficulty takes no prisoners.

    read full review ↗
  • 50
    trust 58Apr 4, 2014

    When I fall, I flail wildly, smashing buttons in an attempt to boost or double jump back to a safe platform. The protagonist cries out in frustration before giving up, and I can't help but empathize.

    read full review ↗

…and 16 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

  1. Minor Patch
    Jan 6, 2025
  2. Features & Quality Update!
    Dec 27, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  3. Patch Notes
    Aug 24, 2024
  4. Minor minor fix
    Aug 19, 2024
  5. Quality and Smaller Feature Patch
    Aug 13, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  6. Quality Update
    Jun 19, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  7. Quality Patch
    Apr 14, 2024
  8. Quality Patch
    Mar 31, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  9. Minor patch
    Sep 7, 2023
  10. Quality Update & Editor Features
    Aug 11, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  11. Two New Unlockable Skins & Patches
    Jul 10, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  12. Smaller Update/Hot Fixes
    Apr 21, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  13. Performance & Quality Patch
    Apr 5, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  14. Major 2023 Update Now Live!
    Feb 3, 2023significant · resets scoring window
  15. Update News Blog
    Jan 12, 2023
  16. Patch notes and a small event extension
    Nov 5, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  17. Haloween event + patch
    Oct 29, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  18. Major 2020 Update!
    Jun 25, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  19. Game patch & lots of Editor improvements
    Apr 12, 2015significant · resets scoring window
  20. Game & Editor Patch + Useful resources
    Mar 25, 2015significant · resets scoring window
  21. Game & Editor Patch + Workshop Templates
    Mar 23, 2015significant · resets scoring window
  22. Change Log - v1.2 (368869)
    Aug 29, 2014significant · resets scoring window
  23. Change Log - v1.2 (368869)
    Aug 29, 2014significant · resets scoring window
  24. Change Log - v1.11 (331696)
    Jul 22, 2014significant · resets scoring window
  25. Change Log - v1.11 (331696)
    Jul 22, 2014significant · resets scoring window

…and 18 earlier patch announcements.