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) | – | 62 | 13 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 87 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 7 reviews sampled · 5 total reviews in window · weighted 5.5 up / 0 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (40)
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.
- 70
“Sure, it's nothing spectacular to look at and it can get repetitive extremely fast; however, if you had some mindless enjoyment from various 10tons titles like Butcher for instance, then Crimsonland will certainly give you a short burst of entertainment.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Progressing the twin stick shooter genre is no easy task, and Crimsonland makes a mechanically valiant if visually lethargic attempt. There are the foundations of a great game here - the moment to moment gameplay is a basic yet guilty pleasure of relentless, gratuitous violence, and the perk system and weapons within a level are consistently and immensely rewarding to use. While the action is ludicrous, fun, dumb and obnoxiously brash, the game is let down by its bland presentation, repetitive and uninspired quest mode and non-existent level design. It hides what is, at its core, an addictive and sadistically entertaining experience. It will make you realise how awesome it would be to have something like Dead Nation or even DOOM on the system. Oh, wait...”
read full review ↗ - 85
“While it won’t win points for its complex and challenging story or trying to push boundaries Crimsonland is a thoroughly satisfying arcade-style twin-stick shooter that I will likely return to periodically for quite some time. While it isn’t graphically very impressive and the sound is relatively limited there’s no denying the power of its gameplay. It is adrenaline-fueled, brutally challenging, over-the-top, and should be considered a must-have for shooter fans!”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Crimsonland is a very simple game that is tough to master. Whilst being a lot of fun while it lasts, we can't help but feel that it's missing that undefinable something. There are definitely visual shortcomings that some people won't be able to get past (although that's more on them than the developer) and though there's simple enjoyment to be had, there's also a feeling that a lot more could have been done to mix things up for players who want a deeper experience. It'll definitely be one that you'll pick up every now and again for a quick hour of cathartic Survival mode gunplay though, that's for sure.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Crimsonland is exactly one video game: a perfectly competent twin-stick shooter, and nothing else. Unfortunately, the title's quests feel a bit half-baked, and the whole thing could do with a facelift. However, with an addictive survival mode, a proliferation of interesting perks, and a host of guns to collect, those in the market for some mindless action are likely to find a lot to like here.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“It's mindless fun, with enough addictive strategy to keep playing. I loved weaving through the hundreds of enemies (whether they were zombies, spiders, or something in-between) so I could reach a power-up orb at the last second, to suddenly fry everything around me with a flame thrower. It's a great time all around, and if you have the itch, give it a try.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Crimsonland is now up there with Super Stardust HD as one of my favourite twin-stick shooters. It may not blow you away with the visuals, but looks certainly don't matter when it's packing this much content. Added to the fact that the Xbox One version includes new content, this is a must buy for fans of the genre and for those looking for a fun co-op experience.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“It may not be outstanding to look at, or indeed listen to, but Crimsonland is a pure, easy-to-pick-up gameplay experience that comes dangerously close to becoming pretty addictive stuff.”
read full review ↗ - 30
“In its current state the game should have been a £1.99 PlayStation Mobile title, not a £7.99 PlayStation 4 game. The title is coming to PS Vita this week and will be cross-buy but not cross save, and is certainly more suited to short bursts of gaming on a bus.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Crimsonland is plentiful in action, weapons and all sorts of bonuses and additional elements that will keep its players amused, especially if there are four of them. What it does less well is its level design, which feels repetitive and it lacks something innovative that would let it stand out.”
read full review ↗ - 30
“Now, this being a twin-stick shooter, Crimsonland's other failings could have been overlooked if the gameplay was fantastic. However, the gameplay is pretty basic as far as this genre goes, and it rarely elevates itself past mediocre.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Contrary to its looks, Crimsonland still delivers frenetic fights that are impossible to reproduce in web browsers. But bigger and more beautiful twin-stick shooters rose to fame during the game's decade-long slumber, leaving 10tons playing catch-up.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Pure Xbox
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
ZTGD
GameGrin
TheSixthAxis
FNintendo
ThisGenGaming
We Got This Covered…and 28 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- 64-bit + Ukrainian localization + tweaksNov 21, 2022
- DYSMANTLE 1.0 Now AvailableNov 16, 2021
- Skeletal Avenger Full Version Launched on Steam!Sep 29, 2021
- Update Notes for 1.4.1 (macOS only)Feb 3, 2021
- Update Notes for 1.4.0 (macOS only)Jan 28, 2021
- Update 1.3.1: Of Dogs and Localizations!Feb 16, 2018
- Update 1.3.1: Of Dogs and Localizations!Feb 16, 2018
- The Perk and XP Update 1.2.3 Now Officially Available!Mar 23, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- The Perk and XP Update 1.2.3 Now Officially Available!Mar 23, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Beta PERK POWER Update 1.2.0Aug 31, 2016
- Beta PERK POWER Update 1.2.0Aug 31, 2016
- BIG Crimsonland 1.1.0 update with TYPOSHOOTER and more!Mar 14, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- BIG Crimsonland 1.1.0 update with TYPOSHOOTER and more!Mar 14, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Crimsonland Now Available for LinuxJan 22, 2015