videogamescritic
← all games
Into the Emberlands

Into the Emberlands

Tiny Roar · released Jan 20, 2025

AdventureCasualIndieStrategy

Venture out into the Emberlands and uncover an ever-changing world filled with surprising encounters and mystical creatures! Save villagers who got lost in the Miasma, collect resources and rebuild your village to create a safe haven for your people.

75
VGC Score
·No trend datamedium confidence

anchored at patch: “Steam Deck Verification - Update!” (1y ago)

73%
At launch
81%
Steam all-time
n/a
Press
83%
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 (Metacritic)0
All-time Steam reviews81%75155
Metacritic user ratings0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)83%77215
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Sep 16, 2024) · 215 reviews sampled · 186 total reviews in window · weighted 101.8 up / 21.1 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (9)

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.

  • 75
    trust 73Jul 26, 2024

    Developed by Tiny Roar and published by Daedalic Entertainment, this indie title has won the hearts of PC gamers since June 19, 2024. In Into the Emberlands, players take on the role of an explorer called the “Light Bearer,” and embark on a unique adventure. Their noble and challenging task is to rescue the lost, rebuild the village, and keep the mysterious miasma threatening their hometown at bay.

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 70Jun 26, 2025

    A novel and pretty cozy overall title, but it’s clunky controls and somewhat shallow ultimate gameplay elements keep it from being more

    read full review ↗
  • 100
    trust 68Apr 15, 2025

    My first couple of hours were rough. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but once I figured out how to get more flames and could be out for longer, I started to love the game. This game is a perfect relaxation game. There is zero combat or enemies to worry about, and it is focused on gathering things to build up a little town with cute little villagers.

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    trust 65Feb 9, 2025

    Into the Emberlands is a delightful exploration-based game that sees you gathering resources and rebuilding a cute yet ramshackle town. It's perfect for those needing a chill and casual time with a good balance of challenge and variation.

    read full review ↗
  • 100
    trust 62Jan 20, 2025

    Into the Emberlands is all round just a lovely little adventure; a charming and lighthearted palette cleanser which will help to enlighten your day.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 58Feb 6, 2025

    Into the Emberlands is a cozy little adventure in the beautiful world full of charming creatures. It captures players attention with the visual and a low entry threshold, keeping their interest through generative worlds and varieties of the biomes to explore. However, the lack of deeper challenges or surprises may leave players craving more as they progress and ruin the desire to return to this world once again.

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    trust 57Apr 30, 2025

    I do understand that the developers wanted to make this into a cozy game with a slow pace, and I can see that being a pro more than a con for other kinds of gamers out there. As harsh as I have been with the game, I do think it is worth taking a look at it at least, but that depends heavily on what kind of gamer you are. It is possible you might enjoy a more relaxed and slower paced experience, so don't let my critique stop you from trying it out! With its very simple control scheme, I could see this game doing well on mobile devices, and it could be a nice experience to have while being out and about during every day life. Great for when you just need a small moment to do some cozy adventuring.

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 55Mar 5, 2025

    Into the Emberlands blends survival and roguelite elements with cozy vibes, offering a relaxed yet engaging experience perfect for short sessions. While the game lacks variety in later stages, its charming atmosphere and affordable price make it well worth a try.

    read full review ↗
  • 78
    trust 49Mar 24, 2025

    Overall, it's still a pleasant experience, especially considering its price, so it won't be a heavy hitter for your wallet. For those unfamiliar with it, Into the Emberlands was developed by the same studio as XEL, a game that strongly resembles a 2D Zelda game.

    read full review ↗

Patch history

  1. Steam Deck Verification - Update!
    Sep 16, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  2. Update 1.1.0: Into the Embalance
    Jul 18, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  3. Patch 1.0.6 is here!
    Jul 3, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  4. Patch 1.0.5 is here!
    Jun 25, 2024significant · resets scoring window
  5. Day One Balancing Patch!
    Jun 20, 2024significant · resets scoring window