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) | – | 64 | 12 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 82% | 76 | 940 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 60 | 1 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 50% | 52 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 4 reviews sampled · 2 total reviews in window · weighted 0.8 up / 0.8 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (41)
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.
- 50
- 50
“If only the developer's care could have graced the poorly drawn cutscenes that lack the vitality of those in 1988's Ninja Gaiden. These sequences don't communicate the emotional sincerity needed to fulfill the potential of a story that humanizes its white-man villain while calling attention to the contemporary impact of his racism.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Whispering Willows has the foundation laid for a great adventure game, but is held back by some shortcomings. Yes, there's some of the slowness in walking and loading, but this can be forgivable by players who enjoy taking their time and drinking everything in. The biggest problem lies in how it feels there could be so much more to fill this world. The game can be finished in about 3 hours, leaving a void that could have possibly been filled with deeper puzzles, deeper dialogues with the ghosts, and simply more to experience overall. What lies in this shallow grave may still be enjoyable, but let's hope a second effort comes that digs deeper.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“Elena, searching for some answers to the mystery surrounding the disappearance of her father, learns early on that an amulet in her possession will allow her to take on a ghostly spiritual form...”
read full review ↗ - 40
“The best aspect is that it does not hold the player's hand, and does grant a reasonable amount of agency the way a good adventure game does. Night Light had their heart in the right place, even if their intention exceeded their means.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“It means that for all Whispering Willows' atmosphere it can't deliver what it sets out to achieve. I don't often say games need to be longer but here, the experience needs more locations, more detail and more time to fill out its fiction to be able to tackle the themes it wants to tell.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“I wasn't left feeling dead cold after finishing, it and I appreciated the simplistic nature to the game. Minimal frustration, some nice exploration, and able to be finished in a single sitting if you have a few hours to spare. This ghost story isn't the most memorable, but it doesn't have to be. Whispering Willows was an enjoyable time, and for those that like a decent story, side scrolling exploration, and the idea of talking to ghosts, I'd recommend it.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“The negatives never hurt Whispering Willows enough to outshine the positives. The title is a perfect match for gamers looking for the kind of survival horror title that the genre was founded on. The game might not offer the same kind of jump scares as titles like Resident Evil, but with a story inspired by the real-life cruelty of history, Whispering Willows might actually be scarier. ”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Whispering Willows is a very different game from any other. It has a good story, fun mechanics (despite maybe too simple) and a terrifying atmosphere, all made with love by Night Light. It has a lot of issues in all of its aspects, unfortunately, but it's worth it to try and play.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Whispering Willows is modest in its scares and challenges, but is rich in heart.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Whispering Willows is an enjoyable game with a good story, though much of it will rely on you reading all the letters scattered through the game. The puzzles aren't hard and while some of the atmosphere is creepy the game doesn't quite present the horror you expect. While Whispering Willows is an interesting experience it is a short one at three hours. There are also a couple of annoyances and the puzzles are incredibly simple to work out, but that keeps things moving at a steady pace. Overall Whispering Willows is for those who like adventure titles but also like to experience a story that unfolds without too much effort being put in, making it a solid debut from Night Light Interactive.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“If we had to nit-pick, we'd grumble at the occasional bit of backtracking and the lethargic motions of the main character, but Whispering Willows had enough atmosphere and entertainment value to keep us intrigued.”
read full review ↗
Fintendo
Slant Magazine
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
GameWatcher
ZTGD
Nintendojo
The Game is a Lie
GameSpot
TheSixthAxis
Game Debate…and 29 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Whispering Willows Patch 1.6.4 NotesJul 10, 2020
- Patch 1.6.2 NotesOct 26, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.6.1May 2, 2019
- Patch 1.60Apr 18, 2019
- Patch 1.29Jan 20, 2016
- Patch 1.29Jan 20, 2016
- Language and Settings Update- Patch 1.26/1.27Nov 15, 2015
- Language and Settings Update- Patch 1.26/1.27Nov 15, 2015
- PlayStation Announcement- Patch 1.25Jun 2, 2015
- PlayStation Announcement- Patch 1.25Jun 2, 2015
- Price Change & Bug Fixes- Patch 1.23Apr 8, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Price Change & Bug Fixes- Patch 1.23Apr 8, 2015
- Language Update- Patch 1.21Feb 1, 2015
- Language Update- Patch 1.21Feb 1, 2015
- Happy Holidays and Language UpdateJan 1, 2015
- Happy Holidays and Language UpdateJan 1, 2015
- Walk Speed Increased- Patch 1.2Oct 17, 2014
- Walk Speed Increased- Patch 1.2Oct 17, 2014
- Outdoor Running Fixed- Patch 1.18Aug 25, 2014
- Outdoor Running Fixed- Patch 1.18Aug 25, 2014
- RUN ELENA!- Patch 1.17Aug 13, 2014significant · resets scoring window
- RUN ELENA!- Patch 1.17Aug 13, 2014
- Controller Support!- Patch 1.16Jul 29, 2014
- Controller Support!- Patch 1.16Jul 29, 2014
- Patch 1.15Jul 23, 2014
- Patch 1.15Jul 23, 2014
- Patch 1.14Jul 12, 2014
- Patch 1.14Jul 12, 2014
- Patch 1.13Jul 9, 2014
- Patch 1.13Jul 9, 2014