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) | – | 67 | 36 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 66% | 64 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 75% | 70 | 274 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jul 14, 2026) · 274 reviews sampled · 242 total reviews in window · weighted 174.3 up / 58.5 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (18)
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
“This is a game for a very specific type of player. If you miss the days when RPGs were dangerous mysteries to be solved rather than checklists to be completed, this is a hidden gem waiting for you. It captures the soul of the "Euro-RPG" perfectly, rough edges and all. However, if you prefer fluid combat, clear objective markers, and a smooth difficulty curve, this island might just chew you up and spit you out. It’s a flawed, fascinating, and rewarding journey for those patient enough to walk the path.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“Apart from the frustrating nature of ‘Of Ash and Steel’s no handholding, the game is filled with bugs, and some of them are game-breaking. At the time of this review’s publication, the game is already over a month old, and it is still filled with different bugs, and the optimization is still very poor. While Of Ash and Steel could have been a great hit back in the early 2000s, sadly, for today’s gamers, it lacks the right amount of fun and difficulty. In its current state, the no-handholding sits way back because the game needs optimization and bug-fixing. It is a shame because the game, on the other hand, has a great world and a lot of different things to do that can keep you busy for hours. I recommend that you sit this one out for the time being and try some other RPG for your fill.”
read full review ↗ - 70
- 74
“Of Ash and Steel is an old-school RPG in the best and worst possible ways.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“Of Ash and Steel is a big, old-school RPG that pays you for being patient, paying attention, and planning. It’s hard and fun to play because of the survival rules, the way the skill trees are connected, and the amount of exploration. There are some technical problems with the game, like stiff animations, strange sounds, and sometimes annoying AI, but the depth of the gameplay and sense of earned growth make it worth playing.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“With engaging combat, crafting, and the ability to turn this simple cartographer into a worthy soldier, Of Ash and Steel became an adventure worth taking on. If you like Euro-jank style RPG’s this one is definitely for you.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“It's a bit of a cop out to say that this is a game for fans of the genre, but it is entirely appropriate with Eurojank. If you've ever played and enjoyed a Piranha Bytes game, then Of Ash and Steel is easy to recommend, especially given the patches and improvements since release. It's also a good entry point for newcomers to the subgenre, though you will still need to tolerate some teething problems. If the game gets its teeth into you then it'll become your new obsession. For others, however, they'll bounce off the game and go back to more polished and forgiving titles.”
read full review ↗ - 66
“Of Ash and Steel is a classic tale of a zero-to-hero journey that's willing to show off its flaws, intentionally and unintentionally. It's the type of game that's built for a particular audience, one that revels in relishing the masochistic nature of old-school RPGs.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“While the game captures a certain sense of wonder, Of Ash and Steel is unreasonably unpolished and miserable to play. If the game were still in testing, I would call it ambitious, but changes still need to be made to the core experience and a lot of QA still needs to be done on what is being called a finished game.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Of Ash and Steel isn't trying to be a huge triple-A adventure, but while committing to its own vision of a Gothic-like RPG, it has plenty of its own problems to sort out first.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Of Ash and Steel is an ambitious, fascinating RPG that tries to capture a bygone era, but does so with often insufficient means and with an approach that requires a patience that many will not have.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“There could be something to like in Of Ash and Steel if you can handle a lot of jank. Tristan is upset and confused as he plays the game. Sadly, you will too.”
read full review ↗
TheBigBois
GamesHedge
3DNews
Pizza Fria
GamesCreed
Analog Stick Gaming
TheSixthAxis
Game8
Try Hard Guides
GamingBolt
CrazyGameCommunity.it
NoobFeed…and 6 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- 1.08 - A few hotfixes and QOL-improvementsJul 14, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.08Jul 9, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Dude, where's my XP?Apr 29, 2026
- Update 1.07 is now liveApr 27, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.06 is Out NowFeb 17, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.05 is out nowDec 19, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Quick Development Update #3Dec 13, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Quick Development Update #2Dec 2, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Quick Development UpdateNov 27, 2025
- Of Ash and Steel: End of the Playtest + One Last SecretAug 25, 2025significant · resets scoring window