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) | – | 74 | 10 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 67% | 65 | 657 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 68% | 66 | 4 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 11 reviews sampled · 12 total reviews in window · weighted 5 up / 2.3 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (32)
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.
- 67
“I'll admit that the opening cinematic for this game immediately started me out on a bad foot, as [trigger warning for pet lovers] for whatever reason a kitten is cruelly thrown to its death, and for the life of me I cant even understand what that has to do with anything at all...”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Ultimately, Blackguards 2 is very good and enjoyable, but gets weighed down by some stupid limitations and flaws, such as its often unfair difficulty and still-present bugs. It boasts a great strategy aspect and a decent story, but falters elsewhere. Enjoyable, but frustrating at times, and not enough spiders to eat those bugs!”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Coming so soon after the first entry Blackguards 2 is a surprisingly packed improvement over the original, giving you the chance to dominate and rule over South Aventuria with all the bitterness and rage such a task would need. It won't suit all newcomers to PC TRPGs and yes, battles can be brutal and unforgiving at times, but for those with even the slightest bent towards getting knee deep in stats and tactical battles then Blackguards 2 is a worthy purchase.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Blackguards 2 is not a perfect game and, unfortunately, not the reinvention of its predecessor it could have been. However, the game does ultimately reward a little (well, a lot of) patience, developing into a relatively enjoyable campaign once the player has progressed past the early stages.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“One of the delights of settling down to a turn-based tactical RPG is poking around to understand how its systems combine and then utilising those systems in imaginative and tactically satisfying ways. In this regard, Blackguards 2 delivers. Eventually. The writing and presentation are serviceable rather than spectacular but there's a decent level of scope for customisation and engaging combat if you can push past its trudging opening hours. Cassia and co's deep-seated issues and baggage make them an entertaining bunch and while they won't set your world alight, they eventually prove capable of providing many hours of surprisingly amiable companionship.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Sinister protagonists and smart tactical combat make Blackguards 2 a compelling exercise in evil.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A sometimes frustrating, always enthralling strategy RPG that has its rough spots. The time necessary to get to grips with it is well spent despite this as it rewards you in so very many ways.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“In spite of these small gripes, Blackguards 2 is a much more complete and better-playing game than its predecessor and will no doubt please all of those who loved the first. Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you are a hardcore fan like me), the game has not been streamlined enough to attract casual CRPG fans and will still be far too complex and challenging for those not accustomed to the difficulty of a dyed-in-the-wool European game like Blackguards.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“I have sort of enjoyed my time with Blackguards 2, although writing a review where all you really want to do is scream "IT'S THE SAME AS BLACKGUARDS!" has been a challenge. It really is a testament to the fine voice actors and tightly crafted combat above everything else, that even after two extremely similar games I'm still not staggeringly bored of it all. Slightly bored, perhaps, but not staggeringly.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“This still feels like an Alpha or a Beta version that needs to be fleshed out a bit more before it's release. The problem is, it has been released.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Although the turf-war element is fun to experience, the role-playing features of the game are completely uninspiring and feel like replicas of previous RPGs. No, I don’t think the game is a failure, as it is a decent follow up to the first Blackguards.”
read full review ↗ - 78
“Blackguards 2 removes much of the chaff from the original game, but you'll still need some patience.”
read full review ↗
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Patch history
- Thursday 12th March 2015: Patch 2.1 is now ready and availableMar 12, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Thursday 12th March 2015: Patch 2.1 is now ready and availableMar 12, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 2.0 is now available!Feb 4, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 2.0 is now available!Feb 4, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 2.0 coming Febuary 4th 2015Jan 30, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 2.0 coming Febuary 4th 2015Jan 30, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.1.8 released!Jan 26, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.1.8 released!Jan 26, 2015