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) | – | 90 | 19 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 95% | 90 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 85 | 21 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 93% | 87 | 322 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 88.4, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 12,665 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jun 25, 2026) · 258 reviews sampled · 322 total reviews in window · weighted 211.9 up / 15.9 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (13)
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.
- 80
“Some hardcore RPG old-timers will enjoy every single piece of Caves of Qud, yet the prehistoric visuals and teeth-grinding difficulty could be too much for modern players.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Caves of Qud has a devoted following for good reason. Its world is vivid despite its graphical style - the wonderful music helping out - and its rapid turn-based gameplay is addictive. The hardcore roguelike approach is brutal but makes each run special. This is at odds with the main thread of an RPG quest, which demands that every run is aimed at the same goal. However, that tension provides an energy that's hard to resist. It's compressed a little uneasily onto Switch, but can be made to work.Maybe not legendary status on Switch, then, but a tale worth passing down to another generation of console players.”
read full review ↗ - 89
“Caves of Qud is a unique experience in the roguelike RPG scene. Its deep and detailed world, combined with incredibly flexible gameplay and a fascinating emergent narrative, makes it a must-have title for fans of the genre. However, its difficulty and steep learning curve may deter some players. For those looking for a challenge, Caves of Qud is a must-have title. Death is part of the experience, and each new game brings with it new knowledge and strategies. However, those who prefer more guided experiences may find the game frustrating. With continued support from the developers and an active community, the future of the game still looks full of surprises.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Densely imagined and as complex as you fancy, this roguelike RPG is brilliant.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“A staggering achievement in terms of role-playing interactivity and flexibility, that also manages to be both accessible and maintain a fun sense of the absurd.”
read full review ↗ - 94
“Caves of Qud is a genre-defining achievement in play, story, and roleplaying freedom.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“As someone generally more motivated to complete a playthrough than get caught up in a cycle of experimenting and restarting, I’m not sure I’m the main audience for Caves of Qud. This makes me even more impressed by what a good time I had with it. Whether you’re signing up for one playthrough or one hundred, it’s hard not to be captivated by its depth and imagination once you get a sense of how the world works. And if I were the type of player who liked to invest the bulk of my gaming time in one single-player experience, this would be a rabbit hole worth falling into.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Caves of Qud is a cult classic on PCs for several reasons. On the Switch, most of its charm remains intact, but the absence of Brazilian Portuguese, occasional crashes, and interface problems (not to mention the lack of specific improvements for the Switch 2) prevent it from revealing its full potential to Nintendo fans. Furthermore, enthusiasts of roguelike mechanics and ASCII aesthetics looking for something new will certainly enjoy Freehold Games' work. For everyone else, it's worth waiting for a possible localization into our language or additional improvements in portable mode. After all, exploring and conquering the maps of this fantastic universe is something that deserves to be done in the best possible way.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Caves of Qud is a game that will reward you more and more for putting in the time and effort to learn about it. Even just from scratching the surface, however, I am absolutely entranced by the worlds the game can create.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Here is a game not only made over decades but one that feels made to be consumed over an equivalent timeframe. To play Caves of Qud is to be aware that you have just one life to give it - and that you might well come up wanting. [Issue#407, p.104]”
- 85
“A roguelike RPG that stands out for its deep emergent narrative, complex character creation, and endless possibilities in exploration and decision-making, but its steep learning curve, dated visuals, and English-only text limit its accessibility.”
read full review ↗ - 95
3DNews
Nintendo Life
Gamesource Italia
Eurogamer
Metro GameCentral
PC Gamer
RPG Fan
Nintendo Blast
GamingTrend
Multiplayer.it…and 1 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Maintenence Patch - August 8, 2026Aug 8, 2026
- Maintenance Patch - July 4, 2026Jul 4, 2026
- Burgeoning Summer GrowthJun 25, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Beta Patch - April 24, 2026Apr 25, 2026
- Experimental branch for testing our localization frameworkMar 27, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Beta Patch - March 1, 2026Mar 2, 2026
- Little Feature MondayFeb 16, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Beta Branch BugfixesJan 30, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Steam Awards, Mod Jam results, and port updateNov 24, 2025
- 20% off for today's Daily Deal + performance improvements on BetaNov 3, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Tech patch on beta branchOct 7, 2025
- Surprise Feature Friday - August 8, 2025Aug 8, 2025
- Maintenance Patch - July 28, 2025Jul 28, 2025
- Beta Bugfixes - July 4, 2025Jul 5, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.04 is here!May 22, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Beta Update - May 14, 2025May 14, 2025
- Beta Update - April 25, 2025Apr 26, 2025
- Beta Update - April 18, 2025Apr 19, 2025
- 1.0.3 emergency patch rollback (e:resolved)Apr 12, 2025
- Maintenence Update 1.0.3 and Beta Update 210.3Apr 12, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Beta Update - build 210.2Mar 27, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Beta Update - build 210.0Mar 8, 2025
- Maintenence Update - 1.0.2Feb 28, 2025
- We're Back! Post-1.0 Dev NewsFeb 26, 2025
- Thank you for a stellar launch + 1.01 PatchDec 19, 2024
- Caves of Qud 1.0 OUT NOW!Dec 5, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- 1.0 pre-Launch InformationNov 28, 2024
- Beginner Tutorial Out Now!Oct 29, 2024
- Final Feature Friday!Sep 21, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- Journey to 1.0! Final preparations + new priceSep 18, 2024
- Feature Friday - September 13, 2024Sep 14, 2024
- Feature Friday - August 30, 2024Aug 30, 2024
- Feature Friday - August 23, 2024Aug 24, 2024
- Feature Friday - August 16, 2024Aug 16, 2024
- Feature Friday - August 9, 2024Aug 9, 2024
- Feature Friday - August 2, 2024Aug 2, 2024
- Feature Friday - July 26, 2024Jul 27, 2024
- Feature Friday - July 19, 2024Jul 20, 2024
…and 47 earlier patch announcements.