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) | – | 76 | 21 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 86 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 90% | 84 | 529 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 73 | 2 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 85% | 79 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 3 reviews sampled · 1 total reviews in window · weighted 0.8 up / 0.1 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (81)
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
“Headlander is a little action, a little puzzle, and a great time overall. At around 10 hours or so, it doesn’t overstay its welcome, and I think it’s perfectly balanced as a game to pick up for an hour of gradual progress after work or school a couple hours a day. It’s well-designed and has a clear purpose in mind.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“While Headlander's brand of humour isn't quite as pronounced as Adult Swim might have wanted it, there are so many absorbing elements at play here.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“It's a testament to the excellence of Headlander that it can only be faulted for its slight technical flaws. Everything about it is so finely tuned, from its gunplay to its platforming to its puzzles, and it doesn't just stay true to classic Metroidvanias, it also builds upon the foundations that they laid. The story is well told, the characters are entertaining, the environments are fleshed out, and the humour is as brilliant as always. Headlander's one of the best games that Double Fine has ever produced.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While lackluster combat and simplistic puzzles would prove a damning criticism for most games of this type, Headlander’s tone and aesthetic is so fully-realized that the whole package manages to be a groovy, retro delight.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Headlander is a unique take on a familiar genre, and one that works thanks to its design. The humor is classic Double Fine, and even a bit dark at times, but it succeeds in what it sets out to do. The progression is great, and the challenge is there, but never unfair. For those that missed this game on PC or PS4, now is the time to dive in. This is one trip worth taking.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“In the end, Headlander is a very good adventure game for fans of the Metroidvania blueprint. The gimmicks that come from a flying head are used well, and the idea never feels tired. The action in firefights is good, and the number of areas and slightly hidden passageways in the world makes exploration equally worthwhile. It does feel like a drag whenever you have to perform the same action multiple times in different parts of a level, but the game is short enough that the padding doesn't feel too bad. Overall, genre fans will have a great time with Headlander.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Double Fine's head-spinning sci-fi puzzler has plenty of style but not enough substance to sustain its lengthy adventure.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“By narrowing their focus, Double Fine have crafted probably their most cohesive and mechanically sound game to date, one that takes its gimmicky concept and executes it to perfection.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Headlander's weird world overflows with color, power-ups, and personality.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Headlander is a unexpected but pleasant title that has rekindled my interest in 2D side-scrollers. The title is both familiar and wholly unique, and the main mechanic of Headlanding is entertaining and intuitive. A sleek and stylistic design matched with an incredible attention to detail more than make up for any frustrations with the game’s combat or puzzles.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Headlander is a funny, well designed game with an excellent aesthetic, it's a shame that a few shortcomings let it down in the long run”
read full review ↗ - 80
“For a certain nostalgic generation of gamer, it’s hard not to fall in love with Headlander’s retro futuristic stylings and the kind of “what if…” set up that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Terry Nation TV show or a film like Logan’s Run. The combat and and boss fights let it down, but this is an eminently enjoyable twist on the Metroidvania genre.”
read full review ↗
Paste Magazine
Cubed3
Push Square
GameWatcher
ZTGD
Worth Playing
Eurogamer
Rocket Chainsaw
GameSpot
MonsterVine
GameGrin
TheSixthAxis…and 69 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.