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) | – | 72 | 14 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 80 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 75% | 71 | 294 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 71 | 3 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 4 reviews sampled · 3 total reviews in window · weighted 2.3 up / 0 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (45)
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.
- 70
“Tembo the Badass Elephant's ride may be a very short one, but it is undeniably a high quality romp. The game has very high highs with very few low points and not a single bit of filler or wasted moments. Tembo can almost be too lean by being so utterly focused in upping the challenge, though. The design and aesthetics are 100% on the mark and it is curious that Game Freak doesn't do more original titles like this as often, since it is clearly very good at it. Game Freak is so much more than just Pokémon and Tembo the Badass Elephant proves it.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“If you're interested in enlisting with a pachyderm that throws himself around like an acrobatic anvil, arm your trunk and charge full speed ahead, Tembo the Badass Elephant has brought the ruckus to Xbox One.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Tembo the Badass Elephant is made even more frustrating by the fact that it doesn't flat out suck. There's a solid sidescroller in here, but Game Freak's taken it in the wrong direction. This should have been an adventure all about momentum, but it does everything within its power to pump the brakes. Give this wide load a wide berth, it's made itself irrelephant.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Tembo the Badass Elephant has an awesome name, and the game play to match. The only drawback is the archaic progression system. Those looking for a quick romp with hints of masochism for perfect runs should definitely check it out. The charm and pitch-perfect game play are more than worth the price of admission.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Despite some annoying gameplay elements, Tembo the Badass Elephant is a wonderful mash-up of some of the best 2D action-adventure platformers ever released.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Not being able to live up to such lofty rivals is no great shame, of course. Tembo is simply a very pretty, and pretty good, game, albeit one that never quite lives up to its early promise. That alone makes it the best platformer that Sega has released in years, and for that Game Freak deserves our thanks.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Tembo's big action setpieces prove the old adage that great things come in small packages.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“2D side-scrollers certainly aren't at the top of everyone's favourite genre. But a fun, new approach, a fantastic concept and beautiful design might well see Tembo become a mascot for the future.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Tembo the Badass Elephant could have been so much more than what is offered. SEGA seemed to be searching for a successor to Sonic with Tembo but at the same time wanted to get a piece of the market for particularly hard games, forgetting to make it fair at the same time. It is an incredibly nice looking and sounding game, and when everything falls into place Tembo is a joy to play, but these instances are rare. The poor control scheme mixed with stupidly hard late levels, which almost caused me to destroy my controller, take major points away from what could have been a promising game.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“If you are looking for a satisfying and whacky 2.5D platformer, this is a great game to pick up.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A few flaws short of a modern platforming classic, but although Tembo isn't perfect he is exactly as badass as promised.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“A good idea, nice art style and mix of ideas, absolutely terrible gameplay.”
read full review ↗
Cubed3
Pure Xbox
Push Square
ZTGD
PCMag
Eurogamer
GameSpot
GameGrin
TheSixthAxis
GameSkinny
Metro GameCentral
TechRaptor…and 33 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.