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) | – | 71 | 11 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 76% | 71 | 734 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 93% | 87 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 5 reviews sampled · 2 total reviews in window · weighted 1.4 up / 0.1 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (36)
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.
- 55
“There's not much I can say about Narcosis. It was too short of an experience to really gather a lot for it. At the same time, this was made for VR and I'm sure if I had played it in VR it would have had a bigger effect on me. Unfortunately, while this is supposed to be a horror game, I never once jumped or was creeped out.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Narcosis provides a truly scary VR experience despite being a bit shallow in regards to its content and mechanics. Fans of horror games will definitely find something to enjoy.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Narcosis benefits from a unique environment and some really solid writing, though a short campaign and a story that loses steam detract from the overall experience. In the end, Narcosis winds up being decent, but not as great as it could have been.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“This review began before with a parallel to early man, so why stop now? Narcosis, in its own way, brings humanity's drive for survival to the forefront of the player's mind, showing that the will to live is truly a harrowing war of attrition. The game is unrelenting in its goal of putting you into the shoes of someone haunted by the depths of the sea, both figuratively and literally. The story is simple but well-written, with even the flavor text of the fallen co-workers showing humanity in a couple of sentences each. The visuals are good, the controls are formidable, and the audio is stunning. Sure, the gameplay and story can be a little slow, and the narration is somewhat gauche and not well mixed, but these are minor issues in an otherwise intriguing, original game that shows the potential of human helplessness in a visceral and highly informative way. Narcosis is a mystery that plays on how little we know about our own world, as the game aggressively reminds us with elements of supernatural terror.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“While the game didn't impress me all that much on the Xbox as is, I can see how the game would perform better in VR. I did enjoy many aspects of Narcosis such as its environment and its unique controls. However, the lack of real tension and linear level design hold the game back too much to not notice.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Narcosis' biggest strength is its oppresive atmosphere, created by the inner feelings of a person trapped in the deep sea.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Narcosis is a game that draws you into its aquatic world of horrors and makes you hold your breath until you come out the other end. It's just a shame that you could almost finish it in that one breath, as it can be completed in about four hours. All in all we shouldn't hold this against it as not every game has to be a forty hour open-world epic. In the end, this brief adventure was well worth experiencing. Now excuse me while I go out and buy a VR set to dive back in!”
read full review ↗ - 80
“For me, a game with a normal story and strong ending is more memorable than a game with good story and weak ending, but fortunately, Narcosis has both advantages in the story and narrating with a beautiful story-telling and memorable ending. For some of us that still are in love with single player and story-telling games, it is very good to see games like Narcosis in the generation of online shooters that repeat again and again. Narcosis takes you to an stressful and beautiful journey and make you some fun hours. Despite some troubles in gameplay and control, Narcosis is still a game that absolutely worth your time.”
read full review ↗ - 98
“Narcosis represents the best of what horror games should strive to be. It's immersive, in nearly every possible way. With an interesting and well presented narrative, you'll find yourself not wanting to stop, as you turn every corner with a sense of dread as to what lies ahead. While the play time is somewhat short, and the absence of support for PlayStation VR is a drawback, there is more than enough in the package to appease true fans of the horror genre. With it's unique setting and atmosphere, Narcosis is a true dive into fear itself.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Narcosis is a solid first effort from indie Honor Code. As a first-person survival game, it provides a nice experience with its gloomy setting where one false step can send you plummeting down to your death. If you're not careful, you might run out of oxygen, which I'm sure is a painful way to go. And then there are the giant and deadly crabs that can puncture your suit with a single stab. There's danger around every corner, and Honor Code has done a great job at portraying that on PS4.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Narcosis is a polarizing game, on one hand, the underwater setting and isolation captures the sense of unnerving tension of being alone but at the same time, the gameplay is slow and vexing. The developers successfully crafted stressful situations forcing you to cautiously walk through the next room but also included frustrating moments of getting stuck in the world's geometry. Narcosis is a great horror title for fans of the genre if they can endure the slow pace.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“As horror games go, Narcosis is a triumph, managing to get under your skin and stay there long after you've put the pad down.”
read full review ↗
ZTGD
PCMag
Chalgyr's Game Room
Worth Playing
GameGrin
SomHráč.sk
ThisGenGaming
Gamefa
Planet PlayStation
PS3Blog.net
NoobFeed
GameSpew…and 24 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- [UPDATE] Anniversary edition delayedMar 30, 2018
- One Year Later: Major Content UpdateMar 29, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- One Year Later: Major Content UpdateMar 29, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- (Difficulty) Update!Feb 24, 2018
- (Difficulty) Update!Feb 24, 2018
- New Patch is Up (v1.1.2.18509)Apr 23, 2017
- New Patch is Up (v1.1.2.18509)Apr 23, 2017
- The Art of the Abyss + UPDATESApr 7, 2017
- The Art of the Abyss + UPDATESApr 7, 2017
- Wow, what a week... [Collectibles, Updates and More]Mar 31, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Narcosis Update - Other Indies Worth a LookOct 28, 2016
- Narcosis Update - Other Indies Worth a LookOct 28, 2016