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) | – | 84 | 20 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 86% | 80 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 72 | 9 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 89% | 83 | 9 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 26 reviews sampled · 20 total reviews in window · weighted 18.8 up / 2.4 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (57)
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
“Pretty good game! The gameplay mechanics are slick, the enemy and boss variety is excellent, and the story is just crazy. However, the difficulty, tweak variety, and controls could use a little work.”
read full review ↗ - 90
- 90
“Iconoclasts has some shortcomings, such as a few overextended stages in the middle of the story and a very high difficulty in some parts. But an interesting story, puzzles, accessible skills and bosses leave just an incredible amount of the most positive emotions.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Iconoclasts is an ironic, humanistic critique of religion as much as it is a masterful take on a traditional game genre.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Iconoclasts is a worthy puzzle platformer unlike anything you’ll have experienced before, a true labour of love.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“On the whole, Iconoclasts is a memorable, thought-provoking, and enjoyable take on the Metroidvania genre which manages to stick out from the crowd with its chipper presentation and deeper storytelling style. Couple those elements with some of the best 16-bit spritework we've seen and a killer lineup of awesome boss encounters, and you've got another must-have for the Switch library. It may have been eight years in the making, but this one has certainly been worth the wait; don't miss out on this one.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“There is an abundance of pixel-art platformers on the market today, many of them indistinguishable from one another, but Sandberg's game stands out.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Nobody would comment on the game without mentioning the outstanding pixel art and top shelf soundtrack...”
read full review ↗ - 90
“If you have ever been turned off Metroidvanias for their tendency to prove too confusing or challenging, or pined for a larger focus on plot, Iconoclasts is the answer. By relegating the heavy exploration side of the popular genre in favour of driving a captivating narrative and characters to the forefront, Joakim Sandberg has crafted a 2D adventure that comes out as one of the most entertaining of the year, and certainly in the genre as a whole. Don't sleep on this.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Iconoclasts blends a complex story with neat puzzle platforming, and does so in great style. The game's length occasionally works against it, and the boss fights aren't all winners, but the story is worth seeing through to the end thanks to a memorable cast of characters and plenty of variety along the way. It's just a very robust, unique game that you'd be a tool to miss.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Iconoclasts is one of the biggest surprises of the year. Despite occasionally suffering through the story sequences, I found that I couldn't stop playing (it's about 10 hours long). I can't recommend the game highly enough--go play it.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Iconoclasts is a kind of game that no AAA studio could ever have made. It has all the mechanics, visuals and other easily judged elements that a video game needs, and nailed down really well too, but it also has a less tangible feel to it that just endears it to the player. Even among other nostalgic pixel-art metroidvania games, this one stands out, and ought to be remembered as one of the indie greats.”
read full review ↗
cublikefoot
Fintendo
GameMAG
Slant Magazine
Jump Dash Roll
Nintendo Life
VGChartz
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
GameWatcher…and 45 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Boss Rush - Patch 1.15Aug 2, 2018
- Iconoclasts Soundtrack and moreFeb 15, 2018
- Iconoclasts Soundtrack and moreFeb 15, 2018