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Charlie Murder

Charlie Murder

Ska Studios · released May 11, 2017

ActionAdventureIndieRPGPCXbox 360

It’s a punk rock apocalypse! Team up with your friends to lead embattled punk rock band Charlie Murder in their epic quest to save the world from rival death metalers Gore Quaffer and their legions of evil.

89
VGC Score
Stablehigh confidence
84%
At launch
96%
Steam all-time
78%
Press
83%
Player sentiment
100%
Recent sentiment

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.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (Metacritic)786
Creator reviews (1 tracked)830
All-time Steam reviews96%911000
Metacritic user ratings834
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)100%9710
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 90.0, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 2,983 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 29 reviews sampled · 25 total reviews in window · weighted 23 up / 0 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.

  • 70
    trust 71Aug 8, 2013

    It's hard to tell where the punk lifestyle ends in Charlie Murder, whether in the game or with Ska Studios itself, and the game's insane, patchwork gameplay is a thrill.

    read full review ↗
  • 88
    trust 69Aug 27, 2013

    Charlie Murder is an extraordinary beat'em up that will offer you endless hours of action filled and fun gameplay. Its extraordinary soundtrack will submerge you in an apocalyptic punk world ravaged by the forces of evil and your mission is to send them back to the Netherlands. Ska Studios outdid themselves and created some of the most memorable characters in this genre's history.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 68Aug 21, 2013

    If you enjoy a fun beat ‘em up and have a few friends that don’t mind a ton of gore, Charlie Murder is a pretty good bet.

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    trust 67Oct 3, 2013

    Still, the fighting is fun whether you go solo or with allies, the minigames help break up any potential monotony, and the loot system will entice people into going for another round. Wrap that up in the top-notch stylized presentation, and it's easy to see why Charlie Murder is highly recommended.

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    trust 66Aug 8, 2013

    At only 10 bucks, Charlie Murder is both a killer game and a solid value for solo artists; for anyone with a few friends willing to join the slaughter, it’s damn near mandatory.

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 66Aug 19, 2013

    Beer and blood spray punctuate the fun punk rock brawler Charlie Murder.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 61Aug 20, 2013

    Dull minigames don’t do the Charlie crew any favors, but the RPG elements give us something to fight for.

    read full review ↗
  • 83
    trust 60CreatorAug 14, 2013

    The dark and humorously grim atmosphere help make Charlie Murder a unique brawler that knows how to throw a punch and stands out from others in the genre.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 59Sep 9, 2013

    Silva has got a razor-keen eye for what makes a satisfying brawler, and fans of The Dishwasher will be relieved to find his art and musical direction intact. [Oct 2013, p.89]

  • 75
    trust 58Aug 9, 2013

    Despite the uneven feel, there's a solid foundation underneath Charlie Murder, and fans of beat 'em ups will find plenty to enjoy as they bash their way through hordes of the undead while listening to a pretty kickass soundtrack.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 58Sep 4, 2013

    This is a nice beat 'em up title with four player co-op support, but it isn't really special. Most frustrating is the bad save system, like it was 20 years ago.

    read full review ↗
  • 93
    trust 58Sep 2, 2013

    Charlie Murder is an absolute must for many gamers, especially if you’re looking for a new beat ‘m up or a fun co-op game. By combining simple action with loot and extensive character classes, Charlie Murder offers more depth than you might expect. It pays to think about how to level your character and selecting the right items. With a lot of content and diversity, the cool style and great humour Charlie Murder adds up to a great XBLA title.

    read full review ↗

…and 24 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

  1. 02242022
    Feb 24, 2022
  2. 09282021
    Sep 28, 2021