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 (Metacritic) | – | 83 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 88% | 82 | 233 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 2 reviews sampled · 1 total reviews in window · weighted 0.5 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (50)
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.
- 85
“Smart games should be championed, not feared, and the mental challenges contained within this game are only more impressive once you solve them. Upon completing them, I felt as if I had truly conquered something. Of course, I also felt like I could really go for a nice piece of warm pie. Preferably a la mode.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“There's a fabulous Xbox Live Arcade game with stellar art and music, compelling gameplay about time manipulation, and no, it's not Braid. Comparisons to 2008's Xbox Live darling Braid are inevitable, but The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom is no simple copycat.”
read full review ↗ - 73
“Whilst the Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom may not be everyone’s cup of tea it is a quirky and whimsical jaunt through the mind of a man addicted to pies and probably well worth a look for anyone wanting a change from the endless FPS cavalcade.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The puzzles can be difficult and challenging, and don't mind kicking you when you're down. But if you can get past that, and enjoy trying to find unorthodox ways of solving riddles, then this game will really be one that you can hold near and dear to your heart, and you will want to eat all the pie you can get your grubby little hands on.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Like the very best puzzle games, this one gets in your head and refuses to leave.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The innovative use of cloning and rich silent film aesthetic makes it one of the most original games available on XBLA, and at 800 MS points, it's an easy buy.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Maybe it's fitting that a game about pies leaves you hungry. Even if it ultimately ends up with your stomach growling, Winterbottom's very best bites are still worth every penny. [Mar 2010, p.80]”
- 80
“This is, above all else, a supremely confident game: confident in its charm, in its challenges, and in its unique identity. If you thought Braid gave puzzle-platformers a soul, this one is all about personality.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Buckets of whimsy and oodles of puzzles make this a satisfying adventure, despite the sometimes steep difficulty.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A worthy alternative to Braid with its own unique personality and some of the cleverest puzzles around.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“While this may be a short-lived journey with the world's most notorious pie-thief, it's impossible not to find the experience endearing, fun, challenging, and rewarding. This is an XBLA download that is well worth its weight in pie.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Try it and you'll probably end up like me, telling your friends to play the game not just because it's a stylistic novelty, but because, like any good pie, it has both a delectable crust and a delicious filling, which make P.B. Winterbottom a memorable treat to enjoy.”
read full review ↗
GameWatcher
ZTGD
Worth Playing
Eurogamer
GameSpot
Metro GameCentral…and 38 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.