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) | – | 74 | 3 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 91% | 85 | 90 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 5h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (10)
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
“It’s hard to say no to the short but sweet blast of enjoyment that’s on offer here.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Boss fights are a highlight, and Pumpkin Man handles excellently. Some rough music doesn't take away too much from the overall presentation which is otherwise very strong. Halloween Forever is a solid retro platformer for those looking for some authentic NES style challenge is running, jumping, and barfing.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Halloween Forever is a retro treat on Switch. It reminds me of the days when developers came up with wacky but original ideas and somehow made them work on the hardware. But while Halloween Forever has the originality and retro charm it also brings retro warts; like one-hit kill spikes and sending you back to the start of the game when your two lives are spent. If you love your retro titles this one comes highly recommended. Halloween Forever is a game that can be enjoyed all year round and not just for Halloween.”
read full review ↗ - 75
- 60
“In the end, Halloween Forever is merely okay. For $4.99, it’s a perfectly reasonable purchase despite the short length and simple replay value. For what was a solo project, it is a fine enough experience, especially since the artwork and animations were done in Photoshop of all things. As such, many of the issues explained above are far more forgivable than normal. So props to you Peter Lazarski. I hope the game was an excellent learning experience all the same.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“While Halloween Forever is simple, I think the developer achieved what it set out to do, which is to make a fun, pick-up-and-play platformer that would feel at home on the NES. As someone who loves the console and still goes back and plays its games, I can appreciate this spooky little game. It's cute, it's easy, it's colorful, it has a decent chiptune-ish soundtrack, and it illustrates perfectly how we all feel about candy corn (barf).”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Halloween Forever is a much-needed counterbalance to the striking harsh situations put forth by other titles that are popular at this time of year. Unlike many other games that wrap a retro aesthetic over a deep, complex, combat system like a well-tailored costume, Halloween Forever is more than happy being itself, and it's just perfect at it!”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Halloween Forever is a fun and short 2D platformer with extra replay value for those who like to 100% games. There are five levels to complete, each with a handful of sections, and you can probably speedrun the game in 15-20 minutes once you know where everything is, but getting to know the game that way is part of the fun. There is a full trophy list waiting for trophy hunters, and an entertaining action platformer to play over and over again to get there.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Games don't need deep stories and intricately rendered game worlds to be fun and Halloween Forever proves this through and through.”
read full review ↗ - –
VGChartz
NintendoWorldReport
LadiesGamers.com
PS3Blog.net
oprainfall
Destructoid
DualShockers
PS4Blog.net
Video Chums
The JimquisitionPatch history
- CJK FixFeb 15, 2021
- 😈💀 Free DLC Update! 👩🏼🦰🤖Oct 19, 2020
- Version 1.7Jan 29, 2020
- v1.6 - Input and new update~!Oct 21, 2019
- Halloween Forever v1.201 now liveSep 7, 2018
- Happy birthday Halloween Forever! v. 1.105 now liveOct 26, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Happy birthday Halloween Forever! v. 1.105 now liveOct 26, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Tiny Update: v. 1.104 simultaneous gamepad + keyboard, and Trading Cards!Dec 30, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Tiny Update: v. 1.103 final boss crashing fixDec 27, 2016
- Tiny Update: v. 1.103 final boss crashing fixDec 27, 2016
- Holiday Update: Santa Pumpkin! v.1.102Dec 20, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Holiday Update: Santa Pumpkin! v.1.102Dec 20, 2016
- Halloween Forever v. 1.036 now live. Character endings, Blue Devil grabs, small level tweaksOct 23, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Halloween Forever v. 1.035 now live. Boss tweaks, extra lives. Launching Monday?Oct 21, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Halloween Forever v. 1.035 now live. Boss tweaks, extra lives. Launching Monday?Oct 21, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Halloween Forever v. 1.034 now live. Achievements and moreOct 18, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Halloween Forever v. 1.034 now live. Achievements and moreOct 18, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Halloween Forever v. 1.033 now live. Small updates and fixesOct 15, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Halloween Forever v. 1.032 now live. Content complete buildOct 14, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Halloween Forever v. 1.032 now live. Content complete buildOct 14, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Halloween Forever v. 1.031 now liveOct 7, 2016
- Halloween Forever v. 1.031 now liveOct 7, 2016
- Halloween Forever v. 1.03 now liveSep 23, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Halloween Forever v. 1.03 now liveSep 23, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Halloween Forever v. 1.021 now liveFeb 6, 2016
- Halloween Forever v. 1.021 now liveFeb 6, 2016