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) | – | 72 | 8 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 85 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 81% | 75 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 83% | 77 | 225 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Nov 14, 2023) · 225 reviews sampled · 168 total reviews in window · weighted 106.3 up / 22 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (30)
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.
- 40
“8-Bit Armies tries to evoke a sense of nostalgia, but forgets what made classic real time strategy games so fun to play.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“We can’t remember the last time a game disappointed us so much. Petroglyph are a gifted RTS developer filled with industry veterans, and their last title Grey Goo was superb. 8-Bit Armies though is not.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“8-bit Armies is an easily accessible, visually appealing RTS game with a top quality soundtrack. If you’re an old-school Command & Conquer fan that’s looking for something to scratch that itch on the PlayStation 4, this is undoubtedly the best option in that regard. It’s fun, as tactically deep as you want it to be with a enough content to keep you busy for a few weeks. Unfortunately, while most of the game play staples have translated well from classic C&C to this, the control options are still lacking, begging for a mouse and keyboard with the Dualshock 4 acting as a poor translator. It’s also lacking some charisma, feeling almost sterile at times, falling an FMV or 2 away from greatness.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Unfortunately 8-Bit Armies' attempt at console strategy is simplified to the point that it outstays its welcome after a few hours. Whilst the campaign will keep you entertained for a few hours, the multiplayer is too empty to expect any more game time. Perhaps if you have someone who you can rely on to play against it might be worth picking up, but otherwise it's probably not going to last long enough to be worth it.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“8-Bit Armies minimalistic approach to real-time strategy makes it a good gateway for people wanting to sample the genre, enabling those to get in and instantly pick up the game without worrying about complexity.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“This game is more backwater base quartermaster than frontline fighter, but I guess the saying rings true; ‘War is hell.’”
read full review ↗ - 80
“One of the best RTS in recent years shows that simplicity is the power. 8-bit Armies commemorates the first Command & Conquer game, features an addictive gameplay and has a great chance to charm the community.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“With its nostalgic graphics and a classic soundtrack to boot, 8-Bit Armies feels just like the RTS's of old, but adds nothing new to the formula.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“8-Bit Armies developed by Petroglyph and published by Soedesco is a fast paced real-time strategy game that has a strong similarity to the Command & Conquer franchise and is depicted in a voxel manner, i.e the graphics are made up of blocky pixels.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“8-Bit Armies is a fast-paced and simple looking version of more advanced and realistic RTS games. Despite it looking rather cute and innocent, there's a lot of pixel mayhem to be had in this rather mechanically deep strategy game. Sure, you'll be whizzing through the missions quite fast at around 10-15 minutes each, but you'll be returning to them once you've unlocked more units so you can unlock more of the elusive stars. The ability to perform Cross-Play with the other two games in the franchise (when they come out) is a great concept, I just wish more people were playing it online”
read full review ↗ - 53
“8-Bit Armies might not be the saviour of the RTS genre, but it is a neat and simpler alternative for the consoles.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“8-bit Armies is just like a classic Command & Conquer game, but built using voxels. It's simplified, but still recognizable to fans of timeless strategies. It sounds similar and it plays similar. And for consoles, it's one of the best mapped strategies for controller.”
read full review ↗
Hu3br
GameWatcher
FingerGuns
TheSixthAxis
DarkZero
PowerUp!
Screen Rant
Thumb Culture
GamePitt
Geek Culture
Pixelophobia…and 18 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- 8-Bit Armies Community Update - 14th November 2023Nov 14, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Update #51 - 10/06/20Oct 6, 2020
- 8-Bit Armies Update #50 - 05/09/18May 9, 2018
- Custom Map HotFix Released TodayMar 28, 2018
- Custom Map HotFix Released TodayMar 28, 2018
- 8-Bit Armies Update #49 - 03/21/18Mar 21, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Update #49 - 03/21/18Mar 21, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Update #48 - 11/10/17Nov 11, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Update #48 - 11/10/17Nov 11, 2017
- 8-Bit Armies Update #47 10/27 @ 12:00pm PST: Balance Updates!Oct 27, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Update #47 10/27 @ 12:00pm PST: Balance Updates!Oct 27, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Update #46 - 09/22/17Sep 22, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Update #46 - 09/22/17Sep 22, 2017
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #45 - 07/25/17Jul 25, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #45 - 07/25/17Jul 25, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Quick Hotfix TodayJun 30, 2017
- Quick Hotfix TodayJun 30, 2017
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #44 - 06/15/17Jun 15, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #44 - 06/15/17Jun 15, 2017
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #43 - 04/28/17Apr 28, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #43 - 04/28/17Apr 28, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #41 - 03/24/17Mar 24, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #41 - 03/24/17Mar 24, 2017
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #40 - 03/03/17Mar 3, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #40 - 03/03/17Mar 3, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #39 - 02/24/17Feb 24, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #39 - 02/24/17Feb 24, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #37 - 02/17/17Feb 17, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #37 - 02/17/17Feb 17, 2017
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #37 - 02/13/17Feb 14, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #37 - 02/13/17Feb 14, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #36 - 02/10/17Feb 10, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #36 - 02/10/17Feb 10, 2017
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #35 - 02/03/17Feb 4, 2017
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #35 - 02/03/17Feb 4, 2017
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #34 - 01/20/17Jan 21, 2017
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #34 - 01/20/17Jan 21, 2017
- 8-Bit Armies Game Update #33 - 01/13/17Jan 14, 2017significant · resets scoring window
…and 47 earlier patch announcements.