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) | – | 75 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 86 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 87 | 4 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 21 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 59 reviews sampled · 52 total reviews in window · weighted 50.1 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (17)
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
“Victoria 2 is one of those games where it's easy to expect more from it than it can actually give. Giving its dedication to history, depth, strategy etc... fans can get a bit carried away. ”
read full review ↗ - 67
“Watching Victoria II is hypnotic and frequently awe-inspiring. Unfortunately, you only occasionally might want to play it.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Victoria 2 is a very complex strategy-game, which offers you a very complex and exciting gameplay.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Thanks to a friendlier interface and tutorials, Victoria II is a lot more playable and enjoyable than its predecessor.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“As impossibly complex as it is deep, but running your own empire proves to be hugely engrossing for those that put in the man hours.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Addictive, nerdy and totally epic strategy. [Dec 2010, p.56]”
- 76
“A few too many minor annoyances gang up to keep Paradox's most polished release from reaching greatness. [Nov 2010, p.76]”
- 50
“Extremely patient gamers with a soft spot for 19th Century strategies are welcome here to enjoy the Golden Age. No other human being should try this title, by no means. [Issue#195]”
- 86
“Victoria 2 proves that "games for brainiacs" can be accessible and fun. It doesn't have enough strength to steal spotlight from Civilization V, but you won't get a better game this year if you prefer more serious entertainment.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Saying that it stands head-and-shoulders above all of the scant competition for grand-strategy kingship almost goes without saying.”
read full review ↗ - 67
- 70
“Victoria newbies will definitely look upon the game with confused glares at first, and even after going through the extensive tutorial, might find themselves scratching their heads with confusion more often than not.”
read full review ↗
GameWatcher
GameSpot
Metro GameCentral
PC Gamer
Gaming Nexus
GameZone…and 5 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Victoria II security update May 4thMay 4, 2020
- Victoria II Security UpdateFeb 17, 2020