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) | – | 83 | 34 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 100 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 95% | 89 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 72 | 17 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 94% | 88 | 11 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 30 reviews sampled · 28 total reviews in window · weighted 10 up / 0.7 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (86)
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.
- 75
“While it can be fun to run around smashing stuff and listening to a cool soundtrack, Ape Out is a bit of a one-trick pony. When you boil it down, it's a maze runner with a smash-the-bad-guys element. Don't get me wrong, the theme may be simple, but the game is fun to play. It's challenging enough to keep you entertained for several hours so go let your inner monkey run wild for a while.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Brilliant jazz improvisation in a game form. Fun, instinctive and harmonious.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The game not only gets you to behave like a rampaging gorilla, it forces you to adapt like one.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The Nintendo eShop would be a considerably more exciting and interesting place if it were packed full of games like Ape Out, it's a refreshingly original experience that more than deserves a place in any Switch owner's library. Difficult, frenetic gameplay, a strong art direction, and an even stronger jazz drum soundtrack make this the sort of memorable game that you'll likely keep coming back to over and over for another few runs at the arcade mode. We'd give Ape Out a strong recommendation to anyone looking for a distinct and unforgettable game for their Switch collection; it's a bit of an acquired taste, but this is well worth your time.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“With simple and clear rules, Ape Out manages to remove often hidden layers about action games, and how a player understands, and adapts to specific situations, giving new insights on how practice and learning works in games. All fueled by one of the best jazzy tunes I’ve heard in a game.”
read full review ↗ - 70
- 90
“As someone who loves playing things that are different and a bit daring, Ape Out has easily shot out as one of the games I’ve enjoyed playing the most on Switch...”
read full review ↗ - 85
“The Arcade Mode and harder difficulty will test even the best of players and provide a decent incentive to come back. The sheer enjoyment of flinging guards into each other or through a high-rise window to their doom doesn't really get old, but the striking use of color and perspective truly set this game apart. If you don't mind the gratuitous body count and related blood splatter, Ape Out is a funky and fresh take on the top-down action genre. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to rock out with my Ape Out.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Ape Out is a game that is entirely the sum of its parts. Whilst many indie games look stylish, or sound cool, or have a solid gameplay mechanic, rarely do all three coalesce into something so memorably original. Ape Out will surely be one of the most unique games of 2019 and whilst it’s short, it packs a knockout punch. ”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Between the game’s stylish presentation and unique use of music, Ape Out feels unlike much else on eShop. The game is very much an impressive achievement from developer Gabe Cuzzillo, and those who value quality over length will find a great option in Ape Out.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Ape Out is the kind of game that makes you glad the indie scene exists. It defines the type of game that is very easy to pick up, but it takes some real practice to conquer. It places pure action over story, with the reward for surviving every encounter being pure satisfaction. Failure is met with an immediate desire to try again instead of groaning in frustration. It's a gorgeous game, but more importantly, it ends way before the premise wears thin. In short, Ape Out easily goes on the list for one of the best titles of the year.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“Ape Out is persistently challenging, completely bonkers and deliriously entertaining.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
3DNews
Slant Magazine
Nintendo Life
Hu3br
VGChartz
Nindie Spotlight
NintendoWorldReport
ZTGD
Nintendojo
Worth Playing
FingerGuns…and 74 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- New Patch and 3rd Anniversary!Feb 28, 2022
- BETA PATCHFeb 26, 2022
- APE OUT 1.2: THE FAIR PLAY UPDATEMar 11, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- PATCH v1.1Mar 8, 2019significant · resets scoring window