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Caveblazers

Caveblazers

Deadpan Games · released May 24, 2017

ActionAdventureIndie

Caveblazers is a challenging and brutal roguelike platformer. Journey into a mysterious cave, fighting orcs and goblins with an abundance of weapons and magical items! Make friends along the way, then watch in despair as they are crushed in to a bloody pulp under a troll's fist.

Steam page ↗OpenCritic ↗
78
VGC Score
▼Decliningmedium confidence
80%
At launch
85%
Steam all-time
77%
Press
89%
Recent sentiment

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.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)–773
Creator reviews (1 tracked)–150
All-time Steam reviews85%791000
Metacritic user ratings––0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)89%834
Calibration prior (typical game)–7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 10 reviews sampled · 8 total reviews in window · weighted 6.7 up / 0.8 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (11)

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.

  • 60
    Nintendo LifeNintendo Life
    trust 76Jan 17, 2019

    “Caveblazers doesn't do enough wrong to be disappointing, but it doesn't do enough right to be exceptional, meaning that it occupies that awkward space in the middle. The utterly unremarkable visual style and simplistic combat is offset by a surprisingly deep well of unlockables and well-paced progression systems; this is a roguelike that checks all the right boxes, but never becomes more than the sum of its parts. If you enjoyed Risk of Rain or Dead Cells, Caveblazers is a decent recommendation, but also understand that there are far more memorable titles to be found on the eShop.”

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    Hu3brHu3br
    trust 75Jun 4, 2017

    “With a lot replayability, Caveblazers asks the players to rely more on their abilities than random luck or progression systems. Items add depth without bringing frustration, a well-rounded and polished roguelite.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    Nindie SpotlightNindie Spotlight
    trust 70Jan 10, 2019

    “On the whole Caveblazers is a ton of challenging fun and currently has no direct competition on the Switch...”

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    GameGrinGameGrin
    trust 65Jul 1, 2017

    “A competent if uninspiring roguelite platformer that provides a fun, challenging time with lots of things to unlock. Satisfying combat and challenging enemy AI makes the moment to moment gameplay worth a look.”

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    GameSkinnyGameSkinny
    trust 65May 26, 2017

    “Caveblazers is a fun and addictive platforming roguelike with plenty of content to keep you saying, "just one more run".”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    SwitchRPGSwitchRPG
    trust 64Feb 6, 2019

    “I like this game, and if you like roguelikes you will probably like this game as well. It’s a solid and high SwitchRPG GOOD for me. Grab a friend and get to blazing through those Caves!”

    read full review ↗
  • 84
    PC GamerPC Gamer
    trust 64Jun 28, 2017

    “A varied, challenging platformer that's adept at forcing improvisation and punishing mistakes.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    GameSpewGameSpew
    trust 61Jun 6, 2017

    “Caveblazers is a solid roguelike that always feels fair and gives players a real challenge to complete. The combat is fast-paced and exciting, and the controls are as tight as you could hope for.”

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    COGconnectedCOGconnected
    trust 47Mar 2, 2019

    “Caveblazers is a sharply put together game. If I had received it as a birthday present for my Gameboy in the late 90s, I would have played it on every long car ride.”

    read full review ↗
  • –
    AboveUpAboveUp
    trust 60CreatorJul 21, 2017

    “Beyond Dead reviews roguelites by showcasing an average run before giving a conclusive recommendation.”

    read full review ↗
  • –
    Rock, Paper, ShotgunRock, Paper, Shotgun
    trust 60May 31, 2017

    “Caveblazers is superb and I'm looking forward to discovering all of its secrets, and to the local multiplayer add-on that's apparently coming soon. I can see myself playing for years to come.”

    read full review ↗

Patch history

  1. v1.5.2
    Apr 27, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  2. The "Definitive Edition" Update!
    Nov 22, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  3. German, Spanish, French, Russian, Japanese & Chinese are now supported!
    Jan 16, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  4. Update v1.4.0
    Oct 16, 2018
  5. Community Translation Support (v1.3.1)
    Jul 18, 2018significant · resets scoring window
  6. Custom Mode Available Now!
    May 25, 2018significant · resets scoring window
  7. Update v1.2.2
    May 18, 2018
  8. v1.2.0 +Arena Mode DLC
    Dec 15, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  9. v1.2.0 +Arena Mode DLC
    Dec 15, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  10. Local Co-op Available Now!
    Nov 9, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  11. Local Co-op Available Now!
    Nov 9, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  12. Multiplayer Update Coming Soon!
    Oct 30, 2017
  13. Multiplayer Update Coming Soon!
    Oct 30, 2017
  14. Development Update
    Aug 8, 2017
  15. Development Update
    Aug 8, 2017
  16. Update v1.0.3
    Jun 2, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  17. Update v1.0.3
    Jun 2, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  18. Update v1.0.2
    May 27, 2017
  19. Update v1.0.2
    May 27, 2017
  20. Update v1.0 Available Now!
    May 24, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  21. Update v1.0 Available Now!
    May 24, 2017
  22. Beta 1.5 - More Tweaks, Vsync, Framerate Issues
    Feb 1, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  23. Beta 1.5 - More Tweaks, Vsync, Framerate Issues
    Feb 1, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  24. Beta 1.4 - Tweaks & Balancing
    Jan 27, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  25. Beta 1.4 - Tweaks & Balancing
    Jan 27, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  26. Beta 1.3 - New Boss Rooms, Tweaks & Bug Squishing
    Dec 5, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  27. Beta 1.3 - New Boss Rooms, Tweaks & Bug Squishing
    Dec 5, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  28. Beta 1.2 - Trolls, Blood Shrines, Lava & more!
    Nov 21, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  29. Beta 1.2 - Trolls, Blood Shrines, Lava & more!
    Nov 21, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  30. Big Update Coming Next Week!
    Nov 18, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  31. Big Update Coming Next Week!
    Nov 18, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  32. v0.4.1 - Tweaks & Balancing
    Oct 5, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  33. v0.4.1 - Tweaks & Balancing
    Oct 5, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  34. v0.4.0 - Orcs vs Humans!
    Aug 26, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  35. v0.4.0 - Orcs vs Humans!
    Aug 26, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  36. Preview Build v0.3.2
    Aug 16, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  37. Preview Build v0.3.2
    Aug 16, 2016
  38. v0.3.1 - Keyboard Quickslots & Bug Fixes
    Aug 5, 2016significant · resets scoring window
  39. v0.3.1 - Keyboard Quickslots & Bug Fixes
    Aug 5, 2016
  40. v0.3.0 - Character customization, Progression, Perks & More!
    Jul 28, 2016significant · resets scoring window

…and 11 earlier patch announcements.