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) | – | 62 | 5 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 77% | 72 | 184 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 0% | 15 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 1 reviews sampled · 2 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0.1 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (15)
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
“Mainlining fails to really provide any interesting commentary on its chosen subject matter, revelling instead in caricatures we’ve all experienced a hundred times before; stuff you’ll have seen done better in any Grand Theft Auto game that has parody websites involved. Its gameplay too often degenerates into trial-and-error and lacks any sort of consequences for the player getting things wrong, which renders the whole investigative process pretty much pointless.”
read full review ↗ - 63
“Starting with the positive Mainlining comes to the table as a pretty unique experience on the Switch, with you working to use your computer and hacking skills to catch cyber criminals...”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Mainlining deserves credit for presenting an original and interesting take on a familiar genre. ”
read full review ↗ - 66
“I think these questions are invaluable to ask yourself after you finish the game because there isn’t a correct answer. These are the same questions hackers in the real world deal with daily, how far is too far to do something for the greater good? Mainlining may not be the most unique game play experience you will play all year but it certainly brings up questions and ideas that you will be playing out in your head long after the last suspect is caught.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“Mainlining is certainly an interesting title for its style and, although it can quickly become boring, fans of the genre might like to spend a few hours there.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“For all its linearity, Mainlining does a fantastic job of making you feel like a detective. It’s as much a puzzle game as it is a point-and-click, and the continous light-hearted humour keeps the experience from feeling too drab.”
read full review ↗ - 58
“Mainlining is a playful point and click hacking game for casual playing, prepare to be frustrated having to type the same command over and over again.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It’s hard to say much else about the game without giving away some fun story beats, but overall Mainlining is a fun game with great, consistent art direction and some very clever (and mostly faithful) old style hacking mechanics. While it almost certainly plays best elsewhere, the Switch version is impressively competent and it’s a great themed adventure that is both challenging and satisfying.”
read full review ↗ - 30
“Mainlining offers little but a frustrating experience on the Nintendo Switch. It’s all too clear how the PC version would be superior in every single regard, while also costing five dollars less there. From broken mechanics, poor keyboard functionality, and no indication of what you’re supposed to be doing, Mainlining is a game that I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. If the idea does at all intrigue you, look into the original PC version. It’s likely that even a basic laptop could run the game, and with the amount of typing needed and window jumping required, a keyboard and mouse are practically a must for a decent experience.”
read full review ↗ - 30
“Its fantastic art and concept cannot help Mainlining on Switch from being an absolute chore to play.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Mainlining kills two birds with one stone, fulfilling a childhood fantasy and just plain being a great game at the same time. If you're looking for a unique sort of puzzle/mystery game, definitely give this a try; it's obvious that Sam Read and Rebelephant have worked hard on this, and the result is a truly enjoyable game that's fun for fans of many game genres. Well worth the money.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Though not the first of its kind and by no means the most original tale spun from out this current trend of liberty-vouching discussion, Mainlining is a smart and cleverly put-together point-and-click piece that is layered enough with its puzzles but prominently more effective in its use of real World culture in providing that added sense of personally historic immersion.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Nintendojo
The Game Fanatics
CrazyGameCommunity.it
GameSpew
Gaming Masters
Saving Content
Culture of Gaming
Cultured Vultures
Gaming Nexus
Hardcore Gamer…and 3 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Updates and FixesJan 31, 2017
- Updates and FixesJan 31, 2017