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) | – | 71 | 9 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 86% | 80 | 706 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 94% | 89 | 5 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 10 reviews sampled · 13 total reviews in window · weighted 4 up / 0.2 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (31)
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.
- 80
“To answer our initial question, then: yes, BUTCHER is a great game to play if you have that DOOM itch, as well as being a great game in its own right. It feels fantastic to play; your movement and shooting feel wonderfully responsive and every trigger press is immensely satisfying. It could have been better with more content, and Handheld mode doesn't feel quite as impressive as TV mode, but for the price you can't really go wrong with what is an enjoyable game that does ultimately do a lot of things right. Maybe one for those who like their games on the more challenging side, give it a chance if you're brave enough!”
read full review ↗ - 75
“If you’re down for some great action filled with pixelated blood and gore Butcher should be right up your alley. What it lacks in sexy graphics it makes up for in grit and intensity, so you shouldn’t necessarily discount it based only on how it looks in screenshots. Once you get on a killing spree and you’ve got some mechanized monstrosity moving around at the same time you’ll want to avoid it clicks… and there’s no other experience on the Switch right now that’s anything like it. Butcher won’t be a game for everyone but I’d imagine it will attract a cult following of people who took a number and and ready to be served something fresh and a bit bloody.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“BUTCHER is one of the better 2D shooters for the Nintendo Switch, and, undoubtedly, the goriest, despite its super-tiny pixel art style. The problem is that it hasn't really exploited its potential. As a result, while definitely a title worthy of your time, it means very few will continue playing after completion due to the low replayability.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“It's brief, chaotic, and hard as nails, but this is a glorious throwback that every fan of 90s shooters should pick up. Brutal and loud, BUTCHER makes for a suitable companion to last year's excellent DOOM reboot.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Butcher is violent, fun, frantic, crazy…etc. It's short, but a good play for the value. There are a good amount of options available, and it's definitely got heart (granted, it's dripping in blood). If you're into the Doom series, or you've played other games like Quake, this game is definitively in that vein.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“If you're not or are looking for something with more substance, you may want to look elsewhere. Butcher is more for the players that want to turn off their brain for a little bit and just shoot some stuff, and you know what? It does a decent job with that.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“A game that many gamers would likely be able to find some enjoyment in, but only a certain type of player will likely be able to look past it's handful of faults, unapologetic difficulty, and esoteric aesthetic to fully enjoy it.”
read full review ↗ - 74
“Butcher is an intense and visceral pixel based game with a level of gore I didn't think pixels could produce.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Butcher is a brutal action-platformer with an eye for clever level design and a commitment to excessive action.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“This one is fairly straight forward, since it is clearly built for a particular audience. Fans of oldschool 2D run-n-gun games will probably enjoy this game. While the difficulty may turn off some casual gamers, most people will know what they're getting into when they just look at the screenshots. If shooting bad guys and tons of gore is your thing, this one's got you covered.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Butcher is a game that will mainly appeal to those who like hardcore shooters, where one wrong move can cost you progress. For others, that style of play could prove frustrating, especially when testing your platforming skills. Though it's built around the idea of being a relentless killing machine, that doesn't really feel fully realised with most enemies on a par with you when it comes to dealing damage. Butcher shows potential, but it doesn't reach it in its short campaign.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Butcher does not revolutionize the side-scrolling genre for the 21st century. What it features in fun gameplay and good looking visuals it loses in terms of the repetitiveness of its levels and a lack of variety of the elements used. That being said, Butcher is still fun enough to give it a go and fans of side-scrollers are likely to enjoy some time around this game.”
read full review ↗
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Cubed3
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
ZTGD
Nintendojo
Gamerheadquarters
GameSpot
GameGrin
TheSixthAxis
FNintendo…and 19 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Language Update + 50% discount!Oct 7, 2019
- Demo released - prepare for FREE BUTCHERing!Jul 11, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Gamepad config fixes (and Discord server)Feb 19, 2017
- Gamepad config fixes (and Discord server)Feb 19, 2017
- Level Editor with Steam Workshop UpdateFeb 13, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Level Editor with Steam Workshop UpdateFeb 13, 2017
- [BETA] Level Editor UpdateFeb 8, 2017
- [BETA] Level Editor UpdateFeb 8, 2017
- Level Editor - Open BetaDec 30, 2016
- Leaderboards and gamepad update!Dec 5, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Leaderboards and gamepad update!Dec 5, 2016
- Bugfixes and more...Oct 10, 2016
- Bugfixes and more...Oct 10, 2016
- Small Butcher updateOct 7, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Small Butcher updateOct 7, 2016