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Natural Selection 2

Natural Selection 2

Unknown Worlds Entertainment · released Oct 30, 2012

ActionIndieStrategyPC

A fast paced multiplayer shooter that pits aliens against humans in a strategic and action-packed struggle for survival!

Steam page ↗Metacritic 80 · users 8.4 ↗
79
VGC Score
▲Improvingmedium confidence▼ −11 since launch

scored 90 at launch, has slipped to 79

90%
At launch
85%
Steam all-time
80%
Press
79%
Player sentiment
83%
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 (Metacritic)–806
Creator reviews (1 tracked)–870
All-time Steam reviews85%791000
Metacritic user ratings–8817
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)83%775
Calibration prior (typical game)–7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 15 reviews sampled · 11 total reviews in window · weighted 7.9 up / 1.6 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (25)

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
    The EscapistThe Escapist
    trust 66Nov 8, 2012

    “Natural Selection 2 is a fantastic-looking FPS/RTS hybrid that's an in-depth and involved experience for those who enjoy cooperative and team-based games, although it does come with a steep learning curve that'll turn some players off to the strategic side of the game.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    EurogamerEurogamer
    trust 66Nov 19, 2012

    “Natural Selection 2 is a fresh and wonderfully unique multiplayer game which simultaneously struggles with that very mantle. Because it's unfamiliar, players aren't able to just slip into it, and there is a significant knowledge gap between a new player and an old.”

    read full review ↗
  • 60
    GameSpotGameSpot
    trust 66Nov 7, 2012

    “Natural Selection 2 offers a promising combination of strategy and first-person shooting, but disappointing execution holds it back. [Editor's Note: this quotation and score are from the original GameSpot review. Metacritic, per long-standing site policy, only accepts a publication's first review/score for a given game.]”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    PC PowerPlay
    trust 64Dec 30, 2012

    “Despite some less-impactful tweaks, Natural Selection II remains a hardcore, quintessentially PC multiplayer shooter. [Jan 2013, p.78]”

  • 90
    PC GamerPC Gamer
    trust 64Dec 5, 2012

    “Evolutionary shooter that creates an involving, sometimes terrifying, tactical battle between two distinct races. Brilliant.”

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    AusGamersAusGamers
    trust 63Oct 29, 2012

    “If you're a fan of online shooters on PC, then Natural Selection 2 not only comes highly recommended, but essential, and should sit right alongside other classic entries into the genre.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    GameSpy
    trust 63Nov 8, 2012

    “It's a game that asks a lot up front, but offers some incredibly rewarding moments for those who are willing to stick around. Be patient and just take it all in -- you won't be disappointed.”

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    trust 62Feb 4, 2013

    “Originality doesn't know any boundaries. Fast and furious multiplayer shooter Natural Selection 2 adds real-time strategy elements to spice up the game play. And it works! [Jan 2013]”

  • 80
    Absolute Games
    trust 62Nov 23, 2012

    “Natural Selection 2 has quite a few things to be nitpicky about. Pared down strategy elements, scanty arsenal of weapons, lack of single-player missions and decent tutorials, yep, it's all there, but, in contrast to shooters that come off big assembly lines, the developers put love and effort into making of this game.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    IGNIGN
    trust 61Nov 6, 2012

    “Natural Selection 2 isn't great only because it's different, but because it does asymmetrical multiplayer so damn well, offering up a variety of experiences in one small game. ”

    read full review ↗
  • 71
    PC Master (Greece)
    trust 61Jun 10, 2013

    “Certainly not for newcomers in the genre; but it’s a blast for hardcore gamers that crave for action instead of the classic FPS mechanics and want matches that last something between a Counter-Strike and Battlefield 3 battle. [March 2013]”

  • 87
    GameTrailersGameTrailers
    trust 60CreatorDec 8, 2012

    “Once you get into the rhythm of each faction's style of play, Natural Selection 2 opens up the throttle on one of the most interesting and intense multiplayer experiences you'll find on PC.”

    read full review ↗

…and 13 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

  1. HOTFIX Update 344
    Dec 30, 2022
  2. Matched Play v1.0 Released!
    Dec 9, 2022significant · resets scoring window
  3. Matched Play Beta 4 - Update 342 Released
    Jun 27, 2022significant · resets scoring window
  4. Update 341 Released!
    Feb 3, 2022significant · resets scoring window
  5. New Year Balance Updates
    Dec 27, 2021significant · resets scoring window
  6. Update 340 - Matched Play Beta v2
    Dec 16, 2021significant · resets scoring window
  7. Update 338 - Matched Play BETA
    Aug 17, 2021significant · resets scoring window
  8. Update 337 - Matched Play BETA
    Aug 4, 2021significant · resets scoring window
  9. MERRY GORGEMAS! UPDATE 336 RELEASED!
    Dec 22, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  10. UPDATE 335 - HIVE SKILL 3.0 Released!
    Oct 28, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  11. METRO Update Released!
    Jun 26, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  12. UPDATE 332 Released!
    May 27, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  13. Upcoming Balance Patch Notes
    May 8, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  14. State of Development: March 2020
    Mar 17, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  15. UPDATE 331 - B.M.A.C. Reporting for Duty!
    Nov 18, 2019
  16. UPDATE 330 - Hotfix
    Sep 27, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  17. UPDATE 329 - ORIGIN
    Sep 19, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  18. Update 328 Released!
    Jun 20, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  19. UPDATE 327 - UNEARTHED
    Apr 26, 2019
  20. UPDATE 326 LIVE ON STEAM!
    Dec 21, 2018significant · resets scoring window
  21. Update 325 - Anniversary
    Oct 29, 2018significant · resets scoring window
  22. Update 324 - CATALYST
    Sep 5, 2018significant · resets scoring window
  23. UPDATE 323 – SHADOW ONOS ROARS INTO PLAY
    Jun 15, 2018significant · resets scoring window
  24. Update 322 Live on Steam!
    Apr 5, 2018
  25. Update 322 Live on Steam!
    Apr 5, 2018significant · resets scoring window
  26. Update 321 - Live on Steam!
    Feb 14, 2018significant · resets scoring window
  27. Update 321 - Live on Steam!
    Feb 14, 2018significant · resets scoring window
  28. Update 320 - Merry Gorgemas!
    Dec 23, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  29. Update 320 - Merry Gorgemas!
    Dec 23, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  30. Update 319 - Anniversary!
    Oct 27, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  31. Update 319 - Anniversary!
    Oct 27, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  32. Update 318, 64-bit Released!
    Oct 6, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  33. Update 318, 64-bit Released!
    Oct 6, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  34. Update 317 Live!
    Aug 24, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  35. Update 317 Live!
    Aug 24, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  36. Update 316 Live on Steam!
    Jun 16, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  37. Update 316 Live on Steam!
    Jun 16, 2017
  38. Update 315 Released!
    May 26, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  39. Update 315 Released!
    May 26, 2017significant · resets scoring window
  40. Update: ENSL.org Season 11
    Mar 14, 2017

…and 31 earlier patch announcements.