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) | – | 73 | 16 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 97 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 84% | 78 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 82% | 76 | 6 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 17 reviews sampled · 3 total reviews in window · weighted 4.2 up / 0.9 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (52)
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
“Fun stealth puzzle game with some great ideas and a really good execution. More dangerous enemies appear during last few missions, but Cleaner doesn't gain any new abilities, so the game may feel a little bit tedious near the end.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Serial Cleaner is undeniably cool, but can be at odds with itself. On the one hand, the bitesized levels and whimsical humour should allow for a fun, pick up and play jaunt, but it is obstructed by a handful of small but significant frustrations. It's a game that both embraces the tropes of the genre and adds a neat little twist, but it won't be long before even the most persistent of players wished it was just a bit more lenient regarding certain elements.A neat if limited core concept, combined with some superb retro presentation, Serial Cleaner is held back by design choices that are at best curious and challenging, and at worst infuriatingly obtuse; as a result it is a good game rather than a great one.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“In the end Serial Cleaner, by its style, won’t be a game for everyone but for the right people I think it will be very engaging. It’s clever in the right places, a bit funny at times to keep things light, and it will challenge your planning as well as your patience. If you enjoy stealth or creative spins on puzzle games it is a refreshing hybrid that delivers a solid challenge for the cost of admission.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Serial Cleaner is a fun little game which offers something that's both similar to other indie titles on the market and thematically unique for the stealth genre. Its difficulty and slight release content are offset by a number of options, a great premise, and some uniquely engaging gameplay.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The whole 70s aesthetic and music are fantastic and complement the small story set aside from the main missions. While the controls can feel inconsistent at times, the experience as a whole was very enjoyable. Sure, it's fun to bring on the onslaught - but who knew it would be so much fun to clean up after.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“In the end, Serial Cleaner is a fun stealth experience. The focus on non-violence is refreshing, and while there are some bits that don't play out so well, the entire experience is fun enough that you'll be motivated to retry it almost immediately. The '70s presentation is inspired, but the bonus levels and challenges give the game some replay value. Serial Cleaner is certainly worth checking out.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Serial Cleaner is a tense, challenging stealth game that'll equally frustrate as much as it entertains.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Serial Cleaner is a fun top down experience that will give you a good fun few hours, collecting all the collectibles and completing all the bonus levels. For anyone that was a fan of Hotline Miami but would have preferred it to be a stealth game this title is for you.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cleaning up someone else's mess has never been this much fun, and that's saying something when said mess includes pieces of evidence, corpses and more than a little bit of blood spatter. Serial Cleaner is easy to recommend as a quirky and fun stealth 'em up with a somewhat macabre sense of humour.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Serial Cleaner is full of humour and stealth action with a 70s-style ambiance all around it. An indie game that stands out in the Nintendo Switch catalog, Serial Cleaner also enjoys a marvelous audiovisual component and has all the conditions to be a very appreciated game in the eShop.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Serial Cleaner probably isn’t a game for those craving a chilled out few hours in bed with their Switch, but if you’re up for a decent challenge, the game’s addictive appeal, solid visuals and fun soundtrack add up to yet another fun addition to the Switch’s “Nindie” lineup.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A simple, economical throwback to the golden age of stealth games, with fun presentation but a notable lack of depth and variety.”
read full review ↗
3DNews
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
Worth Playing
FingerGuns
GameGrin
TheSixthAxis
FNintendo
Flickering Myth
Metro GameCentral…and 40 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Patch 1.3Aug 21, 2025
- Play Serial Cleaner in Chinese NOW!Mar 28, 2019
- UntitledMar 28, 2019
- Serial Cleaner EASIER TO CLEAN update is live NOW!Nov 29, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Serial Cleaner Super Update coming November 29thNov 26, 2018significant · resets scoring window
- Serial Cleaner version 0.6 live!Nov 25, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Serial Cleaner version 0.6 live!Nov 25, 2016
- What was available in the version 0.4?Oct 31, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- What was available in the version 0.4?Oct 31, 2016
- What was available in the version 0.2?Sep 28, 2016
- What was available in the version 0.2?Sep 28, 2016