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 (Metacritic) | – | 83 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 90 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 84 | 11 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 97% | 92 | 9 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 89.5, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 11,974 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 25 reviews sampled · 23 total reviews in window · weighted 13.1 up / 0.5 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (18)
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.
- 90
“This game is a true little gem from Taiwan. Its unobtrusive horror atmosphere and unique storytelling will make you remember this game forever.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Detention is a marvel of sight, sound, gameplay and storytelling; a highly atmospheric horror adventure that manages to accomplish more in its short playtime than some games twice its length.”
read full review ↗ - 80
- 80
“An intelligent, thought-provoking, and extremely creepy adventure, that proves that survival horror can be more than just shooting zombies.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Detention 返校 is a gorgeous representation of human nature. It has both horrors of mankind and the paranormal worlds. It grasps you by your ultimate weakness, your mind, and lets you escape this nightmare through the controlled character, Fang.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Detention is an astonishingly well-put together game that understands how brooding horror is more effective than mere jump-scares.”
read full review ↗ - 88
“This Taiwanese indie title is so much more than just another horror game. It takes on ambitious themes in a rich point and click adventure.The creepy artwork and soundtrack will feel divine and beautiful once you reach the end of the game.”
read full review ↗ - 68
“Detention has something important to say, but using a game as a medium seems inappropriate in this instance. While the subject matter is definitely worth discussing and I'd personally love to see more of this in games moving forward, the way in which it's been executed here left me groaning by the end of the three hours. Predictable in terms of story and unimaginative in terms of game design, Detention doesn't work as a game. ”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Despite a disappointing final act, this chilling horror story set in 1960s Taiwan burrows its way into your skull and, brilliantly, makes you anticipate the worst around every corner. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Detention isn't for everyone. It's not an easy snack to gobble up. It will haunt you for some time and creep into your dreams. I recommend the game for those who enjoy deep and troubled stories and want to experience them in some other manner than just keep walking and pressing X when prompted. I can't stress enough how mature the story and its dramaturgy is, considering these guys have never done any published games or storytelling before. Detention meets all the unwritten laws of Asian tragedies and I could easily picture it as a movie by the likes of Ang Lee, the world renowned Taiwanese director. That's the highest compliment I can imagine giving to this game.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Red Candle Games delivers horror as poignant as it is piercing, showcasing for the international game community the horrors of authoritarian communism. Although Detention has several points which can be improved, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts; players will walk away, or run, screaming, with a fresh, thoughtful gaming experience.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“I’m almost completely immune to horror games, they just don’t scare me. From time to time an exception from this rule happens and Detention is one of those exceptions. First half of the game expertly blends heavy, unsettling atmosphere with occasional jump scares and it’s a shame that the second half can’t keep up. If you enjoy being scared and don’t mind an excessively convoluted story with a moderately satisfying ending, give Detention a try. [03/2017, p.53]”
PLAY Zine
Eurogamer
Metro GameCentral
GameSpew
IGN
RPG Fan
VideoGamer
Darkstation
CD-Action…and 6 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Korean version been released!Jul 19, 2018
- Japanese Version Coming Soon!Oct 16, 2017
- Japanese Version Coming Soon!Oct 16, 2017
- Patch notes for version 1.2.0Feb 9, 2017
- Patch notes for version 1.2.0Feb 9, 2017
- Patch notes for version 1.1.9Jan 17, 2017
- Patch notes for version 1.1.9Jan 17, 2017
- Patch notes for version 1.1.6Jan 14, 2017
- Patch notes for version 1.1.6Jan 14, 2017