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) | – | 76 | 15 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 75 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 85% | 79 | 201 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 0% | 15 | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 1 reviews sampled · 1 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0.4 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (40)
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
“"Familiar-looking platformer, flexible physics engine."”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A charming and interesting puzzler, with a refreshingly accessible approach to level design.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Semblance offers an intriguingly fresh take on the age-old 2D platformer. Its story may be all visual and very much open to interpretation, but what it lacks in narrative density it more than makes up for with a generous helping of levels to explore where the platforming itself is a vital part of the puzzle to be solved. While it's lacking in long-term replay value, it's a definitely worth your time if you're looking for a new 2D challenge.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Overall, the handful of hours I spent getting to Semblance’s conclusion were rewarding and well-spent. Having played so many indie titles on both the PC and Switch I’m always taken aback when I run into something so fresh and new, and from its terrific visuals and music to its continuously evolving challenge this game manages to check just about every box I can think of. When you throw in its extremely reasonable price I consider Semblance to be an absolute steal and a title anyone who enjoys puzzle platforming should be looking to pick up.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Whether it was deforming surfaces or squishing the character to yield completely new physics, I was never disappointed. Some of the later platforming can be a bit frustrating, but with the option to move onto another puzzle it never bogged down the experience. With a unique hook that is constantly building upon, this is an easy recommendation and one you won't want to miss.”
read full review ↗ - 30
“Even the areas that can be bent in significant ways have serious and sometimes baffling limits that force you into one or two envisioned solutions by entirely sabotaging other approaches. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, of course, as many excellent puzzle games have specific solutions, but where Semblance fails (and does so big time) is that it gives you the impression that you’re being afforded the freedom to come up with your own approach, only to consistently snatch it away from you while the controls undermine you and the simplistic two-tone visuals give you a migraine.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Semblance is yet another Switch title that’s easy to recommend. The excellent level design, the ‘platformer-is-a-mechanic’ headline lives up to its promise and then some, with a wondrous visual style and a heartbeat throughout which pumps the blood of a revitalised genre through every vein of its code.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“A slight but smart adventure it's hard not to be charmed by.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Unique puzzle platformer with some great ideas. Just without certain story and adequate ending.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A level-morphing puzzle game with enough charm and ingenuity to overcome its control issues and short length.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Nevertheless, even four years later, Semblance is a really good time, and the world-shaping gimmick is a whole ton of fun to mess around with. I only just wish it hadn’t taken me this long to finally get to shaping this delightful experience.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Semblance is an astoundingly enjoyable puzzle game that never outstays its welcome.”
read full review ↗
Fintendo
Jump Dash Roll
Nintendo Life
Nindie Spotlight
NintendoWorldReport
Killa Penguin
FingerGuns
Eurogamer
SECTOR.sk
GameSpot
Seafoam Gaming
TheSixthAxis…and 28 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Semblance v1.0.3 Update + OST ReleaseOct 22, 2018
- Semblance Patch version 1.0.2 liveAug 10, 2018