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) | – | 67 | 10 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 90% | 84 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 90% | 84 | 5 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 14 reviews sampled · 12 total reviews in window · weighted 8.4 up / 0.9 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (30)
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
“Simulacra is a very clever game that, despite the simplicity of both its premise and gameplay, immerses you into it and doesn't let you go until you've solved the mystery.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The horror title SIMULACRA can entertain you, scare you, and make you think, all for less than four euros. As the saying goes, a lot of music for little money. In my opinion, the game has a very interesting concept and execution; using real actors was a perfect choice, the story will keep you glued to your chair, and the scary atmosphere will keep you on edge. However, the ending will probably disappoint me for a while, as I was expecting something more thought-out and epic.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“What’s most baffling about Simulacra is why more wasn’t done to make it a more authentic mobile experience.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“While I spent most of my time with Simulacra 3 waiting for the game to reach its full potential and never quite seeing it happen, Kaigan Games continues to deliver one of the more unique horror series out there. Scrolling through a phone to discover the world's horrors is always worth it, it at least adds a new definition to doomscrolling, I'll tell you that, but I can't help but wonder what Kaigan Games could do if they met the full potential they continue to showcase throughout this trilogy. Regardless, it's a worthy expansion of the series, and with an affordable price tag, I definitely recommend giving it a shot.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“[...]I cannot recommend playing the Switch port, especially if you have any vision issues that may prevent your ability to read the screen properly. Do yourself a favor and download this mysterious story on your phone instead.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“An interesting and in many ways strong FMV adventure title, but one somewhat let down by middling acting (at best) and a lack of attention to streamlining the gameplay for consoles as part of the porting process.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Pairing the found phone subgenre with some FMV and acting gives a little flavor to this indie offering”
read full review ↗ - 60
“The game pitches itself as FMV horror, and while the experience does incorporate those two elements the more you play, it never amounts to anything more than cheap jump scares and creepy episodes of breaking the fourth wall. It's effective enough the first time, but diminishing returns weaken the tactic dramatically.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“As Found Phone games go, Simulacra is one of the better ones. The dialogue is well implemented, the puzzles all play on the players in-built knowledge of how mobile phones work and there’s this disconcerting atmosphere to the whole experience.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“The studio clearly sees potential in the format as a storytelling platform, and I definitely want to see them refine it in the future.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Simulacra 2 is a worthy sequel and an immersive take on the role that our digital presence has in defining who we are. The different playable characters help to give a different perspectives to the sotyr and the suspects are sufficiently flawed to keep you guessing as to where blame may lie, but the wider cast of characters don't feel as focussed as the original. While the virus in question here is completely digital, it's uncannily topical given our enforced switch to virtual interactions.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“SIMULACRA on the Nintendo Switch is an FMV adenture based on a story of mystery and horror and if the gameplay experience is not among the most outstanding ever designed, there is definitely something engaging about finding hints and advancing along the plot. The game's different endings add an additional incentive to explore and even though SIMULACRA is no masterpiece, its players will feel involved enough to take the experience to the end.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Gaming Professors
Nintendo Life
video games are good
Gamer Escape
VGChartz
Nindie Spotlight
Push Square
FingerGuns
GameGrin
TheSixthAxis
FNintendo…and 18 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Christmas Update - BEGIN +, Subtitles and SALE!Dec 27, 2017
- Christmas Update - BEGIN +, Subtitles and SALE!Dec 27, 2017