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) | – | 69 | 22 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 74% | 70 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 59% | 59 | 2 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 5 reviews sampled · 5 total reviews in window · weighted 1.5 up / 1 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (45)
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.
- 40
“For a walking simulator, the story is pretty interesting (even if simplistic), but it still feels like it's lacking substance. Combine that with the lackluster characters and stiff animation and you're left with an overall experience that falls just short of being decent.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Draugen has several good ideas from the pen of well known Norwegian game designer Ragnar Tornquist. It has solid dialogues, interesting characters and the storyline is quite original. However there are several problems with details be that in graphical and technical area or story-wise. Obvious effort to shock the player with several story elements are degrading otherwise interesting theme about psyche of individual and effects of isolation on ones mind. That being said Draugen is still pretty good game for people, who like this subgenre of adventure games or other works of Ragnar Tornquist.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“The game forsakes worldbuilding as it increasingly gives itself over to making the most digressive of statements.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Draugen's story might not meet the quality of its visuals, but it's an engaging few hours nonetheless.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“What starts as a mystery tale about the protagonist’s sister disappearance turns into a journey into obsession, what make us obsessed and how it can make us blind to the world around us. Extremely compelling and sometimes, even heartbreaking.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The detective-like gameplay allows the world to become a character in and of itself and, at times, I wished that there was no core central narrative. I would be perfectly content with exploring this beautiful Norwegian town, rummaging through the town's ephemera of life and taking it all in at my own pace, as slow and methodical as the bucolic surroundings imply. At just under three hours, Draugen is a perfectly fine excuse to interact with and explore a beautifully realized world; just be ready to come to terms with how forgettable its story is.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Uneven storytelling and unexceptional gameplay makes this quaint Scandinavian mystery one you can a-fjord to miss.”
read full review ↗ - 92
“Draugen is a stunning, emotionally resonant experience, and one of the best games I've played in 2019. For those unfamiliar with titles like Gone Home and Dear Esther (with a hint of BioShock), from which the game heavily lifts its inspirations, this might not be your cup of tea.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Draugen is not bad, just disappointingly... mediocre-to-decent, when it could be so much more. The whole noir mystery narrated by an unreliable protagonist thing definitely manages to spark some interest, but this never really becomes the engrossing tale it wants to be. Forget the marvellously rendered Norwegian landscape, and the magical music that keeps it company. What lies underneath is just an okay-ish, walking simulator.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“With peerless aesthetics and creative-yet-simple gameplay, Draugen provides a thrilling tale of intrigue and tragedy that is sure to satisfy the curiosity of gamers the world across.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“Again, admiring its quaint, quiet beauty might be enough to convince those enthusiastic about its premise to give the game a shot, although what awaits them leads to disappointment.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“As an immersive experience, Draugen is a pleasant surprise for those who seek to contemplate, explore and enter the reconstruction of a story of drama and tragedy. Although its limits are evident, Red Thread Games knew how to make the most of its resources, delivering a work that promises to be the beginning of great projects for the future. Graavik is a beautiful place, the soundtrack is impeccable and the story is very interesting, it is definitely an experience you have to live.”
read full review ↗
cublikefoot
INDIANTVCZ
Slant Magazine
Jump Dash Roll
Hu3br
Paste Magazine
VGChartz
Nexus Hub
Cubed3
PC Invasion
Push Square
LevelUp…and 33 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Release notes v1.1Jun 14, 2019