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) | – | 73 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 91 | 325 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 76 | 1 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 1 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 88.2, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 717 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) · 2 reviews sampled · 2 total reviews in window · weighted 1.5 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (10)
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.
- 70
“With a little more challenge and visual polish, this could have been a truly great adventure, but instead settles for being another solid supernatural mystery.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“It's seriously one of the best adventure games I've played in years that has words in it (I'm looking at you, Machinarium). It doesn't just tell a good story, it's tightly plotted too.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Blackwell Deception proves that adventure gaming is far from giving up the ghost. [Christmas 2011, p.70]”
read full review ↗ - 80
“If gamers want a new point-and-click adventure to sink their teeth into, Blackwell Deception gives all the features that they are most likely looking for.”
read full review ↗ - 67
“Weak intrigue is a traditional soft spot of the Blackwell adventure games. The investigation is predictable, and all of our burning questions are answered in such a dull, ridiculous manner that all build up flies out the window.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“A textbook example of a 2D point'n'click adventure game. Probably just a handful of players will decide to give it a chance but they will be rewarded with a good story served with 'early SCUMM' visuals. [January 2012, p.73]”
- 70
“Blackwell Deception has some good ideas and it's refreshing for a game to deal with ghosts and psychics in a way that's not entirely shallow. The script is at its best when it's disarmingly sincere, as the attempts at humor are hit and miss. It's just a shame then that the story is as old-hat as Joey's fedora.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Blackwell Deception will appeal to point'n click lovers: the puzzles are solid without being frustrating, the characters duo and story are nice. If you didn't know about the game, don't hesitate to start from the beginning of the series. The only shortcoming: it lacks a good artistic direction and some ambition to give it a real touch.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The Blackwell Deception presents a solid and satisfying mystery to solve, enjoyable and logical puzzles and loads of well-written, believable characters. The result is one of the best adventure games of recent years.”
read full review ↗ - 82
“With its great characters, solid plot, well written dialogues and interesting puzzles, Deception is probably one of the best point and click adventures of the year. Maybe the only real complaint is the lack of graphics coherence.”
read full review ↗
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Multiplayer.itPatch history
- Blackwell Deception PatchJul 31, 2026
- Blackwell Deception - Hotfix PatchJun 10, 2026
- Blackwell Deception - Music Slider patchJan 13, 2026
- Blackwell Deception - Hotfix PatchJun 19, 2025
- Blackwell Deception Patch - HotfixJun 16, 2025
- Blackwell Deception Patch - Config ToolApr 7, 2025
- Blackwell Deception - Minor PatchSep 8, 2024
- Blackwell Deception - Smallest PatchFeb 10, 2024
- Blackwell Deception - Engine PatchJul 19, 2023
- Blackwell Deception update!Mar 2, 2021