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) | – | 79 | 48 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 40 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 90% | 84 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 86% | 80 | 197 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Feb 26, 2026) · 197 reviews sampled · 195 total reviews in window · weighted 115.1 up / 18.3 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (37)
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
“World of Horror successfully blends retro aesthetics, roguelike gameplay and Lovecraft's horror to create a game that is both nostalgic and uniquely modern. The game's commitment to its theme, combined with striking visuals and immersive sound, sets it apart in the indie horror genre.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The visuals and roguelike elements of World of Horror combine to create a wholly unique experience for Switch users. The gameplay loop does become repetitive rather quickly, but the short gaming sessions and changing relationship between events make this a successful and scary diversion from the norm.”
read full review ↗ - 67
“I really wanted to like this game. More than that, I wanted to love this game, which is perhaps why this review comes across as so scathing. I’ve been let down. I followed this game for years, awaiting the full release with a heart full of hope. I wanted to spend hours upon hours exploring Shiokawa and the game’s other environs. As it is, it’s a game begging for quality-of-life updates that would make it a joy to explore the undoubtedly impressive selection of mysteries that it has to offer. At present, World of Horror vacillates between being overly tedious, pulling you around by the nose, and sometimes being the game that I really wanted it to be. It’s a frustrating experience, with moments of brilliance that shine through like the color out of space.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“World of Horror, Paweł Koźmiński's title proves that you don't need Unreal Engine 5 and volumetric lights to torment the heart of a horror fan. A game that handles subtleties well and mixes them with a dash of Junji Ito-style gore, with simple but gripping stories, enhanced by the vulnerability of our characters and the consequences we will have to face after every decision.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“World of Horror is one of the most unique roguelites we've seen on the Switch eShop to date, its expert fusion of text-based adventure, survival horror, and roguelike mechanics makes for a difficult, harrowing, and spooky adventure that we'd recommend you give a shot. Not everyone will be charmed by its extremely retro aesthetics, but if you can get into the right mindset for giving this one a playthrough, you'll find there's a lot to love.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“World of Horror is a compelling game that begs the player’s attention, providing an addictive experience that one cannot easily run away from.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“As much as I absolutely want to love this game so badly, it is painfully obvious that this "official launch" version is extremely unfinished, with pointless items, dead end quests, and glitches galore. Worst of all, my saved keeps deleting itself occasionally, so I can't even make any real progress if I wanted to. The current state of the game, especially after years of early access, makes a recommendation impossible; this should not have gone up for sale in its condition.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“In short, fans of atmospheric horror owe it to themselves to pick this up. This is absolutely one of the best horror games I’ve played, and while there are a few little issues here and there, this isn’t even the end of development. There’s a more tailored scenario gameplay mode already on the horizon for a later update, and I expect things will only go up from there.”
read full review ↗ - 82
“There’s no question that the vibe, nightmarish pixel art, and weird monstrosities are fun, but the interface and controls aren’t ideal”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While the premise is great, and it's very polished in execution, sometimes World of Horror can be a frustrating and messy title due to its rogue-like nature. That said, it's so unique, charming, and horrifying, that it's impossible to put down once a good run gets going. It is genuinely gripping, and has just enough intrigue to make players protective of the main characters. Here's hoping this keeps receiving updates, and that the developer rides this success into a new project filled with just as much endearment and love. To conclude, insanely cathartic when luck is on one's side.”
read full review ↗ - 78
“World of Horror gets its art direction and gameplay mechanics right. But it comes with a learning curve, and can eventually feel stale after doing the same mysteries multiple times.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The art is spot on in its reverence to the Junji Ito works that inspired it, and the soundtrack matches the game's 1-bit graphics with a collection of fantastic 8-bit style jams, all of which come together to create a visual experience you're not likely to get anywhere else. I was also pleasantly surprised at how well the game's interface can be navigated using a gamepad as opposed to a mouse, though if you still prefer using a mouse cursor that is also an option built in as well. I'm not sure I would overall recommend the Switch version over the PC version of the game, but if portability is a big factor for you (an aspect this game lends itself to very well), then the Switch is a perfectly acceptable platform for stopping an old god from engulfing this sleepy Japanese town in madness.”
read full review ↗
ZdobywcyGier.eu
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Patch history
- It is ordained: WORLD OF HORROR 1.2 “AS BELOW SO ABOVE”Feb 26, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Upcoming Updates + New Merch!Feb 27, 2024
- 1.01 ‘WELCOME TO SHIOKAWA’ small bug fixing / modding updateOct 25, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- 1.0g ‘WELCOME TO SHIOKAWA’ small balance / bug fixing updateOct 21, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- WORLD OF HORROR v1.0 - LIVE!Oct 19, 2023
- 0.9.92f ‘DREADFUL DREAMS’ small balance / bug fixing updateMay 7, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- 0.9.92e ‘DREADFUL DREAMS’ small content / bug fixing updateApr 20, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- 0.9.92 ‘DREADFUL DREAMS’Apr 12, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- 0.9.9d ‘BLOOD MOON’ expanded character and event moddingNov 14, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- 0.9.9c ‘BLOOD MOON’ new modding featuresNov 7, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- 0.9.9 ‘BLOOD MOON’ macOS fixOct 31, 2022
- 0.9.9 ‘BLOOD MOON’Oct 29, 2022
- 0.9.84 ‘THE CEASELESS CURSE’Dec 2, 2021
- 0.9.17 ‘OCCULT CAPITAL OF JAPAN’Oct 30, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- 0.9.16 ‘AUTUMN MODDING UPDATE’Oct 4, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- 0.9.15 ‘NEVER-ENDING SUMMER’Sep 19, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- 0.9.14 ‘BIG BOOK OF BOTANY’May 5, 2020significant · resets scoring window
- 0.9.12 ‘HUNTER’S DAUGHTER’ update! (+0.9.13)Mar 23, 2020significant · resets scoring window