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No Man's Sky

analyzed 2026-08-14 · sample of 655 English reviews across the whole review history

Players most often talk about the gameplay itself, and those mentions lean positive, with praise for a balanced and fun loop. Updates are the most uniformly praised aspect, with 128 of 132 mentions positive, often crediting the team for refining the game over the years. Exploration is another strong point, described as a "10/10 Space exploration game" and praised for "the thrill of exploring new areas and items." Content amount and the sheer number of places to go also come up favorably, as does the game's relaxing, addictive quality, with one player noting they "didnt stop until 12 hours later." The sharpest criticism centers on developer conduct, where negative mentions outnumber positive ones, with complaints about an "Add-Ignore business model" and content differing from trailers. Bugs and stability are almost universally criticized, including "the glitchiest game I have ever played" and reports of corrupted files. Price value is another split, with more negative than positive takes, including "absolute ripoff i wish i could get a refund." The story draws mixed reactions, called "vague and uninspired" by some, while the UI and learning curve also receive notable criticism. Opinion splits appear on multiplayer, combat, and difficulty, where players report both fun challenges and frustrating events. Recurring themes players bring up include grind, base building, and VR, though these are not quantified. Overall, the picture is of a game whose ongoing updates and exploration are widely celebrated, while lingering technical problems and questions of value keep some players dissatisfied.

numbers checked against this report's stored data · quotes copied verbatim from reviews · plain text is the language model's own wording

Aspects

share of sample, axis to 30% · ± is the sampling uncertainty around each share

  • positive
  • mixed / neutral
  • negative
  • gameplay

    89 positive · 44 negative · 10 mixed · 0 neutral

    • The gameplay loop is intentionally slow.
      positive · Nov 30, 2021 · review 104911022
    • The building, combat, exploration, missions, blueprints, etc.... it all is so balanced & fun that you never run out of things to do and places to explore.
      positive · Apr 30, 2022 · review 114746125
    • man this game is fun, I haven't played a lot of it but once you understand the basics you can do so many things and take so many paths, what are you doing just buy the game already.
      positive · Apr 30, 2022 · review 114748191
  • updates

    128 positive · 2 negative · 2 mixed · 0 neutral

    • Also it's a 10/10 Space exploration game, with a very friendly community, and consistently greater updates.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100259062
    • The Hello Games team have refined it over the years to truly be an amazing experience with hours of enjoyment.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100260742
    • oh wow recommend+++++++ , is so crazy the journey this game has pass first i was thinking i never buy this game after all the updates and add on mechanics this game redeemed itself
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100261500
  • developer conduct

    48 positive · 68 negative · 1 mixed · 0 neutral

    • Hello Games has succumbed to the Add-Ignore business model.
      negative · Dec 31, 2024 · review 184374910
    • Content in the game differs vastly from any trailer or gameplay video I've seen, and I've pretty much seen them all.
      negative · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275411
    • However, it turned out that many of the promised features in the game are simply not there.
      negative · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275412
  • content amount

    83 positive · 28 negative · 2 mixed · 0 neutral

    • No game out there tops No Man's Sky in the amount of places you can go, and the possibilities of what you will find there are almost limitless.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100261026
    • great content great locations epic graphics!
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100261500
    • The new community expeditions are another reason to play.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100262364
  • exploration

    83 positive · 9 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • Also it's a 10/10 Space exploration game, with a very friendly community, and consistently greater updates.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100259062
    • However you don't play No Man's Sky for the story, you play it for the beautiful sights, the thrill of exploring new areas and items, and owning a fleet of awesome starships.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100259129
    • This is a game I will always come back to and lose myself exploring for hours on end.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100260742
  • price value

    24 positive · 36 negative · 4 mixed · 2 neutral

    • I feel the asking price is far too high for the shallow gameplay and the remaining bugs, but I did get it at a very steep [b]discount[/b].
      negative · May 31, 2026 · review 226906164
    • absolute ripoff i wish i could get a refund
      negative · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275288
    • Don't buy this unfinished and overhyped piece of junk. This game has suffered delay after delay and it still managed to cut out everything that made it exciting and basically giving us a shell of what it was supposed to be.
      negative · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275411
  • multiplayer

    30 positive · 19 negative · 2 mixed · 0 neutral

    • you can play with friends if you want, but this is a game you can play solo for hours on end.
      positive · Aug 31, 2022 · review 121546637
    • good game tho more fun when u gat a buddy to play with
      positive · Aug 31, 2022 · review 121547537
    • I even kind of love that multiplayer sessions are alone together and not tightly coupled.
      positive · Jun 30, 2024 · review 168642020
  • world

    35 positive · 12 negative · 3 mixed · 0 neutral

    • However you don't play No Man's Sky for the story, you play it for the beautiful sights, the thrill of exploring new areas and items, and owning a fleet of awesome starships.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100259129
    • discover new systems and planets and explore them,
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100261026
    • great content great locations epic graphics!
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100261500
  • graphics

    42 positive · 6 negative · 1 mixed · 0 neutral

    • great content great locations epic graphics!
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100261500
    • Visually, No Man’s Sky remains striking.
      positive · Nov 30, 2021 · review 104911022
    • Pros: Great game, beautiful worlds, cool technology tree, lots to do.
      positive · Feb 28, 2022 · review 111267619
  • story

    21 positive · 22 negative · 1 mixed · 1 neutral

    • Think of it like Minecraft for adults, there's no discernible end and quite frankly the story is vague and uninspired.
      negative · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100259129
    • It has a loose plot and in my experience, enjoyment and goals are primarily set by the player.
      negative · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100260742
    • If you’re looking for strong narrative direction, meaningful choices, or tightly designed challenges, NMS will feel aimless.
      negative · Nov 30, 2021 · review 104911022
see more
  • bugs

    1 positive · 38 negative · 0 mixed · 1 neutral

    • The only true complain I have is this is quite possibly the glitchiest game I have ever played.
      negative · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100259129
    • Yes it has bugs but it isn't a horrible game it's a decent game.
      negative · Dec 31, 2021 · review 107014768
    • It has a lot of bugs.
      negative · Aug 31, 2022 · review 121546745
  • performance

    10 positive · 24 negative · 4 mixed · 0 neutral

    • blew up my crappy laptop.
      negative · Oct 31, 2022 · review 124741428
    • There are some performance issues but this only happens for me when I start up the game.
      negative · Oct 31, 2022 · review 124742932
    • However, plagued by bugs (which DO get fixed when reported, actually) and less-than-desirable performance.
      negative · May 31, 2023 · review 139343469
  • relaxation

    31 positive · 0 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • The ultimate in no-stress space exploration, with or without other players, where you:
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100261026
    • Fun, mostly chill, surprisingly addictive game.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100262860
    • Very relaxing game.
      positive · Oct 31, 2023 · review 149272956
  • combat

    12 positive · 10 negative · 1 mixed · 3 neutral

    • Shot at some pirates.
      positive · Apr 30, 2026 · review 224465427
    • - Challenged four freighters with the starter ship.
      positive · Jun 30, 2026 · review 229285154
    • -Dog fights are fun and challenging
      positive · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275542
  • learning curve

    9 positive · 15 negative · 0 mixed · 1 neutral

    • There is a bit of a learning curve so don't get disappointed if you die.
      negative · Sep 30, 2023 · review 147394176
    • If you want new players to wanna play this game then maybe lose the 2-3 hour tutorial and make it actually co-op.
      negative · Aug 31, 2025 · review 203289137
    • It takes about two hours to get off the planet, so by the time you finally figure out the controls (They dont tell you how to play at all) and get off the planet your eligibility for the game to be returned is right out the window.
      negative · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275734
  • stability

    0 positive · 24 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • When you log off, if something is in a crafting station, it's gone.
      negative · Aug 31, 2022 · review 121546745
    • This hasn't happened to me but I have heard some other people say that their game files were corrupted or something, so be aware of that!
      negative · Oct 31, 2022 · review 124742932
    • This game keeps crashing every like 6 minutes or so!
      negative · Nov 30, 2023 · review 152604479
  • progression

    13 positive · 8 negative · 0 mixed · 1 neutral

    • Pros: Great game, beautiful worlds, cool technology tree, lots to do.
      positive · Feb 28, 2022 · review 111267619
    • The exploration, character progression, depth of systems, and overall immersion in this universe is constantly surprising.
      positive · Jan 31, 2026 · review 217297714
    • I love how you can start missions on different planets also gaining the ability to gain star ships to a collection and trade aliens for their star ship and also sometimes trade for their weapons
      positive · Mar 31, 2026 · review 222212260
  • controls

    6 positive · 11 negative · 1 mixed · 1 neutral

    • The movement is just bad, my character keeps turning on it's own, without my input.
      negative · Dec 31, 2023 · review 154934747
    • overlap of default auto and manual flight controls,
      negative · Nov 30, 2025 · review 212190962
    • Many of the controls seem to have been made with a console controller in mind and not a keyboard and mouse.
      negative · May 31, 2026 · review 226907362
  • addictiveness

    16 positive · 0 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • Fun, mostly chill, surprisingly addictive game.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100262860
    • when i first started the game i didnt stop until 12 hours later!
      positive · May 31, 2022 · review 116309380
    • Never played this till I got my Steam Deck, there is going to be many hours lost playing this!
      positive · Jun 30, 2022 · review 117954992
  • difficulty

    6 positive · 8 negative · 1 mixed · 1 neutral

    • If you’re looking for strong narrative direction, meaningful choices, or tightly designed challenges, NMS will feel aimless.
      negative · Nov 30, 2021 · review 104911022
    • However, the difficulty level for the Leviathan Event is is ridiculous.
      negative · May 31, 2022 · review 116310675
    • Radiation death, and life support systems constantly draining made the worlds unplayable, the resources would disappear in survival mode so it was pointless to continue hopeless tasks that …
      negative · Jun 30, 2022 · review 117956136
  • game length

    9 positive · 6 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • 35 hours in and I have barely scratched the surface of this game. What I love is the exploration aspect.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100263687
    • Very good game and requires a lot of time so it's excellent for players who want a long lasting game
      positive · Dec 31, 2024 · review 184372065
    • ☑ To infinity and beyond
      positive · Apr 30, 2025 · review 193939066
  • quest design

    7 positive · 7 negative · 0 mixed · 1 neutral

    • The missions are mostly open ended, allowing for further exploration and really endless possibilities for game play in anything that interests a player.
      positive · Feb 28, 2025 · review 189000793
    • The scope of this game is absolutely insane, there is so much to do, but you also have quests to guide you, so it doesn't get overwhelming
      positive · Sep 30, 2025 · review 205573486
    • + So when they introduced expeditions that made the game playable for me. now there are objectives to complete.
      positive · Oct 31, 2025 · review 208088061
  • replayability

    14 positive · 1 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • This is a great game to pick up, put down, and pick up again.
      positive · Nov 30, 2021 · review 104907045
    • you can play with friends if you want, but this is a game you can play solo for hours on end.
      positive · Aug 31, 2022 · review 121546637
    • Every update has been free, and has added more and more replay value to the game.
      positive · Feb 28, 2023 · review 133831217
  • ui

    1 positive · 10 negative · 1 mixed · 0 neutral

    • The interface is horrible.
      negative · Aug 31, 2022 · review 121546745
    • no flight horizon indicator,
      negative · Nov 30, 2025 · review 212190962
    • I just wish I could figure out my health bar refill??
      negative · Dec 31, 2025 · review 214768669
  • atmosphere

    11 positive · 0 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • Color, scale, and sound design work together to create a sense of quiet isolation.
      positive · Nov 30, 2021 · review 104911022
    • The exploration, character progression, depth of systems, and overall immersion in this universe is constantly surprising.
      positive · Jan 31, 2026 · review 217297714
    • The game also features a great artstyle, sound design and soundtrack supplying a nice otherwordly vibe that takes its source material seriously.
      positive · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275474
  • music

    11 positive · 0 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • Beautiful interesting worlds, music is outstanding and visuals are amazing.
      positive · Sep 30, 2022 · review 123099642
    • The game also features a great artstyle, sound design and soundtrack supplying a nice otherwordly vibe that takes its source material seriously.
      positive · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275474
    • I particularly enjoy the soothing music.
      positive · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25276958
  • community

    8 positive · 0 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • Also it's a 10/10 Space exploration game, with a very friendly community, and consistently greater updates.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100259062
    • It may seem confusing at first, but google is your friend.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100265855
    • Not to mention the community is, for the most part, fantastic.
      positive · Oct 31, 2022 · review 124744759
  • player choice

    7 positive · 1 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • It has a loose plot and in my experience, enjoyment and goals are primarily set by the player.
      positive · Sep 30, 2021 · review 100260742
    • I like the variety, I like how I can choose to engage in battles or just explore peacefully.
      positive · Jul 31, 2023 · review 143166576
    • Do what you want, when you want, for as far as you want infinitely!
      positive · Sep 30, 2023 · review 147383072
  • customization

    6 positive · 1 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • The updates that have been released have only improved the gameplay experience that much more, especially this last update where they added the ability to do "custom" game modes - I LOVE IT!
      positive · Apr 30, 2022 · review 114746125
    • Can spend hours making the character your own, top job to devs to turning the game around
      positive · Aug 31, 2023 · review 145408786
    • Every ship feels decently unique due to each ship type having around a few different parts that mix and match (don't worry if you want someone else's ship you can either build it yourself or find it …
      positive · Mar 31, 2025 · review 191683328
  • mods

    6 positive · 0 negative · 0 mixed · 1 neutral

    • I'm going to keep enjoying the game and hope that the reviews get better because personally I would love to see this game updated regulary and things added to it, If they opened it up to Steam Workshop that would be amazing!
      positive · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275776
    • There are already mods. MODS.
      positive · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25276297
    • Mods are supported, and I highly recommend checking them out as some of them can significantly add to your experience by improving graphics, adding new and bigger creatures, and much more.
      positive · Nov 30, 2018 · review 47219796
  • platform access

    2 positive · 5 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • the game is just a roundabout dont purchase this game as you will be dissapointed, and you will not be allowed a refund due to a "2 hour policy" and then they'll deny it due to "the community" wanting refunds, which speaks levels clearly.
      negative · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275674
    • Refund got denied.
      negative · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25276431
    • So basically, Steam, you stole $60 from me, and it makes me want to support black market game sites like G2A, so indie publishers don't get funding for their bad games.
      negative · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25277046
  • sound design

    6 positive · 1 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • Color, scale, and sound design work together to create a sense of quiet isolation.
      positive · Nov 30, 2021 · review 104911022
    • ☑ Very good
      positive · Apr 30, 2025 · review 193939066
    • ☑ Eargasm
      positive · Oct 31, 2025 · review 208083010
  • ai behavior

    1 positive · 5 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • Big space battles but the ai for the enemies is a bit wonky.
      negative · Mar 31, 2024 · review 161916551
    • its a great game but there seem to be a lot of bugs at the moment with co op with sentinals appearing out of no where and attack you for no reason other then you being in a group as well as dropping server connection for no reason i think it is because of the new …
      negative · Aug 31, 2025 · review 203288301
    • enemies detaching from alert state and aware detection,
      negative · Nov 30, 2025 · review 212190962
  • art style

    6 positive · 0 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • The controls are smooth, the crafting system is deep, and the visual design is stunning.
      positive · Sep 30, 2025 · review 205578692
    • + colorful.
      positive · Oct 31, 2025 · review 208088061
    • The game also features a great artstyle, sound design and soundtrack supplying a nice otherwordly vibe that takes its source material seriously.
      positive · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275474
  • build variety

    4 positive · 1 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • There's a lot of different ways to play the game as you could be a farmer, a pirate, a bounty hunter, a trader, an explorer, and so much more.
      positive · Jun 30, 2022 · review 117956400
    • I like the variety, I like how I can choose to engage in battles or just explore peacefully.
      positive · Jul 31, 2023 · review 143166576
    • Insane amounts of content and things to do that suit many different play styles.
      positive · Aug 31, 2024 · review 173938969
  • physics

    2 positive · 3 negative · 0 mixed · 0 neutral

    • No planetary physics at all
      negative · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25275734
    • The planets are not realistic, the physics feel very fake, there is no real difference between ship types (besides the look and inventory slots), and the combat portion of the game is very stale also.
      negative · Aug 31, 2016 · review 25276696
    • Combat is very poor, the flight model is frustrating at times, but neither of those are really the focus of this game.
      negative · Jul 31, 2018 · review 43862853

Emergent themes unvalidated

topics reviewers bring up that are not on the validated list; raw counts only, no error bars

  • grind 20
  • base building 12
  • vr 6

Review timeline

monthly peak 46,992 reviews · all languages

review volume 20,000 40,000 0 positive review share 100% 50% 0% 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Aug 2016 · 46,992 reviews (22,057 up · 24,935 down) · 47% positive Sep 2016 · 6,144 reviews (1,891 up · 4,253 down) · 31% positive Oct 2016 · 3,923 reviews (1,237 up · 2,686 down) · 32% positive Nov 2016 · 4,322 reviews (2,015 up · 2,307 down) · 47% positive Dec 2016 · 1,376 reviews (907 up · 469 down) · 66% positive Jan 2017 · 664 reviews (375 up · 289 down) · 56% positive Feb 2017 · 429 reviews (228 up · 201 down) · 53% positive Mar 2017 · 1,571 reviews (1,066 up · 505 down) · 68% positive Apr 2017 · 279 reviews (190 up · 89 down) · 68% positive May 2017 · 267 reviews (144 up · 123 down) · 54% positive Jun 2017 · 618 reviews (384 up · 234 down) · 62% positive Jul 2017 · 555 reviews (375 up · 180 down) · 68% positive Aug 2017 · 3,715 reviews (3,125 up · 590 down) · 84% positive Sep 2017 · 544 reviews (451 up · 93 down) · 83% positive Oct 2017 · 346 reviews (252 up · 94 down) · 73% positive Nov 2017 · 1,146 reviews (954 up · 192 down) · 83% positive Dec 2017 · 395 reviews (268 up · 127 down) · 68% positive Jan 2018 · 315 reviews (223 up · 92 down) · 71% positive Feb 2018 · 246 reviews (157 up · 89 down) · 64% positive Mar 2018 · 191 reviews (121 up · 70 down) · 63% positive Apr 2018 · 181 reviews (130 up · 51 down) · 72% positive May 2018 · 234 reviews (182 up · 52 down) · 78% positive Jun 2018 · 348 reviews (249 up · 99 down) · 72% positive Jul 2018 · 8,390 reviews (7,055 up · 1,335 down) · 84% positive Aug 2018 · 5,517 reviews (4,149 up · 1,368 down) · 75% positive Sep 2018 · 615 reviews (420 up · 195 down) · 68% positive Oct 2018 · 459 reviews (332 up · 127 down) · 72% positive Nov 2018 · 3,708 reviews (3,506 up · 202 down) · 95% positive Dec 2018 · 1,239 reviews (980 up · 259 down) · 79% positive Jan 2019 · 507 reviews (376 up · 131 down) · 74% positive Feb 2019 · 388 reviews (289 up · 99 down) · 74% positive Mar 2019 · 476 reviews (368 up · 108 down) · 77% positive Apr 2019 · 424 reviews (331 up · 93 down) · 78% positive May 2019 · 499 reviews (392 up · 107 down) · 79% positive Jun 2019 · 1,267 reviews (1,126 up · 141 down) · 89% positive Jul 2019 · 1,724 reviews (1,502 up · 222 down) · 87% positive Aug 2019 · 4,962 reviews (3,369 up · 1,593 down) · 68% positive Sep 2019 · 833 reviews (605 up · 228 down) · 73% positive Oct 2019 · 766 reviews (597 up · 169 down) · 78% positive Nov 2019 · 3,094 reviews (2,939 up · 155 down) · 95% positive Dec 2019 · 3,188 reviews (2,962 up · 226 down) · 93% positive Jan 2020 · 2,380 reviews (2,195 up · 185 down) · 92% positive Feb 2020 · 2,461 reviews (2,232 up · 229 down) · 91% positive Mar 2020 · 1,643 reviews (1,469 up · 174 down) · 89% positive Apr 2020 · 3,796 reviews (3,405 up · 391 down) · 90% positive May 2020 · 1,609 reviews (1,420 up · 189 down) · 88% positive Jun 2020 · 2,236 reviews (1,971 up · 265 down) · 88% positive Jul 2020 · 3,287 reviews (2,987 up · 300 down) · 91% positive Aug 2020 · 1,467 reviews (1,312 up · 155 down) · 89% positive Sep 2020 · 2,935 reviews (2,656 up · 279 down) · 90% positive Oct 2020 · 3,006 reviews (2,702 up · 304 down) · 90% positive Nov 2020 · 4,174 reviews (3,950 up · 224 down) · 95% positive Dec 2020 · 2,358 reviews (2,137 up · 221 down) · 91% positive Jan 2021 · 2,020 reviews (1,844 up · 176 down) · 91% positive Feb 2021 · 2,187 reviews (1,924 up · 263 down) · 88% positive Mar 2021 · 1,574 reviews (1,419 up · 155 down) · 90% positive Apr 2021 · 2,784 reviews (2,426 up · 358 down) · 87% positive May 2021 · 1,571 reviews (1,371 up · 200 down) · 87% positive Jun 2021 · 3,056 reviews (2,774 up · 282 down) · 91% positive Jul 2021 · 1,975 reviews (1,757 up · 218 down) · 89% positive Aug 2021 · 1,743 reviews (1,609 up · 134 down) · 92% positive Sep 2021 · 6,411 reviews (5,817 up · 594 down) · 91% positive Oct 2021 · 2,058 reviews (1,827 up · 231 down) · 89% positive Nov 2021 · 3,379 reviews (3,210 up · 169 down) · 95% positive Dec 2021 · 1,914 reviews (1,690 up · 224 down) · 88% positive Jan 2022 · 1,351 reviews (1,197 up · 154 down) · 89% positive Feb 2022 · 1,635 reviews (1,437 up · 198 down) · 88% positive Mar 2022 · 1,052 reviews (934 up · 118 down) · 89% positive Apr 2022 · 2,979 reviews (2,613 up · 366 down) · 88% positive May 2022 · 2,484 reviews (2,210 up · 274 down) · 89% positive Jun 2022 · 2,527 reviews (2,217 up · 310 down) · 88% positive Jul 2022 · 3,541 reviews (3,180 up · 361 down) · 90% positive Aug 2022 · 2,479 reviews (2,249 up · 230 down) · 91% positive Sep 2022 · 1,292 reviews (1,192 up · 100 down) · 92% positive Oct 2022 · 2,707 reviews (1,944 up · 763 down) · 72% positive Nov 2022 · 3,177 reviews (3,019 up · 158 down) · 95% positive Dec 2022 · 1,740 reviews (1,547 up · 193 down) · 89% positive Jan 2023 · 1,276 reviews (1,141 up · 135 down) · 89% positive Feb 2023 · 1,175 reviews (940 up · 235 down) · 80% positive Mar 2023 · 1,583 reviews (1,338 up · 245 down) · 85% positive Apr 2023 · 2,176 reviews (1,864 up · 312 down) · 86% positive May 2023 · 933 reviews (804 up · 129 down) · 86% positive Jun 2023 · 2,204 reviews (1,904 up · 300 down) · 86% positive Jul 2023 · 1,530 reviews (1,318 up · 212 down) · 86% positive Aug 2023 · 1,609 reviews (1,415 up · 194 down) · 88% positive Sep 2023 · 4,157 reviews (3,847 up · 310 down) · 93% positive Oct 2023 · 2,270 reviews (2,005 up · 265 down) · 88% positive Nov 2023 · 3,831 reviews (3,690 up · 141 down) · 96% positive Dec 2023 · 2,106 reviews (1,899 up · 207 down) · 90% positive Jan 2024 · 1,241 reviews (1,126 up · 115 down) · 91% positive Feb 2024 · 1,706 reviews (1,565 up · 141 down) · 92% positive Mar 2024 · 1,840 reviews (1,686 up · 154 down) · 92% positive Apr 2024 · 2,876 reviews (2,712 up · 164 down) · 94% positive May 2024 · 1,207 reviews (1,109 up · 98 down) · 92% positive Jun 2024 · 1,508 reviews (1,366 up · 142 down) · 91% positive Jul 2024 · 7,395 reviews (6,807 up · 588 down) · 92% positive Aug 2024 · 3,677 reviews (3,397 up · 280 down) · 92% positive Sep 2024 · 3,692 reviews (3,319 up · 373 down) · 90% positive Oct 2024 · 1,872 reviews (1,638 up · 234 down) · 88% positive Nov 2024 · 5,938 reviews (5,761 up · 177 down) · 97% positive Dec 2024 · 5,936 reviews (5,659 up · 277 down) · 95% positive Jan 2025 · 2,351 reviews (2,151 up · 200 down) · 91% positive Feb 2025 · 4,318 reviews (3,887 up · 431 down) · 90% positive Mar 2025 · 2,317 reviews (2,104 up · 213 down) · 91% positive Apr 2025 · 1,640 reviews (1,459 up · 181 down) · 89% positive May 2025 · 1,140 reviews (1,020 up · 120 down) · 89% positive Jun 2025 · 2,592 reviews (2,360 up · 232 down) · 91% positive Jul 2025 · 2,099 reviews (1,897 up · 202 down) · 90% positive Aug 2025 · 3,410 reviews (3,108 up · 302 down) · 91% positive Sep 2025 · 8,763 reviews (7,882 up · 881 down) · 90% positive Oct 2025 · 3,982 reviews (3,575 up · 407 down) · 90% positive Nov 2025 · 8,081 reviews (7,839 up · 242 down) · 97% positive Dec 2025 · 3,384 reviews (3,053 up · 331 down) · 90% positive Jan 2026 · 2,078 reviews (1,862 up · 216 down) · 90% positive Feb 2026 · 2,769 reviews (2,484 up · 285 down) · 90% positive Mar 2026 · 1,790 reviews (1,577 up · 213 down) · 88% positive Apr 2026 · 2,740 reviews (2,496 up · 244 down) · 91% positive May 2026 · 1,893 reviews (1,688 up · 205 down) · 89% positive Jun 2026 · 2,322 reviews (2,099 up · 223 down) · 90% positive Jul 2026 · 1,863 reviews (1,688 up · 175 down) · 91% positive Aug 2026 · 696 reviews (643 up · 53 down) · 92% positive

monthly share rated positive · 50% reference · months with <5 reviews faded

the timeline as a table
Reviews per month, all languages; months with no reviews are left out.
month reviews up down positive note
Aug 2016 46,992 22,057 24,935 47%
Sep 2016 6,144 1,891 4,253 31%
Oct 2016 3,923 1,237 2,686 32%
Nov 2016 4,322 2,015 2,307 47%
Dec 2016 1,376 907 469 66%
Jan 2017 664 375 289 56%
Feb 2017 429 228 201 53%
Mar 2017 1,571 1,066 505 68%
Apr 2017 279 190 89 68%
May 2017 267 144 123 54%
Jun 2017 618 384 234 62%
Jul 2017 555 375 180 68%
Aug 2017 3,715 3,125 590 84%
Sep 2017 544 451 93 83%
Oct 2017 346 252 94 73%
Nov 2017 1,146 954 192 83%
Dec 2017 395 268 127 68%
Jan 2018 315 223 92 71%
Feb 2018 246 157 89 64%
Mar 2018 191 121 70 63%
Apr 2018 181 130 51 72%
May 2018 234 182 52 78%
Jun 2018 348 249 99 72%
Jul 2018 8,390 7,055 1,335 84%
Aug 2018 5,517 4,149 1,368 75%
Sep 2018 615 420 195 68%
Oct 2018 459 332 127 72%
Nov 2018 3,708 3,506 202 95%
Dec 2018 1,239 980 259 79%
Jan 2019 507 376 131 74%
Feb 2019 388 289 99 74%
Mar 2019 476 368 108 77%
Apr 2019 424 331 93 78%
May 2019 499 392 107 79%
Jun 2019 1,267 1,126 141 89%
Jul 2019 1,724 1,502 222 87%
Aug 2019 4,962 3,369 1,593 68%
Sep 2019 833 605 228 73%
Oct 2019 766 597 169 78%
Nov 2019 3,094 2,939 155 95%
Dec 2019 3,188 2,962 226 93%
Jan 2020 2,380 2,195 185 92%
Feb 2020 2,461 2,232 229 91%
Mar 2020 1,643 1,469 174 89%
Apr 2020 3,796 3,405 391 90%
May 2020 1,609 1,420 189 88%
Jun 2020 2,236 1,971 265 88%
Jul 2020 3,287 2,987 300 91%
Aug 2020 1,467 1,312 155 89%
Sep 2020 2,935 2,656 279 90%
Oct 2020 3,006 2,702 304 90%
Nov 2020 4,174 3,950 224 95%
Dec 2020 2,358 2,137 221 91%
Jan 2021 2,020 1,844 176 91%
Feb 2021 2,187 1,924 263 88%
Mar 2021 1,574 1,419 155 90%
Apr 2021 2,784 2,426 358 87%
May 2021 1,571 1,371 200 87%
Jun 2021 3,056 2,774 282 91%
Jul 2021 1,975 1,757 218 89%
Aug 2021 1,743 1,609 134 92%
Sep 2021 6,411 5,817 594 91%
Oct 2021 2,058 1,827 231 89%
Nov 2021 3,379 3,210 169 95%
Dec 2021 1,914 1,690 224 88%
Jan 2022 1,351 1,197 154 89%
Feb 2022 1,635 1,437 198 88%
Mar 2022 1,052 934 118 89%
Apr 2022 2,979 2,613 366 88%
May 2022 2,484 2,210 274 89%
Jun 2022 2,527 2,217 310 88%
Jul 2022 3,541 3,180 361 90%
Aug 2022 2,479 2,249 230 91%
Sep 2022 1,292 1,192 100 92%
Oct 2022 2,707 1,944 763 72%
Nov 2022 3,177 3,019 158 95%
Dec 2022 1,740 1,547 193 89%
Jan 2023 1,276 1,141 135 89%
Feb 2023 1,175 940 235 80%
Mar 2023 1,583 1,338 245 85%
Apr 2023 2,176 1,864 312 86%
May 2023 933 804 129 86%
Jun 2023 2,204 1,904 300 86%
Jul 2023 1,530 1,318 212 86%
Aug 2023 1,609 1,415 194 88%
Sep 2023 4,157 3,847 310 93%
Oct 2023 2,270 2,005 265 88%
Nov 2023 3,831 3,690 141 96%
Dec 2023 2,106 1,899 207 90%
Jan 2024 1,241 1,126 115 91%
Feb 2024 1,706 1,565 141 92%
Mar 2024 1,840 1,686 154 92%
Apr 2024 2,876 2,712 164 94%
May 2024 1,207 1,109 98 92%
Jun 2024 1,508 1,366 142 91%
Jul 2024 7,395 6,807 588 92%
Aug 2024 3,677 3,397 280 92%
Sep 2024 3,692 3,319 373 90%
Oct 2024 1,872 1,638 234 88%
Nov 2024 5,938 5,761 177 97%
Dec 2024 5,936 5,659 277 95%
Jan 2025 2,351 2,151 200 91%
Feb 2025 4,318 3,887 431 90%
Mar 2025 2,317 2,104 213 91%
Apr 2025 1,640 1,459 181 89%
May 2025 1,140 1,020 120 89%
Jun 2025 2,592 2,360 232 91%
Jul 2025 2,099 1,897 202 90%
Aug 2025 3,410 3,108 302 91%
Sep 2025 8,763 7,882 881 90%
Oct 2025 3,982 3,575 407 90%
Nov 2025 8,081 7,839 242 97%
Dec 2025 3,384 3,053 331 90%
Jan 2026 2,078 1,862 216 90%
Feb 2026 2,769 2,484 285 90%
Mar 2026 1,790 1,577 213 88%
Apr 2026 2,740 2,496 244 91%
May 2026 1,893 1,688 205 89%
Jun 2026 2,322 2,099 223 90%
Jul 2026 1,863 1,688 175 91%
Aug 2026 696 643 53 92%

How this report was made
Population
all Steam reviews of the game (every language, purchase type, and verdict), walked newest-first per window; only English-language reviews are analyzed
Sample
655 English reviews, time-proportional draw over 121 windows (newest-first within each), taken from an all-language walk and kept English-only — where English is a minority the sample runs smaller than the draw, and every margin of error is computed at 655
Aspect yield
462 of 655 analyzed reviews carry at least one aspect (70.5%); every share on this page divides by all 655
Interval regime
calm: standard margins of error for a share of a sample (Wilson interval), no widening needed
Fetch paths
121 time windows fetched directly (windowed)
Language mix
1,000 fetched: english 657 · brazilian 62 · russian 48 · 20 more
Steam-marked windows
none flagged by Steam (Valve's off-topic flagging began March 2019)
Marked share
0.0% of sample inside marked windows, under the 2% floor
Narrative
passed the grounding gate first try
Evidence floor
aspects and emergent themes appear only with 5+ supporting reviews; smaller counts sit at the classifier's false-positive floor
Instrument readings
measured once on the study corpus for this model and prompt: frozen calibration, not properties of this run
· aspect tagging vs. human labels
0.766 [0.713–0.811] (F1 against a human-labeled test set; 1.0 is best)
· quotes filed under the wrong aspect
11.6% [6.6–19.6] of quotes, measured by hand on a sample; lower is better
· independent model vs. production labels
0.791 [0.772–0.810] (F1 of the production labeler against an independent judge model)
Versions
deepseek-v4-flash · prompt classify-v1 · ontology v2
Run
serve-20260814T014753Z-74f0e98c · code 6bbb8aa

full methodology in the milestone write-ups