The Perfect Pencil
Released: 1/29/2026
Score Breakdown
76.3
Critic Average
7 reviews
87
Steam User Score
53 reviews
N/A
Metacritic User Score
Disparity Breakdown
76 vs 87
Average of both sources
Review Disparities
Each point represents a critic review. Hover for details. Positive = critic higher than users. Negative = critic lower.
2/8/2026
Launch Window“The Perfect Pencil is a beautiful artistic and psychological experience that blends exploration with dark themes. Any fan of Metroidvania games will find it worth trying and immersing themselves in its terrifying world, we recommend it especially for the fans of this genre the only thing that’s need to check out is the price.”
75
75/100
2/4/2026
Launch Window“Despite being another in an ever increasing genre stable, The Perfect Pencil brings a uniquely twisted world to the genre. Its mysteries can be a bit dense, but the eerie atmosphere, complex themes, and strange landscapes make it worth exploring.”
80
80/100
2/3/2026
Launch Window“Undoubtedly a strange action adventure that does its own thing, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a home run either”
73
73/100
1/29/2026
Launch Window“The Perfect Pencil is a great metroidvania full of exploration, a rich story, and odd, hand-drawn characters that give the game a surreal feel you need to experience for yourself.”
90
90/100
1/29/2026
Launch Window“The Perfect Pencil, ironically, is not perfect in the gameplay or pacing, but it does stand out in concept and delivery. While some moments are a trifle ham fisted, it nonetheless promises and delivers a unique metroidvania that keeps you moving, keeps you exploring and does a lot for fans of the genre wanting to try things from another angle. I’m not sure if I’m the ideal audience, but I listened, and I think I was able to hear John clearly. I hope others can, too.”
65
65/100
1/29/2026
Launch Window“The Perfect Pencil aims for a different experience within the Metroidvania genre, and for that it deserves praise. The creativity of the art team stands out, with very different environments and a world-building that, at the very least, is intriguing. However, this is not enough to sustain the entire experience. Seeking pillars through the power of words, it ends up becoming as fragile as the graffiti that scribbles on them, becoming repetitive in its themes and deprioritizing the genre elements that need to be given more consideration. The result is a slow, disjointed game that takes away the magic of the background art.”
65
65/100
1/29/2026
Launch Window“The Perfect Pencil stands out as a true gem that excels in blending art design and psychological elements, offering an intimate and visually mesmerising experience that deserves attention from lovers of action-adventure platformers. Its strengths lie in its impeccable artistic style and touching narrative, which touches on themes such as fear, depression, anxiety and personal growth, and really makes you think. All this is accompanied by gameplay that we found to be really solid and well integrated; there are few uncertainties and compromises – which are absolutely surmountable – such as repetitive backtracking (on rare occasions) and controls that are not always very fast in portable mode. The Perfect Pencil is more than an indie game, it is a true life experience that we highly recommend you try, as you will not regret it at all.”
86
86/100
