Iconoclasts Reviews

Iconoclasts is ranked in the 93rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
IGN
Top Critic
8.4 / 10.0
Feb 1, 2018

Iconoclasts' combination of clever Metroid-inspired design and lush art offers more than enough incentive to stick with it, even when the ambitious plot doesn't always connect. This is a strange, complex game that – refreshingly – doesn't play quite like any other work in the genre. Iconoclasts offers a welcome reminder that they don't all have to play the same way.

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Andy Kelly
Top Critic
78 / 100
Jan 23, 2018

Slick platforming, well-designed puzzles, and a huge, connected world, with occasional moments of frustration.

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Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
7 / 10
Jan 24, 2018

An uneven mix of the overfamiliar and the surprisingly inspired, but the gorgeous graphics alone make this a Metroidvania to remember.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 1, 2018

Iconoclasts plays well, looks great, and has some strong level design, but the unexpected highlight is a narrative that examines topics like religion and environmentalism in a well-realized world with real consequences

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9 / 10
Jan 23, 2018

When Iconoclasts' end credits begin to roll, it's bittersweet to see the journey come to a close.

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9.5 / 10.0
Jan 22, 2018

That's where Iconoclasts lives too, outside the lines. Of its genre, its inspirations, and its expectations. It's a delightful surprise, the kind that doesn't come around often enough.

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7 / 10
Mar 2, 2018

Perhaps Iconoclasts just tries to do a bit too much of everything, which is stunning considering it has come from a single person's creative drive, which is so compellingly impressive. A decent edit of the script, fewer bosses and puzzle repetitions, and the rest could have been refined even more. Seven years ago Iconoclasts would have blindingly stood out on its artstyle alone – as it indeed did when announced, but now it has to compete with a plethora of other captivating 2D pixelart games. Luckily for Iconoclasts that, despite its flaws it still stands tall amongst its peers, both recent and its contemporary forebears.

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8 / 10.0
Jan 31, 2018

Iconoclasts is yet another proof of how independent software is taking up an increasingly important part of the gaming market. Made with an almost palpable devotion, Sandberg's game manages to stand out for its unexpectedly mature narrative and superb level design. A few too cryptic puzzles and the massive amount of text could frighten users looking for a "pure" metroidvania. This doesn't affect the personality of Iconoclasts, which reveals itself to be a truly, great game.

Review in Italian | Read full review

7 / 10.0
Jan 24, 2018

An old school game that may be too old on things like variety, but beyond that you'll love this indie proposal if you are into metroidvania games.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Unscored
Jan 24, 2018

If you've already burned through your pile of Metroid-likes, Iconoclasts is solid fuel for the fire. Try it.

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9.5 / 10.0
Jan 28, 2018

While most Metroidvanias find themselves struggling with their pace, Iconoclasts never lets up. It's one of the best of its kind and definitely needs to be played.

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90 / 100
Jan 22, 2018

Most impressively, Iconoclasts evokes nostalgia without feeling derivative. It hits a lot of character tropes, but it manages never to feel stale thanks to fantastic visuals, a memorable world, and solid gameplay.

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Unscored
Jan 25, 2018

For me, the more of it I played, the more I found it got in its own way. Its clumsy prose is a struggle to read, its difficulty spikes are aggravating, and the sense of being directionless is too all-pervading. I feel certain this will find its audience, and what a joy for them. But sadly, not so much for me.

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Unscored
Jan 23, 2018

In the end Iconoclasts wasn't quite what I expected, but I greatly enjoyed my time with it, and would recommend it to any platformer fan.

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Jan 19, 2018

Mega Drive graphics belie the brains behind this puzzle-filled 2D platformer in which you play a misfit mechanic dismantling a religious techno-dystopia

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90 / 100
Aug 9, 2018

The Nintendo Switch is becoming a treasure trove of excellent indie games and Iconoclasts is a jewel that shines as bright as some of the absolute best. Like some of the best RPGs with deep character development, this is the type of game that will sit with you for days and weeks after you've finished it.

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Aug 22, 2018

Iconoclasts is a brilliant game that permeates from the amount of care and time put into it. It is by far one of the best of 2018, and I recommend everyone give it a go.

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GameMAG
xtr
Top Critic
9 / 10
Feb 1, 2018

Iconoclasts has some shortcomings, such as a few overextended stages in the middle of the story and a very high difficulty in some parts. But an interesting story, puzzles, accessible skills and bosses leave just an incredible amount of the most positive emotions.

Review in Russian | Read full review

Wccftech
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Jan 24, 2018

Iconoclasts takes the Metrovania genre to a new level of polish and charm, with plenty of secrets and a story that's surprisingly refreshing for the genre. It may not reinvent the wheel but rather shows that there's still plenty that can be uncovered when you apply seven years worth of polish to the sidescrolling standard.

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Drew Leachman
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Jan 25, 2018

Iconoclasts is a pretty fantastic game. The story is fun and interesting, the controls are tight and near perfect, the art and animation is beautiful, and many of the puzzles and traversal are both fun and challenging at the same time.

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