Iconoclasts Reviews

Iconoclasts is ranked in the 93rd percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
8 / 10.0
Jan 22, 2018

Iconoclasts is a fun, beautiful platformer with great puzzle design and an engaging, thought-provoking narrative. Be prepared to think critically on multiple levels for this harrowing tale!

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Unscored
Jan 26, 2018

A book could be written about the numerous meandering, intermittently functional conversations that at first seem to exist solely to create needless drama, but quickly pivot to take on a confessional tone. It’s ironic for a game that pushes oppressive-religion themes so vigorously to eventually devolve into what appears to be a self-pitying writer vicariously self-flagellating using their stand-ins, denying anyone real closure or redemption because everyone is written to be deserving of punishment. At the end of the day, though, it just makes me tired. This game is draining in all the wrong ways.

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Evan Norris
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Jan 28, 2018

There is an abundance of pixel-art platformers on the market today, many of them indistinguishable from one another, but Sandberg's game stands out.

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Feb 5, 2018

Joakim ‘konjak’ Sandberg’s Iconoclasts is a one person show that’s a decade in the making. And it pays off so incredibly well in ways you wouldn’t expect. It has its frustrations with certain boss battles, but those can be easily looked over when looking at the larger picture. The game released at a time where in our current climate in the games industry and as a people where Robin is what we all want, and need to be. Iconoclasts is a game that defies expectations and norms, and has been worth that wait.

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7 / 10.0
Feb 15, 2018

Pretty good game! The gameplay mechanics are slick, the enemy and boss variety is excellent, and the story is just crazy. However, the difficulty, tweak variety, and controls could use a little work.

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Mar 1, 2018

Iconoclasts took me about fourteen to fifteen hours to complete. Around ten hours was fun. However, it’s the other five hours I’ll remember like the frustration of trying to figure out what obscure mechanic I needed to use to progress or the time spent wandering around aimlessly with no direction. Iconoclasts tries its hand at action, puzzles, and Metroidvania and doesn’t commit to any of them. The end result is mediocre.

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9 / 10.0
Aug 18, 2018

Iconoclasts is a game that you can't help but smile while playing. The meticulous attention to detail in every facet of the game save its storytelling (which is good, just not great) is remarkable. Failure to capitalize on the Switch's HD Rumble is a bit disappointing, but it's a minor blemish on an otherwise excellent experience.

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7.4 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2018

Iconoclasts was conceived for more than seven years and that shows the affection and details that we will see throughout this narrative adventure with touches of metroidvania.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Aug 1, 2018

"Metroid Fusion flashbacks."

Review in Finnish | Read full review

8.5 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2018

If you’ve got room in your Switch collection for one more Metroidvania, be sure to make it Iconoclasts. This gorgeous game combines fun gameplay with a unique story to create an exciting world to explore.

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9 / 10.0
Sep 12, 2018

Iconoclasts is a game that, having its story as the main focus, deals with subjects such as faith, oppression, exploration of other peoples and prejudice. Beyond that, it succeeds in the technical aspects, despite some weird design choices. Joakim Sandberg is to be congratulated for, alone, being able to create one of the best games of the year.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

90 / 100
Aug 3, 2018

Iconoclasts is an ode to the pixel, a beautiful adventure, with a very strong story load and an exquisite level design. It is in its own right one of the indies of the year and one of those games that exude love for the old and for things well done.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Feb 9, 2018

All in all, I was truly impressed with Iconoclasts. I spent 11 hours playing through the game, and that’s without even finishing all the side quests or finding all the deviously hidden chests. It’s not often an indie game comes out of nowhere to surprise me, but that’s just what it managed to do, proving itself a new indie gem. If you have a PS4, Vita or Steam account, go buy it. It’s easily the best indie I’ve played so far in 2018, and one I highly recommend.

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5 / 5.0
Feb 8, 2018

You’ll likely achieve at least 12 hours of gameplay on your first-time, and shorter when replaying. The game will score you depending on how many “tweaks” were created, and how many treasures were found. For perfectionists, expect to put in some extra time for that 100%.Iconoclasts is a terrific game that utilizes the 16-bit style wonderfully. The music and gameplay heightens the value. While the story may become confusing at times, and problem-solving boss fights can take time, it doesn’t distract from how much excitement this game has. This is worth purchasing for your digital library and deserves your attention.

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7.5 / 10.0
Aug 2, 2018

Nobody would comment on the game without mentioning the outstanding pixel art and top shelf soundtrack...

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8.1 / 10.0
Jan 23, 2018

Iconoclasts is an action-packed and gorgeous game that offers some great puzzles and exciting boss fights.

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Digiato
Shayan Karami
Top Critic
88 / 100
Feb 21, 2018

Iconoclasts is a well-made game which reflects the love that has been poured into it so clearly. The game is full of excellent dialogues, deep combat system and scenes that take your breath away.

Review in Persian | Read full review

Cubed3
Top Critic
9 / 10
Mar 29, 2018

Don't let first impressions fool you. Beneath the bright colours and initially sunny disposition of Iconoclasts lies a game that is going to challenge you in a variety of ways. It will force the best from your quick-twitch-skills, with fast-paced and frenetic combat. It will strain your brain with tricky puzzles and unique boss encounters, and it will also present a world whose obstacles and solutions may even challenge your own ideals and world view. This is an experience that cannot be missed by fans of both 2D action platformers, or by those seeking a greater level of mental and ideological engagement.

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7.5 / 10.0
Mar 5, 2018

Iconoclasts succeeds on delivering a deep and impressive story that is full of surprises. Despite a boring and shallow combat system and the misleading level structure, it is still worth your time and money

Review in Persian | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Aug 7, 2018

Iconoclasts is one of the biggest surprises of the year. Despite occasionally suffering through the story sequences, I found that I couldn't stop playing (it's about 10 hours long). I can't recommend the game highly enough--go play it.

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