Under The Island

 PC
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Movies Games and Tech
    Feb 19, 2026
    95
    Under The Island is a heartfelt indie adventure that understands exactly what it wants to be. It combines exploration, combat, puzzles, and story into a cohesive experience that feels both nostalgic and fresh. It may not push technical boundaries or introduce groundbreaking mechanics — but it doesn’t need to. Everything this title offers is done perfectly. If you’re drawn to retro-inspired action RPGs with charm, mystery, and a strong sense of place, this is absolutely worth your time.
  2. Digital Chumps
    Feb 23, 2026
    90
    Under the Island, from developer Slime King Games, gives a firm tip-of-the-hat with its design and execution to games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Under the Island contains good action, sometimes difficult puzzles, and a hefty amount of exploration to keep one’s attention firmly locked into the gameplay. The difficulty of some of the puzzles might feel a bit unbalanced and heavy, in comparison to the action, but the payoff feels worth that trouble.
  3. Console Creatures
    Feb 16, 2026
    80
    Under the Island wears its 2D Zelda inspiration proudly on its sleeve and pulls it off exceptionally well, with a great game and stunning modern pixel graphics that feel like Saturday-morning cartoons from the '90s.
  5. Screen Hype
    Mar 19, 2026
    79
    Under the Island surprised me, but not necessarily in the way I thought it might. I went into the game expecting a certain experience based on the limited gameplay I had seen (which is on me). But ended up struggling a lot more than anticipated. The game is good, the story is fun, and the overall gameplay is smooth. However, the difficulty of the puzzles and the general lack of direction had me feeling frustrated.
  6. Tech-Gaming
    Feb 19, 2026
    79
    Under the Island is a breezy, personality-packed throwback that captures the curiosity and charm of classic top-down adventures, wrapping clever puzzles and Saturday morning cartoon energy into a tightly paced quest. Some clunky combat and an uneven finale hold it back from greatness, but for most of its runtime it’s a warm, inventive island escape that retro fans should happily enjoy.