Info about Grim Dawn - Steam Loyalist Items Pack 2:

Official game description:
Whether you're an old fan or just purchasing Grim Dawn, this fantasy-themed collection of vanity items allows you to bring out the classic fantasy hero within you. The items in this DLC can be applied to existing gear to transform the look while retaining the original stats.  
The gear included does not provide any gameplay stats or bonuses of its own, other than impeccable style, and can be applied to other pieces of gear to change their appearance. Always wanted to vanquish your foes dressed as a royal knight or a mighty wizard? Well now you can!  
The second Loyalist Item pack was introduced by the overwhelmingly positive demand from our players to have another option to support development at Crate Entertainment, and to look real good while doing it. Show off your support for Crate with a unique companion pet that will harmlessly follow you into any battle!  
Loyalist Item Pack 2 items can be claimed in-game from the NPC "Lancel the Knight" who stands outside the gates of Devil's Crossing.  
**Note that for owners of the Ashes of Malmouth DLC, the items you receive from Lancel are added to your Illusionist collection rather than being applied directly to items.**  
*   sinister Black Knight's Full Set Of Armor  
*   black Knight's Sword and Shield  
*   sacred Silver Knight's Full Set Of Armor  
*   silver Knight's Sword and Shield  
*   Venerable Dragon General's Helm, Chestguard and two-handed Spear  
*   Enigmatic White Wizard's Hat, Robe and Staff off-hand  
*   Crate companion pet

Release date: Jun 20, 2019

Categories: Action RPG, Character Progression, Weapon Customization, Character Customization, Cosmetic DLC, Single-player, Cooperative Multiplayer

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 12; verdict: Fair - Optional Cosmetic DLC Only; summary: The game is a single-player ARPG with optional cosmetic DLCs and season passes. No evidence of real-money gacha, loot boxes, pay-to-win, or paid convenience appears in the reviews. Complaints center on the perceived overpricing of cosmetic items and pre-loaded DLC being locked, but these are isolated and not predatory. Many players purchase DLC to support the developers, indicating a healthy monetization model.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews emphasize the game's exceptional content depth (nearly 2000 hours of replayability) and the strong desire to support the developers, indicating the base game offers high value well above its current low price of $8.99. The willingness to pay 'full price' and the praise for the 'incredible' and 'conscientious' work suggest the community considers a fair price range higher than the current sale price, likely between $10 and $20 as a reasonable estimate for the base game's worth.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence consists solely of reports of total hours played in Grim Dawn, ranging from 150 to nearly 2000 hours. No review provides explicit durations for completing the main storyline, completing the story, average session length, or hours spent exclusively in endgame content. Therefore, none of the requested playtime metrics can be reliably estimated, and all are returned as null.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes:
  - Content-loving ARPG Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoying substantial content and supporting a passionate developer
    - Playstyle: Engages in both single-player and online co-op, exploring all available items and features
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Diablo-Inspired ARPG Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Finding a Diablo-like ARPG with satisfying hack-and-slash gameplay
    - Playstyle: Grinds for loot, engages in combat-focused progression, likely plays solo or in groups
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Diablo type fan
    - Reference games: Diablo
  - Cosmetic Fashion Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Expressing creativity through character appearance and collecting cosmetic sets
    - Playstyle: Investigates and coordinates transmog pieces, prioritizes visual aesthetics over other content
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Gameplay-First Purist (sale)
    - Motivation: Evaluating the game on core mechanics and content, rejecting cosmetic-focused additions
    - Playstyle: Focuses on pure gameplay challenges, disregards cosmetic upgrades, potentially plays solo for the challenge
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: pure gamer
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- High-quality cosmetic skins (weight 0.89): Players frequently praise the visual design of cosmetic skins and armor sets, noting they look amazing and enhance character appearance. The variety and aesthetics are highlights across multiple clusters.
- Exceptional ARPG experience (weight 0.8): Reviewers consistently rate the game as one of the best action RPGs available, often comparing it favorably to Diablo and praising its gameplay, story, and build variety. It is considered superior to most competitors.
- Active and responsive developers (weight 0.78): The development team is commended for listening to community feedback, actively communicating, and consistently adding content and quality-of-life features. Players feel valued and supported.
- Visual variety for classes (weight 0.6): Specific armor sets, such as the Dark Wizard, White Mage, and Dragon General, offer distinct looks that stand out and enhance character identity. These styles are praised for their design.
- Multiple cosmetic sets included (weight 0.49): The DLC provides several complete illusion sets and cosmetic options, allowing for extensive customization and mix-and-match possibilities. This adds value and variety for players.
- Companion pets are appreciated (weight 0.47): Players enjoy the addition of companion pets, such as the Crate and Groovy pet, which follow the character. It adds a fun and collectible element to the game.
- Strong mechanics and depth (weight 0.36): The game excels in class choices, itemization, story, and build variety, offering deep and engaging gameplay. This depth keeps players invested and replaying.
- DLC purchase justified (weight 0.31): Players find the DLC a worthwhile addition, with positive overall impressions and functional content after minor technical fixes. It enhances the base game without feeling exploitative.
- Developer passion evident (weight 0.22): The developers' love and passion for the game shine through in their work, leading to a polished and continuously improved product. Players respect and appreciate this dedication.
- Aesthetic coordination praised (weight 0.22): Cosmetic parts and armor sets are noted for their cohesive color and appearance, making for a visually pleasing character. The design attention to detail is recognized.
- Cosmetics work in all modes (weight 0.2): Cosmetic items function in both single-player and online co-op, providing consistent character appearance across different play modes. This flexibility is valued by players.
- Useful for early game (weight 0.1): Some DLC cosmetics make characters look powerful from the start, which can be appealing for new players. This adds an incentive for early purchases.
- Game engine success (weight 0.08): The game’s engine, resurrected from Titan Quest, is utilized effectively to create a compelling action RPG. This technical achievement is acknowledged by players.

Common complaints:
- Purchased DLC items not received (weight 0.61): Multiple players report that purchased Loyalist Items Packs do not appear in the game despite being downloaded or installed. This issue persists even after restarting the game and checking various in-game menus.
- Poor value for price (weight 0.53): The DLC is widely described as wildly overpriced and not cheap, offering minimal content that is purely cosmetic with no gameplay impact. Reviewers feel that the price-to-performance ratio is extremely poor.
- Transmog items not found (weight 0.46): Players are unable to locate purchased transmog items in the Illusionist's collection or inventory, even after talking to NPCs and switching interface languages. Some items require in-game currency to use for transmogrification.
- Misleading promotional images (weight 0.39): The DLC's promotional pictures are misleading, particularly for staffs which appear as tiny left-hand held toothpicks rather than long two-handed staves. Armor sets also display a weird shader effect and look like plastic in-game.
- Cosmetic sets incomplete and mismatched (weight 0.36): The Dragon Knight cosmetic set has too few parts and items do not match in-game items, resulting in a mismatched appearance. Weapons for mage and dragon commander outfits are also not included in the DLC.
- One-shot mechanics for hardcore players (weight 0.36): The update and DLC added one-shot and dodge mechanics similar to Path of Exile, making the game designed for hardcore players only. Even a defense-focused Werewolf gets one-shot by bosses and mobs.
- DLC usage unclear to players (weight 0.3): There is no explanation of who to talk to in-game to utilize the loyalist pack. Players cannot figure out how to equip purchased items, and right-clicking does not open the item in inventory.
- No benefit over base game (weight 0.29): Buying two versions of the DLC shows no difference from the base game, providing no effect on gameplay and no benefit beyond in-game visual effects. Players find this meaningless.
- Pet is useless (weight 0.29): The Crate pet looks bad and is not used when hunting, doing nothing in gameplay. The small wooden box pet is also deemed useless and is just for companionship.
- Elemental damage underpowered (weight 0.26): Some mobs are almost completely immune to elemental damage, making physical damage the only viable path for higher level gameplay. Melee classes are also overpowered compared to casters.
- DLC unlocks already on disk (weight 0.23): Players report that the DLC content was already present on the hard drive and simply locked behind a paywall. This is reinforced by the perception that recent game updates are locked content requiring additional payment.
- Staff not as advertised (weight 0.22): The staff weapon is a secondary weapon and is held horizontally, not as shown in the promotional images. Staff pictures are misleading, making the item appear much more substantial than it actually is.
- Cosmetic items require in-game currency (weight 0.22): Purchased outfits require in-game currency to use for transmogrification, forcing players to spend in-game money to change appearance. This competes with in-game item purchases and feels like an additional cost on top of the DLC price.
- Cloud storage caused lost items (weight 0.22): A cloud storage issue caused the public stash to lose items, including the three transmog sets from this DLC. Support did not respond to requests for help regarding the lost content.
- Game is pay-to-win (weight 0.22): The game has pay-to-win microtransactions, with one reviewer feeling forced to pay to prevent a nerf to Phantasmal Blades. This suggests that payments can influence game balance.
- Technical issues and crashes (weight 0.21): The game crashes, and the DLC initially did not work due to a Steam download failure. These technical problems prevent players from accessing or enjoying the purchased content.
- Item goes to wrong collection (weight 0.13): If Ashes of Malmouth is owned, purchased items go to the Illusionist collection instead of the inventory, which may cause confusion. This technical nuance is not explained to the player.
- Missing class-specific skins (weight 0.12): When playing a nightblade rogue, there were no skins for the leather class. This limits the DLC's cosmetic options for certain character classes.
- Developer behaves inappropriately (weight 0.12): A developer behaves inappropriately toward players on forums. This negative community interaction affects the perception of the DLC and the game.

Gameplay feedback:
- Action RPG with Diablo comparison (weight 0.46): The game is described as an action RPG similar to Diablo, with classic ARPG gameplay. This positions it within the well-known hack-and-slash genre.
- Diverse character builds (weight 0.39): The game features a large variety of builds, including melee, caster, and pet summoner archetypes, with elemental and physical damage types. This offers deep character customization.
- Transmog and cosmetic systems (weight 0.38): The game offers various cosmetic systems including appearance changes, armor illusions, and transmog sets. This allows players to customize their characters' looks.
- Inventory and stash management (weight 0.3): The game includes inventory and stash management systems, with cloud storage for the public stash. This is a core feature for item management in ARPGs.
- Extensive DLC content (weight 0.29): DLCs like Malmouth add new zones, story, features, classes, and transmog sets. This expands the game's content and replayability.
- Active development and community (weight 0.13): Developers listen to community feedback and provide regular updates. This indicates a supportive development team that values player input.
- Unique abilities and skills (weight 0.12): The game includes specific abilities like Phantasmal Blades and offers a wide range of skills. This adds tactical depth to combat.
- Optional companion utilities (weight 0.12): Players can use third-party tools like rainbow loot, Grim Internals, and GrimTool website to enhance their experience. This shows an active modding community.
- In-game microtransactions (weight 0.11): The game includes microtransactions, which may affect player perception. However, it is not a major focus in the feedback.

Performance notes:
- Cosmetic look drops frame rate (weight 0.14): Applying a cosmetic appearance causes a significant frame rate drop, impacting gameplay performance.
- Cloud storage loses items (weight 0.14): A cloud storage issue resulted in the loss of player items, indicating a data synchronization problem.
- Game crashes frequently (weight 0.14): The game crashes, leading to interruptions and frustration for players.
- DLC fails due to Steam (weight 0.12): The DLC was not working because of a Steam download issue, not a problem with the game itself.

Recommendations:
- Worth buying to support developers (weight 0.89): Many reviews recommend purchasing the cosmetic pack to support the developers, citing the positive intent behind the purchase. Specific clusters highlight the desire to support Crate Entertainment and acknowledge the value of backing the studio.
- Recommended for cosmetic value (weight 0.51): The cosmetic illusion sets are considered worthwhile, with reviewers specifically recommending the purchase for the visual items. The value is measured in enjoyment and cosmetic appeal rather than damage output.
- Fun and worthwhile purchase (weight 0.26): Multiple reviews express that the pack is worth buying based on enjoyment and overall recommendation, with some giving it a 10/10. The positive sentiment is driven by the fun factor and support for the studio.
- Not for damage-focused players (weight 0.13): The pack is not suitable for players who only care about damage output, as it is primarily cosmetic. This feedback indicates the pack lacks gameplay-enhancing stats and is targeted at a specific audience.
- High-quality game and sale increase value (weight 0.12): One review mentions the DLC is worth buying because it is for a high-quality game and is on sale, making the purchase more justifiable. This points to pricing and game quality as factors influencing the recommendation.
- Recommended for Diablo-type fans (weight 0.12): The pack is highly recommended for fans of Diablo-like games, indicating its appeal to players who enjoy action RPGs. This suggests the content fits well within the genre's expectations.
- Consider waiting for a sale (weight 0.12): Some reviewers suggest waiting for a sale before purchasing, implying the regular price may not be justified. This highlights a common hesitation among players regarding the cost-benefit ratio.
- Buy to support, not for skins (weight 0.12): One review explicitly states to buy the pack to support development, not for the skins themselves. This suggests the cosmetics may not be a primary draw and that the purchase is more of a donation.
- Companion cube adds appeal (weight 0.11): One review recommends buying the game because it includes a companion cube, adding a fun and nostalgic element for some players. This unique feature may attract fans of the reference.
- Better-looking items exist elsewhere (weight 0.11): A review notes that while it's okay to buy to support the game, better-looking items can be found in other places. This indicates the cosmetics might not be top-tier compared to alternatives.

Other player notes:
- Purchases support developers (weight 0.66): Many players buy the Loyalist Packs or DLC specifically to financially support the developers and the game's continued development. This is seen as a positive way to contribute.
- Developers provide ongoing support (weight 0.59): Multiple reviews praise the developers for constantly updating and improving the game even years after release. This consistent support is highly valued by the community.
- Items claimed from Lancel (weight 0.53): Loyalist Item Pack items and transmog are claimed from the NPC Lancel the Knight outside Devil's Crossing gates. Players must interact with this NPC to receive the content.
- Developer communication is praised (weight 0.51): The developers are active on forums, streams, and through the Grim Misadventures series, listening to community feedback and explaining balance changes. This transparency builds trust.
- DLC includes cosmetic transmogs (weight 0.45): The DLC provides cosmetic outfits and transmog items, allowing players to alter their appearance without stat changes. The content is purely cosmetic.
- Good value compared to other games (weight 0.43): Reviewers note Grim Dawn offers better value than many AAA titles, including Diablo 4 and Path of Exile, in terms of content, pricing, and class options.
- Developer team is small but passionate (weight 0.28): The developers are a small team, but their passion is evident in their continuous support and engagement with the community, including adding requested features.
- Reviews express support for development (weight 0.26): Many reviews are written explicitly as support for the developers' work, praising their update practices and comparing them favorably to other companies.
- Concerns about DLC amount (weight 0.22): One reviewer expresses concern about the amount of DLC being released, while another requests the developers never stop making content.
- No pay-to-win elements (weight 0.22): The game is praised for not having microtransactions, and the DLC is purely cosmetic without stat bonuses, contrasting with other titles that are considered cash-grabs.
- Content rich and varied (weight 0.22): The game offers a large amount of content with many builds to try, and the expansions are sold at generous prices with frequent updates.
- Loyalist packs are small (weight 0.21): The Loyalist Packs contain a small set of cosmetic items and 10 skins, intended mainly as a way to support the developers rather than provide extensive content.
- DLC requires prior ownership (weight 0.21): The transmog DLC is only functional for players who own the Ashes of Malmouth expansion, as items are added to the Illusionist collection for those owners.
- Cosmetic claim process detailed (weight 0.2): Players must talk to a specific NPC at the gate and listen to his story to claim the transmog pack. Each transmog has a specific dialogue option.
- Specific cosmetic sets added (weight 0.2): Two additional sets were added that bring out an inner mage and inner Viking, and the Grand Wolf set is compared to a character from Dark Souls.
- No free transmog options (weight 0.18): The outfit pack is cosmetic but does not provide free transmog; alternative ways to alter appearance exist in-game, but the DLC is not one of them.
- Claiming items has quirks (weight 0.18): Some items, like the staff, are held as secondary weapons, and the blue orb from Loyalist Pack 1 does not light up the dark as advertised.
- Game lacks certain features (weight 0.18): The game does not allow changing the language, and the reviewer notes the absence of a free stash tab that could be unlocked with DLC purchases.
- Game has companion utilities (weight 0.11): The game can be enhanced with community tools like rainbow loot, Grim Internals, and GrimTool, adding to the player experience.
- Potential for marketing model (weight 0.1): A reviewer imagines a future marketing model that includes selling stash space and cosmetics, releasing new mechanics multiple times a year.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.12): Players experience frustration due to unclear instructions for using the loyalist pack, items not loading into the game, and bugs like frame rate drops when applying cosmetics. Additionally, technical issues such as cloud storage loss and DLC failures compound the problem, while some players are upset by pay-to-win mechanics and class balance problems.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.11): Satisfaction arises from the high quality and visual coherence of cosmetic sets like the Dark Wizard and Grand Wolf, which meet players' expectations. The developers' responsiveness to community requests, such as adding a requested wizard armor variant, also contributes to a positive experience. The game's depth and the enjoyment of mixing outfits further enhance satisfaction.
- Appreciation (weight 0.1): Players appreciate the developers' continuous support, free updates, and fair pricing without microtransactions. The beautiful classic fantasy style and the chance to support the developers are valued. The developers' attention to detail and implementation of player-requested features foster a sense of appreciation.
- Admiration (weight 0.1): Admiration is driven by the game being considered one of the best ARPGs ever, with exceptional armor designs like the Dragon General and Great Wolf sets. The developers' excellent communication and work are highly praised. Players regard the game as a masterpiece in the genre, even comparing it favorably across decades of gaming experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): Disappointment stems from the high price of cosmetic items that offer no practical benefits and misleading promotional images. Players are also let down by the need to spend in-game currency despite paying real money, unmet support requests, and content that feels minimal or mismatched. Character appearance issues, such as excessive bulkiness on male characters, also contribute.
- Confusion (weight 0.07): Confusion arises from the inability to use or find purchased DLC content, despite it showing as downloaded. Players are unsure how to equip items and where to change appearances, and some bought two versions with no clear difference. The lack of clarity about required previous DLC adds to the confusion.
- Love (weight 0.06): Love for the game and developers is expressed due to active engagement on forums and responsive community interaction. The deep enjoyment and appreciation for the game's quality and the developers' dedication foster a strong positive emotional connection.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement is fueled by the immediate visual impact of the DLC, making characters look like a 'level 100 God of War' even at low levels, and the availability of full armor illusions. Fun additions like a companion cube and new content generate anticipation for future parts.
- Gratitude (weight 0.04): Gratitude is expressed for the developers' support, generosity, and high content value. Players appreciate the love and passion poured into the game and the positive feedback loop from the community.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Annoyance is caused by the inability to change the game language, which hampers accessibility, and the persistent lack of inventory space that forces reliance on mods. Additionally, certain mobs' near-immunity to elemental damage restricts viable build options, frustrating players.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Hope is directed towards the future of the game, with wishes for continued development and success in upcoming projects.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement is derived from the humorous notion of 'dying beautifully in full armor,' highlighting the contrast between the stylish appearance and the game's challenging combat.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.01): Enjoyment is expressed through the game being described as an extremely addicting and fun ARPG experience, emphasizing its high entertainment value.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise is sparked by discovering new content like the colosseum, which was an unexpected and fun addition to the game.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Desire is expressed for more appearance DLCs and a new expansion, indicating players' wish for continued content and expansion of the game world.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.01): Dissatisfaction is caused by knight armor sets appearing plastic-like due to a strange shader effect, which detracts from their visual quality.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief is felt when the DLC finally started working after fixing a Steam download issue, resolving the previous problem.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia is triggered by the Grand Wolf set, which reminds the reviewer of Great Grey Wolf Sif from Dark Souls, evoking fond memories.
- Displeasure (weight 0.01): Displeasure arises from DLC content that is already on the hard drive but locked behind a paywall, creating a sense of unfairness.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy is experienced from following the development of the game, which has been a blast and a source of happiness.}