Info about Eldest Souls:

Official game description:
Depths of the Forgotten - FREE EXPANSION
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Eldest Souls now includes ‘Depths of the Forgotten’: a free, major expansion which introduces a new and perilous region, three new bosses, a selection of special weapons, a weapon customisation system, and an all-new, obliterating ability.  
Entrenched within the very bowels of existence, far removed from the moon’s pale radiance, rots an ancient abyss: The Forgotten Depths. It is as these unfathomable reaches, that Eksyll caged those that no longer served his abysmal purpose; a general with naught to command; an heir of crippling malcontent; and a King, consumed with the elongation of his own hollow existence. The very world, and all within it, had long forgotten these forlorn souls, until now…  
Step forth into the void once more, brave warrior. For the deepest depths are calling, and froth with the bitterest vengeance.
About the Game
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Following centuries of servitude, Man finally rebelled against the Old Gods, imprisoning these colossal calamities within the sacred walls of the Citadel.  
But an evil stirred within...  
In a final act of vengeance, the Old Gods have unleashed a great Desolation upon the world. Mankind is fading, with but a glimmer of hope remaining.  
Heavy is the burden that lies on one lone Warrior. Armed with a greatsword… of the purest Obsydian.
**Challenging Combat**
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Fast-paced and challenging souls-like combat awaits, where every moment counts. Yet fortune favors the bold, and defeating the Old Gods may grant the player powers beyond mortal comprehension.  
**Boss Brutality**
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Eldest Souls focuses on the toughest and most engaging of combat encounters - the Bosses! - with each Old God presenting a new and unique challenge for the player to overcome… with fitting rewards for those who triumph!  
**An Ancient Kingdom**
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As you explore the labyrinthine passages, in search of the Old Gods, you’ll encounter intriguing NPCs, compelling questlines, and a series of dark and ominous mysteries. Slowly uncover the truth behind the Old Gods and their agelong imprisonment...  
**Pixel Perfection**
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Bask in the pixel perfection of the consecrated Citadel, dripping in gorgeous 16-bit attention-to-detail. But don’t gaze too long. This monument of Human triumph has long been forgotten, and something dark has taken root deep within.  
**Your Build. Your Rules.**
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Every encounter with the Old Gods presents its own unique challenge… and rewards. Claim their celestial powers to unlock a vast array of unique Talents and Abilities, ready to customize your own combat style from a multitude of combinations.  
**
FEATURES:
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**  
*   Battle your way through a series of uniquely challenging combat encounters.  
*   Discover a cast of intriguing NPCs and questlines as you explore the ancient Citadel.  
*   Unearth the mystery of the Old Gods, before total devastation befalls the World.  
*   Bask in the glorious pixel-perfect graphic style, dripping in gorgeous attention-to-detail.  
*   Your Build. Your Rules. Customize your own combat style from a multitude of ability combinations.

Release date: Jul 29, 2021

Categories: Soulslike Combat, Boss Rush, Character Progression, Pixel Art Style, Action RPG, Single-player, Challenging Combat, New Game+

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant issues with controller responsiveness and game stability on the Steam Deck. Multiple users have reported delayed or unresponsive controls, which severely impact the gameplay experience. Additionally, there are reports of crashes and problems with customizing controls, further detracting from the user experience. While there is some positive feedback, the prevalent issues suggest a need for improvements in these areas.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $2.00 - $6.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that users find the game worth purchasing only when it is heavily discounted, often mentioning a 90% discount. One user explicitly states the game might be worth $5-6, indicating the higher end of the perceived fair price range. Multiple reviews emphasize that the game is only worth buying at a significant discount, suggesting that the community considers the base price too high. The repeated mention of 90% discounts implies that the fair price is around 10% of the current base price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 8.0h
  - Story completion: 4.0h
  - Session length: 2.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides several direct references to playtime metrics. The first quote mentions a full playthrough and a New Game Plus playthrough taking a total of 8 hours, which can be interpreted as the game completion time. The second quote indicates that a significant portion of the game (4 bosses) was completed before switching strategies, suggesting a session length of a few hours. The third quote mentions clearing the game in under four hours, which aligns with the story completion time. The fourth quote, while not providing a specific time, implies that the game can be completed in a relatively short period, supporting the idea of shorter session lengths.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has a steep learning curve and initial frustration, but it becomes fun once players understand the mechanics and progression systems, particularly around boss fights and skill customization.
  - Stance: Fun after initial frustration
  - Anchor: Understanding the mechanics and progression systems
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: steep learning curve; high difficulty; repetitive combat; tedious boss fights
  - Unlock drivers: progression system; skill trees; boss shards
  - Conditions: challenge; sense of progression; customization options; boss fights
- Player Archetypes:
  - Mechanics Enthusiast (sale)
    - Motivation: Appreciation for well-designed game mechanics and control flexibility.
    - Playstyle: Experiments with different control schemes and playstyles.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: veteran gamer; mechanics enthusiast
    - Reference games: Dark Souls; Hollow Knight
  - Challenge Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of challenging and intense boss fights.
    - Playstyle: Adapts strategies to overcome difficult boss encounters.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: challenge seeker; boss rush enthusiast
    - Reference games: Dark Souls; Furi
  - Aesthetic Appreciator (sale)
    - Motivation: Appreciation for the game's art style and aesthetic presentation.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys the visual and auditory aspects of the game.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: art enthusiast; aesthetic appreciator
    - Reference games: Hollow Knight
  - Souls-Like Fan (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of games similar to the Souls series.
    - Playstyle: Seeks out and enjoys games with similar mechanics and challenges to the Souls series.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Souls-like fan; genre enthusiast
    - Reference games: Dark Souls; Hollow Knight


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:
- Beautiful pixel art style (weight 0.27): The game features a visually appealing and beautiful pixel art style that players consistently praise. The detailed and timeless graphics contribute significantly to the overall aesthetic.
- Enjoyable and fun gameplay (weight 0.2): The gameplay is described as very fun and enjoyable, with a good combat system that keeps players engaged. The overall experience is pleasant despite some challenges.
- Interesting skill trees (weight 0.11): The skill trees are described as interesting and well-designed, providing different playstyles and adding to the game's replayability.
- Good value for money (weight 0.08): Players feel that the game is worth the price, offering a satisfying experience and good value for money, especially for fans of the genre.
- Replayability through different styles (weight 0.07): The game offers replayability through different fighting styles and skill trees, encouraging players to try multiple playthroughs.
- Excellent soundtrack (weight 0.06): The game's soundtrack is highly praised for being well-made and perfect, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
- Satisfying difficulty balance (weight 0.05): The game's difficulty is noted as being appropriate and satisfying, offering a good challenge without being overly frustrating.
- Sense of progression and achievement (weight 0.04): Players feel a sense of accomplishment and progression as they advance through the game, adding to the overall satisfaction.
- Intriguing story and concept (weight 0.04): The game features an interesting story and concept that players find intriguing, contributing to the overall appeal.
- Incredible world building (weight 0.04): The game is praised for its incredible world building and setting, which enhances the overall gaming experience.

Common complaints:
- Unfair and frustrating boss fights (weight 0.61): Many players find the boss fights to be unfair and frustrating due to various reasons such as excessive difficulty, unpredictable attack patterns, and poor hitboxes. Bosses are often seen as overpowered with too much health and damage output, leading to a lack of enjoyment.
- Clunky and unresponsive combat (weight 0.42): The combat system is criticized for being clunky, slow, and unresponsive. Players report issues with movement, dodging mechanics, and overall combat feedback, making the gameplay less enjoyable.
- Poor game balance and design (weight 0.29): Players report issues with game balance, including inconsistent difficulty and artificial challenges that lead to wasted time. The game design is seen as lacking clarity and explanations, particularly for boss mechanics.
- Limited game content (weight 0.22): The game is criticized for its limited content, including a lack of regular enemies, exploration, and variety in weapons and attacks. The game's length is also considered short, leading to replayability issues.
- Price does not match content (weight 0.05): Many players feel that the game is not worth its current price due to the limited content and short gameplay duration. The value proposition is seen as poor, with the game being too short for its price.

Gameplay feedback:
- Skill trees and character development (weight 0.16): Players can develop their characters through skill trees and build customization. The progression system includes skill trees with different abilities and branches.
- Dodging and movement mechanics (weight 0.14): The game features dodging mechanics that are limited and require strategic use. Movement and collision mechanics, including dash mechanics, are also important aspects of the gameplay.
- Unique combat styles (weight 0.12): The game offers various fighting styles and unique combat styles, with three different fighting styles that have their own unique skill trees.
- Souls-like difficulty (weight 0.12): The game has a high difficulty level similar to the Dark Souls series, with mechanics and progression that are reminiscent of Souls-like games.
- Charged attacks for damage and healing (weight 0.1): Players can use charged attacks for both dealing damage and healing. These mechanics are tied to the health system and are crucial for combat.
- Boss hitboxes and design (weight 0.09): The game features boss battles with specific hitboxes and design elements that can affect gameplay, including 2D-3D boss fights and particle systems.
- Story-driven gameplay (weight 0.09): The game features story-driven gameplay with a focus on narrative and character interactions. The gameplay design includes RNG-based elements and multiple endings.
- Boss rush gameplay (weight 0.08): The game is a boss rush-style game where players fight through a series of boss battles. This includes top-down and casual boss rush modes.
- New Game+ mode (weight 0.08): The game includes a New Game+ mode that offers additional challenges and content, such as new boss move sets and abilities.
- Skill upgrades from bosses (weight 0.05): Players can obtain skill upgrades and new abilities by defeating bosses, which enhances character progression.
- Different abilities and classes (weight 0.04): The game offers different abilities and character classes with unique skills. However, some abilities may have issues that need to be addressed.
- Life-steal mechanic (weight 0.04): The game features a life-steal mechanic that allows players to regain health through specific actions or abilities.
- Item collection (weight 0.04): The game includes item collection mechanics, with various collectibles and item drops that players can gather.

Performance notes:
- Various bugs affecting gameplay (weight 0.09): Players encounter several bugs, including issues with audio, character freezing, mouse cursor problems in windowed mode, and specific bugs with poison circles and water fountains.
- Performance varies by setup (weight 0.06): While some players experience stable performance and successful optimization, others report poor performance. The game's performance seems to vary widely depending on the setup.
- Frequent crashes and stability issues (weight 0.05): Players report various stability problems, including crashes, blue screen errors, and forced closures. These issues significantly impact the gaming experience.
- Compatibility with Steam Deck (weight 0.04): The game plays well on Steam Deck, indicating good compatibility with this platform. This is a positive note for players using Steam Deck.
- Input and camera issues (weight 0.04): There are reports of input lag and camera movement bugs, which can affect the overall control and visual experience of the game.
- Controller navigation bug (weight 0.02): Some players have experienced bugs with controller menu navigation, which can hinder the user interface experience.

Recommendations:
- Buy on discount (weight 0.21): Many players recommend purchasing the game only when it is available at a significant discount, suggesting that the full price may not be justified.
- Recommended for boss rush fans (weight 0.1): The game is highly recommended for fans of boss rush games and those who enjoy challenging boss fights, similar to Souls-like games.
- Challenging gameplay experience (weight 0.06): The game is recommended for players who enjoy challenging games and want to test their skills and patience.
- Recommend for fans of genre (weight 0.06): The game is recommended for fans of the genre, especially those who enjoy Souls-like games and challenging boss fights.
- Not recommended for impatient players (weight 0.04): Players who are easily frustrated or impatient may find the game disappointing due to its challenging nature.
- Gameplay tips and strategies (weight 0.03): Players recommend using specific strategies such as shield counters and parrying to enhance the gameplay experience.
- Worth trying despite bugs (weight 0.02): Some players suggest that the game is worth playing despite the presence of bugs, indicating that the overall experience is still enjoyable.
- Language settings advice (weight 0.02): It is suggested to change the language settings before starting the game to ensure a better gaming experience.
- Desire for a sequel (weight 0.02): Some players express a desire for a sequel with longer gameplay, indicating that they enjoyed the game but wanted more content.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.4): Players are frustrated primarily due to the game's high difficulty, which is exacerbated by various gameplay mechanics and design issues. Specific causes include unfair boss fights, clunky combat mechanics, hitbox problems, and a lack of clear explanations for game mechanics. Additionally, issues such as slow character movement, input lag, and repetitive boss fights contribute to the frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.15): Players enjoy the game's unique and challenging boss fights, which require learning and mastery. The gameplay is described as fun and engaging, with a satisfying sense of achievement. The pixel art style, soundtrack, and overall game quality also contribute to the enjoyment.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.14): Players feel satisfied with the game's challenging yet fair difficulty, which provides a sense of achievement upon overcoming obstacles. The game's beautiful graphics, enjoyable combat mechanics, and overall high quality contribute to this satisfaction. Many players also feel that the game offers good value for its price.
- Disappointment (weight 0.11): Players express disappointment due to the game's lack of depth, repetitive gameplay, and short length. The game's high difficulty and lack of meaningful content or exploration also contribute to this feeling. Additionally, some players find the combat system unenjoyable and the game's overall design lacking.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Players are excited about the game's unique boss mechanics, varied build options, and intense gameplay. The challenging combat mechanics and high replayability also contribute to this excitement. The immersive story and universe, as well as the different combat styles, add to the overall thrill.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Players feel anger due to game bugs preventing progression, frustrating gameplay mechanics, and poor combat mechanics. Issues with game design, such as small boss battle maps and lack of explanations for mechanics, also contribute to this anger. Some players also express anger over the game's price and poor production quality.
- Frustrated (weight 0.02): Players feel frustrated due to the game's high difficulty, lack of upgrade opportunities, and issues with game mechanics and controls. Bugs and mistakes in gameplay also contribute to this frustration.
- Challenge (weight 0.01): Players feel challenged by the game's high difficulty and specific achievements. The competitive aspect of trying to beat friends' scores also adds to this sense of challenge.
- Excited (weight 0.01): Players are excited about the game's quality and mechanics, as well as its positive comparison to other games. The prospect of exploring the second playthrough also contributes to this excitement.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Players experience boredom due to the repetitive nature of boss battles and a lack of variety in gameplay. The repetitive boss fights contribute to a sense of monotony.}