Info about Shady Part of Me:

Official game description:
**Shady Part of Me** sends you on an emotional and dream-like journey, with breathtaking artistic direction and the enthralling voice of Hannah Murray (Game of Thrones, Skins).  
As a little girl and her shadow, overcome emotional struggles through surreal dreamscapes across a touching narrative filled with twists and surprises. Both must learn, cooperate and evolve to progress in a poetic journey.  
*   Play with light and shadows, switching between 2D and 3D gameplay at will  
*   Your ability to rewind time will help you get you through all situations  
*   Explore surreal environments envisioned in a unique watercolor style  
*   Solve contemplative puzzles to break the dream  
*   Experience an introspective narrative journey like no other

Release date: Dec 10, 2020

Categories: Puzzle Solving, Platformer, 2D Platformer, Atmospheric Horror, Narrative Adventure, Character Switching Mechanics, Light and Shadow Mechanics, Time Manipulation

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Needs Improvement in Instructional Data; summary: The game generally receives positive feedback for its puzzles and atmosphere. However, there is a significant reliance on external guides for completing certain puzzles and understanding the game's storyline, which points to a need for better in-game instructional data.
- Steam Deck: score 10; verdict: Seamless; summary: The game performs well on the Steam Deck with good battery life and smooth gameplay. It is compatible with Proton, allowing Linux users to play without issues. The game supports multiple languages and has a user-friendly control scheme, enhancing the overall user experience.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


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:
- Well-designed and enjoyable puzzles (weight 0.83): The game features a variety of puzzles that are well-designed, innovative, and enjoyable. Players appreciate the balance of difficulty, creativity, and the intellectual stimulation provided by the puzzles.
- Engaging and creative storyline (weight 0.59): The game's storyline is praised for being deep, emotional, and thought-provoking. It intertwines visual artistry with introspective storytelling, creating a captivating and immersive experience.
- Unique and appealing art style (weight 0.5): The game's art style is highly appreciated for its uniqueness, beauty, and calming effect. It features a hand-drawn, dream-like visual style that enhances the overall gaming experience.
- Excellent voice acting and music (weight 0.44): The voice acting and music in the game are frequently commended for their high quality and emotional impact. They contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere and narrative.
- Atmospheric and immersive (weight 0.31): The game excels in creating a unique and convincing atmosphere that draws players in. The combination of visuals, music, and narrative contributes to this immersive experience.
- Innovative level design (weight 0.24): The game's level design is noted for its cleverness, impressiveness, and innovation. It effectively combines 2D and 3D elements, providing a unique and enjoyable experience.
- Fun and enjoyable platformer (weight 0.15): The game is praised as a fun and enjoyable platformer. It offers a mix of puzzle-solving and platforming that players find engaging and entertaining.
- Helpful rewind mechanic (weight 0.1): The rewind mechanic in the game is appreciated for allowing players to experiment and learn from their mistakes. It reduces frustration and enhances the overall gaming experience.
- Creative use of light and shadow (weight 0.1): The game features a unique and creative use of light and shadow mechanics in its puzzles. This mechanic is highlighted as one of the game's standout features.

Common complaints:
- Story is confusing (weight 0.55): The story is frequently criticized for being confusing, unclear, and difficult to understand. Many players find the narrative fragmented and lacking a satisfying resolution.
- First chapter is boring (weight 0.4): The first chapter of the game is often described as boring and monotonous. Players find the gameplay repetitive, involving mostly running, jumping, and simple puzzles without much variation or new mechanics.
- Puzzles are repetitive (weight 0.3): Puzzles in the game are often seen as repetitive and lacking variety. Some players find them too easy, while others find them too difficult, leading to frustration and boredom.
- Voice acting is annoying (weight 0.23): The voice acting, particularly for the child character, is often described as annoying and poorly executed. Some players find the voices irritating and off-putting.
- Game is too short (weight 0.22): The game is criticized for being too short, with a playtime of around 3-6 hours. Players feel that the game ends too quickly and lacks depth.
- Collecting origami is tedious (weight 0.19): Collecting origami birds in the game can be frustrating and tedious. Players find the process unrewarding and difficult, especially during the first playthrough.
- Lack of main menu (weight 0.06): The game is criticized for lacking a main menu and in-game hints, which can make navigation and gameplay more difficult.

Gameplay feedback:
- 2D and 3D puzzle interaction (weight 0.53): The game features a unique puzzle-solving mechanic where players switch between 2D and 3D environments. Players control a character in a 3D world and her shadow in a 2D plane, using their interactions to solve puzzles.
- Light and shadow mechanics (weight 0.33): The game heavily utilizes light and shadow mechanics. Players manipulate light and shadows to solve puzzles, with the shadow character having unique abilities that complement the main character.
- Character switching mechanics (weight 0.25): Players switch between controlling the main character and her shadow. Each character has different abilities and interacts with the environment differently, adding depth to the puzzle-solving experience.
- Puzzle difficulty and variety (weight 0.18): The puzzles range from simple to moderately challenging, with some repetition. They are designed to be diverse and fun, though some players may find certain puzzles too difficult.
- Collecting paper cranes (weight 0.13): Collecting paper cranes is a part of the gameplay, adding an element of exploration and collection. These cranes are optional collectibles that add challenge and depth to the game.
- Game length and structure (weight 0.11): The game can be completed in about 5 to 6 hours, with additional time required for full completion. It is divided into five parts, each introducing new mechanics and divided into chapters or sections.
- Atmospheric casual game (weight 0.07): The game offers an atmospheric experience with a casual gameplay style. It combines puzzle-solving with a relaxing and engaging atmosphere.

Performance notes:
- Smooth performance on various platforms (weight 0.13): The game runs smoothly on different platforms including Linux, Steam Deck, and high-end hardware. Multiple players reported a seamless experience without performance issues.
- Few bugs or issues (weight 0.06): Many players reported experiencing no bugs or issues while playing the game. This indicates a stable and well-optimized game.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for puzzle lovers (weight 0.27): The game is highly recommended for those who enjoy puzzle games, especially those that involve shadows as the main puzzle element. It is praised for its mechanical puzzle platforming and is often compared to games like Little Nightmares, Limbo, and Inside.
- Highly recommended game (weight 0.2): Many users highly recommend the game, stating it is worth the price and a solid recommendation for purchase.
- Worth buying on sale (weight 0.15): Several users suggest buying the game when it is on sale, indicating that it might be a bit pricey at full cost but worth it at a discount.
- Short and relaxing experience (weight 0.14): The game is recommended for those looking for a short and relaxing experience. It is described as a calm and reflective gameplay experience.
- Recommended for atmospheric games (weight 0.14): The game is recommended for those who enjoy atmospheric and artistic games. It is described as a moving and artistically ambitious piece of interactive storytelling.
- Emotional and thoughtful storytelling (weight 0.12): The game is praised for its emotional awareness and meaningful storytelling. It is perfect for those who enjoy sensitive and thoughtful gameplay.
- Recommended for fans of specific games (weight 0.11): The game is recommended for fans of specific games like Little Nightmares, Limbo, and Inside. It is praised for its unique and inspiring story.
- Not for action seekers (weight 0.05): The game is not recommended for those seeking difficult challenges and frenetic action. It is more suited for patient puzzle lovers.
- Controller recommended (weight 0.04): Some users recommend playing the game with a controller for a better experience.
- Worth for immersion experience (weight 0.03): The game is worth it for those seeking a pure immersion experience. It is described as a thoughtful and unforgettable experience.

Other player notes:
- Relaxing mental health journey (weight 0.03): Players found the game to be a relaxing experience that positively impacted their mental health.

Emotions:
- Joy (weight 0.31): Players experience joy due to the game's beautiful and dream-like visuals, charming level design, and engaging puzzles. The combination of outstanding art, creative use of light and shadow mechanics, and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack creates an emotionally impactful and enjoyable gameplay experience.
- Frustration (weight 0.08): Frustration arises from the game's confusing story, poorly explained mechanics, and difficult puzzles. Players also report irritation with the voice acting, unclear narrative, and the difficulty in collecting certain items, leading to a disruptive and unsatisfying experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.05): Enjoyment is derived from the game's unique and engaging puzzle mechanics, beautiful visuals, and atmospheric music. The combination of a relaxing atmosphere, solid gameplay mechanics, and an emotional journey keeps players engaged and entertained.
- Anger (weight 0.05): Anger is primarily caused by the game's rushed and unsatisfying ending, as well as a weak and confusing storyline. Players also express frustration with poorly explained mechanics and occasional confusion in gameplay, leading to a sense of wasted potential.
- Disappointment (weight 0.04): Disappointment stems from the game's vague and abstract story, lack of emotional connection, and unsatisfying ending. Players also find the repetitive puzzles and narrative, along with minimal and unsatisfying voice acting, contributing to an overall disappointing experience.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): Players admire the game's clever puzzles, overall aesthetic, and excellent music and art. The game's design, storytelling, and creative use of light and shadow mechanics are also highly appreciated, contributing to a positive and admiring sentiment.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Confusion is mainly due to the game's unclear and fragmented narrative, which leaves players struggling to understand the story. The confusing storyline and incomprehensible monologues add to the overall bewilderment.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.03): Satisfaction comes from the game's well-designed puzzles, beautiful integration of mechanics, and the ability to 100% complete the game. Players also appreciate the appealing art style, sound design, and healing storyline.
- Empathy (weight 0.02): Empathy is felt towards the main character's journey of self-acceptance and struggles with mental health issues. The game's exploration of themes such as anxiety, isolation, and self-acceptance resonates deeply with players.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciate the game's artistic visuals, unique level design, and the integration of music with the puzzle-solving process. The overall aesthetic and creative mechanics contribute to a sense of admiration and enjoyment.
- Disappointment (weight 0.02): Disappointment is caused by the game's lackluster ending and the impact of collectibles on the overall gameplay experience. Players feel let down by the less refined aspects of the game.
- Positive (weight 0.01): Positive feelings arise from the game's breathtaking visual style, engaging puzzles, and enjoyable music. The combination of art, music, and level design creates a highly appealing and positive experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.01): Satisfaction is derived from the game's excellent puzzle design, stunning visuals, and beautiful music. The focused and poetic therapeutic themes, along with a particularly beautiful song in Act 3, contribute to a satisfying experience.
- Engaged (weight 0.01): Players feel engaged due to the game's immersive puzzles, unique atmosphere, and emotional narrative. The challenging puzzles and atmospheric music keep players deeply involved in the gameplay.
- Curiosity (weight 0.01): Curiosity is piqued by the game's psychological context, unique gameplay mechanics, and intriguing narrative. Players are drawn to the game's puzzles and the overall story, sparking their interest and curiosity.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom sets in due to the monotony of the color palette and repetitive gameplay. Players find the game overall boring, leading to a lack of engagement and interest.
- Negative (weight 0.01): Negative feelings are associated with certain acts of the game being torturous to go through, discomfort with themes and voice acting, and an art style that causes discomfort. These aspects contribute to an overall negative experience.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players are pleasantly surprised by the game's varied mechanics, beautiful visuals, and efficient switching between 2D and 3D. The inclusion of unexpected nice mechanics adds to the sense of surprise and delight.
- Interest (weight 0.01): Interest is generated by the game's plot, mechanics, and psychological exploration. The unique design and engaging storyline keep players interested and invested in the game.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom is caused by the game's extremely boring and dragging story, as well as the repetitive nature of the puzzles. The monotonous atmosphere and gentleman's voice contribute to a tedious and unengaging experience.}