Info about GRIME:

Official game description:
**Parting Shade** - Face the grueling platforming challenges of the Abandoned Opus, a new Area which lies at the top of the Weeping Cavity.
**Tinge of Terror** - NG+ Mode added, along with Major modifications to existing Bosses, and an entirely New Boss, Music & Weapons.
**Colors of Rot** - Explore Childbed, a massive new interconnected Area. As well as 3 New Bosses, New Music, New Abilities, New Weapons Traits and more.
**Feedback Patch** - New systems added: Armor stats & Respec. Additional Nervepasses & Weapons. Removed Missables, re-balancing and more.
Destroy... Absorb... Grow... GRIME is a fast and unforgiving Action-Adventure RPG in which you crush your foes with living weapons that mutate form and function, and then consume their remains with a black hole to strengthen your vessel as you break apart a world of anatomical horror and intrigue.
An unusual material collapses in on itself, the world shudders and contracts, and suddenly you are squeezed into existence.
What awaits you is a world unknown, alien in its own familiarity, and you must survive what terrors you face. Explore your surreal surroundings, absorb the many enemies you encounter, and use their own traits against them as you let yourself become far more than you once were.
GRIME lets you play to your preference, upgrading only those traits you feel most suited to your unique style. You’ll find there is more than one way to break open an enemy as you move through a variety of evocative environments, meet their inhabitants, and discover the source of their madness.
• **Eye-Popping Surrealism -** Uncover mysterious secrets in weeping caves and face-covered deserts. Meet otherworldly characters in distinct civilizations across an organic, interconnected world - all rendered in unearthly 3D. Face foes born of the world itself, and swallow them whole.
• **Death-Defying Combat -** Punish enemies by parrying their attacks, smash them from the ground or even airborne, and absorb them to grow your strength as you wage war on a living world.
• **Living Weapons -** Seamlessly swap weapons made of living creatures that mutate form during combat, from clawing swords to centipede whips.
• **Unique Skill Progression -** Hunt down and absorb challenging monsters to improve your skills and bring true customization to your play style.
• **Challenge Menacing Bosses -**Defeat creatures dozens of times your size. Adapt to their strategies, withstand their assault, and consume them to gain game-changing abilities that affect both combat and traversal.
• **New Game Plus -** Old foes challenge you in new ways. Surpass your limits and upgrade weapons and traits with infinite progression. Find and fight a formidable secret boss.
• **Ever-Evolving Expansions -** Return to the depths of GRIME with 3 DLC expansions that mutate the world around you. New abilities, bosses, enemies, and undiscovered truths await you in this writhing, growing, desolate deathscape.

Release date: Aug 2, 2021

Categories: Metroidvania, Soulslike Combat, Action RPG, Exploration, Character Progression, Precision Platformer, Boss Fights, Non-linear Progression

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 10; verdict: Needs Improvement; summary: The analysis of user feedback for GRIME reveals significant issues with map navigation, hidden content, and game guidance. Users frequently express frustration with the game's unclear map, excessive hidden content, and lack of proper guidance, which negatively impacts their overall experience. Addressing these issues could greatly enhance user satisfaction and enjoyment of the game.
- Proton/Linux: score 30; verdict: Minor Tweaks; summary: The game generally runs well on Linux using Proton, with several users reporting no issues. However, there are notable performance problems on Steam Deck, with users experiencing poor performance and launch issues. These issues suggest that while the game is compatible with Linux, there may be significant friction on certain platforms like Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: score 75; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals several significant issues with the game on the Steam Deck. Stability issues, performance problems, battery drain, and compatibility issues are the primary concerns. These issues collectively degrade the user experience, making the game less enjoyable and more frustrating to play on the Steam Deck.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: Performance across the provided hardware cohorts is generally positive, with only isolated issues reported.
  - Sample size: 29 (3% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (positive, 6 reports): Generally stable performance with isolated issues reported.
  - Caveats: 29 of 955 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence indicates that users find the game worth its price, especially when purchased on sale. Multiple reviews mention that the game is worth buying at a discounted price, with specific mentions of around 10 euros being a good deal. Additionally, some users state that the game is worth even at full price, suggesting that the fair price range should be around the sale price but not exceeding the full price by much.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 30.0h
  - Story completion: 20.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: 18.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides direct statements about the time it took players to complete the game and achieve certain milestones. The first quote mentions 30 hours to finish the game without DLC and bonus modes, indicating a substantial playtime for game completion. The second quote specifies 20 hours for the first run and 38 hours for all achievements, suggesting a significant investment for full completion. The third quote mentions an additional 50 hours on a different platform, indicating extensive playtime. The fourth quote states 40 hours to achieve all goals, reinforcing the idea of a lengthy playtime for full completion.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts slow and requires players to master its parry system and unlock key abilities before it becomes rewarding and fun. The initial friction is overcome by the game's progression and combat mechanics, which become satisfying once understood.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Mastering the parry system and unlocking key abilities.
  - Time to anchor: 2h 0m
  - Friction: Complexity of the parry system; Lack of key movement abilities early on; Tedious minimap unlocking system; Slow pacing in the early game
  - Unlock drivers: Mastering the parry system; Unlocking new abilities and weapons; Understanding the game's progression and combat mechanics
  - Conditions: Committing to the game's pacing; Exploring and discovering hidden secrets; Adapting to the game's unique mechanics
- Player Archetypes:
  - Genre Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of challenging combat and exploration in a unique setting.
    - Playstyle: Explores thoroughly, engages in combat challenges, and appreciates the game's unique mechanics and setting.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Metroidvania fan; Souls-like fan
    - Reference games: Hollow Knight; Dark Souls; Blasphemous; Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
  - Cautious Challenger (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Seeking a balance between challenge and enjoyment, but often finding the game's difficulty and design choices frustrating.
    - Playstyle: Attempts to engage with the game's challenges but may give up due to perceived unfair mechanics or excessive difficulty.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: Challenger; Casual player
    - Reference games: Sekiro; Hollow Knight
  - Explorative Experimenter (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of the game's unique mechanics and setting, and the desire for a fresh experience within the Metroidvania genre.
    - Playstyle: Explores the game's mechanics and setting, appreciates the unique aspects, and is willing to overlook some flaws for the overall experience.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Metroidvania fan; Explorer
    - Reference games: Hollow Knight; Dark Souls


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:
- Excellent combat and platforming (weight 0.45): The combat and platforming mechanics are praised for being fair, consistent, and enjoyable, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- Well-designed boss fights (weight 0.36): The game features enjoyable and well-designed boss fights that are challenging yet fair, adding to the overall excitement and engagement.
- Unique and engaging art style (weight 0.31): The game's art style is frequently described as unique, dark, and visually powerful, contributing to its distinctive atmosphere.
- Smooth and addictive gameplay (weight 0.25): Players consistently highlight the game's smooth and addictive gameplay mechanics, which are well-polished and rewarding.
- Captivating atmosphere (weight 0.24): The game's atmosphere is noted for being unique, captivating, and well-complemented by its soundtrack and visuals.
- Detailed map design (weight 0.13): The game features a detailed and impressive map design, with large, non-linear worlds that are enjoyable to navigate.
- Absorb enemy mechanics (weight 0.1): A unique combat mechanic allows players to absorb enemies, gaining their powers and health, which adds a strategic layer to combat.
- Smooth performance (weight 0.09): The game runs smoothly with no performance issues, providing a flawless and enjoyable experience.
- Low death penalty (weight 0.09): The game is noted for having a low penalty for death, making it more forgiving and less frustrating for players.

Common complaints:
- Confusing map design (weight 0.29): The map design is often criticized for being difficult to understand, with many one-way paths and hidden routes not clearly shown. This leads to frustration and stress among players.
- Frustrating platforming sections (weight 0.22): Players find the platforming sections excessively difficult and frustrating, especially in hidden boss fights and certain areas. The platforming mechanics are often criticized for being poorly designed.
- Unpolished combat system (weight 0.21): The combat system is frequently described as boring, slow, clunky, and punishing. Players feel it lacks polish and is generally not enjoyable.
- Frustrating exploration (weight 0.18): Exploration is often frustrating due to poorly designed maps and frequent dead ends. Players find it confusing and annoying.
- Lack of weapon variety (weight 0.15): Weapons are often criticized for being too similar and lacking distinct characteristics. Many players find most weapons ineffective.
- Obscure and lacking story (weight 0.14): The story is often criticized for being cryptic, hard to understand, and lacking depth. Many players find it forgettable and incomprehensible.
- Controller and movement issues (weight 0.13): Players report issues with controller configuration, movement, and slow movement speed. This affects the overall gameplay experience negatively.
- Excessive backtracking (weight 0.12): Frequent backtracking is a common complaint, as it makes the game feel tedious and halts the pace of gameplay.
- High difficulty curve (weight 0.11): The game is often criticized for its high difficulty curve and sudden difficulty spikes, making it too challenging for many players.
- Bugs and glitches (weight 0.11): There are several reports of bugs and glitches, including instances where players get stuck in walls or corners.
- Early game blandness (weight 0.09): The early game is often described as bland and tough, with a slow start that takes too long to get going.
- Inconsistent hitboxes (weight 0.09): Players report issues with strange and inconsistent hitboxes, which can be frustrating during gameplay.
- Poor platform jumping mechanics (weight 0.07): The platform jumping mechanics are often criticized for being poorly designed and not as good as in other similar games.
- Endless frustration and death (weight 0.05): Some players express feeling endless torment and despair due to constant deaths and the need to accumulate experience through repeated deaths.
- Bad character animations (weight 0.05): Character animations are often criticized for being stiff, janky, and buggy, detracting from the overall experience.
- Poorly positioned respawn points (weight 0.05): Respawn points are often criticized for being poorly positioned and far apart, making travel tedious and time-consuming.
- Late unlock of double jump (weight 0.05): Players find it frustrating that the double jump ability is unlocked late in the game, affecting the early gameplay experience.
- Game flaws and unforgiving nature (weight 0.05): The game is often described as having some minor flaws and being unforgiving, which can be frustrating for players.

Gameplay feedback:
- Metroidvania and Soulslike blend (weight 0.37): The game combines Metroidvania exploration with Soulslike combat mechanics. This fusion creates a unique experience with interconnected worlds, shortcuts, and challenging combat.
- Unique absorption combat system (weight 0.3): Combat revolves around absorbing enemies to gain abilities and heal. This mechanic is central to the gameplay and is often compared to similar systems in other games like Castlevania.
- Strategic boss fights (weight 0.22): Boss fights are a core mechanic, requiring strategy, skill, and pattern recognition. They are challenging but fair, and some bosses have epic soundtracks.
- Rich exploration mechanics (weight 0.21): The game features extensive exploration with hidden passages, secrets, and interconnected maps. Players enjoy discovering new areas and solving puzzles, although some find the lack of guidance hindering.
- Precision-based parrying (weight 0.18): Parrying is a core mechanic integral to combat. The game features a powerful absorption (parry) system that requires precise timing and reactions.
- Variety of weapons and playstyles (weight 0.16): The game offers a wide range of weapons and equipment, encouraging different playstyles and customization.
- Complex level design (weight 0.11): Levels are hand-crafted with hidden paths and require complex navigation. The environment design adds to the challenge and depth of the game.
- Challenging platforming sections (weight 0.11): Platforming is a significant part of the game, requiring precision and speed. These sections are responsive and add to the overall challenge.
- High difficulty level (weight 0.08): The game is known for its hardcore difficulty, with challenging gameplay and a nightmare mode that increases difficulty in subsequent playthroughs.

Performance notes:
- Runs well on most systems (weight 0.13): The game generally performs well across various systems, including lower-end hardware, with smooth performance and minimal issues.
- Mixed Steam Deck performance (weight 0.11): The game has mixed performance on Steam Deck, with some users reporting bugs and others experiencing smooth gameplay. Optimization is uneven.
- Occasional crashes and bugs (weight 0.08): Some users experience occasional crashes, unexpected game exits, and various bugs, including geometry issues and getting stuck in walls.
- Camera and platforming issues (weight 0.07): The camera can be problematic during platforming sections, and there are reports of buggy animations and platforming issues.
- Controller and technical issues (weight 0.07): There are reports of controller issues, technical jank, and minor bugs such as dialog text issues at high refresh rates.
- Performance varies with settings (weight 0.07): Performance can vary, with some users experiencing manageable performance with occasional lags, while others report flawless performance.
- Visual and audio glitches (weight 0.05): Some users report objects popping in and out, music stopping, and animation smoothness problems.
- Specific hardware issues (weight 0.04): There are specific issues reported on certain hardware, such as stuttering when not plugged in, and the game being unplayable on MacBook.
- Miscellaneous bugs (weight 0.04): Various miscellaneous bugs have been reported, including all actions turning into slow motion and infrequent bugs with character interactions.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for Metroidvania fans (weight 0.29): The game is highly recommended for fans of the Metroidvania genre, especially those who enjoy challenging gameplay and have a high tolerance for frustration. It is not recommended for beginners.
- Recommended for Souls-like fans (weight 0.21): Fans of Souls-like games are likely to enjoy this game, particularly for its combat mechanics. It is also recommended for those who enjoy challenging platformers.
- Worth the price (weight 0.1): Many players feel that the game is worth its price, even at full price. It offers a memorable experience that is worth trying out.
- High replay value (weight 0.06): The game offers high replay value, encouraging multiple playthroughs and even trying out New Game Plus (NG+) after finishing the sequel.
- Recommended for fans of specific games (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for fans of specific titles like Hollow Knight and Blasphemous, as well as those who enjoy morbid and bizarre themes.
- Recommended for fans of specific themes (weight 0.03): The game is recommended for fans of cryptic storytelling, engaging exploration, and sombre worlds.
- Use a guide for progression (weight 0.02): Due to unclear progression paths, it is recommended to play the game with a guide or map to enhance the experience.
- Buy the first game before the sequel (weight 0.02): Players recommend purchasing and playing the first game before moving on to the sequel for a better overall experience.
- A-Tier Metroidvania (weight 0.02): The game is considered an A-Tier Metroidvania, indicating high quality and a must-play for fans of the genre.
- Ukrainian language support (weight 0.02): The game supports the Ukrainian language, which may be a significant feature for Ukrainian-speaking players.
- Disable touchscreen on deck (weight 0.02): For better gameplay on the deck, it is recommended to disable the touchscreen feature.
- Recommended input method (weight 0.02): Players recommend using a keyboard and mouse for the best gameplay experience.
- Recommended for parry game fans (weight 0.02): The game is recommended for those who enjoy games with parry mechanics.

Other player notes:
- Cross-save feature requested (weight 0.03): Players are requesting a cross-save feature to continue their progress across different platforms.
- Playtime discrepancy issue (weight 0.03): There are reports of discrepancies in playtime tracking, which may affect player progress and achievements.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.26): Players are frustrated by the game's high difficulty, repetitive sections, and reliance on player skill. The maze-like level design, lack of guidance, and bugs contribute to a challenging and often confusing experience. Additionally, technical issues, poor combat mechanics, and platforming problems exacerbate the frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.15): Players enjoy the game's overall gameplay experience, including its unique setting, combat mechanics, and boss fights. The visuals, music, and exploration aspects are also highly appreciated, contributing to a fun and engaging experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.13): Players find satisfaction in the game's combat mechanics, variety of weapons, and well-designed boss fights. The balanced difficulty, rewarding combat, and engaging exploration contribute to a sense of mastery and closure upon completing the game.
- Excitement (weight 0.09): Players are excited about the game's innovative combat, detailed map design, and variety of playstyles. The anticipation for the sequel and the engaging lore add to the excitement, making the gameplay experience thrilling and immersive.
- Disappointment (weight 0.06): Players express disappointment with the game's repetitiveness, lack of interesting build options, and overall lack of remarkable features. Technical issues, such as game crashes and save file loss, further contribute to the dissatisfaction.
- Joy (weight 0.04): Players find joy in the game's positive experience with mechanics and lore. The sense of accomplishment after overcoming difficult sections, along with the satisfying parry gameplay loop and beautiful art design, contribute to a delightful experience.
- Excited (weight 0.02): Players are excited about the release of Grime II and the game's quality and replayability. The unique art style, boss fights, and overall enjoyment of the game's features contribute to the excitement.
- Frustrated (weight 0.02): Players are frustrated with some boss fights due to lack of audio cues and the game's design mechanics. Difficult stamina systems, poor jumping mechanics, and NG+ locked content add to the frustration.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Players are enthusiastic about the game's combat, platforming, and replayability. The unique and creative world, along with engaging combat and unique boss fights, contribute to a highly recommended experience.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Players admire the game's world and atmosphere, along with its exceptionally designed dark magical world and unique art. The impressive Metroidvania and soulslike elements, as well as the unique artistic direction, contribute to the admiration.
- Fascination (weight 0.01): Players are fascinated by the game's unique world and engaging combat. The deep lore and unique world-building, along with the visually arresting entries in the Soulslike/Metroidvania hybrid space, contribute to the fascination.
- Positive (weight 0.01): Players appreciate the game's bosses, design, visual art, and music. The progression, areas, bosses, player powers, enemies, weapons, upgrades, and NG+ mode contribute to a positive overall experience.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Players express anger with the game's design flaws, lack of impact feedback, and poor boss design. Map design issues, hidden doors, save file issues, and unfair boss fights contribute to the anger.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Players experience boredom due to excessive platforming and uninteresting rewards. The second playthrough and nightmare mode, along with boring and repetitive combat, contribute to the boredom.
- Negative (weight 0.01): Players find the map guidance poor, the design poor, and the combat mechanics frustrating. The weapon system is poorly designed, and the world is not compelling, contributing to a negative experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Players appreciate the game's graphics, music, and overall design. The unique setting and gameplay, along with the nuanced builds, contribute to the appreciation.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Players are confused by the level design and difficult-to-understand story. The unclear plot and translation issues contribute to the confusion.
- Hopeful (weight 0.01): Players are hopeful for improvements in the sequel, including better localization and overall enhancements. The anticipation for better features in the next installment contributes to the hopefulness.
- Surprise (weight 0): Players are surprised by the game being better than expected. The positive unexpected experiences contribute to the surprise.
- Wonder (weight 0): Players wonder at the unique setting and world-building. The alien anatomy and decaying monument designs contribute to the sense of wonder.}