Info about There Is No Light: Enhanced Edition:

Official game description:
After a global catastrophe, the remains of human civilization built a new religious society among the ruins of the desolated underground. They have forgotten the light of the sun and now are blindly following the New God — The Great Hand. Once every few years, The Hand comes down to the people of the Central Station and takes away the chosen newborns to the world hidden behind the gates of the Sanctuary. The Hero embarks on a dangerous journey through this hostile world to find a way to open the gates and bring his child back.
*   Atmospheric pixel art world
    ---------------------------
    A vast, detailed and beautiful pixel art world to explore.
*   Unique combat system
    --------------------
    Adjust your fight style for every foe and boss by switching between 4 main weapons on the go.
*   Thrilling and emotional story
    -----------------------------
    A deep and touching 25-hour long storyline about a family, war and redemption awaits you.
*   70+ Types of enemies and bosses
    -------------------------------
    Be prepared to slaughter hundreds of dreadful monsters and bosses!
*   1000+ Dialogues and Karma system
    --------------------------------
    Non-linear narrative helps to build a branching story with meaningful choices that will impact the world according to the player’s decisions.
*   Useful skills to upgrade your weapons
    -------------------------------------
    A skill tree for every weapon allows you to build your own fighting style.

Release date: Sep 19, 2022

Categories: Action RPG, Dark Fantasy, Soulslike Combat, Nonlinear Exploration, Multiple Endings, Karma System, Pixel Art, Isometric Perspective

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: External Dependency for Quests; summary: The primary complaint is that the game lacks clarity in guiding players to side quests, with NPCs placed in obscure locations and no internal help, making external wikis necessary for basic quest progression. One politically charged review was disregarded for scoring as it does not relate to game mechanics.
- Proton/Linux: score 10; verdict: Works Well; summary: The game demonstrates excellent Proton/Linux compatibility on Steam Deck, achieving stable 60fps out of the box with no negative feedback regarding Linux-specific friction.
- Steam Deck: score 10; verdict: Seamless; summary: All Steam Deck feedback is overwhelmingly positive, reporting flawless performance at 60fps with no need for configuration changes.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $12.00
  - Reasoning: Reviews are mixed: some find the game worth buying only on sale, while others deem it not worth even at a discount. The current base price of $19.99 is widely considered too high. Positive comments mention sale prices or extremely low key prices (under 2 yuan ≈ $0.28) as good value, implying the fair base price should be significantly lower. Negative reviews indicate the game has core design issues, further lowering the acceptable price. Based on the sentiment, a fair base price range is estimated between $5 and $12, as the game may be acceptable at a moderate discount but not at full price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 20.0h
  - Story completion: 7.0h
  - Session length: 3.0h
  - Endgame: 4.0h
  - Reasoning: Game completion of 20 hours is directly reported by a player who finished the game and called it their best 20 hours. Story completion is estimated at 7 hours (average of 6-8) from a review stating the story could be done in 6-8 hours. Session length of 3 hours is based on a report of a 3-hour play session and corroborated by others mentioning 2-3 hour daily sessions. Endgame content is quantified by a player who spent 4 additional hours attempting to unlock the true ending and complete all content.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game is widely reported to have a slow and frustrating start with repetitive combat and limited healing, but some players find it becomes addictive after a few hours once they unlock skill tree abilities, get into combat flow, and choose the right build.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Getting into combat flow and unlocking skill tree abilities
  - Time to anchor: 3h 0m
  - Friction: slow initial progression; repetitive combat; limited healing items; lack of in-game guidance (no map, quest tracking); cheap difficulty and poor visibility
  - Unlock drivers: unlocking skill tree abilities; understanding combat flow and enemy patterns; choosing effective builds/buffs; utilizing external guides
  - Conditions: patient with early slow progression; willing to learn combat flow; playing with external resources for quests; focus on atmospheric exploration
- Player Archetypes:
  - Hardcore Soulslike Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Overcoming punishing combat and exploring a dark, lore-rich world without maps or checkpoints.
    - Playstyle: Methodical, patient, learns enemy patterns, takes notes, and accepts repeated deaths as part of progression.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: soulslike fan; hardcore gamer; genre enthusiast; old-school gamer
    - Reference games: Dark Souls; Ultima 8: Pagan; Tails of Iron
  - Art and Atmosphere Enthusiast (sale)
    - Motivation: Experiencing the beautiful pixel art and atmospheric world design.
    - Playstyle: Exploratory, appreciates visuals, takes screenshots, may engage less with complex combat.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: pixel art enthusiast; indie game lover; atmosphere seeker; visual connoisseur
    - Reference games: Hyper Light Drifter; Dead Cells
  - Frustrated Casual Player (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking a fair and polished game experience; the game's flaws prevent enjoyment.
    - Playstyle: May give up early or struggle with the difficulty; prefers more forgiving mechanics.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: casual gamer; patient gamer; disappointed; accessibility-conscious
    - Reference games: Tails of Iron
  - Old-School RPG Purist (buy)
    - Motivation: Reliving the classic RPG experience where careful observation and note-taking are essential for progression.
    - Playstyle: Reads all dialogue, takes physical notes, explores thoroughly, and avoids guides.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: old-school gamer; classic RPG fan; retro enthusiast; note-taker
    - Reference games: Ultima 8: Pagan; classic CRPGs


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 (weight 0.51): Players consistently praise the game's pixel art as beautiful, stunning, and well-crafted, with detailed backgrounds and environments. The art style is a major highlight across numerous reviews.
- Excellent combat system (weight 0.43): The combat is described as fast, responsive, deep, and satisfying, with many calling it one of the best they've seen. It is considered challenging but fair, especially on harder difficulties.
- Great boss fights (weight 0.27): Boss fights are plentiful, well-designed, visually impressive, and require pattern recognition. Each boss is unique and engaging, offering a fun challenge.
- Deep lore and worldbuilding (weight 0.25): The game features a deep, compelling lore and world that players enjoy piecing together. The story and secrets add significant depth to the experience.
- Immersive atmosphere (weight 0.2): The game's atmosphere is consistently described as well done, great, and fantastic, contributing to an immersive experience. The combination of visuals, audio, and design creates a strong mood.
- Karma system with choices (weight 0.13): The karma system is an interesting addition that introduces meaningful moral choices, affecting the game's endings. This adds replayability and depth to decision-making.
- Multiple endings increase replayability (weight 0.1): The presence of multiple endings is well-received as it encourages replaying the game. Players appreciate the depth and variety this brings to the story.
- Great value for price (weight 0.09): Some players feel the game offers great value for its price, considering it a good product for the cost. This suggests a positive perception of the game's worth.

Common complaints:
- Healing system is ineffective and scarce (weight 0.44): The healing mechanics are widely criticized as horrible, limited, and punishing. Healing items are rare, do not respawn, and can be lost on death, making them feel useless or frustrating.
- No map causes navigation problems (weight 0.43): The absence of an in-game map or compass makes exploration frustrating, especially in large or mazelike areas. Players frequently get lost and find navigation overwhelming without guidance.
- Story is confusing and poorly told (weight 0.32): The narrative is fragmentary, rushed, and poorly explained, often requiring tedious reading of documents. Players find the storytelling amateurish and the pacing unsatisfying.
- Skill tree offers little value (weight 0.19): The skill tree is considered uninteresting and offers very little meaningful progression. Upgrades feel irrelevant or cosmetic, failing to enhance gameplay.
- Weapons unlocked too late (weight 0.13): Important weapons are acquired very late in the game, making them less useful. Some weapons are considered terrible or only situationally beneficial, reducing combat variety.
- Platforming mechanics need improvement (weight 0.12): Platforming is considered annoying and poorly implemented, with comparisons to Crash Bandicoot. It detracts from the experience rather than enhancing it.
- Enemy spam makes combat chaotic (weight 0.12): The constant spawning or high density of enemies feels like spam, making combat less strategic and more about button mashing.
- No side quest tracking or mini-map (weight 0.1): There is no in-game quest tracker or mini-map to help players manage objectives. Side quests are not recorded, making it easy to lose track of progress.
- Save points are too far apart (weight 0.07): Save points are placed far from each other, increasing frustration and punishing players for mistakes without convenient checkpoints.
- Too many enemies at once (weight 0.07): Players report being overwhelmed by groups of 3-5 enemies simultaneously, leading to chaotic and frustrating combat encounters.
- NG+ mode is poorly thought out (weight 0.07): New Game+ increases enemy strength without providing new player upgrades, making some abilities useless. The mode feels unbalanced and unrewarding.
- NPC dialogues are generic and rushed (weight 0.07): Dialogues with NPCs are repetitive, generic, and uninteresting. This reduces immersion and story engagement.
- Misleading souls-like tag (weight 0.07): Players feel the game does not live up to the souls-like label, citing unfair comparisons and a lack of typical genre mechanics.
- RPG elements are non-existent (weight 0.07): RPG mechanics such as meaningful character progression or choices are largely absent, disappointing players expecting role-playing depth.

Gameplay feedback:
- Multiple weapon types available (weight 0.27): The game offers a variety of weapons, such as swords, fists, gauntlets, and greatswords, each with unique mechanics. Some become available later in the game.
- Souls-like gameplay elements (weight 0.26): The game is frequently compared to Dark Souls, emphasizing patience, pattern learning, and difficult boss fights. It blends hack-and-slash with Souls-like mechanics.
- Fast and strategic combat (weight 0.21): Players describe combat as very fast, dynamic, and strategic, with dodges and evasions being key. The system is both brutal and responsive, making fights feel engaging.
- Skill trees and weapon upgrades (weight 0.16): Players appreciate the extensive skill trees and upgrade systems for multiple weapon types. Each weapon has its own progression, offering Souls-like depth.
- Karma system affects endings (weight 0.16): A karma system tracks positive and negative actions, influencing dialogue, the world, and multiple endings. Timed moral choices add weight to decisions.
- Varied enemy patterns (weight 0.13): Bosses and enemies have distinct attack patterns that require learning. This adds depth to combat and keeps encounters fresh.
- Action Soulslike with fast combat (weight 0.12): The game combines fast action with Souls-like elements, offering an isometric experience. It is compared to genres like Metroidvania and hack-and-slash.
- Rage meter for special moves (weight 0.1): A rage meter builds with consecutive attacks, enabling special moves and healing. This mechanic rewards aggressive playstyles.
- Difficulty modes available (weight 0.1): Players mention multiple difficulty modes, including Traveler and Warrior, allowing for different challenge levels. This caters to both casual and hardcore players.
- Enemies respawn on death only (weight 0.1): Enemies do not respawn after resting, only when the player dies. This changes the exploration and resource management strategy.
- Lovecraftian dystopian world (weight 0.08): The setting is described as Lovecraftian and dystopian, with a dark aesthetic that fits the horror themes. This atmosphere is a strong draw for fans.
- Difficulty is medium-high (weight 0.08): Players generally find the difficulty level to be medium to high, with challenging bosses and combat encounters. It appeals to those seeking a tough experience.
- Isometric perspective (weight 0.07): The game uses an isometric viewpoint, similar to Blasphemous, which affects gameplay and navigation. It is well-received for the genre.
- Secret collectibles to find (weight 0.07): The game includes secret collectibles like bestiary pages and spiders, encouraging thorough exploration. This adds replay value.
- Moral choice system present (weight 0.07): Players mention a morality system that appears after choices, affecting the story and world. It is similar to the karma system but more immediate.
- True ending requires specific actions (weight 0.07): The game has multiple endings, with a true ending that requires completing specific quests. This encourages players to explore thoroughly.

Performance notes:
- Great performance on Steam Deck (weight 0.11): Players report smooth performance on Steam Deck, with consistent 60fps out of the box. This makes the game highly playable on the handheld device.
- Overall good performance (weight 0.05): General performance is praised, with FPS staying high and smooth throughout the experience.
- Low system requirements (weight 0.04): A player noted that the game has low system requirements, making it accessible to a wider audience with less powerful hardware.
- No control issues (weight 0.04): No problems were reported with keyboard/mouse or controller input, indicating good input support across devices.
- High FPS stuttering issue (weight 0.04): One player experienced stuttering when running the game at 100-160 FPS, indicating possible optimization issues at very high frame rates.
- Crashes on fast travel (weight 0.04): A specific crash scenario occurs when the player uses fast travel, disrupting gameplay and requiring a restart.
- Crashes on death load (weight 0.04): The game crashes when loading after a death, which can be frustrating and break the gameplay flow.
- Minor environmental bugs (weight 0.04): Players reported minor bugs such as Blondie getting caught in the environment or camera transitions not working properly, but these are not game-breaking.
- Rare bugs encountered (weight 0.04): Some users encountered very rare bugs, suggesting that while the game is generally stable, occasional glitches can occur.

Recommendations:
- Cannot recommend the game (weight 0.28): Multiple clusters state they cannot recommend the game at all, even on sale or at full price, with some advising to skip it entirely.
- Buy on sale recommendation (weight 0.19): Several clusters suggest buying the game on sale, noting that it is worth the discounted price or a must-buy when reduced.
- Recommended for Soulslike fans (weight 0.18): Several clusters of players recommend the game to fans of Soulslike games, dark worlds, or games with difficult bosses, noting that it may take time to get used to.
- Better alternatives exist (weight 0.16): Several clusters suggest that better soulslikes or games with polished combat exist, recommending alternatives like Hades, Unsighted, or Death's Door instead.
- Recommend for art and atmosphere (weight 0.16): The game is recommended for players who appreciate great pixel art, Lovecraftian horror, dense atmospheric worlds, and narrative-focused experiences.
- Buy and play recommendation (weight 0.15): Some clusters strongly recommend buying and playing the game, with players giving high ratings and expressing that the game deserves more attention.
- General recommendation (weight 0.14): Multiple clusters give a general recommendation for the game, stating they recommend it without specific caveats.
- Not recommended with caveats (weight 0.13): Some players give tentative or conditional recommendations, noting issues like confusing visuals, lacklustre storytelling, or that the game is not for everyone.
- Difficulty and challenge appeal (weight 0.11): Players recommend the game to those who enjoy challenging games that require learning boss patterns and provide a sense of achievement, but warn that failure is frequent.
- Issues with combat and enemies (weight 0.11): Some players cannot recommend the game in its current state due to issues with enemies or combat, including unclear telegraphs and irritating platforming.
- Recommend for retro challenge (weight 0.1): Players recommend the game for those who enjoy retro challenges, exploration, and old-school games, particularly enthusiasts and newcomers to the style.
- Recommend with patience caveat (weight 0.09): Some players recommend the game but note that patience is required, especially for achievements or due to difficulty, and that it is not for everyone.
- Hidden gem with small studio (weight 0.09): Some players consider the game a hidden gem, worth supporting a small team, and recommend ignoring negative reviews.
- Try demo before buying (weight 0.09): Some players suggest trying the demo first to see if you like the difficulty, and note you can refund if not enjoyed.
- Accessibility and easier mode (weight 0.08): The game has an easier difficulty for accessibility, making it more approachable, but some recommend playing on easy to avoid frustration.
- Recommend for action pixel art (weight 0.07): Clusters recommend the game for fans of action games, RPG-Metroidvania, and pixel art, highlighting the visual style and genre appeal.
- Fast-paced dark combat (weight 0.07): The game is recommended for players who enjoy fast-paced combat in a dark setting, appealing to those who like intense action.
- New Game+ value (weight 0.06): The story is worth a New Game Plus playthrough, and the game is highly recommended especially with New Game+ content.
- Guide required for progress (weight 0.06): A player notes that a walkthrough on YouTube may be needed due to confusing design, and the game's story might be missed without guidance.
- Combat system learning curve (weight 0.04): Players recommend the game to those who enjoy learning complex combat systems and boss patterns, but not for those who prefer heavy careful strikes or dislike such systems.

Other player notes:
- Steam playtime tracking bug (weight 0.05): A bug is causing the game to not count hours played on Steam correctly. This may lead to Steam playtime statistics failing to update for some players.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.23): Players frequently cite repetitive button-mashing combat, unclear attack patterns from enemies, and a lack of dodge invincibility frames leading to unfair deaths. Navigation is severely hindered by the absence of a map, confusing level design, poor visibility due to darkness and cluttered visuals, and overly distant save points. Additional frustrations include unfair boss mechanics, scarce healing, bugs that block progression, and an overall artificial difficulty that feels punishing rather than rewarding.
- Disappointment (weight 0.16): Many players felt the game had strong aesthetic potential, particularly with its pixel art and atmosphere, but was let down by shallow, repetitive combat and poor storytelling. The narrative is described as rushed, full of holes, and delivered through cringey dialogue, while exploration is a chore due to empty rooms and a lack of meaningful rewards. Other disappointments include the absence of basic quality-of-life features like a map, broken New Game+ mechanics, and an abrupt ending that leaves important plot threads unresolved.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.08): Players who enjoyed the game often mention that once they learned the combat flow and enemy movesets, the challenging gameplay became rewarding and fair. The game's lore, art, and atmosphere are highly praised, and completing the game, including the true ending, left a positive aftertaste. The balance between exploration and action, combined with satisfying combat mechanics and a solid tutorial, contributed to an overall sense of accomplishment.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Reviewers enjoyed the deep lore, world-building, and dark medieval art style, finding the atmosphere immersive and engaging. The fast-paced, varied combat and diverse enemy patterns kept gameplay exciting, especially after mastering the mechanics. Many players also appreciated the challenging but fair difficulty, reminiscent of Dark Souls, and the overall fun experience despite some writing issues.
- Boredom (weight 0.05): Players felt the game suffered from excessive platforming and long stretches of running through empty, lifeless areas with minimal combat. The early game is criticized for being slow, mechanically simple, and boring, while later enemies become damage sponges that make fights repetitive. Slow text boxes and tedious dialogue further contributed to disengagement, with many feeling the game lacks flow and pacing.
- Anger (weight 0.04): Anger stems from specific unfair boss fights featuring fire attacks, shrinking arenas, and terrain damage that feel cheap and poorly designed. The karma system, which rewards lying for positive outcomes, and the insulting easy mode message mocking players for choosing a lower difficulty, were major grievances. Additionally, losing progress after many hours due to poor save systems and the frustrating medpack system fueled significant anger.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Players expressed strong appreciation for the game's art direction, particularly the detailed pixel art style and atmospheric environments. The dark, Lovecraftian lore and socially relevant themes were praised for adding depth to the world. Some also appreciated the combat system and sound design, noting that the game's strengths in these areas made it a solid debut despite other flaws.
- Admiration (weight 0.04): The hand-crafted pixel art, exceptional world design, and oppressive atmosphere received high admiration from players. Detailed enemy and boss designs, along with excellent music and dialogue, contributed to a sense of high-quality craftsmanship. Many reviewers enjoyed studying every location and lore document, feeling that the game's visual and auditory presentation was top-tier.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement was generated by the fast-paced, visceral combat system and the game's frantic action, which was described as incredibly fun and engaging. Beautiful visuals, great music, and challenging boss fights with diverse move sets kept players invested. The world-building and combat mechanics, along with a sense of progression that ramps up over time, made for a thrilling experience.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Common annoyances include the limited and punishing healing system that heavily penalizes mistakes, as well as poor menu design with hidden teleport options. The inability to track side quests in-game and the forced playstyle that limits player choice were frustrating. Additionally, the companion skeleton's repetitive laugh and dialogue grated on players, and the inappropriate humor broke immersion.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Players felt genuine joy from discovering what they consider a hidden gem, with gorgeous graphics and satisfying combat. The overall experience of playing through the game was thoroughly enjoyable, providing a sense of delight and fulfillment.
- Immersion (weight 0.02): Immersion was driven by the game's soundtrack and pixel art graphics, which created a captivating atmosphere. The detailed bestiary and deep world lore absorbed players, and the soundtrack was noted for drawing them into the game's universe.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arose from an incoherent story and maze-like level design that lacked clear guidance or direction. Items with no descriptions or explanations of use, excess upgrade points with no purpose, and unclear ending conditions left players lost. The strange timing of weapon acquisition and an ending that was not understood added to the overall bewilderment.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Players were surprised by how much richer the story and world turned out to be compared to initial expectations. The sudden appearance of the last boss and the realization that the game is not much like a souls-like caught some off guard. Others were surprised by the game's quality, feeling it is underrated and that it improves significantly after the early hours.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation was driven by a strong desire for a sequel, as players want to see where the story goes. The fragmented narrative and rich world-building left them eager for more content and resolution.
- Engagement (weight 0.01): Engagement came from the game's fragmented narrative and use of religious symbolism, which kept players invested in piecing together the story. NPC choices and the ability to influence the world through decisions also contributed to a sense of involvement.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.01): Dissatisfaction stemmed from the three-weapon system that divides player attention and a weak healing mechanic that detracts from the gameplay loop. Players felt the game did not provide a feeling of conquering a challenge, instead leaving them unsatisfied with their progress.
- Awe (weight 0.01): Awe was generated by the dark, oppressive world and the game's art direction, which effectively presents eldritch horror. The atmosphere and level of detail in the environments left players impressed by the game's visual and thematic ambition.
- Curiosity (weight 0.01): Curiosity was sparked by an intriguing story that made everything on screen worth examining. The possibility of future games set in the same world also piqued interest, as players wanted to see more of the unique setting.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players expressed love for the game due to its overall excellent experience, wonderful art, and compelling world. The pixel graphics and overall presentation were also highlighted as key reasons for their affection.}