Info about Vault of the Void:

Official game description:
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About the Game
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Vault of the Void is a single-player, low-RNG roguelike deckbuilder designed to put the power into your hands. Continuously build, transform and iterate on your deck as you progress through your run - or even before each battle. Preview which enemies you’ll be battling before each encounter, giving you a chance to carefully plan your strategy. With no random events, your success is in your hands - and your creativity and skill define your chances of victory!
FEATURES
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*   Choose from 4 different classes, each one with a completely different playstyle!  
*   Constantly iterate on your deck with 440+ different cards!  
*   Battle 90+ fearsome monsters as you make your way to The Void.  
*   Change up your playstyle with 320+ Artifacts.  
*   Infuse your cards with different Void Stones - leading to endless combinations!  
*   A roguelike CCG where the power’s in your hands, and without RNG.
CONSTANTLY CHANGE UP YOUR DECK WITH 400+ CARDS
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With 440+ cards, 4 different classes and 320+ Artifacts - and the ability to modify your deck at any point during your run - there are near endless possibilities for creative deck building. Inspiration strikes mid-run? Change up your deck on the spot! Thought of an innovative way to dispatch an enemy? Head towards it and try it out!
UNIQUE MECHANICS AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE CHANGES
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Vault of the Void features a plethora of unique mechanics and quality-of-life changes designed to alleviate the RNG of the roguelike deckbuilder experience, and encourage creative deckbuilding!  
Socket & Customise Your Cards  
Collect Void Stones, powerful, runes that can be socketed into cards to grant them additional abilities!  
Purging: Bad Hand? No Problem!  
In Vault of the Void, fast-paced combat is the name of the game. Discard your unnecessary cards to give yourself more energy, fuelling high-powered combos!  
Threat: Damage Made Simple!  
As creatures attack during their turn, they’ll increase your Threat level. At the end of your next turn, your Threat stack will trigger, dealing damage to your hit points equal to its total value. Play Block cards to reduce your Threat reactively, and make the hard choice between damage, or survival.  
With threat, there’s no need to calculate how much damage you’re going to take at the end of your turn - it’s right there in front of you!
TRAVERSE THE VOID, AND CHOOSE YOUR DIFFICULTY!
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Traverse The Void, fighting 90+ fearsome monsters, and choose your own difficulty! Fancy a challenge? Move forward on the terrifying _Impossible+_ difficulty! Want to test out a new idea for a deck? Take it easy on _Introduction_.

Release date: Oct 4, 2022

Categories: Roguelike Deckbuilder, Card-based Gameplay, Character Progression, Strategic Planning, Turn-based Combat, Single-player, Procedural Generation

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Moderate Wiki Tax; summary: User feedback indicates a strong reliance on external guides and wiki due to complex game mechanics and lack of in-game tutorials. Additionally, a technical bug and grind mechanics contribute to frustration and potential external data dependency.
- Proton/Linux: score 5; verdict: Works Well; summary: Based on the single user review available, the game is reported as Steam Deck Verified, suggesting excellent Linux/Proton performance with no reported issues or required tweaks.
- Steam Deck: score 10; verdict: Seamless; summary: Vault of the Void is officially Verified for Steam Deck and runs without crashes or technical barriers. Users praise its compatibility and portability, requiring no tinkering.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: Reviews show mixed sentiment: some players find the full price acceptable and consider it good value, while others recommend purchasing during sales due to limited replayability after the basic content. The game's early access status and the mention of at most 20% off suggest that the community sees the current price as slightly high for the content offered. Most positive price comments come from sale purchases, indicating that $10-$15 is a fair balance between value and cost.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 2.5h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The session length evidence is inconsistent across reviews, with estimates ranging from 45–90 minutes to 2–3 hours per run. I approximated a midpoint of 2.5 hours to represent typical playtime, but the wide variance reduces confidence. No clear evidence supports game completion, story completion, or endgame hours.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Vault of the Void presents a steep learning curve and overwhelming tutorial, but once players grasp its core mechanics and master character systems, the game becomes deeply satisfying and rewarding.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Mastering core mechanics
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: steep learning curve; complex mechanics; overwhelming tutorial; core Purge mechanic confusion; tedious early runs
  - Unlock drivers: completing tutorial; persisting through first runs; understanding core mechanics; mastering character mechanics; experimenting with combos
  - Conditions: player's familiarity with deckbuilders; player's tolerance for complexity; willingness to learn steep mechanics; patience through early confusion; preference for strategic depth; ability to retain mechanics after tutorial
- Player Archetypes:
  - Genre Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: To find a deeper, more rewarding deckbuilding challenge that evolves the genre.
    - Playstyle: Methodical, analytical, adapts to complex systems and synergies.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: expert veteran; genre fan; experienced StS player
    - Reference games: Slay the Spire; Monster Train
  - Strategic Optimizer (buy)
    - Motivation: To achieve perfect runs and high scores through careful planning and optimization.
    - Playstyle: Meticulous, perfectionist, exploits every mechanic for maximal efficiency.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: sweaty folks
    - Reference games: Slay the Spire
  - Casual Finisher (sale)
    - Motivation: To enjoy a single, accessible playthrough without heavy commitment.
    - Playstyle: Casual, plays on lower difficulties, completes one or few runs.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: casual
    - Reference games: Hearthstone


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 roguelike deckbuilder overall (weight 0.5): Players consistently praise the game as a top-tier deckbuilding roguelike, often comparing it favorably to Slay the Spire. Multiple reviews describe it as a masterpiece with deep mechanics and high replayability.
- Comparable or better than Slay the Spire (weight 0.35): Many players find this game to be on par with or superior to Slay the Spire, citing reduced RNG, more depth, and a unique identity. It is often called a true successor to the genre's benchmark.
- Flexible deck changes between battles (weight 0.33): The ability to modify the deck between fights is a standout feature, letting players adapt to upcoming challenges. This flexibility is frequently mentioned as a key advantage over other deckbuilders.
- Engaging and addictive gameplay (weight 0.31): The core gameplay loop is described as fun, addictive, and top-notch, with strong visuals and overall polish. Players find the game both enjoyable and satisfying over long sessions.
- High replayability and content depth (weight 0.3): Reviewers note immense replay value due to varied mechanics, unlockables, and challenge options. The game offers endless builds and multiple ways to keep each run fresh.
- Distinct character playstyles (weight 0.27): Each character offers a unique playstyle with distinct mechanics, providing a wide range of strategic options. Classes are well-designed and enhance replayability.
- Void stones enhance card customisation (weight 0.19): Void stones and upgrade points allow players to add special effects to cards, enabling deeper customization. This system is appreciated for its flexibility and strategic options.
- Challenge coins add variety (weight 0.16): Challenge coins introduce modifiers that alter gameplay, adding significant replayability and fun. They allow players to customize runs with boons and banes.
- Pre-battle planning with visible rewards (weight 0.16): The map displays specific card rewards at each node, enabling informed decision-making and strategic planning. This transparency reduces randomness and adds depth.
- Polished and well-supported game (weight 0.12): The game is noted as polished, even in early access, with active updates and a finished feel. This reliability boosts player confidence and satisfaction.
- Good value for money (weight 0.08): Players consider the game reasonably priced for the content offered, viewing it as a good investment. The price aligns with the game's quality and replayability.

Common complaints:
- Game is overly complex and unintuitive (weight 0.29): Multiple clusters highlight that the game's complexity and lack of intuitiveness make it difficult to pick up and understand. The convoluted gameplay systems and poor intuitiveness confuse players initially.
- Very steep learning curve (weight 0.23): Several clusters mention a steep learning curve due to many rules and keywords, making the game harder to learn compared to similar titles. This is a common barrier for new players.
- Not beginner friendly (weight 0.2): The complexity and numerous concepts make the game difficult for newer players to get into. It is less approachable and harder to pick up than other games in the genre.
- Less appealing than Slay the Spire (weight 0.18): The game's worldbuilding, presentation, and elegance are seen as inferior to Slay the Spire, and it lacks the simplicity and appeal of that title. This comparison negatively affects its reception.
- Runs last too long (weight 0.13): Players report that runs can last anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours, which is considered too long for a game session. This length may discourage repeated playthroughs.
- Cards are overly complex and unclear (weight 0.13): Cards have too many effects and are needlessly complex, making the text confusing and unintuitive. The keyword bloat adds to the difficulty of understanding card interactions.
- Too many difficult keywords (weight 0.12): The abundance of keywords makes the game tedious to understand, and many players find it difficult to keep track of all the abilities and interactions.
- UI and UX need improvement (weight 0.1): The UI layout and data display are not intuitive in many places, and players feel the UI/UX elements need work. This hampers the overall user experience.
- Poor translation hampers understanding (weight 0.07): The translation is poor with non-standard terms, making the game more difficult to understand. This is especially problematic for non-native English speakers.
- Lacks unique deckbuilding gimmick (weight 0.07): Some players feel the game is not a true deckbuilder and lacks a unique gimmick compared to other deckbuilders. The deck customization feels limited and unoriginal.
- Low enemy variety (weight 0.07): Enemy variety is low, with players seeing most enemies in any session, leading to repetitiveness and reduced long-term interest.
- Gameplay feels oppressive and uncomfortable (weight 0.07): Players describe the gameplay as oppressive and uncomfortable, which may stem from the complexity and constant pressure to optimize. This reduces enjoyment.
- Missing Russian language support (weight 0.07): The new DLC does not include Russian language support, and there is also no Russian support in the base game. This limits accessibility for Russian-speaking players.
- Deck micromanagement feels forced (weight 0.07): Players feel they must constantly micromanage the deck and optimize for each fight, which can be annoying and exhausting rather than fun.
- Lacks Japanese and Chinese language support (weight 0.07): The game does not offer official Japanese or Chinese language support, limiting its accessibility to players in those regions.
- No story or cutscenes (weight 0.06): The game lacks a main storyline and cutscenes, which might disappoint players expecting a narrative component. This is less critical for gameplay but affects overall engagement.
- Card design is not appealing (weight 0.06): Card design and card back aesthetics are not pleasing to some players. This visual aspect can affect the overall impression of the game.

Gameplay feedback:
- Discard cards for energy (weight 0.63): Players can discard cards from hand to gain energy, a core resource mechanic. This allows strategic sacrifices for more actions.
- Roguelike deckbuilder gameplay (weight 0.61): The game is a roguelike deckbuilder resembling Slay the Spire. It features card-based combat and randomized runs.
- Similar to Slay the Spire (weight 0.32): Players frequently compare the game to Slay the Spire, noting similarities but also unique twists. It's often described as more complex or skill-expressive.
- Cards and energy persist (weight 0.23): Unused cards and energy carry over between turns, allowing long-term planning. This deviates from typical deckbuilders.
- Socket void stones into cards (weight 0.21): Cards can be enhanced by embedding void stones, which add effects and customization. This provides a deep modding system.
- Change deck between fights (weight 0.21): Players can freely modify their 20-card deck between battles. This allows adaptation to upcoming challenges.
- Retain cards between turns (weight 0.21): Players can keep unplayed cards in hand for future turns. This enables combo planning and resource management.
- Unique character playstyles (weight 0.19): Each character has a distinct playstyle with unique keywords and mechanics. This offers variety and replayability.
- Rebuild deck anytime (weight 0.16): Deck rebuilding is possible at any time outside combat. This flexibility supports experimentation.
- Combo-focused deckbuilding (weight 0.14): The deckbuilding emphasizes combo synergies and meaningful choices. It offers four classes plus a DLC fifth.
- Delayed damage mechanic (weight 0.14): Enemy attacks are delayed by one turn, giving players a chance to mitigate. This adds a tactical layer.
- Visible rewards upfront (weight 0.14): Card rewards are shown before choosing fights, allowing informed route decisions. This reduces randomness.
- Upgrade cards with gems (weight 0.12): Cards can be upgraded and socketed with gems for enhanced effects. This customization is a key feature.
- Telegraphed enemy attacks (weight 0.12): Enemy intents are visible in advance, enabling reactive planning. This promotes strategic play.
- Customizable difficulty modes (weight 0.12): The game offers customizable difficulty settings, including hard and impossible modes. This caters to various skill levels.
- Draw five cards per turn (weight 0.12): At the start of each turn, players draw up to five cards. This defined hand size shapes strategy.

Performance notes:
- Frequent crashes and instability (weight 0.11): Multiple players mention frequent crashes, random crashes, and general instability, making the game difficult to play reliably.
- Steam Deck performance varies (weight 0.07): Players report that the game works perfectly on Steam Deck, but others experience bugs. This inconsistency suggests compatibility issues that need addressing.
- Game fails to launch (weight 0.04): One player reports the game does not start at all. This is a critical issue preventing gameplay entirely.
- Second monitor resolution issue (weight 0.04): A player encountered a resolution problem when using a second monitor, which may affect multi-display setups.
- Runs on low-end hardware (weight 0.04): One player confirms the game runs on low-end hardware, which is positive feedback for accessibility and optimization.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for card game fans (weight 0.34): Multiple reviewers recommend the game to fans of card games, deckbuilders, and strategy games. This is the most common theme, with strong positive endorsements for the target audience.
- Great for roguelike deckbuilder fans (weight 0.26): Players who enjoy roguelike deckbuilders, especially those seeking more depth and challenge, are highly encouraged to try the game. It is often compared favorably to titles like Slay the Spire.
- Strong general recommendations (weight 0.25): Some reviewers give unqualified strong recommendations, urging players to buy the game without hesitation. This reflects high overall satisfaction and confidence in the product.
- Appeals to Slay the Spire fans (weight 0.2): The game is frequently recommended to fans of Slay the Spire and Monster Train, with some noting it offers less randomness and more strategic depth. It is seen as a natural next step for players after those games.
- Not for beginners (weight 0.2): Several reviewers caution that the game has a high skill floor and is not suitable for newcomers to the genre or casual players. It is best enjoyed by experienced or hardcore players.
- High complexity and depth (weight 0.19): The game is praised for its complex mechanics, deep strategy, and skill expression, making it ideal for players who enjoy thinking hard. However, this complexity is also a barrier for casual players.
- Deckbuilder niche audience (weight 0.14): While highly recommended for deckbuilder enthusiasts, the game is not meant for players new to the genre. Every decision matters, which appeals to veterans but may overwhelm novices.
- Try demo before buying (weight 0.13): The availability of a free demo is highlighted as a useful tool for players to decide if the game suits their taste, especially given its complexity. Reviewers advise trying it before making a purchase.
- Worth the price (weight 0.12): Reviewers state that the game provides good value for its price, given the developer's work and content. A few specifically mention the Weaver DLC as a worthwhile addition.
- Buy on sale recommended (weight 0.1): Some reviewers suggest waiting for a discount, implying the game is worth acquiring but possibly at a reduced price. This indicates good value when on sale.
- Advise playing Slay the Spire first (weight 0.07): For newcomers to the deckbuilding roguelike genre, some recommend starting with Slay the Spire or Balatro to build foundational skills before tackling this game. This suggests a steeper learning curve.
- Warning about difficulty (weight 0.07): Reviewers explicitly warn that the game is a harder deckbuilder, not a casual one. Players should expect a challenging experience that requires commitment.
- Not for Slay the Spire purists (weight 0.07): A minority of reviewers note that players who prefer the simpler yet deep style of Slay the Spire might not enjoy this game's added complexity. This highlights a potential taste mismatch.

Other player notes:
- Frequently compared to Slay the Spire (weight 0.73): Many reviewers directly compare the game to Slay the Spire, noting similarities and differences in mechanics, complexity, and gameplay feel. It is often described as a more complex or rational alternative with less RNG.
- Early Access but polished (weight 0.21): Reviewers note the game is in Early Access but feels complete with substantial content and polish. It is considered ready for full release.
- Rich in content (weight 0.19): The game provides a large amount of content, including multiple classes and DLC, justifying its cost. Players appreciate the depth and replayability.
- Highly praised against genre giants (weight 0.18): Reviewers rank the game alongside Slay the Spire and Monster Train, often placing it in the top three deckbuilders. They praise its combination of strengths and unique approach.
- Active developer support (weight 0.15): The developer continuously releases updates, balance patches, and free content, showing commitment beyond initial release. This is highly valued by the community.
- Excellent value for price (weight 0.14): Many players find the game a steal at its price, offering substantial content and replayability. Discounts further enhance its value.
- Emphasizes planning over improvisation (weight 0.12): Compared to Slay the Spire and Monster Train, reviewers note that this game focuses more on planning ahead and less on improvisation. It offers more control and information to the player.
- Steam Deck support confirmed (weight 0.11): Players mention using the game on Steam Deck, noting it works well and is verified. This adds convenience for portable play.
- Approachable developer (weight 0.1): The developer is described as generous and nice, engaging with the community. This fosters a positive relationship with players.
- Solo developer passion project (weight 0.09): The game is developed by a solo developer, and reviewers see it as a labor of love. This adds to the positive perception of the game's quality and support.
- Long playtime potential (weight 0.07): Players mention spending nearly 200 hours, indicating high replayability. The game's depth encourages extended play sessions.
- Top-tier roguelike card game (weight 0.07): The game is positioned as a top 4 card roguelike, often compared to the best in the genre. Its mechanics and design earn it high rankings.
- Indie deck-builder identity (weight 0.06): Reviewers categorize the game as an indie deck-builder, comparing it to others in the genre. It stands out for its mechanics and execution.
- Cross-platform saves (weight 0.06): The game supports cross-progress saves and has a mobile port, allowing players to continue runs on different devices. This is a convenient feature.
- Comparable to Hearthstone (weight 0.05): Some comparisons are made to Hearthstone, focusing on deckbuilding depth and complexity. The game offers a different tempo and strategic layer.
- Diverse community with Japanese support (weight 0.05): The official Discord has a Japanese channel, indicating a diverse and international community. This supports global accessibility.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.19): Players reported high difficulty, complex mechanics, and a steep learning curve that made the game hard to get into. RNG dependence, repetitive enemies, and frequent bugs or crashes further aggravated the experience, along with translation issues and a busy UI. The game's complexity and lack of early synergy led to many frustrating moments.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.15): Players felt satisfied due to the game's strategic depth, meaningful choices, and satisfying combos. The ability to control runs and experiment with builds, along with responsive developer support, contributed to a rewarding experience. Mastering complex decks and achieving high difficulty runs also brought a sense of accomplishment.
- Disappointment (weight 0.09): Disappointment arose from generic art and sound, limited playstyles, and lack of story or excitement. Problems with localization, cross-save, and platform purchases, as well as tedious higher-stakes play, reduced interest. The game's repetitive runs and lack of replayability also let down players expecting more variety.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Players enjoyed the game's unique mechanics, strategic depth, and broad build variety, often comparing it favorably to Slay the Spire. The learning curve, once overcome, led to an addictive and rewarding experience. Distinct character playstyles and route planning contributed to the fun.
- Admiration (weight 0.09): The game is admired for its god-tier gameplay, unique mechanics, and high replayability, often ranked among the best deckbuilders. Its excellent design, innovation, and depth, along with the developer's dedication, earned praise. Many considered it a masterpiece on par with Slay the Spire.
- Appreciation (weight 0.09): Players appreciated the game's deep mechanics, control, and planning elements that reduce RNG. High-quality QOL features, transparent design, and generous developer support were valued. The strategic depth and ability to plan ahead were seen as respectful of player time.
- Excitement (weight 0.08): Excitement stemmed from discovering powerful card synergies and the fluid, fast-paced gameplay. The unique mechanics, such as the threat system and discard mechanic, were thrilling. The promise of an expansion and abundant content elements also generated enthusiasm.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Players were confused by unfamiliar terms, a bad tutorial, and poorly explained mechanics like discard, purge, and exhaust. The jargon, such as 'Threat' and 'AP', and the unconventional shield system added to the confusion. Complex and verbose explanations made understanding difficult.
- Impressed (weight 0.02): The game impressed players with its polished integration of many good ideas, earning comparisons to top deckbuilders. The extremely responsive and helpful developer, who updates frequently, exceeded expectations. Its unique mechanics and smooth execution stood out as excellent.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Enthusiastic players described the game as a niche masterpiece with endless replayability, ranking it among the best in the genre. The Nightmare update and active developer support further fueled their passion. Many felt the game surpassed Slay the Spire.
- Interest (weight 0.02): Players found the game interesting due to its complex mechanics, free deck editing, and risk-reward adjustments. Each character's distinct playstyle offered wide strategic options, and the design philosophy diverging from Slay the Spire was fascinating.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom was reported due to the game becoming grindy in the late game and fights feeling repetitive. The restrictive deckbuilding and lack of immediate engagement led to a loss of interest. Long-term play resulted in a repetitive combat flow.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Players were annoyed by the obligation to rebuild decks for each enemy, which felt tedious. Half-finished translations forced some to switch to English for better understanding. There was also annoyance at criticism of players who don't grasp the game's mechanics.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players expressed love for the game as their favorite deckbuilder of all time, meeting all their expectations. The UI and game design were particularly impressive, enhancing the overall experience.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Anger was directed at perceived unfair demands for payment for a long-delayed DLC and a developer who changed requirements without updates. The map seed system was also seen as deliberately unpleasant, adding to the frustration.
- Exhaustion (weight 0.01): Players were exhausted by the game's cluttered UI with numerous keywords, buffs, debuffs, and mechanics. High-difficulty grinds that did not save progress were tiring. The complexity taxed mental energy significantly.
- Addiction (weight 0.01): Players found the game highly addictive due to its high replayability and deep strategy. The engaging gameplay kept them coming back for more, with a strong urge to continue playing.
- Approval (weight 0.01): Players approved of the game's well-made and unique mechanics, rating it highly among deckbuilders. The balanced design and continued free updates were commended, showing long-term commitment to quality.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players were surprised the game exceeded expectations, turning out to be a hidden gem after trying many card games. Its break from typical deckbuilder design added to the positive surprise.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Players felt relief from not having to worry about removing cards from the deck, thanks to the purge mechanic. The game's stability with few crashes and the lack of obligation to know all mechanics beforehand were also points of relief.}