ICARUS

Players experience frustration primarily due to widespread performance issues, including FPS drops, crashes, and poor optimization, even on high-end hardware. Additionally, repetitive or tedious gameplay mechanics—such as excessive grinding, resource management, and base rebuilding—along with pervasive bugs, broken mechanics (e.g., water systems, AI), and unfair progression systems (e.g., pay-to-win, DLC-locked content) exacerbate the negative experience.

Disappointment stems from the game failing to meet expectations set by trailers, screenshots, or genre standards. Key causes include unfulfilled promises (e.g., missing bosses, lack of fast travel), poor value for money due to unfinished or unpolished content, and aggressive monetization (e.g., overpriced DLCs, content locked behind paywalls). Players also criticize developers for prioritizing new content over fixing critical bugs or optimizing performance.

Players feel satisfied with the game’s depth of content, particularly its survival and crafting mechanics, which offer rewarding progression and customization. The base game’s value, regular updates, and immersive elements (e.g., realistic physics, detailed tech trees) contribute to long-term engagement. Performance improvements and co-op experiences also enhance satisfaction, especially when the game runs smoothly on their hardware.

Excitement is driven by the game’s unique blend of survival mechanics, frequent content updates, and immersive world-building. Players highlight engaging features like animal taming, deep progression systems, and cooperative gameplay, which create a sense of discovery and long-term investment. The adrenaline of exploration, boss encounters, and overcoming harsh survival challenges also fuels this emotion.

Enjoyment arises from the game’s core survival loop, including crafting, building, and exploration, which many players find entertaining and well-designed. Cooperative gameplay, mission variety, and the satisfaction of overcoming challenges (e.g., completing tough missions, expanding bases) contribute to a positive experience. Despite technical flaws, the game’s immersive visuals and dynamic world interactions keep players engaged.