Info about THE CORRIDOR:

Official game description:
THE CORRIDOR is a 20-30 minute experience about the relationship between player and game.  
GENRE:  
• First-person-walking-down-a-corridor-game. ("Wait, isn't that most games?" I hear you ask sarcastically. Not like this. Not like this.)  
KEY FEATURES:  
• A corridor.  
• The things found within said corridor.  
GAMEPLAY:  
• You walk down a corridor. That's it. That's literally it. Don't expect anything more than that, because there isn't!  
• Probably.

Release date: Dec 4, 2020

Categories: Walking Simulator, Meta-Narrative Gameplay, Fourth-Wall Breaking, Short-form Experience, Experimental Gameplay

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 15; verdict: Works Well; summary: The available evidence is limited to two reviews, but both indicate that the game runs well on Linux and Steam Deck. One review explicitly confirms out-of-the-box Linux compatibility, and the other reports only a minor Steam Deck error-box bug that is resolved by force quitting and restarting. There is no evidence of Proton tweaks, anti-cheat issues, launcher blockers, or severe instability.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $1.00 - $5.00
  - Reasoning: Reviewers consistently value the game as a very short experience, often citing a sale price under $1 as clearly worthwhile. At the same time, several say it is cheap even at full price, that the price is not bad, or that they would have paid more, which supports a fair base price above the deep-sale anchor but still in the low single digits. Given the roughly 30-minute to couple-hour playtime, the community sentiment points to a fair base-game range of about $1 to $5, with the upper end justified only by the positive willingness-to-pay comments.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 0.5h
  - Story completion: 0.5h
  - Session length: 0.5h
  - Endgame: 0.5h
  - Reasoning: Reviews consistently place a single full playthrough or story completion around 20-40 minutes, clustering near 30 minutes, so gameCompletion and storyCompletion are both set to about 0.5 hours. A typical session is also about one playthrough, roughly 0.5 hours, with longer sessions usually explained by a second achievement run. Achievement completion is reported around 35-60 minutes total, so the endgame cleanup beyond the base run is estimated at about 0.5 hours. Isolated much longer playtimes were treated as outliers rather than central estimates.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Reviews describe a creative, initially strong hook whose novelty wears thin and turns repetitive, especially by the closing. A conflicting subset finds the core play boring from the start.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: boring core play; repetitive tasks; derivative Stanley Parable feel; novelty dependence
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: Preference for traditional progression or challenge; Tolerance for repetitive tasks; Value at a small price; Similarity to The Stanley Parable
- Player Archetypes:
  - Meta-Narrative Aficionado (buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking clever fourth-wall breaks, self-aware commentary, and philosophical play between player and developer.
    - Playstyle: Goes in blind, replays to catch every joke, and reflects on the implications the game raises.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: fan of meta games; meta-narrative player
    - Reference games: The Stanley Parable; It Takes A War; The Beginner's Guide; Superliminal
  - Value-Conscious Short-Experience Seeker (sale)
    - Motivation: Getting a compact, punchy, and affordable dose of entertainment that respects their time.
    - Playstyle: One focused ~20-30 minute playthrough, judging the experience by whether the modest price feels justified.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Completionist Achievement Hunter (buy)
    - Motivation: Exhausting every interaction, dialogue line, and achievement the game hides.
    - Playstyle: Reopens and replays repeatedly, clicks every button, and hunts all achievements and secret content.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Genre-Curious Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: Curiosity about a novel, experimental type of game they have not tried before.
    - Playstyle: Casual first-time exploration, going in open-minded and often playing once to see what the fuss is about.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: The Stanley Parable


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:
- Humorous and funny game (weight 0.35): Reviewers frequently mention the game's humor, calling it funny, hilarious, and genuinely funny. The comedy is a key highlight.
- Short but fun experience (weight 0.3): The game is consistently described as a short yet fun experience that is worth its low price. Many appreciate it as a brief, enjoyable diversion.
- Lovely and charming game (weight 0.28): Many reviewers describe the game as lovely, charming, and nicely made. The overall sentiment is positive about the game's fun and creative nature.
- Good value for price (weight 0.26): Many reviewers state the game is worth the money, especially given its low price. It is considered good value for the cost.
- Unique button mechanism (weight 0.17): The game's unique mechanism of closing when a button is pushed is memorable and fun. It is a distinctive feature.
- Enjoyable narrator interaction (weight 0.16): Players find the narrator enjoyable and entertaining to mess with. The narrator's attitude adds to the fun.
- Achievements add replay value (weight 0.16): The achievements are nicely done and provide a reason to replay the game. They are considered fun to complete.
- Worth playing (weight 0.14): Many reviewers recommend the game and say it is well worth playing through. It is seen as a worthwhile experience.
- Fourth wall breaking (weight 0.13): The game breaks the fourth wall effectively, playing with expectations and even insulting the player. This is executed very well.
- Imaginative and creative (weight 0.11): Reviewers highlight the game's creativity and imagination, calling it brilliant and experimental. The unique ideas stand out.
- Stanley Parable inspired (weight 0.11): The game is noted to be in the spirit of The Stanley Parable, reminiscent of it. This comparison is frequently made.
- No bugs noticed (weight 0.07): Some players report no bugs or technical issues during their playthrough. The game appears to run smoothly.

Common complaints:
- Frequent crashes and forced restarts (weight 0.45): Players report frequent crashes and the game repeatedly closing itself, especially when pressing buttons. This forces constant restarts and disrupts progress, making the game frustrating.
- Gameplay is boring and repetitive (weight 0.43): Many find the gameplay bland, boring, and repetitive. The core mechanic of the game closing itself becomes tedious quickly, and levels are small variations of the same task.
- Too short and lacking depth (weight 0.3): Reviewers complain the game is very short, often under 30 minutes, and lacks substantial content. The experience feels slight and not worth the price for many.
- Overall negative experience (weight 0.28): Many summarize their experience as poor, a waste of time, or not fun. Some were glad when the game ended and would not recommend it.
- Poor writing and humor (weight 0.25): Many players find the writing poor, the humor unfunny, and the meta aspects underdeveloped. Some note the game is full of self-deprecating jokes that do not make it enjoyable.
- Low-quality graphics and performance (weight 0.2): Graphics are often described as basic, and performance can be poor, with low frame rates on some hardware. There are also issues with aspect ratio and lack of graphics settings.
- Achievement and replay problems (weight 0.16): Achievements can be difficult to unlock, sometimes requiring tedious actions or multiple playthroughs. Some players experience issues with achievements not unlocking, particularly in offline mode.
- Streaming and notification annoyances (weight 0.15): Streaming the game is problematic due to repeated restarts and capture issues. Additionally, friends receive constant notifications when the game is launched, which can be annoying.
- Save data loss issues (weight 0.14): Several players report that saved data is deleted or lost, especially after certain actions like unplugging the power strip or at the end of the game. This forces replays and causes frustration.
- Language and translation issues (weight 0.13): The game lacks support for some languages, such as Korean and Chinese, and the English text can be difficult to understand for non-native speakers. This hinders enjoyment for international players.
- Feels like a student project (weight 0.13): Some reviewers feel the game is amateurish, like a student project, with cheap production values and a lack of polish. This contributes to a perception of low quality.
- Not worth the money (weight 0.1): Many players feel the game is not worth its price, even if cheap, due to its short length and lack of content. Some call it a cash grab.
- Uninteresting story and ending (weight 0.1): The story and ending are often described as lame or unsatisfying, with no real payoff. Some note the twist is predictable and the ending is abrupt.
- Slow movement speed (weight 0.07): The walking speed is very slow, with no sprint option, making traversing levels tedious. This contributes to the game feeling like a slow walking simulator.
- Not unique or innovative (weight 0.07): Reviewers feel the game is not unique, with everything having been done before and better. It lacks originality and insightful commentary.
- Antivirus false positive (weight 0.04): One player reported that antivirus software flagged the game files as a Trojan Horse, freezing them. This can prevent the game from running and cause concern.
- Low replayability (weight 0.04): The game offers little replay value, with only a few secrets and alternative actions. Replaying for achievements is often seen as a poor experience.
- Gimmick wears thin quickly (weight 0.04): The central gimmick of the game closing itself becomes annoying and repetitive after a few times. What starts as curious quickly becomes irritating.

Gameplay feedback:
- Core mechanic button pressing (weight 0.33): Players repeatedly press a button as the primary interaction. This is the central gameplay loop described across multiple clusters.
- Corridor with endpoint button (weight 0.28): The game involves walking down a hallway to press a button at the end. The environment is a simple corridor with a closed door and a button.
- Button closes the game (weight 0.26): Pressing the button causes the game to close or eject the player. This often requires a restart to continue.
- Fourth wall breaks (weight 0.23): The game features fourth-wall-breaking moments and interacts directly with the player. It plays with expectations and breaks the fourth wall.
- Narrator discourages button pressing (weight 0.13): A character or narrator attempts to stop the player from pressing the button. The game is designed to discourage pressing the button.
- Orange button (weight 0.08): The button in the game is described as orange. Players press this singular orange button.

Performance notes:
- Runs well on low-end and Linux (weight 0.13): Some users report the game runs on very weak PCs (potato PCs) and works out of the box on Linux. Steam Deck performance is also noted as okay, indicating decent optimization on certain platforms.
- Performance is highly variable (weight 0.11): While some users report great frames, others suffer from terrible performance, especially on integrated graphics laptops where FPS drops to around 20. Performance inconsistency is a major issue.
- No graphics quality option available (weight 0.05): Players are unable to adjust graphics settings to improve performance, as there is no option to turn down graphics quality. This limitation exacerbates performance issues on lower-end hardware.
- Save file loss causes progress loss (weight 0.04): One player reported that their save file disappeared, resulting in lost progress. This is a critical issue for game integrity.

Recommendations:
- Great value at low price (weight 0.46): Numerous reviewers highlight the low price as a major reason to recommend the game, often saying it's worth it even for a short experience. Some mention it's a easy grab during sales.
- Appeals to Stanley Parable fans (weight 0.27): Reviewers frequently recommend the game to fans of The Stanley Parable, Superliminal, The Beginner's Guide, and similar meta-narrative games. The fourth-wall-breaking humor is a key draw.
- Humorous and unique experience (weight 0.23): Reviewers highlight the game's humor, meta-hijinks, and unique ideas, often recommending it for a few laughs. The offended narrator and baiting are part of the charm.
- Not recommended for some (weight 0.2): A few negative reviews say the game is not worth the money, should have been free, or request a refund. Some dislike the meta-humor or find it lacking depth.
- Positive but mixed reviews (weight 0.16): Some reviewers give moderate scores like 5/10 or 9/10, with mixed feelings. A few mention it's not for everyone and only recommend it to specific tastes.
- Strongly recommended purchase (weight 0.15): Many reviewers enthusiastically recommend buying the game, calling it absolutely worth it and really good. This is the most frequent positive sentiment.
- Best experienced blind (weight 0.14): A common recommendation is to play the game without reading spoilers or watching others play it first, to fully enjoy the surprises. One reviewer suggests going in blind and playing without reading anything more.
- Short and sweet recommendation (weight 0.1): Simple positive recommendations like 'Play it' or 'Give it a try' are common, indicating general satisfaction.
- Achievement tips and warnings (weight 0.1): Some reviewers mention that getting all achievements requires a guide or specific settings, such as setting Steam status to Invisible. Others warn that going for achievements is a waste of time.
- Experimental and weird (weight 0.07): Reviewers describe the game as experimental and weird, appealing to those who like unconventional ideas.
- Offline play recommended (weight 0.07): Some reviewers suggest playing offline or setting status to invisible to avoid annoying Steam friends or achievement issues.
- Positive developer support (weight 0.07): One reviewer highly recommends supporting the developer, and another would happily play another game by them.
- Technical issues reported (weight 0.04): One reviewer gave a thumbs down due to a black screen issue, indicating potential technical problems.
- English-only caveat (weight 0.04): One reviewer notes the game is only in English, so players should be comfortable with that.
- Not for horror fans? (weight 0.04): One reviewer says it's a must-try for horror fans, but others might disagree due to the game's nature.
- Replayability (weight 0.04): One reviewer would play it over and over again to re-experience it, indicating high replay value for some.
- Streaming issues (weight 0.04): One reviewer does not recommend playing on streaming due to missing dialogue issues.
- Monitor required? (weight 0.03): One reviewer recommends enabling a monitor and playing with it, possibly due to the game's mechanics.
- Joke recommendation (weight 0.03): One reviewer jokingly advises waiting until the end of one's lifetime before playing, which is a humorous positive note.

Other player notes:
- Very short playtime (weight 0.79): Players consistently report that the game can be completed in about 20 to 30 minutes. Some note that even with achievements, total time remains under an hour.
- Comparisons to Stanley Parable (weight 0.56): Many reviewers compare the game to The Stanley Parable, citing similar humor and structure. Some also mention The Beginner's Guide and Superliminal.
- Low price point (weight 0.3): Reviewers frequently mention that the game is sold at a very cheap or affordable price. Many consider it good value for the short experience.
- Unfavorable Stanley Parable comparison (weight 0.3): Several reviewers feel the game falls short of The Stanley Parable, calling it a lite or unsuccessful imitation. They note a lack of creativity, charm, and humor.
- Achievements available (weight 0.28): The game includes achievements that can be obtained quickly, often in under an hour. Some players mention a second run to collect missed achievements.
- Solo developer (weight 0.08): The game was created by a single person with likely little to no budget. This contextualizes its scope and price.
- English-only language (weight 0.07): The game is only available in English, which may limit accessibility for non-English speakers.
- Early work compared to It Takes a War (weight 0.07): Some reviewers see this game as an early building block for the developer's later game, It Takes a War. They note ideas here that are more fully realized in that title.

Emotions:
- Amusement (weight 0.23): Players find the game humorous due to its fourth-wall breaks, meta jokes, and the narrator's absurd attempts to stop them from pressing the button. The silly premise of the game closing or insulting the player, along with the narrator's trolling and offended reactions, creates a genuinely funny experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): The main causes are the game's very short length, lack of emotional payoff, and feeling like an unoriginal or cheap imitation of The Stanley Parable. The nonexistent gameplay, repetitive restarts, and underwhelming twist contribute to a sense of wasted time and unmet expectations.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Players enjoy the fun, dynamic mechanics and the meta humor reminiscent of The Stanley Parable. The short but sweet experience, creative narration, and messing with the narrator provide a pleasant and entertaining time.
- Frustration (weight 0.07): Frustration arises from technical issues like frequent crashes, lost save data, and performance problems, as well as the need to constantly restart the game. Lack of language support and achievements not unlocking also contribute to a poor experience.
- Annoyance (weight 0.05): The game repeatedly closing itself and requiring manual restarts becomes annoying, especially when it disrupts streaming or causes missed dialogue. The constant restarting loop and notifications to friends are key sources of irritation.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.04): Players feel satisfied because the game offers good value for its low price, with a short but content-rich experience that feels worth playing. The varied experiences and perfect length make it a worthwhile purchase.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Appreciation stems from the game's creativity, innovative design, and realistic portrayal of game development. The hidden details, developer insights, and novel ideas make it an outstanding and pleasant experience worth exploring.
- Surprise (weight 0.03): Surprise is caused by unexpected events, such as the game closing being a deliberate mechanic rather than a bug, and sudden shifts into horror. The game turning out better than expected and discovering reset mechanics the hard way also contribute.
- Love (weight 0.03): Players love the fun, creative, and simple experience, including the silly humor and emotional journey. The orange button and the game's charm evoke strong affection.
- Fun (weight 0.03): The game is considered fun due to the simple, engaging gameplay of pressing buttons and the imaginative, humorous execution. The short, enjoyable experience and creative mechanics make it a fun time.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom results from the repetitive game-closing gimmick fading quickly, slow walking sections, and gameplay that feels too derivative of The Stanley Parable. The experience becomes dull and unengaging.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arises from the large file size, the meta fourth-wall breaking that shows the player's own screen, and uncertainty about the corridor and buttons. Not knowing how to reset the score for achievements and the puzzling high rating add to the confusion.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Players admire the developer's passion and hard work, as well as the game's effective fourth-wall breaking and well-explored narrative. The complete and memorable experience within a small scope is impressive.
- Amazement (weight 0.01): Amazement is caused by the imaginative deep lore, fun gameplay, and moments that wowed the reviewer. The game is described as absolutely amazing.
- Liking (weight 0.01): Players like the narrator's attitude, the developer's communication to not press the button, and the button feature itself. These elements create a likable, interactive dynamic.
- Unease (weight 0.01): Unease is caused by the game appearing to take control of the PC through repeated self-relaunching, making players think something was wrong with their computer. The fourth-wall breaking and freaky moments contribute to this feeling.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): Excitement comes from seeing each new mechanic or change after relaunch and never knowing what to expect when going back into the game. The intense and thrilling experience keeps players engaged.
- Interest (weight 0.01): Interest is sparked by the game's fourth-wall breaks and the ideas that later develop in It Takes a War. It is considered the most interesting game they've played.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Regret is felt by players who wished to refund the game, and by those who regret not playing it sooner. These opposite causes reflect varying experiences.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm is driven by the fantastic game experience that makes players think and is super cheap even at full price. The overall quality and value generate excitement.}