Info about Trek to Yomi:

Official game description:
As a vow to his dying Master, the young swordsman Hiroki is sworn to protect his town and the people he loves against all threats. Faced with tragedy and bound to duty, the lone samurai must voyage beyond life and death to confront himself and decide his path forward.  
**Cinematic Presentation**  
Breathtaking camera angles and striking visuals in the spirit of classic samurai film create a true cinematic experience in Trek to Yomi.  
**Stylish Combat**  
Engage vicious swordsmen and supernatural beings with a streamlined combat system based around the traditional weapons of the samurai.  
**Mythic Storytelling**  
Experience an enthralling story of Hiroki during his fall against the forces of evil and heroic return to make good on his failed promise to save the people he swore to protect.  
**  
Thrilling Soundtrack**  
The thrilling action and somber moments are set against a memorable score designed to feel authentic to the time and place of feudal Japan.

Release date: May 5, 2022

Categories: Action Adventure, Cinematic Narrative, 2.5D Platformer, Japanese Mythology, Story-driven Gameplay, Precision Platforming, Parry-based Combat, Multiple Endings

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 20; verdict: Works Well with Minor Issues; summary: The game performs well on Steam OS, indicating good compatibility with Linux-based systems. However, there are some gameplay issues such as lag in controls and combos, which affect the overall experience but do not make the game unplayable.
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback for the game on Steam Deck reveals significant issues with control responsiveness and gameplay experience. Multiple users have reported problems such as lag, inconsistent attack speeds, and unresponsive controls, which severely impact the overall enjoyment and playability of the game. These issues are critical and need to be addressed to improve the user experience.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $2.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that the community generally finds the game not worth its full price and recommends purchasing it only during significant sales. The repeated mentions of waiting for a sale and the game being worth it only at steep discounts indicate that the perceived fair price is much lower than the current base price. The community seems to value the game more in the range of a few dollars rather than the full price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 8.0h
  - Story completion: 6.5h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides direct statements about the playtime for Trek to Yomi. The first quote mentions an 8-hour playthrough, the third quote mentions a 9-hour playthrough on Normal Bushido difficulty, and the fourth quote mentions a 6 to 7-hour journey depending on playstyle. These quotes are used to estimate the typical playtime for game completion and story completion. There is no direct evidence for session length or endgame content, so those fields are marked as null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game initially offers an engaging experience with its stunning visuals and combat mechanics, but quickly becomes repetitive and monotonous, leading to a decline in player enjoyment.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Mastering new combat moves
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: Repetitive combat; Lack of enemy variety; Unresponsive controls; Annoying enemy waves
  - Unlock drivers: Mastering new moves; Changing difficulty settings
  - Conditions: Higher difficulty settings; Appreciation for visual aesthetics
- Player Archetypes:
  - Cultural Connoisseur (sale)
    - Motivation: Aesthetic and cultural appreciation
    - Playstyle: Casual, focused on story and visuals
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: fan of Kurosawa films; lover of Japanese culture
    - Reference games: Journey; Ghost of Tsushima
  - Challenge Seeker (sale)
    - Motivation: Mastery and challenge
    - Playstyle: Hardcore, focused on difficulty and combat
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: seasoned gamer; hardcore player
    - Reference games: Sekiro; Nioh
  - Story-First Explorer (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Story and visuals
    - Playstyle: Casual, focused on narrative and aesthetics
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: story lover; casual gamer
    - Reference games: Journey; Ghost of Tsushima


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:
- Stunning black-and-white visuals (weight 0.81): The game features visually striking black-and-white aesthetics, creating a unique and emotionally evocative atmosphere. Players consistently praise the art direction and cinematography.
- Immersive audio and ambiance (weight 0.21): The game's sound design and ambient music are highly praised for creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- Collectibles and exploration (weight 0.13): Players appreciate the hidden collectibles and secrets that encourage exploration and add depth to the gameplay.
- Japanese folklore and mythology (weight 0.07): The game includes interesting collectibles and artifacts that teach players about Japanese mythology, adding an educational element to the experience.

Common complaints:
- Poor combat mechanics (weight 0.57): The combat system is criticized for being clunky, unresponsive, and lacking depth. Players find it frustrating and unenjoyable due to its basic and flawed mechanics.
- Lack of enemy variety (weight 0.27): Players frequently mention that the game suffers from a lack of enemy variety, making combat repetitive and predictable. The limited types of enemies contribute to a monotonous experience.
- Predictable story (weight 0.27): The story is criticized for being predictable, cliché, and lacking depth. Players find it boring and unengaging, contributing to an overall lackluster experience.
- Clunky controls (weight 0.19): Controls are frequently mentioned as clunky and unresponsive, leading to a frustrating experience. This issue affects both movement and combat mechanics.
- Ineffective combo system (weight 0.12): The combo system is described as shallow and ineffective, with combos rarely used and feeling useless. This adds to the frustration in combat.
- Limited replayability (weight 0.11): The game is seen as having limited replayability due to its basic and repetitive mechanics. Players find it frustrating and not engaging enough for repeated playthroughs.
- Flawed parrying system (weight 0.1): The parrying system is criticized for feeling flawed and broken, with strange timing that doesn't feel right. This adds to the combat frustrations.
- Frustrating enemy spam (weight 0.1): Combat becomes frustrating due to an increasing number of enemies on screen, making the experience overwhelming and discouraging.
- Poor camera angles (weight 0.09): The camera angles are described as confusing and disorienting, making it difficult to make out enemy attacks. This is seen as a poor design choice.
- Frustrating boss fights (weight 0.08): Boss fights are mentioned as frustrating due to specific moves and timing issues, as well as bugs that disrupt the experience.
- Average and forgettable game (weight 0.07): The game is often described as not exceptional, average, and forgettable. It is seen as repetitive and not standing out in any particular way.

Gameplay feedback:
- Complex combat mechanics (weight 0.54): The game features a combat system that involves blocking, counterattacking, and executing various combos. Players find it challenging due to the precise timing required for successful parrying and attacks.
- 2.5D gameplay design (weight 0.21): The game blends 2D and 3D elements, creating a 2.5D side-scrolling experience. This design choice affects both the combat and exploration mechanics.
- Multiple story endings (weight 0.19): The game offers multiple endings based on player choices and decisions. This feature encourages replayability to explore different narrative outcomes.
- Short game duration (weight 0.11): The game is noted for its short length and simple controls. Despite its brevity, it offers strategic gameplay elements.
- Exploration and secrets (weight 0.11): The game includes exploration mechanics and hidden secrets. Players can discover collectibles that provide cultural and mythological information.
- Feudal Japan setting (weight 0.1): The game is set during the Edo period of feudal Japan, featuring samurai themes and aesthetics. Collectibles in the game provide insights into the story and culture of feudal Japan.
- Unique camera angles (weight 0.09): The game uses cinematic and sometimes disorienting camera angles. These static side cameras add a unique visual perspective to the gameplay.
- Puzzle-solving elements (weight 0.09): The game includes puzzles that involve rotating discs and aligning symbols. However, some players find these puzzles to be relatively simple or even laughable.
- Narrative-driven experience (weight 0.07): The gameplay is framed to provide a cinematic experience with narrative choices. This focus on storytelling enhances the overall player experience.
- Chapter-based structure (weight 0.06): The game is divided into seven distinct chapters. Each chapter is designed with specific lengths and unique elements.
- Regular checkpoint placement (weight 0.06): The game features regular checkpoints, which help in managing the game's difficulty and pacing.

Performance notes:
- Performance and technical issues (weight 0.17): The game suffers from various performance issues, including low frame rates and sound problems. These technical issues affect the overall gaming experience.
- Numerous bugs reported (weight 0.11): Players have reported a significant number of bugs, ranging from general bugs to specific issues like game crashes and bugs in the final chapter.
- Control and input issues (weight 0.07): There are problems with the game's controls, including laggy responses and inputs being dropped or misread. Movement controls are also reported as buggy.
- Hardware requirements and smooth performance (weight 0.06): The game has low hardware requirements and runs smoothly on some systems. It requires medium to gaming PCs for optimal performance.
- Visibility and camera problems (weight 0.05): Players have noted visibility issues, such as stars indicating enemy attacks not being visible. There are also complaints about the camera distance on Steam Deck.
- Positive performance on specific hardware (weight 0.05): The game performs well on certain hardware configurations, such as the Legion Go S and Steam Deck at 1080p on an external monitor.
- Game upgrades disappearing (weight 0.03): Some upgrades disappear after the player dies, which can be frustrating and impact gameplay progression.
- Non-English language complaints (weight 0.02): There are complaints in non-English languages, such as Russian, indicating performance issues.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for samurai film fans (weight 0.19): The game is highly recommended for fans of samurai films, Japanese cinema, and those who appreciate the atmosphere and aesthetics inspired by Kurosawa films.
- Buy on sale (weight 0.17): Many reviewers suggest purchasing the game during a sale or discount period to get the best value for money.
- Worth trying despite flaws (weight 0.1): The game is considered worth playing despite its flaws, offering a unique experience that many find valuable.
- Play on easy mode (weight 0.09): Several reviews recommend playing the game on easy mode to better enjoy the story and visuals without being hindered by combat difficulties.
- Recommended for specific audiences (weight 0.06): The game is recommended for those who appreciate its specific proposal, visuals, and atmosphere rather than its combat mechanics.
- Mixed recommendations (weight 0.05): Reviews are mixed, with some highly recommending the game while others do not recommend it at all.
- Recommend more samurai games (weight 0.04): Players express a desire for more games similar to this one, specifically in the samurai genre.
- Improve enemy attack indicators (weight 0.03): A specific suggestion for improvement is to enhance the enemy attack indicators to make combat more intuitive.
- Criticism of shooters and story (weight 0.02): Some reviewers found the shooters' attacks annoying and considered the story to be one of the worst ever.
- Consider purchasing (weight 0.02): Some reviews suggest considering the purchase of the game, indicating a moderate level of recommendation.
- Suggest Game Pass (weight 0.02): Some suggest getting the game via Game Pass instead of purchasing it outright.
- Play on hard mode (weight 0.02): A suggestion to change the game's difficulty to hard for a more challenging experience.

Other player notes:
- Chapter select and save slots (weight 0.03): Players have expressed a strong desire for the ability to select specific chapters to replay and to have multiple save slots for better game progression management.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.28): Players are primarily frustrated with the combat mechanics, which are described as clunky, repetitive, and unfair. The controls are often unresponsive, and the difficulty spikes, particularly in boss fights, contribute to a negative experience. Additionally, bugs and poor gameplay execution, such as save system issues and camera problems, further exacerbate the frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.25): Disappointment stems from the game's repetitive and boring gameplay, which fails to meet players' expectations. The combat mechanics are criticized for being too simple or poorly executed, and the story is often described as unengaging or lacking depth. Despite good visuals, the overall gameplay experience and lack of meaningful choices contribute to this sentiment.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.12): Players enjoy the game's unique visual style, immersive atmosphere, and engaging combat mechanics. The story and cultural elements also contribute to a positive experience, making the game visually appealing and fun to play. The overall fun experience and positive aspects like the visual style and atmosphere outweigh some flaws.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Satisfaction comes from the game's beautiful visuals, good story, and enjoyable gameplay. Players appreciate the artistic presentation, engaging storyline, and dynamic combat mechanics. The game's atmosphere, soundtrack, and overall experience meet or exceed expectations, providing a satisfying experience.
- Admiration (weight 0.08): Players admire the game's artistic visuals, cinematography, and overall presentation. The unique visual style and high-quality sound design create an immersive and emotionally resonant experience. The game's artistic cohesion and homage to classic films are particularly praised.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Appreciation is expressed for the game's visual and narrative aspects, including its artistic direction and homage to classic samurai films. The high-quality sound design, voice acting, and unique visual style are also appreciated. Players value the game's atmosphere, combat mechanics, and cultural references.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is derived from the game's gorgeous aesthetics, captivating story, and positive experiences with its art style and atmosphere. The game's visual and narrative elements resonate with players, creating a joyful experience. The art design and overall presentation contribute to this positive emotion.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom is caused by the game's repetitive and monotonous gameplay, which quickly becomes tedious. The lack of variety in combat and the less engaging story contribute to a boring experience. Players find the gameplay stretched and uninteresting, leading to boredom.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is primarily due to the game's frustrating combat system, poor action design, and bad enemy AI. Players feel that the game wastes their time and emotions, leading to a negative experience. The overall mechanics and design of the game contribute to this anger.
- Excitement (weight 0.02): Excitement comes from the game's interesting gameplay and narrative structure, as well as its art style and cinematic experience. Plot twists and beautiful combat mechanics contribute to a thrilling experience. Players are eager for more of the game's unique offerings.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm is driven by the game's stunning visuals and solid gameplay. Players are enthusiastic about the game's story and visuals, which create an engaging experience. The overall presentation and gameplay mechanics contribute to this enthusiasm.
- Impressed (weight 0): Players are impressed by the overall game experience and story. The game's unique visual style, engaging gameplay, and well-crafted narrative leave a strong impression. The combination of these elements creates an impressive experience.
- Delight (weight 0): Delight is derived from the game's stunning visuals and the creation of a supernatural Kurosawa-inspired world. The unique art style and immersive atmosphere contribute to a delightful experience. Players are charmed by the game's visual and narrative elements.
- Inspiration (weight 0): Inspiration comes from the personal insights and lessons that players gain from the game. The game's story, themes, and overall experience inspire players, providing them with new perspectives and ideas. The narrative and gameplay elements contribute to this inspiration.
- Nostalgia (weight 0): Nostalgia is evoked by comparisons to classic games like Karateka and Prince of Persia. The game's visual style, gameplay mechanics, and overall presentation remind players of beloved classics. This sense of nostalgia enhances the gaming experience.
- Hope (weight 0): Hope is based on the potential for future improvements in the game. Players see the promise and potential in the game's current state and are hopeful for enhancements and updates. The game's strengths and possibilities for growth contribute to this hope.
- Engagement (weight 0): Engagement is driven by the game's interesting plot and engaging gameplay. Players are drawn into the game's world and story, creating an immersive experience. The combination of narrative and gameplay elements keeps players engaged.
- Immersion (weight 0): Immersion is achieved through the game's visual art and sound environment. The unique visual style, high-quality sound design, and immersive atmosphere create a captivating experience. Players feel deeply immersed in the game's world and narrative.}