Info about Across the Obelisk:

Official game description:
2026 ROADMAP
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About the Game
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Team up with your friends and experience roguelite deckbuilding like never before! Craft decks of enormous power and lead your party on a thrilling quest to rescue a realm in turmoil. Choose wisely; your decisions have consequences. Dare you go Across the Obelisk?
*   Plan your strategy, but be prepared to adapt as you encounter procedurally generated events.
*   Build decks from 500+ cards, over 300 items and 16 heroes in four different classes.
*   Take sole control of your party of four heroes, or bring fellow adventurers along for the ride in 2-4 player online co-op.
*   Coordinate your party in tactical combat and experiment with different class combinations for entirely new ways to play.
*   Encounter powerful bosses and navigate events and quests where your decisions affect how the story unfolds.
*   Enjoy endless replayability with three in-depth game modes to master.
Your quest carries great risk: rescue your king’s daughter from the clutches of the treacherous Lord Hanshek before she meets her end. Your party’s fate, and that of Senenthia, is in your hands. How will you proceed?
*   The goal of your quest is set in stone, but there are twists and turns on every path. How will you fare when no two journeys are the same?
*   Your choices matter. Which road will you take this time? Who will you save? Who will you leave behind?
*   Cooperation is vital! Decide together what’s best for your party. Will you help the people of Senenthia on your journey or selfishly search for epic loot?
*   Customize and upgrade your decks by earning XP and unlocking perk points. Tackle four acts - each with its own fearsome boss - but beware of random events on your journey!
*   Build your deck from a vast choice of upgradeable cards and items. New and more powerful combos are yours to discover each time you enter Senenthia.
*   Combine character classes in different ways to find your favorite play style. Will you overwhelm your foes with mighty warriors or use your cunning and employ sneaky scouts?
*   Looking for a tough roguelike challenge? Try obelisk mode. Draft unique decks and embark on a randomized adventure where being prepared for anything is everything!
*   Discover endless combinations of cards, items, heroes and classes. And just as many ways to strategize your way to victory.
*   Regular updates and content drops will keep you coming back to Senenthia time and time again.
*   Want to test yourself against other players? Take on the weekly challenge mode. The deck and map are predetermined; success comes down to your skill.
*   Team up with other players on whichever platform they own, thanks to crossplay.
*   Let your friends follow along on your adventure when Story DLCs you own are shared across platforms with your entire party.
*   “Just one more run.” Enjoy unrivaled variety and endless replayability - Across the Obelisk rewards experimentation and keeps you coming back for more!

Release date: Aug 16, 2022

Categories: Roguelite Deckbuilder, Cooperative Multiplayer, Turn-based Combat, Party-based Combat, Meta-Progression, Choice-based Narrative, RPG

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 83; verdict: Predatory DLC monetization with pay-to-win signals; summary: The reviews show a heavily criticized monetization model built around numerous paid DLCs, many described as overpriced and low-content. More seriously, several reviewers report that DLC characters or content are needed to win or are visibly locked inside the base-game map, and some describe the complete bundle as misleading. Positive reviews confirm the base game can be enjoyed without DLC, but the direct pay-to-win and in-game paywall reports push the monetization risk above ordinary expansion pricing.
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Tier 3: The Student; summary: The reviews broadly focus on external-data dependency for instructional purposes: wiki and guides are needed to understand event outcomes, major quest lines, character and pet unlocks, enemy deck composition, status effects, and missing in-game encyclopedia entries. There is no clear primary complaint about farming drop rates or loot tables, nor about inventory management or crafting requirements. The dominant issue is learning systems and finding content, placing the audit in Tier 3.
- Proton/Linux: score 68; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: Linux compatibility is mixed and workaround-heavy. The central Linux-specific problem is the Paradox launcher, which multiple users say broke native Linux and Steam Deck compatibility, caused crashes, or required restarts. Some users can still play through Proton, launcher-skipping launch options, or SteamOS compatibility-mode adjustments, and several reviews report no problems on Linux with Proton. The result is not universally broken, but it is far from out-of-the-box smooth.
- Steam Deck: score 75; verdict: Broken for many Steam Deck users; summary: The Steam Deck feedback is dominated by the forced Paradox launcher introduced in late 2023, which creates account gating, launch failures, long startup delays, and save-access problems for some users. Steam Deck playability is also inconsistent: some players run the game well after remapping controls, while others report a broken or annoying experience. A separate repeated issue is the lack of text and UI scaling, with card text described as minuscule and sometimes unreadable on the handheld screen. These launcher and readability problems place the experience in the broken range despite positive reports from users willing to tinker.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: The Windows <8GB VRAM cohort predominantly reports crashes, startup failures, and black-screen issues, with only isolated reports of the game working.
  - Sample size: 36 (0% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (negative, 17 reports): Most users report frequent crashes, startup failures, and black screens, with poor optimization making the game difficult to run on lower-end systems.
  - Caveats: 36 of 13201 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $14.99 - $19.99
  - Reasoning: The base-game comments cluster around $20 being a strong full-price value and below $15 being an especially easy purchase, while several reviewers still advise waiting for a sale. DLC complaints are separate from the base game, so they do not lower the fair base-game range much. This supports a fair base-game range of roughly $15 to $20, with the current $19.99 at the upper end of acceptable.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 76.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 2.5h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The explicit statement that the player finished the game after 76 hours supports a gameCompletion estimate of about 76 hours. Several reviews report individual run or session lengths ranging from roughly 1.5 to 3.4 hours, so a central sessionLength estimate of about 2.5 hours is practical. No review provides a reliable story-only completion time, and no review gives a clear separate endgame playtime, so storyCompletion and endgame are left null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Across the Obelisk often starts slowly and can feel overwhelming, but it becomes much more enjoyable once the mechanics click and early unlocks broaden deck options. Co-op is the most common condition that makes the fun start sooner.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Once the player learns the mechanics and the game clicks
  - Time to anchor: 3h 0m
  - Friction: Steep learning curve for deck-building and roguelike newcomers; Overwhelming amount of information and icons in the first hours; Managing four characters and decks alone is cumbersome; Slow early progression requires unlocking cards and town upgrades; Long runs and slow combat can make sessions drag; Weak or missing tutorial explanations for many card effects
  - Unlock drivers: Learning the mechanics, icons, and card effects; Unlocking cards and town upgrades that improve starting decks; Co-op lets players split the load of controlling four characters; Meta-progression and perks make later runs feel more powerful; Using the save-preset deck feature speeds up run setup
  - Conditions: Playing co-op versus solo; Prior experience with deck-builders or roguelikes; Playing with friends at a similar progression level; Tolerance for long runs and meta-progression grinding; Using preset decks to reduce setup friction; Selected difficulty or Madness level
- Player Archetypes:
  - Social Co-op Deckbuilder (buy)
    - Motivation: Shared tactical deckbuilding and progression with friends in a cooperative roguelike campaign.
    - Playstyle: Coordinates one or more heroes per player, plans routes and card picks together, and prioritizes multiplayer stability and group fun.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: co-op player
    - Reference games: Slay the Spire; Darkest Dungeon
  - Solo Build Optimizer (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastering complex deck synergies and long-term progression through repeated optimized runs.
    - Playstyle: Manages four character decks solo, plans map routes and shops carefully, and experiments with character and card combinations.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: solo player
    - Reference games: Monster Train; Slay the Spire
  - Curious Genre Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: Entering the deckbuilder genre through an approachable fantasy RPG with co-op options and steady unlocks.
    - Playstyle: Learns through repeated runs, often plays casually or with friends, and relies on gradual unlocks rather than deep pre-existing deckbuilding knowledge.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Roguelike Purist (no buy)
    - Motivation: Fair, skill-driven tactical problem-solving rather than unlock grinding or artificial difficulty gates.
    - Playstyle: Avoids heavy meta-progression grinding and optimized solved builds, seeking tight runs with meaningful choices and clear counterplay.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Slay the Spire; The Last Spell


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:
- Fun and addictive gameplay (weight 0.28): Players consistently describe the game as fun, enjoyable, and highly addictive, often noting its strategic and engaging nature.
- Excellent co-op experience (weight 0.26): The cooperative mode is widely praised as the game's standout feature, with players highlighting how well it works for groups and the chaotic fun it produces.
- Base game worth the price (weight 0.2): Many players find the base game offers excellent value and is worth its price, providing plenty of fun and content on its own.
- Great solo or with friends (weight 0.18): The game is enjoyable both in single-player and multiplayer, though many find it even better with friends.
- Top-tier deckbuilder (weight 0.16): Reviewers frequently call it one of the best deckbuilding games, praising its fusion with RPG elements and solid mechanics.
- DLC adds good variety (weight 0.13): DLC is generally seen as worthwhile, adding characters, areas, and variety, though it is not mandatory to enjoy the game.
- Character variety and build depth (weight 0.12): The game offers many unique characters with multiple viable builds, providing rich deck-building variety and depth.
- High replayability (weight 0.11): The game offers tons of replay value through branching storylines, customization, and depth, keeping players returning for more.
- Very well-received overall (weight 0.08): The game is widely regarded as excellent, with many calling it amazing, a gem, or one of their favorites.
- Multiplayer shines above solo (weight 0.08): Multiplayer is considered the best way to play, with players describing it as a peak gaming experience and a great bonus.
- Similar to Slay the Spire (weight 0.07): The core gameplay is often compared to co-op Slay the Spire, with some noting it offers more depth and customization.
- Best roguelike deckbuilder (weight 0.06): Several reviewers consider it one of the best roguelike deckbuilders they have ever played, standing out in the genre.
- Lots of content and story (weight 0.06): The game provides plenty of content, including story elements and choices, keeping players engaged.
- Fun casual co-op at low difficulty (weight 0.05): Playing co-op with friends at low difficulty is described as fun and joyful, suitable for casual sessions.
- Fun with friends and memories (weight 0.05): Players cherish great fun and memories with their friendship groups, emphasizing social enjoyment.
- Flexible team composition experimentation (weight 0.05): Players enjoy experimenting with different team compositions and builds, finding it fun and flexible.
- Was good at release (weight 0.05): Some players fondly remember the game as good or great when it first launched, before later changes.

Common complaints:
- DLC pricing excessively high (weight 0.38): Reviewers widely complain that DLC prices are exorbitant, often exceeding the base game cost multiple times, and feel like a rip-off.
- Too much DLC and monetization (weight 0.36): Players are frustrated by the sheer volume of DLC and aggressive monetization tactics, feeling the game is milked with endless paid content.
- Poor DLC value for money (weight 0.32): DLC content is frequently seen as minimal relative to its price, with many stating the base game alone is sufficient and DLC offers little additional value.
- Paywalled content and events (weight 0.25): Many in-game features, characters, and events are locked behind DLC payments, forcing players to buy DLC to access full content.
- Forced Paradox launcher issues (weight 0.2): The addition of the Paradox launcher is widely criticized as unnecessary, unstable, and intrusive, with forced account requirements and ads.
- Numerous bugs and instability (weight 0.18): The game is plagued with bugs that make it unplayable at times, and many issues remain unfixed for long periods.
- Performance degradation and slow launches (weight 0.12): Recent updates have worsened game performance, causing slow loading times and instability, with some reporting launch times exceeding several minutes.
- Poor graphics and sound quality (weight 0.07): Visuals and sound effects are often described as subpar, with cheap sound effects and unappealing graphics.
- Grindy gameplay and balance issues (weight 0.07): The game feels excessively grindy, especially in early stages, and suffers from poor balancing that frustrates players.
- Annoying DLC advertisements prompts (weight 0.05): Constant DLC promotional prompts are irritating and cannot be disabled, detracting from the overall experience.
- Overwhelming deck management (weight 0.04): Managing four decks simultaneously can be mentally demanding and overwhelming, particularly for new players.
- Lack of Russian localization (weight 0.04): The absence of official Russian localization forces players to use inconvenient and outdated unofficial translations.

Gameplay feedback:
- Co-op multiplayer with friends (weight 0.44): The game supports cooperative play with friends, including online co-op for up to four players with crossplay and drop-in/drop-out support. It can be played solo or with a partner or a full party.
- Co-op roguelite deckbuilder (weight 0.38): The game is a cooperative roguelite deckbuilder, blending deckbuilding with roguelike runs and party RPG mechanics. It supports both solo and co-op play.
- Core deckbuilding gameplay (weight 0.32): Deckbuilding is the central system, where players build decks of cards to play. The game combines deckbuilding with strategic combat and many card combinations.
- DLC adds characters and content (weight 0.18): DLC expansions add new characters, areas, acts, maps, events, and boss fights. Each new DLC typically introduces one or two new characters with different playstyles.
- Multiple difficulty levels (weight 0.16): The game offers selectable difficulty levels, including a Madness difficulty progression with many tiers. Difficulty scaling and challenge options are available.
- Four-character party system (weight 0.13): Players control a party of up to four distinct characters, each with their own deck and playstyle. The game supports 1-4 players, with each player controlling one character.
- 16 base game characters (weight 0.11): The base game includes 16 playable characters, with over 20 available when including DLC. Each character has a unique starting deck and playstyle.
- Roguelike run structure (weight 0.09): The game features roguelike runs with variability, where death restarts progress and upgrades are unlocked across multiple runs. Runs can differ greatly and span several hours.
- Meta-progression system (weight 0.06): A meta-progression system includes town upgrades, perk points, and universal stat boosts. Players unlock upgrades across runs to strengthen future attempts.

Performance notes:
- Multiplayer desync issues (weight 0.23): Numerous reports describe frequent out-of-sync errors in multiplayer, often softlocking battles or resetting turns. Desyncs occur in towns, during combat, while shopping, and in specific boss encounters.
- Long loading and startup times (weight 0.12): Load times are described as horrendous, with startup taking over 5 minutes and intro scenes taking a long time to exit. Some players report infinite stalls on Steam OS.
- Crashes during gameplay (weight 0.11): Frequent crashes occur under normal use, during multiplayer, and during runs, sometimes crashing the entire PC. Recent updates have increased crash frequency.
- Severe performance lag (weight 0.1): Players experience tremendous lag in towns during co-op, freezes from curse stacking, and general sluggishness when many actions occur. Performance is poor even on capable hardware.
- Stability degraded by updates (weight 0.08): The game has become less stable with each update, becoming unplayable for months after releases. The most recent patch has broken many aspects and made the game unplayable.
- Online disconnects occur (weight 0.08): Frequent disconnections happen despite stable connections, with connection drops across regions and server instability. Reconnecting after a drop is noted as quick.
- Failed game launch (weight 0.07): The game sometimes fails to launch entirely, boots to a black screen, or starts unresponsive without a progression indicator. Some launches require extensive workarounds.
- Runs well on some hardware (weight 0.03): Some players report the game runs well on Steam Deck and potato-level PC hardware, and that loading times were drastically reduced in update 1.7.7.1.
- Texture corruption and black boxes (weight 0.03): Base game animations show black boxes or texture corruption, and the menu is missing textures and unresponsive. This requires manual PC resets in some cases.
- Resolution settings issues (weight 0.03): Resolution cannot be adjusted and often resets to a default value, affecting display configuration.
- Desync and crash fixes reported (weight 0.02): Some players report that desync issues were fixed in release 1.7.6.3 and crashes during multiplayer were fixed as of patch 1.7.7.1.
- Save data loss (weight 0.02): Save data has disappeared in the game, causing loss of progress.
- Frequent restarts required (weight 0.02): The game requires restarts every 10 minutes, disrupting extended play sessions.
- High memory usage (weight 0.02): Memory usage is extremely high at about 6GB of RAM, which may contribute to performance issues.
- Shop and ready-up bugs (weight 0.02): Multiplayer shop and ready-up functionality keeps bugging, disrupting lobby flow.
- Duplicate card resync bugs (weight 0.01): Duplicate card bugs cause the game to resync before continuing, interrupting gameplay.
- No bugs for some (weight 0.01): Some players experienced no bugs or crashes, indicating issues are not universal.

Recommendations:
- Strongly recommend for deckbuilder fans (weight 0.3): Reviewers consistently recommend the game to players who enjoy deckbuilding and roguelike card games, frequently comparing it to Slay the Spire and Monster Train. This is the most frequent positive recommendation theme.
- DLC unnecessary to enjoy game (weight 0.2): Multiple reviewers state the DLC is optional and not required to enjoy the base game, with some recommending skipping it entirely or only buying on sale. DLC monetization is a recurring concern.
- Buy base game before DLC (weight 0.19): Reviewers advise purchasing the base game first and deciding on DLC later, often suggesting to try the base experience before investing further. This reflects concern over DLC value and pricing.
- Best played with friends (weight 0.18): Reviewers repeatedly emphasize that the game is far more enjoyable in co-op with friends, with some making recommendations conditional on having a group to play with. Solo play is often discouraged.
- Not recommended in current state (weight 0.11): Many reviewers explicitly refuse to recommend the game due to game-breaking bugs and its unfinished state, some waiting until developers fix the issues. This is a major negative sentiment driver.
- Wait for DLC sales (weight 0.11): Reviewers consistently advise waiting for discounts before purchasing DLC, suggesting full price is too expensive for the content offered. This ties into broader DLC value concerns.
- Great with four players (weight 0.08): Several reviewers note the game shines with a full group of four players, recommending it for those who can gather a larger party. Two-player co-op is also mentioned as viable.
- Multiplayer issues hurt recommendation (weight 0.07): Some reviewers specifically warn against buying for multiplayer due to broken functionality, while others discourage singleplayer-only purchase. This splits the audience based on play mode expectations.
- For dedicated deckbuilder grinders (weight 0.04): Reviewers note the game appeals most to players who enjoy metaprogression grinding and repeated runs, and may not suit casual deckbuilder fans. This is a niche but notable recommendation caveat.

Other player notes:
- Frequent Slay the Spire comparisons (weight 0.22): Many reviews compare the game to Slay the Spire, with opinions ranging from a shallow imitator to a deeper, more customizable alternative. Darkest Dungeon is also frequently cited as a reference point.
- Paradox publishing and acquisition (weight 0.18): Paradox Interactive is the publisher and acquired the game in 2023, which reviewers associate with a shift in update and monetization approach. Some negative reception is tied specifically to the acquisition and publisher practices.
- Base game has ample content (weight 0.12): Reviewers highlight that the base game alone offers over 100 hours of content and a long lifespan. DLC is therefore considered optional rather than necessary for enjoyment.
- Active post-release development (weight 0.08): The developers continue to release content updates, hotfixes, and new DLC. Reviewers note that the game is still being actively supported rather than abandoned after launch.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.2): Players are frustrated by severe technical issues including constant crashes, broken multiplayer desyncs, and updates that break saves and the game itself. Excessive and expensive DLC, forced launchers, and poor balance with punishing RNG further compound the frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.15): Disappointment stems from the game's decline after acquisition, with aggressive DLC monetization, forced launchers, and worsening performance overshadowing its initial promise. Limited content variety, repetitive final bosses, and unfulfilled potential contribute to a sense of wasted opportunity.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Enjoyment comes from the core deckbuilding roguelite gameplay, especially in co-op with friends, offering deep strategy and high replayability. The variety of heroes, builds, and synergies keeps runs fresh and engaging.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Satisfaction arises from the rewarding progression system, where unlocking characters and mastering builds leads to successful runs and a sense of accomplishment. The base game offers substantial content and fun, with improvements over time.
- Anger (weight 0.05): Anger is directed at perceived greed through excessive DLC pricing, forced launchers, and monetization practices that lock content behind paywalls. Technical issues like crashes and unfixed bugs exacerbate the anger.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.05): Enthusiasm is driven by the game's depth, replayability, and co-op experience, with constant updates and new content keeping players engaged. The variety of characters and build options makes it a standout in the genre.
- Annoyance (weight 0.04): Annoyance stems from constant DLC prompts, forced launchers, and minor but persistent bugs that interrupt gameplay. Inefficient UI and required account setups add to the irritation.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): Excitement comes from the thrill of discovering synergies, trying new team compositions, and the anticipation of future content. The co-op experience and strategic depth create a sense of adventure and possibility.
- Love (weight 0.03): Love for the game is rooted in its deep deckbuilding strategy, co-op fun, and endless build variety. The RPG-inspired mechanics and character progression create a rich, rewarding experience that players cherish.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom sets in due to repetitive gameplay, long grindy fights, and a lack of novelty after many hours. The removal of infinite combos and slow combat contribute to a sense of monotony.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Appreciation is felt for the developers' dedication, ongoing updates, and the game's depth and charm. The D&D-inspired world, mechanics, and co-op experience are valued by players.
- Fun (weight 0.02): Fun is derived from playing with friends, experimenting with builds, and the addictive card gameplay. The multiplayer and co-op aspects enhance the enjoyment.
- Concern (weight 0.01): Concern arises from the focus on paid DLC over free updates, high costs, and potential privacy issues with the launcher. The game's long playtime and feature bloat are also worrying.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Admiration is for the game's design, music, and the small development team's dedication. The depth and polish, especially without typical Paradox DLC practices, are highly praised.
- Distrust (weight 0.01): Distrust is fueled by the launcher's data collection, perceived greed, and developer communication issues. The association with Paradox and monetization practices raise suspicions.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement comes from quirky sound effects, humorous situations in co-op, and the game's odd charm. The absurdity of certain scenarios adds to the fun.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): Disgust is directed at anti-consumer practices, low-quality and overpriced DLC, and perceived greed. The forced launcher and dismissive developer responses intensify this feeling.
- Mild frustration (weight 0.01): Mild frustration arises from long turns, tedious solo control of four heroes, and occasional server issues. The learning curve and DLC costs also contribute.
- Mild disappointment (weight 0.01): Mild disappointment stems from average story, weak card-game feel, and localization errors. Graphics and DLC pricing are minor letdowns.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.01): Dissatisfaction is driven by predatory DLC practices, poor value, and broken updates. RNG and cumbersome mechanics also detract from the experience.}