Info about Nimbus INFINITY:

Official game description:
Nimbus INFINITY
---------------
A direct sequel to Project Nimbus, Nimbus INFINITY is a high-speed mecha combat game. Controlling multi-purpose humanoid machines called Battle Frames, players can customize weapons and loadouts to gain the edge in battle, and unravel the story of a new generation of pilots.  
*   High-speed, mech combat.  
*   Customize weapons and loadouts to better suit one's skills and preferences.  
*   Variety of new stages, environments, and area gimmicks.  
*   A new story with a new cast, exploring the world 21 years after the events of Project Nimbus.  
    Although the world has seemed to move beyond the war-torn history of Battle Frames, there seems to be something moving in the undercurrent of this peace...  
    \---  
    **Fast Action Combat**  
    A variety of new enemy types requiring fighting skill and split second decisions.  
    Choose your combat stance and best weapon for the job...missiles, guns or melee, nothing matters if the ace pilot (you!) chokes under pressure  
    **An Epic Space Saga**  
    Play as Taiyo, the young delivery boy who is taken to the stars by a chance meeting with a fallen Battle Frame.  
    From glittering cities to vast deserts to colonies on the edge of space, you will fight across the world and into the stars to save Earth from destruction  
    **Customize Your Battle Frame**  
    Create your own weapon loadouts from a variety of weapon types such as handguns, rifles, missiles, cannons, along with defensive countermeasures like decoys and camo.  
    **A New Age**  
    It's the eve of the year 2100.  
    In the time since the end of the last great war, half of humanity has migrated to space and built colonies to open anew horizon, while the central CFN government has successfully united the warring factions of Earth under its iron command.  
    Battle Frame technology has fallen into disuse, as elite pilots with the ability to create neural links with the mighty mechs have all but vanished, ceding the battlefield to brute force and superior numbers.  
    But as 2099 ends and 2100 begins, a young man sees a bright light streak across the sky, and the future of humanity once again hangs in the balance.

Release date: Jun 22, 2023

Categories: Mech Combat, Third-Person Shooter, Weapon Customization, High-Speed Combat, Visual Novel, Single-player Story, Survival Mode


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $12.00
  - Reasoning: Reviews explicitly state the base price is $12 and that $11 on sale is considered good value. One user recommends the game at its current price tag, and another notes frequent sales, implying that the full $12 is acceptable but discounts are common. A 30% off purchase ($8.40) is not criticized, but the majority evidence points to $10–$12 as the fair base range, matching the stated $12 and discounted purchase at $11.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 2.8h
  - Story completion: 2.8h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews consistently report total playtime to complete the story or campaign in 2–3.5 hours, with median around 2.75 hours. No evidence is provided for session length or post-game content, so those metrics are set to null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players consistently find the game unfun from the very start due to clunky combat, weightless weapons, repetitive missions, and a short boring story. No evidence shows enjoyment improving over time.
  - Stance: Never clicks
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: unintuitive combat and navigation mechanics; weightless gun and melee feel; repetitive mission objectives; boring and short story; difficulty high on all settings; enemy recognition problems
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: early access state; no hand-holding tutorial; repetitive mission design; high difficulty even on easy; short 3-hour story; individual player tolerance for repetition; prior experience with series
- Player Archetypes:
  - Disappointed Project Nimbus Veteran (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking a worthy successor to Project Nimbus
    - Playstyle: Expects polished gameplay; compares every aspect to the predecessor.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Project Nimbus
  - Early Access Advocate (buy)
    - Motivation: Supporting game development and helping shape the final product
    - Playstyle: Forgiving of bugs; enjoys providing feedback and monitoring updates.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Project Nimbus
  - Anime Mecha Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoying anime-style mecha action and atmosphere
    - Playstyle: Immersive; values aesthetic presentation and flight sensation.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


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:
- Story and characters well-received (weight 0.39): Reviewers praise the storytelling, character interactions, and likable characters, with mentions of improved presentation and character development. This enhances the narrative experience.
- Weapon variety and customization appreciated (weight 0.37): Reviewers appreciate the wide selection of weapons and the customization options for loadouts, which allow for different playstyles. This is seen as a key positive feature.
- Gameplay is fun and enjoyable (weight 0.34): Many reviews describe the core gameplay as fun, enjoyable, and good, highlighting the mech combat and overall experience. This is a common positive theme.
- Graphics and art design praised (weight 0.31): Reviews frequently mention the graphics, art design, and visuals as good-looking, stunning, and an improvement over the previous game. This includes cutscenes and environments.
- Flying and movement feel great (weight 0.31): Players enjoy the flight mechanics, high-speed movement, and sense of speed, describing the controls as responsive and the experience as exciting. This is a core gameplay strength.
- Sound and voice acting praised (weight 0.24): Positive feedback on voice acting, weapon sounds, and music, with some noting improvements over the original. This adds to immersion and overall polish.
- Mechs look cool and great (weight 0.23): Multiple reviews praise the mech designs as cool and great-looking. This is a high-frequency positive observation about visual appeal.
- Visual novel presentation works well (weight 0.2): The use of visual novel segments and 2D cutscenes for storytelling is well-received, making the narrative easier to consume and enhancing character connection.
- Controls are intuitive and responsive (weight 0.14): Players note that controls are approachable, intuitive, and better than the predecessor, contributing to a smooth gameplay experience. This is important for accessibility.
- Mission design and variety appreciated (weight 0.11): Reviews mention interesting and well-designed missions with gimmicks, better balanced escort missions, and varied gameplay. This keeps the experience fresh.
- Ally and ship interactions enhance game (weight 0.1): Interacting with allies on the ship and having strong allies in combat increases enjoyment and attachment to characters. This adds to the overall experience.
- Game actively updated and improved (weight 0.08): Reviews note that the game is getting better with updates, adding features and fixing issues, showing developer support. This is a positive sign for longevity.
- Survival mode provides good practice (weight 0.07): Survival mode is recommended for learning combat and AI movement, offering real fights and a way to improve. This is a useful feature for players.
- Game has potential to match predecessor (weight 0.04): Despite some issues, reviewers see potential for the game to become as good as the previous installment, indicating a solid foundation. This is a balanced perspective.

Common complaints:
- Dissatisfying lock-on system (weight 0.38): The lock-on mechanic is heavily criticized for its short range, dropout when enemies move behind the player, and the tedious need to keep enemies in a central circle or box. This harms combat fluidity and makes aiming difficult, leading to missed attacks even at close range.
- Poor optimization and performance (weight 0.35): Chronic frame rate drops and performance issues persist even on lowest settings, never reaching consistent 60fps. Optimization is widely criticized, with occasional crashes and severe stuttering hampering the experience.
- Game is a major downgrade (weight 0.31): Multiple clusters indicate the game significantly underperforms compared to its predecessor in gameplay, story, and content. Players feel it lacks the intangible themes and length of the original, making it less replayable and overall disappointing.
- Weak and fragmented story (weight 0.3): The story is considered disjointed, incomplete, boring, and lacking character development. Players find it hard to follow and feel it lacks the depth and polish of the previous installment, with an abrupt and confusing ending.
- Lack of content and features (weight 0.24): The game offers limited weapons, minimal customization, no loadout saving, and no weapon upgrades, reducing depth and replayability. Players also note that customization options are basic and lack meaningful choices.
- Bland and lifeless presentation (weight 0.23): The UI is considered bland and lifeless compared to the first game, and the graphics quality is low with poor performance. The overall presentation feels unpolished and rough around the edges.
- Game-breaking softlocks and crashes (weight 0.18): Several missions suffer from softlocks where objectives never update or the game gets stuck after event triggers, and some missions crash near the end, blocking story progression. These issues persist across restarts, making the game unplayable at specific points.
- Poor voice acting (weight 0.14): Voice acting, especially in English, is described as amateurish, lacking, and categorically bad. This detracts from the overall immersion and presentation quality of the game.
- Fine-tuning and testing needed (weight 0.14): Many reviews suggest the game needs more playtesting and fine-tuning due to various bugs, performance issues, and gameplay shortcomings. The game feels unpolished and requires additional development time.
- Unclear gameplay mechanics (weight 0.13): The stance switching system's effects are unclear, and hit detection is inconsistent, making combat feel unreliable. This lack of clarity hinders player understanding and engagement.
- Underwhelming mech design (weight 0.13): Mech and character designs are considered underwhelming, and color customization is limited to weapons with minimal visual effect on the battleframe itself. This reduces the appeal for customization enthusiasts.
- Mediocre sound design (weight 0.07): Sound effects are inconsistent in volume and quality, with missing audio where it should exist and some bad music. This further reduces the quality of the game presentation.
- No mission briefing before missions (weight 0.07): Players are required to select equipment without prior mission briefings, making it difficult to prepare appropriately. This design flaw adds to the frustration and lack of strategic depth.

Gameplay feedback:
- Lock-on combat system (weight 0.34): Combat relies on a lock-on system with a reticle and central circle, requiring players to keep enemies within range and line of sight. Auto-lock can drop when enemies move behind, and lock-on distance is short, limiting engagement range.
- High-speed mech combat (weight 0.31): The game is consistently described as a high-speed mecha action game with arcade-style combat, featuring fast-paced mech battles and flying. Players navigate dynamic encounters with multiple enemy types and high-speed maneuvers.
- Lock-on mechanics and aiming (weight 0.3): The game features both lock-on and manual aiming options, with semi-auto lock-on and a target box. Missile lock and melee are easier to use due to lock-on reticle, while continuous lock-on and fire is no longer possible.
- Weapon variety and customization (weight 0.3): Players can equip a variety of weapons, including missiles, guns, and melee, with customization options for dual wielding and armament changes. However, weapon selection is limited compared to the predecessor, with customization being underwhelming.
- 2D anime story segments (weight 0.24): The story is presented with 2D anime-style cutscenes and visual novel-lite narrative sections, including a hub world between missions. The narrative is set in the Project Nimbus universe, about twenty years after the predecessor.
- Main story campaign (weight 0.24): The game includes a main story campaign with mission-based progression, featuring pre-mission conversations and varied objectives per level. The campaign involves traveling point to point and completing story-driven missions.
- Survival mode included (weight 0.2): A survival mode is present where players face waves of enemies, with stages and no allies. This mode complements the main campaign, offering additional challenge and replayability.
- Stance switching system (weight 0.19): The game features a stance system with defensive, speed, and offensive options, allowing players to switch between attack and defense types. This adds strategic depth to combat, similar to Daemon Ex Machina.
- Learning curve and controls (weight 0.15): Combat and navigation mechanics have a learning curve, with rise/descend controls on YA buttons and boost/ascent controls that have issues. The game offers partial key configuration, but controller support is available.
- Survival mode stages (weight 0.14): Survival mode includes stages with waves of enemies, providing a structured challenge. Players must survive without allies, emphasizing solo combat skills.
- Combat compared to predecessor (weight 0.12): The game is often compared to the previous installment, with combat speed similar but gameplay style different, described as Ace Combat-like despite being high-speed mecha action. This comparison highlights both improvements and regressions.
- Boss fights and destructible parts (weight 0.11): Enemy units include battleships with multiple destructible parts and weakpoints, and the game includes boss fights. Missions involve weaving between missile barrages and pursuing hostile mechs, adding tactical variety.
- Incomplete story in early access (weight 0.1): The story is currently incomplete due to early access, which may frustrate players looking for a full narrative experience. The game is set in 2100 and involves a tofu delivery boy using a mobile suit.
- Visual novel hub world (weight 0.08): The game features a visual novel hub world between missions, with dialogue parts and pre-mission conversations. This narrative approach adds story depth but may slow pacing for action-focused players.
- Project Nimbus universe setting (weight 0.08): The game is set in the Project Nimbus universe, about twenty years after the predecessor, and features a large city named Gunma. The world-building connects to the franchise but may be niche for new players.
- Limited mission count (weight 0.07): The campaign has 11 missions, significantly fewer than the 26 in the first game, and missions are confined to certain ranges. This may impact replayability and story depth.
- Weapon balancing issues (weight 0.07): Weapon balance is uneven, with a railgun being effective while others are not, and no leading fire mechanism. This can affect combat satisfaction and force reliance on specific weapons.
- Mech customization limited (weight 0.07): Mech customization includes color options and limited weapon changes, but overall customization is limited compared to predecessor. This may disappoint players expecting deeper personalization.
- Boost ineffective against fire (weight 0.04): Boost is available but ineffective against enemy fire, making evasion challenging. This can lead to frustration during combat, as movement options may not provide adequate protection.
- No continuous lock-on fire (weight 0.04): The combat system no longer allows continuous lock-on and fire, forcing players to manage aiming manually. This change may alter the feel of combat compared to previous titles.

Performance notes:
- Chronic frame rate drops (weight 0.33): Many players report persistent frame rate issues even on low settings, affecting overall gameplay. Specific instances include drops during combat and with many on-screen elements.
- Poor overall optimization (weight 0.32): Reviews consistently criticize the lack of optimization, citing low frame rates and high GPU load despite modest graphical settings. The game is demanding even on mid-range PCs.
- Frequent crashes occur (weight 0.25): The game crashes often, including on capable hardware and during later missions, with fatal errors reported. This disrupts progress and is a major stability concern.
- Low FPS on low settings (weight 0.2): Players with average GPUs see FPS in the 30-50 range even on the lowest graphical settings. This indicates scaling issues and poor optimization.
- Crashes on capable PCs (weight 0.17): Crashes occur despite hardware exceeding minimum requirements, such as PCs that run other games on high settings. This points to software-level instability.
- Performance dips in battles (weight 0.14): Large battles and enemy spawns cause severe lag, with frame rates dropping dramatically. Specific missions, like the overbooster encounter, become nearly unplayable.
- Performance varies with hardware (weight 0.12): While some high-end rigs run well, others experience severe issues, indicating inconsistent optimization. This inconsistency frustrates players with varied setups.
- Fails to hit 60 FPS (weight 0.12): Even on low settings, the game struggles to maintain 60 FPS on mid-range hardware. This is a common complaint, indicating performance targets are unmet.
- Stuttering with Unreal Engine (weight 0.08): Frame drops and micro-stutters are attributed to Unreal Engine, especially during fast movement and acceleration. This affects combat fluidity and immersion.
- High GPU load on mid settings (weight 0.08): Using a 7900GRE, medium settings cause extreme GPU load, and fans ramp up when viewing cityscapes. This suggests inefficient rendering pipelines.
- Last missions performance issues (weight 0.08): The final missions suffer from stuttering and FPS drops, particularly on lower-end PCs and difficulties above easy. This may deter players from finishing.
- Graphics don't match performance (weight 0.05): The game looks unimpressive while performing poorly, combining low visual fidelity with low frame rates. This suggests inefficient use of resources.
- High-speed combat stutters (weight 0.05): Turning and acceleration during fast combat induce slight stuttering, affecting responsiveness. This is tied to engine limitations or asset streaming.
- Mission break due to lag (weight 0.05): Performance issues disrupt mission flow, especially during larger battles, causing frustration. This impacts the overall experience beyond just visual quality.
- Enemy spawn causes lag (weight 0.05): Extreme lag spikes occur when enemies spawn, spiking CPU/GPU loads. This is a specific trigger that affects combat encounters severely.
- Fatal error crashes (weight 0.05): A fatal error leads to game termination, possibly at random or during specific actions. This is a severe stability issue that halts gameplay.
- Draw distance impacts FPS (weight 0.04): Sky rendering and draw distance cause significant slowdowns, indicating poor LOD management. Reducing these settings is necessary for playable FPS.
- Control settings reset (weight 0.03): Game options reset on each restart, forcing players to reconfigure controls every session. This is a UX bug that compounds performance frustration.

Recommendations:
- Mixed recommendation overall (weight 0.29): Clusters show a split between positive and negative recommendations. Some players endorse the game, while others advise waiting or avoiding it.
- Delay purchase until optimized (weight 0.22): Recommendations to wait are common, focusing on optimization issues and the incomplete current state of the game.
- Positive recommendation from fans (weight 0.19): Fans of Project Nimbus and arcade mech combat largely recommend the game, though some suggest treating it as a separate experience.
- Recommend for early access supporters (weight 0.15): Some advise buying now to support development, viewing it as an investment or to provide feedback for future improvement.
- Prefer predecessor Project Nimbus (weight 0.14): Several players recommend buying Project Nimbus instead or in addition, citing it as a better mech game and providing context.
- Recommend with caveats (weight 0.1): A few reviewers give cautious recommendations, noting flaws and suggesting lower expectations or specific conditions like price.
- Lack of content (weight 0.04): A gap indicates the game still needs more content and work to justify a purchase at the current stage.
- Skeptical about series' future (weight 0.04): One player would not buy a third game, perceiving declining quality in the series.

Other player notes:
- Sequel inferior to predecessor (weight 0.45): Multiple reviewers compare this game unfavorably to Project Nimbus, stating it is worse in nearly every aspect including content, length, and polish. The consensus is that the sequel does not live up to the original.
- Early access status concerns (weight 0.27): Reviewers note the game is in early access despite being a sequel, with some saying the Steam page didn't indicate the campaign was early access. Others mention the low completion quality and that three years have passed since alpha.
- Short campaign length criticized (weight 0.23): The campaign is very short, lasting only about 2-3 hours, with only around 10-11 missions. This is a significant disappointment for players expecting a longer experience.
- Short campaign length criticized (weight 0.23): The campaign is very short, lasting only about 2-3 hours, with only around 10-11 missions. This is a significant disappointment for players expecting a longer experience.
- Lack of Japanese voice acting (weight 0.22): Several reviewers point out the absence of Japanese voice acting, which was present in the previous game, and express a desire for its addition. This is a common request among the feedback.
- Lack of Japanese voice acting (weight 0.22): Several reviewers point out the absence of Japanese voice acting, which was present in the previous game, and express a desire for its addition. This is a common request among the feedback.
- Story and presentation issues (weight 0.16): The story is described as fragmented and ties to the previous game only through mech design and a character cameo. Visual novel-style segments and a cliché high schooler plot are noted, and the script feels auto-translated.
- Price concerns relative to value (weight 0.16): The game is more expensive than its prequel, roughly three times higher, though it is still considered low-priced at around $12. Some reviewers feel it is worth the price, while others have requested refunds.
- Different experience from original (weight 0.13): Some reviewers note the game is very different from Project Nimbus, offering a different combat style and gameplay approach. This is seen as either a positive change or a departure from what made the original fun.
- Different experience from original (weight 0.13): Some reviewers note the game is very different from Project Nimbus, offering a different combat style and gameplay approach. This is seen as either a positive change or a departure from what made the original fun.
- Developer promises not fulfilled (weight 0.11): Promised roadmap features were largely not delivered, and the game is still in early access with many flaws. There is a sense that the development team has much work to do.
- Request for more customization (weight 0.11): Players can customize weapons but not frame colors, and reviewers hope for more options in setting and adjusting battle frames. Additionally, there is a request for more robots in survival mode.
- Potential for improvement (weight 0.11): Some reviewers acknowledge the game's potential and hope for improvements, noting that the previous game improved significantly from its initial state. They expect the developer to enhance the game over time.
- Team and development context (weight 0.1): The game is developed by a small team, possibly students, and there was a mass departure of staff before this game. This context helps explain some of the game's shortcomings.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.28): Players report game-breaking bugs, soft locks, and crashes that halt progress, with missions 5, 7, 9, and 10 cited as particularly problematic. Performance is poor even on low settings, and combat feels unsatisfying due to weak weapons, unreliable lock-on, and hitscan enemies, compounded by control issues and a lack of meaningful content.
- Disappointment (weight 0.28): The sequel is widely seen as a downgrade from its predecessor, with a rushed, short story, fewer missions, and reduced customization. Technical issues, poor voice acting, and weaker combat mechanics further sour the experience, failing to meet expectations set by Project Nimbus.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.05): Players who enjoyed the game highlight improvements in story presentation, movement, combat, and customization over the prequel. Graphics, sound design, and mission design are praised, and the game is considered a notable improvement that continues to get better with updates.
- Confusion (weight 0.05): The fragmented story, abrupt ending, and jarring transitions between high-speed mech combat and 2D story segments leave players unclear about the narrative. Poor camera work and unclear mission objectives add to the disorientation.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.04): Players derive fun from the solid mech gameplay, weapon selections, and animations, with humor in the storyline adding to the appeal. Recent patches have made the game enjoyable, and specific combat scenarios like dodging snipers while managing close-range foes are highlights.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Many players are optimistic about future improvements, recalling how the previous game evolved from its initial state. They hope for performance patches, continued content updates, and overall enhancement in the next installments.
- Love (weight 0.02): Enthusiasts of mech and aviation games are captivated by the game's premise and the ability to wander the ship and interact with characters. Despite flaws, the core experience resonates strongly with these players.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyances stem from off-putting British accents and a cringe story, as well as mission padding with copy-pasted content from the first game. Camera shake and effects interfering with gameplay and the mispronunciation of 'akatsuki' also frustrate players.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): Players look forward to the complete version and new content in early access, seeing strong potential in the game. They plan to return as updates add more depth and improve the experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.02): The thrill of flying mechs and the fast-paced, hectic combat generate excitement among players. The game's potential and speed are praised, with many eager to see how it improves.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciate the lack of hand-holding in the tutorial, preferring VO guidance over forced instructions. The new customization feature and dogfight style that adds challenge and fun are also valued additions.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Battleship damage mechanics are seen as unfair and confusing, with hits not registering properly. Frequent crashes force players to replay cutscenes and reselect loadouts, compounding frustration.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Repetitive enemies that are hard to distinguish lead to monotony. The campaign also includes long travel stretches without action, making parts of the game feel tedious.
- Delight (weight 0.01): The game satisfies mecha game cravings, and the appearance of predecessor characters brings joy. These elements add a welcome dose of nostalgia and excitement for long-time fans.
- Exhilaration (weight 0.01): Flying across the battlefield in a heavily armed mech while exchanging fire is described as highly entertaining and exhilarating. The dynamic, high-intensity gameplay delivers an adrenaline rush.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Seeing the protagonist from the first game brings a sense of joy and nostalgia, deepening the connection to the series. This cameo is a standout positive moment for players.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.01): The abrupt ending that fails to resolve the main conflict leaves players dissatisfied and wanting more. This lack of closure detracts from the overall experience.
- Disbelief (weight 0.01): Players are shocked that the sequel has far less content than the predecessor, with only 10 levels, and that the quality feels amateurish. The drop in scope and polish is hard to believe.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Players are thankful to the developers for the overall experience and for changing the walking part, which was likely a disliked mechanic. This responsiveness is appreciated.
- Disorientation (weight 0.01): The shift from Project Nimbus to this game is so distinct that players feel disoriented, as the gameplay and tone differ significantly. This can be confusing for veterans of the series.}