Info about The Spirit of the Samurai:

Official game description:
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About the Game
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Assume the role of Takeshi, a Japanese samurai who has to protect his village from the onslaught of an Oni attempting to conquer the land with his undead army. Fight against his army of tengu, undead and the horrifying Jorogumo, all inspired by Japanese mythology, in a unique, brutal stop-motion cinematic adventure.
Defend the Forbidden Village
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Explore a meticulously crafted world alive with Japanese mythology and folklore. Wander through ruined villages, mountain caves, desolate cemeteries, and more. Battle yokai, undead monsters, and demons, all expertly rendered in a highly detailed, Ray Harryhausen-esque stop-motion style.
Three Spirits Bound by Fate
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Fight through the undead hordes as three distinct characters: Takeshi, a skilled samurai; Kodama, a brave but tiny spirit; and Chisai, a warrior cat. Each interacts with the world in a different way, from intense sword combat to precise platforming and exploration.
Wield Legendary Power
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Confront legions of demons armed with the weapons of ancient Japan: the iconic katana, the versatile yari spear, and the formidable bow. Unleash devastating special power attacks and combos unique to each character as you fight your way to the Oni’s castle.
Every step taken and foe vanquished grants you invaluable experience. Harness this to unlock the true potential within you, enhancing your abilities, honing your stats, and above all mastering an array of awe-inspiring moves that you can form into custom combos.
Features:
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*   Unique stop-motion-style animation, character design, and cinematics
*   2D Action Adventure gameplay with Metroidvania elements
*   Detailed, atmospheric levels full of secrets to discover
*   Fast, smooth and varied controls ranging from a combo-based combat system to linked magical powers
*   Dynamic enemy AI makes every encounter challenging and unique
*   Customizable combat through an in-game combo editor

Release date: Dec 12, 2024

Categories: Metroidvania, Soulslike Combat, 2D Action Platformer, Stop-motion Animation, Japanese Mythology, Switching Characters, Combo Editor, Parry-based Combat

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 35; verdict: Works with Minor Proton/Deck Caveats; summary: Most Linux-relevant feedback is about Steam Deck performance, and users broadly report that the game runs well or great on Deck. One explicit Proton report notes cutscene color corruption unless a suitable Proton version is selected, which is a minor compatibility tweak rather than a blocker. Some Deck users mention localized frame-rate drops in particle-heavy scenes and an endgame boss, but there is no evidence of anti-cheat, DRM, launcher, or launch failure on Linux.
- Steam Deck: score 55; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: Steam Deck feedback is mixed but mostly playable. Many users report smooth performance and no issues, while others encounter localized frame-rate drops, severe endgame FPS loss, and one required Proton version workaround for cinematic rendering artifacts. Frequent control precision complaints add friction but are not Deck-specific. There is no evidence of external launchers, anti-cheat failures, or battery-drain complaints.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $9.99 - $14.99
  - Reasoning: The reviews show clear support for the game's style, story, and visuals, but many recommend buying only on sale or at a steep discount. The $5 sale price is repeatedly praised, while the current $19.99 retail price is questioned by multiple reviewers due to polish and gameplay issues. A few reviewers consider it worth full price, which keeps the fair range above the deepest discount level, but the overall sentiment points to a lower base-game price than $19.99. Therefore, a fair base-game range is approximately $9.99 to $14.99.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 6.0h
  - Story completion: 5.0h
  - Session length: 2.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The 4-6 hour campaign quote and the 6-7 hour normal-run quote bracket a typical main completion around 5-6 hours. The 5h8m almost-100%-completion report supports a full completion near 5-6 hours. I set story completion to about 5 hours using the lower end of the campaign range and game completion to about 6 hours for a normal run. The two-hour play report supports a session length of roughly 2 hours. No review provides distinct post-game or endgame hours, so endgame is null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game often lands well at first through art, cinematics, and early combat, but multiple players describe it becoming repetitive and tedious later; one pinpointed the shift around three hours.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Repetitive combat and low enemy variety; Bugs that block progression; Unresponsive controls and unfair difficulty; Obscured enemy telegraphs and samey environments; Missing tutorial for the cat wall-scaling section; Stealth sections that interrupt pacing
  - Unlock drivers: Adjusting to the combat until it becomes addictive; Unlockable skills and multiple playable characters mitigating repetition; Improved parry, running, healing, and save progression
  - Conditions: Valuing artistry and cultural storytelling; Tolerance for repetitive combat and backtracking; Time to adjust to combat; Getting past early progression-blocking bugs
- Player Archetypes:
  - Cinematic Samurai Aesthetic Devotee (buy)
    - Motivation: Experiencing the stop-motion samurai world, story, and cinematic presentation.
    - Playstyle: Plays through for atmosphere and cutscenes, forgiving uneven combat and checkpoint issues.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Prodeus
  - Soulslike Metroidvania Combat Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastering challenging 2D combat and customizing a katana moveset.
    - Playstyle: Approaches fights with parries, deflects, and customized combos while seeking soulslike and metroidvania challenge.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Oddworld; Sekiro; Katana Zero; Prince of Persia; Godhand
  - Patch-Wary Budget Buyer (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Getting a polished, worthwhile experience at a low price.
    - Playstyle: Waits for discounts and patches, checks for game-breaking bugs before committing.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Casual Atmosphere Player (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoying an approachable action game with a strong atmosphere without hardcore demands.
    - Playstyle: Plays at a casual pace, values accessible combat and forgiving checkpoints, and waits for a low price.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: casual gamer
    - 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:
- Beautiful and distinctive visuals (weight 0.39): Reviewers consistently highlight the gorgeous and memorable graphics, noting the pleasing and unique visual presentation that enhances the overall experience.
- Stunning stop-motion art style (weight 0.32): Many players praise the unique stop-motion animation and claymation-like visuals, finding them visually striking and a major selling point. This artistic choice is frequently cited as one of the game's standout features.
- Highly enjoyable and fun gameplay (weight 0.19): Players find the game entertaining, addictive, and worth their time, frequently describing it as great fun from start to finish.
- Engaging and interesting story (weight 0.13): The narrative is described as solid, absorbing, and entertaining, with well-developed characters that keep players invested.
- Well-crafted cinematic cutscenes (weight 0.11): The cutscenes are smooth, high-quality, and cinematic, contributing to the game's engaging storytelling and presentation.
- Atmospheric and immersive experience (weight 0.09): The game's strong atmosphere and ambiance are highlighted as key strengths, drawing players into its mystical universe.
- Good voice acting performances (weight 0.05): Voice acting is generally well-received, with players noting it as authentic and well-delivered.
- Decent combat system (weight 0.04): Combat is considered okay to entertaining, though not a standout feature for most reviewers.
- Cute cat companion (weight 0.04): The inclusion of a fluffy cat companion and sections where you play as a cat are delightful additions that players enjoy.
- Nice music and sound (weight 0.04): The music is described as nice, fabulous, and occasionally captivating, adding to the overall experience.

Common complaints:
- Clunky and unresponsive controls (weight 0.31): Many players find the controls clunky, unresponsive, and sluggish, which significantly impacts the gameplay experience.
- Clunky and imprecise combat (weight 0.24): Combat is frequently described as clunky, unresponsive, and imprecise, with stiff animations and input delay making it feel unsatisfying.
- Numerous bugs and glitches (weight 0.19): Players report a high number of bugs, including game-breaking issues that hinder progression and overall enjoyment.
- Unpolished and rough gameplay (weight 0.15): The game feels unfinished and unpolished, with rough mechanics and a lack of refinement in many areas.
- Buggy and poor platforming (weight 0.11): Platforming sections are plagued with bugs, unclear jump mechanics, and overall clunkiness, making them frustrating.
- Progression-blocking bugs (weight 0.1): Specific game-breaking bugs, such as a lever bug, prevent players from completing the game or progressing past certain points.
- Unfair save point placement (weight 0.07): Save points are poorly placed, and some do not function correctly, forcing players to repeat difficult sections.
- Lack of enemy variety (weight 0.06): The game suffers from repetitive enemy designs and encounters, leading to monotonous combat.
- Linear level design (weight 0.06): Despite being tagged as a metroidvania, the game is extremely linear with little exploration or backtracking.
- Poor level design (weight 0.06): Level design is considered uninspired and weak, lacking creativity and thoughtful layout.
- Easy and anticlimactic bosses (weight 0.04): Bosses, including the final boss, are too easy and die quickly, providing little challenge or satisfaction.

Gameplay feedback:
- Platforming sections (weight 0.23): The game includes platforming mechanics such as jumping, climbing, and ledge grabbing. Some sections require precision jumping, and platforming is a core part of the experience.
- Combo-based combat system (weight 0.15): Combat revolves around building custom combos by inserting hit tiles, with combo moves unlocked and mixed via a combat menu. The system also includes stances and customizable combo settings.
- Metroidvania with samurai theme (weight 0.15): The game is a 2D metroidvania with samurai themes and soulslike elements, set in a Japanese samurai setting. It features side-scrolling action and platforming.
- Boss fights with checkpoints (weight 0.14): The game features multiple boss battles that require learning attack patterns and specific strategies. Save points are placed before boss fights, providing checkpoints.
- Playable samurai and cat (weight 0.13): Players control a samurai and a cat character, with some sections exclusively controlling the cat. A cat companion also provides support attacks.
- 2D side-scrolling action game (weight 0.11): The game is a side-scrolling action game with combat and platforming elements, often described as a 2D action platformer.
- Japanese mythology-inspired story (weight 0.09): The narrative is inspired by Japanese mythology and folklore, featuring mythological characters and monsters. The story is a significant element, with a linear structure and story-driven progression.
- Parry and blocking mechanics (weight 0.09): Combat involves parrying, blocking, and rolling, with timing-based parries being central. Players must manage multiple enemies and use parries along with other moves.
- Katana, bow, and kunai combat (weight 0.09): Combat includes a katana, bow for ranged attacks, and throwing kunai, along with combo attacks. These weapons offer varied combat options.
- Martial arts and directional strikes (weight 0.05): Combat includes sword attacks, kicks, punches, and directional strikes with blocking. It uses martial arts and strategy.
- Challenging difficulty (weight 0.05): The game is designed to be challenging, with difficult combat and platforming sections. Reviewers often note its high difficulty.
- Save points at shrines and checkpoints (weight 0.05): The game saves at checkpoints and shrines placed between encounters and at stage transitions. These save points are strategically located.
- Instant-death traps (weight 0.04): The game includes traps that can instantly kill the player, with specific death animations. These traps add to the challenge.
- Health and stamina share bar (weight 0.04): The stamina gauge and health gauge are linked, sharing the same bar. This means stamina usage directly affects health.
- Combat system with depth (weight 0.04): The game features a combat system with depth, involving combinations, stances, and various moves. It is a core mechanic.

Performance notes:
- Stuttering in specific areas (weight 0.09): Stutters and frame drops occur in specific locations such as the tower, boss chambers, and areas with heavy effects, sometimes making sections unplayable.
- Poor optimization overall (weight 0.08): Many players criticize the game's optimization, citing lag, stuttering, and frame drops that persist even after lowering settings or resolution.
- Severe FPS drops in final boss (weight 0.08): Multiple players experience severe frame rate drops during the final boss fight, sometimes down to 2-5 FPS, making the encounter nearly unplayable. Restarting the game may temporarily improve performance.
- Memory leak causes performance degradation (weight 0.08): Players report that performance degrades over time due to a probable memory leak, requiring periodic restarts. Lag and stuttering increase after an hour or more of gameplay.
- Steam Deck performance mixed (weight 0.08): While many report good performance on Steam Deck, some experience frame drops during particle effects or require specific Proton versions to avoid glitches. Recent improvements are noted.
- 4K resolution issues (weight 0.07): Players with 4K monitors report black bars, inability to set fullscreen, automatic resolution switching, and lack of proper 4K support.
- Crashes and freezes reported (weight 0.07): Several players experience game crashes, freezes, and black screens that can prevent progression or require restarts.
- Random frame drops requiring restarts (weight 0.04): Some players encounter random frame drops that only resolve after restarting the game, occurring unpredictably during play.
- Bugs present, even in tutorial (weight 0.04): Various bugs are reported, including falling through the ground and issues occurring as early as the tutorial.
- Performance improved in updates (weight 0.04): Some players note that patches have improved performance and fixed issues, though problems remain for others.
- Lag during critical combat moments (weight 0.03): Lag spikes during key combat moments make enemies appear to attack through blocks and dodges, impacting fairness.
- Slow motion system affects performance (weight 0.02): The slow-motion mechanic during attacks causes performance inconsistencies and worsens frame rates.
- 120Hz mode causes glitches (weight 0.02): Running the game at 120Hz leads to blurry characters and other glitches; switching to 60Hz resolves the issues.
- Persistent stutters at minimum settings (weight 0.01): Even at minimum resolution, constant stutters occur, indicating optimization issues beyond hardware limitations.
- Enemies have low FPS (weight 0.01): Some enemies animate at low frame rates due to being based on concept art, affecting visual smoothness.
- Camera shifts cause stutter (weight 0.01): Stuttering occurs specifically when the camera moves, disrupting gameplay flow.
- Micro-stutters cause falling (weight 0.01): Micro-stutters during jumps can cause the player to fall, affecting platforming sections.
- Sound crackling during explosions (weight 0.01): Audio crackling is audible during explosion effects, persisting as an unresolved issue.
- Steam overlay removal helps lag (weight 0.01): Temporarily disabling Steam overlays provided some relief from lag, though the issue recurs.

Recommendations:
- Strongly not recommended by many (weight 0.16): A significant number of reviewers explicitly do not recommend the game, with some stating it is a bad game and advising against purchase even at a discount. This sentiment appears across multiple clusters.
- Recommended only on sale (weight 0.12): Several reviewers recommend purchasing only at a discount, with some specifying a particular price point. They feel the game is not worth full price.
- Positive overall recommendation (weight 0.1): Many reviewers give a straightforward recommendation, calling it a good game that is worth playing. Some rate it highly, such as 9/10 or 95%.
- Recommended for metroidvania and soulslike fans (weight 0.08): The game is widely recommended for fans of metroidvania and soulslike genres, especially those who enjoy samurai themes and challenging difficulty.
- Conditional recommendation for difficulty tolerance (weight 0.07): Reviewers recommend the game to players who are not put off by high difficulty and are willing to tolerate bugs that may require repeating sections or bosses.
- Wait for patches and fixes (weight 0.06): Some reviewers recommend waiting until the game is polished or bugs are fixed before buying, though they still see potential.
- Recommended despite flaws (weight 0.06): Several reviewers recommend the game while acknowledging its shortcomings, indicating that the overall experience outweighs the issues.
- Worth buying at low price (weight 0.05): Reviewers find the game worth its low price or sale price, often emphasizing that it is absolutely worth it for the cost.
- Not recommended due to gameplay flaws (weight 0.04): Some reviewers do not recommend the game because of poorly polished gameplay and other deficiencies, with some unable to finish it.
- Worth the money and support (weight 0.04): Some reviewers feel the game is worth the money and encourage supporting indie games and the studio's vision.
- Not recommended in current state (weight 0.02): Reviewers do not recommend the game in its current state, often citing bugs or lack of polish, but implying it may improve later.
- Lukewarm or conditional recommendation (weight 0.02): A few reviewers give a conditional yes or lean toward recommendation, indicating a mixed but positive outlook.

Other player notes:
- Short game length (weight 0.16): Multiple reviewers note the game can be completed in under 6 hours, with many finishing in 3-5 hours. This short duration is seen as a negative by some but appropriate by others.
- Mixed critical reception (weight 0.07): The game received mixed reviews, with divided opinions and an average score around 6/10 from reviewers.
- Compared to Sekiro and soulslikes (weight 0.06): Reviewers frequently compare the combat and difficulty to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and other soulslikes, often describing it as a 2D equivalent.
- Often purchased at deep discount (weight 0.06): Many reviewers bought the game at 75-90% off, indicating it is frequently on sale. This may influence perceptions of value.
- Regular patches and updates (weight 0.06): The game has received numerous patches and updates, including fixes for combat, movement, and performance issues.
- Developed by Digital Mind Games (weight 0.05): The game is developed by small studio Digital Mind Games and published by Kwalee. This is noted as their first game.
- Linear, not metroidvania (weight 0.05): Despite being labeled a metroidvania, the game is extremely linear with limited exploration, which some reviewers criticized.
- Lacks Japanese voice acting (weight 0.04): Despite its Japanese setting, the game only offers English voice acting, which disappointed some players.
- Feels unfinished (weight 0.03): Some players feel the game is unfinished or not properly playtested, though patches have addressed some issues.
- Runs well on Steam Deck (weight 0.02): Reviewers report that the game plays well on Steam Deck, indicating good compatibility.
- Compared unfavorably to Trek to Yomi (weight 0.02): Reviewers compare it to Trek to Yomi, another samurai game, and find it lacking in comparison.
- Inexpensive pricing (weight 0.02): The game is priced cheaply, making it an affordable option for players.
- Hope for a sequel (weight 0.02): Some reviewers hope for a part 2 to continue the story, indicating interest in more content.
- Open beta available (weight 0.02): An optional open beta is offered in the last update notice, allowing players to try upcoming updates.
- Compared to Nioh and Prince of Persia (weight 0.02): The game is also compared to Nioh and Prince of Persia, as well as metroidvania-souls titles, showing a range of inspirations.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.29): Players are frustrated by clunky and unresponsive controls, including input lag, stiff movement, and missed inputs, which cause unfair deaths and make platforming and combat unreliable. Numerous bugs and softlocks frequently block progress, while artificial difficulty spikes like sparse checkpoints, one-hit kills, and off-screen attacks compound the challenge. Combat often feels broken or unfair due to poor hitboxes, enemy behavior, and mechanics like stamina and parry timing.
- Disappointment (weight 0.2): Many reviewers felt the game failed to live up to its potential, citing wasted potential despite strong art direction and atmosphere. Gameplay issues such as clunky combat, poor controls, and unpolished mechanics undermined the experience, and technical problems like bugs, softlocks, and performance issues prevented completion. The game was often described as not matching its promotional material or genre labels, leading to a sense of unmet expectations.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Players enjoyed the unique stop-motion art style, atmospheric presentation, and engaging story. The combat system, with its customizable combos and parry mechanics, was often found fun and satisfying, and the overall experience was compelling enough to overlook flaws. Many appreciated the game's creativity and charm, making it a memorable and entertaining experience.
- Annoyance (weight 0.04): Annoyance stemmed from various quality-of-life issues, such as resolution not saving, unintentional crouching, and tedious sections like kitten levels and backtracking. Bugs, unstable controls, and unclear navigation also contributed, along with minor but irritating details like item collection sounds and unskippable cutscenes. These issues disrupted the flow and added unnecessary friction.
- Admiration (weight 0.04): Reviewers widely admired the game's stunning visual style, particularly its stop-motion animation and atmospheric world. The art direction, character design, and cinematic presentation were frequently praised as exceptional, often described as a visual masterpiece. This admiration was largely separate from gameplay criticisms, highlighting the artistic achievement.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): Players appreciated the unique stop-motion art direction, detailed environments, and the passion evident in the game's creation. The developers' responsiveness to feedback and improvements through updates were also valued. The game was seen as a labor of love, and many felt it deserved recognition for its artistic vision and charm.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger was driven by severe technical issues, such as game-breaking bugs, softlocks, and unfair gameplay moments that felt like torture. Poor controls, unbalanced combat, and instant-death hazards led to intense frustration, with some players unable to progress or forced to delete saves. The perception that developers released an untested or broken product further fueled anger.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.03): Satisfaction came from overcoming challenging combat, mastering the parry and dodge mechanics, and experiencing a well-balanced difficulty. Quality-of-life updates and performance improvements enhanced the experience, and the game's rewarding combat system and completion of achievements provided a sense of accomplishment. Many found the game worth its price despite minor issues.
- Excitement (weight 0.02): Excitement was generated by the game's unique concept, combining stop-motion samurai action with a cat companion, and the innovative combo system. The visual style and cinematic presentation hooked players immediately, and the addictive combat and customizable combos made them eager to play more. Many looked forward to future projects from the developers.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Players expressed hope that future patches would address the game's technical issues, such as bugs and platforming problems, and improve combat responsiveness. Some believed the game had the potential for a sequel or ongoing franchise if the developers continued to support it. This hope often stemmed from a desire to see the game reach its full potential.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness arose from the game remaining broken after a long time, making it impossible to recommend despite its artistic merits. Reviewers felt sorry for the developers and the wasted potential, and some were unable to finish the game and leave satisfied. The contrast between the beautiful art and the flawed execution was particularly poignant.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief was experienced when updates fixed performance issues and bugs, making the game smoother and more enjoyable. Some felt relief upon finally finishing the game or after a particularly difficult fight ended. Patches that addressed frame rate problems and improved balance also contributed to a sense of relief.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Regret was common among players who purchased the game and felt it was a waste of money due to bugs, performance issues, or inability to complete it. Some missed the refund window or had to abandon the game entirely, leading to a sense of financial and emotional regret. The expectation of quality based on visuals or promotion was not met.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom resulted from repetitive gameplay, slow pacing, and unrewarding mechanics. The game felt like a chore to some, with empty tunnels, repetitive combat, and a lack of motivation to continue. Enemies' dodging behavior and strange animations further made combat tedious.
- Mild frustration (weight 0.01): Mild frustration was caused by occasional technical hiccups like FPS drops, clunky controls, and infrequent save points that forced replaying levels. Unnecessary trial and error in platforming and hit registration issues also contributed to this lower-intensity frustration.
- Love (weight 0.01): Love for the game stemmed from its unique concept of playing as a samurai and a cat, combined with an interesting story, great graphics, and atmosphere. The outstanding art style, visuals, and combat were celebrated, and many enjoyed the game despite its flaws, feeling a strong affection for its overall experience.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm was expressed for the game's wonderful combat, sound, and visuals, as well as its unique art style and challenging gameplay. The 2D layered visual style and impressive stop-motion animation were particularly praised, and the game was seen as a great platformer with a fun story.
- Engagement (weight 0.01): Engagement came from the tense, precise samurai combat and the deep combat system with intelligent enemies that required focus. The story of Takeshi and Chisai and the action-heavy pacing hooked players for hours, making them invested in the game's world and characters.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arose from poorly explained mechanics, such as cat wall scaling and climbing, and unclear hazards due to background elements blending with the ground. The lack of tutorials for certain actions and the absence of Japanese voices despite Japanese voice actors also contributed to a sense of bewilderment.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.01): Dissatisfaction was fueled by unappealing combat, very dark visuals, and a save point system that felt punishing. Frequent freezing, poor level design, bad hitboxes, and disliked combat mechanics further eroded enjoyment, and looting was not fun, making the overall experience disappointing.}