Info about illWill:

Official game description:
Imagine the mix of _Doom, Quake, Blood, Serious Sam_ with some bits of madness, all put into the great Unreal Engine 4.  
The name of this bloody cocktail is ILLWILL.  
"ILLWILL is a wonderfully squelchy old school first person shooter with big guns and monsters that explode into chunks of meat and blood when you blast them.  
Drawing inspiration from DOOM, Quake, Blood and Serious Sam, ILLWILL is a very stylish and comedically brutal old school boomer shooter. It seems that you’re essentially a one-man-army that must blast their way through hordes of monsters that are up to no good."  
_Alpha Beta Gamer_
KEY FEATURES:
-------------
*   Breathtaking locations filled with hundreds of monsters  
*   Polished gameplay containing all the best of old school shooters  
*   Variety of weapons - from a double barrel shotgun, warm and beloved as grandma's soup, to a soul ripper with gameplay mechanic unseen before  
*   Dozens of monsters willing to ruin your life  
*   Spectacular dead bodies physics  
*   Music that gets into your heart and makes the blood run cold
STORY
-----
ILLWILL has no plot in the usual sense. However, each location in the game has its own atmosphere and conveys the story through the environment. The game begins in a closed room, according to the state of which it can be understood that the main hero spent a lot of time inside of it. There are many details in ILLWILL that refer to emotions such as sadness or feelings of loneliness. The game has strong contrasts from gloomy corridors full of hopelessness to large and bright levels inspired by art of Salvador Dali. We can say that ILLWILL is the life experience of the author, both visually imaginative and gameplay experience, down to specific emotions.

Release date: Apr 13, 2023

Categories: First-Person Shooter, Boomer Shooter, Arcade Shooter, Retro FPS, Single-player, Arena Shooter, Gore-focused Combat


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $9.99 - $14.99
  - Reasoning: The reviews repeatedly treat the current $19.99 price as too high for a short retro shooter and often recommend waiting for a sale. Half-off purchases around $10 are commonly described as worth it, and one reviewer says $8.99 would be satisfactory even as a full retail price. A few reviewers defend full price or say it is worth every cent, so the community fair base-game range appears to sit above deep-discount levels but below $20, around $10 to $15.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 5.5h
  - Story completion: 5.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: 10.0h
  - Reasoning: Campaign and main-game reports cluster around 4-7 hours, with a direct statement that illWill is 5-6 hrs long; this supports an overall game completion estimate of about 5.5 hours and a shorter story/campaign completion estimate of about 5 hours. The post-campaign quote explicitly says unlocked gamemodes provided at least 10 hours of extra fun, supporting an endgame estimate of 10 hours. No review clearly reports a typical play-session duration, so sessionLength is left null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players generally find the game fun immediately through strong pacing, enemy variety, and satisfying guns, though some report late repetition and minimal progression.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: N/A
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: Appreciation for map-based shooters without an overarching narrative or hook; Tolerance for some repetition near the end; Preference for fast movement, double-jump, and no fall damage; Enjoyment of repeated playthroughs
- Player Archetypes:
  - Boomer Shooter Connoisseur (buy)
    - Motivation: Fast, fluid movement and satisfying retro gunplay that stands alongside genre classics.
    - Playstyle: Speed-focused arena combat, using double jumps and rapid repositioning against waves of enemies in the Doom/Quake tradition.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: boomer shooter lovers
    - Reference games: DUSK; Turbo Overkill; Slayers X; AMID EVIL; Doom
  - Nostalgic Old-School Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Reconnecting with the childhood-era shooters and classic old-school run-and-gun formula.
    - Playstyle: Replaying the familiar classic flow of blasting through monsters and waves, valuing nostalgia and the old-school feel.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: old-school players
    - Reference games: Serious Sam; Serious Sam The Second Encounter; Doom
  - Value-Conscious Sale Hunter (sale)
    - Motivation: Getting a worthwhile amount of action and content without paying full price.
    - Playstyle: Tries demos and watches trailers first, wishlists the game, and buys when a discount makes the value feel fair.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Casual Single-Player FPS Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: A fun, low-pressure single-player FPS to enjoy casually.
    - Playstyle: Relaxed solo sessions, playing for straightforward fun rather than maximizing challenge or skill.
    - Experience: mixed
    - 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:
- Unique and beautiful art style (weight 0.97): The art design is frequently described as amazing, unique, and visually appealing, with pleasant graphics and intentional stylistic choices. The visuals stand out among retro shooters.
- Fun and well-designed levels (weight 0.9): Levels are consistently described as fun, varied, and creatively designed, with each level having its own unique style and theme. The layout and thought put into level design are praised.
- Creative and varied weapons (weight 0.83): Players appreciate the cool, unique arsenal with a great variety of weapons that each have distinct uses. Weapons like laser rifles and leech guns are specifically mentioned as fun and well-designed.
- Exceptional soundtrack praised (weight 0.68): Many players highlight the soundtrack as outstanding, exciting, and not typical for the genre. The music enhances the overall experience and keeps players engaged.
- Satisfying shooting and gunplay (weight 0.52): The shooting mechanics feel great, with good aiming, impact, and powerful-feeling guns. The gunplay is often described as fun and impactful.
- Well-optimized and smooth performance (weight 0.37): The game runs smoothly and is well optimized, with players noting no performance issues. This contributes to a positive overall experience.
- Enjoyable movement mechanics (weight 0.37): Movement is fast, fluid, and exhilarating, with additions like double jump and dash adding to puzzles and hidden areas. The movement feels great and enhances gameplay.
- Good enemy design and variety (weight 0.37): Enemies are diverse, well-designed, and fun to fight, with unique abilities that encourage weapon switching. Boss enemies are also praised.
- Fun and smooth gameplay overall (weight 0.37): The gameplay is generally described as fun, smooth, and well-executed. It provides an enjoyable experience from start to finish.
- Solid old-school FPS experience (weight 0.32): Fans of classic shooters enjoy this game as a great old-school FPS with fun gameplay. It is considered a top-tier boomer shooter by some.
- Replayability and unlockable modifiers (weight 0.25): The game offers good replay value, with modifiers unlocked at the end tied to achievements that add additional replay potential. This extends the game's longevity.
- Excellent value for money (weight 0.21): Many players feel the game is well worth the asking price and recommend purchasing it at full price. It offers good value and is worth every cent.

Common complaints:
- Short Campaign Length (weight 0.76): Many reviewers criticize the game's short duration, often citing 2-4 hours to complete with no replayability. The campaign is considered too brief for the price.
- Poor Level Design (weight 0.66): Levels are criticized as linear, poorly designed, and lacking verticality. Some maps are confusing or have invisible walls.
- Uninspired Boss Fights (weight 0.63): Bosses are criticized as being just larger or recolored versions of regular enemies with more health and no unique mechanics. They lack challenge and creativity.
- Performance Issues (weight 0.59): Many users report frame drops, stuttering, and low FPS, even on high-end hardware. Specific issues include drops to 5-10 FPS on a 4060 and CPU bottlenecks.
- Difficulty Imbalance (weight 0.57): The game is often too easy on normal or hard difficulty, but some fights are frustratingly hard due to enemy damage and accuracy. Inconsistent difficulty curve.
- Poor Enemy Variety (weight 0.56): Players complain about the lack of enemy types, with only about five or six distinct enemies. This makes combat repetitive and monotonous.
- Lack of Story (weight 0.54): The game has no story or narrative, leaving players without context or motivation. Many note the absence of cutscenes, notes, or any world-building.
- Graphical and Visual Issues (weight 0.54): Graphics are considered average or ugly, with poor optimization and limited options. Enemy designs are inconsistent and cartoonish.
- Weapon Mechanics Lacking (weight 0.51): Guns lack alternate fire modes, upgrades, and have weak feedback. The absence of a melee or infinite ammo weapon can cause soft-locks.
- Combat Frustrations (weight 0.5): Enemies have hitscan attacks with perfect accuracy, causing unavoidable damage. Stun-lock and knockback further frustrate players.
- Audio and Music Problems (weight 0.43): The soundtrack feels mismatched and lacks energy, often not adjusting to combat intensity. Sound effects for weapons are weak.
- Unoriginal and Generic (weight 0.42): The game lacks innovation, borrowing heavily from other shooters. It feels like a tech demo without unique mechanics.
- Gameplay Bugs and Glitches (weight 0.34): Players encounter bugs such as shooting freezing, boss appearing under the map, and weapon switching issues. These hinder the experience.
- Repetitive and Lacking Depth (weight 0.33): The game becomes repetitive near the end, with basic gameplay loop and one-dimensional design. Progression feels minimal.
- No Weapon Wheel (weight 0.31): Players find it cumbersome to switch weapons without a selection wheel, especially with many guns. Using number keys or individual buttons is clunky.
- Enemy Spawning Issues (weight 0.3): Enemies often spawn in scripted waves out of thin air, leading to repetitive encounters. This design choice feels lazy and reduces tactical options.
- Save System Problems (weight 0.29): Autosave is poorly implemented, often not saving before arenas or losing collectibles upon death. Frequent crashes when loading saves.
- Price Not Justified (weight 0.27): Reviewers feel the game is too expensive for its short length and lack of content. The $20 price tag is often mentioned as not worth it.
- Low Popularity and Exposure (weight 0.27): The game is not well-known, rarely recommended, and lacks a known publisher. This affects its sales and community.
- Movement and Controls (weight 0.24): Movement feels floaty, with questionable air control and momentum loss when hit. Dash and double-jump are unsatisfying.

Gameplay feedback:
- Unique weapons like piranha gun (weight 0.58): The arsenal includes distinctive weapons such as the piranha gun, double-barrel SPAS 12, and others with varied uses.
- Classic boomer shooter style (weight 0.56): The game is widely described as an old-school, retro FPS reminiscent of classic boomer shooters.
- Similar to Doom and Serious Sam (weight 0.52): Many reviewers compare the game to Doom, Serious Sam, Quake, and Blood, especially in its fast-paced arena combat.
- Modifications unlocked after completion (weight 0.48): Upon beating the campaign, players unlock three modifiers that can alter levels, and additional achievements require multiple playthroughs with them.
- Puzzles and secrets in levels (weight 0.48): Levels contain puzzles and hidden secrets that encourage exploration and extend playtime.
- Fast-paced FPS action (weight 0.43): The game is a fast-paced first-person shooter with a focus on constant action and gunplay.
- Double jump and dash mechanics (weight 0.4): The game features a double jump and dash ability, often highlighted as a key movement mechanic.
- Violin damage upgrades per level (weight 0.36): Collectible violins provide a temporary damage boost of 10% per violin, stacking up to 30% for that level.
- Enemies explode into pieces (weight 0.34): Defeated enemies break apart into pieces, often with ragdoll physics and chunky gore effects.
- Diverse enemy types (weight 0.34): Enemies vary in appearance, behavior, and attack patterns, including fragile exploding types, leaping types, and ranged types.
- Multi-layered level design (weight 0.3): Levels feature vertical and horizontal development across multiple layers, with varied environments from dark halls to surreal areas.
- New game modes after completion (weight 0.29): Beating the game unlocks additional modes, such as double enemy spawns and suicide explosive bombers.
- Wave-based enemy spawning (weight 0.24): Enemies spawn in waves, often in locked arenas, requiring players to clear them before proceeding.
- Multiple difficulty levels (weight 0.2): The game offers three different difficulty levels, affecting enemy behavior and damage.
- VR support via UEVR injector (weight 0.18): The game can be played in VR using the UEVR injector, allowing the entire campaign to be completed in VR.
- Key hunting and gated areas (weight 0.18): Progression often involves finding keys to unlock gates and access new areas.
- Save anywhere with quicksaves (weight 0.18): The game allows saving anytime, but manual quick saves are recommended as there is no auto-save.
- No reloading mechanic (weight 0.14): Weapons do not require reloading; players can fire continuously as long as ammo remains.
- Air-control issues (weight 0.07): Some players find the air-control mechanics questionable, affecting movement precision.

Performance notes:
- Severe stuttering and frame drops (weight 0.38): Many players report stuttering, frame drops to very low FPS, and janky gunplay, especially when many enemies are on screen. Some see drops from 240 fps to below 40 fps or even 5-10 fps.
- Unreal Engine performance varies (weight 0.25): Some players experience perfect performance with no stutters or shader issues, while others see FPS chugging in a few places, which they attribute to Unreal Engine. This suggests optimization varies by system.
- FPS artificially capped at 60 or 120 (weight 0.16): Players note that the game is artificially limited to 60 or 120 FPS. The peak setting appears to be 120 FPS, preventing higher refresh rates.
- Runs smoothly at high FPS (weight 0.16): Some players achieve very high frame rates, such as 230-240 fps at 1440p, and report no noticeable performance dips. This indicates the game can run well on capable hardware.
- DirectX 12 mode fixes performance (weight 0.16): Starting the game in DirectX 12 mode resolves performance issues for some players. After the fix, they achieve stable frame rates like 120 FPS at 1080p ultra.
- Crashes when loading saved games (weight 0.1): Frequent crashes occur when loading a saved game in specific levels. This is a critical stability issue that prevents progression.
- CPU bottleneck causes FPS drops (weight 0.09): Players report severe CPU bottlenecking, causing FPS drops to the 30s even on a Ryzen 5 3600. This indicates the game may be CPU-intensive in certain scenarios.
- Vsync issues require external fixes (weight 0.09): Players encounter Vsync issues that require enabling Vsync in Nvidia control panel or using Rivatuner to cap FPS. This indicates in-game Vsync may not function correctly.
- Poor optimization near water (weight 0.09): Players report poor optimization causing low FPS specifically near water areas. This suggests a specific rendering issue in certain environments.
- Limited graphics options (weight 0.09): The game offers only low, medium, high, and ultra graphics presets with no fine-tuning options. This limits players' ability to optimize performance for their hardware.
- AMD rigs may have issues (weight 0.08): There is a possible issue with AMD rigs, though details are limited. Some AMD users report good performance, so it may be configuration-dependent.
- Works on Linux with Proton (weight 0.08): The game runs on Linux via Proton, indicating compatibility with the compatibility layer. This is a positive note for Linux users.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for Genre Fans (weight 0.73): The game is particularly recommended for fans of boomer shooters, fast-paced FPS, and old-school shooters. Many say if you like the genre, you'll like this game.
- Positive General Recommendations (weight 0.64): Many users highly recommend the game, expressing strong endorsements such as 'highly recommend' and 'absolutely recommend'. This sentiment is widespread across multiple clusters.
- Worth the Price (weight 0.6): Several reviewers find the game worth its base price, full retail price, or the asking price, indicating good value for money. Some even suggest buying without a discount.
- Not Worth Full Price (weight 0.52): A number of users feel the game is not worth the full price, citing short duration or overall value. They recommend waiting for a discount instead.
- Demo Recommended (weight 0.3): Some users suggest trying the demo first to see if you like the game before purchasing. If you enjoy the demo, you'll likely enjoy the full game.
- Mixed or Conditional Recommendations (weight 0.23): Some reviewers give mixed recommendations, saying it's alright but not the best, or recommend it only if certain issues don't bother you. It's suggested to wait for a steeper sale if skeptical.
- Comparisons to Other Shooters (weight 0.2): Reviewers compare the game to classics like Quake II, Serious Sam, and Painkiller, often recommending it for fans of those titles. One user recommends playing Dusk instead.
- Short But Enjoyable (weight 0.2): The game is described as a short but solid experience, good for a couple of evenings or a few hours of entertainment. Some find it worth it for a single playthrough.
- Fans of Classic Shooters (weight 0.2): Recommended for fans of original DOOM or Heretic, and those who love classic shooters like Quake II and Serious Sam. If you like retro shooters, you'll likely enjoy this.
- Technical and Performance Notes (weight 0.17): Overall performance is okay, and one user recommends playing with infinite corpses on if your computer can handle it. Another mentions it needs some work.
- Praise for Indie FPS (weight 0.15): The game is praised as an awesome indie FPS that stands out in the genre. It's considered a hidden gem that is actually good.
- Good Shooter Overall (weight 0.14): Several users simply describe it as a good shooter or give it a positive score like 7/10, indicating general satisfaction.
- Desire for More Content (weight 0.13): Some users express a desire for a second part or additional content, and would give it another go if improvements like a proper save feature are added.
- Simple Tension Release (weight 0.13): Recommended for those looking for a very simple experience to release tension in a timely manner. It's good for brain-dead non-stop action.
- Enjoyable for Couple Evenings (weight 0.13): The game is good for a couple of evenings, providing short-term entertainment. One user suggests it's worth it for a short solid experience.
- Supporting Domestic Developer (weight 0.11): One user mentions supporting a domestic developer as a reason to buy, even if flaws exist. Another says $20 is fine if you want to support the devs.
- Not for Mechanics/Story Seekers (weight 0.08): If you value thoughtful mechanics, story, and exploration balance, you should skip this game. It's more focused on action.
- Feels Hollow (weight 0.07): One reviewer finds the game ultimately hollow, lacking depth. This is a specific criticism amid generally positive feedback.

Other player notes:
- Short gameplay duration around 4 hours (weight 0.51): Players report the game takes about 4 hours to complete, with some variation depending on difficulty and playstyle. It is considered short but enjoyable enough for replay.
- Game length varies by difficulty (weight 0.46): Completion times range from 3 to 9 hours depending on difficulty and exploration. On hard difficulty, it takes about 7-9 hours, while casual playthroughs are around 3-5 hours.
- Developed by a small team (weight 0.4): The game is developed by a small team, possibly a solo developer or a few people. The credits show 3 people, and the developer is from Russia.
- Comparison to Dusk and similar games (weight 0.33): The game is compared to Dusk, Amid Evil, Ion Fury, and other boomer shooters with unusual design and level structure. It is Dusk-inspired and influenced by Serious Sam map making.
- Arena-room level design (weight 0.3): The game consists of a set of arena-rooms. Each stage is set up to hint at emotions, with 10 large levels that take 10-15 minutes each.
- Demo available (weight 0.25): A demo is available for the game. It features one of the best levels and has different damage and monster counts compared to the full version.
- Price is 20€ (weight 0.24): The game is priced at 20€. Some reviewers feel this is too much for the amount of content, especially when compared to other games like Cultic.
- Short game with few levels (weight 0.24): Some reviewers note the game is short with not a lot of levels. It has 10 levels, each taking 10-15 minutes to complete.
- Discounts and price value (weight 0.23): The game is discounted at times, and some reviewers consider the price acceptable. However, others feel it's not worth it even on sale.
- Rarely discounted (weight 0.2): The game is very rarely discounted, with discounts only occurring during summer and winter sales. Some reviewers suggest waiting for a discount before purchasing.
- Game is about 3 years old (weight 0.18): The game is about 3 years old. It has reached version 1.0 and keeps getting updates.
- Top review contains inaccuracies (weight 0.14): The top review contains some things that are not true about the game. For example, save system issues were possibly patched after the top review was written.
- Priced at 435 rubles (weight 0.14): The game is priced at 435 rubles in the Russian region. This is considered an acceptable price by some reviewers.
- Intimate enemy familiarity (weight 0.14): Compared to Serious Sam, the game is designed to make you more intimately familiar with enemies. This is achieved through enemy design and gore.
- Multiple playthroughs for achievements (weight 0.09): The developer added modifications that require multiple playthroughs for achievements. This adds replay value for completionists.
- Not as good for newcomers (weight 0.08): Compared to Doom, the game is not as good for newcomers. It lacks the accessibility and guidance that modern shooters provide.
- Keyboard rebindings supported (weight 0.08): The game supports keyboard rebindings, unlike some demos that only support WASD with no settings. This is a positive for accessibility.
- Comparison to Kvark (weight 0.08): Some compare it to Kvark, noting that Kvark gets more attention due to being more janky. However, this game is seen as more polished.
- Store page lacks information (weight 0.08): The store page lacks information beyond 'ILLWILL has no plot in the usual sense'. This may leave potential buyers wanting more details.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.21): Players are disappointed due to the game's short length and high price, lack of story and enemy variety, and simplistic boss fights. They also cite shallow gunplay, poor level design, and missing features like Y-axis invert for controllers.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.18): Players enjoy the fast, fluid movement, satisfying weapons, and great soundtrack. The game's fun gameplay, varied levels, and unique art style contribute to the positive experience.
- Frustration (weight 0.17): Frustration stems from performance issues like stuttering and frame drops, unfair enemy design with hitscan enemies and cheap deaths, and technical problems such as crashes and glitches. Poor optimization and clunky weapon switching also frustrate players.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.11): Satisfaction comes from the smooth and satisfying shooting feel, gruesome enemy deaths, and extensive gore and physics. The solid level design and good soundtrack also contribute.
- Love (weight 0.08): Players love the game's unique style, gameplay, and replayability. The art, graphics, atmosphere, music, and weapon design are highly praised, and some say it made them fall in love with the genre again.
- Appreciation (weight 0.06): Appreciation is expressed for the amazing art style, keyboard rebindings, and support for a domestic developer. The weapons, locations, and music, as well as the tight shooting controls, are also valued.
- Admiration (weight 0.06): Admiration is due to the blend of enemy design, level design, and weapon variety. The visual aesthetic reminiscent of Tim Burton, authorial vision, and surreal level design are also admired.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Excitement is driven by dynamic combat with weapon quirks and enemy reactions, spectacular action with blood and guts, and tight controls. The game keeps players on their toes with its crazy atmosphere and good music.
- Annoyance (weight 0.05): Annoyance arises from achievements requiring multiple playthroughs, controller weapon selection instead of a weapon wheel, and physics that make it hard to tell if enemies are dead. Enemies with autoaim and hit-scan attacks also annoy players.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.04): Enthusiasm is high for the great style and soundtrack, with some calling it the best FPS played in a long time. The excellent Doom-like gameplay, gore, and variety of weapons and monsters are also praised.
- Anticipation (weight 0.03): Players are anticipating DLC or a sequel, looking forward to part 2.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is caused by poor design choices in a retro FPS and the demo being completely different from the full version, possibly false advertising.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise is expressed at stumbling upon a very good game by chance and that the game is not more well known.
- Charm (weight 0.02): The game's simple and hand-crafted nature, along with creative weapon designs and fun enemy designs, makes it charming.
- Fun (weight 0.02): The game is described as a fun movement shooter and a fun boomer shooter with artistically interesting settings.
- Liking (weight 0.02): Players like the game's graphics, guns, movement, and maps. They also find it really cool with good music and action.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Regret is expressed regarding the price paid for the game.
- Ambivalence (weight 0.01): Players have mixed impressions after completing the game.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia is triggered by shooting with a double-barrel SPAS 12.
- Impressed (weight 0.01): Players are impressed by the game turning SteamVR on before starting and by the excellent shooting mechanics, soundtrack, and atmosphere.}