Info about Ctrl Alt Ego:

Official game description:
One of the best games of 2022?
==============================
"bloody buy it." - Kotaku - Top Ten Games Of 2022  
"a bit like Prey (2017) spliced with ‘80s puzzler Paradroid" - PC Gamer - 15 hidden gems  
"Ctrl Alt Ego is easily the best immersive sim I have played in years" - Charlatan Wonder - 2022 Was the Year of the Immersive Sim Comeback  
"A title that's been slept on and should have been in contention for the 2022 Game of the Year" - Boulder Punch - A Masterclass In Immersive Sim Design  
"Many games slap on the “immersive sim” tag, but few actually pull it off as well as CAE does" - RPGCodex  
"if you die it's fine" - Rock Paper Shotgun - The best puzzle games on PC in 2023  
"an original, weird, and smart game" - Rock Paper Shotgun - The 15 best hacking games on PC  
"a real sleeper hit" - The Architect of Games - 20(22) Games You Should Have Played  
"It’s not the prettiest game, but it’s one of the smartest." - Buried Treasure - The Best Buried Treasures Of 2022  
"Blends engaging emergent gameplay with dark humor and philosophical weirdness" - 2 Headed Hero - The Most Unique Immersive Sim Game in YEARS  
"Ctrl Alt Ego is a masterpiece" - Sassy Gamers - GOTY 2022
About the Game
==============
**_Warning_**_: This game will mess with your mind._
Put aside your gaming preconceptions and embrace the unique experience that is Ctrl Alt Ego.
Play the role of yourself, minus your body.
Transmit yourself between bots and devices and exploit the innovative mechanics to solve problems your way.
Explore a deep, nonlinear, interconnected world, evocative of 70s/80s era low-budget British sci-fi television.
Shoot, sneak or get creative, be pacifist or executor.
Enjoy a darkly farcical story about the future of human consciousness.
If you enjoy immersive sims, there's every chance you'll enjoy this.
If you don't know what an immersive sim is, but you enjoy thinking for yourself and solving puzzles with no preordained solution, this game is for you.
If you're an experienced gamer looking for a fresh, engrossing experience, you just found it!
Distinct Features
-----------------
*   There's no inventory... the environment itself is your always-available on-demand diegetic inventory.
*   There is no 'player death' in Ctrl Alt Ego. Your invincible, disembodied ego always lives on. If your current host is toast, pick another and carry on:
(There is a traditional save/load facility too, in case you refuse to accept who you are)
*   Once you've ctrl'd a robot, it is yours to keep. Amass an army and bring it with you:
*   Use robots to get around the old fashioned way, or 'hop' from one side of an area to another in a near-instant:
**_Key art and logo by @ROLLINKUNZ_**

Release date: Jul 22, 2022

Categories: Immersive Sim, Puzzle Solving, Possession Mechanic, Exploration, Stealth Gameplay, Science Fiction, Single-player Story


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $20.00 - $30.00
  - Reasoning: One review explicitly states $20 is a 'steal', implying the game is worth more. Another review highlights the favorable price-to-content ratio. A third review (translated from Chinese) confirms the original price provides good value. Together, these indicate the community perceives the game as fairly priced between $20 (a bargain) and $30 (still reasonable given the quality and content).
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 15.0h
  - Story completion: 15.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Game completion varies: one review reports 13 hours for a first playthrough, another 15 hours with some secret-hunting, and a third 25 hours with moderate completionism. The most common value for a typical first playthrough is 15 hours. Story completion is cited as 15–20 hours in a non-English review (Italian: '15–20 ore'), and the English review mentions a '15-20ish hour campaign', so 15 hours is a reasonable estimate for story completion. No reliable evidence for session length or endgame playtime was found.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Ctrl Alt Ego starts slowly with a linear, tutorial-heavy section that frustrates many players, but becomes highly rewarding once the game opens up into large, inventive levels around the second half. The early friction resolves after several hours of play.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Past the initial linear tutorial section
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: linear introductory section; tedious pixel hunting; lack of grace period on death forces slow playstyle; poorly paced tutorial notes; slow scouting with the pup
  - Unlock drivers: game opens up to large nonlinear levels; player gains familiarity with movement and tools; pup scouting becomes less necessary; ability to fly and use telekinesis becomes seamless
  - Conditions: player progresses past the first third of the game; player unlocks flight and other tools; player becomes familiar with the death/respawn mechanics; player learns to scout with the pup effectively; player adapts to the game's level design conventions
- Player Archetypes:
  - Immersive Sim Connoisseur (buy)
    - Motivation: Systemic depth and unmatched freedom to solve problems creatively.
    - Playstyle: Frequently switches between many tools and abilities, explores multiple approaches, and values creative experimentation.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Deus Ex; Dishonored; Thief
  - Puzzle-Solving Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Discovery and creative problem-solving through environmental puzzles and interconnected level design.
    - Playstyle: Methodical exploration, analyzing upgrade systems for optimal traversal, using stealth and hacking to navigate puzzles and find secrets.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Achievement-Oriented Completionist (buy)
    - Motivation: Unlocking all achievements and discovering hidden content, especially cleverly designed optional objectives.
    - Playstyle: Thoroughly explores each level, hunts for all collectibles and achievements, often attempts self-imposed challenge runs (e.g., no upgrades) for extra achievements.
    - Experience: familiar
    - 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:
- Best immersive sim (weight 0.55): Players consistently rank this among the best immersive-sim games ever, praising its freedom of action and creativity. It stands alongside classics like Prey and scratches the genre itch.
- Multiple solutions encouraged (weight 0.39): The game provides many ways to solve problems, encouraging creativity and exploration. This is a central praised feature across multiple clusters.
- Fleshed-out game mechanics (weight 0.29): Mechanics are described as wonderfully fleshed out, full-fledged, and gripping. Unique mechanics and creative tools are frequently highlighted.
- Superb level design (weight 0.29): Level design is praised as superb, brilliant, and top-notch. Levels become larger and more non-linear as the game progresses, enhancing freedom.
- Insane gameplay freedom (weight 0.29): Reviewers note the insane freedom rarely found in other games, allowing many playstyles and approaches. This freedom contributes to high replay value.
- Programmer humor appreciated (weight 0.25): The game is full of programmer jokes, especially in lore and system names. This humor is well-received and adds to the charm.
- Creative tools and solutions (weight 0.25): Tools are creative and encourage diverse solutions. Players can use unique mechanics to solve problems in unexpected ways, rewarding creativity.
- Possession mechanic central (weight 0.18): Possession mechanic is central and unique, serving as a great foundation. It allows creative solutions and adds to the game's uniqueness.
- Good replay value (weight 0.18): High replay value is attributed to secrets and achievements. Multiple playthroughs are encouraged by open-ended gameplay.
- Addictive and cool (weight 0.18): The game is described as cool, addictive, and interesting. It presents a gratifying challenge that keeps players engaged.
- Unique concept executed (weight 0.18): The game has a unique concept executed brilliantly, making it outstanding. Players appreciate the creativity and personal touch in details.
- Great after intro (weight 0.15): Players find the game interesting and clever after the prologue. The intro may be slower, but the game becomes great afterward.
- Ukrainian localization quality (weight 0.11): The Ukrainian localization is high-quality with few errors, helping players understand the story. This is specifically praised by reviewers.
- Achievements with cat pictures (weight 0.1): Getting away with actions leads to achievements that are all cat pictures. This quirky feature is noted positively by players.
- Consistent visual style (weight 0.1): Visuals are simple but consistent, fitting the setting. The art style is appreciated for its coherence.
- Surprisingly deep story (weight 0.1): The story is surprisingly deep and engaging, adding to the overall experience. Players find it interesting and clever.
- Flexible learning order (weight 0.1): Programs can be learned in any order, allowing flexible builds. Varied abilities contribute to diverse playstyles.

Common complaints:
- Janky controls and physics (weight 0.54): Multiple reviews report janky controls, awkward movement, and physics glitches that hurt the experience. Specific issues include clipping, getting stuck, and goofy or awful physics behavior.
- Story convoluted and unengaging (weight 0.42): The narrative is repeatedly described as hard to follow, convoluted, boring, and unoriginal. Players note it isn't the main draw and fails to deliver an interesting or cohesive experience.
- Possession mechanics tedious and clunky (weight 0.39): The core possession mechanic involves tedious steps for simple interactions like opening doors or saving, which becomes repetitive and frustrating. This also leads to disorientation and confusion.
- More puzzle than immersive sim (weight 0.38): Many feedback points criticize the game for being essentially an open-ended puzzle game rather than a true immersive sim. The perceived lack of true freedom and emergent options is a recurring theme.
- Softlocks common and punishing (weight 0.38): Many players report getting softlocked due to limited resources, design oversights, or specific abilities, forcing restarts or reloads. The Ego system and enemy behaviors contribute to this frustration.
- Graphics basic and unattractive (weight 0.37): Visuals are frequently called basic, primitive, rough, and boring. Many players feel the art style is not appealing or immersive, and sometimes even ugly.
- Ability balance and usefulness poor (weight 0.37): Many abilities are seen as useless, situational, or overpowered, and upgrades are costly. The flight ability in particular breaks level design, while others like the ram are mindless.
- Navigation difficult without map (weight 0.3): The lack of a map makes navigation challenging, especially in visually similar areas. This is compounded by dark scenes and unclear objectives.
- Lacks immersion and world life (weight 0.29): Several players say the game world feels empty, artificial, and not inhabited, failing to deliver the immersive sim experience. The setting, level design, and lack of lively details contribute to this.
- Combat lacks impact and options (weight 0.28): Combat is often called basic, clunky, and unsatisfying, with issues like enemies regenerating health and weak weapons. It is not seen as a viable or engaging playstyle.
- Resource system feels restrictive (weight 0.28): The Ego, Worm, and Disk resources are described as stingy and limiting, forcing conservative playstyles. The constant need to spend resources for everything is a major frustration.
- Motion sickness and nausea (weight 0.26): A significant issue is the game causing motion sickness, sometimes severe and unplayable, despite options. Realistic camera movement, robot motion, and POV contribute to the problem.
- Performance issues and frame drops (weight 0.24): Performance is cited as a weak point, with frame drops and other issues, particularly near the end. Some issues were later fixed, but the experience was negatively affected.
- Stealth gameplay is poor (weight 0.24): Stealth is criticized as being unviable, unforgiving, or simply not fun. Line-of-sight mechanics and forced trial-and-error designs are specific complaints.
- Gameplay repetitive and overlong (weight 0.22): The game is criticized for becoming repetitive and outlasting its welcome, with the latter chapters feeling padded. Players mention the game should have ended earlier.
- Controls and movement feel bad (weight 0.21): Basic movement and controlling different machines is often described as awkward or bad, with issues like delayed turning and wobbling aim. This negatively impacts the overall feel.
- Puzzles unsatisfying and simple (weight 0.21): Players find puzzles either too easy, requiring little thought, or frustrating with pixel-hunting and unclear solutions. The puzzle design is often seen as a weak point.
- Enemy AI and variety lacking (weight 0.21): Enemy behavior is inconsistent and the variety is very limited, with only a few types of bots to possess. This reduces strategic depth and makes encounters feel repetitive.
- Level design linear and uninteresting (weight 0.21): Levels are described as linear, repetitive, and lacking variety, with template-like ring areas. The layout often doesn't encourage exploration or provide interesting choices.
- Humor and writing fall flat (weight 0.17): The comedic tone is generally disliked, with jokes not landing and worldbuilding being uninteresting. Character dialogue, like DADs' lines, is repetitive and annoying.

Gameplay feedback:
- Immersive sim with puzzle focus (weight 0.55): Many reviews identify the game as an immersive sim that emphasizes puzzle-solving and offers multiple solutions to obstacles. The core gameplay revolves around player freedom and a large number of mechanics.
- Possession and consciousness mechanics (weight 0.42): Players control a disembodied digital consciousness that can transfer into machines, robots, and electronic devices. This possession mechanic is central to gameplay, allowing control over various units and objects.
- Puzzle gameplay with open solutions (weight 0.35): The game is primarily a puzzle game with open-ended solutions, allowing players to solve levels in multiple ways. Each level acts as a puzzle with various approaches.
- Freedom of approach emphasized (weight 0.32): The game is known for its freedom of approach, focusing on gameplay and player choice. Multiple options and tools are available to achieve goals.
- Hijack robots and objects (weight 0.29): Players can take over enemy robots and objects, using their weapons and abilities. The possession mechanic is resource-based, costing a small amount to control targets.
- Stealth mechanics included (weight 0.27): The game features stealth mechanics, allowing players to sneak through levels. Stealth is one of the several playstyles supported, alongside combat and pacifist approaches.
- Upgradable companion robot (weight 0.25): The robot BUG-22 is used for most tasks and can be upgraded with floppy disks and worms. These upgrades unlock new abilities and enhance the robot's capabilities.
- Space station setting (weight 0.18): The game is set on a retro-aesthetic space station, providing a unique environment for the immersive sim experience. Exploration of the space station is a key part of the gameplay.
- Multiple difficulty options (weight 0.14): The game includes multiple difficulty modes, including a strict and a higher difficulty setting. This allows players to tailor the challenge to their preference.
- Sandbox of possibilities (weight 0.11): The game is described as a sandbox of possibilities, offering a high degree of player freedom. Players can experiment with different powers and approaches.
- Bodiless ego gameplay (weight 0.11): The player plays as a bodiless ego, possessing people and machines to complete tasks. This unique perspective defines the core gameplay loop.
- Bugs as gameplay feature (weight 0.11): Bugs are used as a gameplay feature, each with unique abilities that can be expanded. These bugs play a significant role in puzzle-solving and combat.
- Hacking all machines (weight 0.11): The player is a conscious entity that can hack all kinds of machines, not just robots. This broad hacking capability is central to the experience.
- Ego as resource (weight 0.11): Ego is a resource used for various actions, including possession and special abilities. Managing this resource is important for executing interesting actions.

Performance notes:
- Performance degrades in later levels (weight 0.19): Multiple clusters report frame rate drops and performance issues specifically in the final areas of the game, sometimes dropping below 15 FPS. This is a common issue that affects the late-game experience.
- Technical problems and bugs (weight 0.15): Several clusters mention heavy technical issues, clipping through pipes when using a tool, and physics problems causing BUG22 to get stuck. These bugs can disrupt gameplay and need fixing.
- Performance generally below expectations (weight 0.14): Some players report that performance is not the best and had to lower resolution, with occasional frame drops during explosive chain reactions. This suggests optimization could be improved for a smoother experience.
- Stability and optimization praised (weight 0.13): Some clusters report that the game seems very stable overall and is well optimized, with decent performance at recommended specs. This suggests that on some systems the game runs smoothly.
- Visual quality lacks color variety (weight 0.1): The game's visual quality is criticized for having a monotonous color palette, and another cluster notes poor lighting and shadow rendering. These visual issues may reduce the overall aesthetic appeal.
- Performance updates improved experience (weight 0.09): One cluster indicates that a performance update improved the game, and another notes that frame drops in the late game were later fixed. This shows that the developers are addressing performance concerns.
- Long loading times and battery drain (weight 0.09): The game has high map loading frequency which might lead to long waiting times, and battery drains faster on Steam Deck compared to similar games. These issues affect the convenience of play.
- Occasional crashes on pause screen (weight 0.05): A single crash occurred after leaving the game on the pause screen for a while, indicating a rare stability issue. This is low frequency but worth noting for reliability.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended for immersive sim fans (weight 0.8): Many reviewers strongly recommend this game to fans of immersive sims, citing its puzzle mechanics and stealth/action elements. It is frequently compared to Prey, Deus Ex, and Dishonored, making it a solid choice for genre enthusiasts.
- Strong overall recommendation (weight 0.32): Several reviews give unqualified praise, with strong recommendations to buy and play. Some even suggest buying extra copies for friends, indicating a very positive experience.
- Great value for price (weight 0.31): Multiple reviewers emphasize that the game offers excellent value, with some calling it a must-play at its price point and others saying it's a steal. The content and replayability justify the cost, even at full price.
- Creativity and experimentation rewarded (weight 0.21): The game encourages creative problem-solving and experimentation, appealing to players who enjoy thinking outside the box. Reviews highlight the emergent gameplay and lack of guided hand-holding as key draws.
- Unique and original experience (weight 0.19): Reviewers praise the game for being truly one of a kind, offering something different from mainstream titles. This uniqueness is a major selling point for those seeking novel gameplay.
- Appeals to puzzle game fans (weight 0.18): Reviewers note the game's heavy puzzle orientation, comparing it to Portal and The Talos Principle. It is recommended for puzzle enthusiasts, though some suggest it may appeal less to pure immersive sim fans.
- Not for casual players (weight 0.17): Several reviews warn that the game is better suited for experienced or intrinsically motivated players, with a steep learning curve and unguided exploration. Casual players may find it frustrating.
- Recommendation with caveats (weight 0.17): Some reviewers recommend the game but note specific caveats, such as motion sickness risks, the need to turn off objective markers, or the frantic pace on higher difficulties. These nuances are important for potential buyers.
- Not for everyone (weight 0.16): A few reviewers suggest the game isn't for everyone, noting that immersive sim veterans might prefer classics like System Shock 2. Others feel the game may not suit players looking for a polished, guided experience.
- Humorous and British tone (weight 0.12): The game's British humor and sci-fi themes, reminiscent of Doctor Who and Hitchhiker's Guide, are highlighted as appealing aspects. This humor is a key draw for certain players.
- Take time to explore (weight 0.12): Reviewers advise players to explore thoroughly to avoid missing content and to stick with the game past the prologue. Patience and exploration are rewarded.
- Worth trying demo first (weight 0.09): Some reviewers recommend trying the generous demo before purchasing, as it accurately represents the full experience. This helps players decide if the game's style suits them.
- Go in blind (weight 0.05): One reviewer recommends going in blind if on the fence, suggesting that prior knowledge might diminish the experience. This indicates the game's discoveries are best enjoyed unspoiled.
- Third anniversary level not recommended (weight 0.04): A standalone level is criticized for lacking text, guidance, and goals, making it unappealing. This is a specific caveat but not a general criticism of the main game.
- Not worth full price for some (weight 0.04): One reviewer feels the game isn't worth full price, though this is a minority opinion. This contrasts with other reviews praising its value.

Other player notes:
- Comparable to classic immersive sims (weight 0.61): Many reviews compare the game to genre classics like System Shock, Deus Ex, Dishonored, and Prey, highlighting its immersive sim DNA. While some find it not on the same level, most appreciate the familiar mechanics and setting.
- Impressive for two developers (weight 0.45): A significant point of praise is that the game was made by just two (or even one) developers, which makes the scope and quality remarkable. Reviewers often note this as a major achievement for such a small team.
- Comparable to Prey (2017) (weight 0.38): The game is frequently compared to Prey (2017), with some saying it's just as good or even better in certain aspects. Fans of Prey are likely to enjoy this title.
- Excellent Ukrainian localization (weight 0.25): Multiple reviewers highlight the Ukrainian localization as high quality with adapted references and few errors. This is a standout feature for Ukrainian-speaking players.
- Active developer communication (weight 0.25): The developer is responsive and communicative, engaging with players on forums and social media, addressing bugs and suggestions. This is appreciated by the community.
- Developer is MindThunk (weight 0.24): The game is developed and published by MindThunk, a studio known for this title. This is mentioned frequently as context for the game's origin and support.
- Retro minimalist visuals (weight 0.21): The game features a deliberately minimalist and retro visual presentation, which some find charming and consistent, though others consider it boring or off-putting.
- Underrated and overlooked (weight 0.18): Reviewers describe the game as criminally underrated, sorely overlooked, and a hidden gem that deserves more attention. This suggests a marketing or visibility problem despite positive reception.
- Debate on immersive sim label (weight 0.17): There's discussion about whether the game really is an immersive sim, with some saying it lacks emergent gameplay, while others feel it eventually transforms into one. This semantic debate is common.
- Unique possession mechanics (weight 0.14): The game's core mechanic involves possessing robots and machines, compared to games like Geist but with a unique twist. This innovation is a key selling point.
- Lots of hidden content (weight 0.14): Each level contains many hidden items, some very well hidden, encouraging exploration and rewarding attentive players.
- Sequel currently in development (weight 0.11): A sequel is in development, as mentioned by reviewers and the developer. This indicates the game's success and ongoing commitment to the franchise.
- Multiple difficulty options (weight 0.1): The game offers multiple difficulty levels, including direct and indirect options, catering to different player preferences and skill levels.
- Features sandbox mode (weight 0.09): The game includes a sandbox mode, which adds replayability and creative freedom. This mode is appreciated by players who want to experiment.
- Generous demo available (weight 0.09): A generously long demo is available, allowing players to try before buying. This is noted as a positive, reducing purchase risk.
- Read notes for story (weight 0.06): Reviewers recommend not skipping in-game notes to better understand the story and world-building. This suggests the narrative is delivered primarily through text logs.
- Narrative pretext for gameplay (weight 0.05): Some reviewers note that the story serves as a pretext to reach the ending, implying a focus on gameplay over narrative depth. This may be a negative for those expecting a strong story.
- Small but dedicated fanbase (weight 0.05): The game has a small fanbase, which is consistent with its underrated status. Dedicated fans appreciate the game's niche qualities.
- Eight chapters and bonus level (weight 0.05): The game has eight chapters plus a three-year anniversary standalone level, but the design of the bonus level appears abandoned. This is a minor critique.
- External reviews overpraised (weight 0.05): Some reviewers feel that external reviews praising the game are too exaggerated, suggesting the game may not be as perfect as claimed.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.26): The game frequently frustrates due to janky movement, physics, and controls, compounded by a soft-locking Ego system and an abysmal save system that can erase progress. Combat is dull, stealth is punishing, and resource or object-finding tasks are tedious, with performance issues and confusing navigation further aggravating the experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.21): The game fails to meet expectations as an immersive sim, instead feeling like a clunky puzzle game with a weak narrative and abortive ending. Combat is unimpactful, upgrades feel minute, and the experience becomes repetitive, overshadowing potential with poor balance and an unimpressive world.
- Admiration (weight 0.2): The game is lauded for its bold commitment to player freedom and creative problem-solving, praised as a masterpiece and new standard for immersive sims. Developed by just two people, its scope, depth, and quality, including responsive bug fixes and sound design, earn high commendation.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.13): Players feel satisfied by the freedom and creativity in solving obstacles, which scratches the immersive sim itch. The game's excellent level design, writing, voice acting, and polish contribute to a rewarding experience, with successful execution of elaborate plans providing deep gratification.
- Excitement (weight 0.12): The game generates excitement through emergent problem-solving, creative use of physics, and novel possession mechanics that open up possibilities. It reminds players of classic games like System Shock, and the sheer freedom and systemic depth lead to high anticipation for continuation or a sequel.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Players enjoy the game for its cool, addictive, fun, and unique nature, with a sandbox that encourages creativity. The variety of abilities, humor, and multiple solutions to levels keep the experience engaging, likened to a fun puzzler that others wish more games would emulate.
- Appreciation (weight 0.09): The game is appreciated as a high-quality, unique title that demonstrates what a small indie team can achieve in a challenging genre. Its design, accessibility options, Ukrainian localization, and responsive developer support are valued, along with the game's right pacing and polish.
- Boredom (weight 0.06): The game becomes boring due to repetitive mechanics, limited enemy variety, and dull narrative and map content. The primary possession mechanic loses novelty, and tedious interaction or a lack of new content after the first third results in the game overstaying its welcome.
- Annoyance (weight 0.05): Annoyance stems from specific design flaws like overly dark areas that hinder navigation, and repetitive voice lines from a comedian character that are not funny. Interaction mechanics are inconvenient, and inconsistencies in bug bot explosions, sound, and object-picking further irritate.
- Surprise (weight 0.05): Players are pleasantly surprised by the game's depth, with unexpected large open-world chapters and deeper narrative engagement. It surpasses low expectations, becoming a favorite immersive sim despite initial doubts, especially as the game shifts from linearity to openness.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.04): Players express enthusiasm for the game's creative freedom, sound design, and the openness of levels that offer multiple solutions. It's an easy recommendation, praised as a great addition to the genre, delivering everything expected from an immersive sim.
- Amusement (weight 0.04): The game's humorous programmer jokes and cat-photo achievements are a source of amusement. Players also enjoy the fun of accomplishing improbable feats, like doing things you think you can't get away with, and find quirky bugs and counterintuitive solutions amusing.
- Fun (weight 0.04): The game consistently delivers fun through open-ended problem-solving, intense shootouts, and the ability to take over enemies. Despite some confusion, players have a ton of fun, citing the immersive sim gameplay and creative freedom as major highlights.
- Amazement (weight 0.03): Players are amazed by the sheer scope and complexity of the game, especially considering its two-person development. The massive sandbox with countless solutions and the unique possession mechanic make it a masterpiece that stands out from anything else played.
- Delight (weight 0.02): Players are delighted by the game's quality, creativity, and the wide array of possibilities offered. Finding narrative exposition and worldbuilding is a particular joy, and the game's unique structure provides constant delight.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Some players are confused initially, questioning the hype given the simple puzzles and experiencing poor first-impression physics. The story can be hard to follow at the start, and understanding the ending is not entirely clear.
- Love (weight 0.02): Players love the storytelling, world, and charm, finding the game incredibly engaging to the point of playing for hours. The creativity also earns affection, making it a special experience.
- Pleasure (weight 0.02): The game becomes pleasurable after the prologue as it reveals intelligent, clever design that respects player agency. The plot's focus on choice and consequence is appreciated, adding to the delight.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): The game evokes nostalgia by reminding players of beloved classics like Portal, Fallout NV, or Skyrim. The memorable early levels and the sense of wonder bring back fond memories.
- Disorientation (weight 0.02): The game's dark environments and frequent consciousness transfer mechanics disorient players, leading to getting lost or missing objectives. The floating objects, like tabs and printers, further confuse the sense of direction.}