Info about Evil Wizard:

Official game description:
Evil Wizard is a humor-filled action RPG featuring metroidvania elements and carefully crafted pixel-art environments. As a defeated villain who barely survived a tough fight, you’ll have to face an army of so-called heroes to recover what’s rightfully yours. Rediscover your powers, infiltrate your own castle, unleash devastating spells, and purge your ancestral home of these miserable excuses for an enemy. Are you ready to get your hands dirty? It’s time to be the bad guy for a change!
**A quest fueled by revenge**
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Face off against hordes of enemies, avoid deadly traps, and solve challenging puzzles as you reclaim the halls of your castle from the heroes that now live within it!  
**Metroidvania-inspired Design**
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Explore carefully-crafted locations and navigate intricate levels. Use your skills and elements to interact with the in-game world and unlock new paths.  
**High-Paced Skill-based Combat**
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Deal devastating melee blows, unlock earth-shattering spells and dash around the map to crush your foes. You’ll be in full control of every battle!  
**Elements and forces To Master**
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Control the power of fire, ice, void, lightning, and earth. Mix various elements to unleash devastating attacks and exploit your enemies’ weaknesses!  
**Unique Enemies and Boss Fights**
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Fine-tune your character to defeat increasingly more challenging enemies. Upgrade your equipment as you get ready to vanquish an array of bosses, each with their own skills and combat style!  
“There are songs that still tell the tale of the heroes’ most daring deeds. After a long battle against the Evil Wizard, the castle he called home was sieged and swarmed and the wretchful minions that served him for generations were slain by the dozens. While the corrupt villain himself managed to escape, the day marked an amazing victory for the forces of good…”  
Or did it, really?!

Release date: May 25, 2023

Categories: Action RPG, Metroidvania, Pixel Art Style, Hack and Slash, Spell-based Combat, Elemental Combat System, Puzzle Solving, Humor-driven Gameplay

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 5; verdict: Works Well; summary: The available evidence is entirely positive for Linux and Steam Deck compatibility. The user reports that the game works perfectly out of the box on Linux and runs like a dream on the Steam Deck, with no Proton, launcher, anti-cheat, or performance workarounds mentioned.
- Steam Deck: score 10; verdict: Seamless; summary: The reviewed feedback is overwhelmingly positive for Steam Deck and Linux. Users report a perfect out-of-the-box experience and that the game runs like a dream. Combat and controls are described as fluid and responsive, with only a short adjustment period noted. No evidence of small text, external launchers, battery drain, crashes, anti-cheat errors, or launch failures was found. One separate question about future Steam Deck availability introduces minor uncertainty but does not describe an actual blocker. Under the scoring criteria, this qualifies as a seamless native experience.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviewers explicitly endorse the $20 full price, saying the game is worth paying full price and is a buy even when not on sale. This sets the upper end of the fair range at $20. A price-sensitive reviewer was happy at 30% off (about $14) but would have preferred 50% off (about $10), suggesting the lower end of the acceptable range is around $14-$15. The consensus therefore points to a fair base-game range of roughly $15-$20.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 10.0h
  - Story completion: 6.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The first quote directly reports about 6 hours to finish the story and about 4 additional hours for most optional content, supporting storyCompletion = 6 hours and gameCompletion around 10 hours. The translated Spanish quote gives an 8-10 hour duration with 100% completion taking a bit more, and the translated Chinese quote reports 10 hours for all bosses and most collectibles, reinforcing gameCompletion = 10 hours. The shorter 4-5 hour report shows story completion estimates vary, so 6 hours is a central direct estimate. No quote provides a typical session length or a clear numeric post-game/endgame duration, so sessionLength and endgame are null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players generally report fun from the opening hours, driven by engaging combat and strong early potential, but later repetition and progression locks cause enjoyment to drop.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Start of game / initial combat
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Unfairly hectic early-game fights; Slow executions that are unsafe when enemies target you; Progression locks
  - Unlock drivers: Repeated attempts until finally defeating a tough enemy; Gradual restoration of the wizard's lost power
  - Conditions: Opening hours provide immediate laughs and potential; Repeated boss attempts can become addictive until success; Progression is structured around restoring the wizard's lost power; Steady pacing and memorable peaks help sustain the campaign
- Player Archetypes:
  - Retro Metroidvania Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Exploring interconnected maps, finding secrets, and completing 100% runs.
    - Playstyle: Methodical map exploration, secret hunting, backtracking, and completionist runs.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Meta-Humor Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Laughing at meta-jokes, fourth-wall breaks, crude humor, and referential comedy.
    - Playstyle: Plays for comedic tone and charm, enjoys simple mechanics, and is flexible about difficulty.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Challenge-Seeking Action Player (buy)
    - Motivation: Overcoming challenging combat encounters and mastering action mechanics.
    - Playstyle: Uses sword combos, dash i-frames, and timed avoidance and strikes; seeks difficult bosses or adjusts difficulty.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Achievement Completionist Critic (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Completing all achievements and 100% progress, but frustrated by grind and missable content.
    - Playstyle: Achievement hunting, 100% runs, upgrade currency optimization, and repeat grinding for completion.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - 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:
- Great sense of humor (weight 0.62): The game is widely praised for its humor, with many calling it hilarious and entertaining. The comedic elements are a major draw for players.
- Fun and enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.56): Players find the gameplay fun, pleasant, and engaging. The overall experience is described as entertaining and well-crafted.
- Praise for pixel art (weight 0.5): Many reviewers highlight the pixel art as gorgeous and well-crafted. The detailed pixelwork and animation are frequently commended.
- Smooth and responsive combat (weight 0.5): The combat system is often described as responsive, fluid, and satisfying. Many appreciate its fast-paced and polished feel.
- Challenging boss battles (weight 0.36): Boss fights are highlighted as challenging but fair, and highly enjoyable. Many find them addictive and a standout feature.
- Pop culture references abound (weight 0.36): The game is filled with references to pop culture, movies, and other games. These nods add humor and appeal for many players.
- Excellent music and audio (weight 0.25): The soundtrack and audio are frequently praised as phenomenal and excellent. The music enhances the overall experience significantly.
- Intuitive and simple combat (weight 0.21): Combat is easy to understand and handle, yet still satisfying. The simplicity is seen as a positive, making it accessible without sacrificing fun.
- Enjoyable puzzles and secrets (weight 0.21): Puzzles and secrets are plentiful and rewarding, adding depth to the exploration. Many players enjoy solving them.
- Silly and quirky writing (weight 0.21): The writing is silly, tongue-in-cheek, and entertaining. The humorous dialogue adds to the game's charm.
- Rubber duck collecting fun (weight 0.2): Collecting goofy ducklings or rubber ducks adds charm and fun to the game. It's a quirky side activity that players appreciate.
- Eye-catching visuals (weight 0.13): The visuals are eye-catching and great overall. The art style and effects are often praised.
- Strategic and reflex-based combat (weight 0.13): Combat requires strategy and fast reflexes, making it challenging and engaging. The fast-paced mechanics keep players on their toes.
- Well-balanced difficulty (weight 0.12): The difficulty is generally considered well-balanced, providing a moderate challenge without being overly punishing. This makes the game accessible to a wide audience.
- Great metroidvania experience (weight 0.12): For fans of metroidvania games, this title is considered excellent and a great addition to the genre. The gameplay mechanics fit well within the style.
- Fourth wall breaking humor (weight 0.12): The game frequently breaks the fourth wall for comedic effect. This humor style resonates with many players.
- Classy and recommendable (weight 0.12): The game is described as classy and worth recommending to others. Many players feel it deserves to be played.
- Politically incorrect humor (weight 0.11): Some reviewers note the humor is not politically correct, which adds to its edgy appeal. This style is appreciated by certain audiences.

Common complaints:
- Boss fights are overly difficult (weight 0.53): Bosses are reported as very hard, with some having random attacks that cannot be learned, artificially inflated HP, and reliance on shield phases. Without the correct element, bosses become damage sponges, but with it they become trivially easy.
- Combat is unbalanced and unfair (weight 0.5): Combat suffers from high rigidity, invincibility windows that end before control returns, and enemy behaviors that feel unfair, such as erratic movements and instant attacks. Many fights become tedious damage sponges, especially when players lack the required magic element.
- Dialogue and humor fall flat (weight 0.47): Dialogues are excessively long and overstay their welcome, with forced humor and pop culture references that feel dated. Many players skip conversations, and the constant quips become annoying over time.
- Element system is poorly designed (weight 0.44): The magic element system requires constant swapping to match environmental puzzles and enemy weaknesses, leading to tedious backtracking and frustration. Elements act as keys, and players often lack the required element when needed, forcing deaths or long searches.
- Frequent softlocks block progression (weight 0.37): Players report multiple softlocks early in the game, including during save points, exiting dungeons, and after boss fights. These issues persist even after verifying game files, forcing players to restart or give up entirely.
- Poor guidance and confusing navigation (weight 0.36): The game offers almost no guidance or objectives, leaving players lost and wandering. The map is unhelpful, lacking icons and a legend, and often shows the player marker incorrectly or not at all.
- Repetitive and boring combat (weight 0.35): Combat becomes repetitive due to a limited pool of enemy behaviors and encounter variations, and it is often described as boring or akin to an alpha. The action aspect is considered extremely bad by some players.
- Technical bugs hinder experience (weight 0.35): Various bugs occur, including missing boss health bars, black screens requiring force quit, camera getting stuck, and audio issues. Some bugs are minor, but others severely impact playability.
- Controls lack key rebinding (weight 0.33): The game does not allow manual key rebinding, and only two control schemes exist: keyboard and keyboard plus mouse. This forces players to adapt to default controls that are not universally liked, and the mouse wheel is inconvenient for abilities.
- Limited spell variety and slow magic (weight 0.31): Players are stuck with only one or two active skills for much of the game, and magic has a delay that is deadly in combat. Spells need time to recharge, and the most fun abilities only appear late in the game.
- Upgrade costs are too high (weight 0.28): Upgrade costs are prohibitively high relative to the currency enemies drop, making most upgrades unaffordable even after completing the game. Soul crystals are extremely limited, requiring repetitive grinding.
- Movement and controls feel unresponsive (weight 0.28): Basic movement is described as extremely weird, with rigid actions and poor jump performance. The controller offers only eight-directional movement and no roll, while keyboard and mouse attacks often miss nearby enemies.
- Game is too short (weight 0.25): The main story can be completed in about 4-6 hours, with limited post-game content. Players feel the game lacks sufficient length and value for its price, and there is no New Game Plus option.
- Executions are risky and unrewarding (weight 0.24): Executions are slow and leave the player vulnerable, especially in multi-enemy fights, and they conflict with magic usage. Despite being the main source of healing and currency, the game never explains their importance clearly.
- Enemies become damage sponges (weight 0.24): Later enemies and bosses have inflated HP and deal increased damage, making fights drag on and feel cheap. Enemy spam and large hitboxes contribute to an unfair experience.
- Missable achievements and content (weight 0.15): Some achievements are easily missed, such as knocking Igor off the ladder, and certain content cannot be completed after choices are made. This reduces replayability and completion satisfaction.
- Localization issues with Portuguese (weight 0.11): Subtitles are only available in European Portuguese, not Brazilian Portuguese, and selecting Brazilian Portuguese still displays European Portuguese text. This causes a poor experience for Brazilian players.
- Poor game popularity and support (weight 0.11): The game's low popularity means there are no guides or community discussions to help players. Additionally, developers seem unaware of progression-blocking bugs, suggesting a lack of testing.
- Save system lacks auto-save (weight 0.07): The game only offers manual saves with no auto-save feature, which is seen as an obvious problem for a newly released game. This can lead to lost progress and frustration.
- Fast travel requires payment (weight 0.07): Fast travel points must be paid for to unlock, adding an unnecessary currency sink. This compounds the issue of limited currency for upgrades.

Gameplay feedback:
- Elemental weaknesses in combat (weight 0.46): Enemies and bosses have specific elemental weaknesses and resistances that players must exploit during battles. Matching elements effectively is central to combat strategy.
- Combat with physical and magical attacks (weight 0.39): Combat includes slashing, dodging, fireballs, thunderbolts, and spellcasting. Players can switch between physical and magical attacks.
- Metroidvania-style exploration (weight 0.33): The game features ability-gated paths and exploration typical of the Metroidvania genre. Players unlock new areas as they gain abilities.
- Action RPG metroidvania (weight 0.33): The game is an action RPG with Metroidvania elements, combining real-time combat with exploration. It offers a blend of genres.
- Challenging boss fights (weight 0.24): Boss battles are present and require deliberate strategy, offering a significant challenge. Some include a final colosseum challenge.
- Elemental spell combinations (weight 0.24): Fire, lightning, and ice spells are available, and players can combine elemental spells for varied effects. This adds depth to combat.
- Play as the villain (weight 0.21): The player takes on the role of a wizard villain, playing as the bad guy. This inversion of typical roles is a key narrative hook.
- Humorous tone and jokes (weight 0.2): The game has a humorous tone with jokes and funny dialogue. This lighthearted approach is a notable feature.
- Fourth wall breaks (weight 0.2): The wizard breaks the fourth wall and addresses the player directly, adding a unique narrative twist. This is often used for humor.
- Intuitive and simple gameplay (weight 0.2): Combat and overall gameplay are intuitive, easy to handle, and not overly complex. This makes the game accessible.
- Easter eggs and memes (weight 0.19): Many small Easter eggs, memes, and references are hidden throughout the game. These cater to observant players.
- Pixel art style (weight 0.17): The game features pixel art and artwork, contributing to its retro aesthetic. This visual style is consistent with the Metroidvania genre.
- Collectible rubber ducks (weight 0.16): Players can find collectible rubber ducks throughout the game and turn them in for rewards. This adds a collection element to exploration.
- Top-down hack and slash (weight 0.12): Gameplay is fast-paced top-down hack and slash action. This perspective enhances the combat experience.
- Adjustable difficulty settings (weight 0.12): Players can adjust the difficulty in the settings to suit their preference. This makes the game accessible to a wider audience.
- Puzzles and secrets (weight 0.12): The game includes puzzle-like interactions and plentiful secrets to discover. These add exploration and challenge beyond combat.
- Progression and upgrades (weight 0.12): There is a progression system with equipment upgrades that enhance the player's abilities. This provides a sense of growth.
- Manual saving at points (weight 0.11): Saving is done manually at save points, requiring players to manage their progress carefully. This adds a classic game feel.
- Sparse guidance for exploration (weight 0.11): The game provides almost zero player guidance, encouraging exploration and discovery. This can be challenging for some players.
- Achievements and completion (weight 0.11): The game includes achievements and completion goals for players to pursue. This adds replay value and objectives.

Performance notes:
- Excellent Steam Deck performance (weight 0.04): One cluster reports the game runs like a dream on the Steam Deck. This indicates smooth and optimized gameplay on that handheld platform.
- Impeccable PC performance (weight 0.04): Another cluster states the game runs impeccably on PC. This suggests high-quality performance and stability on desktop computers.

Recommendations:
- Strong general recommendation (weight 0.59): A large number of reviewers strongly recommend this game using phrases such as highly recommend, super recommended, and worth playing. The overall sentiment is very positive across many clusters.
- Recommended for specific tastes (weight 0.59): Many reviewers conditionally recommend the game for players who enjoy specific elements like metroidvania exploration, challenging combat, crude humor, or pixel art. These recommendations often come with caveats about difficulty or niche appeal.
- Mixed feelings on price (weight 0.42): Several reviewers feel the game is not worth the full price and recommend waiting for a sale or a deeper discount. Others consider it worth it at the right price or during a good sale.
- Humorous and unique experience (weight 0.4): Reviewers frequently highlight the game's humor, including fourth-wall-breaking jokes and meme references, as a key selling point. The lighthearted and engaging adventure is praised for its unique twist on familiar themes.
- Short but enjoyable game (weight 0.3): The game is described as a nice, quick, and well-crafted experience that is fun to pass the time. It is seen as a solid indie package that offers honest entertainment.
- Combat and difficulty issues (weight 0.24): Some reviewers mention that the combat could be improved and that the difficulty can be unreasonable, especially for boss fights. An update to fix combat would make the game more bearable for these players.
- Decent but not amazing (weight 0.15): A few reviewers consider the game to be a decent mid-tier experience that is enjoyable but not outstanding. One reviewer gives a neutral review, and another says it is a mixed bag that they do not personally recommend.
- Praise for developers (weight 0.14): Some reviewers specifically praise the developers for their effort and the heart and soul poured into the game. This is a positive sentiment that adds to the overall recommendation.
- Good for casual gamers (weight 0.1): The game is recommended for those who prefer a more relaxed experience through difficulty settings or who enjoy casual games. It is seen as accessible to a wider audience.
- Barely recommended (weight 0.06): One reviewer barely recommends the game, indicating that it just meets the threshold for a positive recommendation. This is a low-importance point but reflects a borderline experience.

Other player notes:
- Game Length Varies 6-10 Hours (weight 0.5): The main story can be completed in about 4 to 9 hours, with most reports indicating 6-10 hours for full completion including optional content. Some players report up to 20 hours when exploring everything and doing side quests.
- Heavy Pop Culture References (weight 0.36): The game is filled with references to video games, movies, and modern pop culture, including games like Hollow Knight, God of War, Minecraft, Dark Souls, Undertale, and others. This is a defining characteristic of the game's humor and style.
- Deadpool-Style Humor (weight 0.24): The game's humor is frequently compared to Deadpool, with fourth-wall breaks and edgy jokes. The game even explicitly acknowledges the protagonist's inspiration from Deadpool in a conversation.
- Positive Indie Game Reception (weight 0.24): Reviewers describe it as one of the most entertaining indie games recently, with evident love and heart poured into development. It is seen as a refresh for typical RPGs and compared favorably to Zelda.
- Collectibles and Completionist Content (weight 0.2): There are collectibles, a secret challenge room, weapon upgrades, and achievements requiring actions like digging graves and lighting eyes. Some content is gated behind collecting all mummy ducks.
- Latin American Spanish Localization (weight 0.18): The game includes Latin American Spanish localization with well-crafted jokes and Latin idioms. One reviewer worked on the Spanish (EU) localization and tested it.
- Bugs Encountered in Boss Fights (weight 0.16): Players report encountering bugs primarily during boss fights. One reviewer notes the game was fixed by reinstalling or finding the correct action, and requests a quick fix.
- Portuguese Localization Issues (weight 0.15): Subtitles are available in Portuguese from Portugal but not Brazilian Portuguese, causing language support issues for some players. The localization translation is otherwise done well.
- Accessibility Options Available (weight 0.15): The game offers accessibility options to adjust boss difficulty and settings to change monster HP and attack intervals. These options are helpful for players who want them.
- Developer and Publisher Information (weight 0.15): Developed by Rubber Duck Games (the name ties into rubber duck collectibles) and published by E-Home Entertainment Development Company Ltd. The game is sold on Steam.
- Sparse Guidance, Low Popularity (weight 0.11): The game provides little guidance and has low popularity, resulting in no community guides or discussion spaces. Some negative reviews mention being able to go to the wrong place.
- Pixel Art Style with Detailed Animations (weight 0.11): The game is set in a pixel art world with detailed animations and environments, reminiscent of old games.
- Runs Well on Linux and PC (weight 0.11): The game runs perfectly on Linux out of the box and has good gamepad support on PC with an Xbox controller.
- Compared to Metroidvania and Souls-like (weight 0.11): Reviewers compare it to metroidvania and souls-like games but clarify that it is not one and not as difficult as famous souls-like titles.
- No Autosave, Manual Saving Required (weight 0.07): The game requires manual saving as there is no autosave feature. This can lead to lost progress if players forget to save.
- References and Similarities to Hollow Knight (weight 0.07): The game contains references to Hollow Knight and has a final colosseum challenge that strongly resembles Hollow Knight's Colosseum of Fools.
- Story Follows Evil Wizard Seeking Revenge (weight 0.07): The story follows a small wizard kicked out of his castle by heroes, who swears revenge and orders the player to move him.
- Ultra-Wide Resolution Not Supported (weight 0.06): 3440x1440 ultra-wide resolution is not supported, resulting in 2560x1440 with black bars for players using that resolution.
- No New Game Plus Option (weight 0.06): The game does not have a New Game Plus option, which may limit replayability for some players.
- Voiceover Only in English (weight 0.06): Voiceover is only available in English, which may limit accessibility for non-English speakers.

Emotions:
- Enjoyment (weight 0.18): Players enjoy the responsive and satisfying combat, engaging exploration, and rewarding puzzles and secrets. The humorous writing, charming pixel art, great music, and pop culture references also contribute to the fun experience.
- Frustration (weight 0.15): Frustration stems from poor guidance leading to getting stuck, unfair boss fights with high HP and unpredictable attacks, and technical issues like inability to rebind keys and softlocks. Backtracking to find elements and limited combat options further aggravate players.
- Amusement (weight 0.12): Amusement is caused by the game's hilarious dialogue, witty writing, and abundant pop culture references. Fourth-wall breaks, silly jokes, and funny characters keep players laughing throughout.
- Disappointment (weight 0.11): Disappointment arises from repetitive combat, wasted potential, and unfair boss mechanics like spamming invincibility. Technical issues, lack of voiceover, and pricing concerns also let players down.
- Annoyance (weight 0.06): Annoyance is caused by inability to remap controls, annoying voicelines, and enemies becoming damage sponges. Lack of auto-save, little guidance, and bugs add to the irritation.
- Appreciation (weight 0.06): Appreciation comes from the game's classy presentation, accessibility options, and excellent music and art style. The unique plot twist and well-designed levels and enemies are also praised.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.04): Satisfaction is derived from fun mechanics like playing as the villain, creative boss designs, and adjustable difficulty. The metroidvania exploration and well-paced story contribute to a fulfilling experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement is driven by the engaging writing, fun exploration, and secret hunting. The awesome soundtrack, intense final fight, and challenging bosses keep players thrilled.
- Fun (weight 0.03): Fun is experienced through fighting for evil with slashing, fireballs, and thunderbolts, as well as the game's humor and Easter eggs. Playing as the final boss adds to the enjoyment.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is brought by the crude silly humor, hellish themes, and fun combat with references. The adult and subtle sense of humor also delights players.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is evoked by elements reminiscent of childhood and old games, particularly the element absorption and puzzles similar to The Story of Thor.
- Irritation (weight 0.01): Irritation is caused by technical issues like fullscreen mode not locking the mouse, leading to accidental pauses. Combat feeling like an alpha with unfair mechanics and poor animations also frustrates.
- Love (weight 0.01): Love is expressed for the combat, tongue-in-cheek humor, and the use of fire and lightning. The art style and main character are also adored.
- Dislike (weight 0.01): Dislike stems from having to wander to find elements and constantly switch spells, which disrupts the gameplay flow.
- Entertainment (weight 0.01): Entertainment is provided by the game being one of the most entertaining indie games recently played, with abundant references and secrets to discover.
- Affection (weight 0.01): Affection is felt due to the humor, pixel graphics, intuitive gameplay, and Latin American Spanish localization. The Easter eggs and humor also endear players.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Desire is driven by the impossibility of not wanting to find all the ducks, creating a compelling collection urge.
- Pleasantness (weight 0.01): Pleasantness arises from the game being likable and fun, providing a generally positive experience.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Anger is caused by getting hit after an action ends when invincibility has already expired, leading to unfair damage.
- Mild frustration (weight 0.01): Mild frustration occurs when some bosses drag on without the right element or become too easy with it, creating imbalance.}