Info about Soulash:

Official game description:
Bored of playing the protagonist that saves the world? Remember the times when it was good to be evil? In Soulash you'll be able to unleash your Berserker rage at annoying NPC characters and butcher them for meat. You will torture mortals with fire and electricity as a powerful Warlock. Summon an unlimited army of zombies and skeletons and rot everything in your path as a Lich Necromancer. And if you prefer the unexpected, you can't go wrong with a Goblin Inquisitor!  
This world is yours for the taking
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A forgotten god versus the whole world. A dark being, ready to regain his might using souls ripped from hundreds of enemies. Soulash is a **turn-based combat-heavy roguelike** told from the villain's point of view, where an open world exists only for the pleasure of complete destruction. From gnome villages, through dwarven keeps, into the hot deserts, with massive Capital City and the Black Pyramid - everything is to conquer, destroy and cover in blood.  
And the rivers will run red
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Kill other gods and change the landscape of the entire world. Rivers will turn into blood, winter will come, the world will cover in darkness as the sun dies.  
Consume the souls of gods and change the world on a massive scale!  
Your souls are mine
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Every soul you take will not come back to life. You can kill everyone in the world and do as you please with what's left. Soulash tells a story of a long-forgotten god that escaped his prison to reign in destruction and terror. Everything was born from you and will die because of you.  
Fight to the death
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Use over 100 different abilities to intimidate, corrupt or exterminate everything in your path in tactical, turn-based combat affected by weather conditions and terrain.  
Oh sweet, sweet loot
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You have no idea how Big Bertha got her hands on the Ring of Invisibility - but it's your precious artifact!  
Enemies are created with different sets of magic items during every playthrough, just watch out for the peasants casting Armageddon!  
Nice day for fishin' ain't it?
------------------------------
Even gods need to rest on Sundays. How about growing some cabbages, milking cows, gathering honey, or cooking some elves, while chilling at the village you cleared of pests.  
Soulash has multiple crafting and item production skills available, like woodcutting, mining, harvesting, gathering, threshing, fishing, butchering, skinning, and more.  
Unlimited power!
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With in-game editors and configuration files, you can quickly mod a lot of new content into the game. Design your own maps, create your own abilities, professions, races, items, or weather conditions. You can even make a total conversion mod and create your favorite fantasy world to conquer. We plan to integrate Steam Workshop to leverage the power of your godly creativity.  
Features & content
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*   **Huge open world** made out of 350 alternative regions, with multiple starting positions, alternative routes to victory, 8 professions, and 15 races, making the game replayable with lots of interesting locations to discover, and character builds to try.  
*   **Tactical turn-based combat** with more than 150 abilities available, against hundreds of different enemies, including over 50 powerful unique enemies, bosses, and gods to beat.  
*   **Destructible terrain** and different weather effects that affect combat situations, the world is changed by your actions forever.  
*   **Interesting story** told through character monologues, dialogues, and location descriptions during encounters.  
*   **Tons of useful loot**, everything used by your opponents is dropped when they die, including powerful artifacts and magic items.  
*   **In-game modding tools** with Steam Workshop integration - for even more content!  
*   **Steam leaderboards and achievements** integration for competitive players.  
*   No limits to summon count for necromancers!

Release date: Mar 4, 2022

Categories: Turn-based Roguelike, Open-World Exploration, Character Progression, Resource Management, Survival, Crafting, Mod Support, Villain Roleplay


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows the base game is commonly referenced as $15, with some users finding it steep and recommending waiting for a sale. Additionally, a user states the price is worth it, suggesting the community perceives a fair range between a discounted price (around $10) and the regular $15, given the mixed sentiment on value.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 14.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The first quote directly provides a game completion time of 14 hours for a successful run. The second quote implies that runs ending near the end take about 8 hours, supporting the longer completion figure. The third and fourth quotes show total playtime across multiple characters and lost progress, but do not give a precise completion time. No reliable evidence for story completion, session length, or endgame hours is present.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: For a significant number of players, the game remains tedious and unrewarding from start to late game, with slow combat, inventory management, and item durability creating persistent friction. Some players report that the game becomes rewarding after overcoming the steep learning curve and reaching higher levels, but this is not the dominant experience.
  - Stance: Never clicks
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: tedious inventory management; slow combat; item durability micromanagement; unrewarding progression; steep learning curve; early game enemies too powerful
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: learn the mechanics and route; reach level 7+ for better item durability; tolerate repetitive grinding; survive early difficulty spike; find a playstyle that clicks; persist through the steep learning curve; enjoy challenge despite friction; accept slow progression
- Player Archetypes:
  - Roguelike Purists (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking a polished, innovative roguelike experience that respects genre conventions
    - Playstyle: Analytical, comparative, critical; plays with genre knowledge and expects high standards
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: CDDA; ToME; DCSS; Caves of Qud; Underrail
  - Casual Strugglers (no buy)
    - Motivation: To enjoy a roguelike without excessive frustration and with better guidance
    - Playstyle: Cautious, learning-oriented, reliant on external aids (mods, easy mode)
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: casual players
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Enthusiastic Grinders (buy)
    - Motivation: Sense of accomplishment from grinding and mastering the game's fixed challenges
    - Playstyle: Persistent, repetitive, combat-focused; willing to use external tools to mitigate frustration
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Cautious Optimists (sale)
    - Motivation: Hope for future updates and appreciation of the game's unique atmosphere
    - Playstyle: Tolerant of flaws, forward-looking, enjoys the 'mysterious gravity' and incremental updates
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: 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:
- Rich race and class options (weight 0.3): The game offers tons of variation in races, classes, and combat approaches, with deep character creation that affects playstyle. Players highlight the diversity and meaningful choices.
- Deep traditional roguelike (weight 0.28): Players praise the game as a great and deep traditional roguelike with addictive gameplay and well-constructed mechanics. It serves as a worthy introduction to the genre.
- Mod support for durability (weight 0.13): Full mod support allows players to remove or adjust durability systems, providing flexibility to tailor the experience. This is highly appreciated.
- Fun villain roleplay (weight 0.12): Playing as an evil or villain character is consistently described as enjoyable and fun. This roleplaying aspect adds unique appeal to the game.
- Robust crafting system (weight 0.12): The crafting system for tools, weapons, and armor is robust and has strong potential. Players appreciate its depth and utility.
- Power fantasy satisfaction (weight 0.08): The game delivers an incredible power fantasy, allowing players to feel powerful and satisfied with their character's progression.
- Easy to learn controls (weight 0.08): Controls are simple and easy to learn, making the game accessible to new players while retaining depth for veterans.
- Engaging story and music (weight 0.08): The game features an engaging narrative and good sound design, enhancing the overall experience beyond just gameplay mechanics.
- Permanent death tension (weight 0.08): Permadeath creates meaningful tension and satisfaction, making every choice matter in terms of survival and progression.
- Vast enemy variety (weight 0.08): A wide variety of enemies is exciting and keeps exploration fresh, with each new encounter offering new challenges and discoveries.
- Customizable skill leveling (weight 0.08): Skill selection on level-up allows for class-specific customization, giving players control over their character's development.
- Good for short sessions (weight 0.07): The game is enjoyable for the first few hours, though some players find it loses appeal over extended play. It works well for shorter sessions.
- Neat concept execution (weight 0.07): The game's concept is nicely executed, with players finding it both neat and well-implemented, though specific details may vary.

Common complaints:
- Weapon durability too low (weight 0.41): Weapons and items break extremely quickly, sometimes within a single fight or after every use. This forces constant replacement and makes even legendary items feel worthless.
- Crafting system clunky and limited (weight 0.18): The crafting system is clunky, wastes time, and offers nothing interesting. Players cannot craft stations themselves and need specific stations, which is restrictive.
- Gameplay too simple and boring (weight 0.17): The gameplay is described as very simple, meaningless, and lacking depth, with no emergent features compared to other roguelikes. This leads to repetitive, uninteresting play.
- Enemies inescapable in chase (weight 0.15): It is nearly impossible to flee from enemies, especially ranged ones, without specific movement abilities. The starting area already has enemies that cannot be outrun.
- Inventory management tedious (weight 0.14): Inventory is unsortable and managing it is tedious and frustrating. The lack of sorting options adds unnecessary hassle.
- Stamina and sleep slow down gameplay (weight 0.08): The stamina and fatigue system forces constant resting and sleeping, which interrupts the flow and makes progress very slow.
- Early game unfairly difficult (weight 0.08): The early game is disproportionately challenging, with frequent deaths and high difficulty that discourages new players.
- Non-magic builds punished (weight 0.08): Non-magic builds suffer from low damage and weapon durability, while magic damage is tied to melee weapons, making magic builds ineffective as well.
- Permadeath causes unfair deaths (weight 0.08): Permadeath is seen as a poor fit for the game, leading to many unfair deaths and frustrating loss of progress.
- Leveling progress painfully slow (weight 0.08): Leveling up is extremely slow, making character progression feel tedious and unrewarding.
- NPCs lack meaningful interaction (weight 0.08): NPCs only walk around and repeat lines, with no believable reactions or meaningful interactions.
- Skill system discourages class loyalty (weight 0.07): Only one skill per class per level tier is available, which encourages picking skills from other classes rather than sticking to one.
- Enemies never fight each other (weight 0.07): Enemies do not engage with each other and always chase the player, missing potential tactical depth.

Gameplay feedback:
- Roguelike core features confirmed (weight 0.37): Players consistently identify the game as a traditional roguelike with turn-based combat, permadeath, and classic rogue-style mechanics. These elements form the foundation of the game's identity.
- Robust crafting system (weight 0.2): The crafting system includes recipes, facilities like anvil and furnace, salvaging for recipes, and gear maintenance. This layered system adds depth to progression and resource management.
- Item durability needs balancing (weight 0.19): Weapons and loot have durability and can break, but repair is possible via grindstone and crafting. Better weapons have higher durability, yet durability management remains a point of contention.
- Survival mechanics are extensive (weight 0.17): Mechanics like hunger, thirst, carrying capacity, elemental resistances, and sleeping are present. These add realism but also complexity, as players must manage multiple gauges to survive.
- Permadeath with early deaths (weight 0.14): Permadeath is a key feature, but long runs make early deaths frustrating. Players note the tension between permadeath and the time investment required, especially for beginners.
- Diverse class selection (weight 0.14): Classes include warlock, barbarian, fighter, necromancer, poacher, and more. This variety supports multiple playstyles and replayability.
- Spellcasting and abilities system (weight 0.13): The spell system and abilities are noted as important gameplay elements. Players appreciate the variety of spells and their impact on combat encounters.
- Necromancy allows raising corpses (weight 0.13): Necromancy enables players to raise corpses into zombies from bones. This class-specific ability is a standout feature but may be niche.
- Open world survival RPG (weight 0.13): Described as an open-world survival RPG, the game features villages, enemies, and a large explorable map. However, enemies are finite in some areas.
- Skill choices on level up (weight 0.11): Players gain skill choices when leveling up, but some report randomness in selection. This suggests a need for more player agency or clearer skill progression paths.
- God summoning from shrines (weight 0.08): Players can summon gods from shrines. This adds a unique strategic layer, but its implementation may be limited to specific contexts.
- Stamina and fatigue system (weight 0.08): A stamina or fatigue system affects movement and actions, requiring rest to recover. This adds a tactical resource management layer.
- Field of view and facing mechanics (weight 0.08): The game uses a field of view and facing mechanic, which affects tactical positioning and stealth. This adds strategic depth to exploration.
- Soul harvesting for progression (weight 0.07): Stealing souls serves as a progression mechanic. This unique system ties combat to long-term character growth.
- Tile-based graphics with effects (weight 0.07): The game uses tile-based graphics with dynamic visual effects. This style is consistent with roguelike conventions but may feel dated to some players.
- World generation is not fully random (weight 0.07): While there is no random map generation, the world has variance and is handcrafted with variant elements. This ensures a curated experience but may reduce replayability.

Performance notes:
- Performance issues with many enemies (weight 0.04): A single reviewer experienced lag when many enemies were on screen, negatively impacting gameplay. This suggests potential optimization issues in high-intensity scenarios.
- Excellent Steam Deck performance (weight 0.04): One reviewer reported flawless performance when playing docked at 1080p on Steam Deck. This indicates good optimization for the handheld platform in certain configurations.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for roguelike fans (weight 0.34): Multiple clusters recommend Soulash to fans of traditional roguelikes, survival games, and indie RPGs. Clusters 1, 2, 5, 29, 30, 33, and 36 highlight its appeal to genre enthusiasts.
- Not recommended for casuals (weight 0.25): Several clusters advise against purchase for players who dislike high difficulty, permadeath, or repetitive gameplay. Clusters 3, 13, 14, 41, 51, 52, and 54 emphasize steep learning curves, RNG frustration, and tedious progression.
- Mods significantly improve game (weight 0.22): Players endorse modding to fix issues like durability and saving. Clusters 4, 5, 27, 47, and 42 specifically suggest mods to enhance gameplay, highlighting the community's reliance on user modifications.
- Early access issues present (weight 0.16): Several reviews note the game is in development, lacking content or polish. Clusters 43, 45, 46, 53, and 59 advise waiting for updates or a sale, as the current version is not recommended.
- High replayability and fun (weight 0.16): Despite criticisms, many players find the game highly fun and replayable. Clusters 18, 19, 22, 55, and 58 rate it 9/10 or 10/10, praising its depth and addictive gameplay.
- Durability system is problematic (weight 0.14): Item durability is a common complaint, with players recommending mods to remove or rework it. Clusters 4 and 42 suggest using mods for a better experience, and Cluster 51 demands its removal entirely.
- Good for modders and tinkerers (weight 0.14): Cluster 47 specifically calls out the game as good for modders, and Clusters 4 and 5 imply modding is a core part of the experience. This niche appeal may attract creative players.
- Steep learning curve rewarding (weight 0.13): Multiple players note the game is difficult but extremely rewarding for those who persist. Clusters 7, 18, 28, and 36 emphasize patience and learning from death as part of the experience.
- Try before buying recommended (weight 0.13): Several reviews suggest watching gameplay videos or trying the demo first. Clusters 10, 35, 37, and 60 advise potential buyers to see if the game suits their taste before committing.
- RNG can be unfair (weight 0.11): Players criticize early game RNG deaths and balance problems. Clusters 13, 14, and 44 mention that randomness can ruin runs, especially for mages or builds that rely on luck.
- Better alternatives exist (weight 0.11): Some reviews recommend comparing with other roguelikes like Caves of Qud, Underrail, Dwarf Fortress, or Cataclysm DDA. Clusters 8, 25, and 31 suggest these games offer more refined experiences.
- Mixed opinions on difficulty (weight 0.11): While some recommend for veterans, others say it's too harsh. Clusters 13 and 52 emphasize permadeath and RNG can ruin enjoyment, while Cluster 28 frames death as a learning tool.
- Promising potential unfulfilled (weight 0.1): Some reviews acknowledge the game's potential but feel it's not fully realized yet. Clusters 49, 56, and 59 give mixed recommendations, hoping future updates address current flaws.
- Not for balance-focused players (weight 0.07): Clusters 14 and 31 note that mages and certain builds feel unbalanced, while fighters/barbarians are more viable. This indicates class balance needs improvement.
- Price concerns and sales (weight 0.07): Players mention the game is worth waiting for a sale if the price is a concern. Clusters 57 and 58 recommend waiting for a discount to get value.
- Narrative and lore praised (weight 0.04): Cluster 60 mentions the unique concept of killing a sun god, suggesting interesting lore. This may appeal to players who enjoy unconventional storytelling.
- Developer feedback needed (weight 0.04): Cluster 12 expresses hope the developer takes feedback for the sequel, Soulash 2. This indicates ongoing community engagement with the dev team.
- English language requirement (weight 0.03): Cluster 40 mentions the game is suitable for those with basic English, implying language accessibility is a consideration for non-native speakers.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.31): Players are frustrated by a multitude of design flaws including tedious crafting and durability systems, unfair difficulty spikes, and relentless enemy pursuit. Save corruption, permadeath that loses hours of progress, and unbalanced classes compound the sense of unfairness. The developer's hostile attitude and lack of updates further exacerbate the negative experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.16): Players feel let down because a promising concept and enjoyable start give way to shallow, repetitive gameplay with poor balance and lack of content. Unfinished systems, clunky controls, and a dismissive developer response to feedback prevent the game from reaching its potential. The experience feels mediocre and unrewarding after a few hours.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.11): Despite rough edges, players find deep satisfaction in overcoming the steep learning curve and mastering the game's systems. The rewarding progression, variety of enemies, and ability to build a permanent undead army or destroy the world provide a strong sense of achievement. The game's dark theme, art, and responsive controls contribute to a fulfilling experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.08): Players are excited by the deep character creation, rich survival mechanics, and the ability to fulfill a villain power fantasy by raising zombie armies and destroying villages. The persistent world and frequent updates generate anticipation for future content. The game easily consumes hours due to its engaging and rewarding progression.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.06): Many players report having great fun after learning the game's mechanics, enjoying the addictive gameplay, diverse class options, and creative freedom. The trial-and-error learning process and challenge of permadeath keep each new character engaging. The game provides a nihilistic but enjoyable experience that is rewarding despite its flaws.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Players are annoyed by various small but persistent issues like the stamina/fatigue system, hunger/thirst mechanics, and equipment degradation that disrupt gameplay flow. The magic system and edgy writing also draw criticism. These minor problems cumulatively detract from the experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the game's deep systems, attention to detail, and the ability to play as an evil character. Active development, regular updates, and responsive developer support foster a positive community. The in-depth character creator, pixel graphics, and balanced survival mechanics are also highly valued.
- Hope (weight 0.03): Some players express hope for future updates, including Chinese language support, and believe mod support can fix current issues. They hope the developer will address problems so they can change their negative reviews to positive. Continued updates are anticipated to improve the game.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): After around ten hours, players find the gameplay loop shallow and repetitive due to a static world with no randomization. The lack of purpose beyond killing and waiting for health regeneration leads to boredom. The game fails to maintain engagement over longer play sessions.
- Love (weight 0.02): A few players express deep love for the game, citing over 100 hours of playtime and its ability to save them from boredom. They praise the dynamic world that surprises each run and the overall engaging experience. This sentiment is strong despite acknowledged flaws.
- Acceptance (weight 0.01): Some players have learned to accept failure after multiple deaths, viewing frustration and unfair lives as inherent to good games like this. They embrace the challenge and permadeath as part of the experience. This acceptance allows them to still enjoy the game.
- Dislike (weight 0.01): A small number of players express dislike for the controls and the static map that lacks randomness. These issues contribute to a less engaging experience. The dislike is focused on specific game design aspects rather than overall quality.
- Ecstasy (weight 0.01): Players feel ecstasy from the power fantasy of killing gods and the game's dramatic effects. The achievement of ultimate power provides a highly satisfying peak experience. This emotion is tied directly to endgame accomplishments.
- Despair (weight 0.01): The extreme difficulty and long runs lead to despair, especially when progress is lost. The time investment versus risk of failure creates a sense of hopelessness. This emotion is driven by the game's punishing permadeath mechanics.
- Infuriation (weight 0.01): Dying right at the end of an 8-hour run infuriates players, as all progress is lost in an instant. This specific failure point is particularly angering due to the time lost. The permadeath mechanic amplifies this feeling.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players are surprised by getting blindsided by unexpected threats, such as using altars at low level, or by the game being more polished with better narrative than expected. These surprising moments stand out, both positive and negative.
- Pleasant surprise (weight 0.01): One player discovered the game through drama but found it wonderful, exceeding low expectations. This unexpected positive experience generated a pleasant surprise. The contrast between initial perception and actual quality led to enjoyment.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): A player expresses gratitude toward the developer for being nice and deserving support despite a harassment campaign. This appreciation for the developer's character overrides any game flaws. The sentiment is community-driven rather than gameplay-focused.
- Joy (weight 0.01): One player experiences joy from absolutely loving the game, with early progression being well-paced. This pure enjoyment is a positive emotional highlight despite any criticisms. The feeling is tied to the game's initial engagement.
- Immersion break (weight 0.01): Poorly worded dialogue that doesn't fit a god's perspective breaks immersion for the player. The narrative mismatch between character role and text disrupts the fantasy. This issue is specific to writing quality.}