Info about Anima : The Reign of Darkness:

Official game description:
Anima is an action RPG (hack'n slash) videogame inspired by the greatest old school games and made with passion by RPG lovers for RPG lovers.  
After the great success achieved on mobile devices, anima finally arrives on PC with brand new graphics and gameplay!  
Conquer the single player campaign with potentially infinite game difficulties, follow the storyline or simply go on, slash enemies, loot items and improve your character!  
Go down and explore the abyss, Kills Demons, Beast, Dark knights and other demonic creatures that populate over 100 levels and then challenge your skills with engaging boss fight! Explore different dark scenarios, reveal hidden secrets and Explore unique locations!  
**EXPLORE A DARK WORLD**  
\- Suggestive Dark fantasy environment  
\- Single Player Campain  
\- Fast-paced Action  
\- 100+ different playable levels  
\- 10+ games difficulty to test your power  
\- Secret unique levels  
\- Exciting Boss fights  
\- Stunning soundtrack  
**CUSTOMIZE YOUR CHARACTER AND TEST YOUR SKILLS**  
Choose your specialization between Skirmish, Archery, Sorcery, Necromancy and Sanctity and try unique combo with the improved multiclass system. Level Up your character and learn new strong abilities through five different skill trees:  
\- Level up your character and assign attributes and skills point  
\- Unlock more than 60 unique skills  
\- Choose from five different specializations  
\- Create unique combo with the Multi-class system  
**LOOT POWERFUL LEGENDARY EQUIPMENT**  
Slash horde of monsters or bet your gold on the gambler to find ever powerful items and empower your equipment with the upgrade and the infuse systems. Adorn your equipment pieces with more than 8 different upgradable Gems.  
\- Find more than 200 items of different rarity (normal, magic, rare, set and legendary)  
\- Equip powerful legendary items with unique power  
\- Upgrade system to increase your item powers  
\- Infuse two leggendary items to create a new powerful one  
\- 8 different kind of precious gem with 10 level of rarity

Release date: Jun 2, 2021

Categories: Action RPG, Hack and Slash, Dungeon Crawler, Character Progression, Loot-driven Combat System, Reincarnation Mechanic, Multi-classing System, Endgame Content

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair / No Predatory Monetization; summary: The game is consistently described as having no microtransactions, no cash shop, no battle pass, and no pay-to-win mechanics. Loot boxes are obtainable only through achievements, not real-money purchases. One vague reference to a "cash grab" lacks specific evidence of monetization and is outweighed by overwhelming positive feedback on the absence of predatory systems. The game is fair and purely a one-time purchase.
- Steam Deck: score 30; verdict: Playable with minor issues; summary: The game is a mobile port with generally positive reception, but the controls (especially clicking for single target skills and loot pickup) require improvement, which may cause friction on Steam Deck.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows that a price just above $10 is considered very good value by the community. One review explicitly says that 'a bit over $10.00' is well worth it, establishing a floor around $10. Another review warns against paying full price for an outdated game, suggesting that the full price may be too high, while a different review counters that the full price is still worth it. This tension implies that the fair range should be above the sale price but below the full price that some find excessive. The Portuguese review further confirms the game is worth buying, reinforcing the positive sentiment at reasonable prices. Combining these, a fair base-game price range of $10 to $15 captures both the enthusiastic endorsement of $10 and the acceptable upper limit where value remains strong.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 100.0h
  - Story completion: 13.0h
  - Session length: 1.5h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Story completion is directly reported as 13 hours for the campaign. Game completion is inferred from 'Over 100 hours... completed the 10 reincarnation levels', indicating a major endgame milestone. Session length is based on a player reporting a typical run takes about 1.5 hours. Endgame is left null because 'hundreds of hours' is too vague and the 100-hour figure already reflects significant endgame progression.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts with a rough first hour but becomes more enjoyable after that, though it remains repetitive and lacks many features like multiplayer and pets, leading to mixed long-term engagement.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After the first hour
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: rough first hour; repetitive gameplay; missing features like pets, wings, multiplayer, seasons; poor loot tables and weird drop rates; dull progression system and poorly balanced skills; feeling of abandonment by developer
  - Unlock drivers: persisting through the initial hour; unlocking skills or reaching higher levels
  - Conditions: offline single-player play; expecting a Diablo-like experience without competitive or social elements
- Player Archetypes:
  - Old-School ARPG Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Nostalgic ARPG loot-and-grind loop with rewarding crafting and achievement-based loot boxes.
    - Playstyle: Single-player dungeon crawler who repeatedly farms maps and bosses, utilizes altar buffs, crafts gear, and levels multiple characters through twinking mechanics.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Diablo fan; old school player; ARPG veteran
    - Reference games: Diablo 1; Diablo 2; Wolcen; Grim Dawn; Titan's Journey
  - Modern Feature Seeker (no buy)
    - Motivation: Desire for a full-featured modern ARPG experience with multiplayer and ongoing content updates.
    - Playstyle: Potential player who would engage with cooperative and seasonal content but currently avoids the game due to missing features.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: mobile port veteran; feature hunter; seasonal player
    - Reference games: Diablo 3; Path of Exile; Mobile version (unspecified)


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:
- Faithful Diablo clone (weight 0.46): The game is consistently described as a great Diablo clone with similar gameplay, skill trees, rune systems, and classes, offering a nostalgic Diablo 1 and 2 experience.
- Excellent value for price (weight 0.43): Multiple reviewers highlight the game's excellent value, specifically noting it is worth every penny and fairly priced at around 9-10 euros.
- High overall quality (weight 0.34): Reviewers call it an excellent game overall, fun, engaging, and a worthy successor to Diablo 2 with many quality-of-life improvements.
- No pay-to-win mechanics (weight 0.24): The game is praised for having no microtransactions, no battle pass, and no pay-to-win elements, making it better than Diablo Immortal.
- Strong replay value (weight 0.22): Many modes and features contribute to high replayability, offering numerous hours of fun and repeated playthroughs.
- Engaging loot system (weight 0.18): The loot system is satisfying, featuring a tier system, sets, legendaries, and uniques that make finding loot fun.
- Great graphics for size (weight 0.17): The graphics are described as amazing and good, especially considering the game's small 2GB size.
- Positive mobile port experience (weight 0.16): Players who enjoyed the mobile version find the PC port equally engaging and fun, with good gameplay preserved.
- Authentic Diablo atmosphere (weight 0.15): The music, sound effects, and dark, eerie atmosphere are highly reminiscent of Diablo 1 and 2, enhancing the nostalgic experience.
- Stable at launch (weight 0.14): Players report no serious bugs or issues at launch, indicating a polished and stable product.
- Solid hack and slash (weight 0.1): It is recognized as a good old hack and slash game, delivering classic gameplay in the genre.
- Diverse character builds (weight 0.1): With five classes and rewarding skill trees that allow mastery mixing, the game offers great build variety.

Common complaints:
- PC version abandoned, not updated (weight 0.56): The PC version has received no updates for months or even over a year while the mobile version gets regular seasonal content and fixes. The PC version is far behind and feels abandoned by developers.
- Poor translation and localization (weight 0.31): The game suffers from machine translation that is poor across multiple languages, including Japanese and Russian. Interface terms like 'Start' and 'Exit' are inconsistently translated, causing confusion.
- Missing mobile content and features (weight 0.29): The PC version lacks skins, wings, pets, and cosmetic effects that exist on mobile. Many features are inferior or completely missing, making the PC version feel like an outdated beta.
- Poor controls and clunky mechanics (weight 0.24): PC controls are described as terrible, cheesy, and clunky, with bad hitboxes that cause ranged attacks to miss. The control scheme is poorly optimized for keyboard and mouse.
- Boring and repetitive gameplay (weight 0.23): The early game is too boring to endure, and the mid-to-late game is monotonous with repetitive skills and lack of variety. It feels like a cheap Diablo clone.
- Not worth the price (weight 0.22): The paid PC version has less content than the free mobile version, making it feel not worth the money. Players consider it overpriced given its condition and missing features.
- No multiplayer or co-op mode (weight 0.21): The PC version lacks online multiplayer, co-op, or party systems that are desperately needed. This is a major missing feature compared to expectations.
- Small inventory and bugs (weight 0.17): The inventory is too small (21 bag slots, 3 warehouse pages) and items can disappear during upgrade attempts. These technical issues frustrate players.
- No Steam achievements or leaderboards (weight 0.09): The PC version lacks Steam achievements and leaderboards, which are expected features. This reduces replayability and community engagement.
- Developers ignore PC community (weight 0.09): Players feel developers do not care about the PC community, abandoning the version while updating mobile. This erodes trust and satisfaction.
- Poor user interface design (weight 0.09): The UI in the PC version is described as poor and not optimized for desktop use, making navigation and gameplay less enjoyable.

Gameplay feedback:
- Diablo-style ARPG (weight 0.5): The game is frequently described as a Diablo clone or action RPG inspired by Diablo 1, 2, and 3, with similar combat, graphics, and mechanics. It is also called a hack-and-slash dungeon crawler.
- Five classes with skill trees (weight 0.43): Players mention five primary classes (Warrior, Sorcerer, Archer, Necromancer, Cleric) and a skill tree system similar to Path of Exile. There is also a mastery mixing system allowing dual class or same class twice.
- Reincarnation system (weight 0.43): The game features a reincarnation system with up to 10 levels (or 60 difficulty levels), requiring multiple playthroughs to reach maximum tier. Players must complete the story up to 10 times to access endgame.
- Loot and equipment system (weight 0.38): The game includes legendary items, sets, uniques, and a tier system for item quality (white to red). There are also gem fusion, equipment upgrade, and socket systems.
- Grinding required (weight 0.37): The game is described as a grinding game with heavy farming required before bosses and for equipment. Multiple clusters mention grinding for loot, reagents, and to progress through tiers.
- Seasonal league system (weight 0.27): The game has a seasonal league system similar to Path of Exile, with rifts, atlas progression, and various game modes.
- Game modes and dungeons (weight 0.25): The game offers numerous game modes including rifts, arena, expedition maps, and various dungeons (gardens, caves, prison, hell, astral). There is also a world map continent for higher reincarnation levels.
- Skill and class systems (weight 0.23): Players can allocate stats (STR, DEX, INT, VIT) and have up to 200 skill points. There are primal skills for resource recovery and a passive tree earned from killing elite enemies.
- Tier and difficulty progression (weight 0.21): The game has a tier system with difficulty levels (T1, R4, etc.) and multiple reincarnation difficulties. Players must progress through tiers to access endgame content.
- Endgame content variety (weight 0.19): Endgame includes rifts, ancient keys, church mode, expedition maps, arena waves, and uber bosses. There are also hidden zones and secret farm areas.
- Atmosphere and graphics (weight 0.18): The game has a dark atmosphere, gloomy soundtrack, and minimalist graphics. It is described as a mobile port to PC with point-and-click combat.
- Item and loot specifics (weight 0.18): Loot includes legendary items, sets, and uniques. There is a loot slotting mechanic, shared storage, and item identification via double-click or store. Loot drop chance reduces at tier 5.
- Grinding for bosses (weight 0.16): Farming is required before bosses, and grinding is needed to progress through tiers. The game has a difficulty curve with T1 tier progression.
- Key and portal mechanics (weight 0.16): Rift keys drop from random bosses, and gold is used to enter greater portals. There is a key-based map system and ancient keys mode similar to Diablo 3 Grift.
- Combat and mechanics (weight 0.16): Combat is described as simplistic with point-and-click style, but includes action elements like dodging. There are mana restoration on basic attack and mana loss on hit mechanics.
- Boss and arena content (weight 0.16): The game has challenging bosses, arena wave mode, and repeatable boss fights that reward better gear. There is also a brush game after level 35 arena.
- Crafting and upgrades (weight 0.13): Crafting is available late game, with equipment enhancement, enchantment, and jewel crafting. There is also a legendary/unique upgrade and fusion system.
- Character development systems (weight 0.13): The game includes dual specialization, a level cap of 1500, and an astral sphere with passives. There is also a gem system and fusion.
- F2P with optional purchases (weight 0.1): The game is free-to-play with optional cosmetic and stash purchases. The campaign can be fully completed for free.

Performance notes:
- Poor optimization and performance (weight 0.23): The game is described as poorly optimized, with high CPU usage, system performance degradation, and slower performance in latest zones even on good PCs. This affects overall playability.
- Frequent crashes and freezes (weight 0.2): Players report constant crashes, freezes during specific boss fights like Mage Tower, and system freezes during events like Trial of the Gods. These issues severely impact gameplay stability.
- High CPU usage issues (weight 0.11): Players report 100% CPU usage on systems like i7 with GTX 1050, indicating inefficient resource management. Using highest vsync option may help reduce CPU load.
- Mixed performance across systems (weight 0.1): While some players report smooth performance on low-end PCs, others experience crashes and poor optimization. This inconsistency suggests variable hardware compatibility.
- Unity engine port praised (weight 0.05): One player notes the Unity engine works well with no bugs, responsive controls, and a successful port. This positive feedback contrasts with other performance complaints.
- Movement stutter present (weight 0.05): A player reports slight movement stutter, indicating minor but noticeable performance issues during gameplay.

Recommendations:
- Diablo-like experience recommended (weight 0.38): Many players compare this game favorably to the Diablo series, especially for those wanting a similar experience without microtransactions or while waiting for new Diablo titles.
- Mobile version is superior (weight 0.3): Several reviews recommend playing the mobile version instead of the PC port, noting better adaptation and performance on phones or tablets.
- High recommendation overall (weight 0.28): A strong group of players gives the game a full recommendation, praising its gameplay and value, sometimes advising to ignore negative reviews.
- Not recommended in current state (weight 0.28): Many players caution against buying the game now due to bugs, poor controls, or unfinished features, advising to wait for updates.
- Not adapted for PC (weight 0.18): Reviewers frequently note that the game feels like a mobile port with poor PC controls and interface, making it a subpar desktop experience.
- Worth full price (weight 0.13): Some players feel the game is worth the full asking price, providing a satisfying experience comparable to premium titles.
- Hard grinding with challenging bosses (weight 0.12): Some players appreciate the high difficulty and grind, but only recommend if the game's major bug is resolved.
- Encouraged to keep updating (weight 0.12): Players express hope that developers will continue improving the game with patches and new content.
- Good time sink for genre fans (weight 0.09): Several reviewers see the game as a fun, casual distraction for ARPG enthusiasts, offering dozens of hours of gameplay.
- Good for older players (weight 0.09): Recommended for veteran players who enjoy classic ARPG mechanics and don't mind outdated design elements.
- Poor translation and controls (weight 0.09): Issues with localization and hit stun mechanics are cited as reasons to avoid the game in its current form.
- Game-breaking bug exists (weight 0.07): A critical bug that hampers progress or core gameplay is mentioned, making the game unplayable until fixed.
- Tiny inventory issue (weight 0.04): One player specifically criticizes the very limited inventory space as a reason not to recommend the game.
- Need difficulty adjustment (weight 0.04): One player suggests adding difficulty options or removing the full boss HP recovery on death to improve fairness.
- Better than many Steam games (weight 0.04): A player claims this game outperforms many others currently available on the platform, highlighting its quality for the price.
- Avoid if not good at action games (weight 0.04): One reviewer suggests that players who are not skilled at action games should stay away, implying high difficulty.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.25): Players are frustrated by the PC version being abandoned by developers, lacking updates and features compared to the mobile version, with constant crashes, disappearing items, and terrible controls. The excessive grinding, tiny inventory, unfair boss mechanics, and poor translation further exacerbate the negative experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.16): Players are disappointed because the PC version feels like a neglected mobile port with minimal changes, missing features, a short campaign, and poor translation. The lack of updates, cross-save support, and inferior gameplay compared to other ARPGs like Diablo 2 or Path of Exile compound the letdown.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.13): Satisfied players enjoy the game's value for the price, hundreds of hours of content, and a well-supported mobile version that runs on low-end hardware. They appreciate the combination of Diablo and Path of Exile elements, challenging boss tuning, rewarding loot and progression systems, and the lack of microtransactions.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Players enjoy the addictive hack-and-slash gameplay, challenging difficulty, and the absence of microtransactions. The satisfying skill system, legendary items, and pleasant gameplay loop, especially at higher difficulty levels, keep them engaged for hours.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement stems from discovering a fun Diablo clone with a decent loot system, deep ARPG mechanics, and the potential for future content. Players are thrilled by the quality and similarity to Diablo 2, finding it a hidden gem that provides an absolute blast.
- Hope (weight 0.04): Players hope for a co-op mode, better end-game content, and regular updates to bring the PC version on par with the mobile version. They also express cautious optimism that the game will avoid adding microtransactions and continue to improve.
- Regret (weight 0.02): Regret arises from purchasing the outdated PC version, which has far less content than the free mobile version, no updates, and fails to meet expectations. Players feel they wasted money on an inferior product that the developer has abandoned.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is directed at the lack of developer support and save backups to fix game-breaking issues like item disappearance, unfair boss one-shot mechanics, and useless skeleton AI. These design flaws make certain parts unplayable and ruin the experience.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Players are surprised by how enjoyable the game becomes after an off-putting initial impression, especially given it is a mobile port. They are pleasantly amazed by its engaging gameplay and depth.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): Anticipation is driven by hopes of defeating tough bosses, acquiring better gear, and seeing continuous improvements to the game. Players expect developers to fix controls and add content, keeping them looking forward to future updates.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyance stems from poor non-English voice acting, characters and enemies getting stuck in the environment, and mana skill projectiles sometimes missing targets. These small but persistent issues detract from combat flow.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is evoked by the game's strong references to Diablo 1 and 2, including music, sound effects, and visual elements that remind players of classic titles. This nostalgic factor enhances the overall appeal for fans of the genre.
- Love (weight 0.01): Love for the game comes from its satisfying grinding aspect and a long-standing passion since the mobile launch. Players enjoy the game on both platforms, appreciating its core loop and depth.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness results from playing alone without friends, compounded by game-breaking bugs like weapon disappearance with no fix available. These issues diminish the enjoyment and lead to feelings of isolation and loss.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy is expressed by describing the game as great and beautiful, with hundreds of hours of gameplay. The positive overall experience brings genuine happiness to players.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from the developer's decision to release an outdated PC version when the mobile version has already fixed known issues. Players cannot understand why they received an inferior product.
- Tedium (weight 0.01): Tedium comes from repetitive grinding and extremely slow leveling progression, making the game feel like a chore. The lack of variety in late-game content contributes to player fatigue.
- Discontent (weight 0.01): Discontent stems from the developer's failure to update the Steam version despite promises, leaving players feeling ignored and cheated. The gap between commitments and reality causes dissatisfaction.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation is given for the game's deep gameplay and nostalgic elements that capture the style of older ARPGs. Players value the challenge and complexity that set it apart from simpler modern titles.
- Mild annoyance (weight 0.01): Mild annoyance is caused by cursor jerkiness and an overlay lock issue that disrupts fluid control. While not game-breaking, these small interface problems reduce overall polish and comfort.}