Info about KarmaZoo: Official game description: KarmaZoo is about helping people, working together, and finding bliss in cooperation — especially when things go wrong. Make meaningful connections with completely random players online as they are all striving alongside you to earn the most precious resource of all: Karma. A NEVER-ENDING CHALLENGE ------------------------ The Loop is where you’ll join a team of up to 10 random players around the world. Together, you’ll tackle a series of increasingly challenging levels that adapt to the size of your team, the characters you play and the perks you pick together. No two runs are quite the same when the players and the game itself are changing! THE POWER OF KARMA ------------------ Doing good earns Karma! Stick together, use your character’s strengths, and even sacrifice yourself because helping one another is essential in the Loop’s deadly challenges. Every good thing you do, one way or another, earns you the sweet Karma you’ll use to unlock new characters and abilities for future Loops. LOCAL MULTIPLAYER ----------------- Welcoming friends or family at home? Compete to reach the top of the Totem on a single screen. Challenge up to 8 players in frantic quick-fire mini games that bring a new spirit to abilities that were designed for doing good. TAILORED FOR YOU ---------------- Anyone can help their team earn Karma! Whether you’re new to games or a seasoned veteran, you’ll find a community reaching for a common goal. Available in 22 languages, cross-platform play between PC and console, and private lobbies to play exclusively with friends, we invite all of you to the KarmaZoo! Release date: Nov 14, 2023 Categories: Cooperative Multiplayer, Character Progression, Procedural Generation, Local Multiplayer, Party Game, Social Simulation, Relaxing Gameplay, Cozy Gameplay Feature scans: - Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals several key issues with the game, particularly the always-online requirement, which limits gameplay options and causes inconvenience. Additionally, game design flaws such as the difficulty in forming groups for cooperative play and the always-online requirement to prevent cheating have been highlighted. Users have also reported a lackluster experience on the Steam Deck and issues with server stability, which can impact the overall enjoyment of the game. These issues collectively contribute to a less than optimal user experience. - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $4.99 - $7.99 - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that the community generally finds the game worth its price, especially when purchased on sale. The positive sentiment around the game's value and recommendations to buy it at a discounted price indicate that the fair price range is likely below the current base price of $9.99. The mention of the game being worth it and recommendations to buy it on sale suggest a fair price range that is lower than the current base price but still reflects good value for money. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: 30.0h - Story completion: N/A - Session length: 0.3h - Endgame: 100.0h - Reasoning: The evidence provides several key insights into the playtime metrics. The first quote indicates that a typical session length is around 20-25 minutes. The second and third quotes suggest that completing the game and its challenges can take around 30 hours, with the endgame content extending the total playtime to over 100 hours. The fourth quote supports the idea of extensive grinding, which contributes to the endgame hours. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: The game is most fun when played with many random strangers in full lobbies, but the low player base and inability to play with friends in public matches are significant barriers to enjoyment. - Stance: Fun immediately - Anchor: Finding a full lobby of random strangers - Time to anchor: 0h 0m - Friction: low player base; inability to play with friends in public matches; repetitive levels; grind for karma - Unlock drivers: finding a full lobby; playing with friends in private matches - Conditions: playing with many random strangers; having a consistent group to play with; playing in a chill and cooperative mindset - Player Archetypes: - Co-op Enthusiast (sale) - Motivation: Enjoys cooperative multiplayer experiences with friends and strangers. - Playstyle: Prefers playing in groups, enjoys the social and cooperative aspects of the game. - Experience: mixed - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: Co-op lover; Social gamer - Reference games: Among Us; Overcooked - Grind-Focused Player (no buy) - Motivation: Unlocking new characters and content through grinding. - Playstyle: Focuses on completing quests and grinding for karma to unlock new characters. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: no buy - Labels: Completionist; Grinder - Reference games: Lineage 2; World of Warcraft - Social Co-op Player (buy) - Motivation: Enjoys the social and cooperative aspects of the game. - Playstyle: Prefers playing in a relaxed manner, enjoys the cooperative and social aspects of the game. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: Casual gamer; Social player - Reference games: Fall Guys; Stardew Valley 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: - Encourages teamwork (weight 0.45): The game strongly emphasizes cooperation and teamwork. Players are encouraged to work together, help each other, and engage in respectful and equal treatment. - Fun and enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.44): The game is widely praised for its fun and unique mechanics, making it enjoyable for players. It is described as a fun puzzle platformer with an interesting main game loop. - Variety of characters (weight 0.37): The game features a variety of playable characters, each with unique abilities. This variety adds depth and replayability to the game. - Beautiful and cute visuals (weight 0.35): The game is visually inviting with a cute and colorful, pixel-inspired art style. It is described as neat, beautiful, and pleasant. - Interesting story and narration (weight 0.12): The game features an interesting story and good narration voice acting, adding depth to the gameplay. - Active community (weight 0.12): The game has an active community that hosts weekly events and is present on platforms like Discord. - Heartwarming experience (weight 0.11): The game provides heartwarming interactions and atmosphere, making it a heartfelt and enjoyable experience. - Cute animals (weight 0.11): The game features cute and lovely animals with adorable animations, adding to its charm. - No language barrier (weight 0.11): The game allows players to communicate and assist each other without the need for language, making it accessible and enjoyable for a global audience. - Good value for money (weight 0.08): The game is considered to offer good value for its price, making it a worthwhile purchase. - Fair progression system (weight 0.08): The game features a fair and sensible progression system that is satisfying for players. - Cross-platform multiplayer (weight 0.08): The game supports cross-platform multiplayer, allowing players on different platforms to play together. - Outstanding soundtrack (weight 0.07): The game has an upbeat and whimsical soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. - Relaxing experience (weight 0.07): The game offers a healing and relaxing experience, making it enjoyable for players looking to unwind. Common complaints: - Low player base (weight 0.83): The game suffers from an extremely low player count, making it difficult to find matches and resulting in long wait times. This issue is exacerbated by the lack of cross-region play. - Online-only gameplay (weight 0.39): The game requires an online connection and does not offer a solo play mode. This reliance on multiplayer can be a significant drawback for players who prefer single-player experiences. - Server issues (weight 0.25): Players frequently encounter server connection problems, poor server performance, and dead servers. These issues significantly impact the gameplay experience. - Lack of local co-op (weight 0.23): The game lacks a couch co-op mode, which limits local multiplayer options. This absence is noted as a significant drawback for players who enjoy local co-op experiences. - Control and level issues (weight 0.17): Players report stiff controls, particularly with singing and jumping. Additionally, levels are criticized for being half-baked and too long, with a limited variety. - Dependent on player groups (weight 0.13): The game's enjoyment is highly dependent on having a group of players to play with. This reliance on multiplayer can vary the quality of each session significantly. - Lack of updates and support (weight 0.13): Players feel that the game lacks updates and developer support. This lack of communication and updates contributes to the game feeling abandoned. - No story or narrative (weight 0.13): The game is criticized for its lack of a compelling story or narrative. Players feel that there is a lack of purpose and world-building, which affects their engagement. - Poor management and value (weight 0.08): The game is criticized for poor management and offering poor value for money. Players feel that the game does not justify its cost. - Niche game with limited appeal (weight 0.07): The game is considered too niche, which limits its player base and makes it difficult to find players. This can contribute to the game feeling dead. - Long achievement completion (weight 0.06): Completing achievements in the game is time-consuming, which can be a drawback for players who enjoy unlocking achievements. - Tutorial bugs (weight 0.06): The tutorial level has bugs that can affect new players' experience. This can be particularly frustrating for players who are new to the game. Gameplay feedback: - Cooperative multiplayer gameplay (weight 0.54): The game emphasizes cooperative gameplay, allowing players to team up with strangers or friends in a multiplayer setting. This includes shared rewards and character-specific abilities to enhance teamwork. - Unique character abilities (weight 0.35): Each character in the game has unique abilities that can be used to assist other players and solve puzzles. These abilities can be combined in emergent ways to enhance gameplay. - Minimum players requirement (weight 0.23): The game requires a minimum of 2 players and is best experienced with 4-6 players. It supports up to 10 players per game, emphasizing a full lobby for optimal gameplay. - Procedurally generated levels (weight 0.17): The game features randomly generated levels and obstacle rooms, providing a unique experience with each playthrough. This includes randomized layouts and challenges. - Karma system rewards cooperation (weight 0.14): The game includes a karma system that rewards players for helping others and cooperating. This encourages teamwork and cooperative gameplay. - PvP and party battle modes (weight 0.08): The game features PvP modes, including a party battle mode, where players can compete against each other in various challenges. - Matchmaking system (weight 0.08): The game includes a matchmaking system for random matchmaking, allowing players to easily find and join games with others. - Exploration and discovery (weight 0.07): The game encourages exploration and discovery, with players able to explore various levels and uncover hidden secrets. Performance notes: - Server stability issues (weight 0.18): Players report frequent server instability, including servers being down and connection issues. - Frequent disconnections (weight 0.12): There are numerous reports of frequent disconnections and internet connectivity issues, impacting the overall gaming experience. - Stable performance (weight 0.09): The game is generally reported to have stable performance and good technical stability. - No reconnection support (weight 0.05): There is no support for reconnecting after a disconnection, which frustrates players experiencing connectivity issues. - Plays well on Deck (weight 0.05): Players have noted that the game plays well on the Steam Deck, indicating good compatibility. Recommendations: - Play with friends for best experience (weight 0.15): Many reviews suggest that the game is more enjoyable when played with friends, enhancing the cooperative and social aspects. - Wait for sales before buying (weight 0.12): Several reviews recommend purchasing the game during sales to get better value for money. - Try demo before purchasing (weight 0.08): Some reviews suggest trying the demo first to get a feel for the game before deciding to buy the full version. - Not recommended for new players (weight 0.08): A few reviews advise against new players buying the game at its current state, possibly due to lack of content or high difficulty. - Worth for cooperative puzzle fans (weight 0.05): The game is considered worth buying if you enjoy cooperative puzzle platforming with a focus on teamwork and randomized layouts. - Recommended for multiplayer and PVP (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for its multiplayer co-op and PVP modes, indicating strong multiplayer features. - Highly recommended for emotional impact (weight 0.05): The game is highly recommended for its emotional impact, suggesting a strong narrative or engaging gameplay. - Expand to new players (weight 0.05): Developers are encouraged to expand the game to attract new players and provide reasons for existing players to return. - Great for party nights (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for party nights, suggesting it is fun and engaging in a social setting. - Add local game mode (weight 0.05): There is a suggestion to include a local game mode, which could enhance the gaming experience for those who prefer offline play. - More advertising needed (weight 0.05): There is a call for more advertising to increase the game's visibility and attract more players. - Community days for more players (weight 0.04): Suggestions include having community days to attract more players and create a more vibrant community. - Add best player vote option (weight 0.04): A suggestion to include a best player vote option, which could add a competitive and engaging element to the game. Other player notes: - Gifted copy feedback (weight 0.03): Some reviews mention receiving the game as a gift, which may not provide detailed feedback on the gameplay experience itself. Emotions: - Disappointment (weight 0.24): The primary cause of disappointment among players is the low player base, which leads to difficulties in finding matches and enjoying the multiplayer experience. Additionally, players express dissatisfaction with the game's repetitive nature, lack of updates, and poorly designed game modes, which contribute to a short lifespan and unmet expectations. - Frustration (weight 0.23): Players are frustrated mainly due to server issues, matchmaking problems, and the game's dependency on having a sufficient player base for an enjoyable experience. The lack of solo play mode and difficulties in finding players to join lobbies also contribute to this frustration. - Joy (weight 0.19): Joy in the game is primarily derived from cooperative gameplay, teamwork, and playing with friends. Players also appreciate the game's visuals, character designs, and the positive community interactions. - Enjoyment (weight 0.1): Enjoyment stems from the fun and cooperative gameplay, as well as the positive interactions with friends and strangers. Players appreciate the solid game design and the variety of character abilities. - Frustrated (weight 0.03): Players feel frustrated due to the grind required to unlock characters, currency issues, and the lack of support for reconnecting after disconnections. - Excitement (weight 0.03): Excitement is generated by the game's mechanics and features, as well as the enjoyable experience of playing with friends and discovering character abilities. - Happy (weight 0.03): Happiness comes from the pleasant and cute nature of the game, enjoyable gameplay, and the rewarding karma system that encourages selfless cooperation. - Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is caused by the game's design choice of being online-only and forcing co-op, as well as issues with dead servers and discrimination based on language. - Angry (weight 0.02): Players are angry due to tutorial bugs, frequent disconnections, the grind required to unlock characters, and an unreasonable task system. - Gratitude (weight 0.02): Gratitude is felt towards active players who keep the game alive, as well as the sense of belonging and mutual help experienced within the game community. - Happiness (weight 0.02): Happiness is derived from enjoying multiplayer experiences with friends, the cute characters, and the overall enjoyable and relaxing gameplay. - Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia comes from remembering the enjoyable times playing the game and wishing to play it again with more players. - Sadness (weight 0.02): Sadness is caused by the lack of online play and very few players, leading to a deep emotional response to the game's cohesion and social interactions. - Relaxation (weight 0.01): Players find the game relaxing due to its healing experience and heartwarming cooperative gameplay. - Heartwarming (weight 0.01): The game evokes a heartwarming feeling through positive interactions and teamwork among players. - Sad (weight 0.01): Players feel sad because the game is now empty, with very few active players. - Disappointed (weight 0.01): Players are disappointed because the game is dead and they can't find lobbies to play in. - Admiration (weight 0.01): Players admire the game for its creative concept and unique gameplay mechanics. - Bored (weight 0.01): Boredom sets in due to the repetitive content and lack of variety in the game. - Satisfaction (weight 0.01): Satisfaction comes from the positive experience with the game's community and mechanics, leading to an enjoyable and fulfilling gameplay experience.}