Info about Reigns Beyond:

Official game description:
As an intergalactic indie rock band, plot your rise to stardom, traveling from planet to planet and gig to gig on your quest for fame and fortune. Play local (and not-so-local) clubs throughout the galaxy, recruiting alien band members along the way, and rock out across the cosmos! But make sure you're managing your ship's resources and keeping your crew in check while on this stellar tour because one wrong decision may leave you dead in space!
FEATURES
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*   Unlock the legendary Galactic Guitars and rock out in front of your adoring fans.  
*   Fight pirates, overzealous tax collectors and more in swiping dogfights.  
*   Hang out on your ship for band practice and offer directions to lost space travellers  
*   Meet 60+ curious characters, including your manager, Lord Shark, Strombo the scholarly mollusc, Gron the space bear, ... and of course your crew and your ship's know-it-all AI  
*   1400+ decision cards. Infinite possibilities!  
*   Original soundtrack by Sam Webster

Release date: Apr 17, 2024

Categories: Card-based Gameplay, Resource Management, Rhythm Game, Choice-based Narrative, Space Exploration, Multiple Endings, Dark Humor, Management Simulation


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: 100.0h
  - Reasoning: The only concrete playtime figure is the reviewer's expectation of losing another 100 hours to a Reigns game, which is framed as long-term replay investment and is best treated as an endgame estimate. The comment about beating the game and getting all endings confirms completion-oriented play but provides no hour count, and the card-variety comment supports extended replayability without giving a separate duration. No reliable numeric evidence is provided for total game completion, story completion, or typical session length, so those metrics are left null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: A fun-ish open-ended game that can become repetitive and tedious over longer sessions, with limited guidance and structure adding early friction.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Minimalistic interface and limited tutorials create a slight learning curve; Open-ended choices can cause confusion without much guidance; Lack of clear direction may discourage players who prefer structured storytelling
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: Tolerance for limited guidance and tutorials; Preference for structured storytelling; Longer play sessions
- Player Archetypes:
  - Reigns Series Devotee (buy)
    - Motivation: Continuing a beloved series and uncovering its meta humor and event content.
    - Playstyle: Plays through repeated event choices, appreciates series in-jokes, and experiments with branching decisions.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Reigns
  - Sci-Fi Comedy Narrative Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoying absurd sci-fi humor and meta storytelling.
    - Playstyle: Reads event text and leans into comedic choices, treating runs as narrative comedy.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Rhythm Mini-Game Music Hobbyist (buy)
    - Motivation: Chasing the feel of music performance and rhythm mini-games.
    - Playstyle: Seeks out the guitar/rhythm mini-game and music cabin between tour decisions.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Resource Management Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: Tense resource balancing and keeping the band alive.
    - Playstyle: Manages money, fans, and survival across planet-to-planet tours.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Excellent and fun game (weight 0.82): Reviewers widely describe the game as excellent, good, fun, and enjoyable overall. It is considered one of the strongest entries in the Reigns series and absolutely worth playing.
- Calming and excellent soundtrack (weight 0.8): The calming soundtrack by Sam Webster is excellent and begs to be played through hi-fi speakers. Different guitars produce different songs, and the music fits the rebellious band spirit.
- Dark humor and charm (weight 0.72): The story is full of dark humor that makes players smile, and the game is cool and interesting with quirky characters and heartfelt moments. The wacky charm and silly characters add to the entertainment.
- Pleasant gameplay and graphics (weight 0.64): The gameplay is pleasant and the minimalist retro art style is beautiful. The stylized comic book art with stark black-and-white and vivid color bursts complements the themes.
- Vast universe to explore (weight 0.56): There is a huge universe with a lot to discover, including rich random events and many collectibles such as various guitars. The visiting new worlds section and extensive content add to the sense of wonder.
- Lower survival difficulty (weight 0.54): Survival difficulty is lower compared to other entries in the series, and losing stats no longer immediately ends the run because some events can recover them. This makes the game more accessible and less punishing.
- Well-done sequel evolution (weight 0.54): The game is a well-done sequel to the original games, preserving the simple joy while evolving the formula. The series has developed from the first game, and this is one of the strongest Reigns games.
- Great for short bursts (weight 0.46): The game is fun to play in short bursts and is easy to understand with simple card decision mechanics. It preserves the simple joy of earlier Reigns titles while evolving the formula.
- Charming cast of characters (weight 0.44): The game features an amazing cast to discover, including four cute crew members and charming characters like Lord Shark. Familiar meta elements keep players engaged.
- Lots of sci-fi references (weight 0.36): The game includes many sci-fi references and interstellar travel knowledge, establishing a sense of wonder. The sci-fi indie rock band setting feels fresh and imaginative.
- Appealing theme and setting (weight 0.36): The theme is appealing and the story and setting were surprising and impressive. The game is sincere and likely to appeal to Guardians of the Galaxy fans.
- Cool side quests (weight 0.34): There are cool side quests and the indie rock scene is booming even on Saturn. The adventures, deaths, and encounters are very unpredictable, keeping players engaged.
- Strategic choices affect outcomes (weight 0.27): Choices affect band cohesion, resources, ship health, and crew relationships, adding strategic complexity and replayability. Tense resource management creates interesting decision-making.
- Short and sweet (weight 0.25): The game is described as short and sweet, with a more story-focused flow and simplified balanced gameplay. It offers a concise experience that is still satisfying.
- Emotional death cards (weight 0.25): Death cards can evoke strong emotions and chills, and the deaths are impactful. This adds weight to the narrative and enhances the overall experience.
- Diverse space combat minigames (weight 0.25): Space combat mini-games diversify gameplay and break up the card-swiping rhythm. The combination of rhythm gameplay and Reigns card gameplay works well together.
- Worth the price (weight 0.25): Full price is a steal and the game is worth the price. The overall content is excellent and worth trying.
- Controller vibration adds immersion (weight 0.22): Controller vibration adds immersion and a sense of embodiment, enhancing the overall experience. The atmosphere is better on PC with improved background views and great sound compared to mobile.

Common complaints:
- Lack of guidance and confusing mechanics (weight 0.72): The game provides insufficient tutorials and hints, leaving players confused about numerical mechanics, consequences, and overall progression. The minimalistic interface exacerbates the learning curve.
- Gameplay is monotonous and unengaging (weight 0.62): Players find the core gameplay loop repetitive and uninteresting, with little variation over time. This lack of engagement is a recurring complaint.
- Story and writing criticized (weight 0.57): The story is described as obscure, absurd, and poorly written, with a linear and boring scenario. The death mechanic has no impact on the scripted story, reducing immersion.
- Game freezes and bugs cause lockups (weight 0.52): Several players experienced hard locks and freezes, such as the card selection freezing at the 2-hour mark, requiring forced program closure. These bugs severely disrupt play.
- Rhythm game elements disrupt flow (weight 0.52): The integration of rhythm game segments with the Reigns-style gameplay feels poorly implemented, disrupting the game's flow and making the experience less enjoyable.
- 3D navigation is frustrating (weight 0.44): The universe map and 3D navigation are hard to understand and navigate, adding frustration rather than enjoyment. The exploration mechanic feels dull and pointless.
- Controller and keyboard issues on PC (weight 0.42): The PC version prompts for a controller and has issues with keyboard and mouse controls, including missed notes in rhythm games due to controller input. This hampers the experience for PC players.
- Overly complex compared to series (weight 0.37): The game tries to be a complex RPG with minigames, losing the simple appeal of previous Reigns games. This complexity makes it less accessible and enjoyable for series fans.
- Choices feel illogical and confusing (weight 0.26): The consequences of choices lack logic, and the open-ended nature causes confusion without proper guidance. Players feel lost in decision-making.
- Card loop repeats endlessly (weight 0.24): After certain events, the same cards repeat without variation, making the game feel stuck and unprogressable. This repetition contributes to monotony.
- Cryptic quests and achievements (weight 0.13): Some questlines and achievements are hard to piece together, making late-game objectives tricky and frustrating. The game offers little help in deciphering them.
- Memorization-based gameplay (weight 0.13): The game is described as essentially a memorization game, which some players find unengaging.
- Loss of interest in series (weight 0.12): One reviewer has lost interest in the series due to this game, indicating disappointment for long-time fans.
- Damage feedback is poor (weight 0.12): Damage is not visible, which is unpleasant compared to other games like Bomber Crew. This lack of feedback reduces clarity in combat.
- Sudden story shift to space (weight 0.12): The team suddenly throws the player into space with a thin justification, which feels jarring and poorly explained.
- Cannot romance De Souza (weight 0.1): One player is disappointed that they cannot romance the character De Souza, indicating a desired feature.

Gameplay feedback:
- Rhythm and guitar minigames (weight 0.87): The game includes rhythm-based minigames, such as playing guitar to earn cash or perform solos. These are integrated into the gameplay and used for earning money and advancing.
- Choose-your-own-adventure narrative (weight 0.77): The game is structured as an interactive narrative where choices lead to various adventures and deaths. It masquerades as a card game but is fundamentally a pick-your-own-adventure experience.
- Reigns-style card swiping (weight 0.75): The core decision-making mechanic involves swiping left or right on encounter, dilemma, or event cards, similar to the Reigns series. These choices drive the story and outcomes.
- Exploration and space travel (weight 0.67): Players explore a large universe by traveling from point to point along a star path, visiting new planets and encountering random events. The game includes 3D navigation and a space map.
- Resource management of ship and band (weight 0.64): Players must manage four key resources: power, oxygen, crew friendliness, and ship health, while also handling band cohesion and resources. Failure occurs if any resource goes too high or low.
- Minigames and interactive operations (weight 0.6): Beyond the core card mechanics, the game offers various minigames and operations such as visiting bars, shopping centers, inspecting the ship, and free dialogue with crew. These add depth and variety.
- Interstellar indie rock band theme (weight 0.54): The setting follows an indie rock band traveling through space, performing on planets and recruiting alien musicians. This replaces the medieval kingdom theme of previous Reigns games.
- Recruiting crew and building fame (weight 0.5): Players recruit crew members, build the band's fame, and accumulate followers over time. Team members can betray the player, and assembling a dream team is a key goal.
- Frequent deaths and light penalties (weight 0.42): Death is common, with multiple scenarios like being eaten by aliens or explosions, but the penalty is light, returning the player to the last planet to try again. This encourages experimentation.
- Ship and crew details (weight 0.37): The story begins with a disaster on the starship Sandman, leaving a sole survivor who leads the band. The game involves running the ship and features four crew members.
- Item and economy system (weight 0.32): The game includes an item system with food, gifts, souvenirs, and ship components, as well as a buying mechanic to earn cash and upgrade items. Different planets prefer different guitars.
- Visual and presentation elements (weight 0.22): The game features colorful square talking heads and abstract dialogue with an absurd plot about a spaceship crash and starting a band. The presentation emphasizes space journey and interstellar events.
- Controller support and vibration (weight 0.22): The game can be played with a mouse or controller, and controller play includes vibration feedback. This enhances the interactive experience.
- Side quests and achievements (weight 0.22): The game includes side quests, questlines, and achievements to complete, adding optional content and goals beyond the main story.
- Meta elements and deeper functions (weight 0.2): The game includes meta elements and uses different tabs and menus to add deeper functions, expanding beyond the core Reigns formula.
- Multiple endings and paths (weight 0.2): As a Reigns game, it features multiple endings and offers multiple ways to explore, encouraging replayability.
- Game of skill and chance (weight 0.12): The gameplay is described as a game of skill and chance, with random events and multiple death scenarios. It combines strategy with unpredictability.
- Survival difficulty element (weight 0.12): The game has a survival difficulty element, requiring players to keep the band alive through resource management and strategic choices.
- Stat recovery events (weight 0.12): Events can recover lost stats instead of immediately ending the run, providing a second chance and reducing frustration.
- Hidden attribute changes (weight 0.12): Decision-making does not display attribute changes, making choices more uncertain and challenging.

Performance notes:
No performancepoints

Recommendations:
- Great for Reigns fans (weight 0.57): Multiple reviewers strongly recommend the game to fans of the Reigns series and previous titles. They describe it as a must-play or must-have for that audience.
- Generally worth playing (weight 0.36): Several reviewers give a straightforward positive recommendation without major caveats. They consider the game worth playing and recommend it overall.
- Appeals to sci-fi comedy fans (weight 0.26): Reviewers recommend the game to fans of sci-fi comedies, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and similar humorous space fiction. Enjoyment of that tone is framed as a key factor.
- Niche appeal for specific fans (weight 0.22): Some reviewers limit their recommendation to very specific audiences, such as players who loved all Reigns games and are fans of Space Odyssey. Others recommend it specifically to Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy fans.
- Mixed or conditional recommendations (weight 0.21): A few reviewers give conditional or qualified recommendations with exceptions. One explicitly does not recommend the game for themselves.
- Caution for story-disliking players (weight 0.15): Reviewers warn that players who dislike story-driven games should be cautious about buying. The narrative focus is central to the experience.
- Mouse beats controller (weight 0.14): A reviewer states a controller is not necessary despite the game heavily recommending one. Using a mouse is described as easier.
- Fits short play sessions (weight 0.14): One reviewer notes the game is best suited for playing in short bursts. It works well as a pick-up-and-play experience rather than long sittings.
- Skip full achievement completion (weight 0.14): One reviewer advises against completing all achievements. They suggest playing it as a relaxing experience instead.
- Strong value at full price (weight 0.13): A reviewer calls full price a steal, indicating high perceived value. This suggests the content justifies the cost.
- Fans of narrative-driven games (weight 0.13): A reviewer finds the game rewarding for fans of narrative-driven games and those intrigued by the series' signature mechanics. The story and mechanics are highlighted as draws.
- Avoid this game (weight 0.12): One reviewer strongly advises avoiding the game and warns against buying it. This is a clear negative recommendation.
- Suits capable ship managers (weight 0.12): One reviewer highly recommends the game particularly for players who know how to run a ship properly. Management skill is framed as enhancing the experience.

Other player notes:
- Reigns series connection (weight 0.77): The game is part of the Reigns series and is often compared to earlier titles like Reigns and Reigns: Her Majesty. Some reviewers note it departs from the series' simplicity.
- Apple Arcade to Steam (weight 0.52): Originally an Apple Arcade exclusive, the game is now available on Steam and PC. Reviewers note the PC version offers better visuals and sound.
- Sci-fi band space tour (weight 0.44): The premise involves traveling through space to hold a concert tour, featuring a retro soundtrack and sci-fi themes like cosmic anomalies and interplanetary travel.
- Nerial and Devolver Digital (weight 0.34): The game is developed by Nerial and published by Devolver Digital, as consistently mentioned by reviewers.
- Over 1,400 unique cards (weight 0.26): The game features more than 1,400 unique cards that combine to create multiple endings and story paths.
- More story-focused departure (weight 0.24): The game departs from the series by focusing more on story presentation, offering a different experience.
- Niche theme criticism (weight 0.2): One reviewer finds the sci-fi band theme too niche and compares its audience fit to Space Odyssey.
- Best alongside first game (weight 0.13): Some reviewers consider this game and the first Reigns game to be the best in the series.
- Space map route selection (weight 0.13): The game includes a space map that allows players to choose their route.
- Large number of collectibles (weight 0.13): The game features a large number of collectibles for players to find.
- Sam Webster soundtrack (weight 0.12): The soundtrack was composed by Sam Webster, contributing to the game's retro audio experience.
- Limited online walkthroughs (weight 0.12): There is only a single proper walkthrough for the game available online, which may hinder players seeking guidance.
- Russian language support (weight 0.12): The game supports Russian language, unlike the previous installment in the series.
- Damage visibility similar Bomber Crew (weight 0.1): A reviewer compares the game's damage visibility to that of Bomber Crew.
- First impressions review (weight 0.1): One review is explicitly a first impressions piece rather than a full review, indicating limited depth.
- Compared to Starship Traveller (weight 0.1): One reviewer compares this game to Starship Traveller within the Reigns series.
- Sonic 2 special stages (weight 0.1): The game now includes special stages from Sonic 2.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.17): Players experience frustration due to game-breaking bugs that cause hard locks and card selection freezes, forcing them to close the program. The lack of clear guidance, cryptic quests, and poor PC controls with keyboard and mouse further compound the issue, making the open-ended exploration difficult to navigate.
- Disappointment (weight 0.12): Disappointment stems from the game moving away from the simplicity of the Reigns series and obscuring the core formula with additional features. Choices lack logical consequences, attributes are not shown during decisions, and death has no impact on the story, leading to a less engaging experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Players enjoy the fun, short gameplay with sci-fi references, side quests, and dark humor. The excellent random events, original music, and familiar meta elements make the experience thoroughly enjoyable and hard to put down.
- Boredom (weight 0.07): Boredom arises from repetitiveness and tedium during long play sessions, with the guitar minigame becoming barely interesting after the first time. A linear scenario and lost interest in the series also contribute to the feeling of boredom.
- Amusement (weight 0.05): Amusement is caused by humorous and charming dialogues, silly characters, and the game's whacky charm and nonsensical nature. These elements create a lighthearted and entertaining experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Appreciation comes from the charming, witty, and deep combination of a novel setting and mechanics. The sincere blend of retro music and interstellar travel, along with new dimensions added to the familiar card game mechanic, are highly valued.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement is driven by discovering two new Reigns games and a huge universe to explore. Playing on PC for the first time after mobile, along with the humor, chills from deaths, and intriguing plot setups, generate enthusiasm.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Confusion results from too much information without adequate reminders and a complex universe map. The abstract dialogue and absurd main plot also leave players puzzled and unsure of what is happening.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.03): Dissatisfaction is caused by poor game flow from the combination of the rhythm game and Reigns mechanics. The rhythm game mode disrupts the overall flow, leading to an unsatisfying experience.
- Attraction (weight 0.03): Attraction is due to the appealing theme and the minimalist graphic design with contrasting colors. These visual and thematic elements draw players in.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): Admiration stems from the game's creativity and its status as one of the strongest in the series, featuring charming characters and a great soundtrack. Players admire the overall design and execution.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is triggered by an infinite card loop after the tavern scene that cannot be exited, leaving players stuck and frustrated with no way to progress.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise is caused by unpredictable adventures and encounters that keep players on their toes and exceed expectations.
- Chills (weight 0.02): Chills are induced by impactful death cards that create a strong emotional response and add weight to the game's consequences.
- Relaxation (weight 0.02): Relaxation is provided by the calming soundtrack, which helps players unwind and enjoy a soothing atmosphere.
- Wonder (weight 0.02): Wonder is evoked by the space travel theme, which establishes a sense of awe and curiosity about the universe.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Enthusiasm is generated by the game going all out with guitar playing and an amazing soundtrack, creating high energy and excitement.
- Immersion (weight 0.02): Immersion is achieved through controller vibration and an immersive story setting, making players feel deeply involved in the game world.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is experienced from the band rhythm game interface and following the song rhythm, which provides a fun and satisfying interaction.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is felt when returning to the simple joy of earlier Reigns games, evoking fond memories of the original experience.}