Info about Swords and Sandals Immortals:

Official game description:
  
It's _Swords and Sandals_ as you've never seen it. Brutal turn-based combat where gladiators can lose limbs, wield guitars and yell so loudly their foe's heads will fall off. This is the most fun you'll ever have in the arena, and it all starts here.  
**_MULTIPLAYER_** - Finally, for the first time in over a decade, multiplayer combat returns to the world of Swords and Sandals. Test your skills against real humans as you strive to be the greatest gladiator in the whole world! Rise in the leaderboards and prove once and for all who the best player of all time is.  
Create a gladiator from one of dozens of races, make them a 7 foot undead giant with a battle axe or a tiny jelly blob with a laser cannon. Your gladiator will be unlike any other, with deep skill trees and hundreds of weapons to craft and equip you will not face the horrors of the arena unprepared!  
For a decade we wondered what happened to the Starbound Gladiator at the end of _Swords and Sandals III_ ... now all answers are revealed as the robotic Automatons return to Brandor with new space-age technology! Embark upon a massive new single player campaign in the form of _Swords and Sandals VI_, where you shall journey across the vast continent in search of fabled Arena Champions to defeat. Do battle in the scorching heat of the T'Kash desert, in the lonely abyssal caverns of the Forbidden Depths and in the great palaces of Phaetor itself.  
**_Swords and Sandals Immortals_ Core Gameplay Features**  
*   Multiplayer mode! At last, battle player controlled gladiators from all over the world in online turn based combat!  
*   _Swords and Sandals VI_ : Continue the story from where S&S III left off as the Automatons return to Brandor with new challenges for our gladiators!  
*   A single player adventure across Brandor featuring over 40 all new Arena Champions ( and some returning fan favourites )  
*   Limb severing and decapitations! Sever arms and legs and _keep on fighting_ as your gladiator finds the strength to endure  
*   Create a gladiator your way. Customize everything from height and weight to facial features and hometown, the choice is yours. Will you be a powerful undead mandolin-wielding barbarian? A Sagan Blob archmage with the power to regenerate lost limbs?  
*   Many new classes to choose, skills and talents to learn. Rain molten death from the skies, play guitar solos that shake the ground!  
*   Dungeon Crawl through fast paced 3D mini-dungeons on your journey, fighting powerful Champions for great rewards  
*   Defeat your enemy using all new combat skills. Throw your weapons, even throw discarded healing potions. Whatever it takes to win!  
*   An all new game engine for the first time in years! New special FX, particles, animations and music, created from the ground up with the Godot Engine.
This is indeed the greatest _Swords and Sandals_ adventure ever. Grab your sword, equip your sandals. It's time to take on the world and become an immortal.

Release date: Mar 9, 2023

Categories: Turn-based Combat, Character Progression, Dungeon Crawler, Multiplayer, Roguelike, Character Customization, Single-player Story

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 10; verdict: Seamless; summary: The review indicates a highly positive Steam Deck experience. The game runs at 60 FPS with good battery life and no reported stability issues. The only potential concern is the Denuvo Always Online requirement, but the user confirms it does not hinder gameplay on the Deck.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows a split: some players find the game worth its price, while others consider it overpriced or even should be free. A sale price of about $5 CAD (~$4 USD) is mentioned, and a Turkish reviewer calls the price cheap. This suggests the community sees the game as a budget title, with a fair base price likely in the $5–$10 range, where it offers decent value for fans of the genre but not for everyone.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 20.0h
  - Story completion: 5.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The first quote directly states that the main content is seen within 4-6 hours, supporting a story completion estimate of 5 hours, and that achievements take around 20 hours, supporting game completion. The 44-hour quote shows a player's total playtime but not a completion metric, so it does not directly support any specific metric. The 8-hour quote describes a playthrough that ended with a bad ending, not a successful story completion, so it is not used for story completion. The 2-hour quote indicates total playtime before dropping, not a session length, so sessionLength remains null. No evidence supports endgame time.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts with a steep learning curve and some pacing issues, but players typically get used to it after a few hours and then find the addictive gameplay loop and progression rewarding.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Getting used to the game's mechanics and build system
  - Time to anchor: 3h 0m
  - Friction: Lack of build information and guides; Awkward pauses and loading times; Weak early-game bows; Imbalanced early game; RNG frustration; Rough multiplayer at launch
  - Unlock drivers: Learning the build system; Discovering rune enchanting; Patches and polish for multiplayer; Understanding game mechanics; Investing in effective stats
  - Conditions: Having prior knowledge of the series; Being patient with the learning curve; Playing single player vs multiplayer; Caring about multiplayer functionality; Investing in certain attributes; Using guides or wikis
- Player Archetypes:
  - Nostalgic Veteran (sale)
    - Motivation: Relive childhood memories and reconnect with the Swords and Sandals franchise.
    - Playstyle: Plays single-player, often using familiar builds and comparing mechanics to older games.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: long time S&S player; fan of SaS since I was like 8; used to play the flash games
    - Reference games: Swords and Sandals 2; Swords and Sandals 3; S&S Multiplae Ultratus
  - Curious Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: Discover a new game and enjoy the experience without preconceptions.
    - Playstyle: Explores various game modes and builds, open to both single-player and multiplayer.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: new player; first time
    - Reference games: N/A
  - PvP Competitor (no buy)
    - Motivation: Engage in competitive PvP battles and enjoy social multiplayer interactions.
    - Playstyle: Focuses on multiplayer, often ignoring single-player, and evaluates class balance and matchmaking.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: only played multiplayer
    - Reference games: S&S Multiplae Ultratus
  - Strategy Optimizer (buy)
    - Motivation: Master game mechanics, optimize builds, and conquer challenging content.
    - Playstyle: Theorycrafts builds, adjusts difficulty settings, and seeks out hardcore modes or boss fights.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Darkest Dungeon


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:
- Refined and improved series entry (weight 0.48): Players consistently praise the game as a polished, improved version of earlier titles, with better graphics, more content, and a fresh take that respects the series' core. It is seen as a step up from older games.
- Excellent music and soundtrack (weight 0.23): The music is a standout feature, described as addicting, magnificent, and immersive, building tension during battles and providing fitting ambiance. The soundtrack is a major positive point.
- Good value and worth buying (weight 0.22): The game is considered very good and worth the money, with players recommending it as a must-buy, even in early access. It provides solid entertainment and a lot of good content.
- Deep character customization options (weight 0.21): Players highlight the comprehensive character creation system, with many races, hero classes, and elaborate customization options. This allows for a wide variety of playstyles and builds.
- Engaging story and lore (weight 0.12): The game features a magnificent story and a decent amount of lore, with incredible storytelling that adds depth. It has more story and lore compared to previous installments.
- Nostalgic yet modern experience (weight 0.12): The game successfully combines nostalgia with modern improvements, offering a comprehensive version of the old franchise. It is a nostalgic take on the series that is taken seriously.
- Stable and crash-free performance (weight 0.07): Players report that the game is stable, with no crashes or softlocks even after 200 hours of playtime. This reliability is a notable positive aspect.

Common complaints:
- Severe balance issues (weight 0.67): Enemies and bosses have inflated stats, often 2-3 times stronger than the player, with unfair abilities and hidden modifiers. This leads to frustrating difficulty spikes and a sense of unfairness.
- Game is extremely buggy (weight 0.56): Multiple clusters report widespread glitches, crashes, softlocks, and save file corruption, making the game barely playable. Specific issues include black rectangles, hardlocks, and crashes on button clicks.
- Poor UI and itemization (weight 0.44): The UI is atrocious, with important stats hard to find, and itemization is barebones with limited variety and unclear effects. Enchanting and forging systems are flawed, and gear scaling is poor.
- RNG is frustrating (weight 0.4): The game relies heavily on random chance, with low hit rates, unfair dice rolls, and unpredictable outcomes. Players often lose fights due to unlucky rolls, making skill less important than luck.
- Unfair boss fights (weight 0.36): Bosses have unreasonable stats, one-shot abilities, and multiple phases that break strategies. Some bosses are impossible to hit or defeat without specific builds, leading to frustration and softlocks.
- Repetitive and tedious gameplay (weight 0.35): The gameplay loop becomes monotonous, with the same actions repeated throughout, leading to boredom and a lack of motivation. The mid-to-late game is especially repetitive, with a 15-hour cycle that feels like a grind.
- Poor class and build viability (weight 0.32): Many classes and builds are not viable, with melee, mage, and bard builds underperforming compared to ranged or specific meta builds. This forces players into specific playstyles and punishes experimentation.
- Lack of strategy (weight 0.25): There is little strategic depth, with fights often reduced to repeating the same actions or relying on luck. The AI is poor, and enemy stats are inflated to compensate, making battles feel like coin flips.
- Poor progression and scaling (weight 0.2): Progression is poorly designed, with stat gains being random, respec options limited, and gear not scaling well into late game. This leads to frustration and forces players to restart for different builds.
- Time limit is problematic (weight 0.19): The 300-day time limit shuts off content, locks out boss fights, and can lead to bad endings. It forces players to rush and punishes exploration, making the game feel restrictive and unfair.
- Multiplayer is broken (weight 0.16): Multiplayer is largely non-functional, with matchmaking issues, crashes, and a lack of players. The PvP experience is ruined by overpowered archers and other balance problems.
- Unfair arena rules (weight 0.15): Arena rules often disable skills, weapons, or melee attacks, putting certain builds at a huge disadvantage. This forces players to respec or skip arenas, adding frustration.
- Unbalanced races and skills (weight 0.08): Some races are blatantly better than others, and certain skills are overpowered or useless. This creates a lack of build diversity and punishes players who don't choose optimal options.

Gameplay feedback:
- Turn-based arena RPG (weight 0.29): The game is consistently described as a turn-based arena RPG with stat progression and gear upgrades. It features turn-based combat in an arena setting, often with dungeon elements.
- Dungeon exploration and adventures (weight 0.19): The game features dungeons, map exploration, and random adventures. Players can embark on journeys through dungeons as part of the gameplay.
- Character creation and customization (weight 0.18): Players can create and customize their characters, including visual options and progression systems. This is a core feature highlighted by many reviews.
- Adjustable difficulty levels (weight 0.16): The game includes adjustable difficulty settings, ranging from story mode to hardcore options like Hellscape. This allows players to tailor the challenge to their preference.
- Large explorable world (weight 0.14): The game features a big world with a world map, allowing players to explore and travel. Map events and story progression occur as players move to different locations.
- Races with unique abilities (weight 0.12): Different races have distinct abilities and visual customization options. Some races have specific traits, such as the ability to wear helmets.
- Stat system with multiple attributes (weight 0.09): The game features stats like charisma, intelligence, strength, health, attack, defense, and vitality. Players can allocate stat points to customize their character.
- Easy to learn gameplay (weight 0.07): The game has a pick-up-and-play learning curve, making it simple and easy to get into. This appeals to casual players.
- Gladiator building and skills (weight 0.07): Players can build a gladiator with a wide variety of skills and abilities. This allows for specialized character development.
- Talent and skill trees (weight 0.07): The game includes talent and skill trees, providing further character progression and customization options.
- Enchantments and consumables (weight 0.06): Equipment can be enchanted with buffs and perks, and the game includes consumables. This adds depth to gear management.
- Day counter and countdown (weight 0.06): The game has a day counter and a 300-day countdown timer, losing a day on level up or losing a fight. This adds a time management element.

Performance notes:
- Frequent crashes and softlocks (weight 0.23): Multiple players report random crashes, hardlocks, and freezes, including after battles and when entering menus. These issues severely impact playability.
- Performance issues and stuttering (weight 0.13): Players experience lag, stuttering, and choppy animations, with some noting long turn times possibly due to memory leaks. These performance problems detract from the experience.
- Glitches and visual bugs (weight 0.1): The game contains numerous glitches, including black rectangles covering the map, white flashes during fights, and overall instability. These visual issues are widespread.
- Steam Deck performance praised (weight 0.09): The game runs smoothly on Steam Deck with good frame rates and battery life. This is a positive aspect for portable players.
- Long loading times (weight 0.08): Several players complain about excessive loading times for a simple game, especially when starting battles. This slows down gameplay significantly.
- AI bugs and extra turns (weight 0.07): Players report AI issues, such as taking extra turns on full screen, which disrupts game balance. These bugs affect strategic gameplay.
- Limited display options (weight 0.07): Users cannot change resolution or window size, limiting customization. This is a common complaint for players with different screen setups.
- Launch issues after updates (weight 0.04): The game sometimes fails to launch after updates, preventing players from accessing the game. This is a critical issue for affected users.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for series fans (weight 0.42): Many reviews recommend the game to fans of older Swords and Sandals titles, especially those who played the original flash games. Nostalgia is a key factor in the recommendation.
- Not recommended by some (weight 0.14): A few reviewers do not recommend the game, citing issues like balance problems or lack of challenge. This indicates mixed reception among some players.
- Class-specific tips (weight 0.13): Several reviews provide class-specific advice, such as starting as a warrior and distributing skills based on weapon choice. This helps players optimize their builds.
- Good for turn-based strategy fans (weight 0.1): Reviewers highlight the game's strategic and turn-based combat as a positive for players who enjoy that genre. It is recommended for those who like thinking and planning.
- Good for casual play (weight 0.09): Some reviewers recommend the game for casual play, especially at a discount. It is seen as a chill game to enjoy without deep commitment.
- Recommended for newbies (weight 0.07): The game is recommended to newcomers, being easy to get into. However, it is hard to 100% complete, offering depth for completionists.
- Campaign recommended (weight 0.04): The campaign is recommended, indicating it is a strong part of the game. This is a positive aspect for single-player enthusiasts.
- Best with permadeath and hellscape (weight 0.04): A reviewer suggests playing on Perma-Death with Hellscape difficulty for the best experience. This indicates the game is more enjoyable with higher challenge settings.
- Not for epic challenges (weight 0.04): One reviewer warns that the game is not for those seeking an epic challenge unless the challenge is RNG-based. This suggests the difficulty may be inconsistent.

Other player notes:
- Polished evolution of Swords and Sandals (weight 0.45): Reviewers frequently compare the game to earlier Swords and Sandals titles, describing it as a more polished and natural evolution of the series formula. It is seen as combining the best features of previous entries like Swords and Sandals 2 and 5.
- Dedicated and responsive developer (weight 0.37): Reviewers praise the developer, often described as a single man or small team, for their dedication, care, and responsiveness to feedback. The developer is noted for quickly fixing bugs and communicating with the community.
- Early access with ongoing development (weight 0.28): Multiple reviewers note the game is in early access, with some mentioning it is not yet fully finished. The early access version is seen as a taste of the full game, with constant updates and fixes being released.
- Nostalgic throwback to childhood games (weight 0.26): The game evokes strong nostalgia, being compared to old Flash games from 2005 and other childhood favorites. Reviewers describe it as a love letter to the 2000s era of video games and a remake of a childhood game with added details.
- Various game features and systems (weight 0.23): The game includes a boss rush mode, final boss, dungeons, observatories at levels 20-30-40-60, a shop refresh system, enchanting system, skill tree, and 7 difficulty levels. It also has an 80-level cap and a story that picks up from the previous installment.
- Part of the Swords and Sandals series (weight 0.22): The game is identified as a new entry, spiritual successor, or the last release of the saga in the Swords and Sandals franchise. It is also described as a sequel to Swords and Sandals 3 and a paid adaptation of the old Flash games.
- Multiplayer planned for future (weight 0.19): Several reviews mention that multiplayer is not currently available but will be added soon, with some noting it will be the first multiplayer game in the Swords and Sandals series. One review mentions multiplayer was patched and polished after a rough start.
- Roguelike with time limit and permadeath (weight 0.18): The game is described as roguelike with a 300-day time limit and an optional permadeath mode. It is compared to games like Fallout 1 and X-COM for its time limit and difficulty, with a long goal within that time frame.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.26): Players are frustrated by frequent crashes, glitches, and unbalanced mechanics that make the game feel unfair and tedious. Specific issues include overpowered bosses, RNG-dependent combat, and a 300-day time limit that locks out content, leading to a sense of helplessness and wasted effort.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.14): Players enjoy the game for its fast, brutal combat, diverse character builds, and engaging world-building. The combination of strategic gameplay, humor, and appealing art style provides a fun and entertaining experience that keeps players coming back.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.11): The game evokes strong nostalgia by reminding players of the original Flash games from their childhood. The art style, gameplay, and series connection bring back fond memories of playing Swords & Sandals on browser sites, making it a pure nostalgia trip for long-time fans.
- Disappointment (weight 0.08): Players are disappointed by game-breaking bugs, save file glitches, and the 300-day limit that prevents reaching the final boss. The game also loses the charm of the original series, with poor class balance, useless skills, and a lackluster ending, leading to a diminished experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): Players feel satisfied with the game's improvements over previous entries, including better graphics, more content, and responsive developer support. The game meets expectations for fans of the series, offering a polished and enjoyable experience that justifies its price.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Players are excited about the game's ambitious scope, combining multiple elements smoothly and introducing new features like multiplayer and dungeons. The prospect of future content and the satisfying gameplay generate anticipation and enthusiasm for the series' evolution.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the game's sound design, constant updates, and the developer's dedication to making the game fun. The boss fights and music are particularly praised, and the game is seen as a love letter to the 2000s era of gaming.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): Players admire the game as the best entry in the series, praising its music, scene design, and storytelling. The developer's long-term commitment and the heart and soul put into the game are highly respected, making it a standout title.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Players are annoyed by the game's heavy reliance on RNG, which reduces the impact of player skill. Long loading times, terrible map travel, and flawed systems like blueprint forging and item morality mismatches add to the frustration.
- Love (weight 0.02): Players love the game for capturing the essence of the original Swords & Sandals while providing smooth and satisfying combat. It is seen as a wonderful revival that offers a great experience with plenty of content to enjoy.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Players are angered by the game's unfair boss fights and RNG, which can make progress feel impossible. The final boss's difficulty spike and the day-301 save lockout are particularly infuriating, as is the game's insistence on specific builds.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): Players are eagerly anticipating the addition of online PvP and multiplayer features, as well as future content updates. The potential for new modes and expansions keeps them excited about the game's future.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players are pleasantly surprised by the game's quality, which exceeded their expectations. The unexpected existence of the game and its appeal to fans of the series contribute to a positive surprise.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Players find the game becomes boring quickly due to repetitive gameplay and limited combat options. The mid-to-late game is especially tedious, with a 15-hour cycle that feels monotonous and lacks variety.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Players are happy with the game's extensive character build options and the improvements made through balancing. Seeing the series evolve from its first installment brings joy and satisfaction.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Players are grateful for the remake of a childhood game, which includes many added details and is offered at an acceptable price. This thoughtful recreation is appreciated by fans.
- Exhilaration (weight 0): Players feel exhilarated by the challenging gameplay, which provides a thrilling and engaging experience. The difficulty adds to the excitement and keeps players invested.
- Irritation (weight 0): Players are irritated by the game's obtuse and irritating design choices, which can be confusing and frustrating. These elements detract from the overall experience.
- Disinterest (weight 0): Players are not interested in playing the game for long sessions, indicating a lack of sustained engagement. This may be due to repetitive gameplay or other factors that reduce long-term appeal.
- Indifference (weight 0): Players are indifferent to the dungeon feature, showing a lack of strong positive or negative feelings. This suggests the feature does not significantly impact their overall enjoyment.}