Info about Lumencraft:

Official game description:
Lumencraft: A Top-Down Rogue-Like Shooter with Base Building & Tower Defense
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**Lumencraft is a unique combination of a top-down shooter and base building game with tower defense elements. Enter procedurally generated levels with a fully destructible environment to build your base, dig some tunnels and find the precious Lumen - humanity's only chance for survival.**  
**BECOME THE SAVIOR OF MANKIND**  
For two centuries the remnants of humanity struggle to survive without electricity and light. But there is a spark of hope. In 2221 the survivors find Lumen – a crystal of high energy potency that may be the last chance for mankind. Scouts, brave miners, established an underground settlement and voyage into the dark to reach the nearby Lumen deposits. But the darkness consumed them, as the subterranean caves and tunnels hold as much danger as salvation. Now it’s time for you to step into the endless shadows…  
**DRILL AND SHOOT YOUR WAY TO SALVATION**  
The lightless underground holds swarms of enemies that will raid your base. Illuminate the gloomy tunnels with your weapons and turrets in a struggle for survival. Drill new paths and shafts to reach valuable resources or blast walls and your foes.  
**EXPLORE A FULLY DESTRUCTIBLE ENVIRONMENT**  
With a lot of effort and a set of original algorithms, 2Dynamic Games have transformed the open-source Godot Engine into a completely new tool. This allows every bit of terrain (pixel, as we used to call them) to be destroyed, and maps to be painted as if in a drawing program.  
**YOUR WAY TO PLAY**  
Lumencraft offers several game modes to suit your gameplay style. With a 27-mission campaign experience the full narrative of humanity’s struggle for survival. Jump into procedurally generated maps and fight in a true roguelike fashion. Or maybe create your own level in the editor, or try out what the creators and Steam Workshop users have prepared for you. Custom game types (e.g. tower defence, action, survival or mix of them) with user-defined starting technologies/upgrades and goals allow you to test your skills as a scout in any conditions. Invite your friend to play locally or using Steam Remote play and dive into the darkness together.  
**MAP EDITOR**  
Easily create stunning maps with moldable terrain and a variety of objects to choose from. Invite friends to play in your custom map and define game types, starting technologies, upgrades, and goals.  
We hope the community will create many amazing maps for the Steam Workshop.  
**KEY FEATURES**  
*   Multiple game modes - a story campaign, custom maps created by the developers and the community or procedurally generated levels. The choice is yours!  
*   Defending the underground settlement by direct combat and the use of diversified turrets.  
*   Highly efficient and satisfying digging mechanics (just listen to the sweet sound of crushed rocks and Lumen).  
*   Explosive weapons. Yes, we have dynamite.  
*   Dynamic lights and pixel-perfect interaction with a fully destructible terrain.  
*   Dread atmosphere created through an impactful sound design and a unique 2Dynamic lighting system.  
*   Realistic simulations. Just look at the lava!  
*   Play with your friends in co-op mode either using Steam Remote Play or locally on a shared screen :)

Release date: 28 Feb, 2023

Categories: Top-Down Tactical Shooter, Base Building, Tower Defense, Roguelike, Resource Management, Exploration, Single-player Story, Cooperative Multiplayer, Map Editor


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


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:
- Engaging and Addictive Gameplay (weight 0.67): Players consistently find the core gameplay loop to be highly fun, engaging, and addictive, offering a satisfying blend of strategy, challenge, and replayability. Many highlight its simple yet deep mechanics and its ability to provide hours of enjoyment.
- Satisfying Mining & Exploration (weight 0.27): The mining and exploration mechanics are a significant highlight, described as addictive, satisfying, and enjoyable. Players appreciate the tactile feel of drilling, the rubble physics, and the overall feedback loop of resource gathering and base expansion.
- Strong Tower Defense Core (weight 0.24): The game excels as a tower defense experience, effectively mixing action, mining, and base-building elements. Players enjoy the strategic depth of building and upgrading defenses against waves of enemies, finding the core loop of generating firepower engaging.
- Good Value for Price (weight 0.14): Players generally agree that the game is well worth its price, often citing its affordability, especially for an indie title, and the significant amount of fun and content it provides for the cost.
- Excellent Co-op Experience (weight 0.13): The game offers a fun and effective co-op mode, particularly for local split-screen play. Players enjoy teaming up with friends, even noting its potential for online co-op to further boost its appeal.
- Promising Visuals and Polish (weight 0.13): The game receives praise for its appealing graphics, cool art style, and beautiful shader effects. Many are impressed by its polished state, especially considering it's in Early Access, and see great potential for its future.
- Diverse Game Modes & Scenarios (weight 0.1): The game offers a variety of engaging modes, including a well-made map editor, adventure mode, and challenging pre-set scenarios. Random map generation also adds to replayability and strategic freedom.
- Immersive Atmosphere (weight 0.08): The game successfully creates a dense and unsettling atmosphere, with claustrophobic underground tunnels and disgusting enemy designs contributing to an immersive experience.
- Active and Responsive Developers (weight 0.07): The development team is highly praised for being active, friendly, and responsive to the community, frequently updating the game and engaging with players on platforms like Discord.
- Rewarding Progression System (weight 0.07): The game features a well-received progression system with satisfying upgrades that encourage continued play. Players enjoy the sense of advancement and the ability to unlock new capabilities.
- Nostalgic Appeal (weight 0.04): For some players, the game evokes a pleasant sense of nostalgia, reminding them of classic titles like old Armor Games, Deep Rock Galactic, or They Are Billions.
- Stable Early Access Build (weight 0.04): Players report a surprisingly stable experience for an Early Access title, with very few or no significant bugs encountered during gameplay.

Common complaints:
- Slow Pacing & Repetitive Gameplay (weight 0.99): Many players found the game's progression to be too slow, leading to a tedious and monotonous experience. The core gameplay loop, characterized by extensive mining and repetitive defense, quickly becomes boring, especially in the campaign, and lacks sufficient late-game content or variety to maintain engagement.
- Clunky Controls & UI (weight 0.33): Players reported that the control scheme, particularly for PC with a gamepad, is awkward and clunky. Issues extend to building placement, inventory management, and general UI design, making interactions rigid and frustrating.
- Lack of Online Co-op (weight 0.3): A significant number of players expressed disappointment over the absence of online multiplayer or true co-op. The game only offers local split-screen co-op, which is considered archaic and limits independent player movement, hindering the overall multiplayer experience.
- Limited Tower Defense Depth (weight 0.29): The tower defense aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of variety, with too few tower types and limited upgrade options. This results in a less sophisticated and often overwhelming defense experience, especially against larger waves, compared to other games in the genre.
- Frequent Crashes & Performance Issues (weight 0.2): Multiple players experienced random and frequent game crashes, often leading to significant loss of progress due to inadequate auto-save features. Performance issues, including freezes on loading screens, also detract from the playability.
- Grindy Resource & Progression Systems (weight 0.16): The game's resource gathering is slow and frustrating, often forcing players to wait for materials. This, combined with slow character progression and inconsequential upgrades, contributes to a grindy experience where automated mining is ineffective and overall progression feels unrewarding.
- Incomplete & Unpolished Content (weight 0.12): The game feels incomplete and lacking in content, with some elements feeling half-baked. Players noted a lack of significant bug fix patches and a general absence of ambition or depth, leading to low replayability and a sense of an unfinished product.
- Unsatisfying Combat & Weapons (weight 0.12): Combat is described as unsatisfying, with poor melee mechanics and an AI that simply charges. Initial weapons are weak, and gunplay is hindered by issues like tiny enemy hitboxes, heavy recoil, and slow bullets, making it difficult to engage effectively with bug hordes.

Gameplay feedback:
- Core Gameplay Loop (weight 0.74): The game's primary loop involves extensive mining for two core resources (Lumen and Metal), base building with destructible terrain, and defending against waves of alien bugs using turrets and personal weapons. Players must strategically dig tunnels, fortify their base, and upgrade their character and defenses.
- Strategic Base Defense (weight 0.68): Defense is a core element, requiring players to strategically place turrets, build walls, and utilize the destructible terrain to create chokepoints against incoming bug waves. Enemies can dig through most terrain and even walls, adding a dynamic challenge to base fortification.
- Campaign and Game Modes (weight 0.31): The game features a story-driven campaign that serves as an extended tutorial, gradually introducing mechanics. Beyond the campaign, there are various modes including endless, challenge scenarios, and customizable random maps, offering diverse gameplay experiences.
- Local Co-op Experience (weight 0.23): The game offers local split-screen co-op for two players, with an experimental feature for up to five. However, the shared screen and tethering can be restrictive, and there's no online multiplayer. Players desire independent screens and better co-op design.
- Resource Management & Upgrades (weight 0.22): Players gather two main resources, Lumen and Metal, which are crucial for all upgrades, crafting, and base construction. Lumen is particularly important for research and character/tower upgrades, with Lumen Farms providing an infinite source. The drill is also upgradable, significantly impacting mining efficiency.
- Time Management & Waves (weight 0.07): The game features timed waves of enemies, with players having the option to fast-forward or shorten the time between attacks. This allows for strategic management of preparation time, balancing resource gathering and defense building.

Performance notes:
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.09): Multiple players reported frequent and random game crashes, indicating significant instability. This issue seems to be a major concern for a portion of the player base.
- Good optimization for low-end PCs (weight 0.06): The game generally performs well on lower-end hardware, including the Steam Deck and older PCs. This indicates good base optimization for accessibility.
- Minor performance issues (weight 0.06): While some players reported no issues, others noted occasional performance problems that were not game-breaking. This suggests a mixed experience with overall stability.
- Limited Ultra Wide support (weight 0.02): Ultra Wide monitor support is present but requires manual file creation and has some visual bugs. This indicates a lack of native, polished support for this display type.
- Suggestions for graphic options (weight 0.02): A player suggested adding options to reduce graphics, such as hiding enemy HP bars, to improve performance. This indicates a desire for more control over visual settings to optimize gameplay.
- Playable only in windowed mode (weight 0.01): One player reported that the game was only playable in windowed mode, which could be a specific compatibility issue or a bug on their system.

Recommendations:
- Price sensitivity and sales recommended (weight 0.37): Many players recommend purchasing the game only when it's on sale, suggesting that the current full price is a barrier for some. There's a strong sentiment that the game offers good value at a discounted price, with some even recommending specific discount percentages or price points.
- Early Access concerns and issues (weight 0.22): A significant portion of feedback highlights that the game is in an early or unfinished state. Players report frequent crashes, issues with inventory management, and a general lack of polish, leading to recommendations to wait for further development or for the game to exit Early Access.
- Gameplay loop appeals to specific players (weight 0.12): The game's core loop of digging, building, and killing appeals strongly to players who enjoy grindy progression, retro-style games, or specific genres like tower defense and top-down shooters. However, some acknowledge that this repetitive nature might not be for everyone, suggesting a demo play first.
- Mixed overall sentiment (weight 0.12): Despite some strong recommendations, there's an underlying mixed sentiment. While some find it enjoyable and promising, others cannot recommend it in its current state, often due to technical issues or perceived lack of content, leading to a 'wait and see' approach.
- Desire for more content and features (weight 0.08): Players express a strong desire for future updates to include more diverse content, such as enhanced random map generation, new buildables, upgrades, larger maps, different enemy types, and character classes. This indicates a hunger for increased depth and variety in the game.
- Co-op and multiplayer potential (weight 0.06): Several reviews point to the importance of co-op and multiplayer, with some stating that proper multi-client co-op is essential for a recommendation. This suggests that a robust multiplayer experience could significantly enhance the game's appeal and replayability.
- Alternative game recommendations (weight 0.05): Some players suggest alternative games like 'Riftbreaker' or 'Against the Storm' if specific aspects like base-building or the overall theme are the primary interest. This implies that the game might not fully satisfy those looking for a specific experience, or that competitors offer a more refined version.
- Campaign vs. Skirmish recommendations (weight 0.04): There's conflicting advice regarding the campaign. Some recommend it for more relaxed, faster-designed maps, while others suggest skipping it for skirmish after the tutorial, indicating a mixed experience with the campaign mode.

Other player notes:
- Desire for more content and features (weight 0.19): Players are actively requesting additional content such as adventure maps, turret styles, defensive buildings, and a proper co-op mode. There's also a strong desire for modding support, a sequel, or DLC to expand the game's longevity.
- Genre and comparison to other games (weight 0.13): The game is identified as a rogue-like, tower defense hybrid with building elements. It draws comparisons to Deep Rock Galactic, Terraria, Riftbreaker, Mindustry, and Subterrain, highlighting its unique blend of mechanics.
- Game's current state and future plans (weight 0.12): The game is recognized as being in early access or a testing phase, with plans for future play modes and features. Online multiplayer is a frequently discussed topic, confirmed by developers as a future addition, though potential funding issues might cause delays.
- Positive developer engagement (weight 0.1): The community acknowledges the developers' efforts in improving the game and responding to feedback. There's an expectation of continued support and future updates, with developers having committed to a year of improvements.
- Localization and minor details (weight 0.08): The game supports multiple languages, including Russian and Chinese, though the Chinese translation needs proofreading. Other minor observations include the lack of dialogue and the presence of a workshop flag.
- Good value for money (weight 0.08): Players appreciate the amount of content offered relative to the game's low price, noting it's not an 'asset flip' and provides substantial gameplay hours.
- Technical and quality of life improvements (weight 0.07): Players are looking forward to performance issue resolutions, upscaling options for devices like Steam Deck, and improvements to UI. There's also a specific mention of the cool tunneling mechanic.
- Atmosphere and target audience (weight 0.03): The game is described as having a good vibe, suitable for adults, and presenting a deep, dark future with challenging elements. One reviewer noted it looks like a mini-game but plays differently.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.24): Players frequently experience frustration due to clunky and awkward controls, particularly for building and inventory management, and poor PC adaptation. This is compounded by frequent game crashes, slow progression, and a tedious grind for resources, leading to wasted time and a feeling of inefficiency.
- Disappointment (weight 0.19): Disappointment stems from the game's perceived lack of content, especially in the late game, and an unfulfilling progression system. Many players are let down by the absence of proper online co-op, which was either expected or desired, and feel the game's potential is unrealized due to technical issues and a lack of updates.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.18): Satisfaction is primarily driven by the game's addictive core gameplay loop, which blends mining, base building, and tower defense. Players enjoy the stress-relieving diamond drilling, the challenging scenarios, and the overall value for money, especially when purchased on sale or for co-op play.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Players find enjoyment in the strategic gameplay, the mix of action, tower defense, and resource gathering, and the satisfying ore digging mechanics. The game's engaging nature and the fun derived from co-op play contribute significantly to this positive emotion.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Excitement is generated by the game's challenging missions, its unique blend of genres, and the engaging atmosphere. Players are also excited by the game's potential for future updates, new modes, and active developer engagement, particularly regarding features like the map editor and random map generation.
- Boredom (weight 0.05): Boredom arises from the game's repetitive gameplay loop, which quickly loses its appeal, especially when playing solo. The lack of dynamics, new content, and variety in game modes contributes to a monotonous experience, making the campaign feel dull and stretched out.
- Hope (weight 0.04): Hope is centered on the desire for more content, including new game mechanisms, and robust modding support. Players also express hope for a proper online co-op mode, future updates, and continued developer support to realize the game's full potential.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is experienced through the overall enjoyment of the game, particularly when fighting waves of bugs and engaging in the core gameplay. The game is seen as a fun addition to co-op collections, providing an amazing and positive experience.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is primarily caused by frequent game crashes, clunky controls that lead to player death, and a perceived lack of developer support. Players also express anger over the low efficiency of mining and the fragility of defenses, which hinder progress and enjoyment.
- Desire (weight 0.02): Players desire more adventure maps, a greater variety of turret styles and defensive buildings, and a dedicated online cooperative mode. There is also a wish for platform expansion, such as an Xbox version, and quality-of-life features like a turbo mode or separate screens in co-op.
- Expectation (weight 0.02): Expectations revolve around planned future content, updates, and improvements, particularly as the game progresses towards a full release. Players anticipate new features and enhancements that will build upon the game's current foundation.
- Engagement (weight 0.01): Engagement is driven by the game's addictive gameplay and the tense moments experienced when waves of bugs appear. These elements keep players immersed and focused on the game's challenges.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia is triggered when the game reminds players of childhood games or evokes past memories, sometimes drawing comparisons to other titles like 'They Are Billions'.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation is shown for the game's accessibility options, the absence of pay-to-win mechanics, and the developer's active engagement and consistent updates. Players value the interesting ideas and heart put into the game's design.
- Optimism (weight 0.01): Optimism stems from the belief in the developer's commitment to improving and supporting the game, especially as an early access title. Players see potential for future enhancements and trust in the developer's competence.
- Relaxation (weight 0.01): The game is described as relaxing, often referred to as a 'podcast game,' suggesting it provides a calm and undemanding experience suitable for background play.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from unclear UI elements, illogical game design choices, and uncertainty about what new features or content could be added to the game.
- Tiredness (weight 0): Tiredness is experienced after extended play sessions, particularly after completing a significant portion of the campaign, indicating the game can be mentally taxing over long periods.
- Relief (weight 0): Relief is felt due to the implementation of frequent autosaves, which mitigate the frustration of losing progress, especially in a game prone to crashes or difficult challenges.
- Discomfort (weight 0): Discomfort is caused by the visual experience of the game, suggesting that certain graphical elements or visual design choices are unappealing or straining to some players.}