Info about THE SPIRIT LIFT:

Official game description:
**WELCOME TO THE VEXINGTON HOTEL**
**It's graduation night in Lucid Falls, and eight teenagers have wandered from the party only to discover THE SPIRIT LIFT, a magical elevator that transports them through 13 floors of monsters and mayhem!**
**This ever-changing 3D hotel changes depending on the boss which awaits them in the penthouse. Gather cards, gold, and gear while navigating the eerie corridors on the way to the top. Beware of unpredictable events and creepy enemies lurking in the shadows!**
EACH TEAM CHANGES STRATEGY AND STORY
Familiar deck-building gameplay with a survival horror twist! Use your equipment deck to fight the creatures prowling the hotel. Upgrade cards as you gain experience, balancing your deck by blending four deck focuses any way you prefer. Decades of history have filled the halls with items from many eras, including plenty of '90s nostalgia. Even that one squiggly doodle cup everyone used to have.
Your trio of teenagers determines your start deck and so much more. Watch their relationships unfold as they answer riddles, discover their own backstories and use their individual strengths to bypass risky dilemmas.
BE KIND, REWIND, AND SEEK THE TRUTH LOST BEHIND
Death is encouraged in this deranged experiment! Unlock new characters, bosses, and events by playing multiple times and exploring different strategies. Learn how to collect more cards and gear by perusing the Library.
Win or lose, earn Spirit points to spend on customizing your next trip through the hotel. Discover hidden evidence, unexpected secrets and the lift's true purpose.
Accessibility and Content Information
-------------------------------------
Accessibility Features
*   Separate Volume Controls for Main (all audio), Music and SFX
*   All dialogue is readable on screen
*   Windowed or Fullscreen modes, resolution controls, brightness slider
*   Toggles for disabling flashing lights and screen shake
*   Toggle for outlining searchable objects to reduce pixel hunting
*   Toggles for hold to walk and hold to rotate
*   Movement controllable by on screen arrows or WASD
*   Walk and Rotate speed sliders
*   Mouse only controls
Let us know if there are other accessibility controls you would like:    
Content Notes
Cartoon violence against non-human creatures, mention of alcohol and drugs, mild crude humor, mild cursing, spider-themed creatures, mild jump scares (creatures moving towards player to trigger a battle), depictions of guns and blades.

Release date: Jan 27, 2026

Categories: Deckbuilding, Roguelite, Horror, Dungeon Crawler, Team-based Combat, Meta-Progression

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 0; verdict: Works Well; summary: No Linux/Proton compatibility issues were reported in the provided review. The game appears to work well on Linux/Proton without any required tweaks or blockers.
- Steam Deck: score 45; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game is playable on Steam Deck via touchscreen, but the lack of controller support and slow, unskippable animations create notable friction. Users must rely on touch controls for navigation and gameplay, which aligns with the 'Tinkering Required' tier. The experience is functional but far from seamless.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: Reviews show mixed sentiment: some find the game overpriced, while others consider it a fair or reasonable price. A sale price of $18 is mentioned, suggesting the base price is higher. The community fair range likely falls between $10 and $15, balancing those who feel it's too expensive with those who find it reasonable for the content offered.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 60.0h
  - Story completion: 1.0h
  - Session length: 1.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Session length is consistently reported as around 1 hour per run, with quotes stating 30 minutes to 1+ hours, 1 hour 20 minutes average, and 1 hour per run. Story/campaign completion (beating the game once) is stated as 'around an hour' in one review. Game completion is inferred from a review that is 30 hours in and ~50% through the Library, suggesting total completion around 60 hours; another review mentions 55 hours to unlock all starting cards and gears, supporting a long completion time. No clear evidence for endgame hours, so null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game becomes addictive after a short period of unlocking meta-progression and new content, though early friction from repetitive elements and slow pacing can delay enjoyment. Fun may diminish for some players once novelty fades.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After unlocking meta-progression and new characters/cards
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: repetitive environments and enemies; slow elevator/lift sequences; long unskippable animations; limited soundtrack; slow meta-progression early on; RNG and stagnant progression at times
  - Unlock drivers: meta-progression upgrades (max health, rerolls, heals); new characters and starter cards; spirit store and library unlocks; gear and card unlocks from completing requirements
  - Conditions: build variety and theorycrafting; tactical depth in combat; player-chosen progression paths; engaging art and lore; accessible and addictive loop
- Player Archetypes:
  - Veteran Deckbuilder Critic (no buy)
    - Motivation: To test skill and knowledge against well-balanced, tactical combat systems.
    - Playstyle: Analytical and optimization-focused; compares mechanics to genre benchmarks; seeks deep strategic challenge and fair difficulty; critical of balance and pacing.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: deckbuilder vet; hardcore player; StS/Inscryption/Monster Train fan
    - Reference games: Slay the Spire; Inscryption; Monster Train; Binding of Isaac; Noita
  - Atmosphere-Driven Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: To experience the game's world, story, and retro horror atmosphere.
    - Playstyle: Slow, immersive, and exploratory; values narrative, setting, and visual/audio atmosphere over mechanical depth; enjoys unlocking lore and discovering secrets.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: lore hunter; atmosphere enjoyer; retro horror fan
    - Reference games: Game At Carousel; Arkham Horror LCG
  - Genre Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: To have a fun, approachable introduction to the roguelite deckbuilder genre.
    - Playstyle: Learning and experimenting; finds the game accessible and fun; not burdened by genre expectations; enjoys the novelty and gradual unlock system.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: first-time deckbuilder player; older gamer; casual player
    - 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 deckbuilding roguelike (weight 0.51): Players frequently describe the game as a fun, solid, and deep roguelite deckbuilder with a horror theme, offering strategic depth and enjoyable card play.
- Great music and atmosphere (weight 0.46): The soundtrack and sound design are widely praised for setting a spooky yet enjoyable vibe, with many calling the music 'banging' or 'phenomenal'.
- Abundant unlockable content (weight 0.36): The game features many things to unlock, including cards, characters, gear, and more, which keeps runs fresh and exciting.
- Fun synergies and combos (weight 0.25): Players enjoy discovering and utilizing fun synergies between cards, characters, and items, which adds depth to strategy.
- Spooky but fun theme (weight 0.19): The game's Halloween-inspired spooky vibes are praised as fun and not too scary, appealing to a broad audience.
- Engaging lore and story (weight 0.17): The game's lore and story details are compelling, with unlockable backstories that add depth to the experience.
- Great art style (weight 0.17): The art style is enjoyable and sets the tone well, complementing the spooky theme and overall aesthetic.
- Engaging meta-progression (weight 0.15): The meta-progression is incremental but impactful, adding meaningful benefits that enhance the gameplay loop.
- Team composition variety (weight 0.15): The ability to mix and match different teams and starting decks allows for many unique combos and tactical options.
- Good value for money (weight 0.13): Players feel the game is worth the price, offering plenty of content and enjoyment for the cost.
- Well-themed card design (weight 0.12): Cards are interesting and well-themed, with enjoyable upgrades that fit the game's spooky setting.
- Nostalgic 90s appeal (weight 0.09): The game evokes fond 90s memories with its retro elements, which players find charming and nostalgic.
- Distinctive combat system (weight 0.08): The combat replaces traditional blocking with dodge, reflect, and stun mechanics, providing a fresh take on deckbuilder battles.
- Compared favorably to Slay the Spire (weight 0.07): Some players enjoy this game even more than popular deckbuilders like Slay the Spire and Balatro, highlighting its unique appeal.
- Unique dungeon-crawler blend (weight 0.07): The game successfully combines deckbuilding roguelike mechanics with dungeon-crawler floor navigation, creating a unique and pleasing experience.
- Fun character interactions (weight 0.07): Banter between characters adds charm and enjoyment to the game, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
- Excellent boss designs (weight 0.07): Boss designs are considered fun and well-crafted, contributing to engaging and memorable battles.

Common complaints:
- Enemy variety lacking (weight 0.46): Players report a very limited number of enemy types, leading to repetitive battles. Color swaps and recolors intensify this feeling, resulting in monotonous combat.
- Excessive grinding required (weight 0.35): Many reviews highlight the heavy grind needed to unlock content, including characters, cards, and endings. The grind is described as time-consuming and tedious, with some needing 30+ hours for partial completion.
- Repetitive events and rooms (weight 0.32): Exploration is hindered by limited room layouts, event variety, and dungeon modifiers. The lack of secrets or surprises makes each floor feel samey and dull.
- Elevator transitions too slow (weight 0.28): The elevator ride between floors is universally criticized for being unskippable and excessively long, with runs wasting over 7 minutes on animations. This breaks pacing and frustrates players.
- Limited artifact and loot variety (weight 0.24): Artifacts often feel useless or unbalanced, and there is no upgrade system. Loot drops can be low (10 gold) or rare (valuable relics), contributing to a lack of meaningful choices.
- Unbalanced characters and cards (weight 0.24): Certain characters (e.g., Maria) are seen as overpowered, while others are underpowered or gimmicky. Card balance issues and RNG dependency also frustrate players.
- Animations are unskippable (weight 0.22): Beyond the elevator, other animations (e.g., card effects, loot popups) are slow and cannot be skipped, leading to a sluggish experience. Players request a global speed multiplier.
- Shallow deckbuilding and card effects (weight 0.21): Card effects lack impact, and deckbuilding mechanics feel basic without depth. Build diversity is limited, often relying on dodge-centric strategies.
- Voice acting and story missing (weight 0.21): The game lacks voice acting, character engagement, and a compelling story. Dialogue is described as cliched, shallow, and stilted, disconnecting players from the narrative.
- Progression feels stagnant (weight 0.2): Meta-progression is too slow, with unlocks that feel underwhelming or not worth the effort. The grind for events and character unlocks undermines a sense of meaningful progress.
- Game becomes too easy (weight 0.17): After a certain point, combat becomes trivial due to strategies like overstocking dodge or purify. Difficulty scaling also feels swingy on upper floors.
- Price and value concerns (weight 0.17): Some players feel the game is too expensive for what it offers, given the lack of content and polish. Issues like no controller support and limited language options also lower value.
- UI and quality of life issues (weight 0.17): The UI has several issues: tool cards covering enemy intentions, gold pop-up clutter, and no damage preview when hovering cards. These minor annoyances add up.
- RNG problems and bad luck (weight 0.15): RNG is often punishing or unpredictable, with no way to anticipate or defend against bad streaks. This can make wins feel lucky rather than deserved.
- Music and audio repetitive (weight 0.14): The soundtrack is criticized for being limited and repetitive, with tracks becoming droning after a short time. Players want more variety in music.
- Runs are too long or too short (weight 0.12): Opinions vary: some find runs too long (about an hour) with slow animations, while others feel floors end too quickly. This inconsistency suggests pacing issues.
- Lack of endgame and challenges (weight 0.11): There is no endless mode or ascension-like system to provide long-term challenge. After clearing bosses and unlocking characters, there's little reason to continue playing.

Gameplay feedback:
- Roguelike deckbuilder core (weight 1): The game is fundamentally a roguelike deckbuilder with dungeon crawling, exploration, and card synergies, reminiscent of Slay the Spire. It features a haunted hotel setting with floor-based progression and unlockable cards and characters.
- Unlockable content progression (weight 0.3): Players can unlock new cards, characters, and events through gameplay, achievements, and the Spirit Shop. This meta-progression adds replayability and allows for specialized starting decks.
- Team-based mechanics (weight 0.26): The game emphasizes team-based deckbuilding, where players manage three characters with their own decks and perks. This adds a layer of coordination and tactical planning.
- Loot and gear system (weight 0.22): A card-based loot system allows players to acquire gear and cards that affect combat, such as cost reduction and gear effects. This system supports diverse build strategies.
- Dungeon crawler elements (weight 0.21): The game combines dungeon crawling with card-based combat, exploring rooms in a haunted hotel. This hybrid gameplay appeals to fans of both genres.
- Card and character variety (weight 0.21): There is a wide variety of cards and characters, each with distinct mechanics. Players can customize starter decks and explore different synergies across runs.
- Floor-based progression (weight 0.2): The game is structured as 13 floors to ascend, with an elevator between levels and modifiers on lift floors. Each floor offers new challenges, and a final boss awaits at the top.
- Haunted hotel setting (weight 0.18): The game is set in a haunted hotel with a horror theme, featuring mushroom-themed monsters and a mushroom vampire boss. This atmospheric setting enhances the roguelike experience.
- Story and lore integration (weight 0.18): The game is story-driven, with codex entries and lore documents that unfold through progression and character-specific endings. This adds depth and narrative incentive to replays.
- Special endings and replayability (weight 0.13): Character-specific endings and unlockable content like new cards and gear provide strong replayability. Achievements tie into progression, rewarding completionists.
- Skill-based gameplay (weight 0.1): Luck plays a minor role; the game emphasizes card choice, upgrades, and character synergies. Players can consistently improve through strategic decisions and team combinations.
- Combat without block (weight 0.08): Instead of a traditional block mechanic, combat relies on dodge, reflect, and stun effects. This unique twist encourages aggressive and tactical play.

Performance notes:
- No crashes or bugs reported (weight 0.05): The game is praised for its stability, with no reports of crashes, bugs, or graphical glitches, indicating a polished technical state.
- Runs well on low-spec Linux (weight 0.04): The game performs well on a Linux laptop with low specifications, suggesting good optimization and cross-platform compatibility.
- Steam Deck touch controls effective (weight 0.04): Touch controls on the Steam Deck are reported to work well, enhancing the handheld gaming experience.

Recommendations:
- Strong overall recommendation (weight 0.93): Most clusters highly recommend the game, praising it as a solid deckbuilder. Only a few clusters express reservation due to lack of content or animations.
- Great for deckbuilder fans (weight 0.35): Frequently cited as excellent for fans of deckbuilders and roguelikes. Multiple clusters specifically recommend it to genre enthusiasts.
- Good for newcomers (weight 0.18): The game is noted as a great first deckbuilder for newcomers and easy to learn. Several clusters highlight its accessibility.
- Try demo first (weight 0.09): Two clusters recommend trying the demo before buying, indicating value in testing before purchase.
- Lack of content and grind (weight 0.07): Two clusters note insufficient content and repetitive grind as negatives. This is a minority but notable concern.
- Unskippable animations and controller support (weight 0.06): One cluster advises avoiding the game due to unskippable animations and lack of controller support. This affects usability.
- Wait for sale or updates (weight 0.06): Two clusters suggest waiting for a sale or content updates before purchasing, implying current value may be limited.
- Niche feedback: art and soundtrack (weight 0.06): One cluster praises the art and soundtrack, while another mentions a retro horror theme. This adds flavor but is not widespread.
- No long-term challenge (weight 0.03): A single cluster notes lack of long-term challenge, suggesting limited replay value for experienced players.
- Dodge-centric gameplay (weight 0.03): One cluster mentions dodge-centric gameplay as a note, possibly a unique mechanic that may not appeal to all.
- Horror theme without jump scares (weight 0.03): One cluster recommends it for horror fans who dislike jump scares, highlighting its unique theme.
- Liked more than Slay the Spire (weight 0.03): One cluster mentions liking it more than Slay the Spire, suggesting strong competition in the genre.
- Ultimate preparation for apartment living (weight 0.03): A single humorous cluster recommends it as preparation for living in an apartment complex, likely a joke.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Excitement (weight 0.36): Players are excited by the fast-paced roguelike deckbuilding loop, with no tedious runs and high variety in team combos, cards, and unlockable characters. The stylized 2D art, bangin' soundtrack, and fun boss designs keep runs fresh, while meta progression and secrets drive a strong desire to keep playing.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.33): Enjoyment comes from the spooky atmosphere, excellent music, and satisfying card-based combat. The unique setting, clever deck-building mechanics, and unlockable content create a highly pleasant experience that feels accessible even to genre newcomers.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.17): Satisfaction is driven by the well-crafted progression system, fair losses that encourage replay, and impactful spirit shop upgrades. The game’s rock-solid mechanical core, cool secrets, and positive overall experience at a good price leave players feeling accomplished.
- Anticipation (weight 0.08): Players eagerly look forward to unlocking more characters, discovering synergies, and improving their gameplay in subsequent runs. The mystery of exploring the Vexington Hotel and the desire to return each Halloween season fuel strong anticipation.
- Frustration (weight 0.07): Frustration arises from combat becoming too easy due to dodge/purity stacking, stilted dialogue, slow elevator transitions, and excessive grind for 50% Library completion. The dungeon crawler aspect slows runs with rudimentary looting and repetitive content.
- Appreciation (weight 0.07): Appreciation is expressed for the meta progression system, combat mechanics, and the cool aesthetic with excellent art and charming writing. The thought put into characters and setting, along with clever deck assembly, is highly valued.
- Surprise (weight 0.06): Surprise comes from the game not feeling grindy despite the genre, being accessible to non-card game fans, and being more entertaining than expected. Players also were pleasantly surprised by awesome battle themes like 'Lunch Break Dance Battle' and 'Grad Night'.
- Love (weight 0.04): Love is driven by the game being a favorite due to its music, lore, and challenge, while remaining accessible with a survival horror feel and spooky vibes.
- Curiosity (weight 0.04): Curiosity is sparked by mystery about strange presences in the hotel, prompting players to consider different card choices and wonder about the relevance of certain evidence.
- Admiration (weight 0.04): Admiration is felt for the excellent art and easy-to-learn deckbuilder, seeing it as a testament to indie developers pouring their all into the game, with detailed artwork creating an amazing atmosphere.
- Engagement (weight 0.04): Engagement results from getting locked in and losing track of time, driven by solid deckbuilder design and the constant urge to search every room for evidence even at low health.
- Disappointment (weight 0.03): Disappointment stems from repetitive hotel levels and enemies, boring Lift Levels lacking variety, and alternate endings requiring too many playthroughs.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.03): Nostalgia is evoked by the 90s teen-mystery aesthetic and clear connections to Scooby-Doo stories, creating a familiar and enjoyable atmosphere.
- Joy (weight 0.03): Joy comes from finding cards and experiencing 90s nostalgia, coupled with an amazingly fun progression system and combat.
- Hesitation (weight 0.01): Hesitation arises from mixed feelings about the game's quality, leaving players uncertain in their overall assessment.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.01): Dissatisfaction is due to a lack of connection to characters and a weak story, undermining the overall experience.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance is caused by swingy difficulty scaling on upper floors, making progression feel unbalanced.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion results from unclear instructions on how to unlock special endings, leaving players puzzled.
- Invitation (weight 0.01): Invitation is felt through inviting horror elements that draw players into the game's eerie world.
- Amazement (weight 0.01): Amazement comes from incredible synergy and card variety, highlighting the deep and rewarding deckbuilding possibilities.}