Info about Bitburner:

Official game description:
After 5 years of development, contributions from hundreds of developers, the critically acclaimed open source programming hacking sim is available on Steam.
Inspired by games like Else Heart.break(), Hacknet, Uplink, and Deus Ex, Bitburner is a programming-based idle incremental RPG where you, the player, take the role of an unknown hacker in a dark, dystopian world. The game provides a variety of mechanics and systems that can be changed through coding and solved or automated in whatever way you find suitable.
While a very basic programming background is recommended, it is not required to play the game!
*   Write scripts in JavaScript to automate your gameplay
*   Hack through a network of servers to train your abilities and earn money
*   Solve real programming questions to hone your skills and earn rewards
*   Improve your character with 100+ Augmentations
*   Trade in the stock market and write automated trading scripts
*   Interact with various gameplay mechanics to increase your stats and earn money
*   Explore the world and discover different companies, locations, and factions
*   Mini-games
*   Unlock secret perma-upgrades
*   Continuing development!
You can play the web version at

Release date: Dec 10, 2021

Categories: Programming Logic, Hacking Gameplay, Incremental Game, Cyberpunk, Educational Game, Scripting, Automation, Stock Market

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Needs Improvement; summary: The primary issue highlighted by users is the complexity of the game mechanics, particularly the need to understand coding and JavaScript to progress. This creates a significant barrier to entry and detracts from the overall user experience.
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game Bitburner has several issues that affect the user experience on the Steam Deck. The most significant problem is the inability to launch the game directly from Steam on Linux, requiring users to manually run the executable file. Additionally, the game's interface and experience do not align with its promoted cyberpunk theme, feeling outdated instead. While the game offers some educational value in teaching Linux terminal commands and JavaScript, it falls short of real-world applications, which can be disappointing for users.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that users find the game worth a few dollars and feel they are getting excellent value for money. This indicates that the community considers the game to be fairly priced within a lower price range.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 100.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 8.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides various data points related to playtime. The mention of playing for 13 hours gives a lower bound for some players' total playtime. The statement about finishing everything and obtaining achievements suggests a high level of game completion, likely over 100 hours. The reference to spending a full 8-hour day on the game indicates a typical session length. The mention of being at the endgame suggests significant progress but does not provide specific hour estimates.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Bitburner is a game that becomes highly engaging and addictive after players overcome the initial learning curve and tutorial phase, which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a week.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Completion of the tutorial and initial learning phase
  - Time to anchor: 0h 30m
  - Friction: Steep learning curve for non-programmers; Text-heavy interface; Slow start and initial progression; Confusing or inadequate tutorial
  - Unlock drivers: Completion of the tutorial; Learning and improving scripting skills; Exploring and experimenting with game mechanics; Using external resources and guides
  - Conditions: Familiarity with programming concepts; Patience and dedication to learning; Willingness to seek out external resources and guides; Enjoyment of incremental progression and automation
- Player Archetypes:
  - Code-Optimizing Scripter (buy)
    - Motivation: To apply and improve coding skills in a gaming environment.
    - Playstyle: Writes and optimizes scripts to automate and enhance gameplay.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: programmer; coder
    - Reference games: Hacknet; Cookie Clicker
  - Learning Hacker (buy)
    - Motivation: To learn programming in an engaging and interactive way.
    - Playstyle: Experiments with coding and learns through trial and error.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: beginner; learner
    - Reference games: Hacknet
  - Idle Programming Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: To enjoy the blend of idle gameplay and programming challenges.
    - Playstyle: Balances manual gameplay with scripting to optimize and automate processes.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: idle gamer; strategist
    - Reference games: Cookie Clicker; Hacknet


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:
- Addictive and engaging gameplay (weight 0.67): Many players find the gameplay loop to be incredibly addictive and engaging. The game offers a deep and fun experience that can make players lose track of time.
- Encourages learning and creativity (weight 0.35): The game motivates players to learn coding and automation through creative problem-solving. It encourages building a library of scripts and developing coding skills.
- Open-source and community-driven (weight 0.15): The game is open-source and free, with an extensive community contributing to its development. This aspect is highly appreciated by players.
- User-friendly interface (weight 0.12): The game features a friendly, simple, and intuitive interface that is customizable, making it accessible and enjoyable for players.

Common complaints:
- Not beginner-friendly (weight 0.52): The game requires prior knowledge of JavaScript and programming, making it challenging for beginners to understand and enjoy.
- Poor documentation and tutorials (weight 0.3): The game's documentation and tutorials are unclear and insufficient, leading to confusion and difficulty in understanding the game mechanics.
- Repetitive and boring gameplay (weight 0.27): The gameplay can become repetitive and boring, especially for non-programmers, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
- Poor visual and UI design (weight 0.21): The game's visual design and user interface are lacking, which may deter players seeking richer graphics and a more intuitive layout.
- Scripting issues (weight 0.17): There are various issues with scripting, including errors and scripts disappearing, which can be frustrating for players.
- Lack of audio and music (weight 0.14): The game lacks audio and music, which can make the experience less immersive and satisfying.
- Time-consuming and grindy (weight 0.14): The game requires a lot of time and involves extensive grinding, which may not appeal to all players.
- Lack of proper IDE and debugging (weight 0.12): The in-game IDE is poorly implemented, and the lack of proper debugging tools makes it difficult to write and fix code.
- Language barrier (weight 0.11): The game is entirely in English, which may be difficult for non-English speaking players, and it does not explain much about the language used.
- Slow progression (weight 0.09): The game's progression is slow, which can be frustrating for players looking for a more dynamic experience.
- Lack of rewarding experience (weight 0.09): The game is not very rewarding in the long term, which can lead to a lack of satisfaction and engagement.
- Feels like a second job (weight 0.07): The game's activities and challenges can feel too much like work, which may not be appealing to all players.

Gameplay feedback:
- Scripting and automation mechanics (weight 0.63): The game heavily focuses on writing and using JavaScript scripts to automate tasks, complete complex objectives, and progress through the game. Players can create and customize scripts for various purposes, including hacking and trading.
- Learning and using JavaScript (weight 0.38): The game requires and teaches JavaScript coding, using actual JavaScript for scripting and automation. It serves as an educational tool for learning JavaScript and coding practices.
- Hacking and cybersecurity themes (weight 0.3): The game revolves around hacking functions and cybersecurity, with players engaging in network hacking and various hacking activities. It is a hacker-themed game that involves breaking into networks and exploiting technology.
- Coding skill development (weight 0.28): The game involves coding and helps in developing coding skills through beginner-level coding tasks and educational coding challenges. It includes real-world coding challenges and problem-solving mechanics.
- Incremental progression mechanics (weight 0.21): The game features incremental levels and progression, allowing players to level up and advance through the game mechanics. It combines incremental game style with strategic scripting.
- Terminal-based and minimalist UI (weight 0.15): The game has a terminal-based gameplay interface, resembling a Linux-like terminal. It features a minimalist visual style with a text-based interface.
- Programming puzzles and challenges (weight 0.13): The game features hardcore programming puzzles and challenges, requiring players to solve algorithmic problems and complete coding-based tasks.
- Story and lore elements (weight 0.12): The game includes story lore and progression, adding depth to the gameplay experience. Players can engage with the story as they progress through the game.
- Cyberpunk dystopian setting (weight 0.09): The game is set in a cyberpunk dystopia, featuring themes and elements typical of the cyberpunk genre. It creates an immersive dystopian future environment.
- Stock market and mini-games (weight 0.09): The game includes a stock market mini-game and other features like employment, crime, and Go game mechanics. Players can engage in gaming the stock market as part of the gameplay.

Performance notes:
- Low system requirements (weight 0.13): The game has low PC requirements and runs well on low-end hardware, including almost any computer and macs.
- Game lag issues (weight 0.13): Players have reported various lag issues, including general game lag, slow response in the terminal, and lag in server and GUI prompts. Some players have also mentioned that the game can be made to lag with scripts.
- Smooth console-like experience (weight 0.08): The game offers a smooth and console-like experience on smartphones, enhancing gameplay.
- Game closure issues (weight 0.08): Some players experienced difficulties with closing the game, requiring them to uninstall it to fully close.
- PC control issues (weight 0.04): The game took control of the player's PC for a brief period, which could be concerning for some users.
- Easy crash recovery (weight 0.04): The game allows for easy recovery from crashes, which is a positive aspect noted by players.
- Linux launch issues (weight 0.04): There are native launch issues specifically for Linux users.
- High GPU load (weight 0.04): The game causes the GPU fan to run at full load, which could be a concern for some players.

Recommendations:
- Ideal for coding enthusiasts (weight 0.47): This game is highly recommended for those who enjoy coding, automation, and programming. It is particularly suitable for programmers and those looking to improve their coding skills.
- Highly recommended by players (weight 0.29): Many players highly recommend the game for its engaging and fun experience, especially for those who enjoy logical challenges and complex systems.
- General recommendations (weight 0.2): Many players simply recommend trying the game, indicating a positive reception overall.
- Suitable for specific player types (weight 0.19): The game is recommended for hardcore players, those who enjoy incremental games, and fans of cyberpunk themes. It is also suitable for CS students and IT professionals.
- Comparisons to other games (weight 0.13): Some players compare this game to others like Hacknet, Decker, and Final Fantasy 12, suggesting it for fans of similar genres.
- Language support needed (weight 0.04): Adding support for languages like Russian would be beneficial for a broader audience.

Other player notes:
- Active Discord community (weight 0.04): Several reviews highlighted the presence of an active Discord community. This community is seen as a potential resource for learning REACT.
- ChatGPT assistance mentioned (weight 0.04): Some reviews noted that assistance from ChatGPT was mentioned in the context of the game.

Emotions:
- Enjoyment (weight 0.17): Players enjoy the game's depth and complexity, particularly the coding and automation aspects. The scripting, hacking mechanics, and learning JavaScript are frequently mentioned as enjoyable features. Additionally, players appreciate the game's concept, problem-solving elements, and the ability to play with friends.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.14): Players feel a sense of achievement from progressing in the game, learning JavaScript, and automating tasks. The game's mechanics, educational aspects, and the lack of microtransactions contribute to this satisfaction. Players also appreciate the game's depth, flexibility, and the supportive community.
- Excitement (weight 0.13): Players are excited about learning programming through the game and the realistic hacking experience it provides. The depth and uniqueness of the game, along with the freedom to create and execute scripts, contribute to this excitement. The game's engaging and immersive aspects, as well as the upcoming updates, also generate enthusiasm.
- Frustration (weight 0.12): Players experience frustration due to the game's steep learning curve, poor documentation, and repetitive tasks. Technical issues, unclear tutorials, and the complexity of the game, especially for non-programmers, are significant sources of frustration. Additionally, the grind and repetitive nature of some tasks contribute to this emotion.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.07): Players are enthusiastic about the game's depth, variety of mechanics, and the opportunity to learn and improve JavaScript skills. The game's appeal to programmers, its fun concepts, and the engaging gameplay experience contribute to this enthusiasm. Players also appreciate the game's educational value and real-world applicability.
- Disappointment (weight 0.06): Players feel disappointed due to the lack of meaningful gameplay, artificial progress systems, and the game feeling like a job. The lack of story, repetitive tasks, and the game not meeting expectations contribute to this disappointment. Additionally, bugs and crashes add to the negative experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the game's concept, execution, and educational aspects. The game being free and well-crafted, along with its strong theming and concept, are frequently mentioned. Players also value the game's potential for improving programming skills and the thorough documentation provided.
- Interest (weight 0.03): Players are interested in the game's potential for learning JavaScript and its novel gameplay mechanics. The futuristic use of JavaScript, techy and programming aspects, and the game's ability to spark interest in learning coding are significant factors. The feeling of being part of a digital cybernetic world also contributes to this interest.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Players are surprised by the game's difficulty and the need to study to play it effectively. The rapid leveling and the fact that the game is free also contribute to this surprise. Additionally, the reviewer was pleasantly surprised by the game overall.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Players find amusement in the game's humorous comparisons, anecdotes, and playful code snippets. The cycle of trying to figure out code and giving up, as well as receiving achievements for crashing the game, add to the amusement. The idea of playing Doom within the game is also mentioned as humorous.
- Happy (weight 0.02): Players are happy with the game's fun and engaging nature, which helps develop programming skills. The game's suitability for busy people and its practical application of Python skills contribute to this happiness. Additionally, the enjoyment of the game and the interest shown by family members in learning coding add to the positive experience.
- Gratitude (weight 0.02): Players feel gratitude for the educational value and skill development the game provides. The game being free and helping players get into new hobbies or even jobs are significant factors. Assistance from external resources like ChatGPT also contributes to this gratitude.
- Engagement (weight 0.02): Players are engaged by the game's concept, coding challenges, and distributed computing problem-solving. Character bond events, mysterious storylines, and the gradually increasing difficulty contribute to this engagement. The game's ability to keep players involved and interested is a key factor.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Players feel nostalgia due to the game's ability to refamiliarize them with old code and relearn their own code. The fun coding experience and the desire to replay the game with a fresh perspective contribute to this nostalgia. Leaving CyberSec is also mentioned as a nostalgic element.
- Addiction (weight 0.01): Players find the game addictive due to the continuous opportunity to work on multiple things or optimize automation. Debugging and optimizing scripts, along with the shift into an architect role, contribute to this addiction. The game's addictive gameplay is frequently mentioned as a significant factor.
- Positive (weight 0.01): Players have a positive view of the game due to its high evaluation, educational value, and the fact that it improves with more playtime. The game being an open-source masterpiece and good for learning coding and cybersecurity are significant factors. The overall positive sentiment towards the game contributes to this emotion.
- Approval (weight 0.01): Players approve of the game's ability to develop coding skills and its scripting mechanics. The game is highly recommended to people working in IT, and its cool concepts are frequently mentioned. The game's name and mechanics being fitting also contribute to this approval.}