Info about Echo Point Nova:

Official game description:
From the team that brought you Severed Steel, dive into a vast open-world FPS designed for both solo and 4-player cooperative play!  
You play as an explorer with exceptional combat skills who crash-lands on a mysterious planet. This planet is dominated by a ruthless mercenary force exploiting ancient technology to craft devastating weapons. Pursue the main quest to dismantle their operations, or explore the world at your own pace!
Explore a Seamless Open World
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Every distant vista is within reach. Traverse a completely seamless world using your grapple hook, hoverboard, and a variety of unlockable powers.  
Epic Battles and Colossal Bosses
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Embark on a main quest to encounter towering colossi or stumble upon these foes during your explorations. Battle against diverse enemy classes such as pyromancers launching area attacks, elusive sappers planting turrets, and helicopters raining down rockets.  
Flexible Singleplayer and Co-op Gameplay
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Jump into cooperative play from the start with no mandatory tutorials. Progress on the same save whether in solo or co-op mode, and tailor individual difficulty settings within the same multiplayer session. Note: Co-op play is supported through Steam Friends invites (random matchmaking is not available).  
Unlock Secrets and Power-Ups
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Echo Point Nova is filled with hidden weapons, character enhancements, and stylish cosmetics. Collect agility orbs to enhance your mobility, and unlock weapon attachments by racking up kills.  
An Accessible Game
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Echo Point Nova's default settings and recommended difficulty are pretty hard core! But there's loads of options for all players to set things up the way they like.
A Growing Game
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Our last game, Severed Steel, received new game modes, weapons, maps, and more for many months after launch. We pay lots of attention to our community and plan on a steady flow of content, quality of life improvements, and gameplay tweaks. Join our Discord or post in the Steam community to get in on the action!

Release date: Sep 24, 2024

Categories: First-Person Shooter, Open-World Exploration, Character Progression, Cooperative Multiplayer, Movement-based Combat, Destruction Mechanics, Boss Fights

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 20; verdict: Mixed Pricing Sentiment; summary: The analysis of user reviews reveals a mixed sentiment regarding the game's pricing. While some users find the game overpriced, others believe the price is fair considering the content offered. There is also a notable willingness among users to pay for additional DLC content, indicating a positive reception to potential future monetization through DLC. Overall, the game's pricing is a significant point of discussion among users.
- Proton/Linux: score 10; verdict: Works Well; summary: The game generally runs well on Linux and Steam Deck with positive feedback on performance and compatibility. However, there are occasional reports of frame dips and significant FPS drops on lower-end hardware like the Steam Deck, indicating some performance issues.
- Steam Deck: score 70; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant issues with game launch and stability, controller and UI support, and performance variability on the Steam Deck. While there are some positive aspects related to gameplay mechanics, the overall experience is marred by these technical barriers.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: The game performs well across most hardware cohorts, with positive feedback even on lower-end systems. Only the <8GB VRAM cohort shows mixed results due to limited data.
  - Sample size: 45 (2% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (positive, 14 reports): The game runs well on this hardware.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (positive, 11 reports): The game is well-optimized and runs surprisingly well even with raytracing.
  - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (positive, 10 reports): The game performs well on this hardware.
  - Caveats: 45 of 2070 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows that while some users find the game worth the full price of $25, a significant number of reviews suggest that the game is more appropriately priced around $15, especially when on sale. Many users mention that the game is worth picking up at a discounted price, indicating that the community generally finds the game more valuable at a lower price point. The sentiment leans towards the game being a better value at around $15 rather than the full $25.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 12.0h
  - Story completion: 12.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides direct statements about the playtime required to complete the main campaign and the overall game. The quotes indicate that the main story can be completed in around 10-14 hours, while full completion, including side content and collectibles, takes approximately 12 hours. Session length and endgame content are not explicitly mentioned, so those fields are marked as null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game's fun is anchored on mastering the movement mechanics, particularly the hoverboard and grappling hook, which unlock a more dynamic and engaging gameplay experience.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Mastering movement mechanics
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: Initial difficulty in mastering movement mechanics; Learning curve for hoverboard and grappling hook
  - Unlock drivers: Upgrades that enhance movement capabilities; Perks that improve mobility
  - Conditions: Player skill level; Effective utilization of movement mechanics
- Player Archetypes:
  - Speed Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: The thrill of high-speed movement and exploration.
    - Playstyle: Focuses on mastering movement mechanics and exploring the game world at high speeds.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Movement enthusiast; Speedrunner
    - Reference games: Titanfall; Mirror’s Edge
  - Combat Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: The depth and variety of combat mechanics.
    - Playstyle: Focuses on mastering different weapons and perks, and strategizing combat scenarios.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: FPS veteran; Tactician
    - Reference games: Titanfall; Doom Eternal
  - Value-Conscious Gamer (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoying the game while considering its value for money.
    - Playstyle: Casual or varied, often plays during sales or with friends.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Casual gamer; Bargain hunter
    - Reference games: None specifically mentioned


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 movement and shooting mechanics (weight 0.96): The game is praised for its outstanding movement and shooting mechanics, which are described as fluid, satisfying, and well-executed. Players appreciate the unique and smooth movement, making it a standout feature.
- Open-world exploration (weight 0.24): The game offers open-world exploration with various biomes and floating islands, providing players with a large and addictive world to explore. This feature is well-received and adds depth to the gameplay.
- Variety of weapons and upgrades (weight 0.22): The game features a wide variety of weapons and upgrades, providing players with numerous options for combat. This variety keeps the gameplay fresh and entertaining.
- Great soundtrack and sound design (weight 0.16): The game features an amazing soundtrack and good sound design, which are highlighted as strong points. The music and sounds contribute positively to the game's atmosphere.
- High-quality graphics and visuals (weight 0.16): The game is noted for its good graphics and beautiful visuals, which enhance the overall gaming experience. Players appreciate the pleasant and stunning graphics.
- Engaging boss fights and challenges (weight 0.13): The game includes well-designed boss fights and engaging challenges, which are highlighted as enjoyable and rewarding aspects of the gameplay.
- Huge amount of content (weight 0.1): The game is packed with a lot of quality content, providing players with plenty of gameplay hours and a variety of activities to enjoy.
- Destructible environments (weight 0.1): The game features fully destructible environments, adding a layer of chaos and versatility to the combat. This feature is appreciated by players for its impact on gameplay.
- Free expansion with new content (weight 0.1): The game came with a free expansion that includes new content, which is appreciated by players as it adds value and extends the gameplay experience.

Common complaints:
- Weak and unengaging story (weight 0.22): The story is often cited as a weak point, described as simplistic, lacking depth, and sometimes even terrible.
- Limited enemy variety (weight 0.21): Players frequently mention that the game suffers from a lack of diverse enemy types, leading to repetitive and uninteresting encounters.
- Performance issues (weight 0.16): The game suffers from various performance issues, including framerate drops, crashes, and minor bugs.
- Underwhelming boss battles (weight 0.14): Boss battles are frequently criticized for being mediocre, uninteresting, and sometimes frustrating.
- Repetitive gameplay elements (weight 0.13): The game is criticized for being repetitive in various aspects, including arenas, encounters, and mission structure.
- Boring and repetitive visuals (weight 0.11): The visuals are often described as boring and lacking variety, contributing to a less engaging experience.
- Poor map design (weight 0.11): The map design is criticized for being lacking, spread out, and sometimes feeling unpolished or janky.
- Aiming and localization issues (weight 0.07): Players report problems with aiming, including poor localization and issues with hitting targets.
- Unfinished and lacking DLC (weight 0.07): The free DLC provided is often seen as unfinished and not meeting player expectations.
- Poor user interface (weight 0.05): The UI is described as basic, sloppy, and incomprehensible, lacking any art style.
- Short campaign length (weight 0.05): Players note that the campaign is relatively short, which may affect the overall value of the game.
- Feels like a tech demo (weight 0.05): The game is sometimes described as feeling more like a tech demo than a fully realized game.
- Disappointing endgame (weight 0.05): The endgame is described as bloated and disappointing, affecting the overall satisfaction with the game.
- Multiplayer connection issues (weight 0.05): There are reports of connection issues and problems with multiplayer functionality.
- Frustrating enemy scaling (weight 0.05): Enemy scaling can be frustrating and overwhelming, affecting the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Texture and graphical issues (weight 0.05): There are reports of misplaced textures and texture seams on terrain, contributing to visual issues.
- Difficulty issues (weight 0.05): The difficulty ramp-up is noted to be rough and can take time to adjust to.
- Enemies teleporting and respawning (weight 0.05): Enemies are criticized for teleporting in and respawning quickly, which can be frustrating for players.
- Clunky swimming mechanics (weight 0.05): The swimming mechanics are often described as feeling clunky and off.
- Motion sickness concerns (weight 0.05): Some players experience motion sickness while playing the game.
- Unbalanced roguelike mode (weight 0.05): The roguelike mode is criticized for feeling unbalanced and sometimes too easy.
- Bullet time issues (weight 0.05): The bullet time feature is criticized for being too short, and the bullet speed is noted to be too slow.
- Lack of variety in music (weight 0.05): The music is criticized for lacking variety, contributing to a less engaging experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Unique movement mechanics (weight 0.3): Players can utilize a hoverboard and grappling hook for movement, along with other mechanics like air jumping and wall-grinding.
- Open-world exploration focus (weight 0.23): The game features an expansive open-world design with various biomes, islands, and parkour elements, encouraging exploration and puzzle-solving.
- High-quality gameplay (weight 0.22): The gameplay is described as very good, amazing, well-polished, powerful, and fast-paced, with smooth and responsive controls.
- Fast-paced FPS gameplay (weight 0.2): The game is a fast-paced, seamless open-world FPS with high-speed action and dynamic arena shooter elements, similar to Titanfall.
- Variety of weapons (weight 0.14): The game offers a wide range of weapons, upgrades, and attachments, providing players with diverse combat options.
- Engaging enemy design (weight 0.11): Enemies are well-designed and varied, contributing to fun and challenging gunplay.
- Interesting abilities (weight 0.1): The game includes a variety of interesting abilities and upgrades, such as elemental abilities and time slowdown.
- Detailed shooting mechanics (weight 0.09): The shooting mechanics include features like headshots and ballistics, adding depth to the gunplay.
- Arena battles (weight 0.08): The game includes custom arenas and combat arenas for battling enemies, adding variety to the gameplay.
- Adjustable difficulty settings (weight 0.08): Players can adjust the difficulty settings and use gameplay modifiers to tailor the gaming experience to their preferences.
- Aerial combat maneuvers (weight 0.08): The game features flips, aerial maneuvers, and a seamless blend of gunfights and aerial acrobatics.
- Multiplayer and co-op modes (weight 0.08): The game offers online co-op mode and various multiplayer modes for cooperative gameplay.
- Unique boss fights (weight 0.08): The game includes unusual and great set-piece bosses, providing challenging and memorable encounters.
- Flow-state-like gameplay (weight 0.06): The gameplay is designed to induce a flow-state, with momentum-based mechanics that keep players engaged.
- Customization options (weight 0.06): Players can customize their weapons and upgrades, adding a layer of personalization to the gameplay.
- Destructible environments (weight 0.06): The game features destructible terrain and environments, adding a dynamic element to the gameplay.
- Post-game and additional content (weight 0.06): The game offers post-game content, DLC, and a new game plus mode, extending the gameplay experience.
- Roguelite mode (weight 0.06): The game includes a roguelite mode with customization options, providing a unique and challenging gameplay experience.

Performance notes:
- Good optimization (weight 0.25): The game is well-optimized and runs smoothly on various hardware configurations, including lower-end systems. Many players report high frame rates and minimal performance issues.
- Glitches and bugs (weight 0.22): Various glitches and bugs are reported, including clipping through walls, animation glitches, and minor bugs. Some bugs require restarting the game to fix.
- Frequent crashes (weight 0.13): The game crashes frequently for some players, including crashes on launch and during gameplay. This issue is severe enough to make the game unplayable for some.
- Raytracing performance issues (weight 0.13): Raytracing features cause significant performance drops, including FPS issues and stuttering. Some players report that frames drop considerably when raytracing is enabled.
- Performance stutters (weight 0.12): Players experience stutters and performance dips, especially when traversing the world or with specific settings enabled. Some stutters can be fixed by adjusting game settings.
- Infinite loading screen (weight 0.07): Players experience an infinite loading screen upon first spawn and respawning, which can disrupt gameplay. This issue is notable and affects the overall gaming experience.
- Compatibility with different systems (weight 0.07): The game works well on various platforms, including the Steam Deck and Linux. It runs smoothly on midrange hardware and maintains high performance.
- Multiplayer and latency issues (weight 0.07): Players experience latency and ping issues, as well as crashes when joining a friend's session. These issues affect the multiplayer experience.
- Shader compilation suggestion (weight 0.03): Players suggest that the game should have a shader-compiling step before loading in to improve performance and reduce stutters.

Recommendations:
- Great for movement FPS fans (weight 0.16): The game is particularly recommended for fans of movement-based first-person shooters.
- Highly recommended game (weight 0.15): Many players strongly recommend the game to a wide audience, emphasizing its high quality and appeal.
- Worth the price (weight 0.11): Players feel the game is worth its price, indicating good value for money.
- High praise for gameplay (weight 0.11): Players describe the game as one of the best modern shooters, emphasizing its action-packed and enjoyable gameplay.
- Similar to popular shooters (weight 0.11): The game is recommended for fans of specific popular shooters like Severed Steel, Titanfall, and Apex Legends.
- Fun with friends (weight 0.07): The game is recommended for playing with friends, suggesting it has good multiplayer or cooperative features.
- Good for stress relief (weight 0.05): The game is great for letting off steam and having fun without taking it too seriously.
- Recommended for specific fanbases (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for fans of specific genres or other games, such as voidbreaker and those who enjoy fast movement shooters.
- Good for achievement hunters (weight 0.03): The game is recommended for players who enjoy achieving goals and speedrunning.
- Interesting and engaging (weight 0.03): The game has interesting scenes that justify the time spent playing it.
- Improves reflexes and speed (weight 0.03): Playing the game can help sharpen reflexes and increase speed, making it beneficial for skill development.
- Encourages trying the game (weight 0.03): Players encourage others to try the game, indicating it has broad appeal and is worth experiencing.
- Demo available (weight 0.03): The game offers a demo that is a good representation of the full game, allowing players to try it before purchasing.
- Nominate for GOTY 2024 (weight 0.03): Some players believe the game is worthy of being nominated for Game of the Year 2024, indicating high regard for its quality.
- OST DLC recommended (weight 0.03): Players recommend buying the OST DLC, suggesting the game's soundtrack is a notable feature.
- Suggested improvements (weight 0.03): Players suggest adding PvP and a Risk of Rain style mode, indicating areas for potential improvement or expansion.
- Niche appeal for music editors (weight 0.02): The game is recommended for those who enjoy editing lyrics or phonk, indicating a niche appeal.

Other player notes:
- Early Access and DLC mentions (weight 0.05): Players noted that the game is in Early Access and mentioned DLCs. These points are related to the game's development stage and additional content.
- Suggestions for game improvements (weight 0.03): Players suggested adding an in-game download system and leaderboards for workshop content. These features could enhance the game's community and competitive aspects.
- Request for new weapons (weight 0.03): Players expressed a desire for new weapons, specifically mentioning the addition of a sword in the next game. This suggests a demand for more variety in combat options.

Emotions:
- Excitement (weight 0.25): Players are thrilled by the game's high-speed movement mechanics, fluid combat, and unique weapons. The combination of adrenaline-filled action, chaotic arena battles, and the freedom of movement creates a highly engaging and exhilarating experience.
- Joy (weight 0.11): The game brings joy through its fun and engaging gameplay mechanics, including fluid movement, enjoyable gunplay, and immersive mechanics. The pleasant music, beautiful graphics, and overall positive vibe contribute to a delightful experience.
- Frustration (weight 0.1): Players experience frustration due to various bugs, performance issues, and unbalanced mechanics. Difficulties with certain game areas, repetitive mission structures, and awkward movement mechanics also contribute to this frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): The game provides enjoyment through its fun movement and gunplay mechanics, chaotic and high-speed combat, and the freedom to explore a large open world. The variety of weapons, addictive gameplay, and beautiful terrain enhance the overall experience.
- Excited (weight 0.08): Players are excited by the fast and fluid movement mechanics, engaging combat systems, and the overall positive gameplay experience. The anticipation for future updates and sequels, along with the enjoyable movement-based gameplay, adds to the excitement.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): The game offers satisfaction through its smooth and enjoyable movement and gun mechanics, high-quality gameplay loop, and variety in environments. The sense of achievement from beating the game and the overall engaging mechanics contribute to a satisfying experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.05): Players feel disappointed due to the game's lack of variety in weapons and levels, short length, and lack of polish. The repetitive and uninteresting enemies, along with the feeling that the game is unfinished, contribute to this disappointment.
- Satisfied (weight 0.04): Players are satisfied with the game's movement mechanics, enjoyable gameplay experience, and progression systems. The intuitive gameplay and lovely aesthetic, along with the positive aspects of gunplay and movement, contribute to a satisfying experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the game's consistent post-launch support, developer updates, and the combination of gameplay elements. The buttery smooth movement and gunplay, along with the incredible free expansion, contribute to a sense of appreciation.
- Positive (weight 0.02): Players have a positive experience with the game's enjoyable gameplay and music, despite some performance issues. The overall experience, including the gameplay elements and performance, contributes to a positive feeling.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): The game evokes nostalgia by reminding players of classic games like Titanfall 2, UT2k3, UT2k4, and Quake CPMA. The romantic final boss level and the recreation of feelings from watching TF2 rocket jump highlight reels contribute to this nostalgic experience.
- Frustrated (weight 0.02): Players feel frustrated due to the rogue mode and performance issues, including frequent crashes and lag. The progress reset in the expansion and lack of attention and guides also contribute to this frustration.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players are enthusiastic about the game's good movement, shooting, and customization, along with the enjoyable gameplay mechanics. The overall positive experience and the unique soundtrack contribute to this enthusiasm.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Players find amusement in the game's unique mechanics and PvP incidents. The fun and engaging gameplay elements contribute to an entertaining experience.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Players are happy with the game's updates and content, finding it very good at what it does. The unique atmosphere and the overall fun experience contribute to this happiness.
- Happy (weight 0.01): Players are happy with the overall gameplay experience, enjoying the smooth gunplay and fun campaign. The unique and enjoyable experience contributes to this happiness.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Players feel disappointed due to the negative experience with the game and the lack of a strong visual identity. The gameplay mechanics and overall experience contribute to this disappointment.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players are surprised by the positive unexpected experiences and gameplay events. The unique and engaging mechanics contribute to this sense of surprise.
- Mixed (weight 0.01): Players have mixed feelings due to the positive aspects of the gameplay but also have several criticisms. The detailed feedback on gameplay and the story's shortcomings contribute to these mixed emotions.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players express deep love for the game and its mechanics, appreciating the overall experience and gameplay elements. The combination of discovery, movement, and FPS action contributes to this love.}