Info about Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance:

Official game description:
  
**Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance** is a **real-time strategy game** based on the Terminator: Dark Fate universe that follows the war between humanity and Legion's synthetic intelligent machine network.  
In the **single-player campaign**, you take the role of a commander in the Founders, a force made up of the remnants of the US military and guide your army in an attempt to foil Legion's plan to exterminate the last remnants of humanity. In skirmish and multiplayer modes, play as three very diverse factions: Founders, Movement and Legion.  
Take control of an army carried over from mission to mission on a series of large strategic maps. Make decisions about unit placement, battle tactics and abilities so that you don’t just survive but can become the leader of the resistance against the machines. Hone your skills and military expertise by replaying and achieving the best possible outcomes.  
**
Dynamic battlefields: realistic tactics and consequences
--------------------------------------------------------
**  
Engage in complex, realistic battles where your **tactical decisions** are vital to your survival and ultimate victory. Use a variety of military equipment, vehicles and ammunition types in your battles against the enemy. Recruit and train new units, assign new skills and acquire new weapons and equipment to continue the resistance.  
Encounter tense battles. Your battlefield tactics and choices have deep consequences that will impact through the campaign, with other factions and characters either joining you or fighting against you, and with certain missions being available or not depending on your actions.  
**Your resources are limited** and you must protect your army. Weapons of war receive damage through a modular component damage system where armour characteristics, component malfunctions and hull structure all affect if your troops survive.  
**
Lead the survival of mankind
----------------------------
**  
Recruit others to your cause and **grow your army**. Mix and match the composition of your troops to fit your preferred battle tactics. Use infantry units, heavy armoured military vehicles, plasma cannon technology, drones and other flying units and even human skirmishers to achieve victory.  
Use the battlefield to your advantage! **Physics-based building demolition** lets you generate a realistic set of tactical consequences, especially in urban areas.  
**
Multiplayer Mayhem: Skirmish and Online Battles
-----------------------------------------------
**  
The excitement amplifies in **skirmish and multiplayer modes**, where **you can play as three distinct factions**: Founders, Movement, and Legion.  
Engage in epic battles across vast strategic landscapes, testing your skills and military expertise. Every decision matters, impacting alliances, missions, and the overall survival of mankind.  
Challenge your skills in skirmish and online multiplayer matches, facing off against AI or real-life human opponents in intense 1v1 and 2v2 battles.

Release date: Feb 21, 2024

Categories: Real-Time Strategy, Tactical Combat, Resource Management, Unit Management, Single-player Campaigns, Multiplayer, Faction System, Mod Support

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 30; verdict: Mixed Reception on DLC Pricing; summary: The reviews present a mixed perspective on the game's DLCs. While some users find the DLCs to be expensive and potentially part of the base game, others express satisfaction with the additional content. The main concern revolves around the pricing and value of the DLCs.
- Steam Deck: score 75; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals several critical issues impacting the user experience. Major concerns include problems with the save system, such as long upload times and equipment restoration issues. Performance and optimization are also notable issues, with users reporting high processor dependency and lack of performance-enhancing features. Compatibility and stability problems, particularly on platforms like Steam Deck, and severe issues post-update, such as crashes and unplayable conditions, are significant barriers. These issues collectively contribute to a high level of friction, requiring considerable tinkering and potentially rendering the game unplayable on certain devices.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $25.00 - $35.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that users find the game worth the price tag, with specific mentions of the game being a good value at around $30. The reviews highlight the amount of content and the overall satisfaction with the purchase, indicating that the community considers the fair base-game price to be around this range.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 20.0h
  - Story completion: 15.0h
  - Session length: 4.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provided includes several mentions of extended play sessions and the time-consuming nature of missions. One user explicitly states that missions can take multiple hours to complete, which directly supports the idea of long playtime hours for game completion. Another user mentions playing for 4-5 hours in a single session, indicating a lengthy session length. Additionally, the mention of a massive sale and extended gaming sessions from childhood to present day suggests a significant investment of time in gaming, supporting the idea of substantial playtime hours.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has a slow and challenging start but becomes significantly more enjoyable as players progress and build their army.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Building and deploying units effectively
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: Slow start; Steep learning curve; Poorly balanced late game; Tedious micromanagement
  - Unlock drivers: Progression through the campaign; Building and managing an army; Engaging mechanics
  - Conditions: Playing on easier difficulty initially; Utilizing the pause button for strategic planning; Focusing on unit management and deployment
- Player Archetypes:
  - Strategic Comparator (buy)
    - Motivation: Strategic depth and realism
    - Playstyle: Compares and contrasts with other strategy games, enjoys deep tactical gameplay.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: strategy gamer; veteran player
    - Reference games: Call to Arms: Gates of Hell; Soldiers of Anarchy; Steel Division; Wargame: European Escalation
  - Enthusiastic Builder (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of game mechanics and army customization
    - Playstyle: Enjoys building and improving armies, finds combat rewarding.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: builder; enthusiast
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Hardcore Strategist (sale)
    - Motivation: Challenge and depth of strategy
    - Playstyle: Seeks challenging and deep strategic gameplay, not suitable for casual players.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: hardcore gamer; strategy veteran
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Critical Newcomer (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Accessibility and user-friendliness
    - Playstyle: Struggles with the game's difficulty and complexity, seeks more accessible gameplay.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: newcomer; 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:
- Highly praised RTS gameplay (weight 0.59): Players consistently highlight the game as an excellent real-time strategy (RTS) experience, praising its gameplay, tactical depth, and overall enjoyment. Many consider it one of the best RTS games in recent years.
- Deep tactical and strategic depth (weight 0.23): The game offers smart tactical depth and a variety of strategic options, making it engaging and challenging for players who enjoy strategic planning and decision-making.
- Great for Terminator fans (weight 0.18): The game is praised for its immersion into the Terminator world, making it a great experience for fans of the Terminator franchise. It is considered one of the best adaptations in the Terminator universe.
- Engaging and detailed story (weight 0.17): The game's narrative and storytelling are frequently commended for being engaging, well-narrated, and of high quality. Players appreciate the dynamic storytelling and good story campaigns.
- Detailed unit management (weight 0.16): Players appreciate the detailed and engaging unit management mechanics, which include deep micromanagement and convenient resource and unit management.
- Outstanding soundtrack and sound effects (weight 0.15): The soundtrack and sound effects are highlighted as outstanding and superb, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and overall experience.
- Well-designed missions (weight 0.12): The mission design is frequently noted as good, satisfying, and varied, providing a unique and enjoyable experience for players.
- Unique gameplay elements (weight 0.12): The game introduces unique concepts and mechanics, including roguelike elements and a mix of RTS and RPG gameplay, providing a fresh and innovative experience.
- Positive reception of DLCs (weight 0.11): The DLCs are praised for their good content and diversity, adding unique and enjoyable experiences to the game.
- High difficulty levels (weight 0.11): Higher difficulties are noted as extremely challenging, providing a tough and unforgiving experience for players seeking a test of their strategic skills.
- Challenging resource management (weight 0.09): Resource management is highlighted as a crucial and challenging aspect of the game, adding to its strategic depth and overall difficulty.
- Wide unit customization (weight 0.08): Players appreciate the wide range of unit customization options available, allowing for detailed and personalized unit management.
- Realistic combat scenarios (weight 0.06): The game features realistic combat scenarios and a realistic combat engine, adding to the overall challenge and immersion.
- Sense of progression (weight 0.06): The game provides a sense of progression through its campaign and unit progression system, keeping players engaged and motivated.

Common complaints:
- Poor AI and pathfinding (weight 0.29): The game suffers from significant issues with AI behavior and unit pathfinding. Players report that AI can be illogical and units often have trouble navigating the environment, leading to frustration and immersion-breaking moments.
- Frustrating mission design (weight 0.14): Some missions are designed in a way that can be very frustrating and not fun for players. High difficulty and frustrating mission failures are common complaints.
- High difficulty and RNG (weight 0.12): The game is noted for its high difficulty, which can be infuriating for some players. The randomness in combat and mission design can make the game feel unfair and frustrating.
- Short campaign length (weight 0.11): Many players find the campaign to be too short with too few missions. This leaves players wanting more content and feeling like the game is lacking in depth and longevity.
- Game-breaking bugs (weight 0.11): There are several game-breaking bugs reported by players, including issues with vehicles and graphical glitches. These bugs can significantly impact the gameplay experience.
- Excessive micromanagement (weight 0.11): The game requires a lot of micromanagement, which can become a chore for players. This can lead to a less enjoyable experience, especially during long missions.
- Long loading times (weight 0.09): Players report that the game has long loading times, which can be frustrating and disrupt the gaming experience. This issue is compounded by performance problems that some players encounter.
- Questionable design choices (weight 0.09): The game has some bizarre and illogical design choices that can be confusing and frustrating for players. These choices can affect gameplay and plot, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
- Weapon accuracy issues (weight 0.08): Players report issues with weapon accuracy, including low accuracy for player weapons and enemies firing through smoke with high accuracy. This can make combat feel unfair and frustrating.
- Save scumming required (weight 0.06): Players often feel the need to save scum to progress in the game. This can be frustrating and detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- UI problems (weight 0.06): The user interface in the game is often criticized for being unclear and unhelpful. This can make it difficult for players to navigate and enjoy the game.

Gameplay feedback:
- RTS and wargame hybrid (weight 0.24): The game combines real-time strategy (RTS) with wargame elements, including RPG depth, logistics, and resource management. It also features real-time tactics with a focus on unit management and survival.
- Varied mission design (weight 0.16): The game features a variety of mission types with complex objectives and design. Missions offer variability and strategic challenges.
- Campaign and multiplayer modes (weight 0.14): The game offers a campaign mode with mission-based gameplay and strategic objectives. It also includes a multiplayer mode and a conquest mode available as DLC.
- Strategic unit management (weight 0.1): The game features strategic unit management mechanics, including unit micromanagement, customization, and movement planning. Units have specific purposes and logistical costs.
- Supply system management (weight 0.1): The game includes a supply system that players must manage, including maintaining supply lines and using supply vehicles for resupply.
- Tactical and turn-based strategy (weight 0.09): The game blends tactical and turn-based strategy elements, including a tactical map and realistic combat mechanics. It is described as a tactical-RTS genre.
- Customizable difficulty (weight 0.09): The game offers difficulty scaling and customization, allowing players to adjust the difficulty to their preference. This includes custom difficulties and difficulty adjustments.
- Ammo and fuel limitations (weight 0.09): Players must manage finite ammo and fuel resources, adding a layer of strategic planning and resource management.
- Unit customization and upgrades (weight 0.08): Players can customize and upgrade units, including vehicles and armaments. This feature allows for unit progression and strategic planning.
- Strategic decision-making (weight 0.08): The game emphasizes strategic decision-making, offering players freedom of choice in progression and combat. This includes design decisions and strategic thinking.
- Line-of-sight mechanics (weight 0.08): The game utilizes line-of-sight mechanics, allowing players to use terrain and visibility for tactical advantage. This includes map visibility and strategic planning.
- Faction-specific gameplay (weight 0.08): The game involves multiple playable factions, each with specific issues and modules. Players can engage in multi-faction battles.
- Realistic combat mechanics (weight 0.07): The game features realistic combat mechanics, including a realistic damage model and tactical gameplay. This adds to the overall realism and strategic depth.
- Building cover mechanics (weight 0.06): Players can use buildings as cover, ordering units to garrison buildings and set up perimeters. This adds a tactical layer to the gameplay.
- Army management (weight 0.05): Building and managing an army is a significant part of the game. Players must build up their army and manage resources and units.
- AI and unit behavior (weight 0.05): The game features realistic unit behavior and AI, including aircraft AI. This enhances the overall realism and strategic depth.
- Unit deployment strategies (weight 0.05): Players can deploy units with specific specializations and strategies. This adds a layer of tactical planning and execution.
- Varied unit types (weight 0.05): The game offers a variety of troops and vehicles with specific roles and abilities. This adds strategic depth and tactical planning.
- Roguelike elements (weight 0.05): The game includes roguelike elements, featuring RNG-based combat and gameplay mechanics. This adds variability and replayability.
- Squad-level management (weight 0.05): The game features squad-level management, including squad customization and tactical planning. This adds a layer of strategic depth.
- Mod support (weight 0.05): The game offers mod support, allowing players to improve and customize their gameplay experience through mods.
- Branching narrative (weight 0.05): The game includes a decision-based story with branching paths and multiple objectives. This adds replayability and narrative depth.
- Unit pathfinding mechanics (weight 0.05): The game features unit pathfinding mechanics, including nav meshing for units and boarding mechanics. This adds a layer of tactical planning.

Performance notes:
- Long loading times (weight 0.17): Many players report excessively long loading times for maps, saved games, and general gameplay. This issue is particularly noted even on high-end hardware with SSDs.
- Performance issues on high-end hardware (weight 0.1): Players with high-end hardware report poor performance, including stuttering, frame drops, and long loading times. This suggests issues with optimization and single-core usage.
- Graphical glitches and bugs (weight 0.08): Various graphical glitches and bugs have been reported, including shadow flickering, dated graphics, and invisible walls. These issues affect the visual quality and gameplay experience.
- Compatibility issues (weight 0.05): There are compatibility issues with specific hardware, including ultra-wide monitors. However, some players report flawless performance on Linux.
- Network and connectivity problems (weight 0.04): Some players have experienced network connectivity problems and long cloud save upload times, which can hinder the gaming experience.
- Large save files (weight 0.02): Save files are reported to be very large, which can be inconvenient for players with limited storage space.
- Pathfinding and map geometry bugs (weight 0.02): There are bugs related to pathfinding and map geometry, which can affect gameplay mechanics and player movement.
- Sound effects need improvement (weight 0.02): The sound effects in the game are noted to need improvement, which can affect the overall immersion and gaming experience.
- Good graphics/performance balance (weight 0.02): Despite some issues, there is a good balance between graphics and performance, providing a visually appealing experience without overly taxing the system.
- Lag during mission checkpoints (weight 0.02): Players experience lag during mission checkpoints, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay and cause frustration.
- FPS issues during large battles (weight 0.02): There are significant FPS issues during large battles, which can affect the gameplay experience and make it difficult to enjoy the game.
- Game bugs affecting gameplay (weight 0.02): Various bugs have been reported that affect gameplay, causing disruptions and frustration for players.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended for RTS fans (weight 0.23): The game is frequently recommended for fans of real-time strategy (RTS) games, particularly those who enjoy challenging and strategic gameplay. It is also suggested for fans of the Terminator saga and experienced players willing to learn complex mechanics.
- Worth the purchase (weight 0.13): Many reviews indicate that the game is well worth buying, especially for those who enjoy the genre. It is often recommended as a definite purchase for fans of strategy games.
- Suggested improvements and additions (weight 0.12): Players have suggested various improvements such as adding cooperative gameplay with friends, more missions, units, and customization options. Adjusting difficulty settings and reviewing mission timelines are also mentioned.
- Mods enhance gameplay (weight 0.09): The Terminator Overhaul Mod is frequently mentioned as a way to enhance gameplay. Players also suggest checking for mods online to improve the gaming experience.
- Consider buying on sale (weight 0.08): Some reviews recommend picking up the game when it is on sale or available in a bundle. It might be worth it on a deep discount for those who are unsure about the full price.
- DLCs are worth it (weight 0.08): Several reviews mention that the downloadable content (DLC) for the game is worth purchasing. Players express satisfaction with the DLCs and plan to buy more.
- Recommended for veterans (weight 0.06): The game is recommended for veteran players who are likely to find it fun and challenging. It may not be as enjoyable for casual players or those new to the genre.
- Similar games recommended (weight 0.05): Reviews mention other games like Terminator: Resistance for a similar atmosphere and gameplay. Fans of specific RTS games and the Terminator franchise are likely to enjoy this game.

Other player notes:
- Add tank gun slot to Striker (weight 0.02): Players have requested the addition of a slot for a tank gun on the Striker vehicle. This suggests a desire for more customization or firepower options.
- Mission example with Balzano (weight 0.02): There is a mention of a specific mission involving Balzano. This could indicate a notable or particularly interesting mission that players are discussing.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.33): Players are frustrated by a multitude of issues including game mechanics, bugs, and high difficulty. Specific causes include game-breaking bugs, unbalanced combat mechanics, poor AI pathfinding, and frequent crashes. Additionally, the lack of mission information, chaotic mission scripts, and the need for excessive micromanagement contribute to this frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.18): Players enjoy the game's strategic depth, tactical gameplay, and unit customization. The campaign, story-telling, and overall gameplay experience are also highly praised. Despite some issues, the engaging and fun gameplay mechanics, along with the game's visuals and explosions, contribute to a positive experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.13): Players are excited about the game's innovative and immersive gameplay mechanics, detailed unit customization, and engaging missions. The game's atmosphere, tactics, and storyline, along with the anticipation of upcoming DLCs and conquest mode, add to the excitement.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Players find satisfaction in the game's combat system, strategic depth, and unit management mechanics. The detailed and realistic gameplay, along with the engaging story and varied mission design, contribute to a rewarding experience. The game's upgrades, DLC content, and overall solid mechanics are also highly satisfying.
- Disappointment (weight 0.08): Players express disappointment due to various gameplay issues, lack of features, and unmet expectations. Specific causes include poor mission design, AI behavior issues, performance problems, and lack of traditional base building. Additionally, the game's high difficulty and frustrating mechanics contribute to this disappointment.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.03): Players are enthusiastic about the game's deep mechanics, immersive Terminator universe, and engaging gameplay. The strategic depth, realistic difficulty, and detailed unit management contribute to a highly positive experience. The game's graphics, mechanics, and campaign are also praised.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Players appreciate the game's unique gameplay mechanics, detailed map design, and challenging gameplay. The strategic depth and presentation, along with the game's mechanics, are highly valued.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players love the game's difficulty and rewarding gameplay. The building cover mechanics and combat, along with the game's mission duration, contribute to a highly enjoyable experience.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Players are happy with the overall gameplay experience, finding it interesting and fun. The enjoyment of gameplay mechanics and overall satisfaction with the game contribute to this happiness.
- Hopeful (weight 0.01): Players are hopeful for the future development of the game, including more DLCs or sequels. Suggestions for new gameplay features and hopes for more add-ons contribute to this hopefulness.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Players are angry due to poor troop movement mechanics, confusing mission objectives, and game bugs. The poor gameplay mechanics and mission design, along with the game's difficulty and bugs, contribute to this anger.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players are surprised by the innovative time travel mechanic and the positive experience with the game's systems. Discovering the game and its unique features contribute to this surprise.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Players feel nostalgic as the game reminds them of 90s gaming and specific mechanics from classic games like Soldiers of Anarchy and Company of Heroes.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Players are anticipating the release of new DLCs and looking forward to finishing the game. The eagerness to play the DLCs and the anticipation of the Conquest map DLC contribute to this feeling.
- Annoyance (weight 0): Players are annoyed by the cracks in the game that bring more annoyance than fun. The annoying voice of the character and the name 'X-Force' contribute to this annoyance.
- Joy (weight 0): Players find joy in the game despite its difficulties. The enjoyment of finding tanks and units in missions contributes to this joy.
- Excited (weight 0): Players are excited about the enjoyable gameplay and tank management. The intense and enjoyable gameplay experience contributes to this excitement.
- Pleased (weight 0): Players are pleased with the great reviews and enjoyable gameplay. The game's delivery of a Terminator experience contributes to this pleasure.
- Caution (weight 0): Players are cautious due to the game's difficulty for new players. The high learning curve and complex mechanics contribute to this caution.
- Panic (weight 0): Players experience panic due to losing a significant number of soldiers and units on their first playthrough. The high stakes and difficulty contribute to this panic.}