Info about Sanfu:

Official game description:
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About the Game
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**《三伏》**是一款中国本土题材的悬疑剧情解谜游戏。  
2000年，山城市新闻频道的电视画面莫名跳出一则旧广告，而广告的代言人是已经去世的特异功能少年——三眼神童。有传闻三眼神童的亡魂劫持了电视信号。调查局受命展开调查。随着调查的深入，一个藏在黑暗处的犯罪团伙逐渐浮出水面。  
*   这是一个简单而荒诞的故事，故事讲述了一个犯罪团伙如何一步步将一位少年捧上神坛。  
*   这又是一个错综复杂的故事，故事里有迷茫无措的人、信念坚定的人、无知狂热的人、站在风口的人——这是一个时代的缩影。
*   玩家可以扮演两个角色，在不同时代、不同视角下流转，经历光怪陆离的过去和凶险莫测的现在。  
*   同时他们又不是整个故事的主角，故事中大部分角色都很重要，这更像一部时代群像剧。
*   从上世纪宣传画汲取灵感，或阴森怪诞，或绚丽多彩，这是一场怀旧的视觉之旅。  
*   用独特的色调和充满细节感的海报，烘托出相当具有年代感的氛围。朦胧的质感增添了神秘的气息，小店的招牌、茂盛的植物、起伏的台阶与错落的建筑，构建了一个虚构但又离我们很近的神秘山城。
*   谜题与剧情紧密结合，让剧情体验更加有趣。  
*   双主角模式扩展了解谜的可能性，给这个故事增加些许趣味。

Release date: 27 Jul, 2023

Categories: Single-player Story, Puzzle Solving, Illusion-based Gameplay, Perspective-based Puzzles, Time-based Mechanics, Exploration, Psychological Horror, Visual Novel


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


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Compelling and Emotional Story (weight 0.5): Players consistently praise the game's narrative for its depth, emotional impact, and engaging structure. The story is described as well-told, complete, and full of unexpected twists, often leading to strong emotional responses and a lasting impression.
- Stunning Art and Visuals (weight 0.41): The game's art style, visual presentation, and cinematography receive widespread acclaim. Players highlight the significant improvement over previous titles, the unique aesthetic, and the effective use of visuals to enhance storytelling and atmosphere.
- Strong Character Development (weight 0.39): Character development is a strong point, with players particularly praising the depth and memorability of key figures, especially Qiu Wu. Characters are described as well-fleshed out, relatable, and having impactful arcs.
- Immersive Atmosphere and Sound (weight 0.33): The game excels at creating an immersive and atmospheric experience. Players note the effective use of music, sound design, and scene setting to build suspense, evoke emotions, and transport them into the game's world and historical context.
- Subtle Psychological Horror (weight 0.27): The game's approach to horror is appreciated for being subtle and psychological rather than relying on jump scares. Players note that the horror often stems from human nature and societal themes, making it more thought-provoking and less overtly terrifying than its predecessor.
- Accessible and Creative Puzzles (weight 0.25): The puzzles are generally considered accessible and not overly difficult, making the game enjoyable for a wider audience. While not challenging, many players found the puzzle designs to be creative and well-integrated with the story.

Common complaints:
- Inconsistent and illogical plot (weight 0.99): The overarching narrative is widely criticized for being illogical, messy, and inconsistent, especially in its later chapters. Players felt the plot became rushed, forced, and failed to deliver on its initial promise, often resorting to contrived emotional manipulation and leaving many questions unanswered. The story's ambition to blend supernatural and scientific elements, as well as social commentary, was seen as poorly executed, leading to a confusing and unsatisfying experience.
- Forced character deaths (weight 0.66): A significant number of players expressed strong dissatisfaction and anger regarding the deaths of key characters, particularly the female protagonist, Qiu Wu, and Tang Yu. These deaths were frequently described as forced, unnecessary, illogical, and solely designed for emotional manipulation, rather than serving a meaningful narrative purpose. This creative choice led to a sense of betrayal and frustration among players who had grown attached to these characters.
- Weak and unengaging gameplay (weight 0.66): The gameplay experience was largely criticized for being weak, monotonous, and lacking engaging puzzle elements. Many players felt the game resembled a visual novel with minimal interactivity, and the puzzles were often too simple, repetitive, or poorly designed, offering little challenge or enjoyment.
- Poorly integrated supernatural elements (weight 0.62): The game's attempt to blend supernatural elements with scientific explanations, particularly through the 'illusion' mechanic and Buddhist themes, was seen as poorly executed and inconsistent. Players felt these elements were often used as lazy plot devices, lacked clear explanations, and ultimately undermined the game's stated anti-superstition message, leading to a confusing and unsatisfying narrative.
- Underdeveloped characters (weight 0.61): Character development for both protagonists and antagonists was widely criticized as inconsistent, illogical, and underdeveloped. Characters often acted out of character, lacked clear motivations, or felt like mere tools for plot progression, leading to a lack of emotional connection and believability.
- Lacks horror atmosphere (weight 0.59): The game largely failed to deliver on its promise of a compelling horror or suspenseful atmosphere. Many players found it not scary, with the eerie elements diminishing significantly after the initial chapters, leading to a boring or disappointing experience for those seeking a thrilling narrative.
- Inferior to previous game (weight 0.13): Many players felt that the game was significantly inferior to its predecessor, 'Fireworks,' across various aspects including plot, horror atmosphere, puzzle design, and overall emotional impact. This comparison frequently led to disappointment, as players had high expectations based on the previous title.

Gameplay feedback:
- Easy Puzzles, Short Playtime (weight 0.15): Players consistently report that the game's puzzles are very easy, often feeling guided or negligible, making the experience more akin to a visual novel. The overall playtime is also short, typically around 3-4 hours.
- Story-Driven Suspense Thriller (weight 0.03): The game is primarily a story-driven suspense thriller with minimal horror elements, often lacking traditional jump scares. It focuses more on building suspense than delivering outright horror.
- Dual Protagonist, Timelines (weight 0.03): The game features a dual-protagonist system and a fragmented narrative that spans two timelines (1995 and 2000) within the same space, enhancing the storytelling.
- Unique Art Style, Strong Presentation (weight 0.02): The game is praised for its unique art style, camera work, and diverse presentation methods, which effectively serve the narrative.
- Central 'Three-Eyed Child' Plot (weight 0.01): The central plot revolves around the 'Three-Eyed Child' theme, including a robot and a youth potential development center, which is integrated into the game's narrative and visual design.
- Mixed Reception for Film Puzzle (weight 0.01): Player reception to the film development puzzle is mixed; some found it enjoyable and clever, while others found it annoying and tedious to piece together.
- 2D Side-Scrolling Format (weight 0.01): The game utilizes a 2D side-scrolling format within an enclosed planar space, which influences its puzzle design and exploration.
- Real-time Interactive Gameplay (weight 0.01): Gameplay involves continuous real-time interaction with scenes, items, and NPCs, including dialogue, item usage, and puzzle-solving.
- Film Reel Puzzle Mechanic (weight 0.01): A notable puzzle involves switching between film reel scenes and virtual/real views, requiring players to piece together fragmented film segments to arrange characters across different times.
- Specific Environmental Details (weight 0.01): Specific environmental details like a 'Buddha' in the wall, a cable car, a lotus pond, and fish in murals contribute to the game's atmosphere and puzzle elements.
- Illusion-Based Investigation (weight 0.01): The investigation process heavily relies on navigating and solving a strange case amidst multiple illusions and hallucinations.
- Acceptable Plot Quality (weight 0.01): The overall plot is considered acceptable by players, though it did not consistently evoke strong emotional responses.
- Visual Novel-like Experience (weight 0.01): Some players describe the game as feeling more like a visual novel, particularly due to its heavy emphasis on narrative and limited interactive gameplay.
- Single Linear Ending (weight 0.01): The game features a single, linear ending with no branching story paths or alternative outcomes based on player choices.
- Lotus Hotel Puzzle Design (weight 0): The Lotus Hotel puzzle guides players to uncover events through fragmented arrangements, respecting player agency by allowing both direct enumeration and indirect guidance.

Performance notes:
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0): Players are experiencing frequent crashes, especially during critical moments like boss fights or area transitions. This severely disrupts gameplay and leads to frustration, often resulting in lost progress.
- Poor performance and framerates (weight 0): The game suffers from significant performance issues, including low and inconsistent frame rates, even on high-end hardware. This makes the game feel sluggish and unresponsive, detracting from the overall experience.
- Numerous in-game bugs (weight 0): Many players report a variety of bugs, such as characters getting stuck, quests not progressing, and visual glitches. These issues, while not always game-breaking, accumulate to create a less polished experience.
- Clunky user interface (weight 0): The user interface is often described as clunky and unintuitive, particularly for inventory management and menu navigation. This makes basic interactions cumbersome and less enjoyable.
- Unbalanced difficulty spikes (weight 0): Some players feel the game's difficulty is unbalanced, with certain encounters being overly punishing or unfair. This can lead to frustration and a sense of unfairness rather than challenge.
- Multiplayer connectivity issues (weight 0): There are reports of issues with online multiplayer, including connection problems and desynchronization. This hinders the ability to play with friends and enjoy co-op features.
- Lack of new content (weight 0): Players are disappointed with the lack of new content or significant updates since launch. They feel the game has not evolved or addressed core issues, leading to stagnation.
- Review bombing activity (weight 0): A segment of the reviews appears to be part of a coordinated 'review bombing' effort, expressing general negativity without specific, constructive feedback. While noted, these points are given low importance due to their non-constructive nature.

Recommendations:
- Game is Recommended (weight 0.18): Many players found the game to be a worthwhile experience, often recommending it for its story-driven aspects and overall quality, despite some noted flaws. It's considered a strong entry in the domestic puzzle/horror genre.
- Anticipate Future Releases (weight 0.09): Players are highly anticipating future releases from the developer, expressing a desire for continued improvement, especially in plot refinement, and hoping for more engaging and less tragic narratives.
- Not for All Players (weight 0.04): Some players found the game not suitable for their preferences, particularly those seeking deep puzzle mechanics, strong plot logic, or a different type of gameplay experience. This suggests the game has a specific niche audience.
- Buy on Discount (weight 0.03): A significant number of players recommend purchasing the game, but primarily when it's on sale, indicating that the full price might be a barrier or that its value is perceived higher at a discount.
- Compared to 'Fireworks' (weight 0.03): There's a notable comparison to the developer's previous work, 'Fireworks.' Some players prefer 'Fireworks,' while others find 'Sanfu' to be a strong standalone or even superior experience, suggesting a divided opinion on which game is better.
- Desire Multiple Endings (weight 0.02): Players expressed a strong desire for multiple endings, particularly a 'good' ending for characters who meet tragic fates. This suggests dissatisfaction with the current narrative's conclusion and a wish for more player agency or happier outcomes.
- Watch Playthrough Recommended (weight 0.01): Several players suggest that watching a playthrough might be a better alternative to playing the game, especially given its linear, story-focused nature. This implies the interactive elements might not be the primary draw for some.

Other player notes:
- Qiu Wu's Impactful Character Arc (weight 0.12): The character of Qiu Wu is highly praised for her bravery and intelligence, becoming a fan favorite. Her unexpected and tragic death, however, caused significant emotional distress and disappointment among players, leading to strong reactions and discussions about narrative choices.
- Deep, Complex Narrative & Themes (weight 0.12): The game features a complex, multi-layered narrative with a strong focus on human nature, morality, and the interplay between reality and illusion. It delves into themes of good versus evil, the dangers of pseudoscience, and the consequences of greed, with characters driven by their secrets and motivations.
- Short Game Length (weight 0.09): The game's length is generally considered short, with most playthroughs lasting around 4-5 hours. While some found this satisfactory, others felt it was too brief, especially given the full price, and desired more content.
- Unique Player Experience (weight 0.09): For many, this game served as their first experience with a visual puzzle novel on Steam, or a similar genre. It also resonated deeply with some players due to its connection to childhood memories or as a continuation of the developer's previous works.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.21): Players expressed disappointment primarily due to the game's narrative shortcomings, including illogical plot points, rushed and unsatisfying endings, and underdeveloped characters, especially concerning character deaths. Many felt the game failed to live up to the expectations set by its demo or previous titles, with a perceived decline in story quality, lack of meaningful gameplay, and unfulfilled potential.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.21): Players found satisfaction in the game's strong narrative, engaging plot, and well-developed characters, particularly in the early stages. The artistic presentation, including art style, music, and cinematic elements, significantly contributed to a positive and immersive experience, often exceeding expectations.
- Frustration (weight 0.15): Frustration stemmed from the game's narrative choices, particularly the frequent and often illogical character deaths, perceived forced emotional manipulation, and plot inconsistencies. Players also reported frustration with poor controls, repetitive gameplay, and a general lack of originality or innovation in the later parts of the game.
- Sadness (weight 0.07): Sadness was a direct result of the game's tragic story and character fates, especially the deaths of key characters like Qiu Wu. Players were emotionally impacted by the sad and often manipulative endings, leading to feelings of regret and sorrow over the narrative outcomes.
- Admiration (weight 0.05): Admiration was directed towards the game's artistic elements, including its unique art style, music, and cinematography, as well as its bold narrative choices and thematic depth. Players also admired specific character portrayals, particularly Qiu Wu, and the overall quality and effort put into the game's presentation.
- Anger (weight 0.04): Anger arose from the game's perceived poor script and illogical plot decisions, especially the forced and unnecessary deaths of characters, particularly female protagonists. Players felt manipulated by the narrative's attempts to provoke emotional responses and were angered by the perceived unfairness and poor quality of the ending.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): Excitement was generated by the game's overall enjoyable experience, engaging narrative style, and anticipation for future works from the developer. Players were thrilled by plot twists, immersive gameplay, and the potential for continued quality in the studio's releases.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciated the game's aesthetics, unique artistic style, and the developer's dedication to creating a deep and thought-provoking experience. The game's thematic depth, historical setting, and respectful character designs were also highly valued.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion was primarily caused by the game's illogical plot points, unclear narrative transitions between reality and hallucinations, and unresolved mysteries. Players struggled with understanding character motivations, the abruptness of certain character endings, and the overall coherence of the story, especially in later chapters.
- Moved (weight 0.02): Players were deeply moved by the game's emotional story, particularly the impactful character moments and the emotional depth of the narrative. The ending, combined with the background music, often evoked strong emotional responses, including tears.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): Anticipation was focused on the developer's future works, with players expressing a strong desire for more content and continued innovation from the studio. The game's potential for expanding its world-building and narrative universe also fueled this expectation.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy was experienced through the overall enjoyable gameplay, engaging story, and nostalgic visual style. Players found the game to be fun and appreciated its positive atmosphere.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Hope was expressed for the future of domestic games and for improvements in the developer's subsequent works, particularly regarding narrative clarity and character fates. Players also hoped for DLC or a sequel to resolve lingering plot points or provide more satisfying endings.
- Thoughtfulness (weight 0.01): The game prompted thoughtfulness through its deep philosophical themes, complex plot, and nuanced portrayal of good and evil. Players engaged with the game's artistic and narrative techniques, finding intellectual stimulation in its themes of truth, illusion, and redemption.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise arose from unexpected plot twists, sudden character endings, and the game's genre classification. Players were also surprised by the perceived drop in quality after the early chapters and the game's relatively low positive review rate despite its perceived strengths.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): Disgust was directed at specific characters and the narrative's perceived manipulative and illogical plot choices, particularly the unnecessary sacrifices and deaths of characters. Players felt the story attempted to force emotional responses through 'cheap tears' and misrepresented societal issues, leading to a strong negative reaction.
- Engagement (weight 0.01): Players felt engaged by the game's immersive quality, compelling story, and captivating mysteries, especially in the early to mid-game. The strong character development and world-building also contributed to a deeply immersive experience.
- Awe (weight 0.01): Awe was inspired by the game's stunning visual and artistic quality, particularly its cinematic presentation, art direction, and impactful scenes. Players were overwhelmed by the narrative and the effective use of atmosphere and shocking plot points.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom was caused by unengaging gameplay, predictable plot progression, and a perceived lack of interest in the middle section of the game. Some players found the plot devices to be tedious and uninspired.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Regret stemmed from the game's unfulfilled potential, particularly regarding its narrative ambition versus execution, and the handling of character fates like Qiu Wu's death. Players felt a sense of incompleteness and disappointment due to illogical plot points and rushed elements.}