Info about Ardor:

Official game description:
Slice and dodge your way through a hex grid in this puzzle tactics card game. Avoid danger while dealing damage with the cards on hand, while powering up your deck.  
*   **Turn Based Combat:** Consider enemy attack patterns and decide how to navigate them while lashing out along the way.  
*   **Upgrade _any_ number on _any_ card:** Augment your deck's potential, while leaning into your own playstyle.  
*   **Combine _any_ card with _any_ other card:** Trim and craft your deck. Circumvent limitations of cards by creating your own synergies.  
*   **Handmade Levels:** A roguelike mode of varied scenarios that pose specific strategic questions, but also...  
*   **Endless Levels:** An Endless Mode of randomly generated arenas that scale in difficulty to keep up with your deck.
Join us over on the Discord Server or r/ArdorTactics to discuss suggestions and share feedback!

Release date: May 6, 2022

Categories: Roguelike, Deckbuilding, Hex-based Tactics, Turn-based Tactics, Grid-based Combat, Puzzle Strategy, Card Upgrade System, Free-to-Play


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 2.0h
  - Story completion: 2.0h
  - Session length: 2.3h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The campaign-clear report and the translated normal-mode clear guideline both place main completion at about 2 hours, supporting gameCompletion and storyCompletion at 2 hours. The first-run report of 2.3 hours and the statement about playing for multiple hours at a time support a sessionLength of about 2.3 hours. No quote gives a specific hour figure for Endless Mode or post-campaign content, so endgame is left null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Reviewers frequently call the game addictive, but a recurring counter-report says the fun wears off and it becomes repetitive or boring fairly quickly. The profile is therefore fun-then-drops rather than a delayed click.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Limited total card pool; No way to raise maximum health; No movement cards beyond the starters; Late-game enemies outscale weak cards; Enemy-heavy levels feel tedious; Tutorial could be better constructed
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: Player enjoys strategy games and deckbuilders; Player values immediate addictive gameplay; Player expects an evening or two of play rather than long-term depth; Player prefers shorter, harder runs with meta progression; Player tolerates limited graphics
- Player Archetypes:
  - Tactical Roguelike Deckbuilder Aficionado (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastering tactical, combo-driven deckbuilding combat where well-planned turns let you dominate the board.
    - Playstyle: Plans several turns ahead, exploits card synergies and turn-one combos, and reads enemy intentions to control space.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Inscryption
  - Solo-Dev Indie Supporter (buy)
    - Motivation: Supporting a small independent creator and rewarding craftsmanship, even if content and update pace are limited.
    - Playstyle: Plays through the available content patiently, follows development, and is willing to fund the studio through paid DLC.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Casual Pick-Up-and-Play Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: Quick, low-pressure fun that can be finished in a single short session without deep commitment.
    - Playstyle: Plays in brief runs, learns by trial and error on early attempts, and treats the game as a light minigame.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Content-Hungry Progression Optimizer (buy)
    - Motivation: Getting more content, replayability, and longer-term progression hooks out of a game they already enjoy.
    - Playstyle: Completes the existing content quickly, then pushes for harder scaling, meta progression, more cards, and multiplayer modes.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - 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:
- Overall highly positive reception (weight 0.8): Players consistently describe the game as fun, good, and excellent. This broad satisfaction is echoed across multiple clusters.
- Addictive deckbuilding gameplay (weight 0.55): The game is praised as a well-designed, addictive deckbuilder with satisfying card play. It appeals strongly to fans of strategy and roguelike deckbuilding.
- Enjoyable music and aesthetics (weight 0.5): The music and art style are frequently praised as nice and pleasing. They contribute positively to the overall experience.
- Card upgrade system praised (weight 0.49): The card upgrading mechanic is considered interesting, unique, and addictive. Players enjoy customizing and improving their cards between levels.
- Turn reset enables strategy (weight 0.43): The ability to reset or redo your entire turn is highly valued for strategic planning and freedom. It encourages players to think more about viable moves.
- Satisfying gameplay loop (weight 0.31): The gameplay loop is described as satisfying, relaxing, and fun. Some call it simplistic yet deep, keeping players engaged.
- Custom card crafting is fun (weight 0.25): Players enjoy the ability to craft custom cards by combining aspects and buffing them. This deep customization adds to the game's appeal.
- Replayability is high (weight 0.24): The game offers great replayability, with players enjoying multiple playthroughs. This adds long-term value.
- Intuitive controls and simple mechanics (weight 0.18): Controls are intuitive, making basic mechanics easy to learn. The simplicity combined with fun makes it accessible.

Common complaints:
- Difficulty is unbalanced and unfair (weight 0.75): The game is either too easy or too hard, with no gradual difficulty ramp. Some levels have overwhelming enemies, while upgrades can make it trivially easy.
- Performance issues and crashes (weight 0.68): The game suffers from optimization problems, stuttering, memory leaks, and crashes, especially in later levels or endless mode. Lag increases with many enemies on board.
- Insufficient content and short duration (weight 0.65): Many players report that the game is short, with a limited campaign and not much content overall. Some beat it in 20 minutes, and the lack of material hurts replayability.
- Low card variety and build diversity (weight 0.65): The game has a small card pool, few card types, and very limited build variety. Weak cards clog the deck, and many cards become unusable due to enemy mechanics.
- RNG and card draws cause frustration (weight 0.64): Random card draws and true randomization make the game feel luck-based rather than strategic. Players often die because they cannot get the right movement card or because RNG ruins runs.
- Upgrade system is unbalanced and limited (weight 0.59): Upgrades are too expensive for the power they provide, and the claim that you can upgrade any number is misleading. Some attributes are nearly useless, and max health cannot be raised.
- Enemies are visually indistinguishable (weight 0.59): Enemies are difficult to tell apart without hovering over them, as they all look similar with swirly black and white designs. This makes it hard to identify threats quickly.
- Missing features and poor UI (weight 0.55): The game lacks achievements, Chinese language support, and quality-of-life features. The UI is bland, too dark, and has small unreadable elements.
- Poor onboarding and unclear mechanics (weight 0.52): The tutorial is bare and fails to explain key mechanics like upgrading, merging, and infusion. Players find the game confusing and overwhelming at first.
- Repetitive and boring gameplay (weight 0.52): The game gets repetitive and boring quickly due to a lack of variety in enemies, levels, and cards. Many players lose interest after a short time.
- Shield enemies are frustrating (weight 0.47): Shield Fodder and similar enemies are immune to damage from certain angles, prolonging combat and ruining runs. They appear in large numbers and require specific tactics to defeat.
- Game feels unpolished and abandoned (weight 0.4): The game has many rough edges, bugs, and appears to have been left alone by the developer. It needs more polish, content, and balancing.
- Endless mode lacks variety and issues (weight 0.34): Endless mode is random, lacks fun bosses, and nothing changes after Round 100. It also has crashes and auto-saves without warning.
- Infusion system is awkward and buggy (weight 0.3): The infusion mechanic is unintuitive, restricts which cards can be harvested, and causes cards to shift positions. It also crashed for some players.
- Enemy turns are slow and unobservable (weight 0.23): Later enemy turns take a long time and happen extremely quickly with no option to observe their strategy. This slows down gameplay and frustrates players.
- Lack of story and context (weight 0.09): Players feel the game lacks a story component and would like more context for their actions. The absence of narrative reduces engagement.

Gameplay feedback:
- Free card upgrading mechanic (weight 0.89): Players can freely increase any numerical value on their cards, such as damage, movement, or knockback. This offers deep customization and strategic flexibility.
- Roguelike tactics experience (weight 0.64): The game combines roguelike elements with tactical, turn-based strategy on a hexagonal grid. Runs feel fresh due to randomized encounters and upgrades.
- Hexagonal grid tactical combat (weight 0.49): Battles take place on a hex grid where positioning and directional attacks matter. This adds a layer of spatial strategy to the card play.
- Deckbuilding and drafting (weight 0.49): Players build and customize their decks through drafting and card acquisition. The deckbuilding aspect is central to the roguelike progression.
- Card fusion and infusion (weight 0.18): Cards can be infused into others to transfer attributes or add empty slots for further upgrades. This allows for advanced customization beyond simple stat increases.
- Teeth currency for upgrades (weight 0.18): Teeth collected from defeated enemies are used to upgrade card stats between levels. This provides a meta-progression system within runs.
- Enemy variety and attack patterns (weight 0.17): Enemies have different attack styles, such as shield-giving, area attacks, and ranged attacks. Adapting to these patterns is crucial.
- Survival against enemy onslaught (weight 0.17): The core challenge is to survive waves of enemies by killing them before they kill you. This creates a tense, combat-focused experience.
- Combo system adds depth (weight 0.17): The game features combos that can be triggered by specific card sequences. These allow for powerful chain reactions and strategic planning.
- Visual card presentation (weight 0.15): Cards have distinct names and visual designs that enhance the game's presentation. This adds to the overall theme and immersion.

Performance notes:
- Poor Optimization and Performance (weight 0.45): Many reviewers report that the game is poorly optimized, with lag, stuttering, and high GPU usage even on low-end hardware. Some describe it as unplayable due to performance issues.
- Endless Mode Crash Issues (weight 0.25): Players experienced crashes during long Endless mode sessions, but a fix was released on 05/12/22. This issue was significant enough to be mentioned in multiple reviews.
- Performance Degrades in Later Levels (weight 0.18): As players progress, performance degrades significantly, with frame drops and slowdowns, sometimes becoming negligible but often severe.
- Lag from Enemy Count and Attacks (weight 0.17): Lag is exacerbated by the number of enemies on screen, particularly those with marching circle attacks, which cause more performance issues than other enemy types.
- Runs Well on Low-End Hardware (weight 0.13): Despite widespread optimization complaints, one reviewer reported that the game runs smoothly on their low-end 'toaster' hardware.
- Crash When Using Infusion (weight 0.09): A crash occurred when a player tried out the infusion feature, indicating a potential bug in that specific mechanic.
- Possible Memory Leak (weight 0.09): One reviewer suspected a memory leak, which could contribute to performance degradation over time.

Recommendations:
- Free-to-play makes it worth trying (weight 0.75): Many reviewers emphasize that the game costs nothing, so there is no downside to giving it a shot. They recommend trying it specifically because it is free.
- General recommendation to try it (weight 0.66): A recurring sentiment is a simple encouragement to give the game a try and have fun. Reviewers often say it's worth checking out without giving detailed reasons.
- Support the developer via DLC (weight 0.5): Some reviewers suggest buying the optional DLC or tipping the developer to support the game. They feel the quality justifies optional financial support.
- Good for fans of strategy deckbuilders (weight 0.38): Players who enjoy strategy, deckbuilding, turn-based, or roguelike games are specifically recommended to try it. The game is described as polished and addictive for those genres.
- Appeals to niche audiences (weight 0.34): The game is recommended for specific groups such as indie horror fans, those seeking something unusual and relaxing, or players who enjoy board games like Othello. It also appeals to fans of Inscryption.
- Worth the time investment (weight 0.31): Reviewers state the game is worth spending a few hours on, with 4-5 hours of gameplay already providing good value. It is recommended for a couple of rounds or a few hours.
- Positive overall 10/10 rating (weight 0.09): One reviewer gives a perfect 10/10 score, indicating exceptional satisfaction. This aligns with the overall positive reception.
- Mobile version would be great (weight 0.08): One reviewer notes that the game would work well on mobile devices. This suggests a potential platform expansion that could benefit the game.
- Some players lack replay interest (weight 0.07): A minor point is that at least one reviewer has no plans to play again, indicating limited long-term appeal for some. However, this is not a widespread complaint.

Other player notes:
- Free with Optional Donations (weight 0.75): The game is free-to-play, contains no ads or micro-transactions, and offers an optional way to support the developer through donations or a paid DLC. This pricing model is widely appreciated by players.
- Solo Developer Project (weight 0.42): The game is made by a solo developer, which is evident in its handmade and home-brewed feel. The developer is actively involved in improving the game based on feedback.
- Comparisons to Other Games (weight 0.39): Reviewers compare the game to titles like Inscryption, Slay the Spire, Hoplite, Solium Infernum, Into the Breach, Super Hot, Vampire Survivors, Binding of Isaac, Alina of the Arena, and Othello. These comparisons highlight its gameplay and aesthetic.
- Early Access with Future Plans (weight 0.37): The game is in early access and the developer has plans to add more content, including a more rogue-like system and new mechanics. Players are hopeful for future updates despite expected slow progress.
- Desire for More Content (weight 0.34): Players express a desire for more content, including additional cards, enemies, and game modes. Some suggest a paid version with more volume or a shift away from the card concept.
- Endless Mode and Progression (weight 0.28): The game features an endless mode and a campaign that were merged. Cards can be upgraded using teeth earned from kills, and some players reached high levels in endless mode.
- Suggested Improvements (weight 0.25): Players suggest adding more color, customization options for speed, and a shorter, harder game with meta progression. They also suggest replacing the card concept with character abilities.
- Small Storage and Download Size (weight 0.25): The game takes up very little storage space and has a small download size, making it easy to install and play. This is frequently mentioned as a positive aspect.
- Missing Language Support (weight 0.23): Some players note the absence of Chinese and Russian language support, though the simple English used in the game makes it understandable for non-English speakers.
- No Achievements or Unlockables (weight 0.23): The game currently lacks achievements and unlockables, which some players would like to see added. Comparisons are made to other games with achievement systems.
- Community and Feedback Channels (weight 0.22): There is an official Discord community and a subreddit for feedback, though some players could not find them. The developer is responsive to critiques.
- Worth Trying and Developer Support (weight 0.22): Players find the game worth trying and would try another game from this developer. The developer is still adding new material.
- Proof of Concept Status (weight 0.2): The game is considered a proof of concept, which explains its small size and limited content. It was reviewed before it became a deck-builder.
- YouTube Coverage by Aliensrock (weight 0.13): Some players found the game through Aliensrock on YouTube, who uploaded a video on it.
- Sound Design Disturbing but Positive (weight 0.09): The sound design is described as disturbing in a positive way, adding to the game's atmosphere.
- End Screen and Completion (weight 0.09): There is an end screen that can be reached after a few boss battles, giving players a sense of completion.
- Potential for Multiplayer (weight 0.09): The game is currently single player but has potential for co-op or PvP modes in the future.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.15): Players are frustrated by game balance issues such as overly strong enemies like Shield Fodder and Drynurse, and poor optimization causing lag and stutters. Unclear mechanics, like how long until the last boss or how to upgrade effectively, combined with RNG and lack of build variety, lead to lost runs and a sense of wasted effort.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.14): Players enjoy the creative upgrade system where each number on a card can be upgraded, leading to satisfying combos and strategic depth. The combination of grid-based tactics and card customization, along with engaging enemy designs and atmosphere, makes for a fun and thoughtful experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.12): Disappointment stems from a lack of content and variety, with short campaign length, repetitive enemies, and limited card types. The game feels luck-based and lacks strategic depth, and technical issues like Discord verification bugs further detract from the experience.
- Fun (weight 0.08): The game is genuinely fun, especially when players can abuse mechanics to create powerful decks and grow cards infinitely. The roguelike deckbuilding elements, tactical combat, and build flexibility provide an enjoyable experience, particularly once a good run gets going.
- Appreciation (weight 0.06): Players appreciate the handmade feel of the game, the novel card mechanic, and the ingenious upgrade system. The developer's decision to offer the game for free with a support option, along with high-quality art, sound, and puzzles, earns gratitude and respect.
- Love (weight 0.04): Players love the game's simplicity, beautiful art style, and unique upgrade mechanics like the teeth system. The overall gameplay, card variety, and aesthetic appeal create a strong emotional connection and favorite status for many.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement comes from pulling off crazy combos, turning the tide with mid-wave card earnings, and the potential for endless replayability. Players look forward to future updates and are eager to see how far they can push their strategies.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.04): Satisfaction is derived from brutal yet cartoonish combat, fluid gameplay with impactful sound effects, and a clean upgrade system. The strategic handcrafted levels and quick card-based roguelike loop provide a fulfilling experience.
- Addiction (weight 0.03): The addictive nature of the game comes from upgrading cards between levels and creating overpowered combos. The unexpected pull to keep playing and optimizing builds keeps players coming back for more.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Confusion arises from unclear onboarding for upgrading stats and merging cards, a bare tutorial, and obscure systems like card drafting and infusion. Overwhelming enemy stats and unclear adjacency rules add to the initial bewilderment.
- Relaxation (weight 0.02): Relaxation is found in the meditative gameplay, beautiful visuals, and simple mechanics. Playing through a level or two and slaughtering enemies provides a calming and satisfying loop.
- Mild frustration (weight 0.02): Mild frustration is caused by a dark upgrade screen and hard-to-differentiate enemies, as well as the AI taking a long time to complete its turns. These minor annoyances detract from the overall smooth experience.
- Positive surprise (weight 0.02): Players are positively surprised that the game runs well on low-end hardware and offers much better quality than expected for a free title. This exceeds initial low expectations.
- Challenge (weight 0.02): The game becomes increasingly difficult the longer you play, and endless mode adds randomness that can be quite challenging. This provides a tough but engaging test of skill.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom sets in quickly due to repetitive gameplay and a lack of variety. The game gets stale fast for some players.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement comes from the cool noises when whacking the eyes, adding a quirky and enjoyable element to the combat.
- Calm (weight 0.01): The game is calming initially, offering a peaceful start before ramping up in intensity. This initial calm provides a pleasant entry point.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm is high due to the game's killer combos, strategic depth, and replayability. Players are excited to dive deep into the mechanics and optimize their runs.
- Immersion (weight 0.01): Immersion is so strong that players accidentally play for multiple hours at a time. The game draws them in completely.
- Entertained (weight 0.01): The game is surprisingly entertaining with dopamine-inducing sounds and smooth animations. It keeps players engaged and amused.}