Info about Judero:

Official game description:
**Judero** is an action/ adventure game inspired by the rich folk history of the Scottish Borders. You play as Judero, a Celt who can establish a rapport with the nature around him. Travel with Judero through a handcrafted landscape as he discovers there is an evil at work manipulating the unguarded.  
*   **Fast and Fluid Combat.** Strike, and dodge your way through a myriad of foes culminating in exciting and unique boss challenges.  
*   **Possess Enemies.** Take on the form of lesser creatures to greatly expand your abilities. Use these enchanted minions in combat and to solve puzzles.  
*   **A Rich Text System.** Discover the world of **Judero** through branching dialogues and pithy, aphoristic NPCs.  
*   **Mini Games.** Through your adventures you will encounter a number of diverse Mini Games with differing mechanics and visual styles. Mini games also vary the pace of the game and allow us to explore other narrative tangents.  
*   **Rewarding Exploration.** There are many secrets and discoveries to find as you roam through the world of **Judero**. From collectables and pick-ups to whole optional story-lines and more.  
**Judero** is made from handcrafted objects and bespoke figurines, animated in the stop-motion tradition. For us, this art style invokes something nostalgic; in part comical but perhaps a little bit creepy too. These real life elements are then rendered into a 3D world to evoke a unique visual style. Using this style we can bring in digital techniques like real-time lighting, shaders and post-processing effects. Cutscenes will be made using traditional stop-motion animation techniques with greater fidelity to give a more cinematic quality.  
The music in **Judero** is an homage to traditional British folk music such as those documented by Francis James Child. Many of these songs are hundreds of years old and it has been an honour researching and learning them. We are keeping instrumentation acoustic and mostly authentic to the originals (mostly) but with contemporary arrangements and harmonies.
Soundtrack on Bandcamp
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You can purchase the soundtrack now over on Bandcamp!

Release date: Sep 16, 2024

Categories: Action-Adventure, Top-Down Perspective, Possession-based Gameplay, Stop-motion Animation, Exploration, Puzzle Solving, Hack and Slash, Mini-game Collection

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 10; verdict: Works well on Proton/Steam Deck; summary: The available user reviews show that the game functions well on Linux via Proton and on Steam Deck, with no technical complaints. The only mention of Proton is a neutral observation about story clarity, not a compatibility issue.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $14.99 - $19.99
  - Reasoning: The community reviews consistently affirm that the current price of $17.99 is a fair value, describing the game as 'well worth the money' and 'certainly worth the price of what they are asking'. This indicates the price point is perceived as appropriate, with no suggestion that a significantly different price would be considered fair. Therefore, the fair base-game price range is centered around the current price, with a narrow margin to account for typical pricing variations.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 5.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 5.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews directly state total playtime: a rush playthrough takes about 3 hours, while normal playthroughs are reported as 4, 5–6, and 6–7 hours. The most consistent and common estimate is around 5 hours for a complete playthrough, which also matches the 'played in one sitting' report. No evidence separates story completion from full completion, and session length aligns with total playtime for those who finished in a single sitting. No post-game or endgame content is mentioned, so endgame is null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players find the game enjoyable from the start due to engaging combat, exploration, and memorable characters, despite some minor tedium in writing that does not hinder overall fun.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: tedious townsfolk musings; occasional tedium
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: N/A
- Player Archetypes:
  - Art-Driven Humanists (buy)
    - Motivation: Experiencing a unique, handcrafted artistic vision with deep cultural and humanistic themes.
    - Playstyle: Exploratory appreciation; taking time to absorb visuals, story, and extras like the making-of video.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Hylics
  - Gameplay Purists (no buy)
    - Motivation: Judging game quality based on polished mechanics, visuals, and value.
    - Playstyle: Critical evaluation; focused on flaws in gameplay, visual polish, and price-to-value ratio.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no 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:
- Unique handcrafted visuals (weight 0.99): Handmade clay models, stop-motion animation, and handcrafted visuals create a uniquely textured and intimate aesthetic that is a core part of the game's identity.
- Engaging varied gameplay (weight 0.77): Gameplay is described as fun, balanced, and engaging, with a mix of hack-and-slash combat, puzzles, and a unique enemy possession mechanic that adds variety.
- Exceptional music and sound (weight 0.76): The music and sound design are consistently praised as beautiful, atmospheric, and varied, with a large soundtrack that fits the game's tone and enhances immersion.
- Philosophical and humorous writing (weight 0.64): The writing is praised for its philosophical depth, humor, and poetic quality, blending profound themes with surreal comedy and clever dialogue.
- Immersive surreal atmosphere (weight 0.57): The game's atmosphere is described as weird, dreamlike, charming, and immersive, with a unique blend of grotesque, beautiful, and surreal elements.
- Engaging characters and dialogue (weight 0.56): Dialogue and characters are described as interesting, funny, philosophical, poetic, and heartfelt, with well-crafted NPC interactions and writing that resonates.
- Truly special experience (weight 0.54): Many players describe their experience as special, moving, and one of the best games or media they've encountered, with a perfect length and emotional payoff.
- Emotionally resonant experience (weight 0.46): Reviewers consistently mention the game's emotional depth, heart, and soul, describing it as moving, personal, sincere, and unforgettable.
- Rewarding world exploration (weight 0.4): Exploration is rewarding with hidden areas, collectibles, minigames, and a generous amount of content, making the world feel rich and engaging.
- Exceptional voice acting (weight 0.35): Voice acting is highly praised for its quality, delivery, and authentic Scottish accents, standing out as a key element of the game's charm.
- Rich Scottish folklore setting (weight 0.35): The Scottish folklore setting and cultural references are deeply integrated, giving the world an authentic and alive feeling that many reviewers appreciated.
- Passionate handcrafted feel (weight 0.35): The game is praised for its creative passion, handmade feel, and personal touch, making it feel like a labor of love that offers a unique experience.
- Creative boss encounters (weight 0.31): Boss fights are highlighted as challenging, creatively designed with unique mechanics, and often visually stunning or humorous.
- Bizarre and surprising world (weight 0.31): The world is described as bizarre, strange, and full of curiosity, constantly surprising players with unexpected elements and creativity.

Common complaints:
- Clunky controls and combat (weight 0.33): Players report that controls and movement feel clumsy, and combat mechanics are funky or terrible in a bad way, detracting from gameplay enjoyment.
- Bugs and glitches (weight 0.24): Numerous bugs are reported, including items glitching through floors, getting stuck in scenery, and out of bounds glitches, which disrupt gameplay.
- Puzzles too easy or confusing (weight 0.15): Puzzles are fairly easy, but the minigames in the summon wheel have a confusing purpose, and the puzzle balance is somewhat sloppy.
- Story hard to follow (weight 0.11): The story is abstract and based on Scottish mythology, but players find it hard to connect with the protagonist and follow the narrative.
- Frustrating and tedious sections (weight 0.11): Certain parts of the game are frustrating, with sections needing repeats and occasionally tedious gameplay, reducing enjoyment.
- Possession ability underused (weight 0.11): The spirit possession mechanic is underused until later in the game, and players wish it had been utilized more throughout.
- Missable content (weight 0.1): Players can miss the Fomorian summon after a certain point, and missing a bestiary page causes possible frustration due to incomplete progress.
- Not worth the price (weight 0.07): Some players feel the game is not worth the asking price due to bugs, simplistic combat, and overall lack of polish.
- Camera and visual issues (weight 0.06): Camera issues with tall objects and visuals that make it hard to discern animations hinder gameplay clarity.
- Gameplay merely good (weight 0.06): Some players find the gameplay merely good, with nothing special or standout, leading to a mediocre experience.
- Too many checkpoints (weight 0.05): The game has too many checkpoints, which may reduce challenge and make progression feel less rewarding.
- Insufficient localization (weight 0.05): The game lacks Spanish translation for subtitles or audio, limiting accessibility for Spanish-speaking players.
- Low investment in dialogues (weight 0.05): Players wished for more investment in some dialogues near the end, suggesting the character interactions feel shallow.

Gameplay feedback:
- Puzzles mixed with combat and bosses (weight 0.39): The game features puzzles integrated into combat and boss fights, with creative boss encounters and unique events.
- Action-adventure with exploration and puzzles (weight 0.37): The game is a top-down action-adventure with exploration, combat, and puzzles, frequently compared to Zelda and Hades.
- Possession mechanic for puzzles (weight 0.35): A central mechanic allows the player to leave their body and possess enemies to solve puzzles or use their abilities.
- Hack-and-slash combat with combos (weight 0.26): The combat is hack-and-slash with combos, dodge mechanics, and i-frame sprinting. It includes a variety of enemies and collectibles.
- Exploration for collectibles and upgrades (weight 0.21): Players explore to collect special powers, treasure, and a variety of enemies for a bestiary.
- Hidden minigames and secrets (weight 0.2): The game includes hidden minigames, bonus zones, and secret sections, such as a flying pink bunny and baby throwing.
- Dialogue and NPCs drive exploration (weight 0.11): Exploration involves walking into rooms and talking to NPCs for dialogue, emphasizing an exploration-based experience.
- Game is short in length (weight 0.07): The game is noted to be short in length.
- Missable unlockable summons (weight 0.06): There is a possibility to miss unlockable summons, adding replay value.
- No stats or inventory system (weight 0.06): The game features no stats or inventory, simplifying progression.
- Interactive art style (weight 0.06): The game is described as having an interactive art style.
- Demo available to play (weight 0.06): A demo is available for players to try before purchase.
- Co-op not mentioned, intuitive (weight 0.06): Co-op play is not mentioned, but the intuitiveness of the systems is noted.

Performance notes:
- Developer fixes crashes (weight 0.07): The developer is actively releasing updates to resolve crash issues, demonstrating ongoing support and responsiveness to player reports.
- Bonus zone crash fixed (weight 0.07): Game crashes specifically after entering a bonus zone. The issue is acknowledged and patched as of May 1st, indicating it may no longer affect players.
- Steam Deck works fine (weight 0.07): Some players report the game runs perfectly on Steam Deck without any modifications, suggesting compatibility may vary based on hardware or software configuration.
- Steam Deck crash fix (weight 0.06): The game crashes on Steam Deck, but adjusting texture quality helps mitigate the problem, indicating a performance or graphics setting issue.
- Audio cracking on Linux (weight 0.06): Players on Linux via Proton experience a cracking noise in sound effects, suggesting an audio compatibility issue specific to this platform.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended for art lovers (weight 0.68): Many players strongly recommend this game, especially for fans of art, storytelling, stop motion animation, philosophy, and unique experiences. It is praised as a must-play for those seeking something different and artistic.
- Worth a try if interested (weight 0.38): Multiple reviews suggest the game is worth trying if it appeals to you, for a change of pace, or for a weekend afternoon. It is recommended for those attracted by the atmosphere or music from the trailer.
- Good value for the price (weight 0.12): Multiple reviews confirm the game is well worth the money and the price of admission, offering good value for its cost.
- Not recommended at full price (weight 0.11): Some feedback indicates the game is not recommended at its full price, suggesting waiting for a sale. This is a minority opinion but noteworthy for budget-conscious players.
- Appeals to Scottish theme fans (weight 0.1): The game appeals to fans of Scottish themes or PS1-era Gauntlet games, and if you like the accents, you should jump right in after trying the demo.
- Try the demo first (weight 0.06): A review strongly recommends trying the demo before purchasing, which is a common suggestion for uncertain players.
- Spread the word and buy (weight 0.06): One review urges spreading the word and buying the game if you like what you've seen and read, emphasizing community support.
- Avoid as a game (weight 0.05): One review strongly advises against buying this game as a game, calling it unsuitable for enemies. This is a niche, negative perspective.
- Play, enjoy, maybe love (weight 0.05): A single review encourages players to play, enjoy, and possibly love the game, reflecting a positive emotional response.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Admiration (weight 0.13): Players admire the game for its unique handcrafted art style and claymation visuals, which evoke a range of emotions from grotesque to sublime. The handcrafted visuals and soulful soundtrack are praised for showing intense passion and a distinctive vision that surpasses other games in heart and humanity.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.11): The game's fun gameplay, unique boss puzzles, and colorful boss fights reminiscent of Furi provide an enjoyable experience. The combination of claymation animation and a great soundtrack enhances the fun of exploring different mechanics and enemies.
- Amazement (weight 0.09): Players are amazed by the amount of content delivered by a small team, finding the game incredibly imaginative and moving. It is considered the most unique game of the year or decade, with a special style and heart that stands out.
- Wonder (weight 0.06): The surreal and creative experience, driven by the art, heart, and soul of the game, inspires wonder. Exploring the large, strange world with its living Scotland setting and special characters draws players in.
- Frustration (weight 0.06): Frustration arises from bugs and glitches, particularly with an easy combat system and a missing bestiary page near the end. One glitch with a boss was resolved, but these issues still marred the experience.
- Awe (weight 0.06): Players feel awe from the breathtaking atmosphere, art style, and music, as well as the unmatched craftsmanship and dream-like animation. The game is described as a deeply personal poem that is not alienating.
- Excitement (weight 0.06): Excitement comes from looking forward to playing again, driven by the incredible soundtrack and constant surprises. The gameplay, featuring creature possession and challenging boss fights, keeps players eagerly anticipating more.
- Disappointment (weight 0.04): Disappointment stems from the game not being as popular as it deserves, with a cracking noise in sound effects affecting the atmosphere. These issues undermine the overall impact.
- Surprise (weight 0.04): Surprise results from the game having much more depth than expected, positively shocking players. The first boss fight music was so awesome it distracted and caused death, adding to the surprise.
- Joy (weight 0.04): Joy is expressed through bursting out laughing many times during playthroughs, with the game itself being a total joy as both a game and art. The humorous moments bring consistent delight.
- Delight (weight 0.04): Delight is found in the game's charming imagination, horror contrast, fun gameplay, possession mechanic, puzzles, and brilliant boss designs. Cushy towns, adventurous tunes, and an ape's poem with its soundtrack add to the pleasure.
- Sadness (tears) (weight 0.02): Sadness, leading to tears, is evoked by pearls of poetry within the game, which deeply move players emotionally. The poetic writing creates a poignant, memorable impact.
- Love (weight 0.02): Love is immediate from the unique art and atmosphere, with players already feeling attached from the very start. The immersive experience captures their hearts quickly.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.02): Satisfaction comes from the overall experience and art despite shortcomings, as players appreciate the craftsmanship and heart that outweigh minor flaws.
- Captivation (weight 0.02): Captivation occurs because the simple gameplay becomes gripping through the immersive and interesting world, drawing players in with its atmospheric depth.
- Adoration (weight 0.02): Adoration is inspired by the heavy use of vocals throughout the soundtrack, which adds a unique and emotional layer to the game. This musical element is particularly cherished.
- Curiosity (weight 0.02): Curiosity is sparked by finding new NPCs with philosophical and poetic dialogue, encouraging exploration and deeper engagement with the world and its stories.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Amusement comes from hilarious cutscenes that provide comic relief and entertaining moments, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the narrative.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arises because the story, based on Scottish mythology, was not well understood, leaving players puzzled despite its rich thematic foundation.
- Tedium (weight 0.02): Tedium is experienced occasionally, with some parts of the gameplay feeling monotonous or slower, but it is not a pervasive issue.}