Info about Withering Rooms:

Official game description:
Withering Rooms is a challenging 2.5D horror RPG set in a procedurally generated Victorian mansion that changes each night.  
*   Explore Mostyn House to gather weapons, distractions, magical artifacts, keys, and crafting materials.  
*   Take on a huge cast of monsters and bosses - overgrown undead, invisible ghosts, devious witches, axe wielding madmen, and many more.  
*   Discover secret passageways, dusty attics filled with treasure, and even the ever-changing Byzantine Labyrinth that lies beneath Mostyn House.  
*   Take the sting out of death by performing rituals to preserve items from night to night or permanently level up.  
*   Meet a cast of strange friends, merchants, liars, and witches each with their own agenda.  
*   Cast a wide variety of spells - create hex traps on closet doors, enchant suits of armor to assist you, or create a decoy mimic of yourself.  
*   Greater dangers - and greater treasures - await you in the hedge mazes, tombs, caves, churches, and ruins beyond the Mostyn House grounds.
Steam Deck: Withering Rooms has been played start to finish by multiple people on a Steam Deck and we believe it meets all of Valve's Steam Deck Compatibility guidelines. We are waiting on a Steam Deck Verification review from Valve.

Release date: Apr 5, 2024

Categories: Soulslike Combat, Roguelite, Survival Horror, Action RPG, Metroidvania, Puzzle Solving, Crafting, Multiple Endings

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 20; verdict: Seamless handheld experience with minor control caveats; summary: The filtered reviews show strong evidence that the game launches and runs well on Steam Deck and similar handhelds. Users report comfortable handheld play and do not mention launcher navigation, Proton changes, anti-cheat errors, unreadable UI, or crashes. The main caveat is control and combat feel: some users find the controls awkward or janky, and one Deck player suspects desktop play may feel better. Overall, this is a seamless handheld experience with minor usability caveats rather than a technical blocker.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews consistently frame the game as full-price worthy while also acknowledging that value-seeking players should grab it on sale, which is the classic signature of a mid-priced indie title rather than a budget or premium one. Multiple reviewers state it is 'worth every dollar, full price' and 'worth every penny,' and one says 'full price would've still been worth it,' indicating the community's ceiling for a fair price sits in the standard solo-dev indie band. At the same time, repeated advice to 'wait for sale' and mentions of picking it up during the winter sale show the community's comfortable entry point is lower, so the fair range spans roughly a discounted-to-full indie price. No review cites an exact dollar figure, so the range is inferred from the consistent 'full price is justified but sale is ideal' sentiment, placing a fair base price around $10-$20.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 32.0h
  - Story completion: 29.0h
  - Session length: 4.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Two reviewers report finishing or completing a first playthrough around 29-30 hours, so storyCompletion is set to about 29 hours. A completionist reports about 32 hours to complete all achievements, supporting gameCompletion around 32 hours. One reviewer directly says they played for four hours in one stretch, supporting sessionLength around 4 hours. Reviews mention true-ending and new-game-plus content qualitatively, but no numeric post-story duration is provided, so endgame is left null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Withering Rooms has a slow, difficult opening that becomes fun after players understand the mechanics, find a working build, or clear the first playthrough; players seeking immediate fluid combat may bounce off.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Understanding the mechanics and playing more carefully
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Slow start; High early difficulty and frequent deaths; Early close-quarter weapon deficiencies and poor dodge roll; Clunky combat; Repetitive rooms and enemy slog; Enemies frustrating until behavior is understood
  - Unlock drivers: Understanding enemy behavior and mechanics; Finding a build that works; Mid-game power growth from gear, spells, and tools; Long-term progression saved across nights; Playing more carefully; Mechanics clicking into place
  - Conditions: For players who enjoy atmospheric horror and roguelike progression; Not for action lovers wanting fast, fluid combat; Enjoyment begins once mechanics are understood; Enjoyment can begin after finding a working build in mid game; One report says it becomes fun only after clearing the first playthrough; Tolerance for repetition and clunky combat; Story/narrative mode may feel too easy and boring
- Player Archetypes:
  - Solo-Dev Indie Champion (buy)
    - Motivation: To reward and champion ambitious, authored indie games from solo developers.
    - Playstyle: Looks for handcrafted worldbuilding, music, and thoughtful design touches; willing to pay full price to support the vision.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Atmospheric Horror Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Immersion in eerie atmosphere, supernatural tension, and worldbuilding.
    - Playstyle: Cautious, slow-paced exploration and resource management; uses narrative or easy difficulty and flexible builds when needed.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Soulslike Build Tinkerer (buy)
    - Motivation: Overcoming tough encounters through build experimentation and repeated attempts.
    - Playstyle: Learns enemy patterns, adapts builds and playstyles, and persists for the dopamine hit of eventual victory.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Dark Souls; Dark Souls 1; Hades
  - Completionist NG+ Hunter (buy)
    - Motivation: Exhausting content, achievements, hidden endings, and NG+ discoveries.
    - Playstyle: Replays multiple times, hunts all achievements, and explores procedural NG+ questlines.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: completionist
    - 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:
- Excellent music and soundtrack (weight 0.31): The music and soundtrack are frequently highlighted as beautiful, enjoyable, and fitting perfectly with the atmosphere.
- Impressive solo developer achievement (weight 0.29): Many players are amazed that the game was developed by a single person or small indie team, calling it a masterpiece of indie development.
- Compelling and unique story (weight 0.27): The story is described as engaging, fascinating, and unique, with a strong premise and lore that keeps players curious.
- Highly praised overall game (weight 0.25): Players consistently describe the game as great, unique, and well-crafted, with many calling it a masterpiece or incredible experience.
- Superb atmospheric horror (weight 0.23): The game's atmosphere is praised as excellent and reminiscent of classic survival horror titles like Silent Hill and Resident Evil.
- Stunning art and enemy design (weight 0.22): The art style is frequently described as stunning and beautiful, and enemy designs are praised as excellent and terrifying.
- Fun and satisfying combat (weight 0.18): Combat is widely described as enjoyable, responsive, and robust, with a satisfying rhythm once players get used to it.
- Varied enemies and monsters (weight 0.18): Players appreciate the wide variety of enemies and monsters, each with unique strengths and weaknesses.
- Great mood and story integration (weight 0.17): The mood and story are highlighted as great, with enjoyable integration of story and atmosphere.
- Engaging exploration experience (weight 0.16): Exploration is a major and rewarding part of the game, with players finding it fun and excellent.
- Generally positive gameplay (weight 0.14): Players find the gameplay fun and interesting, with good visuals and an overall good game.
- Diverse character builds and tools (weight 0.1): The game offers many ways to play and build characters, including magic user, melee fighter, and ranged builds.
- Addictive genre mashup (weight 0.1): The blend of roguelike, RPG, and horror genres creates an addictive and unique experience, often compared to Silent Hill and Dark Souls.
- Rewarding progression system (weight 0.1): The progression system is described as rewarding and fun, with many motivating mechanics and satisfying advancement from beginning to end.
- Well-written and deep game (weight 0.1): The game is praised as well-written with a strong, distinctive personality, and is unexpectedly deep and engaging.
- Curse mechanic adds interest (weight 0.1): The curse mechanic is described as a cool and surprising addition that changes how things look and adds excellent scares.
- Forgiving death-loss recovery (weight 0.1): Level-ups and memory carry-over make recovery from death-loss easier, with item loss mitigated by upgrades and save points before bosses.

Common complaints:
- Clunky and janky combat (weight 0.97): Combat is widely described as clunky, janky, stiff, or rough, with many players finding it awkward or frustrating. This is the most common complaint across clusters.
- Harsh death penalties (weight 0.34): Dying causes loss of most or all carried items, forcing time-consuming recovery and often requiring sections to be redone. This penalty is described as very punishing or among the harshest.
- Grinding and repetitive backtracking (weight 0.33): Farming materials, grinding arena ranks, and looting take excessive time, with repetitive room designs and backtracking. This is seen as padding that drags down the experience.
- Difficulty is punishing and unbalanced (weight 0.3): The game is frequently called very difficult, with a brutal early game and awkward difficulty curve. Some areas and enemy encounters feel unfair or poorly balanced.
- Technical bugs and stuttering (weight 0.27): There are many bugs, including follower pathfinding issues, game-breaking progression blocks, and stuttering that can require a reboot. Some players encounter severe performance problems.
- Roguelike elements feel shallow (weight 0.26): Randomization is not impactful, with layouts and rooms feeling too similar between runs. The roguelike structure is seen as detracting from the game or poorly implemented.
- Controls are clunky and imprecise (weight 0.22): Controls are described as janky or horrible, with loose handling and difficult avoidance of damage. Input lag and lack of impact feedback on controller are also mentioned.
- Story convoluted and uncompelling (weight 0.22): The narrative is often described as convoluted or hard to follow due to time-space warping and many characters. Some find the story and ending too weak to motivate multiple playthroughs.
- Unfair or broken hitboxes (weight 0.2): Hitboxes are frequently criticized as inconsistent or overlapping, causing hits that appear not to connect. Some players report dying due to hitbox issues.
- Dodge lacks invincibility frames (weight 0.2): The dodge roll is criticized for lacking invincibility frames unless a specific item is equipped, making avoidance of damage difficult. Players also note inconsistent logic with trap immunity.
- Builds lack influence and variety (weight 0.18): Equipment combinations are hard to use early, and builds form slowly. Eventually, a stable build trivializes the game, reducing the sense of danger.
- Lack of Chinese localization (weight 0.17): Several players note the absence of official Chinese language support, which is a significant disappointment. One suggests the developer deliberately refuses to add it.
- Second playthrough disappointing (weight 0.17): The second playthrough and NG+ are often described as boring or disappointing, with some citing a bug that blocks progression. Story and ending are also seen as not justifying replay.
- Unclear objectives and navigation (weight 0.16): Players sometimes get lost or stuck due to unclear goals or complex maps. Navigation issues and hidden mechanics contribute to confusion.
- Presentation and visuals lack polish (weight 0.15): Graphics and presentation are seen as okay but not impressive, with a bland realistic style. Some describe it as looking like a PS2 game with rough animations.
- Melee builds feel weak late (weight 0.12): Melee combat becomes ineffective in later acts, forcing players to use spells or ranged weapons. Some enemies are considered overpowered against melee builds.
- Ending D is too demanding (weight 0.11): Unlocking Ending D requires NG+ with an item that doubles monster damage and HP or killing many monsters. The extra boss is very tough and can nearly one-shot players.
- Stealth mechanics underutilized (weight 0.1): Despite being introduced, hiding and sneaking mechanics are rarely used after the tutorial. Many players find combat mandatory despite stealth options.
- No Russian localization (weight 0.06): The game lacks official Russian language support, as noted by some players.
- Misleading reviews inflated expectations (weight 0.06): Some players felt existing reviews were misleading and raised expectations too high, leading to personal disappointment.

Gameplay feedback:
- Genre-blending soulslike horror experience (weight 0.6): The game combines soulslike combat, roguelite progression, and survival horror elements into a unique hybrid. Many reviewers highlight the ambitious mix of genres including Metroidvania and RPG systems.
- Multiple endings and replayability (weight 0.48): The game features several different endings, including secret ones, which encourages multiple playthroughs. Replayability is further enhanced by New Game Plus and branching questlines.
- New Game Plus with extra content (weight 0.41): New Game Plus mode is available and adds new questlines, hidden endings, and expanded story content. It also includes scaling difficulty and a challenge mode item.
- Weapon and build variety (weight 0.31): There are many weapon types and items to try, along with diverse character builds and playstyles. Players can experiment with different combinations of weapons, spells, and outfits.
- Roguelite systems and progression (weight 0.3): Roguelite elements are central to the gameplay, with procedural environments and progression systems. These systems are often combined with RPG mechanics.
- Roguelite item loss on death (weight 0.25): Dying causes the player to lose most or all items, but permanent upgrades and some saved items are retained. The system is designed to be forgiving with upgrades that increase item retention.
- 2.5D side-scrolling presentation (weight 0.23): The game uses a 2.5D presentation with side-scrolling action gameplay. This perspective enhances the survival horror and soulslike atmosphere.
- Horror atmosphere and theme (weight 0.18): The game is a horror game with a strong atmospheric focus, featuring scares and a dark theme. Combat and story beats are integrated into the horror experience.
- Challenging difficulty with easy mode (weight 0.17): The game is generally challenging, but offers an easy or Narrative mode for players who want a less punishing experience. The easy mode has no penalty.
- Chapter-based story progression (weight 0.15): The game is structured in numbered chapters, with clear indicators when a chapter is ending. This provides a sense of progression through the story.
- Puzzle solving and exploration (weight 0.15): Puzzles are a key feature, often compared to Resident Evil style puzzles. They are integrated with quests and notes found throughout the game.
- Save points before bosses (weight 0.12): Temporary save points are placed before boss fights, allowing players to retry with restored items. This reduces frustration in challenging encounters.
- Stealth and hiding mechanics (weight 0.1): Stealth elements are included, such as hiding behind furniture and sneaking. These mechanics add tension to the horror gameplay.
- Curse system alters environment (weight 0.1): A curse system accumulates and changes the scenario live, affecting the game environment. This dynamic mechanic adds unpredictability.

Performance notes:
- Steam Deck performance varied (weight 0.07): Combat was described as janky on Steam Deck, though one user reported it works great. Performance may vary depending on settings or device.
- Stuttering linked to audio (weight 0.04): One user reported that the game starts stuttering with the audio and does not stop until a reboot. This suggests a potential audio-related performance bug.
- Combat freeze and glitches (weight 0.04): A bug was reported where the heroine freezes or the picture glitches mid-combat. This can disrupt gameplay and requires attention.
- Runs well on low-end PCs (weight 0.04): One user found the game runs easily on low-end computers, indicating good optimization for weaker hardware. This contrasts with reports of poor performance on high-end systems.
- No technical issues encountered (weight 0.04): Some players experienced no bugs or lagging, suggesting that performance issues are not universal. This provides a balanced view.
- Noise setting affects performance (weight 0.04): Turning off noise can slightly improve performance if lag occurs, offering a potential workaround for some users.

Recommendations:
- Strongly recommended overall (weight 0.58): Many reviewers enthusiastically recommend trying or buying the game, often using phrases like 'give it a chance' or 'worth every penny.' This broad positive sentiment appears across multiple clusters with high frequency.
- Unique atmosphere and story praised (weight 0.25): Reviewers highlight the game's eerie atmosphere, slow-burning supernatural tension, and engaging story, recommending it to players who enjoy immersive horror narratives.
- Adjust difficulty for accessibility (weight 0.23): Reviewers recommend using the easy difficulty or narrative mode for players who want to experience the story without harsh penalties. Magic builds are also suggested for beginners.
- Recommended for horror roguelike fans (weight 0.22): The game is frequently recommended to fans of action horror and roguelite systems, especially those who enjoy a blend of horror, roguelike, and soulslike elements.
- Not for everyone (weight 0.2): Several reviewers caution that the game is not for everyone, depending on taste, and suggest checking reviews carefully or playing within the refund window.
- Worth the price or on sale (weight 0.19): Many reviewers feel the game is worth its asking price, though some suggest waiting for a discount. At $15 it is considered a good deal, and cheaper prices make it a must-buy.
- Supports indie developer (weight 0.19): Some reviewers encourage supporting the indie developer by buying the game, soundtrack, or sequel, noting the game's quality relative to team size.
- Stealth and strategy tips (weight 0.17): Tips include using stealth against stronger opponents, fighting enemies one-on-one, planning character builds, and not hoarding resources.
- Try the free demo first (weight 0.17): Several reviewers suggest playing the free demo to decide if the game is right for you before purchasing. The demo is seen as a good indicator of whether you'll enjoy the full game.
- Exploration and blind play encouraged (weight 0.16): Reviewers suggest exploring everything, avoiding guides for the story and puzzles, and going in blind to enhance enjoyment.
- Recommended for Soulslike fans (weight 0.15): Reviewers specifically recommend the game to fans of the Soulslike genre who can adapt to sidescrolling combat. Comparisons are drawn to Dark Souls side-scrollers.
- Give it time to improve (weight 0.14): Reviewers advise not giving up during the first hours; the game improves after leveling up, getting new weapons, and investing time to discover its unique fun.
- Mixed or negative reviews (weight 0.13): Some reviewers give mid or negative recommendations due to misleading gameplay, bad combat, or personal preferences, though they understand why others rate it highly.
- Sequel and related games mentioned (weight 0.12): Reviewers mention the direct sequel Withering Realms or a sequel in early access, recommending players check it out after finishing this game.
- Narrative mode highly praised (weight 0.12): The narrative difficulty option makes the game recommendable to almost anyone, allowing players to focus on story without combat frustration.
- Combat difficulty warnings (weight 0.12): Reviewers warn that the game is demanding and difficult, may frustrate some, and is not for those seeking smooth combat or easy progression.
- Magic build recommended for beginners (weight 0.07): A magic-focused build is suggested as suitable for beginners and low-skill players, making the game more accessible.
- Specific genre comparisons (weight 0.06): The game is compared to early Silent Hill controls and atmosphere, and recommended for fans of that style.
- Language support requested (weight 0.04): One reviewer states they will change their review to positive once Chinese language support is added.

Other player notes:
- Solo indie development (weight 0.38): The game is developed mostly by a single person or a very small team, often described as an indie effort by an individual creator. This highlights the low-resource, personal nature of the project.
- Comparisons to Dark Souls (weight 0.34): Reviewers frequently compare the game to Dark Souls and FromSoftware titles, noting similarities in combat, difficulty, and overall feel. Some find it less refined or clunky.
- Sequel Withering Realms planned (weight 0.28): A direct sequel titled Withering Realms is in development, with some mentioning it has entered early access. Players are looking forward to it.
- Multiple endings and New Game+ (weight 0.15): The game features multiple endings, some only accessible in second playthroughs or later, and includes New Game Plus with extra hidden content. This adds replay value.
- Silent Hill atmosphere and themes (weight 0.13): The game has a Silent Hill-inspired atmosphere and blends a dark Alice in Wonderland interpretation with Bloodborne and Silent Hill horror elements. This creates a unique setting.
- Steam Deck support (weight 0.1): The game is playable on Steam Deck, and reviewers have played it on the device. This indicates good compatibility with the handheld.
- Underrated and underrecognized (weight 0.07): Reviewers feel the game is underrecognized and wildly underrated, suggesting it deserves more attention.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.13): Players are frustrated by clunky and janky combat, especially the melee system, poor hitboxes, and stiff dodge mechanics, which often feel unfair. Additional frustration comes from harsh death penalties like losing inventory, high difficulty spikes in later chapters, technical issues such as bugs and poor optimization, and the lack of auto-save.
- Disappointment (weight 0.09): Disappointment stems from unmet expectations set by misleading reviews, a convoluted story, and combat that feels janky or unbalanced. Many also cite the roguelike element of losing items on death, missing localization, and a lack of compelling reasons for a second playthrough.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Players enjoy the game's engaging story, atmosphere, and music, as well as the rewarding build variety and unique mechanics like the curse gauge and no stamina system. The methodical dungeon crawling, exploration, and B-movie charm contribute to a fun overall experience.
- Admiration (weight 0.07): Admiration is directed at the game's high quality, especially considering it was made by a solo developer. The original story, clever mechanics, atmospheric horror, and artistic design are praised, with many considering it a masterpiece or one of the best indie games.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Satisfaction comes from the game's progression systems, such as generous stat growth and permanent upgrades, which make the player feel increasingly powerful. Overcoming difficult challenges and finding effective builds provide a strong sense of achievement and rewarding gameplay.
- Surprise (weight 0.04): Surprise is often expressed at how much players enjoy the game despite initial skepticism or unfamiliarity with the roguelike genre. The game's quality, especially from a solo developer, and its ability to keep introducing new elements consistently exceed expectations.
- Love (weight 0.04): Players love the game's innovative blend of genres, immersive world, and compelling story. The atmosphere, soundtrack, and satisfying combat, along with the survival horror homages, create a deep emotional connection that makes them want to stay in the game's world.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement is fueled by the unique genre mashup, discovery of secrets, and the addictive gameplay loop that keeps players engaged for hours. Anticipation for future content, such as sequels or DLC, and the rewarding New Game+ mode further heighten enthusiasm.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.03): Enthusiasm is driven by the game's immersive atmosphere, rich lore, and the addictive combination of roguelike and survival horror elements. The feeling of recreating the Dark Souls 1 experience and the game's cinematic quality contribute to high praise.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Appreciation focuses on the lovingly crafted environments, creepy atmosphere, and the passion evident in the game's design. The art style, music, and depth of lore are highlighted as standout features that enhance the overall experience.
- Impressed (weight 0.02): Impressed reactions highlight the game's quality as an overlooked gem, especially given it was created by a solo developer. The unique atmosphere, soundtrack, and gradual reveal of plot and lore are particularly commended.
- Fun (weight 0.02): Fun is derived from the action gameplay, deep story, and satisfying combat. Experimenting with different builds and the blend of Dark Souls, roguelite, and side-scrolling action provide an entertaining and enjoyable experience.
- Fear (weight 0.01): Fear is evoked by the genuinely terrifying moments, scary atmosphere, and unsettling enemies like ghosts, monsters, and psychopaths. The first playthrough is often described as genuinely scary, with creepy sounds enhancing the horror.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation is centered on looking forward to diving back in to get the rest of the endings, trying different builds for New Game Plus, and unravelling the story. Players are also eager for a sequel or the next game from the developer.
- Delight (weight 0.01): Delight comes from quirky elements like playing as a murderous little girl using magic, charming details such as different fonts per character, and the ambitious mix of genres. The music, callbacks, and satisfying gameplay also contribute to a delightful experience.
- Tension (weight 0.01): Tension is created by the unsettling atmosphere and sound design, which keep players on edge. The harsh death penalty and threat of losing everything during runs add to the suspenseful gameplay.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement arises from humorous descriptions of NPCs and objects, difficulty dropping by backing up save files, and funny enemy behaviors like a giant ghoul farting. The combat jankiness sometimes fits the horror theming and adds to the amusement.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy is expressed as the game being the most fun the reviewer has had all year, playing with a smile, and finding it a magical experience. The process of gradually understanding the game and being reminded of Dark Souls 1 brings joy.
- Amazement (weight 0.01): Amazement is felt at the fact that a single person made the game, and at how shockingly good it is. The fantastic back half of the game, unique combat, soundtrack, and bizarre mechanics contribute to this feeling.
- Engagement (weight 0.01): Engagement is maintained by the fun gameplay, gripping story, and world that keeps players wanting to find out what happens next. The game's unexpected depth and lots of content keep players hooked.}