Info about Flashback 2:

Official game description:
**TOTAL WAR HAS BEGUN... RISE TO THE CHALLENGE!**  
In 1992, Flashback revolutionized action gaming and gained legendary status, ranking among the 100 best video games in history.  
Today, Paul Cuisset, the creator of the original game, invites you to play again as Conrad B. Hart, the young agent of the GBI (Galactic Bureau of Investigation).  
In the 22nd century, the peace of the United Worlds extends throughout the Solar System — but this tranquility is threatened by the Morph invasion led by the fearsome General Lazarus.  
In search of his lifelong friend, Ian, and with the help of his few allies — including A.I.S.H.A., his iconic AI-powered weapon — Conrad, once again, dives into a heart-pounding adventure full of twists, turns and revelations!  
A gripping, fluid and intricate platform shooter, including exploration, puzzle solving and, of course, adventure!  
_FEATURES_  
*   Immerse yourself in a vibrant sci-fi/cyberpunk universe and visit multiple environments (New Tokyo, New Washington, the Jungle...)  
*   Use A.I.S.H.A., a lethal adaptive weapon enhanced with combat AI.  
*   A gripping, fluid and intricate platform shooter.  
*   A 3D environment for even deeper immersion.  
*   Designed and developed by the creator of the original, Paul Cuisset.  
*   The cult game is back with a boost.  
*   A thrilling and intricate action-shooter.  
*   A potent and adaptive AI-powered weapon.  
*   A sci-fi universe true to the original Flashback.

Release date: Nov 16, 2023

Categories: Action-Adventure, Sci-fi, Platformer, Shooter, Cyberpunk, Story-driven Gameplay, Puzzle Solving, 2.5D Platformer

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback for the Steam Deck experience reveals significant performance issues, including frame rate drops and poor stability. Additionally, users have reported problems with control mechanics and technical stability, such as the game not launching after reinstallation and jerky movements. These issues collectively impact the overall user experience negatively.

- 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:
- Visually appealing graphics (weight 0.46): The game features beautifully crafted visuals, including good graphics, art, and background. Players appreciate the artistic direction and the overall graphical style.
- Engaging and intriguing story (weight 0.36): The story is described as interesting, good, and intriguing with some twists. It adds more depth to the universe and lore, making it engaging for players.
- Enjoyable gameplay experience (weight 0.34): Players find the game enjoyable and fun to play. Despite some faults, the overall experience is positive, with a well-done and entertaining story.
- Unique sci-fi cyberpunk aesthetic (weight 0.2): The game features a distinctive sci-fi noir and cyberpunk aesthetic, creating a modern and immersive atmosphere that players appreciate.
- Nice soundtrack and music (weight 0.16): The game's music and soundtrack are praised for being nice and fitting well with the overall ambiance and environments.
- Fun and unique hacking minigame (weight 0.13): The hacking minigame is highlighted as quite fun and unique, adding an enjoyable and distinctive element to the gameplay.
- Variety in gameplay (weight 0.09): Players appreciate the variety in gameplay, which keeps the experience fun and engaging.
- Improved with patches (weight 0.09): The game has seen improvements through patches, making it more playable and enjoyable for players.
- Throwbacks to the original (weight 0.09): The game includes good throwbacks and references to the original game, which fans appreciate.
- Quality French dubbing (weight 0.08): The French voice acting and dubbing are noted for their quality, adding to the overall experience for French-speaking players.
- Notable levels (weight 0.08): Specific levels such as the jungle and final level are mentioned, indicating they are memorable or standout parts of the game.
- Runs well on high-end machines (weight 0.08): The game runs great on ultra settings and high-end machines, ensuring a smooth experience for players with powerful hardware.

Common complaints:
- Poor and sluggish controls (weight 0.54): The game's controls are widely criticized for being sluggish, non-intuitive, and poorly implemented. Many players find the controls stiff and difficult to use, significantly impacting the gameplay experience.
- Numerous and severe bugs (weight 0.54): The game is plagued with a high number of bugs, ranging from minor issues to game-breaking problems. These bugs affect various aspects of the game, including shooting mechanics and overall gameplay stability.
- Terrible aiming system (weight 0.4): The aiming system in the game is described as clunky, imprecise, and difficult to use. Players struggle with the auto-aim feature and find it hard to hit targets accurately.
- Performance and optimization issues (weight 0.37): The game suffers from significant performance issues, including constant stuttering, frame drops, and poor optimization. These issues detract from the overall gameplay experience.
- AI-generated and poor-quality art (weight 0.36): The game's art design, including character portraits and textures, is criticized for appearing AI-generated and of low quality. This results in overly young-looking characters and visual artifacts.
- Disappointing overall quality (weight 0.33): The game is criticized for being unfinished, disappointing, and of poor overall quality. Players do not recommend the game in its current state.
- High price for low quality (weight 0.17): Players feel that the game is overpriced given its quality and the numerous issues it has. The value for money is considered poor.
- Combat and enemy AI issues (weight 0.17): The combat system is criticized for being loose, unresponsive, and not engaging. Additionally, the enemy AI lacks variety and is poorly implemented.
- Bland and confusing level design (weight 0.1): The level design in the game is criticized for being bland, confusing, and lacking interesting mechanics. This detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Lack of control remapping (weight 0.09): Players are frustrated by the inability to remap controller buttons, which limits customization and accessibility options.
- Game does not save progress (weight 0.09): Players report issues with the game not saving progress, which can be frustrating and disrupt the gaming experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Combat mechanics lack depth (weight 0.35): The combat mechanics and gunfights are frequently criticized for being shallow and lacking strategic elements.
- 2.5D design issues (weight 0.31): The game's 2.5D design leads to various issues, including control, camera, and collision problems.
- Platforming imprecision (weight 0.1): Platforming is criticized for being imprecise and lacking in some areas.
- Plot twist with multiverse (weight 0.09): The plot twist involving multiverse synchronization is mentioned as a notable aspect of the story.
- Bike movement system (weight 0.09): The travel bike system is mentioned, but specific feedback on its implementation is not detailed.
- Cyberpunk world setting (weight 0.09): The game features a cyberpunk world setting, which is noted by players.
- Character control mechanics (weight 0.08): The character control mechanics and behavior changes are noted, but specific feedback is limited.

Performance notes:
- Optimization and stuttering issues (weight 0.87): Multiple reports highlight significant optimization problems, including stuttering and frame drops across various hardware configurations.
- Numerous bugs and glitches (weight 0.53): Players frequently encounter a variety of bugs and glitches, ranging from minor issues to significant technical errors affecting gameplay.
- Performance on specific hardware (weight 0.38): Performance issues are noted on specific hardware such as the Steam Deck and high-end PCs, with varying experiences depending on the configuration.
- Positive performance on certain setups (weight 0.13): A few players report smooth performance on specific setups, indicating that the game can run well under certain conditions.
- Long load times (weight 0.1): Several reviews mention unacceptably long loading times, which can disrupt the gaming experience.
- Visual and readability issues (weight 0.09): There are reports of visual problems such as jaggedness and unreadable text, which can affect the overall visual quality and readability.

Recommendations:
- Mixed recommendations for fans (weight 0.24): The game receives mixed recommendations, with some suggesting it is only suitable for fans of the original or those feeling nostalgic, while others recommend it for fans of Flashback or the remake.
- Wait for discount (weight 0.2): Several reviews suggest waiting for a discount before purchasing the game, indicating that the game may not be worth its full price.
- Worth a try for some (weight 0.13): Despite negative reviews, some recommend giving the game a chance, especially if looking for a simple and fun game with a retro touch.
- Wait for bug fixes (weight 0.05): Some suggest waiting a few weeks after release for bugs to be fixed before purchasing.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.3): Players feel disappointed due to a variety of issues including awkward movement, poor collision, and numerous performance problems. Additionally, the game's storyline, mechanics, and graphics fail to meet expectations, with many feeling the sequel does not live up to the original. The use of AI art and the game feeling rushed and unfinished also contribute to this sentiment.
- Frustration (weight 0.23): Players are frustrated by technical issues such as game crashes, bugs, and poor optimization. Combat mechanics, clunky controls, and forced humor are also significant sources of frustration. Many players report being soft-locked due to bugs and experiencing constant stuttering, making the game unplayable.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Players express satisfaction with the game's immersive world, layered narrative, and improved aiming mechanics. The game's atmosphere, story, and good graphics are also highlighted as positive aspects. Some players find the game to be a great continuation of an Amiga classic and appreciate its value at a lower price point.
- Anger (weight 0.09): Players are angry due to the poor quality of the game, numerous bugs, and fundamental control issues. The game is considered a mess and not worth the price, with many expressing anger over wasted money. Technical issues and overall poor game quality are major contributors to this anger.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.09): Players feel nostalgic as the game reminds them of the original from the 90s, with familiar story elements and references to previous games. The connection to the Flashback universe and the iconic ancestor evoke a sense of nostalgia. The game's story and atmosphere also contribute to this feeling.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Players enjoy the game for its fun gameplay, beautiful visuals, and interesting story. The mix of themes, good story, and sublime graphics are highlighted as enjoyable aspects. The atmosphere and controls also contribute to the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Hope (weight 0.03): Players express hope that the developers will fix bugs, improve performance, and polish the game. There is a desire for future improvements and patches to enhance the game's quality.
- Joy (weight 0.03): Players experience joy from the game's beautiful ambiance and its successful follow-on from the first Flashback. The game's atmosphere is particularly noted as a source of joy.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players are surprised by unexpected and almost hilarious plot twists in the game.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): Players express disgust with the game's overall quality and mechanics, finding them to be particularly poor and unsatisfactory.}