Info about Impire:

Official game description:
Deep in the underworld of Ardania, a threat of the most evil nature grows and multiplies with an appetite for destruction that is unsurpassed. Summoned from the depths of the Bottomless Pit, the (once) mighty Báal-Abaddon has been torn from his throne of skulls and imprisoned in an earthly body of less-than-imposing stature (he's an Imp, OK?) to serve the none-too-competent sorcerer Oscar van Fairweather. But unfortunately for Fairweather, the luck of the damned is on Báal's side and he soon breaks free to build his own dark and majestic... Impire.  
Take control the of demon Báal-Abaddon as he attempts to rebuild his mighty hell spawn form. With the aid of dozens of evil creatures big and small as well as an arsenal of spells, you will help him construct a dungeon underworld of limitless evil and nastiness to stop all those pesky Heroes of Ardania from ruining his return to greatness!
Key Features
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*   Incarnate a demon of the abyss; make him evolve into a powerful dungeon lord and customize him through weapon and armor upgrades  
*   Dig your own dungeon, build different room types, and craft wicked traps to stop your enemies  
*   Beat up the heroes who attempt to thwart your plans, or even better, crush their souls and use them as resources to build up your dungeon  
*   Recruit a vast array of creatures, level them up, and upgrade their equipment  
*   Terrorize the surface of Ardania by raiding different locations, collecting treasures and riches along the way  
*   Unlock unique magical item cards and mix and match them to build a deck that suits your playing style  
*   Play the campaign in solo or in coop mode; or confront friends in different multiplayer game modes

Release date: Feb 14, 2013

Categories: Dungeon Crawler, Real-time Strategy, Base Building, Resource Management, Unit Management, Squad Management, Mission-based Gameplay, Cooperative Multiplayer


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews indicate the current price of $20 is too high and that the game should only be purchased at a significant discount. The community suggests the fair price is well below $20, likely in the $5-$10 range based on typical sale discounts of 50-75% off. The evidence consistently points to a lower price being appropriate.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 73.0h
  - Story completion: 40.0h
  - Session length: 1.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Story completion estimated at 40 hours from '20 hours for half the campaign'. Game completion has conflicting reports: 24 hours (finish game) and 73 hours (first campaign with all side quests); 73 likely includes extra content so used for gameCompletion. Session length inferred as 1 hour per level from 'spend an hour on each level'. No evidence for endgame playtime.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Impire starts off somewhat enjoyable but quickly becomes a tedious, repetitive slog with clunky micromanagement, losing fun after roughly an hour; co-op mode can alleviate monotony for some players.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: After an hour of playing
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: tedious micromanagement with excessive clicking and menu switching; repetitive mission structure (build, raid, rinse, repeat); boring and monotonous gameplay after initial novelty; broken multiplayer limiting content to repetitive campaign; slow pacing and lack of strategic depth
  - Unlock drivers: co-op mode with friends; tutorial that clarifies UI and navigation
  - Conditions: playing with friends in co-op increases enjoyment; accepting repetitive loops as part of genre may reduce frustration
- Player Archetypes:
  - Co-op Campaign Enjoyer (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoy cooperative dungeon building campaigns with friends or solo.
    - Playstyle: Plays through campaigns at a relaxed pace, often in co-op, focusing on completing missions and building dungeons.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: co-op lover; RTS fan; dungeon builder enthusiast
    - Reference games: Dungeon Keeper; Majesty 2
  - Abandoned Multiplayer Fan (no buy)
    - Motivation: Wanted competitive or cooperative multiplayer experience but found the community dead and servers off.
    - Playstyle: Would have played PvP or co-op, but now forced into single-player campaign which they find boring.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: multiplayer fan; old-school RTS player
    - Reference games: Dungeon Keeper; Majesty 2; other RTS with multiplayer
  - Casual Dungeon Builder (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoy the dungeon building and dark fantasy theme in a casual, low-stress manner.
    - Playstyle: Plays at a slow pace, tolerates repetition, doesn't care about multiplayer, focuses on campaign.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: casual gamer; dungeon building fan; dark atmosphere lover
    - Reference games: Dungeon Keeper; Majesty 2


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:
- Amusing story and dialogue (weight 0.65): The story and dialogues are frequently praised as funny, silly, and amusing, with a humorous main character and black humor. The plot is a main draw.
- Excellent story and characters (weight 0.63): The story is praised as excellent, well-told, and engaging, with great characters and a narrator voice. The plot includes meaningful choices and multiple endings.
- Enjoyable combat and squad system (weight 0.61): Combat is enjoyable, with a squad system that allows teaming up to four monsters with roles like tank/healer/dps. The squad combinations and teleportation add strategic depth.
- Good gameplay overall (weight 0.6): The gameplay is generally considered pleasant, okay, and fun, though some note it is flawed. It is enjoyable enough to finish and has plenty of action.
- Great upgrade and progression systems (weight 0.55): The upgrade system, including cosmetic changes, talent trees, and rune technology, is praised. Leveling imps and specializing them is fun, and the research system with three branches is interesting.
- Dungeon Keeper clone (weight 0.55): Many reviews highlight the game as a strong Dungeon Keeper clone, with better minion control and reminiscent of Dungeon Keeper 2. It scratches the Dungeon Keeper itch and is closer to that series than others.
- Fun combat and action (weight 0.52): Combat is enjoyable and engaging, with challenging attacks and plenty of action. The RTS elements and squad movement add to the fun.
- Good graphics and art style (weight 0.39): Graphics are generally nice, with detailed goblin models, quirky style, and excellent character design. The art style fits the concept and is visually appealing.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive and boring gameplay (weight 0.44): Gameplay becomes tedious and monotonous after the first few missions, with repetitive tasks and same strategies required throughout. It feels like a chore rather than engaging entertainment.
- Poor Dungeon Keeper imitation (weight 0.38): The game is seen as a shallow copy of Dungeon Keeper, lacking the depth and quality of the original. Players find it a clumsy and dated knockoff that fails to capture the essence of the classic.
- Clunky and frustrating mechanics (weight 0.28): Game mechanics are clunky, annoying, and filled with tedious micromanagement. They make the game feel frustrating and unpolished.
- Cringe dialogue and cutscenes (weight 0.27): Cutscenes and dialogues are considered extremely cringe-worthy, with poor voice acting and humor. The jokes mostly miss and the humor feels childish.
- Overall boring and slow (weight 0.23): The game feels slow, tedious, and boring overall, with an uninteresting story. Multiple reviewers express general dissatisfaction.
- Limited dungeon customization (weight 0.21): There is little creativity in dungeon design due to preset room sizes and layouts. Players cannot adjust room dimensions or shape, severely limiting customization options.
- Steep or wrong difficulty curve (weight 0.16): The difficulty balance is poor: either too steep even on easy, or so easy it feels like a grind. This makes the game either unfairly hard or mindlessly boring.
- Broken multiplayer (weight 0.12): Multiplayer is broken and cannot connect even after extended attempts. This is a major issue for those who bought the game primarily for online play.
- Lifeless dungeon atmosphere (weight 0.11): The dungeon feels dead with no ambient activity, lacking the lively feel of the original. It contributes to a boring, unengaging experience.
- Technical issues with cutscenes (weight 0.11): Cutscenes stutter when camera angles change, causing a negative visual experience. This technical glitch detracts from the presentation.

Gameplay feedback:
- Dungeon Keeper comparison (weight 0.67): The game is frequently described as similar to Dungeon Keeper in style, mechanics, and concept. Some note it offers more direct minion control or is harder than the Dungeon series.
- Dungeon building with rooms (weight 0.42): The game features dungeon construction with preset rooms like nurseries, kitchens, and alchemy rooms, along with tunnel digging. This is a core Dungeon Keeper-like mechanic.
- RTS squad management (weight 0.4): Players highlight RTS-style squad management with unit assignment, squad-based controls, and micromanagement. Units can be grouped and teleported via a squad menu.
- Heroes enter via ladders (weight 0.16): Invading heroes descend from the surface through ladders that appear throughout the dungeon. Players must destroy these ladders to prevent entry.
- Set in Ardania universe (weight 0.16): The game is set in the Ardania universe from the Majesty and Warlock series, providing a familiar fantasy world for fans of those games.
- Rune tech tree system (weight 0.12): A rune-based technology tree is unlocked using DEC points earned from completing achievements and actions. This creates a progression system separate from typical building upgrades.
- Multiplayer control point capture (weight 0.11): Multiplayer focuses on capturing control points, with emphasis on unit spam and teleportation mechanics. This differs from the single-player dungeon management.
- Single-player only (weight 0.11): The game is single-player only with no multiplayer or PvP content, which may disappoint those seeking competitive modes.
- Raids and expeditions (weight 0.11): Players can send units on raids and expeditions to gather materials and treasure, adding an active offensive layer to dungeon management.
- Underground RTS perspective (weight 0.1): Some describe the game as a standard RTS taking place underground rather than a Dungeon Keeper clone, emphasizing real-time strategy over dungeon simulation.
- Unit upgrade system (weight 0.1): Units can be upgraded with armor and weapons, allowing for customization and strengthening of individual minions.
- Player is Baal-Abbaddon (weight 0.1): The player controls Baal-Abbaddon, a powerful demon trapped in an imp body, summoned by the character Oscar. This unique protagonist drives the story.
- Mission-based progression (weight 0.1): Core gameplay involves building a dungeon, filling it with monsters, raiding the surface, and completing missions to progress.

Performance notes:
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.27): Many players report that the game crashes frequently, sometimes upon release or during saving, leading to frustration and loss of progress. This is a widespread stability issue.
- Save corruption and loss (weight 0.13): The game can crash while saving, corrupting quick save files and erasing player progress. This data loss is a critical problem for retaining player engagement.
- Post-patch stability improvements (weight 0.07): After patches, the game experiences fewer crashes and bugs, and is more stable compared to its initial release. However, some issues persist.
- Stuttering in cut scenes (weight 0.07): Cut scenes suffer from stuttering at various resolution settings, affecting immersion and visual quality.

Recommendations:
- Strongly negative recommendations (weight 0.45): Numerous reviews advise against buying the game, with many saying 'do not buy' in strong terms. This indicates widespread dissatisfaction.
- Wait for a sale (weight 0.44): Several reviewers mention the game is only worth it on sale at a low price, typically for the campaign or a short experience.
- Not a Dungeon Keeper successor (weight 0.4): Many players feel this game fails to live up to the Dungeon Keeper series, with some explicitly calling it not a successor. They recommend looking elsewhere for that experience.
- Better alternative games exist (weight 0.2): Players suggest playing other games instead, such as Evil Genius, A Game of Dwarves, Dungeon Keeper 2, War of the Overworld, or Startopia.
- Limited audience appeal (weight 0.2): The game is recommended primarily for fans of the genre or those who enjoy specific elements like simple humor or tower defense.
- Praise for humor and atmosphere (weight 0.17): A few reviews highlight positive aspects: black humor, beautiful dungeons, great music, and a dark atmosphere. Some also enjoy the strategic base-building.
- Polarizing views on difficulty (weight 0.13): Opinions vary: some find the game too easy or tedious, while others see it as challenging. One review calls it 'a pass for now'.
- Bugs and imbalance issues (weight 0.12): Several reviewers point out bugs and balance problems, advising not to buy until they are fixed.
- Mixed feelings on campaign (weight 0.1): Campaign is considered okay by some but not enough to justify full price. Singleplayer may be less problematic than multiplayer.
- Negative comparison to previous titles (weight 0.1): Some say it is slightly better than Dungeons 2/3 but still not enjoyable, or that Dungeons 2 is actually better.
- Strongly positive experiences (weight 0.09): A small number of reviews highly recommend the game, calling it one of the best or praising its qualities.
- Not recommended for multiplayer (weight 0.05): One review explicitly advises against buying if planning to play with friends.
- Improvement from launch (weight 0.05): A single review notes the game has improved since release due to bug fixes.
- Test before buying (weight 0.05): One review suggests trying the game before purchasing.

Other player notes:
- Game setting Ardania (weight 0.05): A review mentions that the game takes place in the Ardania setting from the Majesty series, which may appeal to fans of that franchise.
- Playtime feedback (weight 0.05): A reviewer reports 10 hours of playtime, indicating a moderate amount of content or engagement.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.26): Players feel disappointed because the game fails to live up to the legacy of Dungeon Keeper, with shallow gameplay, missing content, and repetitive missions. Broken multiplayer, clunky controls, and wasted potential further diminish the experience, despite some enjoyable base building and RTS elements.
- Frustration (weight 0.26): Frustration stems from clunky controls, unclear objectives, and game-breaking bugs that prevent progress. Repetitive tasks, poor AI, and tedious mechanics like ladder invasions and micromanagement make the game feel unpolished and unenjoyable.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.12): Players enjoy the game's black humor, cheesy story, and engaging dungeon building mechanics, such as the squad-based combat and imp progression. The fun dialogues and whimsical moments, along with the ability to control minions, provide an entertaining experience reminiscent of Dungeon Keeper.
- Boredom (weight 0.05): Boredom arises from repetitive gameplay loops, monotonous missions, and a slow campaign with low difficulty. Each level looks similar, and the lack of variety fails to maintain player interest over time.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.05): Satisfaction comes from the game's improved state, engaging dungeon building, and well-told story with a good narrator. The large amount of content, cooperative mode, and team combo feature provide a fulfilling experience that scratches the Dungeon Keeper itch.
- Amusement (weight 0.04): Players are amused by the silly story, humorous conversations, and funny character interactions, particularly the imps and crude humor. The entertaining storyline adds to the lighthearted tone of the game.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.03): Nostalgia is triggered by the game's similarity to Dungeon Keeper, its style reminiscent of Overlord, and the setting in Ardania from Majesty 2. Fun multiplayer sessions with friends also evoke fond memories.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is directed at the game's terrible combat, camera, and movement, as well as deceptive advertising and illegal business strategies by the publisher. The shallow design fails to earn comparison to Dungeon Keeper, leading to a sense of being scammed.
- Hope (weight 0.03): Hope persists that developers can learn from feedback and make a better game using the liked parts. Players see potential and believe the problems are easy to fix, wishing the team better luck next time.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Annoyance arises from poor controls, constant protagonist death, stuttering cutscenes, and lack of tooltips. Low-poly models with unmoving mouths and the need to replenish squads after each fight also contribute to irritation.
- Disgust (weight 0.02): Disgust is caused by the game's primitive concept and disgusting controls, along with cringe-worthy dialogue and voice acting. These elements make the experience unappealing and hard to engage with.
- Irritation (weight 0.02): Irritation stems from the game being abandoned and not worth playing, as well as the aggression bar when managing multiple groups. These issues hinder smooth gameplay and reduce enjoyment.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Enthusiasm is driven by the game's dialogue, story, and room design, which players find engaging and well-crafted. These positive aspects generate excitement and interest in the overall experience.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation is expressed for the game's artstyle, which players find visually appealing and enjoyable. This aesthetic quality adds to the game's charm and positive reception.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness comes from the player not being aware of the game until recently, suggesting missed opportunities to enjoy it earlier. This regret adds a melancholic tone to their experience.
- Humor (weight 0.01): Humor is derived from the funny main character and the odd requirement of beer for dungeon building. These lighthearted elements provide comedic relief and enhance the game's charm.
- Mixed (weight 0.01): Mixed feelings arise because the game is not what was expected but still enjoyable, creating a balance of disappointment and satisfaction. Players appreciate certain aspects while acknowledging shortcomings.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): Excitement is fueled by the long-awaited release of a successor to Dungeon Keeper, along with a mix of game genres and unit customization. These features promise a fresh and engaging experience.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation is felt by players waiting for a translated version to fully enjoy the dialogues, indicating the language barrier hinders their current experience. They look forward to deeper engagement with the story.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Happiness is expressed by players who enjoy the game despite negative reviews, finding personal satisfaction and fun in the gameplay. Their positive experience contrasts with broader criticism.}