Info about Voidborn:

Official game description:
Voidborn is a fast-paced roguelite FPS set in a crumbling dark fantasy world where the player takes on the role of a Voidborn - a powerful being created for one purpose; **kill**.
Dash, slide, and wall-run through ancient underground cities, lava filled caves, blood soaked ruins, dark castles, and massive tombs. Slay demons to receive themed powerups to your different weapons and follow their upgrade paths to create devastating builds.
*   Use a wide variety of movement abilities to platform and avoid attacks.
*   Create devastating weapon- and character builds.
*   Face hordes of many different enemies and challenge tough bosses.
Grow stronger with every rebirth with permanent abilites and weapon upgrades as you face inevitable death. Challenge the demi-gods and avenge god to fulfill your destiny as a Voidborn.
*   Evolve after each death with permanent abilities and weapon upgrades.
*   Journey through a vast and varied dark fantasy world with unlockable shortcuts.
*   Take on the Trials of the Scarlet Curse, a custom difficulty system that ramps up the intensity to game-changing insanity.

Release date: Apr 7, 2025

Categories: First-Person Shooter, Roguelite, Action RPG, Movement Shooter, Dark Fantasy, Boss Rush, Fast-paced Combat, Character Progression


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: 5.0h
  - Session length: 1.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Session length is supported by multiple reviews stating runs are around 1 hour or at least an hour. Story completion is directly stated as 'at least 5 hours to beat it', and also implied by 'Took me 4 runs to beat the game' combined with 1-hour runs. Game completion has conflicting evidence: one review claims 90 minutes for a perfect no-death run, which is likely an outlier and not representative of typical play; thus game completion is set to null. No evidence for endgame playtime.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game begins slowly, especially before upgrades, but becomes more engaging as players reach new areas and unlock weapon/amulet upgrades. Some players find it fun immediately or never enjoyable, creating a divided experience.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Reaching new areas
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: slow start; repetitive gameplay; forced platforming section; limited enemy variety; lack of meaningful meta progression
  - Unlock drivers: reaching new areas; upgrading weapons; upgrading amulets
  - Conditions: player tolerance for repetition; appreciation for movement mechanics; interest in roguelite progression; willingness to play through slow early game; preference for fast-paced combat; acceptance of limited meta progression; enjoyment of exploration and boss fights; satisfaction with weapon variety
- Player Archetypes:
  - Action FPS Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Fast-paced, stylized combat similar to ULTRAKILL.
    - Playstyle: Aggressive, movement-focused, stylish kills with constant adaptation to unique enemy and item combinations.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: ULTRAKILL; HYPER DEMON
  - Roguelite Purist (no buy)
    - Motivation: Meaningful progression and varied builds to encourage adapting playstyle over multiple runs.
    - Playstyle: Strategic, values meaningful meta-progression and variety between runs, dislikes repetitive upgrades and static playstyles.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Exploration Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Exploration and atmosphere within shooter gameplay.
    - Playstyle: Thorough, enjoys exploring off the beaten path to find hidden rewards and appreciate world-building.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Bug-Conscious Buyer (no buy)
    - Motivation: Core gameplay loop, but bugs and difficulty spikes are dealbreakers.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys core gameplay but halts recommendation due to technical issues.
    - Experience: mixed
    - 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:
- Stunning visual aesthetics (weight 0.48): The visuals are a standout feature, described as gorgeous, beautiful, and distinct, with particular praise for environments and art style.
- Appealing art style (weight 0.41): The game's art style is consistently praised as cool, unique, and stylish, with retro graphics adding to its aesthetic appeal.
- Successful genre blend (weight 0.28): Players consistently praise the game as a successful blend of Ultrakill, Hades, and Dark Souls elements, creating a cool and unique experience.
- Overall fun experience (weight 0.24): Overall, the game is described as fun and good, with players enjoying their experience thoroughly.
- Enjoyable weapon variety (weight 0.19): Weapons are fun to use, with good variety and impactful feel, contributing to the gameplay satisfaction.
- Powerful weapon upgrades (weight 0.18): Weapons and upgrades are praised, with the shotgun specifically noted as powerful and effective for melting bosses.
- Balanced and fun gameplay (weight 0.15): Gameplay is described as good, interesting, and wonderfully balanced, ensuring a solid core experience.
- Talented developer vision (weight 0.14): The developer is seen as talented and visionary, which builds confidence in the game's future updates and support.
- Top-tier roguelike title (weight 0.11): Some consider it one of the greatest roguelikes of all time, highlighting its quality within the genre.
- Incredible movement system (weight 0.11): Movement is described as incredible and fantastic, which is a key aspect of the game's combat and traversal.
- Challenging difficulty (weight 0.1): The game offers a challenging difficulty that appeals to players seeking a tough but rewarding experience.
- Engaging roguelite loop (weight 0.1): The roguelite gameplay with clear inspirations is considered super fun, blending familiar elements effectively.

Common complaints:
- Limited weapons and enemy variety (weight 0.57): The game lacks variety in weapons, upgrades, enemies, and builds. With only a few guns and similar enemies, runs feel samey and limit strategic options.
- Heavily derivative of Ultrakill (weight 0.43): Many players feel the game copies Ultrakill's mechanics, weapons, and enemies without adding unique charm or identity, making it feel like a bootleg or asset flip.
- Roguelite mechanics feel shallow (weight 0.42): The roguelite elements are criticized as weak and tacked on, leading to repetitive gameplay and insufficient content variety to justify the format.
- Persistent bugs hinder gameplay (weight 0.4): Various bugs persist, including a known unfixed gun jam issue, enemies spawning in walls, and other glitches that hinder gameplay enjoyment.
- Final boss difficulty spike (weight 0.19): The final boss is heavily unbalanced, with a high difficulty spike and punishing combos that feel designed for a different movement system, contrasting with earlier easy bosses.
- Roguelite features inconvenience players (weight 0.19): Roguelite elements feel unnecessary and spoil the experience, while the lack of a save option makes long runs inconvenient for players with limited time.
- Combat lacks required strategy (weight 0.11): Players note that all enemies can be easily dealt with by simply strafing, jumping, and shooting, indicating shallow combat depth.
- Enemy sound cues missing (weight 0.1): Enemies lack sound cues for attacks or spawning, making it harder to react and reducing audio feedback during gameplay.
- Music lacks excitement (weight 0.1): The music is described as mediocre or only okay, failing to enhance the action or create an engaging atmosphere.

Gameplay feedback:
- Mix of Ultrakill, Hades, Dark Souls (weight 0.53): Players consistently describe the game as a fusion of Ultrakill's fast combat, Hades' roguelite progression, and Dark Souls' dark fantasy atmosphere, calling it a roguelite Ultrakill clone with a Dark Souls-like setting.
- First-person roguelite shooter (weight 0.43): The game is widely recognized as a first-person roguelite shooter with permadeath, run-based progression, and loss of progress upon death, fitting into the roguelite genre.
- Mixed enemy variety and AI issues (weight 0.36): Some praise enemy variety, but others note limited scope, poor readability in later phases, repetitive enemy types across runs, and AI pathfinding issues that need tuning.
- Challenging and diverse bosses (weight 0.36): Boss fights are a highlight, described as fast, diverse, visually appealing, and challenging, but the last boss has a high difficulty spike, and there are few boss encounters overall, favoring DPS output.
- Combat reminiscent of Ultrakill (weight 0.32): The combat and movement are directly compared to Ultrakill, featuring similar dash, slide, and parry mechanics, though some note the movement feels slightly easier and more forgiving than the inspiration.
- Fast-paced and frenetic gameplay (weight 0.32): The gameplay is consistently described as fast-paced, action-packed, and frenetic, requiring constant awareness and agility, rewarding aggressive play.
- Rich movement and parry mechanics (weight 0.27): Players enjoy a variety of movement options including dash, slide, superdash, and the ability to deflect attacks and parry, providing freedom to dodge and engage creatively.
- Run upgrades and lobby progression (weight 0.26): The game features a shop to progress, a lobby with upgrades between runs, buildcrafting with amulets, and upgrades for guns and player, but there is no meta-progression for basic stats.
- Weapon and upgrade imbalance (weight 0.23): Weapons and upgrades are cited as imbalanced, with limited scope and basic buffs that don't change playstyle significantly, leading to unsatisfying build variety.
- Grounded build variety with talismans (weight 0.22): Build variety is present through amulets, pre-run upgrades, and talismans collected during runs, but some feel it's more grounded compared to other roguelites like Gunfire Reborn.
- Souls-like atmosphere and aesthetic (weight 0.21): The atmosphere and world-building draw strong comparisons to Dark Souls, with a dark fantasy setting, soul-like aesthetic, and soulslike flavor in mechanics.
- Slow start, uneven difficulty curve (weight 0.16): The game has a slow start, but ramps up in difficulty; however, the difficulty curve drops significantly after the second level with correct skills and talents.
- Useless mechanic forced at end (weight 0.16): A specific mechanic (ultimate charge) is forced in the final section but is mostly useless elsewhere, making its late-game requirement feel arbitrary and frustrating.
- Static, traditional FPS level design (weight 0.16): Levels are structured like traditional FPS maps with static layouts and no randomization, reducing replayability for some players.
- Fast movement shooter FPS (weight 0.15): The game is described as a fast movement shooter FPS with roguelike elements, emphasizing fluid movement and shooting loops.
- Low-poly but beautiful art style (weight 0.14): Visuals use low-poly art style with beautiful environments, though some may find the aesthetic simple or dated.
- Poor enemy readability (weight 0.12): Enemies can blend into the background due to visual design, and readability becomes poor in later phases, leading to confusion during intense combat.
- Muddy or slow game feel (weight 0.11): Some players find the game feel muddy or slow-paced, contrasting with the general fast-paced description, pointing to inconsistent pacing.
- Room modifiers for variety (weight 0.06): Modifiers appear every room or every other room, adding variety and challenge during the run.
- Flashbang visual effects from guns (weight 0.06): Gun abilities produce flashbang-like visual effects that can be disorienting or annoying to players.

Performance notes:
- Performance is smooth and great (weight 0.12): Feedback confirms smooth and great performance on various computers, reinforcing overall optimization.
- Runs well on low-end (weight 0.07): Multiple players mention the game runs smoothly even on low-end hardware, indicating good optimization.
- Low poly visuals praised (weight 0.07): The Unreal Engine 4 low poly visual style is noted as a positive aspect, likely contributing to performance.

Recommendations:
- Good value and recommended (weight 0.56): Many reviews consider the game a worthwhile purchase, with some calling it a must-play or giving a 10/10 rating. They highlight good value and general satisfaction.
- Strong Ultrakill comparison (weight 0.24): The game is frequently compared to Ultrakill. Reviews suggest it appeals strongly to Ultrakill fans or those who enjoy movement-based shooters, and it is especially recommended for that audience.
- Avoid in current state (weight 0.19): Some reviewers advise against buying the game in its current state, citing needed improvements or lack of recommendation. A few explicitly say do not bother or that they refunded.
- Critical mouse bug reported (weight 0.19): Several reviews mention a game-breaking bug, specifically a mouse issue, that makes the game unplayable or not worth buying even at a discount until fixed.
- Wait for future updates (weight 0.19): Several reviewers recommend waiting: either for the game to leave early access, for a future update, or to check back in a few months to two years. They suggest it has potential but is not ready yet.
- Prefers alternatives over game (weight 0.15): Some reviews recommend buying Ultrakill instead or only trying this game if determined. It is specifically not recommended for Ultrakill veterans, implying it may feel derivative.
- High difficulty and grinding (weight 0.14): Some reviews note the game requires grinding bosses, has a major difficulty spike with the last boss, or feels so punishing that one would rather quit than complete it.
- Needs bug fixes (weight 0.1): Reviews indicate that fixing certain issues (like bugs or softlocks) would significantly improve the game, and some advise against new game+ runs due to softlocks.
- Suitable for short bursts (weight 0.1): A few reviewers mention the game is good for a short play session, like an hour or a couple of evenings, implying limited long-term engagement but decent casual fun.
- Niche appeal and filler (weight 0.1): The game is described as fitting a specific niche: aim training and arcadey FPS roguelike, or serving as a holdover for players waiting for more content in similar games.
- Strong negative sentiment (weight 0.1): Two reviews are extremely negative: one says don't bother, another simply says refunded, indicating strong dislike.
- Bugs and endgame spike (weight 0.06): A reviewer cannot recommend due to bugs and a massive difficulty spike at the last boss, combining technical and gameplay issues.
- Developer loyalty shown (weight 0.05): One reviewer liked the game enough to plan buying the developer's next title, indicating positive sentiment toward the developer despite any issues.
- Polished after updates (weight 0.05): One reviewer finds the game polished and feels great after updates, recommending replaying it.
- Avoid purchase entirely (weight 0.05): One review advises against buying the game or the bundle it was part of, expressing strong dissatisfaction.
- Appreciate developer vision (weight 0.05): One reviewer recommends the game for those who want to follow the developer's vision, implying appreciation for the design direction.
- Entertaining for some (weight 0.04): A single review states the game will bring someone a lot of entertainment, suggesting broad appeal.

Other player notes:
- Game feels unfinished (weight 0.59): Multiple reviewers criticize the game for feeling like an early access title, citing unfinished content, frequent bugs, and lack of polish. Specific complaints include missing features, a refund due to an unfixed bug, and an overall sense that the game is not yet a full release.
- Lengthy runs, moderate content (weight 0.45): Reviews consistently note that run lengths can vary from 1 to 3 hours, with total game content estimated at 2 to 5 hours. This is seen as a mix of boon and drawback, offering substantial playtime per session but potentially limited overall content.
- Deep weapon upgrade system (weight 0.22): The game uses gems to unlock and upgrade weapons, with each weapon having two upgrades (one altering the weapon, one adding ricochet). The pistol ricochet can auto-headshot, and meta-progression includes amulets and various stat upgrades for health, damage, and speed.
- Now at version 1.0 (weight 0.2): Several reviewers mention acquiring or testing the game at version 1.0 or 1.03, indicating a recent official release. This contrasts with the early access complaints, suggesting the game may have transitioned to full release but still has issues.
- Developer support limited (weight 0.1): A reviewer points out that the developer has moved on to a new game and has not provided major updates in some time. This raises concerns about ongoing support and bug fixes for current players.
- Elemental combat system (weight 0.1): The game features elemental mechanics with 3.5 or 4 elements: void/abyss, lightning/electricity, fire, and explosion. These elements add variety to combat and strategy.
- Limited enemy variety (weight 0.1): Reviewers note limited enemy variety with repeated bosses and pattern repetition in chests and areas. This can make the game feel repetitive over time.
- Inspired by Dark Souls, Hollow Knight (weight 0.1): The starting base resembles Firelink Shrine from Dark Souls, and accessories function similarly to Hollow Knight charms. These comparisons highlight inspirations from other acclaimed games.
- Visuals obscure attacks (weight 0.06): One reviewer notes that the game’s visuals can obscure incoming attacks, making it hard to dodge or react. This is a specific gameplay issue that could affect player experience, particularly in fast-paced combat.
- Only three weapons (weight 0.06): The game offers three weapon types: a pistol, a double-barrel shotgun, and an automatic rifle. This limited arsenal is noted by a single reviewer, potentially impacting replayability.
- Undeservedly small audience (weight 0.06): One reviewer feels the game has an undeservedly small audience, implying it is underrated. This suggests that despite flaws, the game has qualities that warrant a larger player base.
- Skill-based gameplay (weight 0.06): A reviewer highlights that the game is skill-based, requiring good movement and aim to succeed. This caters to players seeking challenging, reflex-driven gameplay.
- Minor enemy spawning bug (weight 0.06): A minor bug is reported where enemies may not spawn correctly, potentially disrupting runs. This adds to the overall polish concerns.
- Slow start before upgrades (weight 0.06): The game starts slowly before upgrades become available, which may deter players initially. Once upgrades are acquired, the pace improves.
- Improved from demo (weight 0.06): One reviewer notes significant improvement from demo to early access, indicating positive development progress. This contrasts with ongoing polish complaints.
- Roguelite tag feels forced (weight 0.05): A reviewer feels the roguelite tag is slapped on just for the Steam page, suggesting the game lacks typical roguelite progression or replayability.
- Wants more languages (weight 0.05): One reviewer hopes the authors add more languages, including Chinese, to broaden accessibility. This indicates a desire for localization support.
- Underrated rare gem (weight 0.05): The game is described as underrated but a rare gem, implying it offers rewarding experiences that are not widely recognized. This sentiment is shared by only one reviewer.
- Gradual location additions (weight 0.05): The game was developed gradually with locations added over time, which may explain its incremental content updates and early access feel.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.28): Players are frustrated by the permadeath mechanic combined with repetitive runs, lack of variety in weapons and upgrades, and numerous bugs such as mouse input issues, weapon jamming, and softlocks. Boss fights feel unbalanced and overly punishing, while the roguelite elements fail to provide meaningful progression or build diversity.
- Disappointment (weight 0.25): Disappointment stems from insufficient content and variety for a roguelike, with shallow meta-progression, repetitive gameplay, and lack of build diversity. Many feel the game is a derivative copy of Ultrakill with poor execution, unfinished mechanics, and a difficulty curve that undermines engagement.
- Excitement (weight 0.13): Excitement arises from the fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping gameplay, excellent music, and fluid movement that evokes favorites like Ultrakill and Hades. Players appreciate the combination of genres, challenging bosses, and the potential for future content and updates.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Enjoyment is derived from the blend of Ultrakill-style combat with roguelite elements, satisfying boss fights, and a killer soundtrack. The game's art style, atmosphere, and fun mechanics provide a good time despite some flaws.
- Annoyance (weight 0.07): Annoyance is caused by technical issues like excessive screen flashing, auto-weapon swapping, and lack of decimal mouse sensitivity settings. Repetitive music and small arenas, along with bugs that hinder gameplay, also contribute.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): Satisfaction comes from overcoming challenging bosses, mastering movement and combat mechanics, and enjoying the game's style and aesthetic for a fair price. The addictive roguelite loop and difficulty provide a rewarding experience.
- Hope (weight 0.05): Hope is expressed for the game's improvement through future updates, with players believing that existing problems like bugs and lack of content can be resolved. They see potential and want the developer to succeed.
- Love (weight 0.03): Love is fueled by the close resemblance to Ultrakill but with its own identity, enjoyable gameplay, and aesthetic. Players find it the most fun Doom/Ultrakill-style game with a good skill cap.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): Admiration is directed at the developer's work on the movement mechanics and rogue-like system, as well as the quality of environments and music.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Appreciation is shown for the game's strong foundations, art direction, environmental design, and fun gunplay. The music and visual style are particularly praised.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arises from the unexpected shift to a roguelike genre without clear communication, as well as unexplained mechanics like weapon upgrade disappearing.
- Engagement (weight 0.02): Engagement is driven by the speed shooter mechanics and a gradual progression ramp that keeps players invested despite a slow start.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude is expressed that the game exists for a specific niche, presumably covering a unique combination of genres that other games don't offer.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom results from a repetitive loop with no meaningful progression, causing players to lose interest quickly.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Regret is felt by those who purchased a trio of early access games, only to find this one to be a mess with unresolved issues.
- Determination (weight 0.01): Determination is shown by players who admit to being bad but are motivated to improve through practice and mastering the game's mechanics.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Desire is expressed for the addition of a save option, allowing mid-run exits without losing progress.
- Delight (weight 0.01): Delight stems from the overall quality of visuals, music, and gameplay, which come together to create a highly enjoyable experience.
- Dislike (weight 0.01): Dislike is directed at the inclusion of platforming sections in a roguelike, which feels out of place and frustrating.
- Maddening frustration (weight 0.01): Maddening frustration is caused specifically by gun firing inconsistency, where weapons fail to fire when expected, ruining critical moments.}