Info about Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Scorched Earth:

Official game description:
The “Scorched Earth” expansion redefines the Eastern Front with a stunning arsenal for multiplayer, plus brand new single player content to complete the most brutal theater of the war. From the Siege of Sevastopol to the very last offensives of WWII in the east.  
This expansion offers content for every type of player, immersing you in historical battles and forgotten episodes of the war. Marvel at the exact recreations of real locations with their stunning visuals, lots of new assets and unique new units, including some of the biggest weaponry used in the conflict.  
Scorched Earth contains
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*   4 all- new USSR single player missions  
*   4 all- new German single player missions  
*   6 new unique multiplayer doctrines for USSR and Germany (one for each nation and time period)  
*   25 new units  
*   New buildings  
*   New aerial reconnaissance units
Single player missions
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For the German campaign, we added the brutal siege of Sevastopol and the legendary Battle of Narva, as well as the less known but equally important episodes of the Eastern Front. These include the anti-partisan operations in Yugoslavia and Operation Spring Awakening, the last German offensive operation of WWII.  
For the Soviet campaign, the time has come to relive the desperate fighting in Stalingrad as well as the most famous tank battle of the war: Kursk. Lead the 1st Ukranian front in the liberation of Kyiv, and push the Red Army all the way into the homeland of the Third Reich, including the dramatic capture of Königsberg.  
New units
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This DLC opens access to new doctrines for multiplayer for USSR and Germany. We have implemented some of the lesser known, yet unique vehicles of the conflict, such as the infamous 600mm “Karl Gerät” siege mortar.
The Support Doctrine
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The new units of the DLC are also available in multiplayer. They are part of the doctrines for Germany and the USSR. These new doctrines provide you with the ability to support your team with extra key units, and the ability to reinforce your logistical warfare as a way to overwhelm the enemy. The “Support” doctrines include reconnaissance aircraft to spot for your team, plus a variety of artillery and logistics support units to plug holes in your line and turn the tide in times of need.

Release date: Nov 18, 2022

Categories: Real-Time Strategy, Multiplayer, Single-player, Historical Strategy, World War II, Military Simulation, Tactical Combat, Unit Management

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 65; verdict: Mixed Reception; summary: The reviews for this DLC are mixed. While some users appreciate the high-quality content and new missions, many feel that the DLC is overpriced and does not provide enough value for its cost. There are also concerns about pay-to-win elements and a perception that the developers are focused on cash grabbing through DLC releases rather than improving the base game.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that many users find the current price of the game to be high relative to the content provided. Several reviews mention that the game is worth buying only when it is on sale, indicating that the perceived fair price is lower than the current price. The general sentiment is that while the game has quality content, it is overpriced. This suggests that a fair price range would be lower than the current price, likely in the range of common sale prices.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 30.0h
  - Story completion: 5.0h
  - Session length: 2.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides several indications of playtime metrics. The first quote suggests that a single mission can take several hours to complete, indicating a long session length and potentially long story completion time. The second quote mentions a few hours of enjoyment, which supports a moderate playtime for story completion. The third quote indicates that the DLC provides content for the next 20-30 hours, suggesting a total game completion time. The fourth quote, while not directly related to playtime, supports the context of DLC content.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game becomes fun in multiplayer and cooperative modes, especially with the addition of new doctrines and units, while single-player levels are seen as a slog.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Multiplayer and cooperative play
  - Time to anchor: 0h 30m
  - Friction: tedious single-player levels; imbalanced units in multiplayer
  - Unlock drivers: new multiplayer doctrines; cooperative play; new units and buildings
  - Conditions: multiplayer; cooperative play; new content
- Player Archetypes:
  - Value-Conscious Veteran (sale)
    - Motivation: Getting the best value for their money.
    - Playstyle: Strategic and patient, waiting for the best deals to enhance their gaming experience.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: fan; veteran
    - Reference games: Gates of Hell
  - Enthusiastic Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment and enthusiasm for the game series.
    - Playstyle: Immersive and engaged, often playing through new content thoroughly.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: fan; enthusiast
    - Reference games: GEM engine games; Ostfront theatre
  - Multiplayer Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: Enhancing and enjoying the multiplayer experience.
    - Playstyle: Competitive and strategic, focusing on multiplayer battles and doctrines.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: multiplayer enthusiast; strategist
    - 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:
- Powerful new units (weight 0.51): Specific units like the Karl Gerät and Jagdtiger are highlighted for their power and effectiveness in gameplay.
- Enjoyable and engaging missions (weight 0.46): Players find the new missions enjoyable, engaging, and not boring. The additional missions and new vehicles are considered high quality and interesting.
- New doctrines and vehicles (weight 0.44): The introduction of new doctrines and a variety of new vehicles is well-received. Players appreciate the diversity and quality of the new doctrines and vehicles.
- Good value for money (weight 0.44): Players feel that the game is worth the price, offering good value for money, especially when purchased at a discount.
- Expansion to North Africa (weight 0.35): The game expands to the North Africa and Mediterranean theater of war, capturing unique challenges and dramatic battles.
- High-quality content (weight 0.29): The game offers high-quality models and content, which players find visually appealing and well-made.
- Positive reviews for DLC (weight 0.25): The DLC is described as really good and amazing, with players giving it high ratings.
- Well-done single-player campaign (weight 0.21): The single-player campaign is praised for being well done and enjoyable. Players appreciate the additional single-player missions.
- New multiplayer maps (weight 0.14): The addition of new multiplayer maps is appreciated by players, adding variety to the gameplay.
- Massive historical battles (weight 0.14): The game features quite massive and historical battles, providing a rich and immersive experience.

Common complaints:
- Mission design flaws (weight 0.58): Players find the missions to be shapeless, anecdotal, flat, and disappointing. They are also described as boring, uninteresting, lazy, repetitive, and time-consuming.
- Misleading doctrine content (weight 0.36): The DLC advertises six new unique doctrines but actually offers only two additional doctrines, which are repetitive and not unique. Players feel misled by this.
- Gameplay balance issues (weight 0.32): Players have encountered balance issues, particularly with certain weapons and mechanics, making some parts of the game overly difficult or frustrating.
- Lack of content and narration (weight 0.2): Players report a lack of narrators and voiceovers, contributing to an overall feeling of missing content in the DLC.
- Long and tedious SP levels (weight 0.14): Single-player levels are reported to be a complete slog to get through and take too long to complete.
- Poor AI (weight 0.14): Players have noted that the AI in the game is either non-existent or atrocious, detracting from the gameplay experience.
- Historical inaccuracies (weight 0.13): Some players have noted historical inaccuracies in the DLC, which detract from the overall experience.
- Lack of unique advantages (weight 0.13): Players feel that the DLC lacks unique advantages or standout features, making it seem like a waste of money.
- Support doctrine issues (weight 0.13): The new doctrine introduced in the DLC is only a support doctrine and lacks real support units, which players find disappointing.
- Bugs and technical issues (weight 0.13): There are reports of potential bugs and the need for bug fixes, indicating technical issues that need to be addressed.

Gameplay feedback:
- Mission variety and content (weight 0.84): The game offers a wide range of missions, including historical missions and specific named missions. There are missions for different factions like Germany and the Soviet Union, and missions set in various theaters such as North Africa and the Mediterranean.
- Gameplay mechanics and features (weight 0.65): The game includes various gameplay features such as objective-based gameplay, unit balance, and specific mechanics like lines of sight and grenade throws. There are also mentions of strategic and tactical gameplay elements.
- Single-player campaign and modes (weight 0.44): The single-player campaign is a significant feature, with eight new missions added. The game also includes modes like conquest and dynamic company mode, providing varied gameplay experiences.
- Multiplayer and doctrines (weight 0.35): Multiplayer modes and the introduction of new doctrines are key aspects. New units are available as doctrines in multiplayer, enhancing the strategic depth and variety in gameplay.
- Specific units and vehicles (weight 0.28): The game features specific units and vehicles like the 'Karl' and 'Wirbelwind'. Tank mechanics and vehicle availability are also highlighted, providing a range of tactical options.
- Difficulty and AI (weight 0.22): The game includes a hardcore difficulty setting and mentions of AI bot abilities. However, there are criticisms about the lack of bots and the difficulty of existing bots.
- Editor content and skirmish mode (weight 0.12): The game offers content for the editor and includes a skirmish mode, providing additional gameplay options and customization.
- Historical accuracy (weight 0.08): The game is noted for its historical accuracy, with missions and content that reflect key historical moments and battles.
- Mini-map symbols (weight 0.07): The game includes mini-map symbols for supply crates, aiding in navigation and strategy.

Performance notes:
- Update introduced new bugs (weight 0.16): The recent update has introduced new bugs, causing additional problems for players.
- Game crashes frequently (weight 0.09): Many players report that the game crashes often, disrupting gameplay.
- Loading errors occur (weight 0.09): Players experience errors during the loading screens, causing delays and frustration.
- Gravity bug present (weight 0.09): There is a notable bug related to gravity mechanics, affecting gameplay physics.

Recommendations:
- Worth buying on sale (weight 0.27): Many players suggest that the game or DLC is worth purchasing only when it is on sale, particularly at a significant discount.
- Language and mode improvements needed (weight 0.25): There are requests for adding the Russian language and improvements to direct control mode, AI, and Conquest mode.
- Recommended for fans and campaign lovers (weight 0.15): The game is highly recommended for those who are already fans of the series or enjoy campaign-focused gameplay.
- More Eastern Front content desired (weight 0.09): Players are interested in more content related to the Eastern Front, indicating a desire for expanded or additional related content.
- DLC enhances experience (weight 0.09): Buying the DLC is recommended for a better overall gaming experience.
- Consider bundle purchases (weight 0.08): Players suggest that buying the game as part of a bundle can save money.
- Review context matters (weight 0.07): It is important to note when a review was written or edited to understand the context better.

Other player notes:
- Desire for first-person updates (weight 0.09): Players are hoping for future updates that include first-person control for infantry.
- Gifted game (weight 0.07): Some players received the game as a gift.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.22): Players are frustrated due to a combination of technical issues, repetitive mission design, and balance problems. Specific complaints include game crashes, overly difficult missions like Narva and Pavlov House, and AI behavior issues. Additionally, players are dissatisfied with the lack of content, high pricing, and the effectiveness of certain game mechanics like bombing.
- Disappointment (weight 0.18): Disappointment stems from the perceived lack of value and effort in the DLC content. Players feel the DLC does not stand out from the standard version, lacks engaging elements, and has issues with AI behavior and unit inclusion. High pricing and the lack of significant updates or unique features also contribute to this sentiment.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.17): Players express satisfaction with the quality and variety of new missions, weapons, and units introduced in the DLC. They appreciate the engaging content, good value for money, and the unique challenges presented in the missions. Regular updates and quality-of-life improvements also contribute to their positive experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.08): Excitement is generated by the introduction of powerful weapons, strategic gameplay, and new missions. Players are particularly thrilled about the new USSR single-player missions and the opportunity to experience different theaters of war, such as North Africa and the Mediterranean.
- Anger (weight 0.06): Anger is directed towards the developers due to their perceived lack of concern for fixing or improving the game. Players are upset about poor mission design, persistent gameplay issues, and the handling of criticisms and bugs.
- Frustrated (weight 0.05): Players are frustrated with poor mission design, overpowered units, and pricing issues. They also find the campaign tedious and are disappointed with the lack of DLC units in skirmish mode, as well as difficulty and weapon issues in missions.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.04): Enjoyment comes from favorite missions, tactics, and the addition of new units. Players appreciate the fun added units and great single-player campaigns, as well as the inclusion of new missions and units in the main game and editor.
- Happy (weight 0.04): Happiness is derived from positive experiences with missions, content, and specific units like the Jagdtiger tank destroyer. Players also appreciate the variety of new vehicles and doctrines introduced in the DLC.
- Excited (weight 0.03): Players are excited about new doctrines, units, and the variety of vehicles and missions. The praise for the game and its engaging content contributes to this excitement.
- Hopeful (weight 0.03): Hopefulness is based on the potential for future improvements and updates. Players are optimistic about the possibility of enhancements in future DLCs and updates.
- Satisfied (weight 0.02): Satisfaction is derived from the enjoyment of the game and its modes, as well as engaging missions and fair pricing. Players appreciate the overall quality and value of the content provided.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy comes from positive experiences with specific missions like the Carpathian mission and the new campaign. Players appreciate the mission design and the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Hope is based on a positive outlook for future improvements and updates. Players are looking forward to potential enhancements, such as first-person infantry control, in future updates.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude is expressed due to a personal connection to historical events depicted in the game. Players appreciate the historical accuracy and the emotional resonance it provides.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation is directed towards the developers for not cutting corners and doing a good job. Players recognize the effort and quality put into the game.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Disappointment arises from the lack of historical accuracy and interesting campaigns. Players feel that the content does not meet their expectations in terms of historical representation and engaging storylines.}