Info about Minimum:

Official game description:
Are you a fan of old-school twitch shooters like Unreal Tournament and Tribes? What about team focused MOBAs like DotA and League of Legends? Would you like to play a game that combines elements of both genres while adding crafting, customization, giant robots and a bold new art style to the mix?  
Of course you would, and Minimum is just the game you've been searching for!  
Minimum focuses on fast-paced shooting fun and a robust system of in-match crafting, team objectives and customizable roles to create a rich and rewarding PvP experience. You'll find a bunch of interesting weapons to collect and customize, armor sets to mix and match, a solid core game mode known at TITAN MODE and more all wrapped up in a unique, minimalist artistic style that's more than the sum of its parts. Some of our coolest features include:
Customizable Weapons
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Craft dozens of lethal weapons with unique abilities and roles to best fit your personal playstyles. Each weapon has 5 power levels that are activate during kill streaks, increasing your power making you a force to be feared. Be careful though: weapon power levels are lost upon death, so with great power comes great risk!
Blueprint Crafting System
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Gather materials from fallen foes and defeated objectives to craft and upgrade armor sets over the course of a match. Each set of armor has different benefits and weaknesses that can emphasize your favorite playstyle or counter what your enemies are trying to do.
Titan Mode
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Battle in epic matches centered on the your team's Titan, a giant, destructive robot that confronts the enemy's Titan. Players can power up their Titan by performing tasks in-game, can defend their mammoth ally by killing enemy players, and can attack enemy Titans directly. The teams compete until one side's Titan reaches the enemy base and destroys it!
5v5 Competitive Gameplay
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Create cunning strategies with your teammates and define your unique role on the team by combining different weapons, armor and devices. Support your teammates weapons that increase drop rates for materials and powerups, defend your Titan with armor that grants additional health and survivability, scout enemy positions with weapon and armor that increase speed and allow for double or triple jumps, or simply go glass cannon and dish out as much damage as you can!
A Player-Focused Development Team
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We want Minimum to be the most player-focused game on Steam! Join us on our Steam community discussion forums to talk shop, weigh in on new features, report bugs and balance problems or just chat. Minimum is a game that will evolve with its community, both while in Early Access and beyond.

Release date: Sep 10, 2014

Categories: Third-Person Shooter, MOBA-like Elements, Weapon Customization, Crafting, Team-based Combat, In-match Progression

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 60; verdict: Aggressive Monetization with Disputed Pay-to-Win Claims; summary: The reviews confirm that this is a paid game that also operates a real-money in-game store, passing the Real Money Gate. Most reviews describe the store as cosmetic-only with zero power gap between paying and non-paying players, and weapons obtainable for free through gameplay. However, some reviews directly claim that weapons and armor are sold for real money, and one review explicitly alleges pay-to-win microtransaction mechanics layered on top of a ten-euro purchase. This conflicting evidence indicates a real-money storefront that extends beyond a one-time purchase, with credible but disputed paid-power allegations, placing it in the aggressive monetization range rather than a pure single-purchase title.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $4.99 - $9.99
  - Reasoning: The reviews consistently describe the game as good value, replayable, and worth the money, with one explicit price anchor at $4.99. Several users frame their purchase around discounts, suggesting the community views a low price as fair and would likely accept only a modest increase from the sale point. The beta status, server strain, and login issues also keep the perceived fair base price from being premium. Therefore, the community fair base-game range is estimated at $4.99-$9.99.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 2.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The only supported metric is session length. One review describes playing 1-3 hours a day, which I convert to a typical session of about 2 hours. A second review reports a much longer 7-hour session, but I treat it as an outlier rather than the typical value. The match-duration quote gives context for multiplayer rounds at around 30 minutes, but it does not support completion or endgame metrics. No review states hours to finish the game/story or an endgame duration, so gameCompletion, storyCompletion, and endgame remain null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: MINIMUM is reported as fun from the start, especially in co-op with friends, with quick unlocks and balanced progression supporting immediate enjoyment. Server/functionality issues and a confusing Titan mode are the main blockers, but no evidence gives a specific time-to-fun delay.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: Playing with friends / co-op multiplayer
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: server outages and inability to play with friends; bugs and server desync; confusing core Titan mode; death resets armor progression and power-ups
  - Unlock drivers: playing with friends or co-op, which raises enjoyment from solo to with mates; fast bot farming and quick leveling to unlock the large gun assortment; crafting progression balanced to avoid feeling grindy
  - Conditions: playing with friends or co-op; servers and functionality being restored; quick leveling to unlock guns; balanced crafting progression without grind; solo play is less enjoyable than co-op
- Player Archetypes:
  - Competitive Arena Shooter Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastering high-intensity competitive PvP and reliving old-school arena shooter tactics.
    - Playstyle: Team-based competitive modes, deathmatch, loadout crafting, and tactical map play.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Unreal Tournament; Loadout; LoL; Monday Night Combat; Planetary Annihilation
  - Co-op Social Player (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoying social team play and co-op survival with friends.
    - Playstyle: Co-op survival, team-based modes, and casual deathmatch with mates.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: teamwork based players
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Hardcore Self-Host Survivalist (no buy)
    - Motivation: Continuing to play and preserve a niche multiplayer game after official support and servers fade.
    - Playstyle: Solo hoarde/deathmatch, self-hosted servers, and patient waiting for revivals.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: hardcore fans; Solo
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Customization-Focused Newcomer (buy)
    - Motivation: Expressing creativity through weapon and armor crafting and visual customization.
    - Playstyle: Crafting loadouts, experimenting with armor builds, and appreciating the stylized visuals.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: TF2; Dota 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:
- Fun and Enjoyable Gameplay (weight 0.97): Many players find the gameplay fun, enjoyable, and engaging, with positive feedback on the overall experience. The game is frequently described as awesome, great, and entertaining.
- Weapon Variety and Balance (weight 0.4): The game offers many distinct and balanced weapons with special effects. Players appreciate the variety and the upgrading system that changes weapon appearance.
- Armor Crafting and Upgrades (weight 0.37): Players can craft, upgrade, and buy different armor types that provide various abilities. The armor system adds customization and progression.
- Great Concept and Potential (weight 0.31): The game has an interesting idea and shows a lot of potential. Players find the concept promising and innovative.
- Titan Mode Strategic Appeal (weight 0.29): Titan mode is highlighted for its fun mechanics, fast pace, and requirement for team strategy. It adds depth and challenge to the gameplay.
- Fast-Paced Shooter Action (weight 0.21): The game is described as a fast, energetic, and action-packed shooter with gripping and tactical gameplay. Its pacing keeps players engaged.
- Minimalistic Graphics Praised (weight 0.2): The minimal and blocky graphics are appealing and effective at conveying the action. The visual style stands out nicely.
- Addictive Third-Person Shooter (weight 0.12): It is praised as an extremely addictive third-person shooter and one of the few good ones available. The addictive nature keeps players coming back.
- Team Deathmatch Enjoyable (weight 0.12): Team Deathmatch mode is hectic but fun, especially when played with friends. It provides enjoyable multiplayer action.

Common complaints:
- Servers shut down (weight 0.64): Many clusters report that servers have been shut down, making the game unplayable. This has been a persistent issue over the years.
- Developers abandoned game (weight 0.45): Multiple clusters indicate that the developers have abandoned the game, leading to a lack of support and updates. This is a central reason for the game's decline.
- Bugs and issues (weight 0.25): Several clusters report the presence of bugs and that developers are not fixing them. This contributes to a poor gameplay experience.
- Weapon level reset issue (weight 0.12): A cluster notes that weapon level resets on death are not well understood and often result in low levels after respawning. This is a specific gameplay complaint.
- Simplistic visuals and sound (weight 0.12): A cluster mentions that the visual style and sound design are extremely simplistic. This affects the overall immersion and quality perception.
- Collapsed game balance (weight 0.12): A cluster reports that the game balance is collapsed and bad. This leads to an unfair and frustrating gameplay experience.
- No updates or content (weight 0.12): A cluster notes that updates are entirely underwhelming or nonexistent. This contributes to the feeling that the game is abandoned.
- Items wiped (weight 0.12): A cluster reports that item inventories have been wiped. This causes loss of progress and frustration among players.

Gameplay feedback:
- Crafting and upgrading weapons (weight 0.7): Players can craft and upgrade weapons and armor, often during combat. Weapons gain levels and change appearance as they improve.
- Multiple game modes available (weight 0.58): The game features three main modes: Team Deathmatch, Horde, and Titan. Each mode offers distinct gameplay experiences, from classic PvP to wave-based co-op and MOBA-like objectives.
- MOBA and shooter hybrid (weight 0.45): The game blends MOBA elements with third-person shooting, particularly in Titan mode. This hybrid approach includes lane pushing, tower destruction, and creeps to farm.
- In-match progression system (weight 0.37): There is a character and weapon progression system within matches. Upgrades reset upon death, and players can earn crystals to improve weapons.
- Armor types and abilities (weight 0.37): Different armor types provide various abilities and can be crafted or upgraded. Armor can be bought during matches with collected materials.
- Third-person shooter core (weight 0.34): The game is primarily a third-person shooter, with clusters highlighting its network multiplayer and high-intensity combat. Several clusters note the fast-paced, energetic nature of the shooting.
- Titan mode objectives vary (weight 0.33): Titan mode involves protecting or destroying titans, with some descriptions mentioning getting your titan to the end first or destroying enemy walls. The mode is described as MOBA-like with two titans clashing.
- Melee and ranged combat (weight 0.29): Combat includes both melee weapons like swords and dual blades, as well as ranged guns. Some weapons have primary and secondary fire modes.
- Weapon leveling changes appearance (weight 0.12): Weapons change appearance and attack method as they level up, reaching maximum power at level 5. This visual feedback enhances progression.
- Golden creep power boost (weight 0.12): A golden creep drops a resource that gives +10 strength to your titan. This adds a strategic element to Titan mode.
- Crystals from kills and deaths (weight 0.12): Colored crystals are earned by killing enemies or destroying turrets, and also drop when dying. These crystals are used for upgrades.

Performance notes:
- Laggy main menu (weight 0.18): Clusters 8, 9, and 10 describe the main menu with announcements as very laggy while other 3D world options run smoothly, and this lag affects everything including Steam Overlay and persists when changing servers.
- Disconnections during matches (weight 0.13): Clusters 20 and 21 describe server difficulties where players are disconnected at the end of a match or kicked at random times with 'Lost connection to host' errors.
- Poor netcode and packet loss (weight 0.13): Clusters 11 and 18 report that the netcode is often poor and players experience occasional packet loss, degrading online play quality.
- Prolonged launch prevention (weight 0.08): Cluster 6 states that server issues prevented the game from being launched for 6 months, indicating a severe and extended outage.
- Login difficulties during sales (weight 0.08): Cluster 14 indicates that servers become overloaded due to sales, causing login difficulty for many players.
- Login issues from foreign hosting (weight 0.08): Cluster 15 notes a high probability of failing to log in with direct connection because servers are hosted abroad, leading to connectivity problems.
- Server desync and hosting issues (weight 0.08): Cluster 5 notes server desync caused by poor hosting on low-end hardware, leading to unreliable multiplayer experiences.
- Game crashes (weight 0.07): Cluster 12 mentions that some players experience game crashes, affecting stability for a subset of users.
- Quit button doesn't close game (weight 0.07): Cluster 1 reports that the quit button does not close the game, a UI bug that prevents proper exit.
- Not fully optimized (weight 0.07): Cluster 22 notes that the game is not fully optimized, leading to performance issues on various hardware.
- Stutter opening daily quests (weight 0.07): Cluster 13 reports that the game may stutter in the main menu when opening the daily quests panel.
- Freezing issues (weight 0.07): Cluster 19 reports freezing, which can disrupt gameplay and indicate performance or stability problems.
- High system requirements (weight 0.07): Cluster 7 states that the game requires a really good computer, indicating demanding hardware needs.

Recommendations:
- Negative purchase recommendations (weight 0.55): Several reviewers strongly advise against buying the game. They cite the game being dead, broken, or incomplete.
- Positive recommendations (weight 0.55): Many reviewers recommend the game to others. They highlight fun, value, and appeal to fans of similar games.
- Worth the price (weight 0.37): Reviewers often mention that the game is worth its price. Some suggest it's especially worth buying on sale or at a discount.
- Recommend with friends (weight 0.21): Reviewers highlight that the game is great to play with friends. They mention high enjoyment in multiplayer sessions.
- Try on sale or if cheap (weight 0.2): Several reviewers suggest trying the game if it's on sale or cheap. They imply it's worth a try at a lower price point.
- Support developers (weight 0.16): A few reviewers suggest supporting the developers by purchasing the game. They believe the developers created a great hybrid game.
- For fans of specific games (weight 0.16): Reviewers recommend the game to fans of Unreal Tournament, Loadout, LoL, and competitive multiplayer shooters. They note similarities to those games.
- Other better games exist (weight 0.16): Some reviewers mention there are more interesting, polished, and cheaper alternatives. They suggest games like Gears of War or Super Monday Night Combat.
- Wait for full release (weight 0.13): Some reviewers advise waiting until the game is fully released before purchasing. They feel it's not good in its current state.
- Fast-paced combat appeal (weight 0.12): Some reviewers note that fans of fast-paced, twitch-based combat with point-and-click weapons will enjoy the game. Those who prefer different mechanics may not.
- Recommend for block-style shooter fans (weight 0.12): Reviewers recommend the game to players who love block-style shooters. They also mention it's a different multiplayer experience.
- Blame publisher Atari (weight 0.07): One reviewer suggests that the publisher Atari should be blamed for the game being abandoned, not the developers. This implies support for the developers.
- Report broken game to Steam (weight 0.07): One reviewer advises reporting the game to Steam because it is broken. This reflects frustration with technical issues.
- Recommends based on visuals (weight 0.06): One reviewer recommends the game based solely on its visuals. This indicates that the game's art style appeals to some players.
- Recommend for newcomers (weight 0.06): One reviewer recommends the game for newcomers to unlock a specific weapon. This suggests a positive experience for new players.
- Use matchmaking for beginners (weight 0.06): A reviewer recommends using matchmaking for beginners. This tip may help new players get started.
- Hopes review helps players (weight 0.06): One reviewer hopes their review helps players get started in the game. This indicates a desire to support the community.
- Not similar to Titanfall (weight 0.05): One reviewer clarifies that the game is not similar to Titanfall. This may help set expectations for potential buyers.

Other player notes:
- Microtransactions and Monetization (weight 0.37): The game includes microtransactions, which are common in games today, and combines buy-to-play with an in-game shop. The shop primarily sells cosmetic items such as armor and weapon skins that do not affect game balance.
- Recently Left Early Access (weight 0.28): The game recently came out of Early Access but is still in a beta state. It left Early Access despite being unfinished.
- Server Breakdown and Revival (weight 0.25): The game experienced a server breakdown 6-7 months prior to the review and was left for dead in 2015. It was revived in 2016 with improved features and servers back up.
- Gameplay and Crafting System (weight 0.24): The game is a third-person shooter with a weapon upgrade system and features a titan mode with MOBA-like elements. Armor and weapons can be obtained through in-game resource crafting.
- Dedicated Server Support Available (weight 0.21): The game supports dedicated servers and LAN play with full admin commands. Server hosting is possible for both public and private servers.
- No Public Servers, Unofficial Available (weight 0.21): No official public servers remain, but unofficial servers are available, such as the community server GhostMinimum. A guide exists for hosting servers.
- Price and Value (weight 0.2): The game costs ten euros or 2000 yen and is sold at a non-exorbitant price. It is compared to other titles in the MOBA and TPS genres which are said to be more interesting, polished, and cheaper.
- Steam Marketplace Exists (weight 0.16): The game features a Steam marketplace where items can be bought and sold. This allows players to trade cosmetic items.
- Developer and Publisher Info (weight 0.16): The game was developed by Human Head Studios and published by Atari. The company went bankrupt but still released the project with all its might.
- Developer Communication Channels (weight 0.16): The developer can be chatted with via a Discord server, and a Steam group and Discord exist where remaining players and developers interact.
- Comparisons to Other Games (weight 0.15): The game is compared to a ROBLOX knockoff that is not dead yet, and to many indie multiplayer titles that suffered the same fate. It is also compared to Polyguns on Roblox.
- Small Community Base (weight 0.12): The community is very small, with about 100 people. It is not extremely numerous but present.
- Server Hosting Requirements (weight 0.12): Server hosting requires a SteamID with a valid game purchase. Server addresses may change periodically.
- Cosmetic Items Details (weight 0.12): Cosmetic items include light sabers and dinosaur outfits. The shop only sells cosmetic armor and weapon skins.
- Development History (weight 0.07): The project started in 2014, was in closed beta for two years, then periodically gave access before fully opening for purchase and play in 2016 for CIS countries.
- No Italian Language Support (weight 0.06): The game is not available in Italian. This limits accessibility for Italian-speaking players.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.2): Players are frustrated by severe server issues, including downtime, disconnects, and the need for a VPN, which make the game unplayable. They also cite inventory wipes, bugs, unbalanced gameplay, and slow progression as major sources of annoyance.
- Disappointment (weight 0.19): Disappointment stems from the game being abandoned by developers despite its potential, leading to dead servers and an unplayable state. Players also note that the game left Early Access unfinished, with broken balance and missing features.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.12): Players enjoy the game's fun and energetic gameplay, varied modes like Titan and deathmatch, and satisfying progression and crafting systems. The absence of pay-to-win elements and the ability to play casually also contribute to their enjoyment.
- Sadness (weight 0.06): Sadness is caused by the game's servers being shut down, leaving it unplayable and empty. Players mourn the loss of the game and the experiences they had with its inventory, titans, and community.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Satisfaction comes from the game's tight controls, satisfying progression, and good value for the price. Players also appreciate the weapon upgrade system, melee dual blades, and the overall depth despite being in Early Access.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.05): Enthusiasm is driven by the game's beautiful graphics, fast gameplay, and original crafting system for weapons and armor. Players are also willing to invest in hosting dedicated servers due to their positive experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement arises from the game's fast-paced, action-packed combat with various weapons and flashy effects. The weapon upgrading system, where weapons change appearance with kills, particularly upgrading katanas, adds to the thrill.
- Hope (weight 0.04): Hope is based on the desire for the game to be revived, either by the current developers or someone influential in the gaming community. Players wish for the game to come back to life so they can enjoy it again.
- Anger (weight 0.04): Anger is caused by server crashes and the game being incomplete and broken despite its price. Players are also upset about premium content being deleted and Horde Mode's difficulty spike and reward nerf.
- Annoyance (weight 0.04): Annoyance stems from specific issues like a broken shotgun affecting game outcomes, a repetitive soundtrack, a laggy main menu, and an overly automated tutorial that cannot be paused.
- Anticipation (weight 0.04): Anticipation is driven by the game's potential and upcoming updates. Players look forward to seeing what the game becomes in the future.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise is caused by unexpected events, such as seeing a recent review for a dead game or the game grabbing the reviewer's attention when they expected it to be lackluster.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia arises from remembering the game as good and a great memory, a once shining gem. Players look back fondly on what the game once was.
- Love (weight 0.02): Love for the game is based on its art style, Titan gamemode concept, and the enjoyment it brought despite its dead state. The small community also shares this affection.
- Longing (weight 0.02): Longing is characterized by a strong desire for the game to return. Players wish the game was still up and running so they could play it again.
- Concern (weight 0.02): Concern is centered on balancing and cash shop issues that players are watching. The recent need for a VPN to play also raises worries about the game's accessibility.
- Interest (weight 0.02): Interest is sparked by the game's interesting idea and potential. Players would like to see what the developers do once the servers are back online.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion occurs at the beginning of the game, where many features are missed without guides. Titan mode is also confusing, with unclear strategy.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Happiness is caused by servers being back online, making the game playable again. Players enjoy fun modes like Titan and crafting.
- Grief (weight 0.01): Grief is deeply personal, stemming from the death of a reviewer's brother. It is also linked to the game being dead with no players and no way to purchase it.}