Info about Cobalt Core:

Official game description:
  
Cobalt Core is a sci-fi roguelike deckbuilder with a unique single-axis combat system that will throw you for a loop. Many loops!  
Give orders to your crew by playing cards: Will you **raise shields** to protect your ship, **dodge** incoming missiles and cannon fire to avoid damage outright, or **strike** preemptively to disable your enemy’s weapons? Outmaneuver your foes to stay just ahead of impending calamity, and reach the Cobalt Core!  
*   **Fresh new spin on tactics –** dodge attacks and target weak points in this unique single-axis take on tactics combat. Outwit the enemy in a high stakes game of cat and mouse!  
*   **Customize your deck –** hundreds of cards and split upgrade paths means no two runs will be the same. Find that perfect combo that brings your deck from powerful to overpowered.  
*   **Get to know your crew –** each character comes with a completely unique playstyle and their own personal story. Bring 3 along, mix and match their decks, and see how these little goobers get along with each other.  
*   **Tons of replayability –** hundreds of different character+ship combinations before you even hit “start run”. Crank up the difficulty and really test your skills!  
*   **Daily Challenges –** Keep runs fresh with all sorts of modifiers. Can you win with just 1 character, or with your ship scrambling itself every fight? Play at your own pace, or get competitive on the leaderboards!  
*   **Get in the groove –** featuring 90+ minutes of catchy and electrifying original music by _Minecraft_ composer Aaron Cherof!  
*   **Forward momentum –** untangle a narrative and unlock more playstyles as you go. Is there any escape from this time loop?
By the makers of _Sunshine Heavy Industries_, recipient of IGF's **Honorable Mention for Excellence in Design 2022**.

Release date: Nov 8, 2023

Categories: Deckbuilding, Roguelike, Tactical, Character Customization, Procedural Generation, Turn-based Combat, Science Fiction

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 10; verdict: Seamless; summary: The game performs exceptionally well on the Steam Deck, with users reporting smooth gameplay, good battery life, and high overall satisfaction. The game is also compatible with Linux systems, and there are plans for a native Linux build, which would further improve the experience. Users have expressed positive feedback about the game's design and its suitability for the Steam Deck.

- 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:
- Engaging and replayable gameplay (weight 0.96): The game offers a high level of replayability due to its varied crew makeup, card choices, and strategic depth. Players appreciate the diverse combinations and the unique positioning system, which adds a fresh twist to the deckbuilding genre.
- Charming and well-developed characters (weight 0.82): Characters in the game are frequently described as charming, funny, and well-developed. Their personalities and dialogues add depth and humor to the game, making the overall experience more engaging and enjoyable.
- Highly praised music and atmosphere (weight 0.68): The game's music and overall atmosphere are frequently highlighted as standout features. Players describe the soundtrack as haunting, beautiful, and perfectly fitting the mood and vibe of the game. The music is often noted for its emotional impact and variety, contributing significantly to the immersive experience.
- Innovative ship movement mechanics (weight 0.16): The game introduces innovative ship movement mechanics that add a layer of strategy and complexity to the combat. Players appreciate the unique positioning and targeting systems, which encourage mobility and defense.
- Adjustable and fair difficulty (weight 0.12): The game offers adjustable difficulty levels, making it accessible to both new and experienced players. The difficulty curve is described as fair and well-balanced, providing a challenging yet not frustrating experience.
- Diverse gameplay strategies (weight 0.08): The game supports a wide range of gameplay strategies and builds, allowing players to explore different playstyles. This diversity is enhanced by the variety of characters, ships, and cards available.
- Enjoyable combat interactions (weight 0.06): Combat in the game is noted for being fun and engaging, with unique interactions and quips from characters. The lighthearted tone and humorous dialogue during combat add to the overall enjoyment.
- Quality pixel art (weight 0.04): The game's pixel art style is frequently praised for being clean, vibrant, and cute. The art style contributes to the overall charm and aesthetic appeal of the game.
- Numerous unlockable content (weight 0.04): The game features a large amount of unlockable content, including characters, ships, and cards. This unlockable content adds to the game's replayability and keeps players engaged.
- Unique and varied encounters (weight 0.04): The game offers unique and varied encounters with alternate win/defeat conditions. These encounters provide a good mix of variety and versatility, keeping the gameplay engaging.
- Smooth performance and modding support (weight 0.03): The game is noted for its smooth performance and lack of critical errors. Additionally, the game supports modding, which adds to its replayability and customization options.
- Tactical and short runs (weight 0.03): The game offers tactical combat and short run lengths, which are extended only by strategic thinking and planning. This makes the game accessible and enjoyable for players with busy schedules.

Common complaints:
- Limited content and variety (weight 0.46): The game has a limited amount of content, including few enemies, cards, ships, and artifacts. This lack of variety makes the game feel repetitive and not worth the price for many players.
- Repetitive and lackluster gameplay (weight 0.42): The game suffers from repetitive gameplay mechanics, including repetitive battles, events, and card mechanics. Players often feel that the game lacks depth and variety, making it boring over time.
- Price and value concerns (weight 0.38): Many players feel that the game is overpriced for the amount of content and depth it offers. The value proposition is criticized, especially when compared to other games in the genre.
- Balance and difficulty issues (weight 0.36): The game has balance issues, with some characters and cards being overpowered while others are weak. The difficulty can be frustrating, and the game lacks a satisfying progression system.
- Grinding and progression issues (weight 0.35): Players find the grinding required to unlock all memories and complete the game tedious. The progression system is criticized for being too slow and not rewarding enough.
- Lack of depth and strategy (weight 0.33): The game is criticized for its lack of depth and strategic options. Players feel that the game does not offer enough complexity or meaningful choices, making it less engaging.
- Technical and design flaws (weight 0.33): The game has several technical issues, including crashes and translation errors. Additionally, the design of certain mechanics, such as the lack of an undo feature and poor UI, are criticized.
- Story and dialogue shortcomings (weight 0.18): The story is described as fragmented and clichéd, with repetitive dialogue. Players wish there were more memorable character dialogues and a more satisfying epilogue.

Gameplay feedback:
- Strategic deckbuilding gameplay (weight 0.39): The game combines roguelike elements with strategic deckbuilding, where players build decks from different characters, each with unique pros and cons. The gameplay involves precise positioning and movement, requiring tactical planning and decision-making.
- Character and ship variety (weight 0.29): Players can unlock various ships and characters, each with unique abilities and card pools. This variety allows for different strategies and gameplay experiences, enhancing replayability.
- Positioning and movement mechanics (weight 0.16): The game introduces unique positioning and movement mechanics, where players must strategically position their ships to avoid enemy attacks and plan their movements carefully.
- Difficulty and accessibility (weight 0.15): The game offers multiple difficulty levels, making it accessible for casual players while providing a challenge for experienced players. Runs are relatively short, allowing for quick gameplay sessions.
- Story and narrative elements (weight 0.1): The game features a well-integrated story with a time loop theme, where players uncover the narrative through successful runs. The story progression is tied to gameplay, adding depth to the experience.
- Inspired by popular games (weight 0.07): The game draws inspiration from popular titles like Slay the Spire and FTL, combining deckbuilding mechanics with strategic elements and a sci-fi setting.
- UI and presentation (weight 0.05): The game features a snappy UI and appropriate visuals, making it easy to navigate and visually appealing. The presentation is top-notch, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- Variety in enemies and battles (weight 0.05): The game offers a variety of enemies and battles, with unique enemy designs and encounters. This variety keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging.
- Daily challenges and achievements (weight 0.02): The game features daily challenges and a daily achievement system, providing unique rules and modifiers for each run. This adds replayability and encourages players to engage with the game regularly.

Performance notes:
- Good performance on Steam Deck (weight 0.02): Many players have noted that the game runs really well on the Steam Deck, indicating good optimization for this platform.
- Game crashing issues (weight 0.02): Some players have reported that the game keeps crashing, affecting their overall experience.
- Sound persists when alt-tabbing (weight 0.02): A notable bug where the sound does not stop or mute when the player alt-tabs out of the game.
- Technical glitch on Linux (weight 0.01): Some players have encountered technical glitches specifically on Ubuntu Linux, affecting their gameplay experience.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended for fans (weight 0.3): The game is frequently praised as a must-play, especially for fans of deckbuilding, roguelike, and strategy games. Many reviewers compare it favorably to games like Slay the Spire and FTL, highlighting its innovative gameplay, smooth replayability, and engaging story.
- Worth the price (weight 0.2): Reviewers consistently mention that the game is worth its price, even at full price, and especially on sale. It is seen as a good bargain and a crazy value for the price, offering multiple gaming sessions and a fresh feel.
- Recommended for specific genres (weight 0.13): The game is highly recommended for fans of specific genres such as roguelikes, deckbuilders, and strategy games. It is also suggested as a good entry point for beginners in these genres.
- Positive mentions of similar games (weight 0.11): The game is often compared to other popular games like Slay the Spire, FTL, and Hades. Reviewers suggest that if you enjoyed these games, you will likely enjoy this one as well.
- Good for relaxation (weight 0.01): Some reviewers mention that the game is great for chilling on voice chat and recommend it if you need some time to vanish, indicating its suitability for relaxation and casual play.
- Request for additional features (weight 0.01): There are requests for additional features such as hotkeys for seeing your deck and card piles, as well as daily achievements to encourage replayability. These suggestions indicate areas where the game could be improved.
- Check out other games (weight 0.01): Reviewers suggest checking out other games like Sunshine Heavy Industries, indicating that fans of this game might also enjoy similar titles.

Other player notes:
- Game on sale influenced purchase (weight 0.01): A significant discount of 51% prompted the purchase of the game. Players should be aware that the game is highly engaging and may require a substantial time commitment.
- Game released two years ago (weight 0.01): The game was released approximately two years ago, indicating it has been available for some time.
- Mac port available (weight 0.01): The game is available on Mac, making it accessible to a wider range of players who use different operating systems.
- External training program mentioned (weight 0.01): There is a mention of an external training program related to the game, which could be useful for players looking to improve their skills or understanding of the game.

Emotions:
- Joy (weight 0.23): Players experience joy from the game's immersive and charming elements, including its engaging story, unique mechanics, and delightful characters. The combination of humorous dialogue, innovative gameplay, and a captivating soundtrack contributes significantly to this positive emotion.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.19): Enjoyment stems from the game's engaging and varied gameplay mechanics, charming characters, and appealing visuals and music. Players appreciate the strategic depth, unique synergies, and the overall fun factor that keeps the experience fresh and entertaining.
- Excitement (weight 0.12): Excitement is driven by the game's unique and varied gameplay mechanics, intriguing story, and high-quality production elements like the soundtrack and art style. The anticipation of unlocking new content and the depth of strategy also contribute to this feeling.
- Frustration (weight 0.1): Frustration arises from several gameplay issues, including excessive grinding, lack of variety in enemies and cards, and balance problems. Technical issues like crashes and the absence of certain features also contribute to this negative emotion.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Satisfaction comes from the game's rewarding mechanics, clear story endpoints, and high replayability. Players feel a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment from the well-designed gameplay and satisfying progression.
- Love (weight 0.04): Love for the game is expressed through appreciation of its charming characters, engaging gameplay, and excellent soundtrack. The overall adorable and exciting nature of the game, combined with its intelligent design, makes it highly lovable.
- Disappointment (weight 0.04): Disappointment is due to the lack of content, repetitive gameplay elements, and a perceived lack of depth compared to other games. Some players feel that the game does not meet their expectations in terms of variety and strategic depth.
- Interest (weight 0.03): Interest is piqued by the game's unique mechanics, character personalities, and the overarching story. The variety of strategies and the core battle system also keep players engaged and curious.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Appreciation is felt for the game's charming characters, well-explained mechanics, and beautiful soundtrack. The innovative battle design and accessibility of the game are also highly valued by players.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Enthusiasm is generated by the game's unique mechanics, engaging story, and satisfying ending. The overall positive experience and the enjoyable ship combat and soundtrack contribute to this high level of excitement.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Amusement comes from the game's humorous dialogue and cute, funny characters. The quippy interactions and entertaining banter between characters add to the overall enjoyment and laughter.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise is often related to unexpected elements in the game, such as an incredible finale or realizing how much time has been spent playing. The trend of anthropomorphized animals and the discovery of the game itself also contribute to this emotion.
- Excited (weight 0.01): Excitement is driven by the game's unique battle system, engaging story, and the addictive, satisfying gameplay with infinite possibilities. The great art style, charming characters, and phenomenal soundtrack also enhance this feeling.
- Addiction (weight 0.01): Addiction to the game is due to its highly engaging and addictive gameplay, which can cause players to lose track of time. The compelling mechanics and enjoyable experience keep players coming back for more.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia is evoked by the game's reminiscent elements of other beloved games like FTL, combined with a fresh spin on the concept. Replaying the game after a long time also brings back fond memories and a sense of familiarity.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness is primarily related to the emotional ending and the realization that the game was discovered late. The emotional final fight and the overall ending leave a poignant impact on players.
- Happy (weight 0.01): Happiness is derived from the interesting story, lovable characters, and the gorgeous pixel art and music. The overall positive experience and satisfaction with the purchase contribute to this joyful emotion.
- Positive (weight 0.01): Positive feelings arise from the game's simplicity, charming characters, and enjoyable gameplay. The music, characters, and roguelite elements are particularly appreciated, contributing to an overall positive experience.
- Negative (weight 0.01): Negative emotions stem from the game becoming repetitive and not feeling worth the price. The loss of motivation to continue playing due to these factors contributes to a less enjoyable experience.}