Info about Scarecrow: 90s Crime Story:

Official game description:
_By day, this city knows you. By night, it has no idea who you really are._
The criminal ’90s have come to Severodvishchensk, a small, poor town torn in two by dangerous gangs. Residents fear for their lives and never cross anyone stronger, no matter who you are, human or beast. There’s no shortage of people here who never live to see old age, but will you end up among them?
**YOU ARE A HITMAN**
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You’re Robert, a fox who makes a living carrying out his boss’s dirty orders. No questions asked: you take the job and see it through. But this harsh winter, something in you breaks. You start doubting who you really are and what you deserve.
Painful memories surface one after another, each dragging you back into a past you wanted to bury...
**LIVE BY DAY**
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Walk the streets while they’re still quiet. Explore an authentic, nostalgic, aging post-Soviet city that brutal gangs are tearing in two. 
Get to know the locals’ stories: help a friend climb out of a string of drinking binges; give your sweet cat-girl friend a chance to get closer to you; ask about the life of your bartender acquaintance and the VHS tape seller; hear about the hard life of the homeless in the abandoned building. Go check on your mom, for crying out loud!
**KILL BY NIGHT**
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Every bloody job comes in at sundown. A fast, brutal top-down night-time bloodbath: kick in doors, choose from 20 different guns, go in fast or strike from the shadows.
Your goal is to clear every location completely. Take out snipers, heal with medkits, shoot through windows from outside, and blow up fuel barrels. Get it done and carry out your damn orders!
**FEATURES:**
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*   Day/night structure: story-driven gameplay by day, top-down action by night
*   Crime drama with personal choices that affect the ending
*   Adrenaline-fueled gang shootouts, 20 weapons, and plenty of locations
*   Humans and anthropomorphic animals living in one world
*   Original soundtrack by Acryl Madness, isekaifromsaratov, and Myasorubin
*   A nostalgic post-Soviet winter, drawn by people who grew up in it themselves

Release date: Nov 12, 2026

Categories: Top-Down Shooter, Hotline Miami-inspired Gameplay, Story-driven Gameplay, Day/Night Cycle, Multiple Endings, Choices That Matter, Anthropomorphic Animal Characters, Post-Soviet 90s Setting


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $7.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: Reviewers consistently value the story, characters, and gameplay, but the short 2-3 hour length makes the current $11.99 base price feel somewhat high to some. One reviewer calls the game outrageously cheap, while another suggests waiting for a sale if only interested in action or story. Balancing strong narrative praise against length concerns and sale advice points to a fair base-game range of roughly $7 to $10, below the current $11.99.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 4.5h
  - Story completion: 4.5h
  - Session length: 4.5h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The most specific completion report says the reviewer finished the game in about 4.5 hours, and another review describes the story as 4-5 hours long, so gameCompletion and storyCompletion are set to 4.5 hours. A separate review estimates a 2-3 hour game, but it is a shorter outlier and less specific than the explicit 4.5-hour finish. The comment about finishing the whole thing in one sitting supports a sessionLength near the full completion time, approximately 4.5 hours. The mention of multiple endings and a 100% video does not provide any endgame playtime, so endgame is null.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes:
  - Narrative Crime Drama Player (buy)
    - Motivation: Experiencing an emotionally gripping, compact crime story with a distinctive post-Soviet setting.
    - Playstyle: Plays primarily for the narrative, treating action as secondary and valuing atmosphere and character context.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: HM
  - Hard-Mode Completionist (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastering difficult combat and completing all achievements.
    - Playstyle: Starts on hard difficulty and pursues full achievement completion.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Action-Game Comparison Player (buy)
    - Motivation: Finding action gameplay that recalls familiar titles while still offering a worthwhile story.
    - Playstyle: Approaches the action sections through comparisons to known games and evaluates the game partly on that familiarity.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: HM


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:
- Captivating storyline (weight 0.64): Reviewers consistently describe the story as engaging, impressive, and excellent, with many finding it maintains intrigue throughout. Some note it is short but still emotionally impactful.
- Great music and soundtrack (weight 0.43): Multiple clusters highlight the music as good to outstanding, with excellent soundtracks and sound design praised across reviews.
- Strong atmosphere (weight 0.31): Players frequently mention the atmosphere as great, top-notch, or pleasant, with level design contributing to the immersive feel.
- Satisfying gameplay (weight 0.3): Gameplay is frequently described as good, brilliant, and exceeding expectations, delivering a fun top-down shooter experience.
- Beautiful visuals and pixel art (weight 0.27): The game's aesthetics, including pixel graphics and overall visual presentation, are repeatedly described as beautiful and visually pleasant.
- Engaging dialogue and humor (weight 0.27): Dialogue is often praised as funny, sharp, lively, and well-developed, adding to the overall enjoyment.
- Emotionally impactful ending (weight 0.16): The ending is described as bittersweet yet fulfilling and emotionally impactful, leaving a strong impression.
- Lovable characters (weight 0.13): Characters, especially Sasha, are highlighted as lovable and well-crafted, contributing to the game's charm.
- Developer passion evident (weight 0.13): Reviewers note that the developers visibly put soul into the project, which enhances the overall experience.
- Well-placed references and memes (weight 0.12): The game contains numerous references to memes, films, and other games that are well-integrated and add enjoyment.

Common complaints:
- Game length is too short (weight 0.28): Multiple reviewers note the game is very short, with playtimes ranging from 2-5 hours, making the plot feel rushed and the price tag seem steep for the amount of content.
- Combat lacks polish and challenge (weight 0.27): Reviewers find the combat unpolished, overly easy on medium difficulty, and unchallenging compared to Hotline Miami, with poor weapon balance where shotguns or machine guns dominate.
- Story is rushed and clichéd (weight 0.19): The narrative is criticized for being simple, relying on tired tropes, and failing to properly develop hardships or betrayals, resulting in a rushed and unengaging plot.
- City exploration is dull (weight 0.18): The city walking segments and plot exploration are described as boring and uninteresting, with little to do besides drinking with furries in a single bar.
- Characters feel out of place (weight 0.17): Characters are criticized as 'plastic,' unbelievable, and resembling fanfiction inserts, such as the furry characters and Victor, who don't fit the narrative.
- Controller issues and freezes (weight 0.17): Automatic controller detection failed for a PlayStation controller at mission start, and the free camera on controller feels weird by default; there are also freezes when aiming.
- Derivative of Hotline Miami (weight 0.13): The game is seen as heavily copying Hotline Miami and OTXO without meaningful gameplay evolution, leading to a less polished and controllable experience.
- Gunfights aren't fun (weight 0.13): Gunfights are not enjoyable, and melee combat feels pointless since the entire playthrough relies on firearms.
- Dialogues are weak (weight 0.11): Dialogues are considered a weak point, and the first round with the fox is full of dialogues and lacks action.
- Minor bugs and crashes (weight 0.11): Reviewers encountered minor bugs, and pressing the Windows key crashes the game.
- Gameplay becomes boring (weight 0.11): The game becomes very boring over time, with straightforward HP-based gameplay and no development beyond basic Hotline Miami mechanics.
- World ignores player actions (weight 0.08): The game fails to acknowledge that the protagonists are a two-man army, with the world not reacting to them wiping out gangs, breaking immersion.
- Graffiti references feel inappropriate (weight 0.07): Inappropriate graffiti references in the Hotline Miami segments stand out and look out of place, detracting from the experience.
- Title is misleading (weight 0.06): The title '90's Crime Story' is somewhat misleading, as the game's content does not fully align with the expected theme.
- Story uses familiar antihero tropes (weight 0.06): The plotline is described as stupid and follows another vengeful criminal protagonist with past war trauma and mental issues, similar to Hotline Miami and Katana Zero.
- Mini-games leave reviewer wanting more (weight 0.06): The mini-games were enjoyable but left the reviewer wanting more, indicating they are underdeveloped.

Gameplay feedback:
- Hotline Miami-inspired gameplay (weight 0.68): The game's combat and action segments are frequently compared to Hotline Miami, with many noting it takes the best elements and polishes them with arcade features. It is considered a spiritual successor rather than a pure clone, offering its own identity.
- Multiple endings (weight 0.31): The game features multiple endings tied to player choices and achievements, including a good ending. Branching narratives enhance replayability.
- Top-down shooter structure (weight 0.27): The game is a 2D top-down shooter with a day/night cycle, combining adventure elements with adrenaline-fueled action. Night sections are reminiscent of Hotline Miami.
- Varied weapons and combat (weight 0.26): Players have access to a variety of firearms and melee options, with around 20 weapon types. Combat is forgiving of mistakes compared to Hotline Miami.
- Post-Soviet 90s setting (weight 0.24): The game is set in a nostalgic post-Soviet winter environment with Russian flavor, reminiscent of 90s Russian crime films.
- Difficulty levels (weight 0.23): The game offers multiple difficulty settings, including easy, medium, and hard, catering to different player preferences. Medium is considered accessible.
- Story-driven experience (weight 0.22): The narrative is a primary focus, with lengthy story segments and a plot that drives the gameplay. Some describe it as feeling like a short visual novel.
- Town exploration and NPCs (weight 0.22): Much of the game involves exploring the city, talking to residents, and engaging in side quests. These interactions flesh out the world and story.
- Mix of Hotline Miami and Night in the Woods (weight 0.22): The game blends top-down action with side-scrolling adventure segments similar to Night in the Woods. These peaceful sections include a journal and character interactions.
- Anthropomorphic animal characters (weight 0.21): The game features furry characters living alongside humans in a 90s post-Soviet setting. The protagonist is a fox assassin.
- Side quests and journal (weight 0.21): Side quests and a quest journal with character notes provide additional content and help track objectives. Optional dialogue actions add depth.
- Day/night gameplay split (weight 0.18): Gameplay alternates between daytime exploration and nighttime action. By day, players interact with the town and its residents; by night, they engage in top-down shootouts.
- Choices and consequences (weight 0.17): Player choices affect the story and endings, adding variability and replay value. The narrative branches based on decisions made throughout the game.
- Interactive world (weight 0.16): The game world is interactive, allowing players to engage with items, shops, and various points of interest. This enhances immersion.
- Original soundtrack (weight 0.06): The game features an original soundtrack by artists such as Acryl Madness, isekaifromsaratov, and Myasorubin, contributing to its atmosphere.
- Mini-games and shootouts (weight 0.06): Mini-games are interspersed with shootouts, adding variety to the gameplay. These segments break up the action.
- Multiple character perspectives (weight 0.06): The story is told from multiple characters' viewpoints, enriching the narrative. This includes the protagonist and other key figures.
- Dialogue skip option (weight 0.06): Players can skip dialogue, which is useful for those who prefer to focus on gameplay. This feature is appreciated by some.
- Replay any day/night (weight 0.06): The game allows replaying any day or night segment, facilitating exploration of different choices and outcomes. This adds to replayability.
- Pixel art style (weight 0.06): The game features pixel art visuals, contributing to its retro aesthetic. This style complements the 90s setting.

Performance notes:
- Windows key crash (weight 0.06): Pressing the Windows key causes the game to crash according to one report. This is a specific but isolated bug report.
- Aiming sight freezes (weight 0.06): One player reports that the aiming sight freezes during use. This is an isolated report with limited detail.
- Smooth performance reported (weight 0.06): A player notes the game runs without lag. This is positive feedback with little specificity.

Recommendations:
- Positive overall recommendations (weight 0.45): Many reviews give generic but enthusiastic recommendations, including perfect scores and thumbs up. Reviewers highly recommend the game to everyone and advise buying without fear.
- Strong recommendation for Hotline Miami fans (weight 0.27): Multiple reviews recommend the game specifically to players who enjoy Hotline Miami, describing it as a worthy title inspired by that game. Some note it offers basic Hotline Miami-style gameplay paired with a good story and Russian flavor.
- Good value for the price (weight 0.26): Several reviewers consider the game worth the money, especially praising quality at a very low price. It is described as worth it overall and good value.
- Recommended for full playthrough (weight 0.21): Reviewers recommend playing for the full experience and advise everyone to play through it. Some suggest playing at least once to engage with the story and role-play as protagonist Robert the fox.
- Story-focused experience recommended (weight 0.17): Reviews emphasize buying the game for its story rather than action, praising the emotionally gripping short story about living a double life in post-Soviet Russia. The story, characters, and gameplay are considered worth it overall.
- Appeals to niche audiences (weight 0.15): A few reviews recommend the game to specific audiences such as furry fans or those who enjoy story and shooters. It is also suggested for people with nothing else to play.
- Action seekers should wait for sale (weight 0.12): Some reviewers caution that players only interested in action may want to get the game on sale. Others note it is not recommended for those who dislike reading and need constant action.
- Vague positive sentiment (weight 0.08): A few clusters contain only generic positive statements such as liking the game or recommending with all hands and tails, without specific details about gameplay or story.
- Immersive first-playthrough advice (weight 0.06): One reviewer advises playing as you see fit and paying attention to every conversation on the first playthrough to fully immerse in the game.
- Alternative for fast combo gameplay (weight 0.06): A reviewer suggests looking at Kusan instead if you want fast gameplay with combos across the whole level, implying this game may not fully deliver that.
- Support domestic developers (weight 0.06): One review encourages buying the game to support the domestic developer, showing appreciation for the team.
- Short but enjoyable evening game (weight 0.06): A reviewer notes the game is great for an evening, suggesting a short and manageable experience.
- Try it if page interests you (weight 0.06): One reviewer recommends giving the game a go if any part of its store page seems interesting, indicating broad appeal.
- Respect for developers noted (weight 0.06): A reviewer expresses respect for the developers and reports having a good time with the game.

Other player notes:
- Hotline Miami comparisons dominate (weight 0.97): The game is overwhelmingly described as inspired by, similar to, or a Russian/furry analogue of Hotline Miami, with many reviewers emphasizing it has its own style rather than being a pure clone.
- Less polished than Hotline Miami (weight 0.6): Some reviewers note the gameplay feels less polished than Hotline Miami and that the story has more time devoted to it than brief phone conversations.
- Combat compared to Bloodbath Kavkaz (weight 0.51): Action sections are compared to Bloodbath Kavkaz by Dagestan Technology, and initial vibes are compared to Hotline Miami and Bloodbath Kavkaz.
- Short playtime of a few hours (weight 0.34): Multiple reviewers report completion times ranging from about 2.5 to 5 hours, making it a brief experience suitable for an evening or two.
- Post-Soviet Russian setting praised (weight 0.3): Reviewers highlight the early 2000s post-Soviet Russian setting, including the town of Severodvinsk, and note its 90s crime-film vibes as a strength.
- Russian flavor and local developers (weight 0.17): The game is made by Russian developers and features distinct Russian flavor, which reviewers see as a defining characteristic.
- References to 90s Russian crime media (weight 0.15): The game evokes 90s Russian crime films like Brat, Brigada, and Zhmurki, with reviewers noting various cultural references throughout.
- Furry protagonist and adult themes (weight 0.12): The protagonist is a fox named Robert, a hired killer, and the game includes adult content such as violence, blood, profanity, and organized crime references.
- Indie depth beyond expectations (weight 0.11): Despite being an indie project, reviewers note unexpected depth and a concept that stands out as a game.
- Discoverable via Steam and YouTube (weight 0.1): Reviewers discovered the game through Steam's suggestion queue and a random YouTube video, with one waiting three years for its release.
- Combat faster than Hotline Miami (weight 0.1): One reviewer compares the combat to Kusan for players wanting fast gameplay with combos, and notes it is less hardcore than Hotline Miami.
- Favorable comparisons to Punch Club (weight 0.06): One reviewer compares it to Punch Club but says Punch Club has a better-integrated story and more locations to explore.
- Unfavorable comparisons to Boomer or Brigada (weight 0.06): A reviewer compares the game to Boomer or Brigada and describes those as better favorites.
- Regional setting aids immersion (weight 0.06): The setting is a regional town rather than Moscow, which helps players from similar areas connect with the story.
- Developers responsive to problems (weight 0.06): A reviewer notes that a problem they encountered was quickly fixed by the developers.
- Spanish language availability (weight 0.05): The game is available in Spanish according to one reviewer.
- Trailer uses dissolvere song (weight 0.05): The game's trailer features the song dissolvere, as noted by one reviewer.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.16): Players are highly satisfied with the game's well-written story, dialogues, and characters, often finding the experience worth the money and the wait. The combination of excellent gameplay, soundtrack, and visuals, along with a fulfilling good ending, leaves them feeling that their actions matter.
- Appreciation (weight 0.08): Reviewers appreciate the game's unique art style and immersive atmosphere that evokes the 1990s, as well as the developers' evident passion and soul put into the project. The availability in Spanish and instructive storyline also contribute to their positive regard.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Enjoyment stems from the game's good music, atmospheric experience, and pleasant controls with juicy sounds. The shooting mechanics and engaging story further enhance the fun, making the overall experience delightful.
- Surprise (weight 0.06): Surprise arises from the game exceeding expectations, particularly with its unexpected depth in exploring themes like PTSD and delivering a more substantial experience than anticipated. The unexpected story and shootouts also catch players off guard.
- Disappointment (weight 0.05): Disappointment is mainly due to the game's short length and rushed plot, especially considering the price for a 2-3 hour experience. Some also feel the gunfights are not fun and note similarities to Hotline Miami and OTXO, leading to a sense of unoriginality.
- Admiration (weight 0.05): Admiration is directed at the game's beautiful aesthetics, lovely music, and impressive story, with some calling it the best game played in over a decade. The fact that Russian developers created such a masterpiece also earns respect.
- Amusement (weight 0.05): Amusement comes from the funny and engaging dialogues, the bizarre premise of anthropomorphic animals in a 90s setting, and humorous references and scenes. Enemy combat dialogue and early-game humor also contribute to the laughs.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement is fueled by the cool music and pixel art style, the fun of chasing retreating enemies, and the game exceeding expectations after a long wait. The long-awaited release and the game's atmosphere and gameplay generate high energy.
- Love (weight 0.03): Players love the story-driven experience, the atmosphere, songs, gameplay, and story, as well as the shooting genre. The combination creates a deep affection for the game.
- Sadness (weight 0.03): Sadness is evoked by the sad story and atmosphere, with players crying at the good ending and feeling emotionally drained. The death of Dima in the story is a particularly poignant moment.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.03): Enthusiasm is driven by brilliant gameplay, music, plot, and gags, as well as the unique combination of Hotline Miami and 90s Russia. The soundtracks and overall experience create a lively excitement.
- Delight (weight 0.03): Delight comes from the full release and the game's style, music, and absurdist elements, as well as meeting expectations with excellent story, music, characters, graphics, and lighting. The small details and references also bring joy.
- Immersion (weight 0.03): Immersion is achieved through a deep connection with characters and story, authentic 90s winter atmosphere, and lively dialogue. The atmosphere is so engaging that players don't want to leave.
- Frustration (weight 0.02): Frustration arises from unbelievable characters and a world that doesn't react to the protagonists' actions, breaking immersion. Technical issues like the game crashing when pressing the Windows key also cause irritation.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is felt from the sensation of returning to 2017 and playing Hotline Miami again, as well as the 90s film-like plot. The game evokes memories of past experiences.
- Intrigue (weight 0.02): Intrigue is sparked by a story that hooks the reviewer despite being short, and an intriguing plot with shootouts. The narrative keeps players curious about what happens next.
- Mild disappointment (weight 0.02): Mild disappointment stems from gameplay feeling less polished and controllable than Hotline Miami's, and a story that reuses the vengeful war-trauma protagonist trope. These aspects fall slightly short of expectations.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom is caused by an uninteresting plot and city exploration, as well as continuous dialogues in the first round with the fox and a lack of action. These elements make the game feel tedious.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): Anticipation is built from learning about the game two years ago and looking forward to things getting crazy later in the game. The wait and expectation create excitement for future developments.
- Affection (weight 0.02): Affection is felt for likeable characters like Robert, Dima, and the side characters, especially lovable Sasha. Their personalities and interactions endear them to players.}