Info about Sanctum 2: The Pursuit:

Official game description:
Pursue the Titan through the outskirts of Elysion One! This expansion adds even more replayability through four completely new maps! Use two new towers, including the Mind-Control Spire that takes control of enemies and lets them fight for you! Unlock new devastating weapons, such as the Drone Launcher, that launches target-seeking drones that home in on enemies and shoot lazors at them. They'll be all like "NOO NOT THE BEEES!"  
Of course, there are going to be new enemies as well, such as the Heavy Pup that's far more aggressive than it's older equivalent, and the flying Bliskeblaske, which you'll just have to see for yourself.  
Finally, you'll be getting seven new unlockable perks as well - for example, the Reinforcements perk has a chance to spawn Explorers with shields every time you kill an enemy!

Release date: Oct 25, 2013

Categories: First-Person Shooter, Tower Defense, Cooperative Multiplayer, Action RPG, Weapon Customization, Character Progression, Level-based Progression, Comic-style Storytelling


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The reviews describe DLC content such as four missions, maps, enemies, and a boss fight/ending, but none states how many hours the DLC takes to complete, how long the story lasts, how long a typical session is, or how much time endgame content consumes. Because no explicit or clearly implied playtime figures are provided for Sanctum 2: The Pursuit, all playtime metrics remain null.
- 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:
- New turrets are strong additions (weight 0.95): The Friendship Laser and Mind Control Spire are well-received for their gameplay impact. Players note they can be used across all levels, not just DLC content.
- DLC expands content substantially (weight 0.85): The pack adds new weapons, perks, skills, and a campaign, significantly increasing the base game's content. Players feel it doubles the overall experience.
- Drone Launcher stands out (weight 0.77): The Drone Launcher is repeatedly praised as a fun, powerful, and creative weapon. Its homing drones and armor-ignoring damage make it a highlight of the DLC.
- Maps add fun and atmosphere (weight 0.74): The four new maps are consistently described as enjoyable and well-designed. Their atmosphere and variety add significant value to the DLC.
- New enemies are engaging (weight 0.58): The Heavy Pup and Bliskeblaske are considered interesting additions that require players to learn new counter-strategies. They enhance combat variety.
- Perks and skills are valuable (weight 0.35): Seven new perks and skills, such as Reinforcements, are included and considered useful. They provide meaningful upgrades for playable characters.
- Story continuation appreciated (weight 0.33): The DLC continues the narrative with comic-style episodes before and after levels. This concludes an interesting story arc and feels integral to the game.
- Weapons are high quality (weight 0.33): New weapons like the Grenade Launcher are described as amazing and useful. They blend well with existing equipment and enhance gameplay.
- Solid DLC overall (weight 0.3): All DLC for Sanctum 2 is considered solid and well-integrated with original features. The content is high quality and fits perfectly.
- Great FPS-tower defense hybrid (weight 0.23): The DLC captures both FPS and tower defense aspects cohesively. It adds solid content to an already unique eleven-year-old hybrid game.
- Synergies enhance gameplay (weight 0.22): Specific combinations like Drone Launcher with Skye's passive or Mind Control Spire with orbital laser are praised. These synergies add depth and fun.

Common complaints:
- High difficulty frustrates players (weight 0.52): The DLC is generally considered very difficult, with maps being a headache to complete with 5 medals and boss fights being hard or the most frustrating of any Sanctum 2 DLC. The last map is especially frustrating for the 5 FoS achievement.
- Underused weapons feel ineffective (weight 0.41): Multiple players report that weapons such as the grenade launcher, Friendship Laser, and Drone Launcher are weak and rarely used in online play. The Grenade Launcher was specifically called useless and never used.
- Mind Control tower unclear and nerfed (weight 0.23): Players did not understand how to implement the Mind Control tower, and the Mind Control Spire appears to have been nerfed since the reviewer last played.
- DLC store descriptions are sparse (weight 0.12): The store descriptions for packs three and four are so sparse that they do not even bullet-point the feature sets.
- Bliskeblaske design is illogical (weight 0.12): The Bliskeblaske is poorly and illogically designed, as a small flying creature with very strong armor.
- Russian localization is sloppy (weight 0.12): The Russian localization of some pages of the story comic is very sloppy, with one page only partly translated and another left entirely in English.
- Solo play required for review (weight 0.11): The reviewer had to play the DLC solo.
- Ending cinematic is unrewarding (weight 0.11): The ending cinematic is perhaps the least rewarding.
- Gun usage unclear (weight 0.11): The reviewer could not figure out how to wear or use the gun.

Gameplay feedback:
- New Drone Launcher weapon (weight 0.58): The DLC adds the Drone Launcher, a weapon that fires homing drones which ignore monster armor. Multiple clusters confirm this as a key new weapon.
- New towers added (weight 0.56): The DLC introduces towers such as the Friendship Laser and Mind Control Spire. These add new defensive options with unique mechanics.
- Additional maps in DLC (weight 0.47): The DLC adds multiple new maps, including a fourth and final map. Some maps require strategic building to survive enemies from all sides.
- New enemy types introduced (weight 0.39): The DLC introduces enemies like the Heavy Pup, an armored lume that attacks eagerly, and Bliskeblaske, a flying lume that shields itself after being hit.
- Small DLC campaign of four missions (weight 0.33): Each DLC pack contains a short campaign consisting of four missions on unique maps with distinct enemies. The story follows the fight against the Titan.
- FPS and tower defense hybrid (weight 0.23): The game combines first-person shooter and tower defense genres. This hybrid identity is highlighted as a core characteristic.
- Friendship Laser buffs adjacent turrets (weight 0.12): The Friendship Laser strengthens adjacent turrets of the same type while idle. This synergy encourages tower placement strategy.
- Mind Control Spire turns enemies (weight 0.12): The Mind Control Spire briefly converts lumes to fight on the player's side. It provides a temporary but powerful tactical advantage.
- Seven new perks including Reinforcements (weight 0.12): The DLC adds seven new perks, one of which is Reinforcements. These provide additional character customization options.
- Boss fight included (weight 0.12): The DLC features a boss fight, likely tied to the campaign against the Titan. This adds a climactic challenge.
- Achievement requiring 5 FoS (weight 0.11): An achievement requires collecting 5 FoS. This adds a completionist goal for players.

Performance notes:
No performancepoints

Recommendations:
- Buy only on discount (weight 0.33): Multiple reviewers advise against purchasing at full price, recommending waiting for a sale or a decent bundle. The Season Pass is suggested as better value for those who want the DLC.
- Recommended for Sanctum 2 fans (weight 0.23): The DLC is mainly recommended to players who enjoyed the base game Sanctum 2 and want to see its story continued. Fans of the main game are encouraged to get this and other Sanctum 2 DLCs.
- Appeals to FPS and Tower Defense fans (weight 0.13): Reviewers recommend the DLC to anyone who enjoys FPS and/or Tower Defense gameplay. This broader genre appeal is noted as a reason to consider it.
- Some advise against buying (weight 0.12): At least one reviewer explicitly advises friends not to buy the DLC. This negative recommendation contrasts with the more positive or conditional recommendations from others.

Other player notes:
- Requires base game Sanctum 2 (weight 0.63): The DLC depends on owning the base game Sanctum 2 and is distributed as part of its DLC series, including the Season Pass.
- Third of four expansions (weight 0.39): This content is the third of four main expansions for Sanctum 2, part of a four-DLC series.
- Adds Steam achievements (weight 0.37): The DLC includes Steam achievements that require the base game.
- Individual DLCs feel small (weight 0.22): Individual DLCs are a bit tiny on their own, though all four combined nearly double the game's content.
- Comic-style story presentation (weight 0.12): The story expansion is presented through comic-style episodes.
- High full price, low discount (weight 0.12): The full price is relatively high while the discounted price is comparatively low.
- Matches Brightholme map quality (weight 0.12): The DLC keeps pace with the Brightholme DLC in terms of map and enemy quality.
- Half-Life-like atmosphere (weight 0.11): Its atmosphere felt a little reminiscent of Half-Life.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.16): Players are satisfied because the DLC offers substantial content with new enemies, weapons, turrets, and maps, nearly doubling the game's content. It is considered worth the purchase, especially on sale, for its useful additions and high-quality blend with the base game.
- Frustration (weight 0.13): Frustration arises from having to play the DLC alone in solo mode, and from the difficulty of earning the 5 FoS achievement on the last map. The boss fight is seen as potentially frustrating, and completing maps with 5 medals is a headache.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): Disappointment stems from ineffective weapons like the grenade launcher and Friendship Laser, which are rarely used by other players online. The ending cinematic is also considered the least rewarding.
- Excitement (weight 0.1): Excitement is driven by new additions such as the friendship laser, mind control tower, and drone launcher, along with new maps, towers, weapons, enemies, and perks. The new weapons and the mind control tower are particularly exciting.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.06): Players enjoy the well-crafted missions and the fun of learning to counter new enemies. The interesting story conclusion and atmospheric maps also contribute to the enjoyment.
- Annoyance (weight 0.06): Annoyance is caused by DLC descriptions for packs three and four not bullet-pointing feature sets, and by sloppy Russian localization of the story comic with untranslated pages.
- Appreciation (weight 0.06): Appreciation is for the game successfully blending FPS and Tower Defense, and for the Drone Launcher being one of the best weapon ideas.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.06): Enthusiasm centers on the Drone Launcher and its synergy with Skye, as well as strong new additions like the Mind Control Spire and Friendship Laser.
- Confusion (weight 0.06): Confusion arises from not understanding how to use the Mind Control tower and being unable to figure out how to wear or use the gun.
- Liking (weight 0.03): Liking is due to the Drone Launcher's homing drones and armor-ignoring shots, and the Mind Control Spire turret.
- Love (weight 0.03): Love is expressed for the maps and drone launcher included in the DLC.
- Contempt (weight 0.03): Contempt is directed at the map design for the achievement.
- Mild frustration (weight 0.03): Mild frustration is caused by the boss fight being a little hard.
- Amusement (weight 0.03): Amusement comes from the Friendship Lasers causing chaos when stacked.
- Mild disappointment (weight 0.03): Mild disappointment is due to the Mind Control Spire being nerfed since the reviewer played.}