Info about Sunderfolk: Official game description: Rediscover Game Night with the magic of Sunderfolk, a shared turn-based tactical RPG adventure where your mobile device becomes the controller\*. Built with a couch co-op experience in mind, up to four players adventure through the magical and dangerous Sunderlands. \*The free mobile app is required to play the game. Couch Co-Op First ----------------- The best adventures are meant to be shared. Up to four players can play together in this new tactical RPG adventure where your mobile device becomes the controller. Step into a New World --------------------- Scan a QR code on the display, download the free Sunderfolk phone app\* (on both iOS and Android), and transform your phone or tablet into a controller, hand of cards, rule book, inventory, and more. All friends and family can learn to play quickly, since all they need will be in-hand. Six Unique Heroes ----------------- Traditional RPG classes have been reimagined in Sunderfolk. Take up the mantle of an Arcanist, Bard, Berserker, Pyromancer, Ranger or Rogue – each with their own playstyle. Tailor your character’s strengths with Skill Cards. Power up with Trinkets and Weapons to craft your character’s build quest-to-quest. Tactical Combat Inspired by the Tabletop ---------------------------------------- Each player takes their turn one at a time by choosing one of their Skill Cards to determine their character's actions. Enemies lurk around every corner, each with their own abilities and strategies, and they will challenge your party to change its approach from one encounter to the next. Rebuild the Village of Arden ---------------------------- The village of Arden grew around the remnant of a magical substance known as brightstone, but unknown forces from lands outside have started to threaten this community's very existence. Between quests, return to Arden village to upgrade vendors, acquire new items and equipment, and befriend townsfolk for additional rewards. Four Players, One Game ---------------------- Share the experience of Sunderfolk with friends at no extra cost. Our rather unique mobile device as a controller mechanic lets one gamer share the adventure with three friends at no additional cost. A host can even launch the game and have three players join remotely for free via Steam Remote Play Together. Release date: 23 Apr, 2025 Categories: Turn-based RPG, Tactical RPG, Cooperative Multiplayer, Player Customization, Base Building, Deckbuilding, Single-player Story, Squad Management - 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: - Easy to pick up and play (weight 0.96): The game is praised for its accessibility and ease of play, making it enjoyable for both casual and experienced gamers. It simplifies tabletop gaming, removing complex rules and setup while encouraging teamwork and strategic thinking. The game is also great for introducing non-gamers to the hobby. - Engaging and strategic combat (weight 0.93): Reviewers consistently highlight the engaging and strategic combat, which offers depth and complexity without being overwhelming. The game provides satisfying character progression and customization options, encouraging players to experiment with different builds and playstyles. The combat is easy to understand, but has depth. - Digital tabletop experience (weight 0.91): The game successfully blends tabletop and video game elements, offering a digital couch co-op experience reminiscent of games like Gloomhaven and D&D. It captures the social and strategic aspects of tabletop gaming without the need for physical setup or complex rule management. - Single purchase for group play (weight 0.79): A key feature is that only one player needs to purchase the game for a group to play together, significantly lowering the barrier to entry. This makes it an attractive option for friends looking for a cost-effective co-op experience. This also allows for remote play via streaming. - Intuitive phone-as-controller integration (weight 0.35): The innovative phone-as-controller mechanic is well-executed and intuitive, enhancing the co-op experience. It streamlines gameplay by offloading UI elements and character-specific information to individual devices, reducing screen clutter and improving information access. Players can also set their own language on their personal devices, which is beneficial for mixed language households. - Unique and well-designed characters (weight 0.23): Each character feels unique and brings distinct abilities to the team, enhancing the co-op experience. The characters are balanced, different to play, and well-designed. Classes offer diverse gameplay experiences. - Appealing and polished art style (weight 0.19): The game features a polished and appealing art style, with well-designed character models, cohesive environments, and great voice acting. The visuals contribute to an immersive and enjoyable experience. The game has a great atmosphere. - Customizable, TTRPG-like elements (weight 0.09): The game incorporates TTRPG-like elements such as naming monsters and stealing gold. The ability to name characters and buildings adds a personal touch, allowing players to create their own world. This adds a custom touch to the world and leads to funny moments. - Entertaining story (weight 0.05): The story is cute and the art is good quality. The story is nice so far. The story is easy to get invested in. - Engaging town system (weight 0.04): The between-mission town screen is engaging, featuring charming conversations with townsfolk and unlocking upgrades to town systems by building rapport. The app integration is well-done, especially the simultaneous town sections where players' locations are visible on the TV. - Zero admin, pure gameplay (weight 0.04): The game handles all the administrative tasks for the player. The game has no microtransactions or live service elements. This allows for zero admin and pure gameplay. Common complaints: - Mobile interface issues (weight 0.09): Multiple reviewers experienced issues with the mobile/phone interface. These issues include input lag, finicky controls, the need for multiple clicks to register input, and unstable connections requiring frequent re-scanning of the QR code. These issues detract from the overall experience. - High price for content (weight 0.06): Several reviewers felt that the game's price point is too high for the amount of content offered. This concern was mentioned by multiple reviewers, suggesting it is a widespread sentiment. - Suboptimal online experience (weight 0.03): Online play is hampered by the requirement for all players to view the main screen, making it difficult for remote players. Reviewers also noted that online performance is not ideal. - Slow turn-based gameplay (weight 0.03): Turns can be lengthy because players cannot act simultaneously, and sometimes it's unclear whose turn it is. This can slow down the gameplay experience. - Unpredictable Fate card variance (weight 0.02): The Fate card mechanic introduces variance that some players may find annoying. This is due to the unpredictable nature of combat outcomes. - Character balance issues (weight 0.02): One reviewer felt that the Berserker character is under-tuned compared to the Bard. This suggests a potential imbalance in character abilities. - Lower resolution when miracasting (weight 0.02): Miracasting to the TV results in a lower resolution. This can detract from the visual experience for players who prefer to play on a larger screen. Gameplay feedback: - Gloomhaven-inspired, simplified tactical gameplay (weight 0.11): The game's core gameplay is heavily inspired by Gloomhaven, featuring tactical turn-based action selection and card-based mechanics. However, it simplifies the formula for a more accessible experience, particularly for younger players. While reminiscent of a virtual board game, it may be less complex than Gloomhaven. - Action cards feel restrictive (weight 0.03): The game uses action cards, but some reviewers found that this mechanic makes the gameplay feel restrictive and repetitive. The limited options presented by the cards may lead to a sense of narrowness in strategic choices. This can detract from the overall enjoyment for some players. - Cooperative storytelling experience (weight 0.03): The game blends storytelling with cooperative gameplay, allowing players to experience the narrative together. It supports both solo play, where one player controls a team of four, and multiplayer, where friends can easily join to control individual characters. This flexibility caters to different playstyles and group sizes. - Team composition matters strategically (weight 0.02): Team composition significantly impacts mission outcomes, suggesting a strategic element in character selection. This encourages players to experiment with different combinations to optimize their effectiveness in various scenarios. This adds depth to the gameplay experience. Performance notes: - Excellent performance and responsiveness (weight 0.12): The game exhibits excellent performance and responsiveness across various devices and platforms. Players report smooth gameplay on phones, Steam Deck, and when streaming, with no noticeable lag or performance issues. The phone interface and controller integration are also praised for their responsiveness. - Reliable remote play functionality (weight 0.08): The game's remote play functionality, including streaming via Discord and Steam Remote Play, works reliably. Players have successfully streamed the game and used remote play features without issues, even in multiplayer scenarios. - Tactile haptics enhance gameplay (weight 0.03): The game incorporates tactile haptics that enhance the user experience, allowing for aiming and making moves without constant visual focus on the screen. This zero-latency feedback improves the overall feel and intuitiveness of the game. - Easy reconnection after closing (weight 0.02): The game allows for easy reconnection if the app is closed. This is a quality of life feature that prevents loss of progress or disruption of gameplay. Recommendations: - Highly recommended for group play (weight 0.48): The game is highly recommended for its fun, smooth, and engaging co-op gameplay, especially for groups of friends, families, and those familiar with tabletop RPGs like Gloomhaven. Reviewers emphasize its replayability, accessibility, and unique blend of board game and video game elements, often suggesting it as a great alternative to traditional board game nights. Some reviewers highlight the game's value, noting that only one purchase is needed for a group to play. - Desire for more content/support (weight 0.08): Reviewers express excitement for future content and hope for continued support for the game. They are interested in seeing new classes, campaign expansions, and further development of the game's unique mechanics, such as the phone-as-controller scheme. This indicates a strong desire for the game to evolve and offer more replayability. - Improve online and single-player support (weight 0.06): Several reviewers point out the need for improvements to facilitate online play and single-player experience. Specific requests include a fully functional PC mode, mouse control, and better device connection stability for remote players. Addressing these issues would broaden the game's appeal and accessibility. - Appeals to RPG/strategy fans (weight 0.05): The game is recommended for players who enjoy turn-based battles, deck-building, and visual novel-like interactions. Some reviewers suggest enhancing the role-playing experience by creating characters with unique traits and personalities. The game's difficulty is comparable to D&D or Baldur's Gate 3. Other player notes: - Asymmetric multiplayer, device requirement (weight 0.05): The game features a unique multiplayer system where only one player needs to own the game for up to four players to participate, similar to a board game. However, it also requires a separate phone or tablet even when playing in single-player mode, which may be inconvenient for some players. - Early game, family play (weight 0.03): Some reviewers are in the early stages of the game, specifically Act 1, with one mentioning playing with children. This provides limited information about the overall game experience but indicates the game is accessible enough for family play. - Misaligned target audience? (weight 0.01): One reviewer questions whether the game's marketing aligns with its actual target audience. Without further details, it's difficult to assess the validity of this concern, but it suggests potential issues with the game's appeal to its intended demographic. Emotions: No emotions}