Info about BELOW:

Official game description:
Test your mettle against _The Isle’s_ procedural subterranean labyrinths. Explore a interconnected underworld crawling with cunning wildlife, deadly traps while stalked by a shadowy presence. Survive the perils of _The Depths_ and unearth what lies below... or die trying..
**BELOW** is a procedural terrarium filled with life, mystery and death.
explore
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Explore the vast subterranean underworld of _The Isle_: a dangerous, unfathomable deep. Choose your path through a labyrinth crawling with deadly monstrosities, traps and hazardous environments. Death awaits at every false step, and there are no hints to guide you…
survive
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Spelunking through _The Depths_ of **BELOW** is a treacherous endeavour, with death around every corner. The world is alive with flora & fauna, and there are many ways to scavenge materials and harvest ingredients to create life-saving remedies or useful survival tools…
discover
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What lies below? Only the bravest wanderers will find out. _The Depths_ are filled with secrets and danger. **BELOW** embraces the idea that players enjoy discovering secret areas, finding hidden passageways and unraveling the deepest mysteries hidden in the darkness…

Release date: Dec 14, 2018

Categories: Roguelike, Survival, Dungeon Crawler, Atmospheric Exploration, Soulslike Combat, Crafting, Metroidvania, Permadeath

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 75; verdict: Tier 2: The Hoarder - Crafting Recipe Dependency; summary: Audit of external data dependency reviews found one explicit Tier 2 signal: a reviewer recommends a guide and references a recipe list for crafting, naming core recipes to memorize. Secondary concerns include navigation shortcuts requiring walkthroughs and wiki spoilers reducing discovery. No farming, drop-rate, loot-table, inventory-management, quest-outcome, build-guide, or bug/navigation-map keywords trigger Tier 1 or higher priority. The final score is 75.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $14.99 - $19.99
  - Reasoning: The reviews show mixed but usable value signals. Some players consider the roughly 20-hour length worth the price, and one explicitly calls 22 euros fair. However, others say $22 is steep, note less content than Hollow Knight, recommend waiting for a sale, and express reluctance to pay full price. Against the current $24.99 base price, the community fair base-game range is therefore below full price, clustered in the mid-to-high teens up to just under $20.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 30.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 2.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The strongest completion evidence is the explicit 30-35 hour completion time, supported by a 40-hour finished playthrough and a 27-hour clear/all-achievements report; this supports gameCompletion around 30 hours. The 'give yourself 2h' advice provides a rough session-length signal of about 2 hours. No quote gives a separate story-mode completion time or an endgame duration, so storyCompletion and endgame are null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has a slow, opaque, and often tedious start, but multiple players report it opens up and becomes enjoyable once they understand the rogue-lite systems and become familiar with core functions. A substantial minority never reaches that point or reports a late-game drop, so the time-to-fun profile is best described as clicks after.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Figuring out the rogue-lite elements and becoming familiar with core functions
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: No tutorial or clear explanation of progression; Slow and boring introduction; Tedious walkbacks and corpse runs; Instant-death traps and cheap kills; Opaque rogue-lite elements and unclear goals; Punishing death and item loss
  - Unlock drivers: Figuring out the rogue-lite elements; Becoming familiar with core functions; Persistence through the slow start; Discovering shortcuts and permanent fast travel; Ease of return to previous locations
  - Conditions: If you like Dark Souls-style exploration and rogue-lite mystery; If you enjoy hard, tedious games with mystery; Tolerance for slow pacing and show-don't-tell storytelling; Willingness to persist through an opaque start; Spare time available for long walkbacks; Preference for atmosphere over combat and RPG progression; Acceptance of instant-death traps and corpse retrieval; Patience for learning without a tutorial
- Player Archetypes:
  - Atmospheric Mystery Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: To unravel the island's mysteries and immerse in its dark, melancholic atmosphere.
    - Playstyle: Slow, observant exploration; experiments with systems and avoids external guides.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Death Stranding; Dark Souls; GRIS
  - Hardcore Roguelike Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: To master a punishing roguelike through patience, insight, and incremental progress.
    - Playstyle: Methodical, risk-aware play; learns from repeated deaths and rejects save-scumming.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: rogue like enthusiasts; patient; methodical
    - Reference games: Dark Souls; Demon's Souls
  - Frustrated Corpse-Runner (no buy)
    - Motivation: To regain lost progress and escape the corpse-run and resource grind, though many eventually disengage.
    - Playstyle: Repeated corpse runs, resource grinding, and backtracking; often rushes through difficulty spikes.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Rare Achievement Completionist (buy)
    - Motivation: To achieve full completion and rare achievements.
    - Playstyle: Persistent completionist; pushes through frustration and repeated deaths to reach 100%.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


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:
- Stunning Visuals and Art (weight 0.5): Players frequently praise the game's graphics, art design, and visual style as stunning, beautiful, and captivating. The visual experience is often described as a piece of art, with meticulous attention to detail.
- Exceptional Music and Sound (weight 0.34): The soundtrack, composed by Jim Guthrie, is widely acclaimed as incredible, with outstanding sound design and high-quality ambient sounds. Music and audio are frequently described as excellent and atmospheric.
- Immersive Atmosphere and Ambience (weight 0.3): The game's atmosphere, immersion, and ambiance are consistently highlighted as excellent, top-notch, and masterfully crafted. Players feel deeply immersed in the mysterious and intriguing world.
- Good But Simple Combat (weight 0.18): Combat is generally seen as basic, simple, and not overly challenging, but it works beautifully and feels responsive and immediate. Some players appreciate its simplicity and functionality.
- Engaging Crafting System (weight 0.13): The crafting system is described as admirable, well-made, and entertaining, providing an objective that is not perfectly balanced but still enjoyable. Players find it a positive addition to the game.
- Well-Crafted Roguelike Experience (weight 0.11): The game is considered one of the best indie roguelikes, with a highly immersive experience that stands out in the genre. It is recommended for fans of roguelikes.
- Intriguing Environments (weight 0.11): The environments are frequently praised as neat, intriguing, interesting, and fabulous, adding to the overall appeal of the game world.
- Overall High Quality Game (weight 0.11): Players describe the game as really well made, thoughtful, and a good game overall. The creator's effort and attention to detail are appreciated.
- Fluid Movement and Controls (weight 0.08): Movement and controls are praised as fluid, responsive, and good, contributing to a smooth gameplay experience.
- Worth the Money (weight 0.08): Players feel the game is well worth the money spent and recommend buying it. The value proposition is strong according to feedback.
- Easy to Learn Mechanics (weight 0.08): The game's simple mechanics make it easy to learn without a tutorial, while still offering depth to master. This accessibility is appreciated.
- Explore Mode Balances Challenge (weight 0.08): The Explore mode option provides reassurance that the game is meant to be hard, yet it remains challenging but not frustrating. Players find this mode well-balanced.
- Fun Island Exploration (weight 0.08): Wandering and exploring the island is described as amazing and fun, with players enjoying the experience of discovery.
- Light and Lantern Mechanics (weight 0.08): The light and lantern are key gameplay elements, used to open doors, find secrets, and activate checkpoints. This mechanic is central to progression.
- Unique and Unusual Approach (weight 0.07): The game is noted for its unusual and unique approach, which players find appealing and interesting. It stands out from typical games in the genre.
- Interesting Ideas and Concepts (weight 0.07): The game features interesting ideas and concepts that catch players' attention, even if they are not fully explored. These elements add to the game's creativity.
- Better Than Expected (weight 0.07): Players find the game more interesting than expected and describe it as amazing. It exceeds initial impressions.
- Essential Shortcuts (weight 0.07): Shortcuts exist and are considered essential for navigation and progression. They enhance the gameplay flow.

Common complaints:
- Tedious and frustrating gameplay (weight 0.39): The overall gameplay is described as tedious, exhausting, and frustrating, with many players finding it not fun or engaging enough to hold their attention.
- Harsh death item loss (weight 0.28): Dying causes players to lose all items, including the lantern, which remains at the death location; retrieving it risks losing everything again if the player dies on the way. This creates a punishing loop that many find frustrating and disrespectful of time.
- High difficulty and instant-death traps (weight 0.14): The game is very difficult, especially initially, with instant-death traps throughout that cause game over without warning, leading to frustration.
- Obscure objectives and no purpose (weight 0.13): The game provides no clear purpose or explanation, leaving players unsure of what to do and feeling that it lacks direction and story.
- Lack of tutorial or explanation (weight 0.13): There is no tutorial or minimal explanation for game mechanics, such as helmet effects, making it hard for players to understand how to play effectively.
- Poor ending cutscene (weight 0.11): The ending cutscene is widely criticized for being visually and narratively bad, out of place, and undermining the entire adventure.
- Uninspired enemy design (weight 0.08): Enemy designs feel uninspired and lack variety, contributing to a monotonous experience.
- Requires meticulous exploration (weight 0.08): Beating the game requires meticulous exploration and searching every nook and cranny, which some find excessive and tedious.

Gameplay feedback:
- Lantern is key item (weight 0.3): The lantern is essential for lighting the way, finding essences, and unlocking certain zones. It serves as both a light source and a progression key.
- Survival mechanics: hunger, thirst, cold (weight 0.27): The game features survival mechanics requiring management of hunger, thirst, and body temperature. These meters add constant pressure to exploration and resource gathering.
- Permadeath with new character (weight 0.26): Death is permanent, restarting the game from the beginning with a new character. This roguelike permadeath system creates high stakes for every run.
- Corpse runs recover gear (weight 0.25): After death, players must run back to their corpse to retrieve lost items and gear, including the lantern. This risk-reward retrieval mechanic is central to the game's progression loop.
- Crafting system with recipes (weight 0.22): A crafting system allows players to create items using recipes, including torches, arrows, remedies, food, and potions. Materials must be gathered to craft healing items and other supplies.
- Soulslike and roguelike elements (weight 0.19): The game combines Soulslike and roguelike elements, featuring challenging combat and permadeath. It is described as a Souls-like lite with a top-down camera angle.
- Fast travel via campfires (weight 0.18): Players can fast travel between campfires, with some being temporary and others permanent. Campfires reset on death, adding a strategic layer to exploration.
- Dungeon exploration (weight 0.16): The core gameplay involves exploring a mysterious underground labyrinth filled with secrets and dangers. Players delve deeper into caves and dungeons to progress.
- Instant-death traps (weight 0.16): Traps that instantly kill the player are present throughout the dungeon. These hazards demand careful navigation and often lead to sudden death.
- No hand-holding or tutorials (weight 0.16): The game provides no tutorials, explanations, or guidance, leaving players to discover mechanics on their own. This lack of hand-holding is a deliberate design choice.
- Two game modes available (weight 0.15): Players can choose between Survival Mode and Explore Mode, offering different experiences. Survival mode emphasizes harsh survival mechanics while Explore mode is more forgiving.
- Unlockable shortcuts (weight 0.1): Players can unlock shortcuts to create faster routes through the dungeon. These shortcuts help mitigate the difficulty of repeated runs.
- Limited inventory space (weight 0.1): The game features an inventory with very limited space, forcing players to manage their items carefully. Inventory management is a key aspect of survival.
- Variety of weapons (weight 0.1): Players can use various weapons such as spears, hammers, swords, shields, and bows with different arrows. Equipment choices affect combat strategy.

Performance notes:
- Performance issues cause stuttering (weight 0.13): Users experience lag, unstable frame rates, and stuttering, sometimes specific to lower floors or ultra settings. These issues detract from smooth gameplay.
- Startup crashes frustrate players (weight 0.11): Multiple users report crashes on startup or at the logo screen, including on Windows 10. This prevents players from even reaching the main menu.
- Mid-game crashes hinder progress (weight 0.11): Crashes occur mid-swing, on specific levels, or frequently enough to block progression through rooms. This severely impacts the player's ability to advance.
- Error windows and messages appear (weight 0.1): Players encounter error windows, including ones with developer comments, even when the game does not crash. These errors disrupt the experience.
- Windows 7 compatibility problems (weight 0.08): Some users could not play on release due to lack of Windows 7 support, but a day-one patch made it playable. Others still report problems running on Windows 7.
- Smooth performance on high-end PC (weight 0.08): One user reports achieving 120fps at max settings on 1440p with a GTX 1080. Another states the game runs perfectly, indicating it can perform well on capable hardware.
- Broken UI and inventory (weight 0.04): The user interface and inventory system are reported as broken, affecting usability. This can make managing items and navigating menus difficult.
- Wonky collision detection (weight 0.04): Collision behavior is described as wonky, leading to unexpected interactions. This can affect gameplay precision and immersion.
- Video artifacting in intro (weight 0.04): The introductory video is compressed and shows artifacting, reducing visual quality. This is a minor but noticeable issue.
- Isolated bug occurrence (weight 0.03): A single user noticed a bug that occurred only once, suggesting it is not widespread. Such isolated incidents may not require immediate attention.

Recommendations:
- Polarizing, Not for Everyone (weight 0.38): Many reviewers emphasize that the game is not for all players, requiring a specific mindset or preferences. It is often described as a niche experience that either deeply appeals or strongly repels.
- Guides and Information (weight 0.29): Opinions are divided on using guides: some strongly recommend reading them to avoid frustration, while others advise going in blind for a better experience. Many suggest watching gameplay videos first.
- Atmospheric and Mysterious (weight 0.27): Reviewers often praise the game's strong atmosphere, mystery, and immersive world. It appeals to those who enjoy slow, deliberate exploration and uncovering secrets.
- High Difficulty and Tedium (weight 0.25): The game is frequently criticized for its harsh difficulty, tedious gameplay loops, and lack of respect for player time. These aspects lead many to not recommend it.
- Explore Mode Recommended (weight 0.23): Multiple reviewers suggest playing on Explore mode as a more forgiving and enjoyable way to experience the game. It is often recommended for those who find the default difficulty too punishing.
- Not Recommended for Everyone (weight 0.23): A recurring theme is that the game is not for everyone, with many negative recommendations based on its niche appeal and punishing design. It is often described as masochistic.
- Roguelike and Challenging (weight 0.23): The game is recommended for fans of roguelikes and challenging experiences, particularly those who enjoy trial and error and high difficulty. It is not suited for casual players.
- Unique and Memorable Experience (weight 0.23): Despite mixed feelings, many acknowledge the game as a unique, well-crafted experience that can be deeply affecting. It is often described as a masterpiece or gem by its fans.
- Mixed or Conditional Recommendations (weight 0.22): Many reviews are conditional, recommending the game only to specific types of players or with caveats about its flaws. This reflects the polarizing nature of the game.
- Patient Players Required (weight 0.2): Many reviewers stress that the game requires patience, a methodical approach, and tolerance for slow pacing. It is not suitable for those seeking fast action.
- Worth the Price (weight 0.19): Several reviewers consider the game well worth its price, offering a unique and memorable experience. Some suggest buying it on sale or after researching.
- Not Recommended for Casual Players (weight 0.18): The game is explicitly not recommended for casual gamers or those who prefer fast-paced, action-oriented titles. It targets a hardcore, niche audience.
- Positive Despite Flaws (weight 0.18): Some reviewers acknowledge the game's flaws but still recommend it for its unique vision and rewarding experience. They encourage others to give it a chance.
- Atmosphere Over Gameplay (weight 0.13): The game's art style, atmosphere, and audio are frequently praised, even by those who dislike the gameplay. It is often recommended to play with headphones and in a dark room.
- Late-Game Difficulty Spike (weight 0.13): Some reviewers note that the game becomes excessively difficult in later floors, leading to frustration and reduced enjoyment. This is a common criticism.
- Potential and Updates (weight 0.12): Some reviewers see great potential but cannot recommend the game in its current state, hoping for patches or updates to improve balance and content.

Other player notes:
- Comparisons to Other Games (weight 0.37): Reviewers draw comparisons to a wide range of games including Outer Wilds, Prey: Mooncrash, Rain World, Fez, and Enter the Gungeon. These comparisons highlight both similarities and areas where BELOW falls short.
- Dark Souls Inspiration (weight 0.36): Players frequently compare the game to Dark Souls, citing similar shortcut unlocking, exploration style, and death mechanics. However, some note that BELOW is more punishing and requires more preparation after death.
- Mixed Reviews and Misunderstanding (weight 0.29): The game received mixed reviews at launch, with many negative reviews stemming from misunderstanding the genre or playing on Survival Mode. Positive reviews often come from players with few hours, while completion rates are very low.
- Hyper Light Drifter Comparisons (weight 0.28): Frequent comparisons to Hyper Light Drifter highlight similar atmosphere, exploration, and mystery, but some reviewers note BELOW is darker and less polished. The game is often described as a darker version with similarities in important aspects.
- Little Hand-Holding, High Discovery (weight 0.25): The game provides no hand-holding or explanations, requiring players to figure out mechanics and progression through trial and error. Many negative reviews stem from this lack of direction and the steep learning curve.
- Explore Mode Added (weight 0.21): An Explore mode update was released, offering a less punishing experience while still being challenging. This mode allows achievements and is recommended for players who find Survival Mode too difficult.
- Length and Pacing (weight 0.2): The game is relatively short, with most playthroughs lasting around 20-35 hours, though it can feel longer due to exploration and difficulty. Some reviewers feel it ends abruptly or lacks content.
- Zelda and Classic Influences (weight 0.2): Reviewers compare the game to classic Zelda titles and other retro games, noting a mix of survival and exploration elements. The game is seen as a return to simplicity rather than a modern roguelite.
- Shortcut System Explained (weight 0.19): Players share specific shortcuts across floors, such as from floor 1 campfire to beach campfire and floor 2 cave to north island. All shortcuts unlock by fully exploring maps, rewarding thorough exploration.
- Developer and Background (weight 0.19): The game was developed by Capy over more than five years, with a background in psychology influencing its design. The developers intentionally made the game punishing but later added Explore mode.
- Jim Guthrie Soundtrack Praised (weight 0.18): The soundtrack by Jim Guthrie is consistently praised as a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere. It is available for separate purchase.
- Atmospheric Storytelling (weight 0.18): The game tells its story through atmosphere and environmental details rather than text, drawing comparisons to Shadow of the Colossus, Journey, and Ico. This approach creates a unique sense of solitude and mystery.
- Roguelite Tag Missing (weight 0.16): Players note that the game lacks a roguelite tag despite having permadeath and unlockable shortcuts, leading to misaligned expectations. It is often mislabeled as roguelike or souls-like.
- Art Style and Visuals (weight 0.16): The art style is praised for its beauty and is compared to GRIS, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, and the works of Eyvind Earle. The pre-rendered ending cutscene is noted to have worse visuals than in-game graphics.
- Mystery and Ambiguity (weight 0.16): The game embraces mystery and ambiguity, with minimal story and lore that requires interpretation. This is compared to the works of Stephen King and the game 'Made in Abyss'.
- High Difficulty and Low Completion (weight 0.14): The game is intentionally punishing, with a very low completion rate and most players quitting in the first few floors. Only a small percentage of players unlock the final achievement.
- No Dialogue or Characters (weight 0.14): The game features no dialogue, no secondary characters, and very little text, using only short titles and button prompts as tutorial elements. This minimalist approach extends to the story and lore.
- Ending and 100% Completion (weight 0.14): The ending requires 100% completion to see the final video and credits, and is considered worth experiencing. However, some feel the ending is pre-rendered and visually inferior.
- Technical Issues and Updates (weight 0.11): Initial technical issues at launch were patched in a reasonable amount of time, and an emergency patch was released. The game was improved with the Explore update.
- Tips and Recipes (weight 0.09): Players share tips such as always crafting bandages, cooking all food, and farming bits. Only a few recipes are essential to remember, like bandage and healing meat soup.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.3): Players are frustrated by extremely high difficulty, frequent deaths, and punishing permadeath that causes loss of progress and forces tedious corpse runs and backtracking. Technical issues like crashes, stuttering, and key binding restrictions compound the aggravation, often making the game feel like a chore with hidden instant-death traps and unclear objectives.
- Disappointment (weight 0.17): Many had high expectations due to the game's presentation but were let down by repetitive, tedious gameplay, shallow mechanics, and a lack of payoff. The second half often shifts to bullet-hell combat, becomes a chore, and features poor design decisions like useless storage and an unsatisfying ending, overshadowing the initial atmosphere.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Players enjoy the immersive dungeon exploration, atmospheric tension, and the mix of survival and souls-like combat. The art, sound, and rogue-like mechanics provide a challenging and unique experience, especially in the first half of the game.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Appreciation stems from the game's exceptional atmosphere, music, art, and immersive world. The courage to leave out explanations and the unique experience it provides, along with surprising moments, are highly valued.
- Love (weight 0.05): Love for the game arises from its unique atmosphere, lack of hand-holding, and respect for player intelligence. Exploration, mystery, and the overall experience of getting lost in the game create a deep affection, with many considering it a labor of love.
- Annoyance (weight 0.04): Annoyance is caused by punishing death penalties, unclear crafting and item systems, and bothersome survival mechanics. UI issues like hidden health bars, lack of tooltips, tedious food and water gathering, and technical problems like lag also irritate players.
- Immersion (weight 0.03): Immersion is driven by the gorgeously crafted world, atmospheric visual storytelling, and excellent art and sound design. The ambiance and music immediately draw players into the game's solitary and mysterious world.
- Boredom (weight 0.03): Boredom results from repetitive backtracking, slow character movement, empty environments, and lack of story. The opening cutscene, slow intro, and tedious hunger and farming mechanics contribute to a feeling of monotony.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is provoked by game-breaking bugs, such as being stuck by traps with force fields, losing equipment and having to backtrack, and the lantern not respawning. Harsh death penalties and terrible design decisions that halt progress infuriate players.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): Excitement comes from the thrilling combat, tense structure, and atmospheric mystery. Discovering game rules, beautiful visuals, and the joy of progressing through accumulated knowledge create a sense of adventure.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.03): Satisfaction is felt upon overcoming the challenging mechanics, beating the game, and reaching milestones like floor 15. The rewarding experience of mastering a difficult game and finding hidden treasures provides a strong sense of accomplishment.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration is directed at the stunning graphics, crafting system, and minimalist survival design. The game's underrated status, thoughtful creator, and visual and audio discoveries inspire respect.
- Fun (weight 0.02): Fun is derived from exploring and surviving in the environment, crafting, and figuring out mechanics without hand-holding. The game remains enjoyable until the lower floors, where difficulty may spike.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arises from the game's cryptic nature, unclear rules, and difficulty in navigating the mini-map. Players struggle to understand how to start, what to do, and how to collect fragments.
- Engagement (weight 0.02): Engagement is high due to the need to plan ahead, avoid death, and manage hunger and thirst. The tension and deep involvement in the wanderer's journey keep players hooked.
- Amazement (weight 0.02): Amazement stems from the ludo-narrative storytelling, self-driven learning, and cinematic moments without cutscenes. Key moments cause goosebumps and a sense of wonder.
- Intrigue (weight 0.02): Intrigue is sparked by the mysterious underground world, trial and error, and the atmosphere of solitude. The genuine sense of intrigue is rare and keeps players exploring.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is experienced through Explorer mode, the fun of learning and exploring without hand-holding, and the nostalgic feeling of playing a video game for the first time.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise comes from the game being more than a roguelike, with unexpected depth and mixed reviews despite its gem-like quality. Players continue to be surprised after hours of play.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation is built by intuitive design that always hints at something more, and the excitement of looking forward to the game for months. The unknown depths of BELOW create eager anticipation to continue playing.}