Info about Duskers:

Official game description:
In Duskers you pilot drones into derelict spaceships to find the means to survive and piece together how the universe became a giant graveyard.  
You are a drone operator, surrounded by old gritty tech that acts as your only eyes and ears to the outside world. What you hear comes through a remote microphone. What you see is how each drone sees the world. Motion sensors tell you something's out there, but not what. And when you issue commands, you do it through a command line interface.  
You have to earn everything in Duskers, scavenging drone upgrades, drones, and even ship upgrades. But dangerous creatures lurk in these derelict ships, and weapons are rare, so you may need to think of a clever way to explore a military outpost using only a motion sensor and a lure.  
But even if you find a way, the sensor that you rely on may break down, or you may run out of lures, even your drone's camera feed can start to fail. A favorite strategy can't be exploited for long, so you'll have to continually adapt.  
Duskers is set in a procedurally generated Universe, and when you die you lose everything. You not only need to worry about what hazards lay waiting for you in the derelicts, but also running out of fuel, or parts to modify your drones and ship.  
You are alone, isolated in the dark reaches of space. Only by sifting through what ship logs remain un-corrupted can you piece together what happened.  
**Features**  
\- Use a Command Line Interface to control drones & ship systems  
\- Explore procedurally generated derelict ships and universe  
\- Upgrade and modify drones with the salvage you find  
\- Discover ship logs and piece together what happened
About Us
--------
We previously made A Virus Named TOM and then were fortunate enough to get Indie Fund to help us fund Duskers. More about us HERE

Release date: May 18, 2016

Categories: Roguelike, Command Line Interface, Space Survival, Drone Control, Procedural Generation, Resource Management, Sci-fi Horror, Stealth Gameplay


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: Several reviewers explicitly criticize the current $19.99 price as poor value for the amount of content, and one states the game is worth trying only at $10 or under. Others recommend buying on sale or waiting for a discount, while a few suggest full price may be acceptable mainly for dedicated fans. This points to a community fair base-game range below the current price, centered around $10-$15.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 0.7h
  - Endgame: 12.0h
  - Reasoning: The 40-minute uninterrupted mission requirement and 6-20 minute derelict loot runs indicate short, mission-sized play sessions; I used 0.67 hours as a representative session length. The quote about lacking content after about 12 hours supports an endgame/content-exhaustion point around 12 hours. No clear completion time is reported, and one reviewer states the game cannot be beaten, so gameCompletion and storyCompletion are left null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Duskers is often fun and tense early, but many players report that repetition, limited progression, and shallow content make it wear off after the first few hours.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Initial play / first few hours
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Steep learning curve and brutal difficulty; Keyboard-only command-line input can cause more trouble than enjoyment; Early attempts are designed to fail and require resetting progress; Tedious maintenance tasks compared to filing paperwork or spreadsheets; Bugs such as unreachable scrap or getting stuck; Lack of variety and progression perceived almost from the start
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: Tolerance for repetition and limited progression; Interest in the command-line, roguelike niche; Expectation of a strong, evolving story or clear late-game progression; Enjoyment of the core drone-command gameplay can sustain players through repetition; Preference against traditional, more accessible experiences; How long the player plays before noticing the lack of variety
- Player Archetypes:
  - Console Command Tinkerer (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastery through automating drone behavior with custom command chains.
    - Playstyle: Writes custom aliases and chained commands, fine-tunes drone tool loadouts, and personally takes the wheel to avoid collisions and mistakes.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Her Story; Uplink; SCP: Secret Laboratory
  - Hardcore Roguelike Survivor (sale)
    - Motivation: Beating permadeath and surviving as long as possible on dwindling resources.
    - Playstyle: Runs long survival campaigns, adjusts difficulty options, and weighs each jump against fuel and supply risk.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Dark Sci-Fi Atmosphere Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Immersion in the loneliness and dread of a dead universe.
    - Playstyle: Plays in a dark room at night, reads corrupted communications for lore, and explores derelicts for mood rather than pure efficiency.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Genre-Literate Design Comparer (buy)
    - Motivation: Placing the game in the lineage of roguelikes and sci-fi classics and decoding its design DNA.
    - Playstyle: Analyzes mechanics against reference titles and replays to appreciate how the genre mashup works.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Space Hulk; Deadnaut; FTL; Rogue; Scavenger SV-4


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:
- Atmosphere and immersion praised (weight 0.51): Players consistently highlight the game's incredible atmosphere, immersion, and vibes. The combination creates a deeply engaging experience that draws players in.
- Unique command-line interface (weight 0.39): The command-line style interface is frequently mentioned as original and immersive. It gives a hacker-like feel and makes controlling drones more realistic.
- Fun and unique experience (weight 0.37): Many describe the game as fun, unique, and enjoyable, with a distinct identity. It offers an experience unlike others, often called a hidden gem.
- Addictive and replayable (weight 0.36): The game is highly addictive and offers strong replayability, making players want to return for more. Its simple but effective loop keeps it engaging.
- Engaging drone control mechanics (weight 0.33): Directing drones to board derelicts and manage them is engaging. The active approach to controlling a fleet adds to the gameplay loop.
- Drone customization and naming (weight 0.28): Players appreciate the ability to name and customize drones, including loadouts and tools. This feature adds personal attachment and strategic depth.
- Interesting mechanics and ideas (weight 0.15): The game's mechanics and concepts are praised as fantastic and interesting. They contribute to a fresh and unusual gameplay experience.
- Eerie sound design and tension (weight 0.11): The sound design and oppressive atmosphere create constant tension, enhancing the overall experience. This contributes significantly to the game's mood.
- Custom commands and aliases (weight 0.11): Players can create their own commands and aliases to chain calls and add quality-of-life features. This adds flexibility and personalization.
- Strategic and brainy gameplay (weight 0.11): The game requires strategy and thinking, challenging players to plan their moves. It's not just action but also mental engagement.
- Great aesthetic and visuals (weight 0.11): The aesthetic is well-received and adds to the overall appeal. Players love the visual style and how it complements the atmosphere.
- Good for short sessions (weight 0.11): The game is well-suited for occasional, short play sessions. It's perfect for playing in small doses without requiring long commitments.
- Simple but entertaining (weight 0.11): Despite its simplicity, the game is entertaining and enjoyable. It's straightforward yet manages to be great fun.
- Initially interesting, loses appeal (weight 0.1): Some players find it interesting at first but feel it becomes less engaging over time. Fun for a little while, but not long-lasting for everyone.
- Phenomenal and incredible game (weight 0.1): A few players describe the game in exceptionally high terms, calling it phenomenal and incredible. These strong endorsements highlight its standout quality.

Common complaints:
- Harsh failure and permadeath (weight 0.42): Losing one drone often means game over, such as being unable to open doors or running out of fuel. The game is brutally difficult and features frequent resets.
- Lack of content and variety (weight 0.37): The game lacks sufficient content, with only four enemy types and limited gameplay variety. Many reviewers feel there isn't enough to keep the experience consistently fun.
- Roguelike elements and difficulty (weight 0.34): The roguelike formula and brutal difficulty mar the experience for many, with annoying mechanics and high lethality. Players often find the game excessively punishing.
- Game becomes repetitive over time (weight 0.31): After around 20 hours of play, the game becomes increasingly repetitive with little variety in gameplay or content. Many players find the experience dull after extended play.
- Drone navigation and stuck bugs (weight 0.28): Drones frequently get stuck on walls, each other, and obstacles, similar to malfunctioning robot vacuums. This causes severe problems as drones cannot escape or navigate past simple obstacles.
- Story and lore are disjointed (weight 0.27): The story and lore are hard to follow, with disjointed snippets and logs that are not worth collecting. Many find the narrative boring, lame, or uninteresting.
- Fragile and combat-ineffective drones (weight 0.2): Drones are fragile, weak in combat, and easily lost, even with weapons equipped. Accidental actions like opening airlocks can irretrievably flush them into space.
- Equipment durability and breakage issues (weight 0.2): Equipment wears out and breaks at inconsistent and often ridiculous speeds. This unreliability adds to the game's difficulty and frustration.
- No clear ending or win condition (weight 0.2): The game lacks a definitive ending or win state, leaving players unsure if one exists. Many never reach an ending and describe the experience as unwinnable.
- Command-line interface is clunky (weight 0.19): The coded command-line interface is not for everyone and feels clunky. One misspelled command can cause drones to sit and die, leading to failure.
- Resource scarcity and tight management (weight 0.11): Default resources are limited, making survival challenging. Players must carefully manage scarce supplies to progress.
- No Chinese language support (weight 0.11): The game does not support the Chinese language, which some reviewers consider a significant problem. This limits accessibility for Chinese-speaking players.
- Still in alpha with issues (weight 0.11): The game is still in alpha and has room for improvement. Several things need to be ironed out before it feels complete.
- Derelict types lack impact (weight 0.1): Different derelict types matter very little and do not noticeably change layout or gameplay. This reduces variety and replayability.

Gameplay feedback:
- Drone command line gameplay (weight 0.9): Players primarily direct drones by typing console commands and terminal-style instructions. This text-based interface supports core actions such as movement, scanning, and resource gathering.
- Salvage derelict ships with drones (weight 0.62): The main gameplay loop involves sending remotely controlled drones into abandoned spaceships and stations to loot fuel, scrap, and upgrades. Players explore and scavenge these derelict vessels while managing their drone squad.
- Roguelike survival space game (weight 0.47): The game is a roguelike with permadeath and strong penalties for death, often described as a space strategy roguelike with horror elements. Its structure emphasizes harsh survival and tactical decision-making.
- Direct control option available (weight 0.24): Players can switch to a Drone View to take direct control of any drone using arrow keys, complementing the command-line interface. This provides a more active and zoomed-in perspective.
- Upgrade drones and ship (weight 0.24): Drones can be upgraded for speed, equipped with modules, and the mothership can also be improved. Resources collected from salvage are used to enhance drone capabilities and progress further.
- Dual fuel system (weight 0.2): Space travel uses two fuel types: Propulsion Fuel for short-range in-system travel and Jump Fuel for inter-system jumps. Fuel can regenerate upon visiting a new star system.
- Wide range of drone commands (weight 0.2): Commands cover movement, cloaking, resource gathering, weapon activation, motion detection, teleporting, and many other actions. Players can issue these through the console to manage drone operations.
- Procedurally generated ships and stations (weight 0.16): Ships, stations, and outposts are procedurally generated, creating derelict vessels of varying size and layout. This enhances replayability and unpredictability.
- Simultaneous multi-drone commands (weight 0.15): Players can issue commands to multiple drones at once by stacking them with semicolons. Individual control via arrow keys is also possible.
- Motion sensor and threat detection (weight 0.15): Motion sensors and commands like 'motion' and 'sensor' help detect potential enemies. These tools are key for avoiding threats while exploring.
- Four enemy types (weight 0.15): There are four distinct enemy types: turret, jumper, swarm, and acid, each with unique danger levels and behaviors. Players must adapt their tactics accordingly.
- Airlock ejection tactics (weight 0.15): Players can eject hostiles out of airlocks or blow out hatches to vent threats into space. This can also affect drones if not careful.
- Drone preservation and caution (weight 0.15): Drones can be damaged or destroyed, so players must manipulate them with care and plan ahead. Protecting the drone fleet is essential for survival.

Performance notes:
- Low system requirements and smooth performance (weight 0.2): Players consistently report that the game runs well on very old or low-end hardware, including minimal specification devices. It is praised for being highly performant across various operating systems.
- Occasional crashes reported (weight 0.1): A few users have experienced crashes, though they are described as low frequency or infrequent. This does not appear to be a widespread issue.
- Collector ship upgrade causes freezes (weight 0.06): Using the 'collector' ship upgrade may cause the game to freeze for some players. This is a specific, reproducible bug that can disrupt gameplay.
- Challenge mode resets graphics settings (weight 0.06): In challenge mode, graphics settings are reset every time the player enters. This is a persistent bug that affects user experience.
- No bugs encountered (weight 0.05): Some players have not encountered any bugs during their playtime. This suggests the game is relatively stable for many users.

Recommendations:
- Niche appeal and specific tastes (weight 0.76): The game is niche and appeals to specific tastes: cosmic dread, command-line interfaces, 1980s micro-computers, stealth, puzzles, and survival. It is not for everyone, especially perfectionists or those seeking frantic action.
- Positive recommendations dominate (weight 0.54): Many reviewers strongly recommend the game, often with high praise or unconditional thumbs up. The positive sentiment is widespread and consistent across multiple clusters.
- Price sensitivity and sales (weight 0.52): Many reviewers suggest buying on sale or feel the game is not worth full price. Specific price points like $5-$10 or £5-£10 are mentioned as fair, while others say it's not worth $20.
- Negative reviews and refunds (weight 0.37): Some reviewers do not recommend the game due to punitive difficulty, lack of content, or abandonment. Others uninstalled or advise steering clear, and some suggest refunding after a short trial.
- High difficulty and learning curve (weight 0.37): The game is challenging, requiring patience, quick wits, and mental preparation. It offers a tough learning curve and brutal difficulty, but adjusting settings can help.
- Unique and fresh concept (weight 0.27): Many find the game new and strange, with a fresh concept that is creative and has its own audience. It is worth trying for something different.
- Tips for playing (weight 0.25): Reviewers offer tips: use the help menu, learn infestation types, cut losses, adjust difficulty options, and avoid looking up guides for a better experience.
- Roguelike appeal for fans (weight 0.23): The game is frequently recommended for players who enjoy roguelike or roguelite experiences, including trial-and-error learning and brutal death loops. However, some note that roguelike progression is a drawback for others.
- Keyboard-only and typing difficulty (weight 0.23): The game requires fast, accurate typing and is recommended for those who enjoy keyboard-only play. However, it is not recommended for players who do not write quickly or dislike typing.
- Nanoswarm bug fix patch (weight 0.2): A known issue with Nanoswarms causes negative experiences, but disabling them makes the game recommendable. Installing the user-made Decavoid patch is also advised to fix gamebreaking bugs.
- Immersive atmosphere and horror (weight 0.2): Reviewers praise the incredible vibes and atmosphere, especially for fans of sci-fi horror like Alien or The Thing. Playing in a dark room with headphones enhances immersion.
- Time commitment required (weight 0.15): The game demands uninterrupted time, at least 40 minutes per mission, and may not be finished by some. It requires investment to understand its unique mechanics.
- Playtime and refund strategy (weight 0.15): Some suggest playing for a couple of hours to experience the atmosphere and then refunding, or trying under two hours even if unsure. This reflects mixed long-term appeal.
- Early Access caveats (weight 0.11): Players are warned not to buy Early Access if they dislike sharing input with developers or mind occasional bugs. These caveats are important for potential buyers.
- Developer support praised (weight 0.11): The developer's support and engagement are highlighted as reasons for a positive review. Reviewers encourage giving the devs more love.
- Community and external resources (weight 0.1): Joining the Duskers Daily community, subreddit, or Discord is recommended for info and tactics. These resources enhance the experience.
- Quest-driven strategy (weight 0.06): Following quests is recommended as they require rethinking strategy, adding depth to the gameplay.
- Comparison to Lethal Company (weight 0.06): The game is suggested as practice for Lethal Company's terminal, indicating similar command-line interfaces.

Other player notes:
- Comparisons to FTL (weight 0.37): Frequent comparisons to FTL: Faster Than Light highlight similarities in real-time crew movement, map appearance, and addictive gameplay. Some suggest alternate upgrade strategies inspired by FTL.
- Grim desolate atmosphere (weight 0.34): Reviewers consistently praise the game's grim, desolate atmosphere and sense of being a lone survivor in an impossible situation. The spooky, minimalist aesthetic enhances immersion.
- Rich lore through corrupted logs (weight 0.33): The story is told through fragmented logs and corrupted communications, with multiple storylines running in tandem. Despite being light, the narrative elements and world-building are praised.
- Comparisons to Alien and horror (weight 0.29): Reviewers compare the atmosphere to Alien: Isolation and System Shock 2, emphasizing the lone survivor theme. Other comparisons include Voices of the Void and Lethal Company.
- High difficulty and steep curve (weight 0.27): The game is described as brutal with a tough learning curve, and difficulty can be finely adjusted via options. High default difficulty may contribute to low achievement percentages.
- Lack of Chinese localization (weight 0.23): Several reviewers mention that the game does not include Chinese language support. While some say it has little impact, others see it as a drawback and desire Steam Workshop support for fan translations.
- Minimalist audio design (weight 0.22): The game features ambient sounds rather than a traditional soundtrack, with some reviewers noting lacks in music and sound effects. The indirect sound design mimics drone sensors, enhancing immersion.
- Daily challenges and leaderboards (weight 0.21): The game includes daily missions mode with leaderboards and a dedicated community of daily players. However, some question replayability despite these challenges.
- Upcoming sequel Duskers 2 (weight 0.21): Multiple reviewers note that a sequel, Duskers 2, is in development and can be wishlisted. This indicates ongoing interest and a future for the franchise.
- Niche appeal and uniqueness (weight 0.2): The game is described as highly niche but masterfully executed, with nothing else quite like it. Its unique blend of stealth, resource management, and horror-puzzle elements stands out.
- Roguelike progression and permadeath (weight 0.2): The game features roguelike progression with permanent losses, where losing can cost hours of upgrades and sends you back to the start. This creates high stakes and brutal difficulty.
- Lack of content updates (weight 0.19): Several reviewers note the game hasn't had a proper content update in years, with the last update in 2017. The developer may have abandoned the project, leaving minor bugs.
- Text-based command interface (weight 0.16): Core gameplay involves tinkering with a text interface and writing micro-scripts to control drones, reminiscent of early BASIC games. This DOS-like interface is central to the experience.
- Unofficial Decavoid patch availability (weight 0.15): A user-made patch by Decavoid is available to fix game-breaking bugs, and the developers have hired the unofficial patch creator. This shows community support and developer responsiveness.
- Procedurally generated galaxy and ships (weight 0.15): The game uses procedural generation for systems, galaxies, and universes, ensuring no two ships are ever the same. This adds replayability and variety to each run.
- Still in alpha development (weight 0.15): Some reviews mention the game is still in alpha and under development, implying room for improvement. Others note it may have left early access prematurely and lacks recent content updates.
- Short content duration (weight 0.15): Some reviewers note the game has about 30 minutes of content or a few hours before lacking variety. Others mention 12-18 hours of play before repetition sets in.
- Keyboard only controls (weight 0.15): The game requires a standard American keyboard layout with no mouse or gamepad input. Some players experienced alias bugs where certain keys do not register.
- Unfinished story mode (weight 0.14): A story mode with a sequence of missions was added after release but is not well integrated. The game may not have a proper ending, and completion is around 70% per developers.
- No mod support (weight 0.11): Reviewers point out that the game does not support mods, limiting community creativity and longevity. This is particularly noted alongside the lack of official localization options.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.11): Players are frustrated by confusing interfaces, poor pathfinding, and technical issues like keyboard incompatibility and bugs that make the game unplayable. The roguelike RNG and brutal economy lead to unavoidable losses, death spirals, and constant restarts without meaningful progression. Unfair enemy encounters, lack of mid-run saves, and tedious waiting further compound the frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): Many players feel disappointed because the game fails to deliver on its programming simulation promise due to bad pathfinding and unavoidable deaths. The roguelike structure, lack of story and progression, and repetitive gameplay make it shallow and not worth the grind. The absence of save functionality and the developer abandoning the project left players with wasted potential.
- Tension (weight 0.07): The game creates constant tension through real-time command-line controls, limited visibility, and the ever-present threat of sudden death. Players feel on edge as resources are scarce, equipment degrades, and mistakes like typos can lose drones. The claustrophobic atmosphere and unpredictable dangers behind every door keep the tension high.
- Immersion (weight 0.06): Immersion is achieved through the command-line interface, drone camera views, and atmospheric sound design that make players feel like a remote drone operator in a cold, isolated space environment. The degrading equipment, minimalist graphics, and eerie silence enhance the sense of being alone on a derelict ship with real threats.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.05): Players enjoy the unique console-command-based gameplay, strategic planning, and drone customization. The tense, claustrophobic atmosphere and the challenge of salvaging bad situations provide a fun and replayable experience. Learning through death and gradual mastery adds to the enjoyment.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.04): Satisfaction comes from mastering the command-line interface, executing complex plans, and achieving hard-won victories. The strategic depth, risk management, and creative terminal system make success feel meaningful. Improvising and seeing all drones execute actions simultaneously bring a sense of accomplishment.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement stems from the tense, tactical gameplay, the novel feeling of controlling drones via commands, and the anticipation for Duskers 2. The brutal death loop and scares while trying to survive keep players engaged. Discovering new tools and route planning add to the thrill.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the SF horror atmosphere, the perfect interface, and the tight game loop. The game's unique ideas, minimalist aesthetics, and mysterious narration leave a strong impression. Developer support and bug fixes are also valued.
- Love (weight 0.03): Players love the unique atmosphere, the trust in the player to figure things out, and the isolation and constant dig for answers. The limited information from drones, vector graphics, and prompt interface create a creepy yet addictive experience. The ability to name drones and the oppressive, isolating atmosphere foster deep affection.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom arises from repetitive gameplay, ship layouts, and a lack of enemy variety, leading to lost interest after a few missions. The feeling of having seen everything early on makes the game feel monotonous over time.
- Fear (weight 0.02): Fear is induced by jump-scares, unknown threats roaming derelicts, and scary moments like station cracking or asteroid warnings. The minimalist aesthetic and ambient sound create an atmosphere of dread. Early game uncertainty and the presence of Jumpers heighten the fear.
- Stress (weight 0.02): Stress comes from frantically typing commands to escape bad situations, managing drones in dangerous missions, and the overall difficulty. The need to multitask under pressure makes the game too stressful for some players to continue.
- Fun (weight 0.01): Fun is derived from manipulating command syntax to make robots execute tasks, making aliases, and chaining commands. The initial hours filled with wonder and the strategic emphasis of daily missions provide enjoyment, even if not an advanced programming sim.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness is felt when accidentally depressurizing the ship and losing all drones, losing the first game to a rushing creature, or experiencing the death of a drone named Kyle. Consigning Martin's body to rest within the derelict also evokes sadness.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise comes from the ghosting effect and camera feed loss initially thought to be a bug, the game taking a different path for horror, and the original addictive nature despite strange visuals. Players are also surprised when they thought it would be easy but died.
- Panic (weight 0.01): Panic ensues when little robot buddies get eaten by an anomaly or swarming thing, and command prompt controls create panic-inducing situations. Everything going wrong in a moment when the game has been going well triggers panic.
- Horror (weight 0.01): Horror is created by the atmosphere of anxiety, watching an unseen attacker disable drones one by one, and the tense atmosphere with potential threats to drones. The game evokes a sense of horror through its dark and threatening environment.
- Dread (weight 0.01): Dread is felt from the backstory, total isolation, and slow gathering of evidence about what happened to the universe. The realization that there are fates worse than death, and being critically low on supplies surrounded by hostile derelicts, deepens the dread.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance arises from keyboard-specific quirks, tedious team command management like typing 'gather', dealing with roguelike elements, and bugs such as scrap dropping in unreachable places. These issues detract from the experience.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Admiration is felt for the unique horror game concept, raw aesthetics, and unmatched innovation. The perfect aesthetic and ambiance contribute to this admiration.}