Info about Grim Dawn - Steam Loyalist Items Pack 3:

Official game description:
By extremely popular demand, we are pleased to release our third collection of vanity items for Grim Dawn. The items included are themed around several of Grim Dawn’s enigmatic deities. Whether you are an old fan or picking up the game for the first time, you can be sure to find an exceptional new look to conquer Cairn in style.  
The items in this DLC can be applied to existing gear to transform the look while retaining the original stats. They do not provide any gameplay stats or bonuses on their own.  
Tear your foes apart and sow terror on the battlefield by embodying the visage of the very gods!  
Loyalist Item Pack 3 items can be claimed in-game from the NPC "Lancel the Knight" who stands outside the gates of Devil's Crossing, by selecting the “I wish to tap into the divine” dialogue option.  
**Note that this illusion pack requires version v1.2.0.4 or higher. For owners of the Ashes of Malmouth DLC, the items you receive from Lancel are added to your Illusionist collection rather than being applied directly to items.**  
*   armor of the greatest among the gods, Empyrion  
*   vestments of the keeper of the veil, Rattosh  
*   chains of the dying god, Ch'thon  
*   vestments of the Aetherial rulers, the Circle of Five  
*   armor of the beast god, Mogdrogen

Release date: Feb 27, 2024

Categories: Cosmetic DLC, Character Customization, Transmogrification, Action RPG, Cooperative Multiplayer, Mod Support

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair; summary: User reviews show strong endorsement of the game's monetization approach, highlighting fair-priced cosmetic DLC and supportive developer practices. The only negative point is a technical issue with DLC access, which is unrelated to monetization. No evidence of pay-to-win, gacha, loot boxes, or other predatory mechanics was found.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $8.99 - $14.99
  - Reasoning: The reviews consistently praise the game's value and content depth, noting that a playthrough provides substantial playtime. The current base game price of $8.99 is considered fair, and the willingness to pay extra for optional cosmetic DLC as a donation to the developers indicates that players perceive the core game as being worth more than its price. Given the positive sentiment and support-oriented community, a reasonable fair price range extends from the current price up to about $14.99, reflecting a premium for the game's length and quality.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: All four evidence quotes report total playtime in Grim Dawn, but none specify time to complete the story, time to fully complete the game, typical session length, or time dedicated to endgame content. These totals represent cumulative hours across varied progress states without detailing when story completion or endgame phases occurred, so none of the requested playtime metrics can be directly supported.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes:
  - Dev Support Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Supporting the developers and ensuring the game continues to receive updates.
    - Playstyle: Engaging deeply with the ARPG's content, builds, and expansions over many hours, often purchasing cosmetic DLC as a token of appreciation.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Cosmetic Roleplayer (buy)
    - Motivation: Making their character visually unique and fitting a roleplay fantasy.
    - Playstyle: Focusing on set combinations and visual design, often aligning gear with a character build for immersive storytelling.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Value Critic (sale)
    - Motivation: Ensuring their purchase provides good value and distinct content.
    - Playstyle: Evaluating DLC on a point-by-point basis against prior packs, likely waiting for sales or making informed purchasing decisions.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - 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:
- Skins are beautiful and well-made (weight 0.97): Reviewers consistently praise the visual quality and aesthetics of the skins, noting they look cool, impressive, and well-crafted. The designs are considered among the best in the game.
- Developer support praised (weight 0.91): Reviewers express strong support for the developers, Crate, praising their dedication, honesty, and continued support since launch. Many buy the pack to support the team and encourage future content.
- Good value for the price (weight 0.78): Many reviews highlight the reasonable price and excellent value of the cosmetic pack, especially compared to expensive bundles in other games. The pack is considered worth purchasing, even at full price for some.
- Specific god sets stand out (weight 0.65): Reviewers single out certain sets, particularly Ch'thon and Empyrion, for their impressive visuals and transformations like levitation and back attachments. These sets are considered the best transmogs in the game.
- Best cosmetic pack so far (weight 0.5): The pack is frequently described as the coolest and best-looking among the loyalist packs, with improvements over previous versions. The styling and execution are seen as a significant upgrade.
- Great for character customization (weight 0.41): Players enjoy using the skins for transmog and character builds, such as creating a Grim Reaper look or fitting shaman roleplay. The mix-and-match parts allow for creative combinations.
- Game praised as top-tier ARPG (weight 0.4): The game is frequently praised as one of the best action RPGs, with high replayability and hundreds of hours of content. It is compared favorably to classics like Diablo 2.
- Each set themed after gods (weight 0.28): The pack includes five full armor illusions inspired by gods and factions of the Cairn world, such as Mogdrogen and Ch'thon. Each set has unique visual effects and thematic elements.
- No online requirements or DRM (weight 0.26): Reviewers appreciate that the game can be played fully offline without any always-online server requirement or DRM. This adds to the value and convenience for solo players.
- Unique visual effects (weight 0.21): Some sets drastically change the character's appearance, such as Ch'thon's floating animation and Empyrion's back attachment, providing distinctive and memorable looks.
- Cosmetics work well with mods (weight 0.14): Some reviewers mention that the skins, especially the Ch'thon set, integrate well with mods like Dawn of Masteries. This enhances customization options for modded play.
- Must-have for collectors (weight 0.08): For collectors, the pack is seen as essential to complete their collection, given its unique and themed cosmetics. It offers substantial content for completionists.
- High-quality support team (weight 0.08): One reviewer notes that the support team responded quickly and resolved an issue, reflecting positively on the company's customer service.

Common complaints:
- Transmog claims fail often (weight 0.72): Players frequently cannot claim purchased DLC transmogs at the Lancelot Knight or Illusionist NPC, and claimed cosmetics sometimes do not appear in the collection or at the transmog character. This makes the purchase feel broken or incomplete.
- Cosmetics are underwhelming (weight 0.65): Many reviewers find the transmogs average, bland, or lacking compared to promotional images, with missing parts, mismatched effects, and reduced glow. The overall quality does not justify the price.
- Low gameplay value for price (weight 0.3): The DLC is seen as expensive because it only provides cosmetic armor paints with no stats, quests, monsters, skills, or locations, and completing sets requires painting every part for no gameplay benefit.
- Content not accessible or missing (weight 0.25): Some users report missing DLC parts, such as the 'Path 2' DLC, or purchased sections not being playable, and difficulty figuring out how to access other purchased parts. This indicates significant delivery or access issues.
- Claim process is confusing (weight 0.17): Players are unclear how to apply the cosmetics after purchase, as the claim is not streamlined and requires navigating menus to verify illusions are added. Some cannot even figure out how to claim items.
- Technical issues and broken dialogue (weight 0.16): The transmogrification NPC dialogue may be broken due to a Chinese font mod, and some effects like the Chthon chestpiece illusion had compatibility issues (though later fixed).
- Unclear DLC content (weight 0.15): The Council of Five transmog options are unclear, leading to confusion about what exactly is included in the DLC.
- Set similarity concerns (weight 0.15): The Mogdrogen set closely resembles the Great Wolf set from pack 2, and some items like the Rattosh staff are advertised but not present in the game.
- Late release expected (weight 0.1): The new expansion is expected to be released very late, possibly in 2030, which disappoints players looking forward to content.
- Outdated graphics engine (weight 0.08): The game uses an outdated graphics engine with low-quality lights and textures, which is disappointing for a recent DLC.

Gameplay feedback:
- Transmogrification system via NPCs (weight 0.36): Players repeatedly mention that transmogrification exists, requiring an NPC like the Illusionist or a master to apply cosmetic packs obtained through dialogue. This is a prominent cosmetic customization feature.
- Action RPG genre classification (weight 0.3): The game is consistently identified as an action RPG (ARPG), with some describing it as a Diablo-like or grinding ARPG. This genre definition appears frequently across clusters.
- Obtaining skins from Devil Crossing NPC (weight 0.24): Skins are acquired by talking to an NPC near Devil Crossing, often a knight named Lancel or Lancer, who provides transmog packs through dialogue options. This specific acquisition method is highlighted in multiple clusters.
- Cooperative and solo play options (weight 0.15): The game supports both cooperative multiplayer and solo play, with a host system for inviting friends. This flexibility appeals to different player preferences.
- Modding support available (weight 0.1): The game allows modding, which enhances customization and longevity for players. This is a notable feature for the community.
- Loot filter mechanic present (weight 0.09): Players note the inclusion of a loot filter, which helps manage item drops during grinding. This is a practical feature for ARPG gameplay.
- Blueprint learning from inventory (weight 0.08): Blueprints can be learned by right-clicking them in the inventory, a convenient UX detail for crafting. This was mentioned in one cluster.
- In-game skins available (weight 0.08): The game includes in-game skins for cosmetic customization, which players appreciate. This is a general mention of the skin system.
- Transmog packs opened from inventory (weight 0.08): After selecting a dialogue option with an NPC, players receive a transmog pack that must be opened from the inventory. This clarifies the process of obtaining cosmetics.
- Base hammer used as skin (weight 0.08): A hammer from the base game can be used as a skin in a session if held once, indicating that some skins are based on existing items.
- Knight NPC at entrance (weight 0.08): There is an NPC named Lancel wearing knight armor at the game's entrance, likely the one who provides transmog services. This adds lore and visual familiarity.

Performance notes:
- Outdated and poor visuals (weight 0.21): Players criticize the game's presentation, citing an outdated graphics engine, low-quality lighting, and low-quality textures. These technical shortcomings detract from the overall immersion and polish expected of a modern title.

Recommendations:
- Cosmetic pack is donation (weight 0.37): Players view the pack as a way to support developers rather than for gameplay value. It is seen as a bonus for fans who want to help the studio.
- Encourages supporting developers (weight 0.25): Feedback strongly encourages supporting the developers, often describing it as a moral obligation due to their passion and constant updates. Users emphasize that not supporting is a sin.
- Tip for claiming item (weight 0.09): A player shares a tip to change the game language to claim the item, addressing a potential localization issue.
- Suggests trying the game (weight 0.08): One point recommends starting to play and experiment with the game, implying the pack is an optional addition for new players.

Other player notes:
- Purchases support developer development (weight 0.63): Players frequently buy cosmetic packs to support Crate Entertainment and fund new DLC, reflecting strong community goodwill.
- Claiming method via NPC (weight 0.34): Items are claimed by talking to Knight Lancel near Devil's Crossing, then using the item in inventory to unlock at the transmogrifier.
- Good value compared to competitors (weight 0.32): Reviewers find the pack's price lower and value higher than similar cosmetics in Diablo 4 or Path of Exile.
- Supports game development for years (weight 0.32): Purchases are seen as a long-term investment in the game's future, with some reviewers supporting since Kickstarter.
- Pack includes multiple skins (weight 0.27): The DLC contains multiple armor illusions inspired by gods and factions, including five full sets plus extra skins.
- Cosmetic DLC offers no gameplay advantages (weight 0.25): The pack is purely cosmetic, providing no bonuses or new content, which some reviewers appreciate as fair monetization.
- Asterkan DLC anticipation (weight 0.24): Players are excited about the upcoming Asterkan expansion, indicating strong ongoing engagement with the game.
- Comparison to other ARPGs (weight 0.21): Reviewers compare the game favorably to Path of Exile 2 and Diablo 2, praising its status and value.
- Wishes for more content (weight 0.19): Reviewers express hopes for new classes, areas, cosmetic pets, and a sequel.
- Cosmetic monetization praised (weight 0.15): The model feels like tipping the developers, which many find refreshing compared to aggressive monetization elsewhere.
- Third pack compared to previous (weight 0.13): This pack is the third of its kind, with a slight price increase but still competitive.
- Skins may differ on female models (weight 0.08): One reviewer notes armor might look different on female characters, which could affect purchase decisions.
- Localization issue with claiming (weight 0.08): Chinese localization may cause claiming problems; switching to English resolves it.
- Player enjoys without purchasing (weight 0.08): The game is fully enjoyable without buying the DLC, as it offers no gameplay advantage.
- Developer fixed augment issue (weight 0.08): A specific bug with a medal augment and chestpiece illusion was fixed by the developer.
- No numeric price mentioned (weight 0.06): The price is described as reasonable, but the exact amount is not stated.
- Mod support for Chinese font (weight 0.06): Mods like Chinese font support exist, enhancing accessibility.

Emotions:
- Satisfaction (weight 0.15): Players feel satisfied with the cosmetic packs because they offer good value, fair pricing, and unique visual changes compared to other games' armor sets. Specific issues like the Leap medal augment and Ch'thon support tickets were resolved quickly, reinforcing satisfaction with the developer's honest business practices.
- Admiration (weight 0.12): The cosmetic packs are admired for their outstanding quality, with specific sets like Empyrion and Rattosh described as masterpieces and the best-looking options across all packs. This admiration extends to the game itself, being viewed as well-cared-for with dedicated updates and considered the best action RPG played by some reviewers.
- Frustration (weight 0.11): Players are frustrated by content claiming issues, where purchased DLC items do not appear in collections or from NPCs, and some advertised items like the Rattosh staff are missing entirely. Additional frustrations include an outdated graphics engine, a mismatch between the promotional images (e.g., lightning effects) and in-game visuals, and the very late 2030 release date for the expansion.
- Appreciation (weight 0.08): Players appreciate the developer's long-term support and honest design philosophy, noting the game is DRM-free, offline-capable, and supported for over eight years. The cosmetic packs are seen as a meaningful way to support the creators after many years, with specific appreciation for beautiful skins and the treatment of the fan base.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Excitement stems from immediately purchasing items inspired by other games, such as the Hthon skin with red flames, and from the anticipation of the upcoming Asterkan DLC and expansion. Players are eager to see what the developers will deliver next and were excited enough to wait until midnight for the purchase button to appear.
- Gratitude (weight 0.06): Players express gratitude for the developers' dedication, which is evident in the Mogdrogen skin's character design, their going above and beyond, and years of excellent game support. This gratitude is amplified by the developers providing nearly 3,000 hours of playtime through the game they created.
- Disappointment (weight 0.05): Players are disappointed primarily because the DLC is purely cosmetic with zero gameplay impact and a high price, while some sets like the CIRCLE OF FIVE are considered bland and goofy. The lack of stats, the requirement to own all armor parts, and the general similarity among transmogs contribute to the overall poor value perception.
- Confusion (weight 0.05): Players are confused by the inability to access or find purchased content, such as missing transmog options at NPCs and skins disappearing after returning to the menu. This is compounded by unclear application instructions and being locked out of multiple purchased game sections, allowing only one part to be playable.
- Approval (weight 0.04): Players approve of the pack's good value and the honest monetization that feels like tipping developers rather than being manipulated into buying cosmetics. The mix-and-match armor part system and reasonably priced cosmetics with cool in-game skins also earn strong approval.
- Anticipation (weight 0.04): Players are looking forward to future content, specifically the Asterkan DLC and the next big expansion. The anticipation is strong enough that players are eagerly awaiting what the developers will add next to the game.
- Love (weight 0.03): Players love the game because of its super cool cosmetics, particularly the Mogdrogen Outfit, and the beautiful skins available at a reasonable price. This love is deeply rooted in their overall enjoyment of the game itself.
- Amusement (weight 0.03): Players find amusement in the visual and thematic mismatches, such as godly armor appearing in grim ruins and the Ch'thon piece floating or having a void portal as a face. These humorous design elements provide comic relief within the game's setting.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.03): Players are enthusiastic because the skins inspire ideas for thematic builds, and they believe the game is the best action RPG with beautiful skins. Enthusiasm is further fueled by the view that the addon is worth buying and that the developers deserve strong support.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Players hope that the developers will release complete cosmetic sets and new DLC in the future. There is also hope that the cosmetic claim bug, which prevents items from appearing, will be fixed by the developer.
- Loyalty (weight 0.02): Players demonstrate loyalty by purchasing loyalist packs specifically to support the developer. Their loyalty extends to a willingness to buy anything the developers sell as a means of ongoing support.
- Happiness (weight 0.02): Players are happy to purchase more Grim Dawn illusions because the skins allow creating desired looks like a Grim Reaper. The game's honest and respectful development approach also contributes to this happiness.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy arises from the really cool designs and the pleasure of supporting a game that the players thoroughly enjoy. The combination of quality cosmetics and developer support brings genuine joy.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.01): Players enjoy the beautiful skins and the overall pack content, expressing satisfaction with what is included. The aesthetic appeal of the cosmetics is a primary source of this enjoyment.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Players desire new class and area DLC from the developer, indicating a strong interest in expanded game content beyond cosmetics. This desire reflects a wish for more meaningful additions to the game.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Players are annoyed that the Mogdrogen items' lightning theme clashes with their Physical and Bleed build aesthetic. This thematic mismatch disrupts the visual consistency of their character builds.}