Info about Solace Inc.:

Official game description:
_We're the #1 time-traveling mercenary company in the galaxy! Got a problem? We'll take care of it! Our state-of-the-art technology allows for fast and reliable solutions to your worries. Anytime, anywhere! Our hundreds of employees are eager to take care of business for you, without headaches or blood on your hands! Give us a call today!_
Solace Inc. is a survivors-like where you recruit your employees against endless hordes of enemies. Hack, slash, shoot, and blast away foes with the help of your recruits, and become unstoppable with endless combinations!
**Features:**
*   300+ characters to unlock and recruit
*   Unique and challenging missions
*   Upgrades and alternate game modes
*   Charming dialogue from a vast cast of characters
*   Custom character creator
*   Local co-op
*   Cameos from other games and creators
*   ...and more!
Submit your application to Solace Inc. today! We want YOU to fight for us!

Release date: Feb 2, 2024

Categories: Survivor-like, Roguelike, Character Collection, Local Co-op, Bullet-hell, Horde Shooter, Character Progression, Synergy System

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Playable with significant tinkering; summary: The game is playable on Steam Deck but suffers from very small text, missing button glyphs, partial controller support, and DLC compatibility issues on Linux. These issues require tinkering and reduce readability, but the game does not crash or fail to launch.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: The community consistently describes the game as a strong value ('bang for your buck') and worth purchasing, indicating the current price is perceived as low relative to content. This suggests the fair base-game price could be higher than the current price, likely in the $10-$15 range for a content-rich indie title.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 6.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 0.8h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The 6-hour binge explicitly states completing every mission, indicating full game completion in about 6 hours. The 45-minute session provides a typical session length. The 4-hour playtime is a separate total playtime claim but does not specify completion, so it supports overall engagement but not a specific metric beyond session length.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Solace Inc. has a mixed early reception, but players who persist past the initial learning curve and confusing controls report that understanding systems and unlocking powerful builds makes the game enjoyable, supporting a 'clicks after' profile.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After understanding systems and unlocking powerful builds
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Lack of tutorial/explanation; Confusing hitboxes; Controls unsuited to gameplay; Repetitive early gameplay; Tedious repetition
  - Unlock drivers: Understanding systems; Patience; Unlocking powerful builds; Meta progression; Progression systems
  - Conditions: If you enjoy survivors-like combat; If you have patience; If you understand systems; If you like bullet heaven levels; If you avoid gimmick levels; If you like meta progression
- Player Archetypes:
  - Vampire Survivors Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoying a fresh twist on the Vampire Survivors formula with recruit-able characters and abundant content.
    - Playstyle: Plays runs, experiments with different recruits, and explores meta progression and multiple game modes.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Vampire Survivors
  - Casual Chill Player (buy)
    - Motivation: Relaxation and casual fun, enjoying the cute aesthetic and satisfying number progression.
    - Playstyle: Plays casually, often in short sessions, possibly with local co-op, focusing on the relaxing aspects.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Hardcore Challenge Seeker (sale)
    - Motivation: Seeking a hardcore challenge and dynamic gameplay that the game currently lacks.
    - Playstyle: Plays to optimize builds, push for high scores, and seeks out the most difficult content.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: hardcore fan
    - 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:
- Large character roster (weight 0.54): Players consistently praise the game for its vast number of playable characters, including many unlockable ones and cameos. The sheer quantity and diversity of characters is a standout feature.
- Beautiful art style (weight 0.43): The art is consistently described as beautiful, cute, and charming, with particular praise for the pixel art and character designs. The visual presentation is a major positive.
- Smooth and enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.3): The game runs well and feels good to play, with several reviewers noting it as a high-quality survivor-like title. Overall, the gameplay experience is positive and polished.
- Unique character abilities (weight 0.26): Each character has distinct active and passive abilities, along with unique weapons, which encourages experimentation with synergies. Recruiting characters with their own loadouts is a praised mechanic.
- Great synergy mechanics (weight 0.25): The synergy system is highly praised, with hidden synergies and interesting combinations between characters. Simple and powerful synergies add depth to the gameplay.
- Fun and charming experience (weight 0.25): The game is described as super fun and charming, with a humorous and unique tone. Even the crude humor is enjoyed by players.
- Varied mission types (weight 0.2): Players appreciate the variety in mission types, noting that missions are unique and diverse. This variety keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging.
- Simple and accessible mechanics (weight 0.14): The gameplay mechanics are simple and easy to understand without being hand-holding. This accessibility makes the game approachable for a wide audience.
- Charming character interactions (weight 0.14): Characters are described as charming and fun, with loved interactions. The character designs and personalities contribute to the game's appeal.
- Level variety and genre shifts (weight 0.14): The game features a bunch of levels that constantly switch up gameplay, with the entire genre changing multiple times. This variety keeps the experience dynamic.
- Free DLC appreciated (weight 0.13): Players appreciate the free DLC, including an 18+ DLC with great art. The addition of free content is seen as a positive gesture.
- Relaxing and fitting music (weight 0.13): The music is noted as nice, fitting, and relaxing, enhancing the overall atmosphere. Good music contributes to the game's pleasant experience.
- LGBTQ+ representation included (weight 0.13): The game includes LGBTQ+ representation, specifically lesbian characters, which is positively received. This inclusivity is valued by players.
- Abundant cameos (weight 0.13): Players note the crazy amount of cameos in the game, adding to the fun and variety. The inclusion of many cameos is a highlight.
- Character creator feature (weight 0.12): The character creator allows players to create their friends' OCs, adding a personal touch. This feature is appreciated for its flexibility.
- Steam Deck compatibility (weight 0.12): The game is fun to play on the Steam Deck and works well on the device. This compatibility is a plus for portable gaming.

Common complaints:
- Bugs and jank present (weight 0.43): The game has various bugs including hitbox issues, crashes, soft locks, and janky mechanics. These technical problems disrupt gameplay and reduce polish.
- Dialogue is cringe and bad (weight 0.35): The dialogue is widely considered cringe-worthy, including NSFW content, and is described as ideologically charged with Tumblr-esque writing. This negatively impacts the narrative experience.
- Mechanics are poorly explained (weight 0.35): The game lacks proper tutorials and explanations for controls, stage clear methods, and various mechanics, leading to confusion and wasted time. This is a significant usability issue.
- Customization options are poor (weight 0.33): Customization is limited, with few clothing options, no skirts for male body types, and a lack of straight long hair despite many hair options. This restricts player creativity.
- Game is monotonous and boring (weight 0.31): Players frequently report that the game becomes repetitive and boring, with gimmick levels failing to add fun due to the unfun base game. This is a common complaint affecting overall enjoyment.
- Lacks quality of life features (weight 0.29): The game lacks basic quality of life features such as cloud saves, keybinding options, Steam screenshot capability, and button glyphs on Steam Deck. This reduces convenience and accessibility.
- UI is horrendous and tricky (weight 0.25): The user interface is criticized as horrendous and difficult to navigate, with options menu accessibility issues and mission list resetting. These UI problems hinder player experience.
- Gimmick levels are problematic (weight 0.23): Gimmick levels with different gameplay types are boring or almost unplayable due to bugs, and some genre mashup missions are hit or miss. This disrupts the core gameplay flow.
- Enemy variety is low (weight 0.2): Enemy count is extremely low with only 1-3 basic types per map, and varied attack patterns are functionally the same. This leads to repetitive combat and boredom.
- Difficulty is imbalanced (weight 0.2): Difficulty is imbalanced with boredom against regular enemies and sudden death from bosses, and parry requires very fast reflexes. This creates frustration and unfairness.
- Character balance is poor (weight 0.2): Some recruits are inherently better through their weapons or passives, and some can break levels, while others are useless. This creates imbalance and frustration.
- Writing is obnoxious and pandering (weight 0.19): The writing is described as obnoxious, pandering to the LGBTQ community, and feeling like Tumblr and Twitter bait. This alienates some players and detracts from the story.
- Repetitive music loops (weight 0.14): The music is repetitive, often looping the same song, which contributes to the overall monotony of the game. This is a specific audio issue that players noticed.
- Lacks language support (weight 0.14): The game lacks support for Russian and Japanese languages, limiting accessibility for non-English speakers. This is a localization gap that affects a broad audience.
- Maps are flat and empty (weight 0.14): Regular maps are flat empty planes with no obstacles, items, or secrets, and the jump mechanic has nothing to jump over. This makes exploration and movement feel pointless.
- Performance issues exist (weight 0.14): The game can lag, slow down, and even destroy CPU on Steam, indicating performance optimization issues. This affects playability on various systems.
- Controller support is incomplete (weight 0.14): Controller does not work at all for certain mission types, and lacks support for some side levels like the Inscription spoof and tower defense. This limits input options.
- Progression and upgrades are weak (weight 0.14): There are only about 5 upgrades per level which do not give much, and weapon categories, evolutions, and chests are removed. This reduces depth and reward.
- Cameo characters hurt identity (weight 0.13): A huge chunk of the roster are cameo characters from other games or media, making the game feel less like its own self. This dilutes the game's unique identity.
- Lack of active combat control (weight 0.08): Players lack active control over when and who to attack, forced to auto-attack always, making melee combat feel bad. This reduces player agency in combat.

Gameplay feedback:
- Survivor-like gameplay with party management (weight 0.32): Players frequently describe the game as a survivor-like or horde survival game, emphasizing its genre and party management mechanics. This is a core identity of the game.
- Comparable to Vampire Survivors (weight 0.32): Many reviews explicitly compare the game to Vampire Survivors, noting its roguelike loop and gameplay similarities. This comparison is a common reference point for players.
- Diverse mission types and structures (weight 0.26): Players highlight the variety of mission types, noting that missions differ in structure and objectives. This variety is seen as a positive feature.
- Intern customization system (weight 0.23): The game includes an intern system with customization options, allowing players to personalize their interns.
- Story-driven roguelike adventure (weight 0.21): The game is described as a story-driven roguelike, combining narrative elements with roguelike mechanics. This blend is a key selling point.
- Custom character creation feature (weight 0.21): Players appreciate the ability to create custom characters, including a create-a-character feature and character editor. This customization is a notable feature.
- Hidden synergies between characters (weight 0.21): The game features hidden synergies between different character types, adding depth to team composition. Players find this mechanic engaging.
- Permanent upgrades and unlockables (weight 0.21): Players mention unlockable permanent upgrades and that recruits act as upgrades, indicating a progression system that rewards long-term play.
- Characters with unique weapons and passives (weight 0.21): Each character has a weapon and passive skill, with many having unique abilities. This design is praised for adding variety to gameplay.
- Over 100 unlockable characters (weight 0.21): The roster includes over 100 characters, many of which are unlockable. This large roster is a major draw for players.
- Character crates and cameo system (weight 0.15): Players note the character crate system for unlocking characters, including a cameo crate system. This adds a gacha-like element to progression.
- Team customization and synergies (weight 0.15): The game allows team customization and features synergies with team members, encouraging strategic party building.
- Progression systems unlock content (weight 0.15): Progression systems unlock new characters, enhancements, and modes, providing a sense of advancement. This is a core loop element.
- Roguelike and roguelite mechanics (weight 0.15): Players identify the game as having roguelike and roguelite elements, which are central to its replayability.
- Includes racing and golf missions (weight 0.14): The game features multiple mission types including kart racing and golf, adding variety beyond typical combat.
- Gimmick levels with varied gameplay (weight 0.14): Players mention gimmick levels that switch up gameplay, keeping the experience fresh and unpredictable.
- Unique abilities per party member (weight 0.14): Each party member has a unique weapon and passive ability, with distinct active abilities. This enhances character differentiation.
- Varied mission genres (weight 0.14): Missions span genres like racing, card games, payload, and boss fights, offering a wide range of gameplay experiences.

Performance notes:
- Steam integration causes frame drops (weight 0.16): Enabling the Steam integration setting causes severe frame rate drops, while disabling it results in a consistent 60 FPS. Some players also mention that Steam can heavily tax the CPU, impacting overall performance.
- Performance issues with many entities (weight 0.15): Players report that the game's performance can degrade significantly when many enemies, projectiles, or gems are present on the field. This can lead to noticeable lag and frame drops during intense gameplay moments.
- Game runs well overall (weight 0.13): Some players report that the game runs well, and it is also confirmed to work on the Steam Deck. This indicates that the game has acceptable performance on certain setups, despite the issues mentioned elsewhere.
- Specific character crash on mission (weight 0.09): Using the character Yuri Karda on mission 20 causes the game to crash. This is a specific bug that prevents progression for players who choose that character on that particular mission.
- Alt-tab display mode bug (weight 0.08): Alt-tabbing out of the game can break the display, switching it from fullscreen to windowed mode unexpectedly. This disrupts the gaming experience and may require manual adjustment to restore the preferred display mode.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for Vampire Survivors fans (weight 0.5): The game is highly recommended for fans of Vampire Survivors-style roguelikes, offering a unique take on the genre. It appeals to both genre veterans and newcomers.
- Great value for price (weight 0.36): Multiple reviewers emphasize that the game is well worth its low price, offering substantial content and enjoyment. It is considered a worthwhile purchase, especially when on sale.
- General positive recommendation (weight 0.33): Several reviewers give a straightforward recommendation, encouraging players to try the game. This indicates overall satisfaction and a positive reception.
- Try before buying (weight 0.23): Reviewers suggest trying the game first, either through a free mobile version or by refunding within two hours if not enjoyed. This helps mitigate risk for uncertain buyers.
- Not for everyone (weight 0.23): Some reviewers note that the game may not appeal to all players, citing quirky characters, annoying dialogue, or lewd content. It is recommended for those who can overlook these aspects.
- Conditional recommendation (weight 0.12): Some recommendations are conditional, such as buying only if bored or if requested features are added. This suggests the game has potential but may not fully satisfy all players.
- Appeals to story and gacha fans (weight 0.08): The game is recommended for players seeking a story-driven roguelike with gacha elements, highlighting its narrative and collection aspects.
- Relaxing bullet hell experience (weight 0.08): The game is described as a relaxing-ish bullet hell, appealing to players who enjoy that style of gameplay. It offers a pleasant and engaging experience.
- Personal non-recommendation (weight 0.07): One reviewer would not recommend the game for themselves, indicating a minority negative opinion. This is a niche perspective and not representative of the overall positive reception.

Other player notes:
- Explicit 18+ content available (weight 0.54): The game includes explicit 18+ content, often delivered through a free DLC or patch. Reviewers frequently mention this as a notable feature, with some describing it as 'horrible adult entertainment' but a good addition.
- Frequent Vampire Survivors comparisons (weight 0.41): Many reviewers compare the game to Vampire Survivors, noting it offers a fresh take on the formula while delivering a similar survival thrill. Some even prefer this game over Vampire Survivors in certain aspects.
- Excellent value for price (weight 0.36): Reviewers consistently highlight the game's low cost and high value, emphasizing that the content and experience far outweigh the price. It is often described as 'dirt cheap' and offering immense value.
- Crossover characters and references (weight 0.28): The game includes crossover characters from other games and original characters, along with many references. This adds variety and appeal for fans of the developer's other works.
- Sequel and developer plans (weight 0.25): The developer has other games and a sequel is planned, with some noting a genre shift in the upcoming sequel. This indicates an active development roadmap and ongoing support for the franchise.
- Abundant large-breasted characters (weight 0.25): Several reviews mention the game contains many large-breasted female characters, catering to fans of that aesthetic. This is a recurring positive point for some players.
- Comparisons to other roguelikes (weight 0.25): The game is compared to other titles in the genre like Brotato, Holocure, and Castlevania, as well as Gungeon and The Binding of Isaac. While not reaching the exact quality of those games, it is still considered worth the low price.
- Large character roster and creation (weight 0.18): The game features over 300 characters with a character creator, offering extensive customization options. This is a significant draw for players who enjoy character variety.
- Rudimentary UI indicates passion (weight 0.14): The UI is described as rudimentary and bordering on bad, which reviewers interpret as a sign of a passion project. This suggests the game is made with love despite technical shortcomings.
- Suggestive and lewd content (weight 0.13): The game contains suggestive and lewd content, which is a point of interest for some players. This is often tied to the 18+ DLC and character designs.
- Workshop support for characters (weight 0.12): The game has Steam Workshop support for created characters, allowing community content. This extends the game's longevity and customization options.
- Developer open to feedback (weight 0.08): The developer is open to feedback but asks players to be nice about it. This indicates a responsive and community-engaged developer, which is generally viewed positively.
- Lacks Steam screenshot capability (weight 0.08): The game, like the developer's other titles including Project Malice, lacks Steam screenshot capability. This is a technical limitation that some reviewers note.
- Mature content and humor (weight 0.08): The game features stylized violence, irreverent humor, and mature language, appealing to players who enjoy edgy content. This is a defining characteristic of the game's tone.
- Replayable experience (weight 0.08): Reviewers mention the game is replayable, likely due to its roguelike elements and variety. This adds long-term value for players.
- 100% completion achievable (weight 0.07): The game can be completed to 100%, appealing to completionists. This indicates a finite but fully achievable set of objectives.
- Has a plot (weight 0.07): The game includes a plot, which is a notable feature for a game in this genre. This adds narrative depth beyond simple gameplay.
- Achievement requires another player (weight 0.07): One achievement requires another person who has the game, which may be a barrier for solo players. This is a specific gameplay detail.
- Small game with small audience (weight 0.07): The game is described as small with a small audience, indicating a niche title. This may affect multiplayer and community aspects.
- Local co-op available (weight 0.07): The game supports local co-op, allowing friends to play together on the same machine. This is a positive feature for social gaming.

Emotions:
- Enjoyment (weight 0.18): Players enjoy the game's wacky charm, unique minigames, and engaging gameplay loop that mixes various genres. The large cast of characters, fun combos, and beautiful art contribute to a highly entertaining experience that stands out in the genre.
- Frustration (weight 0.16): Frustration stems from poor UI, lack of control over attacks, confusing hitboxes, and unexplained mechanics. Technical issues like crashes, soft locks, and lack of controller support further compound the frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.08): Disappointment arises from limited upgrades, lack of polish, and repetitive gameplay. The gimmick levels, cringe dialogue, and lack of support from the developer also contribute to the letdown.
- Amusement (weight 0.08): Amusement comes from the game's quirky characters, absurd humor, and playful references. The raunchy content and chaotic sequences provide entertaining moments that players find hilarious.
- Excitement (weight 0.08): Excitement is driven by the large amount of content, unique mission types, and fantastic synergy mechanics. Players are eager for the sequel and enjoy discovering new strategies and characters.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.05): Satisfaction comes from the game's rewarding loop where success feels earned through smart decisions. The variety, synergies, and amount of content make the time spent worthwhile and the price justified.
- Fun (weight 0.03): The game is fun due to its simple, easy-to-understand gameplay that is relaxing and enjoyable. The many characters and missions add to the fun experience.
- Boredom (weight 0.03): Boredom results from monotonous gameplay, low enemy density, and flat maps that fail to keep players engaged.
- Approval (weight 0.03): Approval is given for the game's innovative take on the Vampire Survivors formula, such as recruiting people instead of items and introducing new mechanics like parrying and a z-axis.
- Love (weight 0.03): Players love the character designs, art style, and interactions. The colorful characters and great art style are particularly praised.
- Delight (weight 0.03): Delight comes from the pixel-perfect art, amazing characters, and the game's charming and adorable nature, especially the cute monsters and girls.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Annoyance is caused by bad, cringe dialogue and writing that feels like pandering to the LGBTQ community, which some players find obnoxious.
- Cringe (weight 0.02): Cringe is triggered by ideologically-charged, tumblr-esque writing and specific scenes like defeating a revolution leader that feel awkward.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration is for the game being made with love and passion, offering a lot of content and value.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Appreciation is for the charming sprite work and the refreshing party management take on the survivors genre.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise comes from the game being unexpectedly good and engaging, leading players to play more than they anticipated.
- Affection (weight 0.02): Affection is felt for the charming and fun characters that players want to know more about, and for the game overall despite its flaws.
- Immersion (weight 0.01): Immersion is easy due to the game's engaging nature that draws players in.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from a lack of understanding of how to play the game, likely due to insufficient tutorials or explanations.
- Liking (weight 0.01): Liking is based on the game's art, which is appreciated by players.}