Info about ToonSouls Maker:

Official game description:
ToonSouls Maker
---------------
**My game is good. The algorithm just ignores me.**
You’ve probably seen the meme. Now it’s time to play the game.
**“A chaotic hand-drawn 2D level maker where the community creates the pain.”**
**ToonSouls Maker** is a chaotic and challenging 2D platformer built around creativity and community. Create your own levels, take on ridiculous challenges, and find out how far your skill ( and your patience ) can take you.
*   **A HAND-DRAWN CARTOON WORLD**
Step into a world inspired by the golden age of traditional animation. Expressive characters, colorful environments, and a hand-drawn cartoon aesthetic bring every level to life.
*   **CREATE YOUR OWN LEVELS**
You don't just play the levels — **you create them.**
Use different blocks, enemies, obstacles, platforms, traps, and more to turn your ideas into challenges.
Create an easy level for your friends… or build an absolutely brutal nightmare that is almost impossible to beat.
*   **PLAY. DIE. TRY AGAIN.**
ToonSouls Maker isn't here to make your life easy.
Overcome obstacles, learn from your mistakes, and try again. Every death is another opportunity to discover a new way to reach the finish line.
*   **THE COMMUNITY IS PART OF THE GAME**
Play levels created by other players and discover challenges you never would have imagined.
Once you've finished creating your masterpiece, publish it and see if other players can survive what you came up with.
*   **YES, THIS IS THE MEME GAME**
It all started with one sentence:
**“My game is good. The algorithm just ignores me.”**
The meme put **ToonSouls** on the map.
Now we want to find out if the game is actually good.
**You decide.**
KEY FEATURES
------------
*   Challenging 2D platforming
*   level editor
*   Community-created levels
*   Hand-drawn cartoon-inspired art style
*   Enemies, obstacles, traps, and more
*   Many ways to die
*   Challenges for both casual and hardcore players
*   A game born from a meme and built for the community
**ToonSouls Maker — Make the level. Play the level. Blame the creator.**

Release date: Nov 7, 2026

Categories: Level Editor, 2D Platformer, Steam Workshop Integration, User-Generated Content, Community-Driven Gameplay, High Difficulty, Retro Aesthetics, Hand-drawn Art Style


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The review evidence contains only vague playtime language such as "hours of entertainment," which does not specify a numeric total for game completion, story completion, session length, or endgame. The figure 12.128 refers to a time on a specific user-created level, not a playtime metric for the target game. Workshop level discussion indicates user-generated content exists but provides no hour estimate. Therefore all requested playtime metrics are unsupported and set to null.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Excellent gameplay and controls (weight 0.82): Reviewers consistently praise the game's feel, controls, and seamless transitions, calling the gameplay immaculate and the foundation solid.
- Fun and accessible level maker (weight 0.81): The level creation tool is highlighted as fun, simple to start with, and a strong unique selling point, with instant public availability of player-made levels.
- Outstanding visual style (weight 0.8): Users love the art style, beautiful visuals, retro PS1-like graphics, pixel art, and TOON shading, describing the game as beautiful and nostalgic.
- High potential and developer support (weight 0.63): Reviewers see a lot of potential and appreciate that the developer continues to improve the game while being polite and engaged with the community.
- Hyperbolic praise (weight 0.38): Some reviews make exaggerated claims such as 'greatest game of all time' and 'best game ever made', which are subjective and low in actionable detail.
- Incredible music (weight 0.27): The soundtrack is singled out as incredible, adding significantly to the overall experience.
- Low skill floor, high ceiling (weight 0.27): The game is praised for being easy to pick up while offering impressive depth for skilled players.
- Worth the price (weight 0.26): The game is considered good value for money, with one reviewer explicitly stating it is worth the price.
- Memorable humorous deaths (weight 0.22): One reviewer found the instant death from touching stacked enemies amusing and memorable.
- Niche dragoness crush scenario (weight 0.2): A specific scenario involving being crushed by a giant dragoness is mentioned, appealing to a niche audience.

Common complaints:
- Level editor is awkward and poorly explained (weight 0.95): The level editor has wonky tools and lacks clear instructions on how to use them. A proper manual is missing, making it difficult for players to design levels.
- Generative AI assets suspected (weight 0.62): Some assets appear to be AI-generated, and there is uncertainty about whether they are hand-drawn. This raises concerns about the game's art authenticity.
- Workshop filled with insta-kill spam (weight 0.46): There is a lot of insta-kill spam in the workshop because there is no requirement for a level to be beatable before uploading. This leads to frustrating player experiences.
- Game does not match official videos (weight 0.44): The game fails to meet the expectations set by the developer's official videos. Additionally, the game was originally intended to be a more blatant Cuphead clone, which may contribute to the mismatch.
- Poor art direction and presentation (weight 0.42): The art direction is considered awful with mismatched asset outlines, and the overall presentation is poor. These visual issues detract from the game's appeal.
- Falling through floor and not respawning (weight 0.27): Players can fall through the floor multiple times and not respawn, causing frustration. This is a severe bug that disrupts gameplay.
- Softlocking occurs easily (weight 0.27): Softlocking can easily happen, trapping players and requiring restarts. This is a critical bug that impacts playability.
- Mechanics are barebones and unsatisfying (weight 0.26): The game's mechanics are described as barebones, not unique, and not satisfying. This suggests a lack of depth and polish in gameplay.
- No main levels yet (weight 0.26): The game does not have any main levels yet, making it difficult to know what to expect. This is a significant issue for an early access release.
- Enemies sometimes do not appear (weight 0.26): Some enemies placed in the level do not appear, which can break intended gameplay. This is a notable bug.
- Bad hitboxes (weight 0.26): The hitboxes are bad, leading to unfair or frustrating interactions. This is a common complaint in action games.
- Early access lacks content (weight 0.26): The game does not have much content in its early access release, which may disappoint players expecting a fuller experience. This is a common concern for early access titles.
- Limited object variety for levels (weight 0.25): There are not a crazy amount of objects available to make levels with. This restricts creativity in level design.
- Lacks story (weight 0.25): The game lacks a story, which may leave players without context or motivation. This is a notable omission for a narrative-driven genre.
- Cannot scroll in maker mode (weight 0.25): In maker mode, scrolling is not possible, which hinders level design. This is a specific usability issue.
- Developer may reuse player creations (weight 0.24): There is speculation that the developer saved time on map creation by incorporating player creations into the full game. This could be seen as leveraging community content for official levels.
- Attack does not pause player (weight 0.24): The attack action does not pause the player in place, which may affect gameplay feel and control. This is a specific mechanical issue noted by a reviewer.
- Workshop levels ignore moveset (weight 0.24): Most workshop levels do not take advantage of the character's moveset. This indicates a missed opportunity for engaging level design.
- Music is stock and forgettable (weight 0.22): The music consists of stock tracks that are not memorable. This contributes to a lack of audio identity.
- Developer history influences negative review (weight 0.22): The developer's history and the stories around Toon Crafter form a product the reviewer considers terrible. This external factor affects the review's tone.

Gameplay feedback:
- Combat and enemy stacking (weight 0.91): The game features combat with a moveset and allows stacking enemies, such as spike cylinders, as noted in clusters 7, 10, 14, 15, and 17.
- Level editor is core (weight 0.8): The level editor is the main attraction, providing a collection of tools and enabling players to create custom levels, as highlighted in clusters 5, 6, 8, and 15.
- Mario Maker inspiration (weight 0.62): The game is inspired by Mario Maker, with similar level creation and sharing mechanics, as referenced in clusters 4, 19, and 23.
- Simple 2D platformer (weight 0.4): It is described as a simple 2D platformer, per cluster 2.
- Steam Workshop integration (weight 0.26): The game features Steam Workshop integration for sharing user-made levels, mentioned in cluster 9.
- User levels with time trials (weight 0.25): The game includes user-created levels that have time trials, as mentioned in cluster 11.
- Instant level availability (weight 0.25): Levels created by players are publicly available immediately after editing, as stated in cluster 16.
- Player level uploads (weight 0.25): The game includes player level uploads, as stated in cluster 25.
- Cuphead-like level editor (weight 0.24): It has a Cuphead-like level editor, per cluster 13.
- Disintegration on contact (weight 0.24): Player characters can instantly disintegrate upon contact with certain enemy combinations, per cluster 18.
- PS1-style graphics (weight 0.24): The game features PS1-style graphics and pixel art, according to cluster 21.
- Unconventional abstract design (weight 0.24): The game design is unconventional and abstract, twisting conventional ideas, as mentioned in cluster 22.
- Attacks do not pause movement (weight 0.22): Attacks do not pause the player in place, according to cluster 3.
- Giant dragoness crushing (weight 0.22): The player can be crushed to death by a giant dragoness, as noted in cluster 20.

Performance notes:
No performancepoints

Recommendations:
- Positive recommendations (weight 0.74): Multiple reviewers highly recommend the game or fully recommend it to everyone. One calls it possibly the best game ever designed, and another says everyone should play it.
- Strong negative purchase advice (weight 0.6): Some reviewers explicitly advise against buying the game, especially at its current price. They also recommend saving money and avoiding the developer's other asset flips.
- Conditional recommendation for platformer fans (weight 0.54): Reviewers recommend the game for those interested in 2D platformers, but suggest getting Mario Maker or Cuphead instead. Another recommends it once trolls leave so true fans can make great content.
- Not worth playing for free (weight 0.24): One reviewer states that even if obtained for free, the game is not worth playing. This reinforces the negative sentiment about the game's quality.
- AI usage affects purchase decision (weight 0.22): A reviewer would re-buy the game if the developer stops using AI. This indicates that AI usage is a factor in purchase decisions for some players.

Other player notes:
- Early access status (weight 0.6): Several reviews note the game is in early access, with one mentioning the developer uses it to gather community feedback. This indicates the game is still under development and subject to change.
- Comparisons to Mario Maker and Cuphead (weight 0.46): The game is compared to Mario Maker and Cuphead, highlighting its level creator and visual style. This sets expectations for players familiar with those titles.
- No beatability requirement for workshop levels (weight 0.26): There is no requirement for workshop levels to be beatable before upload, which could lead to frustrating or impossible user-created content.
- Unfavorable comparison to Super Mario Maker (weight 0.26): The game is compared unfavorably to Super Mario Maker, with reviewers noting it lacks the charm of that title.
- Simple level creator entry point (weight 0.25): A reviewer notes that the level creator has a simple entry point, making it accessible for new users.
- Developer continues to update (weight 0.25): One reviewer notes that the developer continues to update the game, suggesting ongoing support and improvement.
- Favorable comparison to Sonic Team (weight 0.25): One reviewer compares the game to Sonic Team's platformers, stating this is how a real platformer should be made, which is high praise.
- Possible removal of generative AI assets (weight 0.24): One reviewer speculates that the developer may remove generative AI assets after finishing the game, as is common among developers who use AI for concept art.
- Assets may be hand-drawn or AI-generated (weight 0.24): Reviews mention uncertainty about whether the game's assets are hand-drawn or artificially generated, reflecting concerns about asset quality and origin.
- Low price point (weight 0.24): The game is sold at a low price point, making it an affordable option for players.
- Originally intended as Cuphead clone (weight 0.24): A reviewer notes the game was originally intended to be a more blatant Cuphead clone, which may affect perceptions of originality.
- Developer resource constraints (weight 0.22): A review mentions the developer cannot afford to hire help, which may impact the game's development and polish.
- Specific user-created level cited (weight 0.22): A review references a specific user-created level named 'Secret Escape' with a completion time of 12.128, indicating detailed feedback on user content.
- Developer's other products called asset flips (weight 0.22): One reviewer refers to the developer's other products as asset flips, raising concerns about the developer's track record.
- Categorized as 'Trans Games' style (weight 0.2): A reviewer categorizes the game as part of a style they call 'Trans Games', which share a retro aesthetic rather than a specific genre.
- Niche indie game (weight 0.2): The game is described as a niche indie game, indicating a limited target audience.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.18): Players feel let down because the game does not match the developer's promotional videos and lacks the charm of Super Mario Maker, including missing features like a story and main levels. The absence of death zones and level upload requirements further contributes to an unsatisfying experience.
- Frustration (weight 0.14): Users are frustrated by an obstructive level editor that hinders level design, along with technical issues such as falling through the floor and softlocking. These problems make the creation process cumbersome and unreliable.
- Admiration (weight 0.11): The game earns admiration for its beautiful presentation, seamless transitions, retro TOON graphics, incredible music, and immaculate gameplay. The level editor's ability to immediately share created levels publicly is also highly praised.
- Hope (weight 0.07): There is hope that the game will become amazing once the developer finishes it and removes AI assets. Players believe the foundation is solid and that true fans can create great content.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Excitement stems from the game finally being released and feeling good to play, offering action-packed fun and joy.
- Annoyance (weight 0.07): Annoyance arises from insta-kill spam and trolls in the workshop, as well as the inability to scroll in maker mode, which disrupts the user experience.
- Amusement (weight 0.07): Amusement comes from specific and unusual death scenarios, such as the player character instantly disintegrating upon touching a sphere made of stacked spike cylinder enemies, or a giant dragoness encounter.
- Distrust (weight 0.04): Distrust is fueled by the belief that the developer may have cut corners by reusing player-made maps.
- Dislike (weight 0.04): Dislike is caused by attacks not pausing the player in place and the use of generative AI assets.
- Dullness (weight 0.04): The game is perceived as boring and lacking personality, leading to a sense of dullness.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.04): Satisfaction is derived from hours of entertainment and ongoing developer support.
- Anticipation (weight 0.04): Anticipation is driven by the future potential of the game.
- Disgust (weight 0.04): Disgust is triggered by poor hitboxes, presentation issues, and the developer's history.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.04): Nostalgia is evoked by the PS1 graphics and pixel art style.
- Intrigue (weight 0.04): Intrigue is sparked by the unconventional and abstract game design.}