Info about Icarus: Pet Companions Pack: Official game description: This Supports our Project ========================= Our DLC was made to provide a way for those who enjoy the project to further support it, and in return receive some simple new content. This content is not essential for the game. Consider purchasing this if you want to further provide financial support to the development of Icarus. Companion to Free Update ======================== This DLC is a companion to the free "Laika" update that adds talent trees and food buffs to animal companions and a whole host of other content such as new tameable creatures and snare traps. The base game includes a dog for free, so this DLC is not required to experience Pet content. About the Game ============== This pack unlocks 11 new creatures to have as a pet on ICARUS, as well as loot and trophies from them: * 5 new Cats * 7 new Dogs * 3 new Horses How to access your companions in game ------------------------------------- Animal Companions are purchased from the workshop space and brought down to planet. Once deployed they become a regular tamed animal, with their own levels, talent tree and food / water requirements. Animal Companions ----------------- * French Bulldog \[Added with the Mendel Update\] * Border Collie \[Added with the Mendel Update\] * Tortoiseshell Ragdoll Cat \[Added with the Mendel Update\] * Himalayan Seal Point Cat \[Added with the Mendel Update\] * Brown Horse * Black Horse * White Horse * Golden Labrador Dog * Chocolate Labrador Dog * German Shepherd Dog * Pug Dog * Panda German Shepherd Dog * Grey Tabby Cat * Orange Tabby Cat * Black Cat Release date: Apr 25, 2024 Categories: Survival, Crafting, Base Building, Open-World Exploration, Cooperative Multiplayer, Pet Raising System, Resource Gathering Feature scans: - MTX: score 15; verdict: Fair - Traditional DLC Model, No Confirmed Predatory MTX; summary: The reviews center overwhelmingly on traditional paid DLC rather than a real-money microtransaction economy. Players comment on DLC pricing, a DLC that mainly unlocks grind, and a paid pet dog, alongside several positive remarks about the DLC model, sharing DLC within a friend group, and voluntarily supporting the developer. A single review hints at paying for DLC plus in-game currencies (exotics, ren) and an in-game pet, but no review confirms a real-money shop for power, currency, loot boxes, or gacha. Under the scoring rules, DLC and base-price complaints cannot by themselves raise the score above 20, and the ambiguous currency/pet mentions do not meet the evidence threshold. No predatory monetization pattern (pay-to-win, paid gacha, currency obfuscation, aggressive FOMO, or day-one cut content) is directly evidenced. - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00 - Reasoning: The reviews do not provide explicit USD amounts, but they consistently frame the game as a discount purchase: one user only bought it on sale and still enjoys it, another says the current price is not worth the frustration, and another says it is not worth buying unless there is a big sale. This price-sensitive sentiment suggests the community fair base-game price is in a budget/sale range rather than full premium pricing. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: N/A - Story completion: N/A - Session length: N/A - Endgame: N/A - Reasoning: The evidence contains only DLC pet behavior durations and vague time references: two hours of barking, long sessions, hours spent leveling a pet, and 10 minutes of fun. None of these provide a clear completion time for the Pet Companions Pack, a story completion time, a typical session length, or an endgame duration. The two-hour barking is a pet behavior duration rather than a play session, while 'long sessions' and 'hours' lack numeric values. Therefore all playtime metrics are null. - Time-to-fun: No data - Player Archetypes: - Immersive Co-op Base Builder (buy) - Motivation: To lose themselves in a beautiful survival world, build a secure base, and share the experience in co-op. - Playstyle: Relaxed exploration, base construction, and cooperative survival at their own pace. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A - DLC Value Auditor (sale) - Motivation: To get fair, transparent value from DLC without double-dipping or excessive unlock grinds. - Playstyle: Buys and assesses DLC selectively, tracks unlock costs, and warns others about monetization friction. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A - Hardcore Progression Grinder (buy) - Motivation: To master long-term survival progression through resource grinding, unlocking, and crafting. - Playstyle: Long-session resource accumulation, unlock chasing, and crafting-focused survival play. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A - Polish-Focused Systems Critic (buy) - Motivation: To see survival systems, especially AI pathfinding and creature behavior, work smoothly and receive ongoing fixes. - Playstyle: Tests creature and companion behavior, observes technical flaws, and gives conditional recommendations. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - DLC adds adorable pets (weight 0.67): The DLC introduces many cute and furry animal companions beyond the base game's creatures. Reviewers frequently highlight the joy of having pets like cats, dogs, and a pug. - Highly praised DLC content (weight 0.65): Many reviewers consider this the best DLC ever, worth full price, and a great addition that adds significant content and fun. It is also favored over other DLCs like the furniture pack. - Pets enhance gameplay and comfort (weight 0.62): Pets provide functional benefits like improved health regeneration and juvenile mount tame speed, and they increase base comfort and rest buff effectiveness. They also add personality and reduce loneliness during long sessions. - Realistic and amusing pet behaviors (weight 0.56): Pets exhibit lifelike actions such as cats blocking passage for petting, dogs fetching sticks, and a pug that eats, sleeps, and begs for attention. These behaviors add fun and realism to the game. - Cats are neat and interactive (weight 0.43): Cats are available in various coats, including tortie and orange, and can be petted. They rub against legs and purr, rewarding interaction with affection. - Overall game love and recommendation (weight 0.39): The game is loved and highly recommended, with reviewers calling it the best game they have ever played. The DLC pack is seen as a great addition that makes the game even more enjoyable. - Seamless multiplayer pet sharing (weight 0.35): Players can share DLC pets with friends who do not own the pack, either by handing them out or through cryogenically frozen animals that others can tame. This feature is appreciated for enhancing multiplayer experiences. - Immersive atmosphere and world (weight 0.34): The game offers a beautiful and atmospheric environment for open-world survival and crafting, making it the most immersive in its genre. Pets add a touch of life that enhances the overall experience. - Pet acquisition and management (weight 0.34): Pets are researched and crafted in the workshop, then delivered from orbit or can accompany players on missions and other open worlds. The process of acquiring and managing pets is well-received. - Dogs provide exceptional joy (weight 0.3): Dogs are especially cool to interact with, providing more joy than teammates in some cases. Activities like playing fetch and relaxing with dogs are highlighted as amazing. - Cats and dogs in combat (weight 0.24): Dogs can be used in combat and have a distinct talent tree compared to wolves, bringing a refreshing style to fights. Cats also contribute by improving health regen and tame speed. - Personalized pet experiences (weight 0.22): Reviewers enjoy naming and training their pets, such as immortalizing their own cat Sally or leveling a German Shepherd named Tyr. This personal connection adds emotional value to the game. - Minor issues and improvements (weight 0.21): Some problems like mission issues and pet pathfinding were noted, but the pathfinding issue has been fixed. The game has become much more playable thanks to cumulative updates. Common complaints: - Pets have broken AI (weight 0.97): Pets exhibit poor pathfinding, get stuck on small obstacles, hesitate at landmarks, and cannot find paths to food or water. The entire pet AI behavior is described as pathetic and useless. - DLC is overpriced and disappointing (weight 0.85): The DLC is seen as unnecessary, pointless, and too expensive for the cosmetic content offered. It is described as a cash grab that does not add meaningful value to the game. - Constant barking is unbearable (weight 0.48): Dogs bark non-stop, loudly, and for hours, especially when trying to reach food. The noise becomes incredibly annoying after mere minutes and forces players to tie the dog far away. - Pets are useless and annoying (weight 0.47): Pets are considered stupid, not fun or helpful, and just plain annoying. They provide no advantage and are often more of a hindrance than a companion. - Horses are poorly implemented (weight 0.45): Horses are hairless, oiled up, demon-eyed creatures with ragdoll problems and no surface texture. Saddles do not fit and float over the horse's back, and mane/tail textures are poor. - DLC requires in-game purchases (weight 0.36): After buying the DLC, players still have to buy things again in-game and grind currency to unlock and craft the paid extra content. The DLC only unlocks the option to grind. - Pets glitch through walls (weight 0.36): Pets glitch through walls, get stuck against walls, and often end up dead to wildlife. Dogs cannot be kept in a house and bite walls they get stuck on. - Game crashes and instability (weight 0.31): Players report constant game and server crashes that progressively worsen until unplayable. The game is heavy, unstable, with stutters, DLSS3 issues, and freezes. - Pets cannot survive combat (weight 0.24): Pets are limited to level 30 and cannot survive fights outside to defend themselves. Cats do not survive any combat encounter, and dogs usually kill themselves. - Animals disappear or get stuck (weight 0.24): Exotic animals and rens can disappear because of a bug. Some animals just disappear and others get stuck underground. - DLC content is unfinished (weight 0.24): The content is absolutely horrible and unfinished. The game was released as a buggy nightmare with weekly updates nobody asked for. - Mission objectives do not register (weight 0.17): Mission objectives do not register for quest completion. New prospects also continue to crash or have mission issues. - Companion Bundle not working (weight 0.17): The Companion Bundle gives no download options and nothing shows up as unlocked in game. The 3 pack combo is not working: all content is downloaded but nothing appears in game. - Missing expected features (weight 0.1): Expected features are missing: pet armor, ability for them to find random stuff and bring it to you, and a more extensive perk system. - Chickens are poorly designed (weight 0.1): Chickens are stupidly designed: there are meals from chicken meat but chickens are not breedable, so players must pay 250 gold per chicken. - Pets don't appear on maps (weight 0.1): Animals do not come on the maps, making them absent in certain game modes. - Dog Meat puppy looks bad (weight 0.09): The Dog Meat puppy has weird stumpy legs and completely dead eyes, which players find off-putting. - Dogs cannot be sent back (weight 0.09): Players cannot send dogs back to the station, which limits management of pets. - Pet lag and self-kill (weight 0.09): Pet lags behind and kills itself when it jumps off a cliff. - Tortie cat inaccuracy (weight 0.08): The tortie cat is not fully accurate to the reviewer's real cat, which is a minor cosmetic complaint. Gameplay feedback: - Pet interaction and care (weight 0.8): Players can interact with pets by petting, feeding, playing fetch, and managing their needs such as hunger and thirst. Pets also have unique behaviors like barking when hungry. - DLC adds diverse animals (weight 0.67): The DLC introduces a wide variety of animals including dogs, cats, horses, chickens, and sheep. This expansion significantly broadens the game's pet and animal roster. - Pets provide functional benefits (weight 0.51): Pets offer gameplay advantages such as improved health regeneration, faster mount taming, combat assistance, and increased comfort buffs. These skills make pets valuable beyond decoration. - Pet variety and customization (weight 0.39): The game offers multiple dog breeds, cat coat types, and the ability to name pets. Players can choose their favorite companion and personalize their experience. - Pets can accompany on missions (weight 0.34): Pets can be brought into combat encounters, sent to other open worlds, and delivered from orbit to join missions. This allows for continued companionship across different game modes. - Pets require research and crafting (weight 0.3): Obtaining animals involves researching them at a cost of exotics and currency, then crafting them in the workshop. This process adds a progression gate to pet acquisition. - Animals purchasable with in-game currency (weight 0.24): Pets and animals can be bought using the in-game currency (rens) or through a companion pack that unlocks purchasing. This provides an alternative to crafting. - Pets are mostly decorative (weight 0.24): Many players feel that pets do not significantly impact core gameplay and are largely cosmetic additions. They serve as companions but are not essential for survival or progression. - Pets have management needs (weight 0.22): Players must manage pets by opening doors, building beds, rescuing them from furniture, and ensuring they have food and water. This adds a layer of responsibility. - Free animals available without DLC (weight 0.21): Many animals such as wolves, horses, sheep, chickens, and alien creatures are free for all players. The DLC mainly adds domestic pets and cosmetic options. - Taming and cryogenic freezing (weight 0.18): Players can tame cryogenically frozen animals and unfreeze pets to acquire them. This mechanic offers a sci-fi twist on traditional taming. - DLC pets shareable in multiplayer (weight 0.17): On hosted servers, players who do not own the DLC can still access and use pets shared by friends. This encourages cooperative play and inclusivity. - Pets can level up (weight 0.15): Dogs and other pets can gain levels up to 30, possibly unlocking new abilities or improving their effectiveness. This progression system adds depth to pet ownership. - Pet AI and pathfinding behavior (weight 0.15): Pets have AI that controls running, obstacle avoidance, and pathfinding to food bowls. This makes their movement feel more natural and responsive. - Saddles and equipment for animals (weight 0.14): Horses can be equipped with saddles crafted at an animal supplies workbench. The DLC also adds new saddle options for mounts. - Chickens yield meat but not breedable (weight 0.13): Chickens exist as a food source, providing meat for meals, but they cannot be bred and must be purchased. This limits their sustainability. - Dogs can be tied up or sent back (weight 0.12): Players can tie dogs up or send them back to a station, allowing for control over their movement. This helps manage pets in busy or dangerous areas. - Dogs can be lost to crocodiles (weight 0.08): When playing fetch near water, dogs can be attacked and lost to crocodiles. This adds an element of risk to pet interactions in dangerous environments. - Wolves follow and wait quietly (weight 0.07): Wolves behave as companions that follow the player and wait outside closed doors. Their behavior is more autonomous than some other pets. - Game includes killing animals (weight 0.06): The game involves killing animals, which may be part of survival or combat mechanics. This contrasts with the pet system but is a core aspect. Performance notes: - Frequent game crashes (weight 0.19): The game crashes unexpectedly and without warning, which is a major stability issue. This was reported multiple times by players. - Crashes across environments (weight 0.1): Crashes happen both locally and on home servers, indicating a widespread problem. This suggests the issue is not limited to specific setups. - Regular stuttering issues (weight 0.1): Stutters occur frequently during gameplay, disrupting the experience. This is a common performance complaint. - Increasing instability reported (weight 0.1): Players note that the game's instability is getting worse over time. This suggests ongoing or worsening technical problems. - Performance still heavy (weight 0.1): Players find the game still demanding on hardware. This indicates optimization issues remain. - Freeze when looking back (weight 0.1): The game freezes specifically when the player looks back, a reproducible bug. This affects smooth gameplay. - DLSS3 abnormal behavior (weight 0.1): DLSS3 exhibits strange behavior, but it can be fixed by opening the map. This is a specific technical glitch with a workaround. Recommendations: - General recommendation (weight 0.41): Several reviewers simply recommend the DLC without specific conditions, expressing overall satisfaction. They encourage others to buy and enjoy the additional content. - Adds cute pet companion (weight 0.31): The DLC introduces a dog companion that reviewers find adorable and a nice addition for exploration and base activities. Many hope for minor updates to the pet. - Great for co-op players (weight 0.24): The DLC is highly recommended for co-op play, as only one person in a group needs to own it. This makes it accessible and enjoyable for friends playing together. - Worth buying on sale (weight 0.24): Many reviewers recommend purchasing this DLC only when it is discounted, stating it is not worth full price. They suggest waiting for a big sale to get good value. - Supports developers, get extras (weight 0.23): A common sentiment is that buying the DLC supports the developers and provides extra benefits, even if not essential. Reviewers appreciate the option to contribute to the team. - Buggy and pathfinding issues (weight 0.18): Some reviewers warn against buying due to bugs and pathfinding problems, advising to wait until these are fixed. They consider it not worth the headache at the current price. - Skip if only want mechanics (weight 0.17): Players interested solely in gameplay mechanics can safely skip this DLC, as it mainly offers cosmetic and pet-related content. It is not required for core gameplay. - Not recommended, save money (weight 0.16): Some reviewers advise against purchasing, telling others to save their money. They do not recommend buying at this time. - Buy after fixes, support devs (weight 0.1): After issues are resolved, reviewers encourage purchasing and supporting the developers. They believe in the game's potential and want to see it improve. - Immerse in beautiful environment (weight 0.1): The DLC is recommended for players who enjoy sitting back and immersing themselves in a beautiful environment. It enhances the overall atmospheric experience. - Worth full price (weight 0.09): A few reviewers consider the DLC worth buying at full price, indicating strong satisfaction with its content. They find it valuable without needing a discount. - Bundle offers better value (weight 0.09): Reviewers recommend grabbing the whole bundle as it is more cost-effective than buying items separately. This provides better overall value for money. - For hardcore gamers (weight 0.08): Some reviewers suggest this DLC can be for hardcore gamers, implying it offers content that appeals to dedicated players. It may provide additional challenges or depth. Other player notes: - Frequent developer updates praised (weight 0.51): Reviewers highlight weekly updates and ongoing improvements over time. The developers are seen as responsive to player feedback and committed to long-term support. - Free companion update Laika (weight 0.3): The Laika update is free for all players and introduces new content, possibly including wolves. The pet DLC is optional and builds on this free update. - DLC pricing and value concerns (weight 0.3): Some reviewers find the DLC a little pricey and question its value. There are calls for more meaningful DLC content before supporting further purchases. - Cute cosmetic pet DLC (weight 0.28): The pack adds dogs, cats, and horses as cosmetic extras without changing core gameplay. It is optional and complements the base game's animals. - DLC structure and bundles (weight 0.27): The game offers various DLCs including expansions, furniture packs, and a Companion Bundle. A furniture DLC is mentioned as a comparison point. - Future content plans and wishes (weight 0.22): Reviewers mention planned expansions, new biomes, and wishlist features like skill trees for pets. There is a desire for continued content similar to other long-supported games. - DLC pets shareable in multiplayer (weight 0.16): Players who own the pack can give DLC pets to friends in multiplayer, even if those friends do not own the pack. This makes the DLC more accessible for groups. - Private mode and free wolves (weight 0.16): The game now supports starting in private mode, and wolves are available for free to everyone. These additions enhance accessibility and gameplay options. - Supporting developers through purchases (weight 0.1): Some players buy the DLC to support and reward the development team. They appreciate the ongoing work and want to encourage continued updates. - New animals added post-release (weight 0.09): The pack has received new animals after its initial release, showing ongoing support. This adds value for players who want more variety. - DLC not needed for taming (weight 0.09): The pet pack is not required to tame animals in the base game. It is an optional cosmetic addition that does not gate core mechanics. - DLC adds content to base (weight 0.09): The DLC expands the base game with additional content. This is seen as a positive for players wanting more from the game. - DLC purchased on sale (weight 0.08): Some players bought the DLC at a discounted price. This suggests that pricing sensitivity exists and sales may drive purchases. - Zebra mission in bundle (weight 0.08): The bundle includes a mission involving a zebra, adding a unique gameplay element. This provides extra content beyond cosmetic pets. Emotions: - Disappointment (weight 0.14): Players are disappointed because the DLC adds only cosmetic pets that are weak, glitchy, and require additional in-game purchases to unlock, rather than providing fun or helpful companions. The pets, especially cats and horses, are poorly designed and cannot survive combat, making the DLC feel expensive and not worth the money. - Frustration (weight 0.13): Frustration stems from persistent crashes, performance issues, and game-breaking bugs that make the game unplayable, as well as pets with terrible pathfinding that get stuck and bark incessantly. The DLC content often fails to unlock or work properly despite purchase, leading to wasted money and grinding. - Joy (weight 0.08): Players feel joy from the ability to immortalize their real pets in the game, interacting with dogs and cats through petting and playing fetch, and having realistic animal companions at their base. The addition of dogs and the option to keep cats indoors also brings happiness. - Appreciation (weight 0.07): Appreciation is directed at the developers for their weekly updates, continued work on the survival game, and responsiveness to feedback. Players also value that those without the DLC can tame animals brought by others who own the pack. - Annoyance (weight 0.05): Annoyance arises from dogs barking at walls non-stop, getting stuck on obstacles, and being generally useless and irritating after a short time. The developer's focus on weekly updates instead of fixing game issues and cats getting in the way further contribute to this feeling. - Satisfaction (weight 0.05): Satisfaction is felt due to how the developers handle DLC for multiplayer, pets feeling like real animals, and the pack being worth its full price. The addition of dogs and other animals also contributes to this positive sentiment. - Amusement (weight 0.04): Amusement comes from the dog's behavior being a perfect simulation of the reviewer's real dog, realistic and humorous pet behaviors, and cats like Midnight ignoring new items but demanding attention. - Affection (weight 0.04): Affection is felt for the adorable pets that can be named and kept at the base, with interactions like petting Midnight and receiving a purr and leg rub, as well as having cute and furry companions. - Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement is generated by the addition of pets and new animals, including cats and dogs delivered from orbit, and the dog companion bringing a refreshing new style to combat. - Liking (weight 0.03): Players like the inclusion of animals in a game where you must kill animals, and they find the DLC super nice with many animals and new ones still being added. - Enjoyment (weight 0.03): Enjoyment is derived from pet companions adding personality and fun to long sessions, different animals roaming about, and playing fetch with the new dogs. - Love (weight 0.03): Love is expressed for the game and the challenge of acquiring animals, the game being the best they have ever played, and the fancy stuff included in the pack. - Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is directed at the DLC being a cash grab with unfinished and broken content, horrible pet pathfinding after buying two packs, and the dog's behavior making the reviewer want to kill it. - Hope (weight 0.03): Hope is inspired by developers continuing to push out new content, the game becoming more playable due to updates, and the promise of large expansions and new biomes. - Gratitude (weight 0.03): Gratitude is felt for the developers' ongoing support and content updates, and their work over more than two years. - Mild disappointment (weight 0.01): Mild disappointment is caused by the tortie cat not being fully accurate to the player's real cat. - Support (weight 0.01): Support is shown by wanting to back the ongoing improvement this game continues to receive. - Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia is triggered by remembering a best friend and gaming companion of 16 years, a black cat. - Regret (weight 0.01): Regret is felt from spending money on the DLC to get a dog that only annoys them, and buying the DLC feeling like wasting money. - Disgust (weight 0.01): Disgust is caused by horses appearing as hairless, oiled up, demon-eyed creatures.}