Info about Murky Divers:

Official game description:
**Dive with a team of up to 8 to the bottom of the ocean. Your mission: Remove all corpses from Pharma Corps' abandoned labs. Erase any evidence of their failed experiments.**
Dive into the ocean with a submarine that suits your playstyle. Go solo or team up with a friend in the small sub, play with up to 4 players in the regular sub, or gather 5 to 8 players for a full chaotic crew experience in the large sub.
Use your caddie to extract dead bodies from the wrecks that used to be labs. But be careful! There are things lurking and oxygen might run out quicker than you expect.
*   Do not die: the wrecks are filled with dangers and creatures ready to kill you.
*   Destroy proof to gain credits: bring the bodies back to the sub and destroy them using a shredder.
There are numerous abandoned labs spread across the ocean floor. Coordinate with your team to pilot the submarine towards them.
*   Piloting: the sub is blind, you must rely on sonar and stations to "see" and pilot it.
*   Dangers: you have to identify and avoid what lurks in the open ocean.
Survived? Good. Spend your hard-earned credits on items, upgrades, and modules to boost your chances on the next expedition. Equip items like Agent NUTS, the shopping cart, or the scooter. Upgrade with see-through vision, body part detectors, or a grappling hook. Enhance your ship with modules for greater depth, bigger fishing nets, and more. Prepare wisely for the dangers below.
Unlock diving suits by completing missions or participating in activities, adding style to your underwater adventures.
*   Up to 8 Player Online Co-op
*   Special dive sites
*   Customize your look
*   Proximity Voice Chat
*   Immersive 3D Audio
*   Procedurally generated wrecks
*   Thalassophobia freely included

Release date: Dec 12, 2024

Categories: Cooperative Multiplayer, Survival Horror, Underwater Exploration, Extraction Gameplay, Vehicle Piloting


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.99 - $8.99
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews indicate that $6.00 is a fair price that provides good value, while others endorse the current $8.99 price point as worthwhile, especially with friends. However, some negative reviews claim the game is not worth its asking price, suggesting the upper bound should not exceed the current price. The range $5.99–$8.99 captures both the sale price that many consider fair and the full price that some still recommend.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 20.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 20.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Session length is consistently reported as 8 minutes per expedition, with total sessions including driving time likely ranging from 20 to 30 minutes (based on complaints about driving time and the 30-minute discomfort limit). Game completion (total playtime until content exhaustion) is estimated at around 20 hours from a Chinese review; other reviews mention 2-4 hours or 2 hours, but the 20-hour figure appears to represent a more complete experience. Story/campaign completion is not applicable as the game lacks a narrative campaign. Endgame is not clearly defined from the evidence.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Murky Divers starts with a tedious submarine piloting phase and slow early progression, but becomes addictive and chaotic fun once players reach expedition sites and engage in the risk-reward loop, especially with friends.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After successfully landing the submarine at an expedition site
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: tedious submarine navigation sequence; slow early progression with modest rewards and frequent equipment failures; frequent crashes and bugs; repetitive gameplay loop; tutorial issues (sequence-breaking, unclear instructions); lack of quality-of-life features (no map, no easy highlighting of items)
  - Unlock drivers: playing with friends (co-op); overcoming the navigation learning curve; acquiring better equipment through upgrades; reaching the first few expedition sites
  - Conditions: co-op multiplayer (essential for full fun); use of VOIP communication; tolerance for repetitive tasks and early grind; patience with bugs and technical quirks
- Player Archetypes:
  - Co-op Crew Captain (buy)
    - Motivation: Social fun and teamwork; the shared thrill of coordinating under pressure.
    - Playstyle: Plays exclusively with a group, assigning roles (sonar, steering, signal identification) and communicating constantly to navigate, extract loot, and avoid monsters. Embraces chaotic, high-energy sessions.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: co-op enthusiast; Lethal Company fan; team player
    - Reference games: Lethal Company; Barotrauma; REPO
  - Solo Survivor (Reluctant) (no buy)
    - Motivation: Curiosity about the horror/extraction genre, but quickly frustrated by the forced co-op design.
    - Playstyle: Attempts to play alone but finds the game overly punishing, lacking instructions, and requiring teamwork that isn't available. Often gives up or refunds.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: solo player; casual gamer
    - Reference games: Lethal Company; Subnautica
  - Extraction Grinder (sale)
    - Motivation: Progression through extraction loops and gear upgrades; enjoys the tension of high-stakes looting.
    - Playstyle: Focuses on efficient loot extraction, upgrading gear, and managing risk-reward decisions. Tolerates grind but criticizes balance issues like monster spawn rates and police mechanics.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: extraction game fan; loot goblin; risk-taker
    - Reference games: Lethal Company; REPO; Content Warning


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:
- Game is cool, addictive, and very fun (weight 0.29): Players find the game cool, addictive, and very fun, with many describing it as a really great and amazing game overall.
- Scary monsters with great designs (weight 0.24): Monsters are scary with great designs, unique mechanics, and different patterns, making encounters thrilling and challenging.
- Significant upgrade from Lethal Company (weight 0.21): Players consistently highlight that this game is a significant upgrade from Lethal Company, offering new mechanics, scarier and more immersive gameplay, and higher overall quality.
- Submarine piloting is fun and cooperative (weight 0.21): Submarine piloting is described as fun, cooperative, and engaging, with fluid controls that force teamwork and are especially enjoyable with multiple players.
- Flexible difficulty settings (weight 0.13): Flexible difficulty settings allow players to customize the challenge, making the game more enjoyable and adjustable to their preference.
- Good value for the price (weight 0.13): The game is considered good value for the price, worth a buy even on sale, and offers fantastic value for its cost.
- Immersive and scary atmosphere (weight 0.11): The atmosphere is extremely immersive and scary, with great ambiance and tension that enhances the horror experience.
- Good graphics (weight 0.08): Graphics are considered good, with a decent graphic style that complements the game's atmosphere.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive gameplay loop (weight 0.31): The gameplay loop becomes repetitive and tedious, especially in later stages, with high repetition despite procedural generation.
- Lack of content and variety (weight 0.19): There is a lack of content, with few things to do, limited enemy variety, and only one map, hurting replayability.
- Low online player count (weight 0.17): Low player count and a dead player base make it hard to find public matches, severely impacting multiplayer experience.
- Boring when playing alone (weight 0.17): Playing alone is boring and lonely, with the game becoming dull quickly and fear making solo play difficult.
- Imprecise and clunky controls (weight 0.15): Controls are widely criticized as imprecise, clunky, and frustrating, making gameplay feel like a struggle rather than fun.
- Annoying and confusing tutorial (weight 0.11): The tutorial is described as annoying, confusing, and unhelpful, causing frustration rather than teaching the game.
- AI voice mimic concerns (weight 0.11): The AI voice mimic mechanic raises ethical concerns and has a bug where it uses the reviewer's voice even with the mic disabled.
- Buggy voice chat system (weight 0.08): Voice chat is buggy, requiring multiple relaunches to work, which disrupts communication.

Gameplay feedback:
- Lethal Company underwater clone (weight 0.45): The game is frequently compared to Lethal Company, REPO, and Subnautica, suggesting it combines the cooperative horror extraction gameplay of Lethal Company with an underwater setting and exploration elements similar to Subnautica.
- Submarine piloting core mechanic (weight 0.41): Submarine piloting is a core mechanic, involving driving, navigation with radar and sonar, and serving as a mobile base. The submarine is central to the gameplay experience.
- Cooperative horror survival game (weight 0.38): The game is a cooperative horror survival game that supports multiplayer (up to 8 players) and can be played solo or with friends. It emphasizes co-op gameplay.
- Underwater exploration with thalassophobia (weight 0.31): The game is set in an underwater environment with deep ocean exploration, designed to evoke thalassophobia. Players explore dark depths and progress to deeper dives.
- Teamwork required for submarine (weight 0.25): Submarine navigation requires teamwork and coordination among players, with role-based cooperation on the submarine. Effective communication is essential.
- Challenging monsters with variety (weight 0.24): The game features challenging monsters with unique mechanics, including leviathans and enemies that cannot be permanently killed. Monsters vary in harmfulness and require strategic encounters.
- AI voice mimic enemies (weight 0.17): Mimic enemies use AI to copy player voices, luring teammates and draining oxygen. This voice mimic mechanic adds a psychological horror element.
- Body part collection objective (weight 0.17): Objectives involve collecting body parts and evidence, such as legs, heads, and body bags, and hiding them in a shredder to destroy evidence. This is a core gameplay loop.
- Sonar and radar navigation (weight 0.16): Navigation relies on sonar and radar systems, with blue/yellow points and signal identification to guide the submarine through the underwater environment.
- Police and monster evasion (weight 0.15): Players must evade police and monsters, with a police star system similar to GTA. Running from enemies is a key survival mechanic.
- Procedural maps and item transport (weight 0.1): Maps are procedurally generated, and players must find and transport items. This adds replayability and exploration variety.
- Scavenger hunt with monsters (weight 0.09): Gameplay involves scavenger hunts while avoiding underwater monsters and mythical sea creatures, blending exploration with survival horror.
- Customizable difficulty settings (weight 0.06): The game offers customizable difficulty settings, allowing players to adjust the challenge to their preference.
- Underwater lab diving (weight 0.05): The cooperative horror game involves diving into underwater labs using a submersible vehicle, adding a sci-fi exploration element.
- Multiple submarine sizes (weight 0.05): Multiple submarine sizes are available, supporting solo play up to 8 players, accommodating different group sizes.
- Time-limited exploration (weight 0.05): Exploration is time-limited, adding pressure to complete objectives within a set timeframe.

Performance notes:
- Frequent crashes and instability (weight 0.11): Multiple reports of crashes, including PC crashes, occasional crashes, and frequent crashes during sessions, especially for the host, indicating stability issues.
- Major stuttering issues (weight 0.09): Stuttering is a major issue, occurring nonstop, even on low graphics settings and after leaving the submarine, affecting overall playability.
- DX12 mode instability (weight 0.04): DX12 mode causes instability including hard locks, black screens, and blue screen errors, making it unreliable.
- Lag on high-end PCs (weight 0.04): The game lags a lot even on good PCs, suggesting poor optimization for high-end hardware.
- Unpredictable physics (weight 0.03): The physics in the game are unpredictable, leading to unexpected and often frustrating outcomes.
- Mod loading screen freeze (weight 0.03): The loading screen gets stuck when using mods, preventing the game from starting properly.

Recommendations:
- Best played with friends (weight 0.65): The game is strongly recommended for groups of friends, especially with 3-4 players. Solo play is not advised, and playing with friends enhances the chaotic fun and coordination.
- Highly recommended overall (weight 0.6): Many reviewers give strong positive recommendations, calling it a hidden gem, a treasure, and a steal at its price. It is highly recommended overall.
- Appeals to co-op horror fans (weight 0.32): Fans of Lethal Company, R.E.P.O., Subnautica, and similar co-op horror games will enjoy this title. It offers a fresh atmosphere and twist on the genre, though some suggest playing those alternatives instead.
- Unique multiplayer horror twist (weight 0.14): The game is a good addition to a multiplayer horror library, offering a twist on the genre with co-op survival, immersive horror, and methodical exploration. It mixes horror and humor.
- Hopeful for future updates (weight 0.11): Reviewers are hopeful for future updates with more maps, mobs, and polish. The game has potential to be great with full release and continued development.
- Tips for new players (weight 0.07): Advice includes maxing out the reaper skill and ignoring other creatures, and persisting through difficulty to succeed. New players are given tips for better gameplay.

Other player notes:
- Secret duck punching mechanic (weight 0.03): Players have discovered a secret involving punching rubber ducks at a statue located in a question mark area. This suggests an interactive easter egg or hidden mechanic that rewards exploration.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.2): Players experience frustration due to poor controls, glitches, and a punishing difficulty curve. The game's unpolished feel, lack of updates, and reliance on high coordination with incompetent teammates further exacerbate the experience. Issues like eye strain from graphics, repetitive gameplay, and unfair enemy mechanics also contribute to this emotion.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.12): Players find enjoyment in the cooperative chaos, unique submarine controls, and the thrill of exploring underwater environments with friends. The game's monster variety, customization options, and frequent updates keep the experience fresh and engaging. The blend of horror, teamwork, and comedy creates memorable moments that players appreciate.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): Disappointment stems from the game failing to live up to its promising concept, with many players citing a lack of content, repetitive gameplay, and a dead player base. Comparisons to Lethal Company highlight the game's perceived lack of depth, originality, and cooperative fun. Issues like poor AI, unoriginal monster designs, and developer abandonment further diminish the experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.09): Excitement is driven by the game's unique underwater theme, fluid movement, and chaotic cooperative moments with friends. Players are thrilled by the tension of monster encounters, the challenge of submarine navigation, and the potential for future updates. The immersive atmosphere and rewarding gameplay loop create a sense of anticipation and energy.
- Fear (weight 0.06): Fear is evoked by the game's oppressive atmosphere, dark environments, and unpredictable monster encounters. Players are startled by sudden jumpscares, the mimic mechanic, and the vulnerability of being alone in the deep sea. The constant threat of death and the game's ability to create desperation contribute to a genuinely scary experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Satisfaction comes from the game's balanced mechanics, unique cooperative elements, and sense of progression. Players feel rewarded when survival feels earned through teamwork and strategic play. The quality of maps, frequent updates, and the game's value for the price also contribute to a positive experience.
- Amusement (weight 0.04): Amusement arises from the absurd and chaotic moments shared with friends, such as panicked yelling, funny deaths, and the mimic mechanic. The game's humor is found in morbid situations, team failures, and the overall silliness of the cooperative experience. Players enjoy the lightheartedness that emerges from the tension.
- Boredom (weight 0.04): Boredom sets in due to the repetitive gameplay loop, lack of variety in enemies and maps, and the tedious nature of submarine navigation. The novelty wears off quickly, especially when playing alone, leading to a monotonous and unrewarding experience. The game's content becomes stale after a few hours of play.
- Fun (weight 0.02): Fun is derived from the cooperative gameplay, chaotic team interactions, and the unique submarine driving mechanics. Players enjoy the blend of horror and humor, especially when playing with friends. The fast-paced action and the need for teamwork create an engaging and enjoyable experience.
- Tension (weight 0.02): Tension is created by the oppressive underwater atmosphere, limited visibility, and constant threat of monster attacks. The pressure of completing tasks while managing resources and avoiding dangers keeps players on edge. The sound design and proximity chat enhance the nerve-wracking experience.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): Anticipation is fueled by hopes for future updates, new content, and the game's potential for improvement. Players look forward to learning more efficient strategies and experiencing the game's full release. The expectation of more maps, monsters, and story elements keeps the community engaged.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Anger is directed at perceived cash grabs, lack of developer support, and unresolved bugs that persist for over a year. Players feel frustrated by mechanics that seem designed to provoke rage, leading to extreme reactions like screaming. The game's failure to address issues despite acknowledgment fuels this emotion.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation is expressed for the game's atmosphere, unique art style, and detailed maps with hidden lore. Players value the active development, frequent updates, and the game's distinct identity within the genre. The immersive experience and well-crafted mechanics are praised as highlights.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Desire is focused on wanting more content, such as additional monsters, shop items, and customization options. Players wish for improved features like longer exploration times, text chat, and the ability to board the police starship. The community expresses a strong wish for mod support and expanded gameplay elements.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Hope is centered on the game's potential for growth through frequent updates and community-driven content. Players believe that more maps and improvements will come as the game matures. The possibility of custom difficulty settings and user-generated content fuels optimism for the game's future.
- Annoyance (weight 0.01): Annoyance is caused by the lack of a tutorial, small inventory, and forced pixel effect that cannot be disabled. Players are irritated by tedious travel mechanics, non-interactive traps, and teammates wasting resources. Crashes and the game's mislabeling as horror also contribute to this emotion.
- Love (weight 0.01): Love for the game is expressed through affection for its concept, quality, and overall experience. Players consider it one of their favorites, appreciating the unique blend of horror and cooperation. The game's ability to create memorable moments fosters a strong emotional connection.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy is experienced through daily play with friends, especially when controlling the submarine and laughing together. The game's cooperative nature and the fun of shared adventures create a consistently positive experience. Players find joy in the simple act of playing with others.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from unclear game mechanics, unexpected Chinese text, and a lack of intuitive controls. Players struggle to understand what is happening even after learning the basics. The game's failure to achieve popularity despite being 'very cool' also puzzles some reviewers.
- Interest (weight 0.01): Interest is sparked by the game's unique underwater creatures, cooperative mechanics, and depth progression. Players find the base upgrades and variety of upgrades engaging. The realistic simulation of evading the law adds an intriguing layer to the gameplay.}