Info about Agents of Mayhem:

Official game description:
**
Agents of MAYHEM is the latest open-world, third-person action game from the creators of the Saints Row franchise, published by Koch Media!
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**  
 In **Agents of MAYHEM**, you run a no-holds barred operation against a shadowy super-villain organization known only as LEGION and their mysterious leader, the Morningstar.  
 Following the global attacks on Devil’s Night, cities of the world are held by the **LEGION’s Ministries**, bands of powerful villains named for the Seven Deadly Sins.  
 **Seoul** is the personal domain of LEGION’s mad scientists, **the Ministry of Pride – Doctor Babylon** and his rogue’s gallery of supporting villains.  
 You play as a variety of **Super Agents** – each with their own distinct look, personality, weapons, and skills. Explore the city of Seoul to rout out LEGION operatives and their vile plans to take over the world.  
 MAYHEM’s Agents have a license to do what the hell they want, so long as they do whatever it takes to grow the agency and ultimately **defeat LEGION.**

Release date: Aug 15, 2017

Categories: Third-Person Shooter, Open-World Exploration, Character-based Combat, Single-player Story, Hero Shooter, Squad-based Character Swapping, Futuristic Setting, Action

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 15; verdict: Low Predatory Risk; summary: The game has no microtransactions, gacha, or pay-to-win mechanics. Complaints center on the high base price and a DLC strategy where pre-order bonuses are later sold separately, which may feel unfair to early buyers. These are traditional pricing and DLC issues, not predatory monetization.
- Proton/Linux: score 10; verdict: Works Well (minor verification gap); summary: Only one review was available, which does not report any Linux-specific compatibility issues. The game is officially unsupported on Steam Deck, but the reviewer expects it to work in the future. No evidence of crashes, required tweaks, or broken functionality was found.
- Steam Deck: score 80; verdict: Unsupported and Unstable on Deck; summary: The game is currently unsupported on Steam Deck, requiring extensive modifications such as downloading extra software and adjusting controller settings, while suffering from frequent crashes and bugs. Performance demands are high, further complicating the experience.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $30.00
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews explicitly state that the game is overpriced at its current full price (e.g., $60-$70) and suggest a fair value around half price ($30) or a deep sale price ($10 or less). The community consistently recommends waiting for a discount, indicating that the acceptable base-game price lies significantly below the full retail cost. The evidence amounts to a consensus that $10–$30 is a reasonable range, balancing the willingness to pay more for content against the call for substantial savings.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 40.0h
  - Story completion: 15.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The '15 or so hour package' quote and the '17h' figure from the structured summary both indicate story completion time around 15–17 hours, so storyCompletion is set to 15. The '40hrs gameplay I casually unlocked everything' quote suggests full game completion (all unlockables) takes about 40 hours, hence gameCompletion is 40. The structured summary's 26h and 51h further detail completion times but are not as directly tied to a single player's report. No reliable evidence exists for session length or endgame content, so those are null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players find Agents of Mayhem enjoyable initially due to varied hero abilities and combat, but the fun diminishes after a few hours as mission repetitiveness and lack of enemy diversity set in.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: repetitive mission design; limited enemy variety; tedious side activities; same dungeon tilesets; enemy bullet sponges; uninteresting open world
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: avoid side missions; manage expectations (not Saints Row); switch agents frequently; play in short sessions; take breaks between sessions; purchase at discount; play for short bursts; ignore open world
- Player Archetypes:
  - Saints Row Veteran (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking the classic Saints Row experience with co-op, customization, and narrative
    - Playstyle: Co-op multiplayer, character customization, expects open-world sandbox with friends
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Saints Row; Saints Row 2; Saints Row 3; Saints Row 4; Gat out of Hell
  - Looter Shooter Enthusiast (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoying the hero-based shooter mechanics, buildcraft, and moment-to-moment combat without endless loot farming
    - Playstyle: Strategic character swapping, experimenting with builds and team synergies, optimizing combinations for combat
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Crackdown; Borderlands; Overwatch
  - Achievement Hunter (no buy)
    - Motivation: Achieving 100% completion and earning all achievements despite RNG, server shutdowns, and broken achievements
    - Playstyle: Grinding side missions, collectibles, and connected contracts; focused on 100% completion and achievements
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: completionist
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Casual Cartoon Action Fan (sale)
    - Motivation: Entertainment through humor, over-the-top action, and character personalities, seeking a lighthearted distraction
    - Playstyle: Casual exploration, enjoying story and cutscenes, not min-maxing or concerned with grind
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Diverse character playstyles praised (weight 0.36): Players consistently highlight the wide variety of characters, each with unique weapons, abilities, and personalities that offer distinct playstyles. This diversity allows for different gameplay approaches and keeps the experience fresh and engaging.
- Combat is satisfying and fun (weight 0.2): Reviewers frequently describe the combat as satisfying, cool, and explosive, noting that it is fast, accessible, and often exhilarating. The addictive flow and enjoyable mechanics contribute positively to the overall experience.
- Graphics and art style praised (weight 0.15): The graphics are widely appreciated, with particular praise for the lighting, art style, and cartoonish visuals that include good shadows. Players find the visuals pleasing, especially on high settings.
- Agent variety and uniqueness celebrated (weight 0.15): Players highlight the diverse roster of agents, each with distinct abilities, weapons, and playstyles, making it fun to switch between them. The 12 agents are noted as unique and well-specialized.
- Cutscenes add charm and style (weight 0.11): The cartoon-style cutscenes are described as a nice accent that gives the game a Saturday morning cartoon vibe. They are viewed as stylish and add personal flair, making the presentation more engaging.
- Seoul city is vibrant and detailed (weight 0.1): The city of Seoul is praised for being vibrant, colorful, and beautifully designed, feeling alive with detailed visuals. The futuristic setting is noted as interesting and appealing to explore.
- Heroes and villains are diverse (weight 0.08): The game features many different heroes with well-developed personalities and abilities, as well as a great and diverse cast of heroes and villains. This variety is a strong positive point.
- Voice acting and sound are excellent (weight 0.08): The voice acting and sound design are described as top-notch, with great voice acting that elevates the experience. This aspect is highly appreciated.
- Movement is fluid and fantastic (weight 0.08): Players praise the movement as fantastic and fluid, with great animations and smooth shooting mechanics. The fluidity enhances the overall gameplay feel.
- Shooting mechanics are fun and simple (weight 0.07): The shooting gameplay is highlighted as fun, feeling good, and being simple but engaging. This accessibility makes the combat enjoyable for a broad range of players.
- Characters have distinct personalities (weight 0.07): Reviewers note that characters are very different from each other personality-wise, adding depth to the roster. This variety in personalities enhances the narrative and player attachment.
- Missions are fun and varied (weight 0.07): Players find the missions very fun, varied, and interesting, contributing to the overall enjoyment. The main missions are particularly noted as engaging.
- Game remains enjoyable despite flaws (weight 0.07): Players mention that the game is fun, likable, and brings joy even with existing bugs. This resilience enhances its appeal.
- Customization options are extensive (weight 0.07): The game offers a wide array of customization options for weapons, skills, Mayhem abilities, and cosmetics, allowing for personalized playstyles. This depth is valued by players.
- Game is awesome and underrated (weight 0.07): Some players express strong enthusiasm, calling the game awesome and cool, while noting it is underrated. This indicates high satisfaction despite potential flaws.

Common complaints:
- Missions are repetitive and boring (weight 0.71): A large portion of feedback centers on missions lacking variety and becoming monotonous quickly. Players mention copy-paste objectives, repetitive dungeon clears, and bland side quests.
- Open world feels lifeless (weight 0.24): Many players describe the open world as empty, hollow, and lacking interesting activities or personality. The world is often compared unfavorably to other games.
- Game feels generic and boring (weight 0.23): Players often label the overall game as bland, generic, and monotonous, with unexpressive gameplay and little to keep them engaged.
- Lacks co-op mode (weight 0.22): The absence of co-op or multiplayer is a common complaint, especially for players expecting it based on previous titles. Some specifically mention the lack of online co-op.
- Story is weak and cliché (weight 0.19): The narrative is frequently criticized as bland, forgettable, cliché, or lacking depth. Some also mention it is predictable and presented in a childish style.
- Poor PC optimization (weight 0.12): The PC version suffers from poor optimization, with reports of frame drops, freezing, and long load times, especially on older systems.
- Characters underdeveloped (weight 0.12): Characters are barely fleshed out, lacking personality, and the plot is minimal, leading to a shallow narrative experience.
- Aim assist cannot be disabled (weight 0.09): Players complain about forced aim-assist that cannot be turned off, affecting certain characters and weapons, which frustrates aiming control.
- Not like Saints Row (weight 0.09): Several reviews compare the game unfavorably to Saints Row, noting the world is less lovingly designed and lacks crazy customization, indicating it fails to meet expectations.
- Open world map too small (weight 0.09): The map is described as surprisingly small with limited verticality and no fast travel, making the world feel even more confined.
- Several minor bugs exist (weight 0.08): Though not game-breaking, players mention encountering a number of small bugs that can be annoying and detract from the experience.
- Limited enemy variety (weight 0.07): Enemies lack variation and creativity, making combat feel stale and repetitive.
- Broken achievements due to servers (weight 0.06): Some achievements are unobtainable because the online servers have been shut down, preventing full completion.

Gameplay feedback:
- Unique character abilities and playstyles (weight 0.58): Multiple clusters highlight that each character or agent has unique abilities, weapons, and playstyles, offering variety and distinct gameplay experiences. This is a strongly emphasized positive aspect of the game.
- Third-person shooter gameplay (weight 0.31): The game is described as a fast-paced third-person action shooter with character-switching mechanics. This genre classification is a core element repeatedly cited in reviews.
- Squad-based character swapping (weight 0.31): Players can choose a team of three agents and swap between them during missions, enabling dynamic combat and strategic variety. This mechanic is frequently mentioned and central to the gameplay.
- Open world set in Seoul (weight 0.3): The game is consistently described as an open-world action game set in a futuristic Seoul, South Korea, with a detailed city environment. This setting is a defining feature across many reviews.
- Comparisons to Saints Row and Crackdown (weight 0.29): Many reviews compare the game to Saints Row and Crackdown, noting similarities in gunplay, open-world structure, and gameplay loop. It is often seen as a mix or spiritual successor to these franchises.
- Hero shooter elements (weight 0.16): The game is classified as a hero shooter, with distinct character playstyles and abilities, similar to other games in the genre. This is a key identity point for players.
- Story and side content included (weight 0.12): The game features a main story, side quests, activities, collectibles, and personal missions for agents, providing substantial content beyond the main campaign. This is positively noted in reviews.
- Single-player only experience (weight 0.05): The game is single-player only with no co-op or multiplayer modes, which may be a limitation for some players. This is clearly stated in feedback.

Performance notes:
- Controller-related crashes are frequent (weight 0.22): Multiple reports indicate the game crashes when using a controller, especially when opening settings or unplugging the controller. Disabling Steam Input appears to resolve many of these crashes.
- Overall poor optimization (weight 0.19): Widespread complaints about poor optimization, low FPS in cities, and high CPU usage even on powerful machines. The game feels heavy and unoptimized.
- Launch problems on modern systems (weight 0.12): The game fails to launch on some modern PCs and Windows 11, with black screens or missing files. Various fixes have been attempted without success.
- Numerous bugs and glitches (weight 0.09): Players encounter various bugs, clipping issues, softlocks, and freezes that disrupt gameplay. Frequent restarts are sometimes required.
- Updates improved stability (weight 0.09): Some players note that while the game had technical problems at launch, it is now stable and runs well on certain systems.
- Some players report no issues (weight 0.08): A minority of players report stable performance, quick loading, and no crashes, suggesting that performance varies widely across systems.
- FPS drops during intense scenes (weight 0.08): Momentary frame drops occur during explosions, city travel, and other heavy scenes, even on high-end hardware. These are often short but noticeable.
- Long load times and freezes (weight 0.07): Players experience long load times, frequent freezes, and occasional stuck loading screens, hampering gameplay.
- Compatibility issues with Steam Deck (weight 0.06): The game does not run normally on Steam Deck without extensive modding or workarounds, indicating poor compatibility with this platform.
- Memory and CPU leaks (weight 0.06): The game appears to have memory leak issues and uses excessive CPU resources, even on high-end processors like an i9 at nearly 5 GHz.
- Game ignores video settings (weight 0.05): The game resets to windowed mode and seems to ignore user-defined video settings, causing frustration and potential performance issues.
- Performance varies by scenario (weight 0.05): Performance is generally stable but can dip during lighting-heavy action or when many elements are on screen, impacting lower-end hardware.
- Audio issues accompany performance (weight 0.03): Some players report audio issues in addition to performance problems, indicating broader technical polish needed.
- No controller required to play (weight 0.03): One player states the game does not start without a controller, but this contradicts other reports, suggesting it might be a specific bug.
- Denuvo removal mention (weight 0.03): One player mentions that Denuvo has been removed, but no further context is given, suggesting it may have been a prior concern.

Recommendations:
- Wait for a sale (weight 0.22): Many players advise not to buy the game at full price, suggesting waiting for a discount or deep sale, often as low as $10 or less. The game is considered not worth its full price point.
- Not for Saints Row fans (weight 0.19): A significant number of reviewers who are fans of the Saints Row series recommend avoiding this game, as it does not capture the same feel or quality. They suggest replaying the original Saints Row games instead.
- Not recommended at all (weight 0.13): A portion of reviewers strongly advise against buying or playing the game, describing it as a waste of money and time, with some giving it extremely low scores. These negative recommendations are not tied to specific bugs.
- Recommended for some players (weight 0.13): Some reviewers recommend the game, especially for fans of GTA, Watch Dogs, and Saints Row, or those seeking over-the-top action and humor. However, most of these recommendations come with caveats about sales.
- Good for casual play (weight 0.09): A few reviewers suggest the game is suitable for mindless play or as a background activity while doing other things, like watching videos. This indicates it may be fun in a mindless, casual context.
- Mixed value assessment (weight 0.06): Opinions vary on the game's value, with some saying it's worth a small price (like $2) for casual fun, while others say it's not worth even discounted prices. The range of acceptable prices spans from under $5 to about $15.
- High price not justified (weight 0.05): Some reviewers feel the game is overpriced, citing specific examples like 60 euros or 65,000 won, and suggest a lower price like 30 euros would be more appropriate. This ties into the general advice to wait for a sale.
- Potential fun at low cost (weight 0.05): If the game is bought on a steep discount (e.g., $2), some reviewers think it can provide decent fun. This is conditional on the price being very low.
- Highly recommended at full price (weight 0.05): A few reviewers give the game a strong recommendation, even with a 9/10 score and calling it 'highly recommended'. This is in contrast to the majority of feedback.
- Not worth getting anything else (weight 0.05): Some reviewers advise to not buy the game and instead get something else, indicating it is not a good use of time or money. This is a clear negative stance.
- Single playthrough value (weight 0.05): The game might be worth a single casual playthrough if bought on sale, but not for multiple playthroughs. This suggests limited replayability.

Other player notes:
- Overwhelming Saints Row comparisons (weight 0.43): Most reviews compare the game to Saints Row, often criticizing it as a cheaper copy lacking the charm of the original series.
- Saints Row franchise connection ambiguous (weight 0.38): Reviewers are unclear whether the game is a spin-off, sequel, or standalone, noting a blend of shared universe elements and separate identity.
- Saints Row references and characters (weight 0.22): The game contains many Saints Row references and characters like Johnny Gat and Pierce Washington, reinforcing its ties to the franchise.
- Low price and discounts (weight 0.12): The game is often sold at a low price or heavily discounted, making it an attractive purchase despite mixed reviews.
- No multiplayer or co-op (weight 0.11): Players note the absence of multiplayer and co-op modes, which is a significant drawback for some.
- Game length average (weight 0.09): Reviews mention the game's length is average, with completion times ranging from 17 to 26 hours, approximately 20 hours.
- Servers shut down (weight 0.07): The game's servers have been shut down, limiting any online functionality and affecting playability.
- PC requirements moderate (weight 0.07): The game has low to medium system requirements, making it accessible to a wide range of PCs.
- Steam Deck compatibility issues (weight 0.05): The game is ideal for Steam Deck with a patch, but is currently marked as unsupported, causing inconvenience.
- Large file size (weight 0.05): The installation size is approximately 50-52 GB for the base game, which may be a consideration for players.
- Story incomplete, sequel hinted (weight 0.05): The story is not conclusive and seems to set up for a sequel, leaving some narrative threads unresolved.
- Pre-order bonus controversy (weight 0.05): Pre-order bonus characters were later sold as DLC, causing frustration among early buyers.
- Reviewers pre-ordered despite ratings (weight 0.04): Some reviewers pre-ordered the game despite low ratings from other sites, indicating pre-release hype or loyalty.
- Fan of Saints Row franchise (weight 0.04): Several reviewers identify as fans of the Saints Row series, affecting their perspective on this game.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.22): Players expected a true successor to the Saints Row series but found the game repetitive, with a short story, empty world, and numerous bugs. It fails to live up to the franchise's legacy, leading to a strong sense of letdown and nostalgia loss.
- Frustration (weight 0.21): The game is plagued with technical issues, such as memory leaks, crashes, and poor performance on modern hardware, which frequently disrupt play. Repetitive missions, grindy progression, and broken features like co-op and achievements add to the overall irritation.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.14): Despite its flaws, many players found the game fun due to its fast-paced combat, humorous dialogue, and distinct characters. The open world and over-the-top action provided an enjoyable experience, especially for those who appreciated the Saints Row style.
- Boredom (weight 0.08): The gameplay becomes monotonous quickly, with highly repetitive missions, bland enemies, and a lifeless open world. The lack of variety and uninteresting side activities led to a dull and tedious experience for many.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): Players who got the game at a discount found it worth the price, praising its fun gameplay, visual appeal, and engaging story. The game met or exceeded low expectations, providing an enjoyable experience for casual play.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger stems from the developer's poor response to bugs, frequent technical issues, and the absence of features like co-op. Some players were also upset by the forced wanted system, feeling it made them the villain, and the disrespect to the franchise's legacy.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyance arises from various minor but persistent issues, such as map clutter causing progress loss, frequent crashes with certain weapons, and the inability to disable aim assist. Poor translation and repetitive gameplay also contribute to frustration.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): The game's humor, including cheesy jokes and character banter, frequently made reviewers laugh. Its chaotic and self-aware tone, reminiscent of Overwatch's story mode, was a source of enjoyment.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): Players were excited by the game's loud, colorful, and unpredictable nature, with fun missions and incredible agent recruitment. The freedom of the open world and exciting combat were highlights.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): The dialogue and cinematics were described as unbearable and cringe-worthy, even at a significant discount. Some players were disgusted by excessive sexual and LGBT content and inaccurate Asian representation.
- Irritation (weight 0.01): Irritation is caused by progress-losing bugs, glitches, and frustrating controls, especially with a controller. The incomplete state of the game and balance issues further contribute to annoyance.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): The story is presented in fragments without clear context, leading to confusion about the narrative and game's tone. Players also wondered why certain design choices were made, finding the story hard to follow.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): The game evokes nostalgia through its connection to Saints Row, featuring familiar characters and references. However, for some, it reminded them of better times with the franchise, leading to a wish for the old style.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Players appreciated the game's dark humor, fluid gameplay, and beautiful city environment. The map design was noted as pretty and enjoyable to explore, offering a pleasant experience.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness arises from the studio's failure to expand on the project's potential, leading to an open ending with no sequel expected. Seeing beloved characters like Johnny Gat in a subpar game intensified this feeling.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Admiration is expressed for the game's beautiful, atmospheric world and well-crafted city design. The traversal mechanics, fun characters, and shooting were also praised, making the game visually and mechanically appealing.
- Indifference (weight 0.01): The game did not evoke strong feelings, with players feeling that skipping it is not a big loss. The story was not compelling, and the gameplay was just okay for casual play, making it not worth replaying.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Many players experienced pure joy from the explosive combat and the game's overall fun factor. It served as a nostalgic farewell to the spirit of Saints Row, providing countless hours of delight.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Players regret purchasing the game as a replacement for Saints Row, as it fell short of expectations. Wasting time on it instead of better games and its lack of expansion contributed to this feeling.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): The engaging gameplay and vibrant world generated enthusiasm, with some calling it the favorite entry in the Saints Row universe. Its underrated nature and likable characters further fueled this excitement.}