Info about Turmoil - Deeper Underground:

Official game description:
We're happy to present Turmoil - Deeper Underground! We’re bringing Turmoil into the Roaring Twenties with a completely new campaign, lots of newfangled mechanics, upgrades, new playable characters and NPC’s, and all-new areas and levels! But rest assured: it all comes with the trusted Turmoil gameplay you've come to know from previous campaigns. So get ready to deepen your Turmoil experience, here’s what you can expect:  
*   An all-new town with new buildings, a new mayor, and balloon trips to special deep-drilling grounds!  
*   Besides oil, you can now also find water underground - which comes in handy when you want to drill faster and cheaper! But it's also essential for the production of the highly valuable petrol!  
*   Petrol marks the start of a new era. You can’t just dig it up and sell it right away, you first have to produce it in refineries. It’s a challenging but rewarding undertaking, and we trust there will be no complaints about the revenues it generates!  
*   A brand new expedition: Every few in-game years, regular drilling levels are alternated with special research missions. Here, it's all about trying to drill as deep as possible with limited resources. Can you drill deeper than your opponents?  
*   Two new playable characters to choose from: meet Thorpe and Mabel! Both willing and able!  
*   To get your drilling operation up and running as quickly as possible, meet Yvonne, Sanjay, and Dynamite Dale who will introduce you to their new wares! And of course your old friends Edward, Raynor, Fred, and William will stop by with their train to provide you with all the drilling equipment you need.  
*   Philip is also back, and he's got a new game for you: Dice Dice Dice. If you can outsmart him, you're sure to make a few extra bucks on the side.  
*   Just like previous campaigns, it's all about who has the most town shares in the end. Deeper Underground uses the same bidding system as in the multiplayer campaign, but shares can also be earned in the deep-drilling missions.  
*   And last but not least: we've added an explosive item to the game, dynamite! While hard rock can be nice when it comes out of speakers, it's a big problem when you stumble upon it underground. Normal drills are not strong enough, so make sure to visit Dynamite Dale in the Saloon!
Creating a new DLC was not something we planned on, but every now and then some interesting ideas just popped into our heads. A few experiments proved they were quite juicy indeed, and flash forward two years later: Deeper Underground is here! So get ready for a new era in the oil drilling business, and start earning that cold hard cash! Happy Drilling!

Release date: Sep 12, 2024

Categories: Resource Management, Economic Simulation, Strategy, Simulation, Business Simulation, Logistics Management, Supply Chain Simulation

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 15; verdict: Mixed Reception; summary: The DLC introduces new mechanics that some users find exciting, but others find frustrating and poorly designed. The overall sentiment is that the DLC lacks sufficient content and features to justify its price, with many users suggesting to wait for a sale before purchasing.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that users find the game worth the price, especially when bought on sale. The mention of a $5 sale price and the general sentiment that the game is worth its price indicate that the community considers the fair price range to be around this sale price. Additionally, the positive sentiment about the game's value supports a slightly higher end of the price range.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 4.0h
  - Story completion: 4.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides direct and indirect indications of playtime for the DLC. Several reviews mention completing the DLC in a few hours, with specific mentions of around 3 hours and between 4 to 5 hours. These quotes help estimate the typical playtime for game completion and story completion. There is no strong evidence provided for session length or endgame hours, so those fields are marked as null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game initially presents challenges and can feel overwhelming, but it becomes enjoyable and satisfying once players reach certain milestones and overcome early-game difficulties.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Making the first 70,000 in a year
  - Time to anchor: 2h 0m
  - Friction: RNG in early game; mandatory tutorials; early-game difficulty; resource management
  - Unlock drivers: achieving high levels; earning significant in-game currency
  - Conditions: overcoming initial challenges; reaching gameplay milestones
- Player Archetypes:
  - Main Game Fan (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of the main game and its new mechanics.
    - Playstyle: Casual, enjoys new content and mechanics.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: fan of the main game
    - Reference games: Drill Mania; The Heat is On
  - Skilled Challenger (sale)
    - Motivation: Mastery and challenge.
    - Playstyle: Competitive, aims for high scores and completion.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: veteran; skilled player
    - Reference games: Drill Mania
  - Dissatisfied Critic (no buy)
    - Motivation: Value for money and quality content.
    - Playstyle: Critical, evaluates content based on value and enjoyment.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: critical player
    - Reference games: The Heat is On


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:
- New mechanics add complexity (weight 0.46): The introduction of new game mechanics was well-received, adding layers of complexity and strategic depth to the gameplay.
- Positive feedback on DLC (weight 0.36): Players generally found the DLC to be enjoyable and worth the price, with specific mentions of the first DLC and 'The Heat Is On' DLC being particularly good.
- Challenging yet enjoyable (weight 0.29): Players found the new content challenging yet enjoyable, requiring more strategy and adding to the overall fun experience.
- Interesting and good concept (weight 0.18): The game's concept and foundation were praised as interesting and good, providing an enjoyable experience.
- Lots of new content (weight 0.1): Players appreciated the abundance of new content added, which kept the game engaging and fresh.
- Enjoyed base game and previous DLC (weight 0.1): Players expressed enjoyment of the base game and previous DLCs, indicating a consistent positive experience with the game series.

Common complaints:
- DLC is too short (weight 0.58): Players feel that the DLC content is shorter than expected and can be completed quickly, leading to a perception of poor value. This is a common complaint among several reviews.
- Drilling mechanics are boring (weight 0.57): Many players find the deep drilling and digging mini-games tedious, monotonous, and boring. This feedback highlights a significant issue with the game's core mechanics.
- Petrol storage and production issues (weight 0.39): There are difficulties in storing petrol and making gasoline production profitable. Players also find petrol features useless and slow, indicating a need for improvement in this area.
- Auction system is flawed (weight 0.26): The auction system has been criticized for being less engaging, too luck-based, and not fun. This suggests that the current implementation of auctions is not well-received.
- DLC compatibility and quality issues (weight 0.21): Some players feel that the new DLC is worse than previous ones and that DLCs are not compatible with each other, leading to disappointment.
- Game is overpriced (weight 0.21): There are complaints about the game and its hardware being overpriced, which affects the perceived value.
- Unfair game balance (weight 0.16): There are concerns about the game's balance, particularly in the drilling competition and overall fairness.
- Early game difficulty (weight 0.1): The early game progression is considered difficult, making it hard for players to reach the target depth quickly.
- Game lacks relaxation (weight 0.1): Players find the game less relaxing and more tedious, which might affect the overall enjoyment.
- Buggy gameplay (weight 0.09): Some players have reported bugs in the game, which can affect the overall experience.
- Wagon and oil distribution issues (weight 0.09): There are specific issues with wagons not distributing oil properly and horses not moving oil aggressively enough.
- Difficult and unrewarding additional level (weight 0.09): The additional level is seen as too difficult and unrewarding, which can be frustrating for players.
- Lacks difficulty levels (weight 0.08): Players feel that the game lacks different difficulty levels, which can limit the strategic depth.
- Smaller map size (weight 0.08): The game's map is considered smaller than expected, which might limit exploration and gameplay.

Gameplay feedback:
- Petrol and gasoline mechanics (weight 0.73): A significant feature is the addition of petrol and gasoline mechanics. Players can refine oil and water into petrol, manage petrol storage and production, and sell petrol for higher prices.
- Mini-games and mechanics (weight 0.49): The game features various mini-games, including those involving dynamite, water, hot air balloons, and dice rolling. These mini-games add variety and depth to the gameplay.
- Deep drilling mechanics (weight 0.48): The game introduces new mechanics focused on deep drilling and underground exploration. Players can accelerate oil drilling with water and engage in a deep digging mode.
- Complex resource management (weight 0.27): The game involves complex resource management, including handling various resource types, optimizing production, and managing resource collection and pricing.
- Strategic choices and complexity (weight 0.26): Players face strategic choices, such as switching between gas and oil production and managing increased complexity in gameplay. This adds depth and replay value to the game.
- Campaign and map depth (weight 0.25): The campaign mode and map depth are key features. Players need to reach maximum depth and plan to achieve new depth objectives, adding a strategic element to the gameplay.
- Water as a new resource (weight 0.25): The DLC introduces water as a new resource, which is crucial for various mechanics, including drilling and refining processes.
- New content and mechanics (weight 0.18): The game introduces new content and mechanics compared to other DLCs, adding fresh dynamics and challenges to the gameplay.
- Refinery system (weight 0.16): Players need to build and convert silos to refineries as part of the refining process. This adds a layer of strategy and management to the gameplay.
- Market and economic strategies (weight 0.15): Players can engage in market strategies, including managing oil prices, selling petrol, and using market tips to optimize their gameplay.
- Tutorial and AI behavior (weight 0.14): The game includes a tutorial system and features AI behavior for wagons and resource finding, which enhances the gameplay experience.
- Character interactions and side missions (weight 0.1): The game features character interactions and side missions, adding depth and variety to the gameplay experience.

Performance notes:
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.12): The game often crashes, which significantly disrupts the gameplay experience and causes frustration among players.
- Presence of bugs (weight 0.06): Players have reported encountering various bugs, although specific details about these bugs are not provided.

Recommendations:
- Recommended expansion (weight 0.15): The expansion is generally recommended by several reviews.
- Prefer Heat Is On DLC (weight 0.11): Players recommend purchasing the 'Heat Is On' DLC over 'Deeper Underground' if you haven't already bought it.
- Worth buying for fans (weight 0.11): The game is considered worth buying if you are a fan of such games or love the base game.
- Positive overall sentiment (weight 0.06): There is a strong positive sentiment about the game, with some users highly recommending it.
- Request campaign or refund (weight 0.06): A user requests their campaign back or a refund, indicating dissatisfaction.
- Recommended to return (weight 0.06): Players recommend returning to the game title, suggesting it has lasting appeal.
- Developers move to next project (weight 0.05): Some players express that the developers should focus on their next project.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.35): Players feel disappointed due to the DLCs not meeting expectations in terms of length, value, and content. The new features are poorly executed, and the campaign is perceived as short and repetitive. Additionally, the difficulty spike and frustrating resource management contribute to the dissatisfaction.
- Frustration (weight 0.28): Frustration stems from cumbersome mechanics like refining processes and mandatory mini-games. Bugs and crashes, along with difficult resource handling and storage limitations, further exacerbate the frustration. Players also find the game unfairly balanced and lacking clear direction.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.13): Players enjoy the increased choices and strategic depth in resource management, particularly in gasoline production. The new content and mechanics, such as the petrol and water aspects, add to the fun and engaging gameplay.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Satisfaction comes from the perceived value for the price, with players feeling they got more than an hour of entertainment per dollar spent. The enjoyable gameplay experience, new features, and activities contribute to this positive emotion.
- Boredom (weight 0.09): The petrol refining mechanic and digging mini-game are seen as tedious and boring. The repetitive and monotonous nature of the digging mechanics and slow missions contribute to the feeling of boredom.
- Hopeful (weight 0.01): Players are hopeful about the potential for the game to be expanded with more gamemodes and events, indicating a desire for future improvements and additions.
- Engagement (weight 0.01): The increased complexity and enjoyment of the game keep players engaged, providing a deeper and more involving experience.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Some players find the game's mechanics complex and confusing, leading to a sense of bewilderment and difficulty in understanding certain aspects of the game.
- Interest (weight 0.01): The research mini-game was interesting to some players, sparking their curiosity and engagement with specific aspects of the game.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): New, original, and exciting game mechanics generate a sense of excitement among players, making the game more thrilling and enjoyable.}