Info about Dauntless: Official game description: As a Slayer of Ramsgate, you are all that stands between your world and the Behemoths that seek to devour it. Hunt huge monsters, alongside other Slayers on any platform, and craft awesome gear in this stylish free-to-play co-op action RPG. **A Behemoth Undertaking** -------------------------- Protect the Shattered Isles from over 40 different monstrous Behemoths in thrilling and rewarding boss-fight encounters. Combine preparation, skill, reflexes, and grit to save humanity from these insatiable beasts. **A Slayer Is Only As Good As Its Weapon** ------------------------------------------ Master and level up an arsenal of unique weapons, each with unique Legendary abilities and Talents to help you slay Behemoths with power and style. Swap in your subweapon to harness powerful combos and give you the edge over your quarry. **Take Sweet Revenge** ---------------------- Harvest parts from slain Behemoths to craft, upgrade, and optimize your armour, using Cells to activate perks and unlock the true potential of your gear. **There’s No “I” In Slayer** ---------------------------- You’re not in this fight alone. Team up with other Slayers to take down Behemoths, with seamless cross-play and cross-progression, powered by Epic accounts. Join Parties or Guilds to find and create a community with like-minded Slayers. **Slay Your Way** ----------------- Choose the game modes and challenges that suit your playstyle: * **The Hunting Grounds** are open worlds, where you can hunt a variety of Behemoths at a skill level of your choosing * **Escalations** will test your grit with relentless back-to-back challenges, in a chaotic roguelike environment with experimental builds and modifiers * **Trials** pit you against a Behemoth in a gladiatorial arena, with unique challenges and rewards, including a leaderboard * Not for the faint of heart, **Gauntlet** offers 600+ levels of increasing challenges each season, for you and your teammates, with bragging rights for the most accomplished Guilds **What Kind of Slayer Are You?** -------------------------------- Discover and express what kind of Slayer you want to be with over a dozen different ways to customize your character and a rich catalog of cosmetics. Combined with hundreds of nodes in the Slayer’s Path skill tree, there’s no limit to what kind of Slayer you can be. **A World Worth Slaying For** ----------------------------- The Shattered Isles is always growing and evolving. Each Season brings new content and features. And live events showcase limited-time quests and content, new and classic cosmetics, and gameplay boosts. Release date: 5 Dec, 2024 Categories: Monster Hunting, Action RPG, Cooperative Multiplayer, Real-time Combat, Crafting, Equipment Customization, Character Progression, Live Service Game - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: No data - Playtime Metrics: No data - 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: - Previously enjoyable, high initial potential (weight 0.52): Many reviewers express that the game was enjoyable in the past, particularly during its early access, beta phases, or before specific updates. They praise its initial concept, gameplay loop, and potential as a free-to-play alternative to Monster Hunter. Some reviewers have returned to the game periodically, indicating lasting appeal despite any issues. - Positive weapon system changes (weight 0.23): The updated weapon system, featuring unique abilities, talents, and the ability to swap between two weapons mid-hunt, is generally well-received. Reviewers appreciate the added depth in build creation and the strategic options this system provides. The weapon infusion system empowers weapons and their unique skills. - Improved graphics and UI (weight 0.11): Many reviewers appreciate the improved graphics, UI, and overall visual polish of the game, especially after recent updates. Some reviewers feel the update makes the game feel new after it had become stale. The combat is improved with cooler visual effects. - More fun with friends (weight 0.1): The game is more enjoyable when playing with friends, creating unique and funny moments. The game seems oriented towards playing with more people instead of encouraging solo play. The game is also cross-platform, allowing friends on different platforms to play together. - Satisfying monster hunting combat (weight 0.09): Reviewers find the core combat loop of hunting monsters to be fun and satisfying, with well-designed monsters and encounters. The addition of new Behemoths is a positive aspect of the updates. Learning each behemoth encounter is very satisfying. - Engaging armor and crafting system (weight 0.08): Reviewers appreciate the crafting system, especially the ability to customize armor and weapon sets. The new armor and Cell system allows players to create highly customizable and effective builds, focusing on high DPS, survival, or a mix of both. The original skill system was enjoyable due to its flexibility in creating character builds. - Rewarding progression system (weight 0.06): The progression system is consistent and rewarding. The update fixed the longevity issue, providing more incentive to grind. The new progression system is refreshing and better than the previous Reforge system. Veteran players received an overall boost to progression as compensation for the rework. - Good vision and potential (weight 0.05): The game has a good vision and a lot of potential. The reviewer enjoyed the Escalations the most, and while they're mostly unchanged the new skills and stats like MIGHT feel super unexplained. - Faster-paced Monster Hunter alternative (weight 0.05): The game is often compared to Monster Hunter, with reviewers noting its faster-paced gameplay and more accessible mechanics. Some reviewers consider it a good free-to-play alternative or entry point to the genre. The game is more straight forward to the point compared to Monster Hunter. - Free weapons are good (weight 0.03): New players will still unlock weapons over time. The free weapons are fantastic, potentially better than those obtained with weapon tokens. All weapons can still be obtained for free, despite the introduction of gacha elements. - Positive Steam release (weight 0.03): The game's release on Steam is seen as a positive move, providing easier access and review options for players. The Steam version fixed the controller issues that were present in the Epic Games version. - Free-to-play accessibility (weight 0.03): The game is free-to-play, which is a major draw for many players. The developers are trying to reduce the gap between free-to-play and paying players. The game is not Pay-to-Win. - Enjoyable new weapons and gear (weight 0.03): The reviewer enjoyed using the new gun and dark Cainblades. The reviewer enjoyed using Chain Blades to dart around the map. The reviewer likes the new gear. Common complaints: - Reduced weapon and build variety (weight 0.77): The update drastically reduced weapon and build variety by removing almost all weapons, weapon crafting, and customization options. This limits player choice, build flexibility, and the sense of progression, diminishing the core gameplay loop. The removal of weapon crafting also eliminates the ability to farm specific weapon types or elemental weapons. - Loss of progress, unfair compensation (weight 0.7): Veteran players have lost significant progress due to the removal of weapons and the introduction of weapon tokens, which are primarily obtained through the battle pass or real-money purchases. This has led to accusations of pay-to-win mechanics, as players are now forced to repurchase previously owned items or grind excessively to acquire new weapons. Some weapons are locked behind a paywall, requiring real money for the battlepass to get certain weapons. - Shift to pay-to-win model (weight 0.45): The game has shifted towards a heavily monetized, pay-to-win model with excessive microtransactions and paywalls. This change has alienated long-term players and made it difficult for new players to progress without spending money. Some reviewers mention that this shift may be due to the company being sold off or acquired by a crypto company. - Progression and balance issues (weight 0.43): The update has negatively impacted the game's balance and progression, making it less new-player friendly and more grindy. Many veteran players dislike the drastic changes to Dauntless, negatively impacting build diversity. The game is now confusing upon entry, with features locked and requiring interaction with numerous NPCs to understand the basics. - Questionable and frustrating design (weight 0.27): The game suffers from questionable design decisions, such as selling weapons in an item shop after players collect monster parts, forcing players to use different weapons to utilize different elements, and introducing frustrating one-shot kills. The game's structure is odd, requiring unlocking of already-owned items and upgrades. The dual-weapon mechanic feels incomplete and too basic compared to what was promised. - Unwelcome monetization and lootboxes (weight 0.24): The game now features loot boxes, battle passes, and other forms of monetization that detract from the core gameplay experience. Cosmetics are primarily locked behind the shop, with some costing over €25, whereas they were previously obtainable through gameplay. The game has pushed itself into a pay-to-progress model, with some pay-to-win aspects. - Worse battle pass rewards (weight 0.22): The battle pass system has been negatively altered, with the removal of premium currency and a reduction in rewards. This makes the battle pass less appealing and incentivizes players to spend more money. The ability to earn platinum by completing the pass was removed. - Technical issues and poor guidance (weight 0.21): The game suffers from technical issues, including poor optimization, lag, bugs, and a lack of complete translation. The game is also not beginner-friendly, with unclear guidance and tutorials. The game is currently unenjoyable, with the reviewer logging in and immediately logging off. - Negative cell system rework (weight 0.2): The cell system rework has made it worse than before, with cells now being one-time use and cell fusion being removed. This limits build experimentation and variety, and makes the system more confusing. The reviewer finds the cells system a bit confusing. - Disappointment and regret (weight 0.11): The reviewer expresses regret for investing time and money into the game, criticizing the developers for destroying what was and making changes that no one needed. The reviewer feels the developers have a "to heck with the old players, as long as we bring new meat" attitude. The reviewer was banned from the official Discord server for expressing their opinion. - Negative Steam reviews and issues (weight 0.09): The game received negative reviews on Steam. The Steam port has issues, specifically the Spanish dubbing, which mixes Spanish and English. The game had issues on Steam, failing to close properly and remaining active in the task manager. Gameplay feedback: - Core gameplay loop remains similar (weight 0.1): The core gameplay loop involves hunting Behemoths (boss monsters) to gather materials for crafting and upgrading gear. Combat includes dodging, attacking breakable parts, and utilizing elemental affinities. The game is often compared to Monster Hunter, but with faster gameplay and a more relaxed approach. - Weapon swapping feels clunky (weight 0.04): Some reviewers found the weapon swapping mechanic to be clunky and limiting, with builds often prioritizing a single weapon. The reworked armor system is considered convoluted and time-consuming, with builds not becoming viable until armor pieces are leveled up. Buffs have been simplified, but some found this made them more confusing. - Story is minimal or average (weight 0.02): The game's story is considered average or non-existent, with some reviewers playing it as a side game. The game is now primarily a boss rushing action RPG. - Multiplayer enhances the experience (weight 0.02): The game is more enjoyable when played with friends or by teaming up with others. The multiplayer aspect is considered a strong point. - Hunting grounds feel grindy (weight 0.02): The game transitioned from individual monster hunts to an open area map with respawning monsters, which some reviewers found to be a grind. This change made the game feel less engaging than the original version and other hunting games like Monster Hunter. - Game requires significant grinding (weight 0.01): The game requires a significant amount of grinding to unlock everything, but spending real money is not required to progress. Players need to grind for resources to acquire good gear. Performance notes: - Resolution locked, cannot be changed (weight 0.03): Some players are unable to change the game's resolution, with the game being locked at a specific resolution. This issue has persisted even after updates. Some players are also reporting that 2k resolution is no longer available. - Unoptimized Unreal Engine 5 update (weight 0.01): The game was ported from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5, but the update is heavily unoptimized. This is likely the cause of the performance issues reported by many players. Recommendations: - Avoid Dauntless due to issues (weight 0.96): Many reviewers strongly advise against playing Dauntless, especially after the recent update. They cite predatory monetization, loss of progress, and a general decline in quality. Some suggest the game is dying or already dead, with a dwindling player base and little hope for improvement. - Try it; it's free to play (weight 0.45): Despite the overwhelmingly negative sentiment, some reviewers suggest trying the game, especially since it's free. They recommend forming your own opinion rather than relying solely on negative reviews, particularly if you're a new player. - Play Monster Hunter instead (weight 0.22): Many reviewers recommend playing Monster Hunter (World, Rise, or Wilds) or other similar games like God Eater or Wild Hearts instead of Dauntless. They feel these alternatives offer a better experience, respect the player's time and money, and provide more content. - "Awakening" update is detrimental (weight 0.05): The "Awakening" update is a major point of contention, with many reviewers considering it a failure or a step in the wrong direction. Some suggest reverting the update to a previous state. - Hoping for future improvements (weight 0.04): A small number of reviewers express a more positive outlook, either enjoying the update or hoping for future improvements. They plan to update their reviews based on future developments and are willing to give the game a chance. - Fun and worthwhile with friends (weight 0.04): Some reviewers still find the game fun and worthwhile, especially when played with friends, and highly recommend it. - Core gameplay loop diminished (weight 0.03): Reviewers feel the core gameplay loop has been lost, with customization, weapon variety, and free-to-play cosmetics being removed. They also express concern over the lack of permanent progression due to potential future reworks. - Changes are the "kiss of death" (weight 0.01): Some reviewers believe the recent changes are a death knell for Dauntless and possibly Phoenix Labs, suggesting the developers are alienating their community. - Pointless grind is present (weight 0.01): Reviewers express concern over pointless grind being added to the game. - Praise for indie developers (weight 0.01): Reviewers praise indie developers for working on passion projects with care, heart, and soul, and for prioritizing the player community and listening to feedback. Other player notes: - Reviewers are experienced, invested players (weight 0.11): Many reviewers are long-time players (Alpha, Beta, Founder) with hundreds or thousands of hours invested. They bring extensive experience and perspective, but their views may be colored by nostalgia or frustration with changes. Some acknowledge difficulty relearning the game after updates. - Significant, controversial updates/revisions (weight 0.08): The game has undergone significant updates and revisions, including 'Awakening' and 'Reforge,' with mixed reception. Some updates are seen as detrimental, making the game more grindy or removing popular features. Developers have no plans to revert the changes. - Acquisition by blockchain company (weight 0.06): Phoenix Labs was acquired by Forte Labs, a blockchain company, leading to concerns about the game's future direction and monetization. This acquisition was not initially public and was followed by layoffs, fueling speculation and distrust within the community. Some reviewers claim that there are no blockchain elements in the game. - Epic account required on Steam (weight 0.03): Despite the Steam release, an Epic Games account is still required to play, which some reviewers find redundant. This requirement allows players to continue using their previous save data. Cross-play with Epic and console versions exists. - Efforts to address player feedback (weight 0.03): Recent updates show efforts to address community complaints, adjust monetization, and reward veteran players. However, some updates feel catered to new players, potentially alienating the existing player base. It is hoped that the developers will continue to listen to player feedback. - Decent core, poor execution (weight 0.02): While the core gameplay is considered decent, the overall execution is lacking, with unrefined aspects outside of the core mechanics. The game has bugs, but is still playable. The concept is great, but the execution is poor. - Original team no longer involved (weight 0.02): The original development team is largely gone due to buyouts and layoffs. This raises concerns about the future direction and quality of the game, as the vision and expertise of the original creators are no longer present. - Condemns harassment of developers (weight 0.02): Some reviewers express disappointment but condemn insults or threats against the developers. There are claims that the developers are removing criticism from their Discord server. - Past progress resets occurred (weight 0.01): Progress resets have occurred in the past due to large updates, which is not new for beta players. These resets convert collected and enhanced items into materials, causing frustration for some players. - Features have been removed (weight 0.01): Certain features, such as lanterns (mini abilities) and some exotic headgear, have been removed from the game. This has negatively impacted some players who enjoyed those features. - Simple, stylistic graphics (weight 0.01): The game's graphics are described as simple and stylistic, with some reviewers finding them beautiful. Emotions: No emotions}