Info about Sunken Engine: Official game description: Join Our Community ================== About the Game ============== **Ship Repair Business, But Lovecraftian** ------------------------------------------ **Sunken Engine** is a ship repair simulation game with a distinctive Lovecraftian atmosphere. After your father’s untimely death, you must keep the business you inherited alive. This means not only repairing ships but also keeping customers satisfied, maintaining the town’s order, and uncovering the mysteries your father left behind. Yet every new ship brings new challenges and ominous secrets. **Dark Horror and Sanity** -------------------------- The supernatural events you face during daily work will threaten your sanity. Losing your mental balance not only makes your job harder but may also attract the attention of dark entities. To survive, you must find ways to protect your mind, continue your work, and keep your wits if you wish to discover your father’s true legacy. **Sunken Ship’s Goods** ----------------------- Repairing is not the only way to sustain your business. You can sell valuable loot recovered from the sea at the stall behind your shop. The economy is difficult for everyone in town; you must care for your family while keeping the business alive. Sometimes, this means stepping beyond conventional ways to earn profit. **Repair the Ships** -------------------- Your town is located in the middle of a busy sea route. Ships of various sizes and types dock for repairs, and it is your duty to meet the captains’ needs. Fixing damages is vital not just for your business but for the safety of the entire region. Yet some repairs may require more than just your tools… **Customization and Progression** --------------------------------- You can renovate and improve your shop as you wish. By customizing your tools, workspace, and decorations, you can impress customers and bring to life the workshop your father once dreamed of. **Ships and Licenses** ---------------------- As you progress, you’ll learn to repair more ships and, with new licenses, take on more complex work. Each license opens the door to new types of ships and new challenges. But remember: not every ship is just a repair job—some bring with them dark stories and sinister secrets. Be cautious… Release date: Sep 10, 2026 Categories: Ship Repair Simulation, Lovecraftian Horror, Sanity Management, Shop Management, Fishing Simulation, Cleaning Simulation, Story-driven Gameplay, Early Access Feature scans: - Proton/Linux: score 60; verdict: Playable with performance issues; summary: The available reviews indicate that the game runs on Steam Deck (Linux) but with notable performance issues. Users report poor performance and acknowledge that the game is only 'Playable' with known problems. No evidence of launch failures or severe glitches was provided, but the performance concerns suggest the game requires patience and possibly tweaks to be enjoyable on Linux. - Steam Deck: score 80; verdict: Broken - Poorly Optimized for Steam Deck; summary: The game has significant controller and UI issues on Steam Deck, with freezes, inability to navigate menus, and text cut off, making it difficult to play without workarounds. The overall experience is broken for many users. - Hardware Profile: - Summary: The Windows 12-15GB VRAM cohort reports persistent stuttering issues that remain unfixed after a year, indicating poor performance. - Sample size: 22 (3% coverage) - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based. - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (negative, 5 reports): Users report ongoing stuttering while turning and moving, which the developers acknowledged but have not fixed for over a year. - Caveats: 22 of 820 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based. Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $8.00 - $12.00 - Reasoning: Multiple reviewers explicitly cite $10 as a fair price, while one reviewer states that the full price (approximately $11) is not worth it, indicating the community's perceived value is below the current $14.99. The evidence suggests a fair base-game price range centered around $10, with a reasonable spread of $8-$12 to account for differing opinions on content and polish. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: 21.0h - Story completion: 21.0h - Session length: 5.0h - Endgame: N/A - Reasoning: The 21-hour quote from an Italian review indicates the time taken to reach the end of the current story content, supporting both gameCompletion and storyCompletion. The 5-hour quote from a Portuguese review indicates a typical session length, supporting sessionLength. No clear evidence for endgame time was found, so endgame is null. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: Players generally enjoy the first hour or few hours, but then the game becomes repetitive and grindy, leading to a drop in fun. Some find early repetition that improves with upgrades, but the dominant pattern is a decline after initial enjoyment. - Stance: Fun then drops - Anchor: N/A - Time to anchor: N/A - Friction: repetitive minigames; confusing tutorial popups; slow early progression; bugs and glitches; fishing too hard or boring; unclear keybindings - Unlock drivers: unlocking upgrades and permits; perks and upgrades that make tasks easier; faster task completion with advancement; variety of ships and tasks - Conditions: after the first hour or so; after the first few hours; when you top out or max content; if you rush through the story; if you miss tutorial windows; during early access; if you prefer non-repetitive gameplay; if you engage with the story and atmosphere - Player Archetypes: - Chill Cleaner (buy) - Motivation: Relaxing cleaning and restoration gameplay with a light horror twist. - Playstyle: Methodical cleaning, upgrading shop, side activities like fishing, managing sanity. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: Dredge; Viscera Cleanup Detail; Crime Scene Cleaner - Lovecraft Enthusiast (sale) - Motivation: Immersive eldritch atmosphere, story, and sanity mechanics. - Playstyle: Exploring story, managing sanity, appreciating atmosphere, reading lore. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: N/A - Reference games: Dredge; Blue Prince - Grind-Weary Veteran (no buy) - Motivation: Seeking meaningful progression without repetitive grind; wants depth and variety. - Playstyle: Min-maxing, achievement hunting, possibly using cheats to bypass grind, focusing on efficiency. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: no buy - Labels: achievement fanatic; old player; completionist - Reference games: N/A - Early Access Optimist (buy) - Motivation: Supporting a promising project and watching it grow; enjoying the current content while anticipating updates. - Playstyle: Exploring all content, providing feedback, replaying after updates, patient with bugs. - Experience: mixed - 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: - Game is fun and enjoyable (weight 0.34): Players consistently describe the game as fun, enjoyable, and engaging, with many noting it is addictive and great to pass the time. The overall sentiment is highly positive, highlighting the game's entertainment value. - Lovecraftian atmosphere is praised (weight 0.2): The Lovecraftian theme and atmosphere are frequently highlighted as major positives, with players appreciating the detailed lore and the effective horror ambience. The setting is considered a key strength that enhances the overall experience. - Story is interesting and engaging (weight 0.19): Reviewers find the story to be interesting, engaging, and intriguing, with some noting it is better than most simulator games. The narrative is seen as a strong point that adds personality and depth to the game. - Gameplay is immersive and draws players in (weight 0.18): The gameplay is described as immersive, with a good flow that pulls players in from the first minute. The satisfying and fluid mechanics keep players engaged and wanting to continue playing. - Good value for the price (weight 0.13): Players feel the game offers good value for its price, with many stating it is worth the cost and even a steal when discounted. The game is considered to have sufficient depth and content to justify the asking price. - Ship repair gameplay is satisfying (weight 0.11): The core loop of cleaning and repairing ships is described as satisfying, relaxing, and engaging. Players find this mechanic to be a standout feature that provides a nice flow and is exciting to perform on different ship types. - Game is relaxing and cozy (weight 0.11): Players find the game relaxing and perfect for unwinding, with a cozy yet slightly spooky atmosphere. The balance between comfort and horror elements is appreciated, making it a unique and enjoyable experience. - Game has high potential (weight 0.08): Many reviewers note that the game has a lot of potential and a cool idea, with promising gameplay. It is seen as a good start that could become a perfect gem with further development. - Excellent early access title (weight 0.08): The game is praised for being very polished and full of content for an early access title. Reviewers consider it a great example of early access done right, offering a good experience even in its current state. - Plenty of content and things to do (weight 0.07): Reviewers mention that the game has plenty to do and work towards, with a lot to discover and enjoy. The amount of content keeps players busy for hours and adds to the game's value. - Game is unique and quirky (weight 0.06): The game is described as unique, unusual, and wonderfully quirky, with a concept that sets it apart from other titles. Players appreciate the charming and strange aspects that make it stand out. - Well-designed mechanics (weight 0.06): The game's mechanics are considered interesting, great, and well-designed. Players find the mechanics to be a strong aspect of the game, contributing to its engaging and dynamic gameplay. - Beautiful art and design (weight 0.06): The art and design of the game are praised for being beautiful, pleasant, and amazing. The visual presentation is a notable positive aspect that enhances the overall experience. - No game-breaking issues (weight 0.05): Reviewers report that the game has no critical bugs or game-breaking issues. The lack of major technical problems contributes to a smooth and enjoyable experience. - Great simulator game (weight 0.05): The game is considered a very good simulator, with an addictive and well-made simulation part. It stands out among other simulators due to its personality and engaging presentation. Common complaints: - Game is very buggy (weight 0.17): Multiple reviews report numerous bugs affecting both story and general gameplay, with optimization issues, freezing, and a general unfinished feel. This is the most frequently cited technical problem. - Early access incompleteness (weight 0.14): Players note the game is in early access, resulting in rough edges, limited content, and a lack of updates. This is a common theme but somewhat expected given the game's status. - Horror elements not scary (weight 0.14): The horror aspects, including jump scares, are considered weak, repetitive, and not immersive. This is a critical failure for a horror game. - Story is incomplete (weight 0.11): The story is described as unfinished, half-finished, or lacking content, which is a major concern for players expecting a complete narrative. This is tied to the early access state but is a distinct issue. - Controls are clunky (weight 0.1): The control scheme is criticized as unintuitive, difficult to manage, and poorly optimized for mouse and keyboard. This affects gameplay experience significantly. - AI-generated art criticized (weight 0.1): Players are upset that character sprites and other art appear to be AI-generated without disclosure, which they feel ruins the experience. This is a significant ethical and quality concern. - Needs more polish (weight 0.07): The game lacks polish in details, with graphics and overall presentation being off-putting. This is a general quality issue that affects first impressions. - Game is too short (weight 0.07): The game is currently short, with the main story being noticeably brief and lacking content. This is a content volume issue that may disappoint players. - Repetitive gameplay is boring (weight 0.07): Players find the gameplay monotonous and repetitive, leading to boredom. This is a core gameplay loop issue that reduces long-term engagement. - Tutorial is useless (weight 0.06): The tutorial is described as terrible, not helpful, and not timely, leaving players without proper guidance. This is a usability issue that affects early gameplay. - UI needs work (weight 0.04): The user interface is described as rough, problematic, and in need of serious work. This affects navigation and overall polish. - Game worsened after demo (weight 0.04): Players feel the game has changed for the worse since the demo, with a noticeable decline in quality. This is a specific concern about the game's development direction. - Controller support broken (weight 0.04): Controller support is lacking, broken, or insufficient, which is a problem for players who prefer gamepads. This is a specific accessibility issue. Gameplay feedback: - Ship repair is core gameplay (weight 0.49): The primary gameplay loop revolves around repairing, cleaning, and maintaining ships. Players inspect, clean, replace parts, and program ship components, with tutorials and progression systems. - Lovecraftian horror theme pervasive (weight 0.33): The game is heavily themed around Lovecraftian horror, featuring Cthulhu elements, occult lore, and an eerie atmosphere. This theme is central to the story and setting, influencing the overall tone. - Fishing is a side activity (weight 0.2): Fishing is a prominent side activity, allowing players to catch fish and seafood. It includes a distance mechanic and integrates with selling and other gameplay loops. - Story mode with mysteries (weight 0.14): The game includes a story mode with chapters and a mystery narrative that deepens as players progress. The story is intertwined with Lovecraftian secrets and exploration. - Selling items at market (weight 0.14): Players can sell collected items, fish, and other finds at a market or bazaar. This provides a source of income and is a key part of the gameplay loop. - Upgrade systems for tools and skills (weight 0.13): Players can upgrade tools, skills, and the shipyard itself. These upgrades change gameplay mechanics and provide progression. - Cleaning and trash removal (weight 0.11): Cleaning is a core mechanic, involving scrubbing messes, picking up trash, and scraping barnacles. It is a significant part of the gameplay. - Horror elements and jump scares (weight 0.11): The game incorporates horror elements, including jump scares and paranormal phenomena. These are mixed with cozy simulation aspects, creating a unique tone. - Shop management and customer service (weight 0.08): The game includes managing a shop, serving customers, and taking care of the business. This adds a management layer to the simulation. - Sanity mechanic affects gameplay (weight 0.08): The game features a sanity mechanic that decreases from jump scares and paranormal events. Players can upgrade to make sanity last longer, adding a strategic element. - Day-night cycle and time system (weight 0.04): The game has a day-night cycle from 6am to 8pm, with a day timer. This affects gameplay and adds a time management aspect. - Tool wheel for equipment selection (weight 0.04): Players use a tool wheel to select different tools for various tasks. This is a key interface element for gameplay. - Grinding and chores are common (weight 0.04): The gameplay involves grinding and repetitive chores, which some players may find tedious. This is a common criticism. - Exploration and discovery (weight 0.04): The game encourages exploring the world and discovering new things, which ties into the story and Lovecraftian secrets. - Boat cleaning specifically (weight 0.04): Cleaning boats is a specific task, distinct from ship repair. It involves scrubbing and removing debris. - Cursed and possessed ships (weight 0.04): The game features cursed ships and paranormal phenomena, including late-night visits. This adds a horror twist to the simulation. - Bazaar for selling goods (weight 0.04): A bazaar is available where players can sell found or fished items, and even give change. This is a social and economic hub. - Repair tools and equipment (weight 0.04): Players use various tools and equipment to repair and renovate ships. This is a hands-on aspect of the gameplay. Performance notes: - Performance issues and bugs (weight 0.29): Multiple clusters report performance problems, bugs, and instability, including framerate drops, freezing, and crashes. These issues are widespread and affect various hardware configurations. - Specific bugs and glitches (weight 0.13): Various specific glitches are reported, including sound bugs, falling through textures, menu glitches, screen tearing, and graphical issues. These detract from the overall experience. - Optimization praised on some systems (weight 0.09): A few clusters note that the game runs well on certain systems, including a 5-year-old laptop and high-end setups. This suggests performance varies significantly depending on hardware. - Steam Deck performance mixed (weight 0.06): Feedback on Steam Deck is contradictory, with some reporting smooth performance and others experiencing poor playability and navigation issues. This indicates inconsistent optimization on the device. - Graphics settings limitations (weight 0.05): Players report that graphics cannot be lowered without changing resolution, and that optimization is poor relative to visual quality. This limits accessibility for lower-end hardware. - Post-update performance degradation (weight 0.03): Several clusters mention that performance worsened after updates, with hard freezes, stuttering, and image freezing. This suggests that patches introduced new issues. - Motion sickness from FOV (weight 0.01): One player reported motion sickness due to a FOV change, indicating a potential comfort issue for some users. Recommendations: - Strongly recommended (weight 0.17): A significant number of reviewers give the game a strong recommendation, encouraging others to buy and play it without hesitation. They express high satisfaction and confidence in the game's quality. - Worth the price (weight 0.16): Multiple reviewers highlight that the game offers good value for its cost, especially during discounts. The depth and quality justify the purchase, making it a solid recommendation for the price. - Not recommended currently (weight 0.13): Several reviewers advise against buying the game in its current state, citing early-stage issues and the need for fixes. They suggest waiting until the game is more polished before purchasing. - Good for genre fans (weight 0.08): The game is recommended for fans of specific genres, including simulation, cleaning, and atmospheric games. Reviewers note that those who enjoy these styles will likely appreciate the game. - Appeals to Lovecraft fans (weight 0.05): Reviewers recommend the game to fans of Lovecraftian themes, mysticism, and dark worlds. The game's atmosphere and story resonate well with those who enjoy cosmic horror elements. - Try before buying (weight 0.03): Some reviewers suggest watching gameplay or trying a demo before purchasing, especially for those unsure about the game. This helps potential buyers make an informed decision. - Accept early access state (weight 0.03): The game is recommended for players who can tolerate early access limitations. Reviewers note that the game shows promise but is still in development, so expectations should be adjusted. - Potential once finished (weight 0.03): Reviewers express hope that the game will become excellent once fully developed. They recommend it with the expectation that future updates will improve the experience. Other player notes: - Early access with ongoing development (weight 0.27): Many reviewers note the game is in Early Access, with some appreciating the active patching and updates while others feel it was released too early. The limited content and unfinished state are common observations. - Comparisons to Dredge (weight 0.18): The game is frequently compared to Dredge in terms of atmosphere, gameplay, and art style. Some reviewers see it as a homage, while others claim it's too similar or even an asset rip. - Expectation of future updates (weight 0.14): Reviewers expect the game to improve with future updates, including story progression and new gameplay elements. There is a roadmap with remaining updates, and the game is anticipated to reach a full release. - Unfinished story and content (weight 0.14): The story is incomplete and not far along, with continuation pending updates. The game doesn't feel fully finished, and some content is missing due to Early Access status. - Appropriate pricing for content (weight 0.12): The game is considered worth its current price, with a friendly or cheap price point. Reviewers note it has a large amount of content for the price, including 5-10+ hours of gameplay. - Active and responsive developers (weight 0.1): Developers are actively working on the game, delivering patches, bug fixes, and new content. They are described as attentive, responsive, and excited to continue development. - AI-generated art concerns (weight 0.08): The game uses AI-generated art, which is sometimes disclosed and sometimes not. Reviewers mention AI-generated character models and images in the main menu, raising concerns about transparency. - Turkish indie development (weight 0.04): The game is developed by a small Turkish indie team. This is noted positively by some reviewers, adding context to the game's scope and development. - Steam Deck compatibility issues (weight 0.04): The game is marked as 'Playable' on Steam Deck with some problems, and some reviewers report it does not support the device. Others say it runs on Steam Deck, indicating mixed experiences. Emotions: - Frustration (weight 0.19): Players are frustrated by numerous bugs, crashes, and freezes that disrupt gameplay and cause progress loss. The game's poor optimization, repetitive grinding, and unintuitive controls further compound the frustration, making the experience feel unfinished and unpolished. - Enjoyment (weight 0.16): Players enjoy the relaxing and satisfying core gameplay loop of cleaning, repairing, and fishing, which is complemented by a charming Lovecraftian atmosphere. The variety of activities and the engaging story contribute to a fun and immersive experience that keeps players entertained. - Disappointment (weight 0.11): Disappointment stems from the game not living up to its potential, with many players citing the use of AI-generated art, incomplete story, and repetitive gameplay. The shift from a promising demo to a buggy, unfinished product, along with weak horror elements, has left players feeling let down. - Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Satisfaction arises from the satisfying and relaxing ship repair and cleaning mechanics, which provide a sense of achievement and progression. Players appreciate the game's atmosphere, story, and the developers' responsiveness in fixing bugs, leading to an overall positive experience. - Excitement (weight 0.06): Excitement is driven by the game's addictive gameplay, intriguing Lovecraftian setting, and the anticipation of future updates and story developments. Players are eager to see how the game evolves and are impressed by its unique blend of horror and simulation elements. - Anticipation (weight 0.04): Anticipation is fueled by the game's promising early access state and the desire to see the story and mechanics fully developed. Players are eagerly waiting for updates, new chapters, and the full release, hoping the game will reach its full potential. - Love (weight 0.03): Players love the game's unique atmosphere, art style, and the satisfying gameplay loop, which is enhanced by the Lovecraftian theme. The combination of cleaning, repairing, and fishing, along with the engaging story, creates an immersive and charming experience that resonates deeply with fans. - Hope (weight 0.03): Hope is expressed for the game's future, with players believing that the developers will fix bugs, improve performance, and add more content. The game's potential is widely recognized, and players are optimistic that it will become a polished and fantastic experience by full release. - Annoyance (weight 0.03): Annoyance is caused by repetitive jump scares, grindy money accumulation, and various minor bugs that disrupt the experience. The lack of variety in music and the annoying hammering skill check system also contribute to player irritation. - Appreciation (weight 0.02): Appreciation is directed towards the game's charming atmosphere, well-designed art, and the developers' active engagement with the community. Players value the unique blend of simulation and horror, and the clear passion behind the project is recognized and praised. - Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom sets in due to the repetitive nature of the gameplay, particularly the work simulation aspects and fishing, which lack depth and progression. The monotony of ship repairs and the lack of engaging story elements lead to a dull experience over time. - Interest (weight 0.02): Interest is sparked by the intriguing story, the variety of work tasks, and the mysterious atmosphere that unfolds as players progress. The game's potential and the eerie elements keep players engaged and curious about what lies ahead. - Fear (weight 0.02): Fear is induced by the Lovecraftian horror elements, including sudden jump scares, eerie atmosphere, and unsettling creatures. The game successfully creates moments of tension and dread, especially during encounters with supernatural entities. - Curiosity (weight 0.01): Curiosity is driven by the mysterious and strange events occurring in the game's world, prompting players to explore and uncover secrets. The desire to understand the story and see how the game develops keeps players engaged and wanting more. - Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from the lack of clear instructions and explanations for various game mechanics, such as selling fish, using artifacts, and navigating the big ship. The overwhelming number of mechanics introduced quickly and unclear objectives leave players feeling lost. - Engagement (weight 0.01): Engagement is high due to the captivating gameplay and story that draws players in and makes time pass unnoticed. The unexpected story progression and the desire to see what happens next keep players invested in the game. - Anger (weight 0.01): Anger is triggered by the loss of progress due to bugs, the use of undisclosed AI art, and frustrating gameplay issues like unresponsive controls. Players feel punished by glitches and are upset by the lack of transparency from the developers. - Admiration (weight 0.01): Admiration is felt for the game's depth, unique style, and the impressive achievement of a small Turkish indie team. The gritty, disturbing atmosphere and the continuous addition of new mechanics are particularly praised. - Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise comes from the game exceeding expectations, with unexpected elements like the use of the Necronomicon and the deep mystery beyond simple cleaning. The sanity system and horror elements also provide surprising and memorable moments. - Fun (weight 0.01): Fun is derived from the engaging gameplay loop of cleaning, repairing, and fishing, which is both satisfying and enjoyable. The game's variety and the rewarding progression keep players entertained and coming back for more.}