Info about The Void:

Official game description:
  
When a person’s soul is extinguished, for a brief flickering moment it passes The Void—a grey limbo, breathed back to life by scarce droplets of Color scattered across it. Ravenous, monstrous Brothers beckon the soul to preserve every bit of it; enticing, sly Sisters beg to be fed. The whole Void, inhabited also by a multitude of weird and sometimes scary creatures, changes with every droplet of Color used, making every action you take have repercussions across the whole world.  
But perhaps there is another way to use the Color. The way to break out of the never-ending cycle of the Void. Nourishing Color in gardens and fighting the Void’s creatures, unlocking the Sisters’ hearts and taking on their Brothers, the player gets the chance to find it… and achieve ultimate transcendence.  
*   **Explore the Void.** Broken into 29 separate chambers, the place you have fallen into is full of secrets, twists, and turns.  
*   **Nourish, hunt, mine.** Each type of environment offers its own features: grow Color in some, hunt for it or mine it in others, unlocking new chambers through the Sisters.  
*   **Draw your soul.** All important actions in the game are executed through drawing on the screen, the effect depending both on the sigil drawn and the color used.  
*   **Get to know the Sisters.** Each of them representing a combination of two Colors, each of them alluring and greedy, the Sisters are willing to spill their hearts out—if you fill them with Color first.  
*   **Obey… or disobey.** Seeing you as one of their own, the grotesque Brothers are willing to share their wisdom—as long as you obey. And if you don’t, be prepared for hard fights with intimidating gigantic foes.  
*   **Gaze long into the Void and feel it gaze into you.** The only resource in the game, Color changes both you and the world around you with every droplet used. Accumulating Red inside your heart can make you strong, but it also makes predators more aggressive; find the perfect balance or just watch the world react to every choice of yours.  
*   **Listen to the Voice of Color and find your true purpose.**

Release date: Dec 15, 2009

Categories: Surreal Exploration, Resource Management, Character Interaction, Drawing Mechanics, Color-based Gameplay, Atmospheric Horror, Philosophical Exploration, Moral Decision-Making

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Needs Improvement in Instructional Data; summary: The primary user complaints revolve around the game's complex and confusing mechanics, which often require external guides or walkthroughs to understand and progress. Additionally, users find the quest outcomes and overall progression unclear without additional help. There is also significant frustration regarding the lack of in-game explanations for various mechanics and hidden secrets, leading to a heavy reliance on external resources.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews indicate that users find the game worth its price, with specific mentions of it being worth every penny and the atmosphere alone justifying the cost. Additionally, a review suggests that even a sale price of around $3 is a good deal, implying that the fair price is higher than this sale price but still reasonable.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 62.0h
  - Story completion: 35.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides several direct and indirect references to playtime metrics. The first quote mentions 62 hours of gameplay, which is a clear indicator of the total time to finish the game. The second quote reiterates the 62 hours to finish the game via a difficult route, supporting the game completion time. The third quote again mentions 62 hours of gameplay, reinforcing the game completion time. The fourth quote suggests a range of 20 to 50 hours to complete the game, which can be interpreted as the typical time to finish the main story or campaign.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has a steep learning curve and can be initially frustrating, but it becomes deeply engaging and rewarding after players overcome the initial difficulties and understand the game's intricate systems.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Understanding the game's intricate systems
  - Time to anchor: 2h 0m
  - Friction: Lack of a proper tutorial; Cryptic mechanics; Steep learning curve; Repetitive gameplay
  - Unlock drivers: Persistence; Experimentation; Observation
  - Conditions: Patience; Willingness to learn; Appreciation for deep and intricate game systems
- Player Archetypes:
  - Surrealism Endurer (sale)
    - Motivation: Appreciation for unique and challenging artistic experiences.
    - Playstyle: Endures challenging and punishing gameplay for the sake of surreal and artistic storytelling.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Surrealism lover; Art appreciator
    - Reference games: Pathologic; Dark Souls
  - Genre Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Appreciation for games similar to their favorites.
    - Playstyle: Seeks out games based on similarities to their favorite titles.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Pathologic fan; Star Control 2 fan; Ultima fan
    - Reference games: Pathologic; Star Control 2; Ultima 4
  - Enthusiastic Recommender (buy)
    - Motivation: Desire to share unique and valuable gaming experiences with others.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys and recommends games based on their unique qualities and experiences.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Game enthusiast; Experience sharer
    - 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:
- Stunning atmosphere and art direction (weight 0.76): The game's atmosphere is described as haunting, dream-like, and deeply thematic, complemented by superb art direction and beautiful visuals. The combination of music, graphics, and environmental design creates a captivating and immersive experience.
- Unique and innovative gameplay (weight 0.63): The game is frequently praised for its unique and innovative gameplay mechanics, which set it apart from other games. Players find the gameplay challenging, complex, and rewarding, often requiring multiple replays to fully grasp its depth.
- Beautiful and poetic storytelling (weight 0.55): The game features a beautifully poetic and philosophical story that resonates with players. The narrative is often described as profound, intriguing, and thought-provoking, adding depth to the overall experience.
- Surreal and immersive world (weight 0.33): The game's world is praised for its surreal and immersive qualities, with unique and beautiful designs that captivate players. The world-building is described as intricate and fascinating, contributing to the overall atmosphere.
- Thought-provoking themes (weight 0.26): The game explores deep and thought-provoking themes, including existential and philosophical ideas. These themes add layers of meaning and encourage players to reflect on the game's content.
- Challenging and rewarding gameplay (weight 0.18): Players find the game challenging, with complex mechanics that require multiple replays to fully understand and master. The challenging nature of the gameplay is seen as rewarding and engaging.
- Character design (weight 0.11): The game features unique and interesting character designs, which add to its overall appeal. Players appreciate the creativity and attention to detail in the character designs.

Common complaints:
- Confusing and unclear mechanics (weight 0.53): Many players find the game mechanics to be obscure, confusing, and not fully explained. This lack of clarity can make the game difficult to understand and play.
- Extremely high difficulty (weight 0.42): The game is noted for its punishing and unforgiving difficulty level. Reviewers frequently mention the brutal and hardcore nature of the game.
- Poor and repetitive gameplay (weight 0.32): The gameplay is often described as not fun, repetitive, and grueling. Many reviewers found it slow-paced and unappealing.
- Technical and performance issues (weight 0.13): The game suffers from performance issues and crashes, which significantly impacts the player experience.
- Confusing narrative and dialogue (weight 0.13): The story and dialogue are often described as confusing and difficult to understand, leading to frustration among players.
- Depressing and heavy themes (weight 0.12): The game covers dark and heavy themes, which can be upsetting and overwhelming for some players.
- Censored and simplified version (weight 0.11): The game is seen as a censored and simplified version of the original, lacking certain features and challenges present in the Russian version.
- Need for external guides (weight 0.07): Players often feel the need to refer to external guides due to the game's complexity and lack of clear explanations.
- Slow progression (weight 0.07): The game's progression is slow, which can be frustrating for players.
- Slow character movement (weight 0.06): The running and walking speed of characters in the game is perceived as slow, affecting the overall gameplay experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Beautiful world and visuals (weight 0.26): The game features a unique and beautiful world with captivating visuals and music. Players appreciate the immersive atmosphere and the interesting lore and characters.
- Unique gameplay mechanics (weight 0.21): The game offers unique gameplay mechanics and narrative style. It is praised for its artistic experience and innovative mechanics.
- Thought-provoking and immersive (weight 0.2): The game is immersive and thought-provoking, with philosophical themes and atmospheric gameplay.
- Challenging and complex gameplay (weight 0.18): The game is known for its challenging and complex gameplay mechanics, which can be difficult to master.
- Resource and survival management (weight 0.16): The game involves significant resource management and survival elements. Players need to manage inventory and resources to progress.
- Exploration and discovery (weight 0.13): Exploration is a key aspect of the game, with players enjoying the adventure and discovery of new locations.
- Combat and boss battles (weight 0.11): The game features action and combat, including challenging boss battles. Players engage in fighting monsters and other combat scenarios.
- Moral choices and consequences (weight 0.11): Players make moral choices that have significant consequences, affecting the game's narrative and outcomes.
- Character and faction interactions (weight 0.1): Players interact with various characters and factions, which adds depth to the gameplay and narrative.
- Japanese narrative and mechanics (weight 0.1): The game features a unique narrative involving cultivating colors in a garden, interacting with sisters and brothers, and using magical combat to progress.
- Survival and horror elements (weight 0.1): The game includes survival gameplay and horror elements, adding to the challenge and atmosphere.
- Spell-casting system (weight 0.07): The game includes a spell-drawing system where players can cast spells using unique mechanics.
- Color-based mechanics (weight 0.07): The game utilizes color effects and mechanics, which play a significant role in the gameplay and narrative.
- Drawing mechanics (weight 0.07): The game includes drawing mechanics where players can draw on the screen to perform various actions.
- Interactive environment (weight 0.07): The game allows players to interact with trees and other elements in the environment, enhancing the gameplay experience.

Performance notes:
- Game crashing frequently (weight 0.14): Many players report that the game crashes often, making it unplayable. This includes general crashes and issues during launch.
- Numerous bugs and glitches (weight 0.11): Players encounter various bugs and glitches, including texture glitches and freezes, which disrupt the gaming experience.
- Optimization needed (weight 0.08): The game requires better optimization to run smoothly, especially on older PCs where lag is a significant issue.
- Audio issues present (weight 0.04): There are notable problems with the game's audio, which can affect the overall gaming experience.

Recommendations:
- Game is challenging (weight 0.08): The game is noted for its high difficulty level, which is seen as a positive aspect by many players.
- Try the game experience (weight 0.08): Many players recommend trying the game experience, suggesting it is worth the time and effort.
- Play original or watch reviews first (weight 0.08): Several reviews suggest playing the original game first or watching a let's play or in-depth review to understand the game better before diving in.
- Game suits specific preferences (weight 0.07): The game is recommended for those looking for a specific type of experience, but may not be suitable for those seeking accessible or short gameplay sessions.
- Desire for remake or sequel (weight 0.05): Players express a desire for a remake or sequel, indicating a strong attachment to the game.
- Recommendation based on player type (weight 0.04): The game is recommended based on the type of player, suggesting it caters to specific gaming preferences.
- Recommended for unique tastes (weight 0.04): The game is recommended for those who enjoy something a bit different, catering to unique gaming tastes.
- Avoid reading about mechanics (weight 0.04): Some players suggest avoiding reading about game mechanics beforehand to enhance the gaming experience.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.32): Players are frustrated primarily due to the game's high difficulty, lack of clear guidance, and various technical issues. The repetitive gameplay, unforgiving mechanics, and the need to frequently consult guides or restart also contribute significantly to this frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.09): Disappointment stems from the game's lack of expected elements, poor design choices, and unmet expectations in gameplay and performance. Players also express dissatisfaction with the game's endings and overall experience.
- Admiration (weight 0.07): Players admire the game for its unique and artistic design, including its beautiful graphics, intricate mechanics, and overall atmosphere. The game's creativity and challenging qualities are highly praised.
- Fascination (weight 0.07): The game's intricate themes, unique artistic world, and complex gameplay mechanics fascinate players. Its deep and immersive story, along with its creative and dream-like atmosphere, are particularly captivating.
- Joy (weight 0.05): Players find joy in the game's unique and beautiful surrealistic world, compelling story, and innovative design. The immersive and challenging experience, along with the game's artistic qualities, contribute to this joy.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.05): Enjoyment comes from the game's unique gameplay, atmospheric music, and high-quality graphics. The immersive world and striking visuals enhance the overall gaming experience.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Players are confused by the game's abstract and open-to-interpretation story, as well as its complex gameplay mechanics and philosophical themes. The game's complexity and lack of clear guidance contribute to this confusion.
- Sadness (weight 0.03): The game's depressing tone, dark topics, and gloomy atmosphere evoke feelings of sadness in players. The emotional impact of the game's themes and atmosphere can be deeply upsetting.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): Players are excited by the game's unique atmosphere, challenging gameplay, and artistic presentation. The game's unusual plot and horror elements add to the excitement.
- Awe (weight 0.02): The game's artistic and thought-provoking nature, along with its deep themes and emotional impact, inspire awe in players. The unique mechanics and beautiful experience contribute to this sense of awe.
- Interest (weight 0.02): The game's unique concept and atmosphere, along with its abstractness and challenge, piques players' interest. The game's particular and unusual qualities make it intriguing.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciate the game's unique art design, gameplay, and originality. The game's artistic merit and beautiful graphics are highly valued.
- Disgust (weight 0.02): Some players express disgust due to the game's poor physics engine and perceived low quality. The negative reactions are strong and visceral.
- Love (weight 0.02): Players love the game for its unique and beautiful world, despite its flaws. The game's unique features and overall experience evoke strong feelings of affection.
- Curiosity (weight 0.02): The game's unusual and surreal gameplay, along with its unique tasks and interactions, spark curiosity in players. The game's distinctiveness within its genre makes it intriguing.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): The game's timeless aesthetic and themes evoke feelings of nostalgia in players. Comparisons to the original version and reminiscing about the game's story contribute to this nostalgia.
- Criticism (weight 0.01): Players criticize the game for its representation of female characters and simplified version. These aspects are seen as shortcomings and areas for improvement.
- Intrigue (weight 0.01): The game's unique mechanics, deep storyline, and atmosphere intrigue players. The game's distinctive qualities make it fascinating and engaging.
- Confused (weight 0.01): Players are confused by the game's unclear narrative and complex mechanics. The lack of clear guidance and understanding of the game's message contributes to this confusion.
- Impressed (weight 0.01): Players are impressed by the game's level design and atmosphere. The game's high-quality design elements stand out and leave a strong impression.}