Info about DERELIKT:

Official game description:


Release date: Nov 13, 2026

Categories: First-Person Shooter, Retro PS1 Aesthetic, Immersive Sim, Survival Horror, Inventory Management, Sci-fi Horror, Perk System, Narrative with Player Choices


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 2.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: One review mentions losing about 2 hours of gameplay, and another says the player is a little over two hours into the game. These reports support a sessionLength estimate of roughly 2 hours. There is no evidence about completing the full game, completing the story, or endgame content, so those metrics are null.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes:
  - Retro Sci-Fi Horror Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Atmospheric sci-fi horror tension and old-school immersive-sim action.
    - Playstyle: Compares the game to classic horror shooters and immerses in tension, weapon feel, and atmosphere.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: AVP2; Doom 3; Alien Resurrection; System Shock 2; Dead Space
  - PS1 Nostalgia Kid (buy)
    - Motivation: Nostalgia for the PS1 era and validating retro-style games.
    - Playstyle: Approaches the game through a PS1-era nostalgia lens rather than personal fit.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: ps1 kid
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Story-Focused Retro Graphics Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Narrative and dialogue delivered through a retro aesthetic.
    - Playstyle: Plays for story and dialogue, valuing retro graphics as part of the experience.
    - 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:
- Praise for atmosphere (weight 0.97): Many reviewers highlight the spooky, eerie, and oppressive atmosphere, often comparing it to Alien and Lovecraftian horror. The mood and feeling of secrets around every corner are frequently mentioned.
- Authentic PS1 retro aesthetic (weight 0.86): Reviewers love the detailed PS1-style graphics, including jagged textures, low-poly models, dithering, and texture warping. The nostalgic look and feel are seen as a love letter to classic gaming.
- Engaging and fun gameplay (weight 0.73): Players find the game addictively fun and engaging from the start, with solid shooting mechanics and overall enjoyment. Many say it is worth playing and scratches the itch for a classic FPS.
- Strong design and presentation (weight 0.61): The game's design, enemy variety, art direction, and presentation are frequently praised as phenomenal and unique. Reviewers note the convincing arsenal and clever map design.
- Compelling story and dialogue (weight 0.42): The story, involving an alien artifact and psychological horror, is interesting and well-told. Many dialogues and conversations enhance character development and are integral to gameplay.
- Nostalgic influences and references (weight 0.34): The game is seen as a stellar love letter to PS1 era and classic games, full of subtle references and reminiscent of titles like Half-Life and System Shock.
- Great sound and music (weight 0.28): The music and ambience are highly praised for supporting the atmosphere, with old-school soundtrack and effective sound design.
- Challenging but rewarding (weight 0.26): The difficulty is not easy, but it provides a lot of satisfaction, and the system offers assistance if needed through health, damage, and dexterity adjustments.
- Good map and puzzle design (weight 0.26): Puzzles are clear and pretty good, and map design is clever and proper, enhancing exploration.
- Control and interface options (weight 0.25): Controls can be remapped, an in-game map exists, and the German localization is appreciated for story comprehension.
- Good value for price (weight 0.2): For its price, the game is considered an absolute steal, offering a feature-rich experience.
- NPC interactions with consequences (weight 0.11): Players can choose to help or let NPCs die, adding depth to the gameplay.
- No bugs encountered (weight 0.1): At least one reviewer reported no bugs during their playthrough.
- Health and ammo balance (weight 0.1): Contrary to some complaints, there is plenty of health and ammo on Normal difficulty.
- Flashlight realism (weight 0.09): The flashlight behaves realistically, similar to AvP2, with raytraced point light projection.

Common complaints:
- Item deletion and inventory bugs (weight 0.38): Players report items disappearing or being deleted when stacking fails or when orientation does not match available space, leading to lost progress and reloads.
- Poor control scheme (weight 0.29): The default control scheme using left stick to move and right stick to look is described as terrible, and the reviewer cannot recommend playing with a controller.
- Confusing ammo and reload system (weight 0.29): Ammo display is unclear, showing magazine bullets and pile count in a way that is easily misunderstood. Automatic reload does not occur when empty, making combat frantic and confusing.
- Flashlight turns off randomly (weight 0.22): The flashlight randomly turns off during play, disrupting gameplay and forcing players to reactivate it constantly.
- Inconsistent ammo availability (weight 0.2): Some players feel there is always enough ammo even when missing shots, while others find ammo insufficient for the number of enemies, creating an unbalanced experience.
- Weak horror atmosphere (weight 0.2): The game lacks jumpscares, build-up, and environmental storytelling, and has no motion tracker or distant sounds to create tension.
- Story presentation issues (weight 0.2): The story is presented backwards, spoiling the premise through notes, and its whimsical, self-aware tone feels like comedy, undermining horror.
- Pointless inventory and perk system (weight 0.2): Inventory management and perk systems are seen as unnecessary and not fun, with tedious tetris-style inventory adding frustration.
- Notes and insight not reflected (weight 0.18): Notes found are not accurately reflected, often showing 0 on the save file, and insight is not actively reflected in the game.
- Audio issues (weight 0.18): Music is too loud and annoying, and combat music sometimes plays without any enemies present.
- Inventory placement and storage bugs (weight 0.18): Items picked up are placed on top of other items, and players cannot store things in main storage in the hub.
- Predictable and helpless enemies (weight 0.18): Enemies are predictable and helpless, making gameplay nothing special, with little headcrab enemies spawning on top of players and dealing too much damage.
- PS1 style graphics annoying (weight 0.18): The PS1 style graphics with pixelation are found annoying, and there are too many games with similar style being released.
- Puzzle and rune confusion (weight 0.17): Players are confused by runes on doors and whether to equip them to enter, and the playing card puzzle is vague.
- Bland and repetitive level design (weight 0.12): Levels are described as bland labyrinths that quickly become repetitive, reducing engagement.
- Identity crisis in genre (weight 0.12): The game seems unsure whether it wants to be a horror/survival game or a full shooter, leading to an inconsistent experience.
- Ammo count display broken (weight 0.12): Ammo count on clips is broken, sometimes showing over a hundred units in one clip, confusing players.
- Bad damage feedback (weight 0.11): Damage feedback is not very good, making it hard to tell when the player is taking damage.
- Instakill pit bug (weight 0.1): Falling into a pit that was supposed to kill the player did not trigger instakill, forcing a reset.
- Refund due to unfair deaths (weight 0.1): Undeserved deaths led a player to refund the game.

Gameplay feedback:
- Retro PS1-style graphics praised (weight 0.64): Many reviewers highlight the intentional PS1-style visuals with jagged textures, low-poly models, texture warping, and dithering. The aesthetic is consistently maintained across intro, loading screens, and gameplay, creating a nostalgic experience.
- Horror FPS with immersive sim elements (weight 0.44): The game blends horror FPS with survival horror and immersive sim influences, often compared to a primitive Deus Ex crossed with Half-Life. This combination appeals to fans of classic genre mixes.
- Inventory management with Tetris-like system (weight 0.36): The inventory features item stacking and orientation-based placement, reminiscent of Tetris, adding a layer of strategy to resource management. Gun ammo and inventory piles are part of this system.
- Dual-stick controls with remapping (weight 0.33): The game uses standard dual-stick controls for movement and looking, and controls can be remapped for customizability. This ensures accessibility for different playstyles.
- Dark sci-fi mystery horror setting (weight 0.29): Set aboard the Von Neumann station near Saturn, players explore a ruined base and face an unknown threat while uncovering what happened. The atmosphere is dark and mysterious.
- Quake 2-like level design (weight 0.28): The level design is described as reminiscent of Quake 2, with intricate maps and a progression from airlock to airlock. This appeals to fans of classic FPS level layouts.
- Narrative with player choices (weight 0.28): The story follows an average joe caught during a mission who must escape, and players can help NPCs or let them die. Dialogue is an important part of gameplay, influencing outcomes.
- Perk system and insight mechanics (weight 0.26): A perk system allows boosting health, damage, and dexterity when players face difficulties, and an insight system may provide additional advantages. These RPG-like elements add depth.
- Option to disable retro filters (weight 0.2): Players appreciate the ability to turn off PS1-style filters and use a high-resolution mode, catering to those who prefer a cleaner look. This flexibility is a notable quality-of-life feature.
- Abundant health and ammo on Normal (weight 0.2): On Normal difficulty, health and ammo pickups are plentiful, making survival less tense for some players. This may affect the challenge balance.
- Manual reload with R key (weight 0.18): Combat involves manual reloading using the R key, requiring players to manage ammo clips carefully. This adds realism and tension to firefights.
- Hub-based storage and item pickup (weight 0.18): Main storage is located in a hub area, and there is a dedicated item pickup system. This centralizes inventory management and encourages returning to base.
- In-game map and notes collection (weight 0.18): An in-game map aids navigation, and notes can be collected for lore and backstory. These features support exploration and storytelling.
- Very difficult gameplay (weight 0.11): The game is described as very difficult, challenging players with tough enemies and limited resources. This may appeal to hardcore fans but deter others.
- Save transfer from demo to full (weight 0.1): Save data can be transferred from the demo to the release version via the data directory, though the developer notes this skips some content. This feature is convenient but has caveats.
- German interface and localization (weight 0.1): The game includes a German interface and localization, making it accessible to German-speaking players. This is a notable inclusion for international audiences.
- Door runes require later device (weight 0.1): Some doors have runes that require a device obtained later in the game to open, gating progression. This encourages backtracking and exploration.

Performance notes:
No performancepoints

Recommendations:
- Appeals to retro FPS fans (weight 0.41): Recommended for fans of classic FPS games like Half-Life, Quake, and PS1-era claustrophobic shooters. The retro aesthetic and low-fidelity style are central to its appeal.
- Mixed but positive reception (weight 0.2): Some players give positive reviews but express mixed feelings, and it is recommended only if the PS1 style is acceptable. The game is worth playing but may not suit everyone.
- Niche sci-fi survival horror (weight 0.2): Recommended for those interested in pixel sci-fi survival horror and immersive sims. It combines horror FPS elements with an immersive sim framework.
- Strong narrative and dialogue (weight 0.11): Appeals to players who enjoy interesting stories, lots of dialogue, and retro-style graphics. The narrative is a key draw for some.
- Controller support not recommended (weight 0.11): Explicitly not recommended for playing with a controller, suggesting keyboard and mouse are preferred. This is a specific usability concern.
- Not recommended by some (weight 0.1): A minority explicitly do not recommend the game, comparing it to being 'best left drifting in deep space'. This indicates a polarizing experience.

Other player notes:
- Compared to classic shooters (weight 0.68): Reviewers frequently compare the game to Half-Life, System Shock, and Doom, citing similarities in design and atmosphere. These comparisons highlight the game's retro inspiration.
- Alien franchise inspiration (weight 0.42): The game's setting and enemies evoke the Alien film series, particularly Alien Resurrection and Aliens vs Predator 2. Reviewers note these influences as central to the experience.
- Rough state with bugs (weight 0.28): Several reviewers report that the game is in a very rough state with significant bugs and issues. Some refunded the game, while others believe it will be worth playing once fixed.
- Nostalgic for classic games (weight 0.12): The game evokes nostalgia for older titles like Metal Gear Solid and Medal of Honor, appealing to players' memories of classic gaming eras.
- Similar to indie titles (weight 0.11): Reviewers compare the game to small-team indie projects such as Underkeep and Queen's Domain, indicating its niche appeal.
- German language support (weight 0.1): The game offers German language support, which is a notable feature for German-speaking players.
- Normal PC requirements (weight 0.09): The PC system requirements are described as normal, indicating the game runs on typical hardware without exceptional demands.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.13): Players are frustrated by inventory bugs that delete items and cause loss of progress, as well as a control setup using the left analog stick for movement and the right for turning/looking. Undeserved deaths and numerous bugs, including ammo count errors, item vanishing, and enemy spawn issues, further compound the frustration.
- Excitement (weight 0.1): Excitement stems from the atmospheric sci-fi horror setting and the joy of playing and progressing through the game. The retro look and flair evoking 2001 also contribute to the excitement.
- Disappointment (weight 0.07): Disappointment arises because a promising Doom clone is ruined by its controls. The PS1-style graphics and pixelation also fail to meet expectations.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.07): Nostalgia is triggered by the retro PS1-style graphics and memories of classic games like Metal Gear Solid and Medal of Honor.
- Annoyance (weight 0.07): Annoyance is caused by insufficient ammo, poor damage feedback, loud music, an annoying inventory, flashlight issues, a confusing ammo display, and manual reload. Having to wait a long time also adds to the annoyance.
- Appreciation (weight 0.07): Players appreciate the well-done atmosphere and PS1 style, as well as the unique retro atmosphere and dialogue-driven story.
- Fun (weight 0.03): Fun comes from the spooky atmosphere and simplistic shooting mechanics.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.03): Enjoyment is derived from the addictive and fun gameplay.
- Immersion (weight 0.03): Immersion is created by the overwhelming space atmosphere where something is always lurking.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Confusion arises from not understanding how to use the runes on doors.
- Mild disappointment (weight 0.03): Mild disappointment is caused by gameplay and atmosphere that are not engaging enough.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): Admiration is felt for the game being a stellar love letter to PS1 glory days and classic gaming.
- Feeling lost (weight 0.03): Players feel lost when they are unsure of where to go after several hours of play.
- Curiosity (weight 0.03): Curiosity is sparked by wondering how long the game lasts and what else is coming.
- Joy (weight 0.03): Joy is experienced because the game feels like a dream come true for fans of Alien Trilogy or Alien Resurrection.
- Amazement (weight 0.03): Amazement comes from the developers successfully making the game look like a PS1 game.
- Pleasant surprise (weight 0.03): Pleasant surprise is felt because the game feels like Half-Life 1 and System Shock.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.03): Satisfaction is derived from the high difficulty of the game.
- Engagement (weight 0.03): Engagement occurs because the game draws players in from the start.
- Love (weight 0.03): Love is expressed for the PS1 inspiration and visual style.}