Info about CICADAMATA":

Official game description:
**CICADAMATA"** is **a fast-paced first-person \[?platformer, %shooter, $speedrunner\]** - deployed into CASCADE under the "INITIATION SEVEN" CORE retrieval protocol - you have been enlisted as a CICADA. this is who you are now.
disconnect. obligations no longer bind you.  
proceed. **tear flesh from bone.**
↳ **▣ my light in dark. my _white rabbit._**
*   \+ become **FAWN-A2** - assert control over **numerous threats** and dispatch them with \[$ease/?needless\_brutality\] +
*   \+ utilize a **maneuver sandbox** using your MATA" and enter **ZONE TIME** to increase traversal efficiency **:: / Hop, Skip And Jump To Save The World! "** +
*   \+ complete incursions in 15+ freeform levels across **6 spheres** - i feel most alive in this _{WONDERLAND}_ +
*   \+ increase your **█ clearance level,** run out the clock**,** and compare records with other CICADAS **globally %** ONE OUTLIER. **THAT IS ALL IT TAKES** +
▫ _i am joyeuse_. i am not the weapon that failed.
i have given everything to masters who forgot my name. "
what will you be? **█**

Release date: Aug 21, 2026

Categories: First-Person Shooter, Movement Shooter, Speedrunning, Score Attack, Single-player, Platformer, Fast-paced Combat, Leaderboards


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 2.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Game completion time is directly stated as ~2 hours in multiple reviews (one says 'about 2 hours', another says 'around 2 hours for simple completion'). One reviewer reports 80 minutes (~1.33 hours), which is slightly shorter but consistent with speedrunning or quick play. No distinct story completion time is given; the campaign is linear and likely the same as game completion. Session length and endgame hours are not explicitly quantified in the evidence, only mentioned in vague terms ('short sessions', 'post-game content') without numbers, so those metrics are set to null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game is consistently described as addictive and fun from the very beginning, with engaging gunplay, satisfying score-chasing, and a simple tutorial that leads to deep mechanics without any early friction.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: N/A
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: N/A
- Player Archetypes:
  - Speedrunner & Score Chaser (buy)
    - Motivation: Improving run times and climbing leaderboards
    - Playstyle: High-speed movement with dashing, stomping, and combo attacks to maximize score multiplier
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: ULTRAKILL; Neon White
  - Movement Shooter Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of high-speed action and stylish gameplay
    - Playstyle: Aggressive aerial movement, fast platforming, and shooting
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: ULTRAKILL; Neon White
  - Classic Marathon Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Nostalgia for classic Marathon and desire for single-player FPS platforming
    - Playstyle: Platforming and shooting with appreciation for weapon feel and art style
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Marathon; ULTRAKILL


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:
- Art style praised highly (weight 0.7): Players consistently commend the game's art style and direction, describing it as amazing, beautiful, and impressive. This feedback is widespread and specific.
- Gameplay is fun and addictive (weight 0.57): Many reviewers emphasize that the gameplay is enjoyable, addictive, and provides a rush. This sentiment is repeated across multiple clusters with high frequency.
- Movement feels smooth and responsive (weight 0.35): The movement system is praised for being slick, clean, and fluid. Players find it satisfying and responsive, contributing to an overall positive gameplay experience.
- Soundtrack enhances game experience (weight 0.32): The soundtrack is described as fitting well with the game, and many praise its quality. Music is also cited as excellent, suggesting strong audio integration.
- Overall satisfaction high (weight 0.24): Many reviewers convey general satisfaction with the game, using terms like 'great' and 'satisfying', indicating a positive overall reception.
- Main character design appealing (weight 0.15): The main character's design is positively received, with multiple reviewers noting it as appealing and well-crafted. This is a notable aspect but less frequently mentioned than art or gameplay.
- Momentum provides satisfying speed (weight 0.15): Players appreciate the huge sense of momentum and the fast-paced nature of the movement, which feels powerful and satisfying.
- Style complements gameplay (weight 0.13): The game's style is said to be prevalent and satisfying, and it plays nicely while oozing style, making it appealing to those whom it suits. However, this sentiment is less frequent.
- Easy to learn but deep (weight 0.12): The game offers simple controls that are easy to grasp, yet provides depth for mastery. This makes it accessible while still offering challenge.
- Leaderboard gives replay incentive (weight 0.08): The presence of ranked scores and active leaderboards encourages players to continue playing and improving, offering competitive motivation.
- Precise mechanics add satisfaction (weight 0.08): The game's precise mechanics and responsive controls are praised for providing a satisfying and accurate gameplay experience.
- Lore and ambiguity engage players (weight 0.07): Two reviewers mention that the lore is mysterious and dark, which adds depth and fascination to the narrative, contributing to the overall appeal.

Common complaints:
- Game is too short (weight 0.25): Multiple reviews indicate that the main campaign can be completed in about two hours, and one review notes it can be finished within the refund window. This brevity is seen as a major drawback, leaving players wanting more content.
- Confusing and overwhelming presentation (weight 0.23): The game can be confusing and overwhelming at first, with unclear level geometry, distracting UI elements, and difficulty distinguishing enemies. This affects initial playability and navigation.
- Visual discomfort and eye strain (weight 0.21): Several reviews note that the game lacks brightness or gamma settings, making it too bright, causing headaches, and being harsh on the eyes. The loud visual style and pixel effects contribute to the discomfort.
- Core collection issues (weight 0.14): Cores (likely collectibles) are easily missed on the first run, especially in bigger stages, and are not always shown, leading to the need for backtracking. Objective markers break flow when a core is missing.
- Input and control issues (weight 0.14): The game does not properly detect different keyboard layouts like AZERTY/QWERTY, lacks a setup prompt, and has no working rebind options for keyboard or controller. This is problematic for a platformer.
- Story ends abruptly (weight 0.13): The final cutscene and the ending are described as making the story less interesting, and the narrative ends abruptly. The story is also not consistently present throughout the game.
- Enemy visibility and distinction (weight 0.13): Enemies are sometimes difficult to distinguish at long distances and blend into the background, making them hard to spot and differentiate from the environment.
- Aiming delay and awkwardness (weight 0.1): There is a noticeable delay between aiming and firing the weapon, making the aiming and firing mechanics feel awkward and unresponsive. This impacts the overall combat feel negatively.
- Gameplay feels floaty and slow (weight 0.1): Multiple reviewers describe the gameplay as having a floaty and slow feel, which can reduce the sense of control and impact. This is especially noticeable in a parkour-heavy game.
- Limited weapon variety (weight 0.09): There appears to be only one gun with two firing modes, and the purpose of the primary shotgun fire is unclear since the alt fire is overpowered. This limits gameplay variety and strategic choice.
- Unexpected visual novel segment (weight 0.09): The game hard-cuts into a visual novel at one section, which was unexpected and unwelcome, and some felt it was pandering. This disrupts the gameplay flow and narrative tone.
- Low difficulty and trivial enemies (weight 0.06): The difficulty is so low that enemies can be safely ignored, which reduces the challenge and engagement of combat. This makes the game feel too easy for some players.
- Character designs mediocre (weight 0.05): The designs of other characters are considered mediocre, which may detract from the overall visual appeal and character engagement. This is a minor but notable critique.
- Parkour-only gameplay (weight 0.05): The gameplay is largely focused on parkour and lacks other interesting mechanics to keep players engaged. This may lead to monotony for some players.
- Water gimmick poorly executed (weight 0.05): The water-related gameplay gimmick is not well-executed, adding to the frustration and overall negative experience. This is a specific design flaw rather than a general issue.
- Initial difficulty in movement flow (weight 0.05): The game can feel at odds when transitioning from faster-paced games, but it flows well once the mechanics are learned. The learning curve might be off-putting initially.
- Demanding on GPU (weight 0.05): The game's GPU demand made the Marathon style version unplayable on the reviewer's hardware, indicating potential optimization issues that affect performance.

Gameplay feedback:
- Fast-paced FPS gameplay (weight 0.34): The game is consistently described as a fast-paced first-person shooter, emphasizing speed and quick gameplay. Multiple reviews highlight its nature as a speedrun shooter.
- Speedrunning focused design (weight 0.18): The game's mechanics and overall design are centered on speed, allowing players to increase velocity and speedrun through levels. This is a core aspect of the experience.
- Leaderboards and scoring systems (weight 0.14): The game includes ranked scores, leaderboards, and a scoring system to encourage competition and replayability. Players can compare their performance and strive for better ranks.
- Fluid parkour and movement (weight 0.1): Gameplay heavily features parkour movement, combining combat with acrobatic actions. Movement is noted as responsive, smooth, and fun, enhancing the flow of gameplay.
- Precision and challenge (weight 0.1): The gameplay is described as precise and challenging, requiring careful execution and route planning. This adds depth and increases difficulty as players progress.
- Score attack with speed (weight 0.1): The primary objective is to maximize score in the shortest time possible, emphasizing speedy, time-focused score attack gameplay. This drives competitive replay.
- Comparisons to Ultrakill (weight 0.09): Players frequently compare the game's style to Ultrakill and similar fast-paced shooters. This highlights the game's high-octane action and movement-heavy combat.
- Marathon-inspired aesthetics (weight 0.09): The art style and overall setting are reminiscent of Marathon, giving the game a distinct visual and narrative vibe. This comparison is often noted by reviewers.
- Single-player campaign (weight 0.09): The game is a single-player first-person shooter with a platformer aspect, offering a structured campaign experience. This avoids multiplayer dependencies.
- Cool and structured levels (weight 0.09): Players praise the game for having cool, well-structured, and map design. This ensures engaging and enjoyable exploration across different settings.
- Various enemy types (weight 0.06): The game features various enemy types with distinct behaviors, adding combat variety. This keeps encounters fresh and tests player adaptability.
- Leveraging dash and stomp (weight 0.05): Players can chain dashes and stomp attacks, utilizing both for combat and movement. This adds dynamic and satisfying gameplay opportunities.
- Speed rewards scoring multipliers (weight 0.05): The game rewards fast movement with high scores and multipliers, incentivizing hurried and risky play. This aligns with speedrun-focused design.
- Exfiltration mission feature (weight 0.05): Missions require collecting specific items, like Cores, before exfiltration, adding a strategic layer to the gameplay where players must balance speed and safety.
- High skill curve depth (weight 0.05): Gameplay becomes more challenging later, requiring planning and adapting to enemy intricacies. This provides a sense of progression and mastery.
- Replayable with secrets (weight 0.05): The game encourages replaying levels for faster times and hidden secrets, offering post-game content. This extends the game's lifecycle beyond the initial campaign.
- Chain actions smoothly (weight 0.05): Movement mechanics allow for chaining actions like dashing, shooting, and stomping together, with ease. This creates a fluid and satisfying gameplay loop.

Performance notes:
- Game runs smoothly (weight 0.1): Players report that the game performs without noticeable issues, providing a smooth experience. This is a positive general performance note.
- Effects are satisfying (weight 0.06): The game's visual effects are described as satisfying, contributing positively to the overall gameplay experience. This feedback highlights a strength of the game's presentation.
- Good Linux Vulkan performance (weight 0.06): The game runs well on Linux systems when using Vulkan mode, indicating good cross-platform support and optimization for Linux users. This is valuable for the Linux gaming community.
- Possible visual jankiness (weight 0.05): There is a report of janky visuals, but it could be related to the player's system or configuration rather than the game itself. This is a minor concern with a potential player-side cause.

Recommendations:
- Strong overall recommendation to play (weight 0.3): Numerous reviews strongly urge players to buy and play the game, often without specific caveats. This indicates broad satisfaction with the game's overall quality.
- Highly recommended for movement shooter fans (weight 0.28): Reviewers frequently recommend the game to fans of ULTRAKILL and Neon White, citing fast-paced action and movement mechanics. This comparison is mentioned as a positive trait across multiple reviews.
- Encourages immediate purchase (weight 0.17): Reviewers advise buying the game right away, using phrases like 'buy immediately' and 'must buy'. This reflects high enthusiasm and confidence in the purchase.
- Good challenge and replay value (weight 0.17): The game is recommended for players who enjoy a good challenge and for optimizing runs, suggesting strong replayability and engaging difficulty. Reviewers encourage repeated playthroughs to master mechanics.
- Recommended for speedrunning and leaderboards (weight 0.13): Those focused on speedrunning or competing on leaderboards will find the game appealing. Reviews highlight the time-focused gameplay and online rankings as key draws.
- Appeals to art and style lovers (weight 0.11): Fans of the art aesthetic of Marathon and maximalist art will appreciate the game's visual design. This attraction for style is a unique selling point.
- Compatible with platformers and speedrunners (weight 0.11): The game is recommended for fans of platforming and movement shooters, indicating broad genre appeal. It combines elements that attract diverse player groups.
- Praise for fast-paced gameplay (weight 0.09): The game is praised for fast reaction timing and satisfying kills, appealing to action-oriented players. This emphasis on gameplay over other elements is noted.
- Best for expectation-matching players (weight 0.07): For those who have a hunch they'll enjoy it, the game offers a satisfying experience, and reviews predict high satisfaction. This reinforces that it is a good self-selection for fitting players.
- Single playthrough worth trying (weight 0.04): The game is worthwhile if it catches interest, even for just a short playthrough. This lowers the barrier to trying the game.
- Simple and direct recommendation (weight 0.04): Several reviews offer simple, direct recommendations like '100% recommended' or 'buy this game'. This validates that the game retains quality without major caveats.

Other player notes:
- Comparisons to Marathon are frequent (weight 0.75): Many reviewers compare the game's art style, aesthetic, and tone to Bungie's Marathon, with some noting it is better or less edgy. This comparison is the most recurring theme across clusters.
- Gameplay compared to Ultrakill (weight 0.53): Players frequently draw parallels between the gameplay and Ultrakill, highlighting similar mechanics and fast-paced action. Some note it is a simpler yet fresh take.
- Inspired by Neon White (weight 0.5): Many reviewers see clear inspiration from Neon White in gameplay and story, often mentioning objective-based time modes. It is recommended for Neon White fans.
- Mix of multiple influences (weight 0.49): The game is described as a unique blend of Marathon, Neon White, and Ultrakill, with some mentions of Ghostrunner. It successfully merges these styles.
- Comparisons have caveats (weight 0.38): Some comparisons are made without reasons or with notes of differences, such as shorter length or simpler combat. These nuanced mentions still reflect its influences.
- Excellent value for price (weight 0.3): The game is widely considered underpriced or well worth its cost, with several reviewers stating they would pay more. It is often cited as a cheap alternative to similar titles.
- Compared to other classics (weight 0.25): Beyond the primary comparisons, the game also draws mentions of Mirror's Edge, Tony Hawk, Jet Set Radio Future, and Doom. These comparisons highlight movement and gameplay styles.
- Short but satisfying campaign (weight 0.23): The main game takes roughly two hours or less to finish, with a satisfying loop but leaving players wanting more. Some reviewers wish it was longer.
- Distinctive retro visual style (weight 0.21): The art style is often described as minimalist, retro, and reminiscent of PS2-era games, drawing parallels to Marathon and other old-school FPS titles.
- Demo increases anticipation (weight 0.2): A free demo was available, including at Next Fest, leading many to consider the game their most anticipated. Players enjoyed trying it before release.
- Developer praised for work (weight 0.16): The developer, flowergarden, receives high praise for their excellent job on the game. Reviewers would buy future updates or entries on day one.
- Breakcore soundtrack praised (weight 0.13): The soundtrack is noted as breakcore, with comparisons also drawn to Splatoon's story mode. It contributes to the active atmosphere.
- Narrative and characters mentioned (weight 0.13): Characters like Fawn and Celeste are mentioned, along with yuri content and various jokes. The heroine is a notable element.
- Dark and energising themes (weight 0.12): The game's lore is darker, with character designs helping to make the story more bearable. The aesthetic is described as dark yet energising.
- Unique experience praised (weight 0.12): Several reviewers describe the game as unique and a strong contender for indie game of the year. It stands out among similar titles.
- Extra content and modes (weight 0.08): There is extra content in addition to the main campaign, plus a leaderboard mode for added replayability. This adds value beyond the short main story.
- Technical and platform support (weight 0.08): Linux support via Vulkan is available, though some reviewers faced GPU issues with Marathon. The demo may have helped users test compatibility.
- Pricing and launch discounts (weight 0.07): The game was released under ten dollars with a developer discount during launch, making it an even better value. This affordable pricing attracts players.
- Achievement references Marathon (weight 0.04): An achievement for reading all terminals references Marathon Infinity, adding a layer for franchise fans. This deepens the connection to Marathon.
- Localized Chinese version (weight 0.04): A localized Chinese version of a second edition exists, broadening accessibility. This may contribute to the game's global appeal.

Emotions:
- Excitement (weight 0.24): Players experience excitement from the fast-paced gameplay, breakcore soundtrack, and visually striking art style. The combination of high-speed movement, score-chasing, and a satisfying campaign creates an adrenaline-filled, rewarding experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Satisfaction stems from the satisfying gunplay, precision gameplay, and the challenge of improving scores. The lore, soundtrack, and the game's ability to meet or exceed expectations contribute to a rewarding experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Players enjoy the fun, challenging gameplay, cool aerial movement, and the rewarding chain of dash kills and stylish moves. The great soundtrack and art style add to the fun despite occasional bugs.
- Admiration (weight 0.07): Players admire the game's art style, atmosphere, and level design, which draw heavy inspiration from the Marathon series. The stylistic presentation, soundtrack, and the unique visual style are praised.
- Disappointment (weight 0.05): The short length of the campaign and confusing level design lead to disappointment. Players also note the lack of weapon variety and feel the game is not fleshed out enough.
- Frustration (weight 0.05): Frustration arises from the awkward aiming and firing delay and the broad visual novel sections. Missing cores on a normal path, plus poor keyboard layout detection with no rebinding, add to the frustration, as does the lack of controller rebinding.
- Love (weight 0.04): The game's movement, visuals, and mechanics are highly praised, reminding players of classics like Ultrakill and Neon White. This creates deep love for the game's design and aesthetic.
- Joy (weight 0.03): The game's fun and unique style, combined with smooth running and the rewarding chase for high scores, lead to joy. Players enjoy the experience, calling it enjoyable and worth spending time on.
- Satisfied (weight 0.03): Satisfaction comes from smooth controls, great visuals, and the game meeting expectations. The game is a strong candidate for indie of the year.
- Amusement (weight 0.03): Players are amused by the unexpected elements, such as tearing flesh and casual voice lines from the gun. Finding out-of-bounds clips also adds to amusement.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players show appreciation for the great visual design and the game's coherent construction. The fast pace and style are particularly enjoyable.
- Excited (weight 0.02): The fast-paced gameplay, intense music, and discovery of small tricks create excitement. The release and the anticipation from the demo feed the excitement.
- Delight (weight 0.01): Players are delighted by the art and gameplay, as well as the soundtrack, ordering them together.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): The discovery of the game in Steam Next Fest and the belief the game is a masterpiece, especially underpriced, evokes gratitude.
- Obsession (weight 0.01): Players are obsessed, compulsively restarting levels (especially the second level) to achieve better results.
- Happiness (weight 0.01): Happiness comes from the game's overall quality and the balance between art style and gameplay for the price.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Extreme fun and the peak art style make the demo fantastic, and the presentation is high quality.
- Addiction (weight 0.01): The addictive gameplay and desire to improve times and leaderboard rankings create addiction.
- Approval (weight 0.01): The game is considered peak, with appealing visuals, fitting music and atmosphere, and nice character design.
- Awe (weight 0.01): The visuals are described as one of the best ever seen, causing awe.}