Info about The Temple of Elemental Evil:

Official game description:
_**The Temple of Elemental Evil**, first released in 2003, has inspired a passionate community for over two decades. This updated edition is a true labor of love, shaped by years of fan dedication and the incredible efforts of the Circle of Eight and Temple+ modding communities. It brings the classic D&D adventure to life for modern players with **over a thousand fixes and improvements** - from enhanced stability and AI to smoother performance, refined UI, and countless quality-of-life updates. We’re deeply thankful to everyone who’s helped preserve and evolve this classic._
**THE STORY SO FAR:** 
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An evil demoness founded a cult dedicated to exploring evil in its most elemental forms. This cult was based in a temple just outside the village of Hommlet in a vile shire known as Nulb. Soon, this cult ruled the region with tyranny; times of chaos and violence ensued. Hard-fought battles were waged and the war was eventually won by the good armies of nearby lands. The temple was razed, the villains were imprisoned, and order was restored. The temple itself faded into distant memory...until now.
**THE ADVENTURE BEGINS:**
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Recently, bandits have begun patrolling the roads outside Hommlet and wicked forces are rumored to be afoot, converging on the ruined temple at Nulb. Their purposes for such meetings are as yet unknown. The identity of these people are equally a mystery. Some claim they are bent on slaying monsters and maintaining order within the region, but no one can be sure.
So begins your adventure within the Realm of Greyhawk. It is an adventure that will lead to the source of a deep and abiding mystery, to the very core of evil itself.
**FEATURES:**
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*   Multiple story paths and multiple endings
*   Five controllable characters and three followers in each party
*   Richly varied environments populated with reactive NPCs
*   Characters that can be customized with skills, feats and spells
*   Party-based adventuring and tactical turn-based combat
*   Gameplay that supports all alignments
*   Formidable obstacles including a wide array of monsters
*   First PC game based on the classic _Greyhawk_ module

Release date: Dec 10, 2025

Categories: Turn-based Combat, Tactical RPG, Party-based Combat, Character Customization, Multiple Endings, Dungeon Crawler, Choice-based Narrative, Grid-based Combat


- 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:
- Excellent Steam Deck compatibility (weight 0.97): Players consistently praise the game's smooth performance and easy installation on Steam Deck, highlighting stable and responsive gameplay. This is a key improvement over previous versions, particularly the GOG release.
- Strong nostalgic and faithful appeal (weight 0.72): The game retains its old-school charm and nostalgic feel, which resonates strongly with fans of the original. Players appreciate the faithfulness to the original while enjoying modern technical improvements.
- Mod support and out-of-the-box functionality (weight 0.61): The game is praised for working well without requiring additional setup, while still supporting mods like Co8 and Temple+. The inclusion of quality-of-life mods enhances the experience without extra effort from the player.
- High technical stability (weight 0.48): The game is noted for its stable performance, lack of bugs, and smooth technical execution. This is a significant improvement over the original version, which had notable technical issues.
- Great value for money (weight 0.45): Players highlight the game's fair and reasonable pricing, often comparing it favorably to the GOG version. The $10 price point is frequently mentioned as a strong selling point for the value offered.
- Modern quality-of-life improvements (weight 0.44): Key improvements such as cloud saving, widescreen support, and a useful manual enhance the overall experience. These additions address long-standing issues from the original release and make the game more accessible.
- Positive community and developer efforts (weight 0.31): Players appreciate the efforts of the developers and community, including the inclusion of community patches, translations, and charitable contributions. This fosters goodwill and highlights the collaborative nature of the release.
- Deep and varied gameplay (weight 0.26): The game offers a lot of content and multiple ways to approach tasks, with combat and crafting becoming more engaging after level five. This appeals to players who enjoy optimizing and strategizing in gameplay.
- Enhanced accessibility features (weight 0.25): Features like full language dubbing, quick item selling (ALT + click), and edge panning with arrow keys are praised for improving accessibility and convenience in gameplay.

Common complaints:
- Clunky and unfinished gameplay (weight 0.72): The game is described as having rough edges, clunky mechanics, and unfinished aspects. Players note that the overall gameplay feels awkward and poorly designed, detracting from the experience.
- Poor resolution and UI scalability (weight 0.68): Players report significant issues with resolution support, including a lack of modern resolution options, unscalable UI elements, and a maximum supported resolution of 1080p. This makes the game difficult to play at higher resolutions, forcing some to lower settings for visibility.
- Frustrating camera and movement controls (weight 0.51): Camera sensitivity, acceleration, and movement controls are criticized for being unintuitive and frustrating. Issues include poor map scrolling, lack of WASD controls, and erratic panning, which make navigation difficult.
- Early game difficulty and design flaws (weight 0.46): The early game is described as swingy, tedious, and lacking meaningful choices. Players report needing to frequently save and reload to progress, which detracts from the fun and accessibility of the game.
- Lack of transparency in changes (weight 0.32): Players express dissatisfaction with the lack of a detailed changelog or transparency about upgrades and mod implementations. This makes it unclear what improvements or changes were made in the re-release.
- Game-breaking bugs and crashes (weight 0.27): Some players encountered critical bugs that prevented progress, including reproducible crashes after extended play sessions. These issues severely impact the game's playability.
- Limited customization and configuration options (weight 0.25): Players note a lack of customization options, particularly in tweaking Temple+ configurations and accessing features available in other versions. This limits player agency and flexibility.
- Unintuitive radial interface and spellcasting (weight 0.19): The radial interface for actions like spellcasting is described as confusing and unintuitive. This design choice makes it difficult for players to engage with core mechanics effectively.
- Unbalanced and slow combat (weight 0.19): Combat is criticized for being unbalanced and poorly paced, with slow unit control and mechanics that detract from the overall experience. Players suggest that significant tweaking is needed.
- Missing or broken features from mods (weight 0.11): Players note the absence of expected features, such as the pre-adventure shop from the Co8 mod, despite its inclusion being implied. This creates confusion and frustration.
- Defensive stance toward criticism (weight 0.07): Some feedback includes criticism of players who complain about the game's dated design or lack of modern conveniences. This suggests a divide in player expectations and may reflect a review-bombing sentiment.

Gameplay feedback:
- High-quality audiovisual presentation (weight 0.12): Players praise the game's music, graphics, and combat as standout features. This suggests a strong production value that enhances immersion and overall enjoyment.
- 3rd edition rule set retained (weight 0.11): The game uses the 3rd edition rule set, similar to *Neverwinter Nights*, which will resonate with fans of that system. This choice may influence gameplay depth and tactical complexity but could also limit appeal to players unfamiliar with these mechanics.
- Combat expands at level five (weight 0.11): Players observe that combat options significantly increase after reaching level five, with abilities like Trip and Fireball becoming available. This indicates a progression curve that rewards long-term investment in character development.
- Classic party creation process (weight 0.11): Players note that the game retains the lengthy party creation process from the original, which may appeal to fans of classic RPGs but could feel cumbersome to others. This reflects the game's commitment to its roots but may impact accessibility.
- Math-heavy combat optimization (weight 0.11): The game requires players to perform calculations to optimize combat actions, such as weapon swings. This may appeal to players who enjoy tactical depth but could feel tedious or overwhelming to others.
- Crafting system included (weight 0.11): Crafting is highlighted as a new or expanded feature, adding depth to gameplay and progression. This suggests the game offers more customization and strategic options beyond combat and exploration.

Performance notes:
- Camera settings impact playability (weight 0.19): Players report that adjusting camera sensitivity and disabling scroll or camera acceleration can significantly improve gameplay experience, particularly for those experiencing motion-related issues. This suggests a need for better default camera settings or clearer in-game guidance.
- Resolution adjustments aid visibility (weight 0.11): Lowering resolution is suggested as a workaround for visibility issues, which may indicate that the game's performance or UI scaling could be optimized for better accessibility across different hardware setups.
- Performance is generally smooth (weight 0.08): Some players report that the game runs well, suggesting that the core performance is stable for certain hardware configurations or settings. However, this feedback is based on limited data and may not reflect broader experiences.

Recommendations:
- Price sensitivity and value perception (weight 0.61): Players are divided on the game's value, with many suggesting it is worth $10 or less. Those who already own the GOG version or find the design/controls poor are less likely to recommend it, while others see value in its nostalgic appeal or Steam-specific features like Steam Deck support.
- Strong recommendation for RPG fans (weight 0.33): The game is highly recommended for serious RPG fans due to its accessibility, value, and nostalgic appeal. Some players consider it an instant buy and rate it exceptionally high (e.g., 10/10).
- Support for classic game preservation (weight 0.19): Players appreciate the effort to bring classic games back to modern platforms like Steam. Some recommend purchasing it to support the release of more classic games at reasonable prices, even over expensive AAA titles.
- Demand for modern resolution support (weight 0.1): A player expresses dissatisfaction with the lack of modern resolution support, indicating this is a barrier to their enjoyment and recommendation of the game.
- Workarounds for enjoyment (weight 0.09): One reviewer suggests using a character editor to enhance the gameplay experience, indicating that some players may need additional tools to fully enjoy the game.

Other player notes:
- Nostalgia-driven purchase disappointment (weight 0.31): Several players purchased the game to relive childhood memories but found it failed to deliver the expected nostalgic experience. The gap between expectations and reality led to dissatisfaction, particularly among long-time fans of the series.
- Preference for Steam over GOG version (weight 0.3): Long-time players who own multiple copies of the game express a preference for the Steam version due to its convenience, despite having invested significant time in the GOG version. This suggests Steam's platform advantages (e.g., cloud saves, mod support) are valued by the community.
- Request for achievements system (weight 0.17): Players suggest adding an achievements system to enhance replayability and engagement, drawing comparisons to other games like *Blade of Darkness* that successfully implemented this feature. This feedback is specific and actionable.
- Linux modding difficulties (weight 0.09): A subset of players report challenges running the GOG version with mods on Linux, highlighting potential compatibility issues that could alienate a portion of the audience. This is a niche but important technical concern.
- Improved installation process appreciated (weight 0.08): At least one player expressed gratitude for the improved installation process, suggesting that recent updates or platform-specific optimizations have addressed prior pain points. This feedback is positive but limited in scope.
- Low-confidence gameplay changes noted (weight 0.08): A player observed potential differences between the Steam version and the Temple+ modded version but noted that these changes need further exploration during gameplay. This feedback is vague and based on limited evidence.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.22): Frustration stems primarily from usability and technical issues, such as poor UI scaling at higher resolutions, unintuitive controls (e.g., movement and spell casting), and default camera settings that hinder gameplay. Players also express frustration with unbalanced combat mechanics, the need for save scumming, and a lack of transparency about changes in the re-release. Some feedback highlights limitations like missing modern resolution support and inaccessible configurations, which detract from the experience. The early game's slow pace and confusing mechanics further exacerbate this emotion.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.2): Satisfaction arises from the game's preservation and modernization efforts, particularly its stable performance, accessibility on platforms like Steam Deck, and widescreen support. Players appreciate the convenience of the Steam version, which eliminates the need for mods, and the affordable price point. Nostalgia and the game's improved state compared to its original release also contribute to positive sentiment, as does the publisher's charitable donation, which resonates with some reviewers.
- Disappointment (weight 0.15): Disappointment is driven by unmet expectations, particularly regarding modern features like high-resolution support, zoom functionality, and customization options. Some players feel the re-release lacks polish, citing persistent bugs (e.g., character creation issues) and limited improvements over the original. Others perceive the game as a lazy cash grab, especially when compared to the GoG version, and criticize its visuals, feel, and overall gameplay experience.
- Relief (weight 0.13): Relief is tied to the game's stability, accessibility, and ease of use, particularly for players on platforms like Linux (via Proton) or those who struggled with the original version's setup. The absence of crashes and the inclusion of pre-installed mods reduce barriers to entry, while the affordable price makes the game more accessible. Players also express relief that the game works without additional configuration, a common pain point in older titles.
- Excitement (weight 0.09): Excitement is fueled by nostalgia and the modernized version of the game, which enhances its appeal for longtime fans. Players anticipate deeper engagement after reaching level five, where the game becomes more varied and interesting. Some reviewers also express hope for similar treatments of other classic games, like Arcanum, indicating broader enthusiasm for preserving and revitalizing beloved titles.
- Joy (weight 0.09): Joy is closely linked to nostalgia and the ability to relive childhood memories through the game's improved and polished version. Players appreciate the accessibility and stability of the re-release, which allows them to revisit a beloved classic without the technical hurdles of the original. The game's status as a 'D&D gem' and its ability to evoke positive emotions from the past contribute significantly to this sentiment.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is a straightforward emotion tied to the game's ability to evoke an old-school feel, resonating with players who have fond memories of the original. The re-release successfully captures the essence of the classic experience, making it a powerful trigger for this emotion.
- Gratitude (weight 0.02): Gratitude is directed toward the publisher (SNEG) for reviving a favorite game and making it accessible to a new generation of players. This emotion reflects appreciation for the effort put into preserving and modernizing the title, which holds personal significance for some reviewers.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arises from unclear design choices, such as the arbitrary 1080p resolution limit, which lacks a transparent rationale. This emotion highlights a lack of communication or justification for technical decisions that impact the player experience.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is expressed by players who feel the game fails to deliver value for money or time, often due to technical issues, unmet expectations, or perceived laziness in the re-release. This emotion is less frequent but intense, reflecting deep dissatisfaction with the product.}