Cursed Words: The Word Game That Isn't Review Summary

Enjoyable and addictive gameplay: The game offers a fun and engaging experience that players find satisfying and addictive. The gameplay is well-made and initially enjoyable, with many players appreciating the demo and the overall mechanics.

Unique combination of games: The game is noted for its unique blend of elements from Scrabble, Balatro, Chess, and other games. This combination creates a fresh and interesting experience that stands out in its genre.

Roguelike gameplay elements: The game incorporates roguelike elements, offering a variety of build types, strategic depth, and challenging quests. Players appreciate the roguelike mechanics and the ability to choose bosses.

Unique word and number mechanics: The game features unique word creation mechanics and the ability to make long words with numbers. This adds a layer of strategy and creativity to the gameplay.

Gorgeous art and aesthetic: The game features a lovely aesthetic and gorgeous art style that enhances the overall visual appeal. The visuals are complemented by clean and pleasant UI elements.

Confusing and Poorly Explained Mechanics: The game has confusing gameplay elements, especially with numbers and complex character mechanics that are not well explained. This leads to players feeling like they are guessing the mechanics rather than understanding them.

Character Difficulty and RNG: The third character feels impossible to play, and the game is heavily dependent on random number generation (RNG), making it feel like players are brute-forcing their way through rather than using strategy.

Word and Language Issues: There are issues with word interpretation, obscure words in the dictionary, and awkward word selection. Additionally, the game does not support Korean, limiting its accessibility.

Aesthetic and Explanation Deficiencies: The game is considered less aesthetic than similar games like Balatro and lacks explanations for tile behaviors and scoring, which detracts from the overall experience.

Technical Issues: Players have reported game freezing and progress being wiped, which are significant technical issues that need to be addressed.

Scrabble-like word mechanics: The game incorporates word-based gameplay similar to Scrabble, including mechanics for creating words and using wild tiles.

Balanced and nuanced gameplay: The gameplay is designed to be deep, well-balanced, and nuanced, requiring strategic thinking and thoughtful decisions.

Balatro-like gameplay elements: The game shares similarities with Balatro, incorporating elements like numbers affecting gameplay and various suits interactions.

Character-specific mechanics: Each character in the game has unique mechanics that affect gameplay, adding depth and variety to the experience.

Build variety and upgrades: Players can create a variety of builds and upgrade their characters, adding depth and customization to the gameplay.

Game Freezing Problems: Several players have encountered issues with the game freezing. This significantly impacts the gaming experience and needs to be addressed.

Steam Deck Compatibility Issues: Players have reported issues with the game's compatibility on Steam Deck. This includes problems with controls and overall gameplay experience.

Lack of Touch Screen Support: There are complaints about the lack of touch screen support, which affects the gameplay experience, especially for users on devices that rely on touch inputs.

Recommended for word game fans: This game is highly recommended for fans of word games and those who enjoy synergy and combo-based games like Balatro.

Try the demo: Many reviews suggest trying the demo to get a feel for the game before purchasing.

Encouragement to buy: Some reviews simply encourage others to buy the game without providing detailed reasons.

Game completion: 10.0h.

Story completion: 10.0h.

Session length: 0.3h.

The game starts with challenging word puzzles but becomes more fun and addictive as players progress and unlock new mechanics, leading to a unique and engaging experience.

Reported time to anchor: 1h.

Friction: initial challenging word puzzles; complex rules at the start.

Unlock drivers: progression through the tutorial; unlocking new characters with unique mechanics.

Strategic Word Gamer: Plays strategically, focusing on learning and mastering mechanics. Motivation: Enjoys the strategic depth and progression. Stance: buy.

Casual Word Enthusiast: Plays casually, focusing on the enjoyment of word games. Motivation: Enjoys casual, fun word-based gameplay. Stance: buy.