Info about Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition:

Official game description:
Become the terrifying force which everything fears but nothing can escape. Awakened by the End of Days, Death, the most feared of the legendary Four Horsemen embarks on a quest to redeem his brother's name. Along the way, the Horseman discovers that an ancient grudge may threaten all of Creation. Death lives!  
**Deathinitive Edition Features:**  
*   Darksiders 2 with all DLC included and integrated into the game which offers a total playtime of more than 30 hours  
*   Reworked and tuned game balancing and loot distribution  
*   Improved Graphic Render Engine for higher visual quality especially in terms of lighting and shadows  
*   Improved and reworked level, character and environment graphics  
*   Running in native 1080p resolution  
*   Steam Trading Cards
**Features:**  
*   **Play Death**: Become the most feared of the legendary Four Horsemen, able to destroy entire worlds and battle forces beyond Heaven and Hell.  
*   **Epic Universe**: Unlike anything the player has seen before, delivered in the unique style of Joe Mad.  
*   **Player Choice & Customization**: Customize your experience with varied armor sets, weapons, and Skill Trees allowing players to create their own Death.  
*   **Replay-ability**: Explore a vast open world, complete dozens of side quests and customize your Death with a full leveling system, Skill Trees and endless equipment combinations.  
*   **Traversal**: Death is a nimble and agile character capable of incredible acrobatic feats allowing the player to explore the world like never before.

Release date: Nov 5, 2015

Categories: Action RPG, Hack and Slash, Character Progression, Open-World Exploration, Puzzle Solving, Zelda-like Dungeon Design, Metroidvania, Combat

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Mixed Feedback on DLC; summary: The user reviews highlight issues related to DLC confusion and the perceived value of DLC content. While some users appreciate the integrated content and lower price, others express frustration over the necessity and value of additional DLC purchases. The overall sentiment suggests a need for clearer communication about what is included in the base game and the value proposition of additional DLCs.
- Wiki: score 10; verdict: Needs Technical Improvements; summary: The primary issues highlighted by users include frequent crashes and technical problems, particularly related to alt-tabbing, which severely disrupts gameplay. Additionally, the UI and game mechanics are criticized for lacking essential guides, making 100% completion difficult without external resources. Users also note the need to look up information on legendary weapons, indicating insufficient in-game descriptions.
- Proton/Linux: score 30; verdict: Works Well with Minor Tweaks; summary: The game has decent compatibility with Proton on Linux, particularly with Proton Experimental. It runs well on Steam Deck with consistent frame rates, although there are some performance issues reported in specific scenarios. Overall, the game is playable on Linux and Steam Deck with some minor tweaks and considerations.
- Steam Deck: score 75; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game suffers from significant issues related to localization, frequent crashes, and inconsistent controller support. While it runs decently on Steam Deck with Proton Experimental, the overall experience is marred by these technical problems. The need for specific settings and external software to mitigate crashes and controller issues indicates a high level of friction for users.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: The game exhibits significant performance issues and crashes across lower VRAM hardware, particularly under 8GB VRAM. Higher VRAM configurations show some improvement with workarounds.
  - Sample size: 34 (2% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (negative, 20 reports): Frequent crashes and performance issues reported, particularly during inventory access and cutscenes.
  - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (positive, 7 reports): Improved performance with higher VRAM, though some users still report crashes that can be mitigated with FPS limits.
  - Caveats: 34 of 2241 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $6.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that the community generally finds the game worth purchasing only when it is on sale. Multiple reviews mention that the game is worth it at a discounted price, indicating that the fair price range is lower than the full price. The specific mention of $8.24 CAD as a sale price and the general consensus that the game should be bought at a steep discount support a lower price range.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 25.0h
  - Story completion: 20.0h
  - Session length: 1.0h
  - Endgame: 5.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provided includes direct mentions of playtime and gameplay experiences. The first quote indicates that the game can be completed on a higher difficulty, suggesting a significant investment of time. The second quote mentions a desire to play longer, implying that the game offers substantial content. The third quote highlights a technical issue but also notes that even a short play session was enjoyable, indicating engaging gameplay. The fourth quote reiterates the completion of the game on a higher difficulty, reinforcing the idea of a substantial playtime investment.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game becomes fun as players progress and unlock new abilities and gear, with combat and dungeon crawling being particularly enjoyable. However, repetitive elements and technical issues can initially hinder the experience.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Unlocking new abilities and gear
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: Repetitive content; Technical issues; Tedious fetch quests; Inconsistent controller support; Lengthy puzzle portions
  - Unlock drivers: Primary gear unlocks; Skill tree progression; Loot and build variety; New abilities
  - Conditions: Solo play; Exploration; Customizable combat; Engaging story
- Player Archetypes:
  - Frustrated Technician (no buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking a smooth and bug-free gaming experience.
    - Playstyle: Prefers games that run well technically and values performance stability.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: bug-averse; performance-conscious
    - Reference games: God of War; The Legend of Zelda
  - Nostalgic Franchise Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of the game's combat, story, and nostalgic elements.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys action-adventure games with a focus on combat and story.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: franchise fan; old-school gamer
    - Reference games: God of War; Devil May Cry; Diablo
  - Customization Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Customization and mastery of combat mechanics.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys tailoring their character and playstyle, focusing on combat mastery and achievement completion.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: completionist; customization lover
    - Reference games: The Legend of Zelda; God of War
  - Puzzle-Solving Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoyment of puzzles and exploration.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys solving environmental puzzles and exploring the game world.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: puzzle lover; explorer
    - Reference games: The Legend of Zelda; Portal


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:
- Smooth and engaging combat system (weight 0.27): The combat system is described as fluid, satisfying, and fast-paced. Players enjoy the smooth animations and the overall engaging nature of the combat mechanics.
- High praise for overall game quality (weight 0.25): Players consistently describe the game as excellent, enjoyable, and engaging. Many highlight it as one of their favorite games, praising its gameplay, storyline, and open world.
- Outstanding soundtrack and audio design (weight 0.15): The game's soundtrack is frequently mentioned as brilliant, phenomenal, and masterful. Players appreciate the haunting and atmospheric musical score, as well as the excellent voice acting.
- Improved graphics and visuals (weight 0.15): The graphics are noted to have aged well and are described as pleasant and improved. Players appreciate the comic-like graphics and the overall visual enhancements.
- Interesting and well-developed characters (weight 0.12): Players find the characters in the game to be interesting and enjoyable. The story is rich with good characterization, contributing to a superb narrative experience.
- Deep and engaging RPG mechanics (weight 0.09): The game features a mix of RPG elements that players find interesting and enjoyable. The emphasis on RPG aspects contributes to the overall depth and engagement of the gameplay.
- Unique and engaging story (weight 0.09): The story is described as unique, engaging, and fun. Players appreciate the memorable and legendary storytelling that adds to the game's strong points.
- Impressive world and character design (weight 0.08): The game features an impressive and diverse world design. Players appreciate the well-sized open world and the impressive creature and environment designs.
- Positive feedback from Russian-speaking players (weight 0.08): Russian-speaking players express their love for the game, highlighting its enjoyable gameplay and story. They find the game to be cool and worth attention.
- Part of the Darksiders series (weight 0.08): Players mention that this game is part of the Darksiders series and compare it favorably to other games in the franchise. It is often described as one of the best in the series.
- Improvements over the first game (weight 0.07): Players note that the gameplay and adventure aspects are better than the first game. The improved mechanics and overall gameplay make it a preferred choice over its predecessor.
- Engaging exploration mechanics (weight 0.07): The game offers good and immersive exploration. Players find the large-scale and non-linear exploration to be rewarding and enjoyable.
- Variety in enemies and weapons (weight 0.06): The game offers a variety of enemies and bosses, as well as a variety of weapons and techniques. This diversity adds to the overall enjoyment and engagement of the gameplay.
- Excellent voice acting for Death (weight 0.06): Players praise the voice acting for the character Death, highlighting Michael Wincott's performance as a standout feature.

Common complaints:
- Frequent bugs and crashes (weight 0.44): Players report a high number of bugs and crashes, which significantly impact the gameplay experience. These issues range from minor glitches to game-breaking problems.
- Excessive and tedious puzzles (weight 0.22): Many players find the puzzles in the game to be overly complex, repetitive, and time-consuming. This can lead to a frustrating and less enjoyable experience.
- Menu-related crashes and freezes (weight 0.18): Players experience frequent crashes and freezes when accessing or exiting menus. This issue severely disrupts the gameplay flow.
- Too many fetch quests (weight 0.1): The game includes a large number of fetch quests, which players find repetitive and pointless. This can make the gameplay feel monotonous.
- Camera and graphical glitches (weight 0.07): Players report various camera issues and graphical glitches that affect the visual experience and gameplay.
- Specific climbing and movement bugs (weight 0.07): Players encounter bugs related to climbing walls and vines, which can break movement and cause frustration.
- Cinematic-related crashes (weight 0.05): The game crashes frequently during or after specific cinematics, disrupting the narrative flow and causing frustration.
- Language support issues (weight 0.04): The game lacks support for certain languages, such as Portuguese, which can be a significant drawback for non-English speaking players.
- Ultrawide UI issues (weight 0.04): The game has problems with ultrawide monitor support, leading to a broken interface and poor user experience for those with ultrawide screens.
- Sound issues (weight 0.04): Players report various sound-related bugs, including missing or broken sounds, which can detract from the overall immersion.

Gameplay feedback:
- Puzzle-solving mechanics (weight 0.19): The game includes a range of puzzles, from dungeon puzzles to fetch quests and exploration-based puzzles. Some players note a reduction in puzzles but overall enjoy the puzzle-solving aspects.
- Combat mechanics and variety (weight 0.18): Combat is a significant focus, with players highlighting fast-paced combat, fighting mechanics, and a variety of weapons. The combat system is compared to games like Devil May Cry and God of War, offering a high level of customization and weapon upgrades.
- RPG elements and progression (weight 0.13): The game features a variety of RPG elements, including progression systems, side quests, talent trees, magic abilities, and randomized equipment. Players appreciate the depth and customization these elements bring to the gameplay.
- Open world exploration (weight 0.1): The game features an open world with elements of exploration, allowing players to engage in open-world action RPG mechanics and discover hidden areas.
- Climbing and platforming mechanics (weight 0.1): The game features climbing passages, timed climbing puzzles, and platforming mechanics, adding to the exploration and puzzle-solving aspects.
- Zelda-like and Metroidvania elements (weight 0.09): Players draw comparisons to Zelda-style dungeons and Metroidvania elements, appreciating the RPG-style gameplay and dungeon exploration.
- Character development and story (weight 0.09): The game features character development and a strong story, with players appreciating the characterization and legendary storytelling.
- Farming for loot and equipment (weight 0.08): The game includes farming for loot and equipment drops, with players hunting for gear and improving their equipment.
- Hack and slash gameplay (weight 0.08): The game is described as a hack and slash adventure, with players enjoying the action-adventure gameplay and slasher combat mechanics.
- Boss fights and enemies (weight 0.06): The game includes cinematic boss fights and a variety of enemies and mini-bosses, providing challenging and engaging combat experiences.
- Ability unlocks and customization (weight 0.06): Players can unlock new abilities and customize their movesets, adding to the game's depth and variety.
- Collectible missions and items (weight 0.05): There are many items to collect and collectible missions, adding to the game's depth and replayability.
- Quest system with main and side quests (weight 0.04): The game includes a quest system with main and side quests, providing a variety of objectives and activities for players.

Performance notes:
- Game freezing issues (weight 0.2): Players report various freezing issues, such as game freezes, screen freezing, and freezing when accessing menus. These problems disrupt the gaming experience.
- Frequent crashes and instability (weight 0.19): The game experiences frequent crashes, including random crashes, crashes to desktop, and crashes during boss fights. These issues significantly impact gameplay stability.
- Framerate and performance issues (weight 0.16): The game suffers from framerate instability, uncapped framerates, and performance struggles. Players suggest locking FPS to improve stability.
- Audio and sound problems (weight 0.11): There are numerous sound-related issues, including sound disappearance, audio loss during long sessions, and glitching sounds. These issues affect the overall immersion and experience.
- Optimization problems (weight 0.11): The game has poor optimization, leading to unstable performance and technical issues. Some players report improved performance with specific settings.
- Menu-related bugs (weight 0.08): Several bugs are related to the game's menu, including crashes and freezes when accessing or exiting the menu.
- Graphical and texture glitches (weight 0.07): Various graphical glitches and texture errors have been reported, impacting the visual quality and experience of the game.
- General bugs and performance issues (weight 0.07): Players report a variety of bugs and performance issues that affect gameplay and overall experience.
- Numerous unresolved bugs (weight 0.03): The game still has a significant number of bugs, including critical ones that remain unfixed.
- Mixed reviews on bugs (weight 0.03): Opinions on the game's bugginess vary, with some players reporting zero bugs and others experiencing critical bugs.
- Positive feedback on Steam Deck performance (weight 0.03): The game runs smoothly on Steam Deck, with players reporting a good experience at 45 FPS.
- Specific cutscene crash (weight 0.03): A specific crash occurs after the Archon cutscene, affecting gameplay progression.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for adventure action fans (weight 0.17): The game is highly recommended for fans of adventure action games, particularly those who enjoy dungeons, loot, puzzles, combat, and exploration. It is often compared to Zelda games and is considered essential for action-adventure and RPG hybrid enthusiasts.
- General recommendations with reservations (weight 0.14): Many reviewers recommend the game despite its issues, often citing its lower price and included DLC as reasons to overlook its flaws. Some suggest it is worth playing for its story and gameplay experience.
- Positive general sentiments (weight 0.09): Reviewers express positive sentiments about the game, calling it legendary and worth every minute. Some recommend it for nostalgic reasons or as part of a bundle.
- Not recommended for PC (weight 0.07): Several reviews advise against buying the game on PC, suggesting that the console or original versions provide a better experience.
- Worth it on sale (weight 0.07): The game is considered worth purchasing, especially if it is on sale. Some reviewers suggest getting it on a steep discount during a Steam sale.
- Recommended for Darksiders fans (weight 0.07): The game is recommended for fans of the Darksiders series, especially those new to the franchise. Some suggest starting with Darksiders 1 for more lore, but it is not mandatory.
- Highly recommended to play (weight 0.06): The game is highly recommended for those who have played previous entries in the series a long time ago. Reviewers emphasize that it is worth the time investment.
- Best in the series (weight 0.05): Darksiders 3 is considered by some to be the best in the series, making it a recommended entry point for new players.
- Worth attention for future releases (weight 0.05): The game is worth playing in preparation for Darksiders 4, with many reviewers looking forward to the next game in the series.
- Unique gameplay innovations (weight 0.03): The game features unique innovations such as an open-world illusion and a unique combat system, making it stand out in the series.
- Cautionary recommendations (weight 0.02): Some reviewers recommend the game with caution, suggesting to buy it at your own risk or only if played on specific platforms like the Steam Deck.
- Not recommended due to length (weight 0.01): A few reviews mention that the game is not recommended due to its length, suggesting it might be too short for some players.

Other player notes:
- Related books and graphic novels (weight 0.02): Players mentioned related books and graphic novels in their reviews.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.72): Players are primarily frustrated by the game's technical issues, including frequent crashes, freezing, and various bugs that hinder progression. Additionally, the complexity and repetitiveness of puzzles, along with issues related to game mechanics such as climbing and combat, contribute significantly to this frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.26): Players enjoy the game for its engaging combat mechanics, interesting storyline, and well-designed characters. The visual style, music, and overall atmosphere also contribute to a positive experience, making the game fun and immersive.
- Disappointment (weight 0.22): Disappointment stems from the game's technical issues, such as crashes and bugs, which make it unplayable for some. Additionally, players feel let down by repetitive gameplay, weak story elements, and a lack of depth compared to the first game.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.18): Players are satisfied with the game's combat mechanics, visuals, and overall improvements over the first game. The engaging storyline, character progression, and well-optimized performance also contribute to a satisfying experience.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.08): Nostalgia is evoked by the game's ability to remind players of their childhood memories and experiences with the first game in the series. The familiar gameplay and story elements bring back fond memories.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Players are excited about the game's fast-paced combat, engaging storyline, and unique character mechanics. The rich story and deep gameplay mechanics also contribute to this excitement.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.06): Enthusiasm is driven by the game's unique gameplay, masterful puzzle design, and outstanding soundtrack. The engaging storyline and detailed analysis of the game's features also contribute to this enthusiasm.
- Positive (weight 0.05): Players have a positive experience with the game due to its enjoyable story, gameplay, and various aspects such as character interactions and atmosphere. Despite some issues, the overall quality and animations are appreciated.
- Frustrated (weight 0.05): Players are frustrated with specific aspects such as the platinum trophy, volume and storyline issues, Vine movement, combat mechanics, and optimization problems. Technical issues like crashing and freezing also contribute to this frustration.
- Admiration (weight 0.04): Players admire the game's intriguing story, charismatic characters, and depth of the world and character motivations. The visual style, puzzles, and overall quality of the game are also highly regarded.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is primarily caused by game design flaws, frequent crashes, and bugs that hinder gameplay. Performance issues and the inability to play the game as intended contribute to this anger.
- Excited (weight 0.02): Players are excited about the game's combat mechanics, RPG systems, and visual improvements. The positive experience with the game's combat and graphics also contributes to this excitement.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is derived from the good gameplay experience, sense of adventure, and scale of the game. The enjoyable gameplay and character interactions also bring joy to players.
- Разочарование (weight 0.02): Players feel disappointed due to sparse locations, puzzles that disrupt the game's pace, high difficulty, and technical problems. The overall final difficulty and specific design choices contribute to this feeling.
- Happy (weight 0.02): Players are happy with the story, overall gameplay experience, and improvements made in the game. The enjoyment of the game and franchise contributes to this happiness.
- Disappointed (weight 0.02): Disappointment arises from the story and final fight, bland world design, excessive level grinding, and lack of translation on PC. These elements fall short of player expectations.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Players hope for future remakes, improvements, and the opportunity to play as the character Death again. The anticipation of future games in the series also brings hope.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciate the game's good voice acting, soundtrack, art style, and overall enjoyment. The character lore, style, and various gameplay elements are also highly appreciated.
- Удовольствие (weight 0.01): Players derive pleasure from the combat system and visual design. The improved combat mechanics contribute to this enjoyment.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players love the game for its overall enjoyment, interesting mechanics, and cool story. The engaging gameplay and character interactions contribute to this love.}