Info about Hell Wait:

Official game description:
**HELL WAIT** is a riichi mahjong roguelike deckbuilder inspired by Balatro, Inscryption, and Buckshot Roulette.
Beat an ever-increasing score target, with your fingers on the line - so try not to deal in.
**Features:**
*   Over 150 Joker tiles that affect scoring, drawing, and other game rules
*   Enhance your tiles with materials, stickers, and dora
*   Different tile sets to change how you build your deck each run
*   Upgrade yaku using Blessings to turn modest hands into monsters
*   Make dark Pacts to manipulate your tiles and gain the upper hand
*   Mix and match difficulty modifiers for a greater challenge
*   A comprehensive tutorial
No mahjong knowledge required - mechanics like furiten are optional difficulty modifiers, and your opponent will even state his intent. Though he might be lying.

Release date: Nov 9, 2026

Categories: Roguelike Deckbuilder, Mahjong, Balatro-inspired, Card Game, Single-player, High Difficulty, Dark Humor

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 15; verdict: Works Well; summary: The available feedback is sparse but positive for Linux/SteamOS compatibility: the game is reported to run great on Steam Deck, with only a minor SteamOS-associated mouse/UI quirk during a slot machine segment. No launch failures, crashes, performance issues, anti-cheat/DRM blockers, or Proton tweaks are mentioned.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The only quantified gameplay time is "dozens of hours in the demo," which reports total demo playtime rather than completion, story completion, a single session length, or endgame duration. The "few minutes" quote refers to learning the rules, and the "2-3 hours" and "few hours" quotes refer to support/troubleshooting response time, not gameplay. Therefore no playtime metric is supported and all metrics are null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players report a satisfying core loop and strong one-more-run pull, with unlock variety sustaining interest. However, the tutorial is shallow for newcomers and later rounds can become a repetitive slog, so enjoyment may decline over time.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Tutorial is not in-depth or interactive enough for newcomers; Game assumes prior Riichi Mahjong familiarity; Later rounds can become a repetitive slog
  - Unlock drivers: Unlocking new jokers or decks opens fresh ideas to try; Unlocks strengthen the one-more-run pull
  - Conditions: Enjoyment is easier for players already familiar with Riichi Mahjong; An intuitive in-game tutorial helps learning; Unlock variety sustains engagement; Later-round repetition can reduce enjoyment
- Player Archetypes:
  - Experienced Riichi Player (buy)
    - Motivation: Authentic riichi mahjong play that tests and affects real table habits.
    - Playstyle: Plays full hanchan with real riichi rules and evaluates how the game affects table skill.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Curious Mahjong Beginner (buy)
    - Motivation: Accessible mahjong fun with a run-based loop that makes failure easy to retry.
    - Playstyle: Learns by starting runs, losing, and immediately retrying with beginner-friendly support.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Solo-Dev Indie Supporter (buy)
    - Motivation: Supporting a solo developer and seeing the project improve through updates.
    - Playstyle: Tries current builds, notes technical rough edges, and follows patch progress.
    - 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:
- Accessible to beginners (weight 0.74): The tutorial makes learning Japanese mahjong intuitive, and knowing only the basics is enough to enjoy the game, helping players understand other mahjong media.
- Universally fun and engaging (weight 0.54): Players consistently describe the game as super fun, very good, and enjoyable to play, highlighting its broad appeal.
- Appealing to Akagi/Kaiji fans (weight 0.5): References to Akagi and Kaiji, such as the Washizu-like villain and Akagi on a tile, are appreciated and evoke the feel of those series.
- Addictive one-more-run gameplay (weight 0.45): The gameplay loop is satisfying and hooks players into a 'one more run' mentality, making the game hard to put down.
- Fresh mahjong roguelike hybrid (weight 0.44): The combination of riichi mahjong with Balatro-style roguelike deckbuilding is seen as innovative and enjoyable, offering a unique experience.
- Excellent implementation of mahjong mechanics (weight 0.35): Yakus are implemented wonderfully, jokers are spot on, and the adaptation of riichi mahjong is praised for its faithfulness and excitement.
- Great sound effects and soundtrack (weight 0.35): The SFX are satisfying and the music is very good, with a vibe similar to the Akagi OST, enhancing the overall experience.
- Surprisingly rich content (weight 0.35): The game offers much more content than expected for the price, with dozens of special pieces, relics, and consumables.
- Strong thematic atmosphere (weight 0.34): The flashy presentation, foreboding atmosphere, and dark setting with sinister opponents give matches a sense of stakes and enhance enjoyment.
- High potential among roguelites (weight 0.26): The game has the potential to be the best riichi mahjong roguelite and is already considered a great roguelike.
- Comparisons to other games (weight 0.25): Reviewers note similarities to Balatro and Buckshot Roulette, and feel it stands out among other mahjong indie titles.
- Strategic deck building depth (weight 0.25): More tiles, hands, and yaku provide more upgrade opportunities, and deck editing reduces the need to stress over actual hands.
- Replayability via unlocks and ascension (weight 0.25): An ascension-like system and unlocks of new jokers and decks provide replayability and open up fresh ideas.
- Satisfying number progression (weight 0.23): Numbers go brrr so fast, and rounds escalate into chaotic fun with effects and jokers modifying scores.
- Enjoyable life system (weight 0.15): Losing a round does not kill you; it only costs HP, which players find enjoyable and less punishing.
- Surprisingly deep for solo developer (weight 0.14): It is impressive that a single developer was capable of this much, adding to the game's appeal.
- Chaotic fun with stacking kans (weight 0.14): The ability to stack Kans way past 4 tiles is really funny and adds to the chaotic fun.

Common complaints:
- AI opponents have overpowered waits (weight 0.52): Opponents rapidly develop multi-sided and five-sided waits even in early rounds, and can steal victories with tsumo with little chance for the player to intervene. This makes higher difficulties feel like rerolling into a lucky seed.
- Steep learning curve for newcomers (weight 0.44): The game assumes familiarity with Riichi Mahjong and the Balatro-like scoring model, which may leave players without basic mahjong knowledge struggling early on. The tutorial is not in-depth or interactive enough to compensate.
- Poor menu and UI quality of life (weight 0.43): Menus are cumbersome, with no way to back out of certain screens without hitting escape and returning to the main menu. Keybinds for viewing han types described in settings do nothing, and closing menus also requires escape, preventing comfortable one-handed play.
- Feels unfinished and derivative (weight 0.39): The game does not feel like a finished product, and aside from the art style it is not much like Inscryption, feeling like a derivative of other games with wonky presentation.
- Deck modification backfires on player (weight 0.35): Modifying the deck tends to benefit the opponent more than the player, with good tiles flowing to the AI while the player ends up dealing into others despite holding wild tiles and multi-sided waits. Strategies rarely come to fruition as unwanted dragons keep being drawn.
- Later rounds become repetitive slog (weight 0.25): With no limit on how many hands can be scored against the boss before instant failure, later rounds drag on repetitively. The core loop becomes tiresome to play over time.
- Performance issues at high scores (weight 0.25): The game slows down when reaching super high scores and occasionally freezes when winning a hand with many wild tiles, likely due to combination explosion from checking multiple yaku.
- Uncomfortable shop and slot interactions (weight 0.23): Reading shop item descriptions requires manually using the right stick, which is uncomfortable, and selecting jokers during the slot machine segment does not show tip pop-ups and requires fiddling with the mouse.
- Jokers and scoring lack impact (weight 0.23): Jokers feel less impactful compared to Balatro and the scoring is not as intuitive, making the deckbuilding decisions feel less rewarding.
- Difficulty curve and balance are questionable (weight 0.23): The difficulty curve is questionable at higher difficulties, especially with weaker decks such as all-odd tile decks, and balance improvements could be made overall.
- Frustrating draw pile and discard pressure (weight 0.23): The last needed tile often stays hidden in the draw pile, and players lose precious turns while the opponent taunts by needing tiles the player must discard.
- Visual and loading screen roughness (weight 0.21): The Godot loading screen is a rough spot and the 3D environment produces weird light effects, detracting from overall presentation.
- Endless mode forces monotonous rerolling (weight 0.14): Bosses in endless mode permanently mix unupgraded tiles into the deck, forcing players to reroll the shop repeatedly to find tile-deleting items, resulting in monotonous work.
- Unclear round and seat wind indicators (weight 0.13): The UX for round and seat wind indication could be clearer, making it harder for players to read the current game state at a glance.
- Low-quality yaku additions (weight 0.13): Specific yaku such as all-odd tiles and black one-color are seen as low-quality additions that do not add meaningful depth.
- Losing HP feels disconnected (weight 0.12): Losing HP is represented as losing fingers but does not actually affect gameplay beyond losing at 0 HP, weakening the thematic connection.
- No Russian language support (weight 0.11): The game currently lacks Russian language support, limiting accessibility for Russian-speaking players.

Gameplay feedback:
- Mahjong is core mechanic (weight 0.84): The game is fundamentally a Mahjong game, using Mahjong rules and gameplay as its main mechanic. Players engage in Riichi Mahjong against opponents, and the rules are central to play.
- Uses Riichi Mahjong rules (weight 0.74): The game specifically uses Japanese Riichi Mahjong rules, including standard scoring and yaku. This is emphasized across multiple clusters.
- Mahjong meets Balatro gameplay (weight 0.74): The game combines Riichi Mahjong with Balatro-style roguelike deckbuilding, creating a unique hybrid. It adapts Mahjong to a Balatro-like scoring and progression system.
- High difficulty and tough opponents (weight 0.51): The game is difficult, with opponents capable of multiwaits and five-sided waits early on. Higher difficulties involve rerolling into gold seeds.
- Deck modification mechanics (weight 0.43): Deck modification is a system, allowing players to edit decks and shape strategies. Deck editing is a core mechanic, with different deck types like all-odd tile decks.
- Roguelike structure with rounds (weight 0.43): The game has a roguelike loop, with players scoring hands against bosses over 12 rounds to get out of debt. Level requirements grow over the run.
- Yaku and scoring implemented (weight 0.41): Various yaku are implemented, including specific ones like all-odd tiles and black one-color. A large number of yaku are enabled from the start.
- Life system and HP loss (weight 0.35): The game has a life system starting at 12 HP, losing 2 HP per lost round, with some items costing HP. Reaching 0 HP ends the run, and there is no way to heal HP.
- Losing HP as fingers (weight 0.33): Losing HP is themed as losing fingers, tying into the gambling and risk mechanics. This is a distinctive gameplay element.
- Jokers modify scores (weight 0.33): Jokers are present in the game and modify scores, similar to Balatro. They are part of the deckbuilding and strategy.
- Tsumo and discard risks (weight 0.32): Opponents can win by tsumo, and they score when you discard tiles they need. Tsumo is a winning condition, adding strategic depth.
- In-game tutorial available (weight 0.3): The game includes an in-game tutorial that teaches Mahjong rules, helping new players learn.
- Tile waits and wild tiles (weight 0.23): Tile waits, including single tile waits for dora, and wild tiles are part of play. Multi-sided waits are also featured.
- Scoring uses chips, mult, xmult (weight 0.15): The game uses a Balatro-like scoring model with chips, mult, and xmult, adapting Mahjong scoring to this format.
- Special pieces, relics, consumables (weight 0.14): The game combines Mahjong with dozens of special pieces, relics, and consumables, enhancing deckbuilding and strategy.
- Washizu-like villain opponent (weight 0.13): The game features a villain character resembling Washizu from Akagi, adding thematic flavor. This opponent is part of the Mahjong matches.
- Ascension-like difficulty system (weight 0.13): There is an Ascension-like system for difficulty, adding replayability and challenge.
- Unlocks include jokers and decks (weight 0.13): Unlocks include new jokers and new decks, providing progression and variety.
- Shop displays item descriptions (weight 0.12): The shop displays item descriptions, aiding player decisions.

Performance notes:
- Steam Deck performance mostly good (weight 0.26): Players report the game runs great on Steam Deck, with one noting it works 95% correctly. This indicates strong compatibility with minor issues.
- Freezing on complex winning hands (weight 0.15): Occasional freezing happens when winning hands with many wild tiles. This indicates instability under specific gameplay conditions.
- Smooth performance overall (weight 0.15): A reviewer noted the game runs smoothly with no rough spots. This aligns with other positive performance reports.
- Slowdown at super high scores (weight 0.14): One player experienced the game getting slow when reaching very high scores. This suggests a performance bottleneck tied to score magnitude.
- Initial performance issues reported (weight 0.14): One player experienced performance issues when first trying to play. The exact nature is vague, but indicates potential startup problems.
- Tooltip issue on SteamOS (weight 0.13): A tooltip problem also occurs with mouse input, leading the reviewer to suspect a SteamOS-specific issue. This points to platform-level bug rather than input method.

Recommendations:
- Strong recommendation for Riichi fans (weight 0.46): Multiple reviewers strongly recommend the game to anyone who enjoys Riichi Mahjong, citing it as a great experience for players with prior Riichi experience.
- Simple and easy to recommend (weight 0.19): Short positive remarks like 'Easy sell' and 'Buy it and play it' suggest a straightforward recommendation without deep caveats.
- Not ideal for comfy Balatro-style play (weight 0.13): A reviewer advises holding off if you want a comfortable, Balatro-like experience, suggesting the game may be more demanding or different in feel.
- Other mahjong roguelikes recommended instead (weight 0.12): One reviewer suggests playing a different mahjong roguelike if that is what you are seeking, implying this game may not fully satisfy that niche.
- Room for improvement noted (weight 0.11): One reviewer recommends the game but mentions that some aspects could be improved, indicating minor flaws.

Other player notes:
- Frequent Balatro and Inscryption comparisons (weight 0.97): Many reviewers compare the game to Balatro and Inscryption, often as a shorthand for its roguelite deckbuilding style. Some note that the similarity to Inscryption is mainly aesthetic.
- Strong post-launch support potential (weight 0.51): Reviewers express optimism about future updates and continued developer support, comparing its support potential to Balatro. They look forward to further developments from the developer.
- Comparisons to Akagi and Kaiji (weight 0.39): The game is compared to Akagi and Kaiji, with themes and music inspired by these works. The Akagi anime soundtrack is specifically noted as a vibe influence.
- Solo developer project (weight 0.35): The game is developed by what is assumed to be a nearly one-person project. Reviewers note the personal touch, including one-on-one troubleshooting from the developer.
- Draws from Buckshot Roulette (weight 0.33): Reviewers note heavy inspiration from Buckshot Roulette, combining its elements with Mahjong and Balatro. This mix creates a unique roguelite experience.
- Accessible introduction to Riichi Mahjong (weight 0.26): The game has the potential to introduce many people to Riichi Mahjong in a more relaxed environment. Its in-game tutorial further lowers the barrier to entry.
- Surpasses other mahjong indie titles (weight 0.25): A reviewer who has tried several other mahjong indie titles finds this one surpasses them. It is also considered a contender for the best riichi mahjong roguelite.
- Demo and playtest availability (weight 0.25): The game was available in a playtest and has a demo, allowing players to try it before release. This contributed to early interest and feedback.
- Outshines other post-Balatro games (weight 0.25): It is favorably compared to other post-Balatro games, standing out in the crowded roguelite deckbuilder space. Its distinct aesthetics and music set it apart.
- Playable on Steam Deck (weight 0.14): The game is playable on Steam Deck, offering portable playability. This is a positive for users who prefer handheld gaming.
- Knowledge transfers to other mahjong games (weight 0.13): Skills and knowledge gained from this game apply to other mahjong titles such as Mahjong Soul and Strip Mahjong. This makes it a useful learning tool.
- Compared to other mahjong roguelikes (weight 0.13): The game is compared to another mahjong roguelike that a reviewer recommends over it, indicating competition in the niche. This highlights areas where it may fall short.
- May affect real-life mahjong play (weight 0.12): One reviewer warns that playing this game may make you play like a fool in your next real hanchan. This suggests the game's mechanics could influence real-world habits.
- Uses a 3D environment (weight 0.12): The game uses a 3D environment, which is a notable technical and aesthetic choice. This sets it apart from many 2D roguelites.
- Built with Godot Engine (weight 0.11): The game is made with the Godot Engine, as noted by a reviewer. This technical detail may interest developers and players alike.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.16): Players are frustrated by poor quality-of-life elements such as cumbersome menus and the inability to back out of certain screens without returning to the main menu. Gameplay mechanics like deck modification benefiting the opponent, unclear wind indicators, and a boss that permanently adds unupgraded tiles forcing tedious shop rerolling compound the frustration. Additionally, opponents' frequent tsumo wins with little chance to intervene and repeatedly drawing unwanted dragons contribute to a sense of helplessness.
- Disappointment (weight 0.09): The tutorial is not in-depth or interactive, leaving players unprepared. The game slows down at high scores, and specific yaku like all-odd tiles and black one-color are disappointing. Some players also feel the game is a derivative clone and note the lack of Russian language support.
- Excitement (weight 0.09): Players are excited about the game's potential and future updates, as well as the rapid score increases and rogue-like gambling appeal. The good gameplay, fire soundtrack, and chaotic rounds with flying effects and jokers modifying scores create anticipation for further developments.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): The Mahjong-based gameplay offers a different and enjoyable experience, with flashy presentation and a foreboding atmosphere. Players find it really fun and feel it captures the magic of its inspiration, delivering an atmospheric riichi mahjong roguelike.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.07): The 'one more run' appeal and solid content provide a satisfying gameplay loop that hooks players. The game runs great overall, especially on Steam Deck, scratching the itch for repeated runs.
- Annoyance (weight 0.04): Annoyance arises from the ctrl and mouse side button han-view setting not responding, and the escape menu requiring escape to close, which prevents one-handed play.
- Mild disappointment (weight 0.04): Jokers are not as impactful and scoring is less intuitive compared to Balatro. Rough edges like the Godot loading screen and weird light effects also contribute to mild disappointment.
- Fun (weight 0.04): Players simply find the game so fun, especially the overall gameplay loop.
- Impressed (weight 0.04): The developer personally provided one-on-one troubleshooting within hours, and a single developer produced this much, leaving players impressed.
- Amazement (weight 0.02): Players are amazed by how good the game is compared to other mahjong indie titles.
- Love (weight 0.02): Players love the implementation of yakus and jokers.
- Mild frustration (weight 0.02): Mild frustration comes from opponents' five-sided waits being ridiculous towards the end of runs.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion occurs because lacking basic mahjong rules can make the start difficult for new players.
- Tension (weight 0.02): Tension builds when waiting on a single tile for the dora.
- Overwhelm (weight 0.02): Players feel overwhelmed by the large number of yaku enabled from the start.
- Absorbed (weight 0.02): The game is hard to put down, keeping players absorbed.
- Curiosity (weight 0.02): Players are curious whether they can survive 12 rounds with the life system.
- Concern (weight 0.02): Concern arises from occasional freezing when winning hands with many wild tiles.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Players find it amusing that they can stack Kans past 4 tiles.
- Dread (weight 0.02): Dread sets in when the opponent needs the tiles you are forced to discard.}