Info about Soulmask: Shifting Sands:

Official game description:
In _Soulmask: Shifting Sands_, you will survival in a unique world where ancient Egyptian myths meet alien technology. Unlock anti-gravity engineering to build and command your own Solar Barge.
Equip your airship with customizable modules and powerful weapons to battle colossal beings rising from the shifting sands, and forge a survival legend shaped entirely by your choices.
_Soulmask: Shifting Sands_ features a world as large as the base game, with 500+ hours of content. Even if you’re new to Soulmask, you can begin your journey directly in Shifting Sands.
**Your vessel, your fortress, your home. Fly, battle, and build in a whole new way**
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   Every ship supports custom building—install a light Anti-Gravity Engine to soar into the skies, or equip a small sand skid to skim across desert dunes. Rig your vessel with a control deck, gangway, and speed sail, or mount various ballistas and cannons to transform your ship into a mobile armored fortress!
*   Bring your tribesmen aboard! They will live and work on the ship, establishing a fully functional aerial production and construction base.
*   An **Unlimited Build Mode** lets you create without material restrictions, unlocking complete freedom in ship design.
*   With the new **Blueprint System**, players can easily share and download their dream vessels.
Put on the Mask and Walk with Gods—each mask holds a divine ability waiting to be unleashed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Featuring several new masks inspired by ancient Egyptian deities. Don the mask to unlock the untapped power of the gods.
Horus Mask – Celestial Wings
----------------------------
*   Available from the start. Become the avatar of the sky god, granting free flight and devastating diving attack abilities.
Anubis Mask – Doomsday Judgment
-------------------------------
*   Become the Guardian of the underworld. Wither your foes, balance status effects, and resurrect fallen enemies nearby to join your combat force.
Sobek Mask – Abyss Overlord
---------------------------
*   Embody the crocodile god, summoning water currents for guarding yourself and trapping enemies in its strong tides.
Amun-Ra Mask – Glorious Hymn
----------------------------
*   Incarnate as the sun god, wielding solar rays and blazing flames to burn your enemies to ashes.
**New Map: A familiar yet mind-bending Anti-Gravity Egyptian World.**
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Braving dynamic day-night cycles and harsh survival challenges, immerse yourself in the legendary landscapes of Egypt! Discover hidden "surreal" sci-fi wonders: floating "islands", a pyramid inverted in the sky, and other mind-bending spectacles waiting to be explored!

Release date: Apr 9, 2026

Categories: Survival, Base Building, Ship Building, Open-World Exploration, Crafting, Cooperative Multiplayer, Tribe Management, Boss Fights

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 15; verdict: Fair / Traditional Paid DLC; summary: The reviews focus on a paid DLC/expansion and a limited free-claim window for base-game owners. Some users allege cut content or an unfinished DLC and resent having to spend more, but no review provides direct evidence of in-game purchases, real-money gacha, loot boxes, battle passes, paid power, paid convenience, currency obfuscation, or an aggressive cash shop. Under the audit rules, this is traditional paid DLC monetization and cannot be scored above 20.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: The low-VRAM Windows cohort is mostly negative due to VRAM overflow and optimization complaints, and the 8-11 GB VRAM cohort is uniformly negative with severe frame-rate drops, lag, and stability issues.
  - Sample size: 42 (9% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (negative, 13 reports): On 8 GB Windows cards, users report repeated VRAM overflow and poor optimization, despite one positive note about DLC performance improvements.
  - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (negative, 11 reports): All included reports are negative, citing severe FPS drops, lag, low CPU/GPU utilization, and crashes.
  - Caveats: 42 of 443 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $14.99 - $19.99
  - Reasoning: The reviews show mixed confidence in the base game's standalone value: some describe it as decent, while others say it still needs more polish and are unsure it is worth buying for the base game alone. With the current price at $19.99 and no clear support for a higher price, the community fair range is best placed slightly below to at the current price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The only explicit DLC playtime figure is 180 hours on official DLC servers. That is a total playtime report, not evidence of time to complete the game, finish the story, a typical session length, or separate endgame hours. Other reviews describe progression ending at Steel and high-level areas being inaccessible, but they give no hour values. Larger hour claims refer to the original map or EA base game and were excluded.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Reports point to a slow start shaped by a condensed tutorial and a slog toward airship unlocks, with the first airship flight and co-op play as the clearest fun payoffs. Some players still find the current or DLC state boring, so the profile is mixed.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: The first flight of a player-built medium airship
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Condensed tutorial and learning curve for new players; Long, slogging grind for airship unlocks; Restriction on building on land; DLC early-game progression feels pointless after character migration; Multiplayer ship flying can desync; Current map feels boring and empty compared to the first map
  - Unlock drivers: First flight of a built medium airship; Playing co-op with friends; Assigning tedious work to tribesmen; Choosing the original map for more sensible progression; Reworked balancing and progression in the DLC and 1.0
  - Conditions: Playing with friends or in co-op; Choosing the original map over the DLC map; Spending a few hours on the base map first when new; Reaching airship-building progression; Playing the DLC cooperatively
- Player Archetypes:
  - Competitive PvP Clan Raider (no buy)
    - Motivation: Competitive PvP progression and clan raids with enough time to gear up.
    - Playstyle: Group PvP on wipe-based servers, raiding and contesting resources, and avoiding solo play unless duo or solo PvP servers exist.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: PvP community; PvP players
    - Reference games: ARK; Conan Exiles
  - PvE Base-Builder and Tribe Manager (buy)
    - Motivation: Long-term base building, tribe management, crafting, and PvE progression.
    - Playstyle: Solo or co-op PvE with large bases, villager harvesting, and extended progression.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: solo-PC
    - Reference games: Conan Exiles
  - Airship Explorer and Vehicle Builder (buy)
    - Motivation: Exploring a large open world and building and flying airships.
    - Playstyle: Exploration-focused PvE with airship and land-ship construction, sometimes in multiplayer.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Neverwinter Nights
  - Cautious Content-Completeness Watcher (no buy)
    - Motivation: Get a finished, fairly monetized game before investing time and money.
    - Playstyle: Waits for patches and checks DLC completeness and monetization before buying or continuing.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: no 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:
- Free DLC appreciated (weight 0.21): Many reviewers highlight that the DLC was provided for free, calling it a huge win and a classy move by the developers.
- Flying base and ships highlight (weight 0.19): The flying base and airship features are repeatedly called great, enjoyable, and a highlight of the game.
- DLC highly praised (weight 0.17): Players overwhelmingly describe the DLC as magnificent, awesome, and a huge, excellent addition.
- DLC rivals or beats base game (weight 0.15): Some players feel the DLC is better than the base game or adds a whole new game, while others still enjoy the base game.
- Strong game foundations (weight 0.1): Reviewers praise the game's backbone and foundations, stating it is good and worth playing.
- Flight mechanics excellent (weight 0.09): The ability to fly personally and with ships, along with great flight mechanics, is highly commended.
- Beautiful visuals (weight 0.07): Graphics are frequently described as great, wonderful, and visually beautiful.
- New masks praised (weight 0.07): New masks, especially those with mimicry, are called cool, beautiful, and better than most previous ones.
- Replayable and fun (weight 0.07): The game is described as very replayable and fun, with the DLC making it even more pleasant.
- Among best survival games (weight 0.06): Players rank the game and its DLC among the best survival games they have played.
- Developer responsiveness praised (weight 0.06): Players note that the developer team listens to feedback and implements improvements.
- Overall very fun game (weight 0.06): Reviewers find the game very fun, perfect, and express loving it overall.
- Beautiful and vast map (weight 0.06): The new map is praised for its beauty, size, and design.
- DLC playable and fun (weight 0.06): The DLC is described as quite playable, enjoyable, and generally quite good.
- Large amount of content (weight 0.04): The game offers a large amount of content, with many new additions.
- New bosses improved (weight 0.04): New bosses are considered higher quality with interesting mechanics and more difficulty than the original.
- Good value for money (weight 0.04): Reviewers feel the game offers a lot for its cost and is worth the price.
- DLC adds new mechanics (weight 0.04): The DLC introduces many new mechanics and goodies that enhance the base game.
- Well optimized (weight 0.04): The game is noted as really well optimized with good performance.
- Solo and co-op supported (weight 0.04): The game can be played both solo and in co-op, adding flexibility.

Common complaints:
- DLC balance broken (weight 0.11): The DLC is criticized for poor balance, bugs, and jank. Players feel it lacks polish even after delays.
- Many bugs present (weight 0.1): The game has many bugs, including NPCs that stand still and do not function.
- No South American servers (weight 0.07): There are no South American servers for online play, affecting players in that region.
- Optimization issues (weight 0.07): The game suffers from optimization problems, including frame drops in certain areas.
- DLC PvP not working (weight 0.07): The DLC is designed for online PvP but does not work properly, and lacks long-term PvP servers.
- Poor level design (weight 0.07): Level design is considered really bad, with hollow areas and excessive empty space.
- High ping on NA servers (weight 0.06): North American servers show over 220 ms ping, with spikes up to 999 ms nearly every evening.
- Cannot place storage boxes (weight 0.06): After an update, players cannot place wooden boxes or storage boxes.
- Not ready for 1.0 (weight 0.04): Players feel the game was released in a state not ready for 1.0 and should return to early access.
- Final boss inaccessible (weight 0.04): The final pyramid boss is not accessible; its location is closed and the boss is not implemented.
- 1.0 worse than early access (weight 0.04): The 1.0 release is considered worse than the earlier early-access version.
- Excessive grinding (weight 0.04): Players report a lot of grinding in the game.
- Misleading store page (weight 0.04): Store page videos and images are misleading and do not reflect the actual game.
- Cannot build on ship (weight 0.04): Players cannot place campfires and boxes on the ship or boats.
- Whip weapon clunky (weight 0.03): The new whip weapon looks nice but is bad and feels clunky.

Gameplay feedback:
- Flying ships are core (weight 0.27): Multiple clusters highlight that flying ships and airship building are central to the game. Players can build, pilot, and use ships as mobile bases.
- DLC adds flying features (weight 0.18): The DLC introduces new flying capabilities such as a flying base, airship, and flying mask, expanding aerial gameplay.
- DLC includes new map (weight 0.17): The DLC adds a new map called Shifting Sands with an Ancient Egypt theme, and it also expands the existing map.
- Sandbox survival gameplay (weight 0.11): The game is described as a sandbox survival game with building elements, and it also includes tribe or village management.
- DLC introduces bosses (weight 0.1): The DLC features several new bosses, including a giant fish boss, a final pyramid boss, and a dungeon boss named 'Destroyer'.
- Co-op multiplayer support (weight 0.09): The game supports cooperative play with friends, and the DLC can also be played co-op.
- Online PvP servers (weight 0.06): Official PvP servers are available with frequent balance changes, and the game supports online PvP.
- Large open map (weight 0.06): The game features a large, open, and varied map that includes waterways.
- Ship building limits (weight 0.05): Ships have a building element limit and a ship building zone with size restrictions.

Performance notes:
- High ping on servers (weight 0.13): Many players, especially in South America, experience latency over 200 ms due to the lack of local servers and high ping on official servers.
- Severe optimization issues (weight 0.11): Numerous reports describe poor optimization leading to low FPS, stuttering, and crashes even on high-end systems. The game is often called the worst optimized game by reviewers.
- FPS drops in specific areas (weight 0.08): Frame rate drops significantly in certain locations, such as flying over the starting area, near cable cars and auto-miners, and in sea areas with high CPU usage.
- Memory-related crashes (weight 0.06): Players experience crashes due to running out of memory and VRAM exhaustion, often triggered by opening certain menus or after extended play sessions.
- Server lag and desync (weight 0.06): Combat suffers from packet loss and desync, and official servers frequently have ping spikes to 200-999 ms for hours almost every evening.
- Performance degrades over time (weight 0.04): FPS drops from stable high rates to as low as 40 after one or two hours of play, and can only be fixed by restarting the game.
- Stuttering during gameplay (weight 0.04): The game stutters and lags regularly, which is often attributed to bad code and lack of optimization.
- DLC server issues (weight 0.04): On DLC release, servers crashed with queues, lag, and constant rollbacks, and lag remains unbearable even with low player counts.
- Long loading times (weight 0.04): Loading cinematic causes extremely long load times of 40-60 seconds, and large player bases load very slowly.
- Crashes and file corruption (weight 0.04): Players report file corruption and crashes on systems with good specs, and some are kicked to the loading screen after updates.
- Ship glitches and FPS drops (weight 0.04): Glitches with ships and massive FPS drops occur when snapping wings or engines into preset spots on ships.
- Issues with new vehicles (weight 0.02): New vehicles, particularly on land, are incredibly laggy and cause frame drops.
- Start screen crash after update (weight 0.02): The game crashes on the start screen and is unplayable after an update.
- Shadow management problems (weight 0.02): There is a significant problem with shadow management or shadows being absent.
- Underwater clipping causes lag (weight 0.02): Clipping underwater causes lag.
- Fluidity worse than rainforest (weight 0.02): Fluidity is much worse than in the rainforest, possibly due to a bug.
- Optimization bug hinders performance (weight 0.02): A bug makes optimizing the game really annoying.
- DLC causes overheating (weight 0.02): The DLC makes the reviewer's computer run very hot.
- DLC needs optimization (weight 0.02): The DLC requires further optimization.
- DirectX 11 requirement issue (weight 0.02): The game requires DirectX 11, which the reviewer cannot install.

Recommendations:
- Game is worth buying (weight 0.2): A number of reviewers positively recommend the game, considering it worth the price and fun to play.
- Not recommended in current state (weight 0.19): Many reviewers give a thumbs-down due to bugs, poor guidance, and broken features in the current build.
- Only worth it if free (weight 0.15): Several reviewers state the DLC is only worthwhile if obtained for free, and not at full price.
- Wait for fixes before buying (weight 0.13): Reviewers frequently advise waiting until the DLC is fully finished and patched before purchasing.
- Base game map is better (weight 0.11): Players often recommend playing the original map instead, citing more content variety and better progression.
- Recommended for Soulmask and survival fans (weight 0.11): The DLC is recommended for fans of Soulmask and survival games, especially those who enjoy deep PvE and building.
- Play vanilla instead of DLC (weight 0.07): Some players suggest sticking to the vanilla game or original map rather than the DLC.
- Bugs and single-player issues (weight 0.04): Several reviewers caution about bugs and problems specifically affecting single-player mode.
- Fun with friends (weight 0.04): Reviewers note that playing with friends enhances the experience and is recommended.
- Airship building is a highlight (weight 0.04): The flying ship building feature is specifically praised as a major draw for the DLC.
- Grindy and time-consuming (weight 0.04): The game is recommended only for players who don't mind grinding and investing significant time.
- Not for casual players (weight 0.04): Reviewers warn that the game is not suitable for those seeking a quick or casual experience.
- Not recommended for newcomers on official servers (weight 0.02): New players are advised not to start fresh on the new map, especially on official servers.
- Adjust mechanical damage multiplier (weight 0.02): One reviewer recommends lowering the mechanical damage multiplier to improve the experience.
- DLC replay value if already played (weight 0.02): Reviewers suggest replaying the game if played early on, as annoying elements have been reworked.
- Not for PvE players (weight 0.02): One reviewer states the game is not suitable for PvE players.
- Avoid if you value your nerves (weight 0.02): A reviewer warns that the game is not recommended for players who value their nerves.

Other player notes:
- DLC free for early adopters (weight 0.45): The Shifting Sands DLC was offered free to existing owners and Early Access buyers during a limited first-month window, and many positive reviews stem from this promotion.
- DLC unfinished and buggy (weight 0.21): Reviewers report that the DLC is incomplete, with missing endgame areas, unimplemented bosses, and obvious bugs, akin to an Early Access product.
- DLC now paid for new players (weight 0.19): After the free period, new players must purchase the DLC, while existing owners may retain it permanently; some confusion exists about whether free access was temporary.
- DLC offers massive content (weight 0.16): The expansion provides a significant amount of new content, potentially hundreds of hours of gameplay, with some likening it to a new game within the old one.
- DLC adds Egypt-themed content (weight 0.13): The expansion introduces a desert map with Ancient Egypt-inspired elements such as new bosses (crocodile, Anubis, scarab), flying pyramids, and themed assets.
- DLC compared to ARK/Conan (weight 0.12): Reviewers frequently compare the game to ARK: Survival Evolved, Conan Exiles, and similar survival titles, often unfavorably.
- DLC better than base game (weight 0.11): Several reviewers consider the DLC superior to the base game, describing it as a truly good game or a major improvement.
- Unfinished map areas inaccessible (weight 0.09): Several map areas, including the endgame zone and the final boss location, remain closed or unfinished, some for months.
- New map variety lacking (weight 0.09): The new map is criticized for being generic and lacking the variety and polish of the original rainforest map.
- South America server issues (weight 0.08): Players in South America complain about the lack of servers in their region since the 1.0 launch, leading some to request refunds.
- DLC launched with 1.0 (weight 0.07): The DLC was released alongside the 1.0 launch as a day-one expansion coming out of Early Access.
- Developer communication praised (weight 0.07): The developer is highly regarded for sincerity, open communication, and responsiveness to community feedback.
- Base game early access status (weight 0.07): The base game was in Early Access but its release was more complete than most, with many updates based on community feedback.
- DLC content mostly reused assets (weight 0.06): Most assets except some animals are taken from the base game, and the map features repetitive ruins and bandit camps, which some find uninspired.
- Early Access version preferred (weight 0.05): Some reviewers feel the earlier Early Access version was better than the current release, citing changes in game direction.
- Reviewer received game for free (weight 0.04): At least one reviewer received the game for free from the developers.
- Mod support available (weight 0.04): The game supports mods, such as the Jian mod, and the company welcomes modding.
- Reviewers question review authenticity (weight 0.03): Some reviewers suspect that positive reviews were bought or that testers were poorly recruited.
- Game lacks in-game wiki (weight 0.02): There is no in-game wiki or codex to help players learn the game's systems.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.29): Players are frustrated by progression blockers such as being unable to reach max level, missing resources, and locked final zones in the DLC. They also face numerous bugs, poor performance, and unfair combat mechanics like zero-frame boss attacks, high ping, and unbalanced enemies. Additionally, server issues including lack of South American servers, full servers, and lag contribute to the frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.21): Players feel disappointed that the DLC is unfinished, with incomplete maps, blocked areas, and missing content, despite being sold as a full release. The airship feature and new map fail to meet expectations, feeling empty and poorly designed compared to the base game. The lack of transparency about the DLC's state and its departure from the original game's quality further disappoints.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.05): Players express satisfaction with the new map, flying ships, and improved building mechanics that enhance the gameplay experience. They appreciate the depth of progression, addictive base building, and the ability to delegate tasks to tribesmen. The DLC is considered worth the cost, offering quality-of-life improvements and substantial content.
- Gratitude (weight 0.04): Gratitude is expressed toward the developers for giving the DLC for free to early access supporters and base game owners, especially during the first month. Players appreciate the generosity and the fulfillment of their dreams, as well as the ability to migrate characters. This free offering has fostered goodwill and thankfulness among the community.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.03): Players enjoy the massive open world explorable via airships, the unique tribe management gameplay, and the new map's interesting features. The combat, base building, and character progression provide fun, and the detailed new animals and ship building add to the enjoyment. Multiplayer experiences and the DLC content also contribute to the overall fun.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): Excitement is driven by the addition of flying ships and moving bases, which offer a new dimension of gameplay. Players are thrilled about the new Egypt-themed map, boss animations, and the prospect of building bigger ships. Exploring with friends and discovering ancient temples quickly adds to the excitement.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.03): Enthusiasm stems from the game's replayability, mod combinations, and the well-received flying ship building. Fans of survival games like Conan Exiles appreciate the systems, and the Ancient Egypt setting and new mechanics are praised. The massive content and features like model beautification and whip interactions generate high enthusiasm.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Players are annoyed by balance changes that undo trained villager talents, low boat part limits on official servers, and the lack of South American servers. The random and grindy NPC training system, loud ship engine sounds, and buggy new vehicles also cause annoyance. Additionally, companions getting stuck and storage issues add to the irritation.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is fueled by incomplete DLC being sold, bosses that one-shot players unfairly, and camps blocking building spots. The official communication channels being unresponsive, subscription fees for an already purchased game, and misleading free DLC promises provoke anger. Frequent bugs and a sense of deception after investing hours intensify this emotion.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arises from not understanding negative reviews, inability to enable DLC features despite ownership, and unclear free DLC offers. Players are unsure about building limitations, box placement issues, and game stalling after automation. The displayed release date and Steam ownership status also cause confusion.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Appreciation is shown for the developer reading feedback and implementing improvements, welcoming modding, and providing free DLC to owners and early access players. The generosity of giving the DLC for free and the test run for base game owners are valued. This fosters a positive relationship with the community.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.02): Dissatisfaction is caused by unopened areas and level caps, sameness in biomes, and unbalanced masks and whip weapons. Flight and airships not blending well with original gameplay, difficulty optimization issues, and disappearing tutorials also contribute. The listing of unfinished areas and lack of heat-proof means in hot zones add to the dissatisfaction.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration is expressed for the beautiful Ancient Egypt-style lore, the scale of the DLC, and the developer's generosity in a greedy industry. The developer's sincerity, listening to players, and releasing free DLC are highly praised. The map size, design, and beautiful masks also evoke admiration.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom results from running out of content quickly, tedious base game mechanics, and an empty map with little to explore. Slow anti-gravity movement and dull world boss encounters contribute to this feeling. The game is perceived as boring and lacking engaging activities.
- Fun (weight 0.01): Fun is derived from making airships, turning captured NPCs into butlers, and the Egypt-themed content. Building small rafts and seeing workers thrive on ships, as well as the ability to build on boats, provide enjoyment. Playing the game itself is described as fun.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): Disgust is triggered by bosses that only aggro the player and shoot through walls, and the PVE-only mentality of the DLC design. Being forced to kill dogs and an update that broke the game without refund options also evoke disgust. These elements feel off-putting and unfair.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise comes from the game being better than low scores suggested, and the DLC being given free to old players when payment was expected. The release being free and the DLC being a very good surprise also contribute. Players are pleasantly surprised by these positive aspects.
- Distrust (weight 0.01): Distrust is caused by the free month being seen as a ploy and lack of communication, damaging trust in developers. The game changing to a subscription model and the free DLC promotion being perceived as misleading advertising also contribute. These actions have eroded faith in the developers.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement is found in running around with janky Borg Cube style flying ships and the lost city filled with cats, chickens, and pigs. The ability to fly and do crazy things, along with the fun voice command feature, entertains players. These quirky elements provide lighthearted amusement.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Sadness is felt because the game is ruined compared to its early-access version, and high hopes lead to finding it borderline unplayable. The poor state despite good foundations and the lack of South American servers leading to refund requests also cause sadness. Players are disappointed by the wasted potential.}