Info about Old School Musical:

Official game description:
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About the Game
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What has 60 amazing chiptune tracks, a loony story mode, 32 different chicken types to fight, and takes you on a tour of all your favorite retro games? It's Old School Musical of course!  
Tib and Rob are the heroes of a wacky adventure that will teach them where all of the bugs in our favorite games come from.  
Have you ever played a rhythm game before? Well, this is like that, but much better! With each note, you are responsible for the success of our two heroes' quest. Swing your sword and shoot with your spacecraft to the beat of chiptune tracks from Dubmood, Zabutom, Hello World, Yponeko, Toriena, mistermv and Le Plancton.  
What people are saying:  
*   "This game is so retro, your TV will grow a cathode-ray tube" - Cathodic Magazine  
*   "the gaem iz ful uv bugs lmao" - Kevin Ididntgetthescript  
*   "The display resolution of this game is so low that I'm 20 years younger now" - Santa Claus  
*   "Francis, stop playing video games, it's time to eat!" - My mom
TLDR:  
*   50 chiptune tracks  
*   Awesome guests: Dubmood, Zabutom, Hello World, Yponeko, Le Plancton  
*   A story mode with 20 nutty levels  
*   A multiplayer mode with up to 4 players  
*   Chickens

Release date: Sep 13, 2018

Categories: Rhythm Game, Multiplayer, Nostalgia, Arcade, High Score Chasing, Pixel Art Style, Story Mode, Music-based Gameplay


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $8.00 - $12.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that while the game is seen as valuable and worth trying even at full price, there are also indications that the game is often purchased on sale for around $4. The Japanese reviews suggest that the current price offers good value for the quality and volume of content, implying that the full price is considered reasonable but that lower prices are also seen as very attractive. This mixed sentiment suggests that while the full price is acceptable, a slightly lower range might be seen as a better value by the community.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 10.0h
  - Story completion: 2.5h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: 5.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides multiple references to the length of the main story mode, which is consistently mentioned to be around 2-3 hours. The additional playtime for completing the game, including extra content like the Chicken Republic mode, is suggested to be around 10+ hours. Session lengths are not explicitly mentioned, but given the nature of rhythm games, sessions can vary widely. Endgame content is indicated to add significant playtime, with mentions of additional songs and challenges post-story completion.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts slow due to a boring story and flat humor but becomes fun and engaging after the tutorial, with an excellent soundtrack and progression curve enhancing the experience.
  - Stance: Fun after tutorial
  - Anchor: Post-tutorial
  - Time to anchor: 0h 15m
  - Friction: boring story; flat humor
  - Unlock drivers: excellent soundtrack; progression curve
  - Conditions: playing with friends; appreciation for retro references
- Player Archetypes:
  - Nostalgia Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Reliving past gaming experiences through nostalgia and chiptune music.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys the game for its nostalgic elements and music, likely playing through the story mode and appreciating the references.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Old-school player; Nostalgia lover
    - Reference games: Dance Dance Revolution; Friday Night Funkin
  - Casual Rhythm Gamer (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoying a fun and accessible rhythm game with a good story.
    - Playstyle: Plays through the story mode and enjoys the arcade mode for a casual gaming experience.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Casual gamer; Newcomer
    - Reference games: Groove Coaster
  - Rhythm Game Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Seeking a challenging and technically proficient rhythm game experience.
    - Playstyle: Focuses on mastering the gameplay mechanics, playing on higher difficulties, and appreciating the technical aspects of the game.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Rhythm game veteran; Hardcore gamer
    - Reference games: Groove Coaster; Bemani titles


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:
- Retro game references (weight 0.95): The game is filled with numerous references to retro and classic games, including Easter eggs and chiptune tracks. These references add a layer of nostalgia and fun for players familiar with old-school games.
- Fun and enjoyable story (weight 0.79): The game's story is described as simple, silly, and fun. It is enjoyable and forgivable despite its flaws, adding a humorous and engaging narrative to the gameplay.
- Rhythmic and challenging gameplay (weight 0.54): The game offers a rhythmic and challenging gameplay experience that is intuitive and easy to play, even for beginners. It features classic rhythm mechanics with notes coming from various directions and is praised for its appropriate difficulty level.
- Great music (weight 0.47): The game's music is highly praised, featuring a variety of chiptune songs and good soundtracks that enhance the gameplay experience.
- Balanced difficulty (weight 0.37): The game offers a balanced and appropriate difficulty level, providing a good challenge without being overly difficult. It is suitable for both beginners and experienced players.
- Unique Chicken Republic mode (weight 0.29): The Chicken Republic mode offers unique visual effects and challenges, providing a different and intense gameplay experience compared to the standard mode.
- Good value for money (weight 0.25): The game is considered to offer great value for its price, with a good quality and volume of content. Players feel it is worth the price for the enjoyment it provides.
- Pixel art style (weight 0.23): The game features a hand-drawn pixel art style that adds to its nostalgic and classic game feel. This visual style is appreciated by players.
- Responsive controls (weight 0.19): The game features responsive and good gamepad controls, making it accessible and easy to play for beginners.
- Lovable characters (weight 0.18): The game includes dynamic and lovable characters that add to its charm and appeal.

Common complaints:
- Gameplay feels monotonous and boring (weight 0.65): Many players find the rhythm gameplay repetitive and lacking excitement. The notes and routines do not vary enough to keep the experience engaging.
- High difficulty and readability issues (weight 0.4): The game becomes excessively difficult at later stages, which can frustrate players. Additionally, the visual effects and busy note patterns make it hard to read and enjoy the background content.
- Visual effects cause discomfort (weight 0.35): The visual effects, especially in certain modes, can be tiring for the eyes and potentially harmful. Some effects may cause physiological discomfort or even seizures.
- Lack of customization options (weight 0.25): Players are frustrated by the lack of adjustable settings, such as volume control and manual synchronization adjustments, which limits their ability to tailor the game to their preferences.
- Long song lengths reduce enjoyment (weight 0.14): Each song feels too long, making it challenging to maintain focus and reducing the desire to replay them frequently.
- Bugs present in the game (weight 0.13): There are reports of bugs affecting the gameplay experience, though specific details on these bugs are limited.
- Unappealing visual content (weight 0.12): Some players find certain visual elements, such as character designs, to be unpleasant or distracting.

Gameplay feedback:
- Rhythm-based gameplay mechanics (weight 0.8): The game features classic rhythm game mechanics where players press keys or buttons to the rhythm of the music. This includes timed directional presses and hitting notes, similar to games like Dance Dance Revolution.
- Story mode with various elements (weight 0.78): The game includes a story mode with multiple levels, parody elements, and an ending roll. It also features appropriate note judgment and difficulty levels, providing a comprehensive narrative experience.
- Retro game parodies and references (weight 0.78): The game is filled with references and parodies of classic retro games. It includes various retro game elements, chiptune tracks, and nostalgic pixel art style, appealing to fans of old-school games.
- Multiplayer and additional modes (weight 0.58): The game features a multiplayer mode for up to 4 players, along with additional modes like Arcade mode and Chicken Republic mode. These modes provide unique challenges and replayability.
- Multiple difficulty levels (weight 0.51): The game offers various difficulty levels, including Normal and Hard modes. This caters to both casual and hardcore players, ensuring a challenging experience for all skill levels.
- Unlockable content (weight 0.12): The game includes unlockable game modes and secret levels, providing additional content for players to discover and enjoy.

Performance notes:
- Runs on low-end hardware (weight 0.21): The game is noted for its ability to run on various types of hardware, including low-end systems.
- Smooth performance (weight 0.09): The game is praised for running smoothly without errors or lag.
- Controller input issues (weight 0.09): Players have reported problems with controller inputs, which can affect gameplay.
- Unexpected camera activation (weight 0.09): Players have experienced issues with the game unexpectedly turning on the camera.
- Blinding visual effects (weight 0.08): Some players find the visual effects too intense, to the point of being blinding.
- SteamDeck compatibility (weight 0.08): There are mentions of the game being played on SteamDeck, indicating interest in its compatibility.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for rhythm game fans (weight 0.5): The game is highly recommended for rhythm game enthusiasts, including both veterans and newcomers. It is also suggested for those who enjoy retro game parodies and nostalgia-fueled experiences.
- Worth the price (weight 0.19): The game is considered worth the price for its content and enjoyment. It is also seen as well worth the asking price.
- Not for exciting gameplay seekers (weight 0.13): The game is not recommended for those seeking exciting gameplay. Despite this, it is highly recommended overall, even with some bugs.
- Deserves attention for references (weight 0.08): The game deserves attention for its references and rhythm content, making it a unique experience for fans of the genre.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Joy (weight 0.18): Players experience joy due to the engaging and intuitive rhythm gameplay, exciting chiptune music, and fun multiplayer modes. The charming visual gags, detailed pixel art, and nostalgic references to retro games also contribute to the positive experience.
- Frustration (weight 0.17): Frustration arises from the game's overwhelming visual effects, unclear visuals, and lack of volume settings, which hinder gameplay. Additionally, the difficulty spike in certain sections, such as Chicken Republic mode, and the absence of a practice mode contribute to player frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.16): Enjoyment stems from the game's engaging story mode, humorous story, and references to retro games. The high-quality gameplay mechanics, variety of music, and well-balanced difficulty levels also enhance the overall experience.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.16): Nostalgia is evoked by the game's numerous references to classic games, retro game parodies, and nostalgic music. The pixel art style and chiptune tracks further enhance this sense of nostalgia for players.
- Excitement (weight 0.16): Excitement is generated by the game's challenging and unique gameplay, variety of visual effects, and musical styles. The engaging story mode with classic game parodies and the intense challenges in Chicken Republic mode also contribute to the thrilling experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.03): Disappointment comes from the poor music quality, unresponsive controls, and lack of excitement in the gameplay. The tedious nature of the gameplay and the lack of impact also contribute to this feeling.
- Disgust (weight 0.03): Disgust is caused by specific visual elements, such as disturbing animations and visual effects that negatively impact the gaming experience.
- Boredom (weight 0.03): Boredom arises from the lack of impact in the gameplay, monotonous music, and the overall tedious feeling of the game.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Surprise comes from unexpected elements in the game, such as the game's quality, diversity, and unexpected plot twists.
- Disapproval (weight 0.01): Disapproval is due to negative experiences with the narrative and characters, which did not resonate with players.}