Info about Niche - a genetics survival game:

Official game description:
  
Niche - a genetics survival game is a fresh blend of turn-based strategy and simulation combined with roguelike elements.  
Shape your own species of cat/fox/bear/dog-like animals based on real genetics. Keep your animals alive against all odds, such as hungry predators, climate change and spreading sickness.  
If your species goes extinct the game is lost and your evolution needs to start anew.
Key Features:
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*   Living, dynamic world to test your survival skills  
*   Breeding system based on real genetics  
*   Over 100 genes to shape your species  
*   Procedurally generated worlds and animals  
*   Five biomes featuring different predators, prey and flora to explore  
*   Game mechanics inspired on population genetics
Games/books that inspired us:
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*   Spore  
*   Don’t Starve  
*   The Creatures Series  
*   Warrior Cats
Educational aspects:
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While playing Niche, the player is introduced to the scientific mechanics of genetics (featuring dominant-recessive, co-dominant inheritance, etc). The game also features the five pillars of population genetics (genetic drift, genetic flow, mutation, natural selection, sexual selection). All knowledge is interwoven with the game-mechanics. This creates the effect of learning by playing.

Release date: Sep 21, 2017

Categories: Breeding & Genetics, Survival, Turn-based Strategy, Roguelike, Procedural Generation, Tribe Management, Educational Game, Resource Management


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


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:
- Unique genetics-survival gameplay (weight 0.8): The game blends survival, strategy, and roguelike elements with a strong focus on genetics and breeding mechanics. Players enjoy multiple ways to engage, such as resource management, creature survival, and genetic experimentation, creating a unique and immersive experience.
- Engaging breeding mechanics (weight 0.72): Breeding mechanics are deep and satisfying, with players enjoying the process of unlocking traits, experimenting with genetic combinations, and creating adapted lineages. The system is praised for its realism and addictive nature.
- Challenging yet rewarding (weight 0.42): The game presents a surprising depth of challenge, requiring strategic thinking to manage resources, predators, and genetic traits. Players find the difficulty scalable and rewarding, especially as they progress through procedurally generated islands with unique obstacles.
- Cute and customizable creatures (weight 0.34): Players love the charming and varied designs of the creatures, which can be customized through genetics and breeding. The ability to unlock new traits and visually distinct creatures adds to the appeal, making the gameplay feel personal and creative.
- Sandbox mode flexibility (weight 0.24): Sandbox mode is highlighted as a standout feature, allowing players to customize difficulty, starting scenarios, and gameplay styles. It offers a relaxed, experimental environment compared to the structured story mode, catering to different player preferences.
- Relaxing and casual appeal (weight 0.18): The game is described as cozy and relaxing, with simple yet effective graphics and a soothing soundtrack. It appeals to players looking for a casual, low-pressure experience while still offering depth for those who want it.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive and shallow gameplay loop (weight 0.86): Players consistently report that the gameplay becomes tedious, repetitive, and lacks depth, particularly in sandbox mode. The core mechanics are described as monotonous, with limited actions and insufficient content to sustain long-term engagement.
- Poor tutorial and unclear mechanics (weight 0.56): The game suffers from inadequate tutorials, particularly for complex systems like genetics. Players struggle with unclear explanations, leading to confusion and frustration, especially for beginners.
- High difficulty and RNG frustration (weight 0.5): The game is criticized for its steep learning curve, punishing RNG mechanics, and lack of balance. Players feel overwhelmed by chance-based outcomes and unclear progression systems, leading to repeated failures.
- Resource and progression issues (weight 0.35): Players report frustration with resource scarcity, unbalanced mechanics (e.g., food depletion), and aimless progression. The lack of clear goals or in-game guidance exacerbates these problems.
- Outdated and unpolished visuals (weight 0.31): The graphics and art style are frequently described as cheap, lifeless, and outdated. Poor environmental details, lack of animations, and a clunky UI further detract from the player experience.
- Technical and achievement bugs (weight 0.23): Numerous bugs, including broken achievements, save system issues, and crashes, detract from the experience. Some achievements are reported as impossible to obtain in the current build.
- Overpriced for content provided (weight 0.17): The game is widely perceived as not worth its price, even on sale. Players feel the content and polish do not justify the cost, particularly given its repetitive and shallow gameplay.
- Lack of updates and mod support (weight 0.13): The game has seen minimal updates since 2018, leaving players feeling abandoned. The absence of mod support or new content further limits replayability and long-term engagement.
- Repetitive and unremarkable music (weight 0.11): The soundtrack is described as annoying, repetitive, and forgettable. While some find it relaxing, others feel it becomes monotonous over long sessions.

Gameplay feedback:
- Tribe and population management (weight 0.96): Managing a tribe of creatures involves balancing food gathering, breeding, and avoiding predators. Players must also handle genetic risks like inbreeding while optimizing traits for survival.
- Core survival mechanics (weight 0.95): The game emphasizes survival through resource scarcity, environmental hazards, and adaptive strategies like hunting, gathering, and breeding. Players must manage food, predators, and weather to ensure long-term survival.
- Turn-based strategy gameplay (weight 0.84): Actions like movement, breeding, and resource gathering are structured in a turn-based system, allowing for tactical planning and decision-making. This format is central to the game’s strategic depth.
- Genetics and evolution systems (weight 0.84): Players engage with deep genetics mechanics, including trait inheritance, mutations, and natural selection. Breeding for specific traits and managing genetic diversity are key to progression and adaptation.
- Island exploration and migration (weight 0.41): The game features procedurally generated islands with varying biomes, resources, and challenges. Players progress by migrating between islands, adapting their creatures to new environments and increasing difficulty levels.
- Story and sandbox modes (weight 0.35): The game offers a narrative-driven story mode with tutorials, multiple endings, and family tree progression, alongside a sandbox mode for open-ended experimentation with adjustable settings.
- Lifespan and aging mechanics (weight 0.12): Creatures have finite lifespans, requiring players to manage breeding cycles and population dynamics. This adds a layer of strategy to maintaining a sustainable tribe.
- Environmental adaptation (weight 0.12): Creatures must adapt to different biomes, such as climate and terrain, by developing traits like temperature resistance or specialized food-gathering abilities. This encourages strategic preparation for island migrations.

Performance notes:
- Performance issues on high-end PCs (weight 0.17): Players report FPS drops, crashes, and overheating when running the game on high-end systems, particularly at higher graphics settings. This suggests optimization problems or inefficient resource usage.
- Hardware strain and safety concerns (weight 0.13): High CPU/GPU usage (up to 100%) leads to overheating and unexpected laptop shutdowns. Players recommend windowed mode to mitigate risks, indicating potential thermal or power management issues.
- Achievement system bugs (weight 0.06): Players encounter issues with achievements, including problems when minimizing the game or other unexpected behavior, suggesting incomplete or flawed achievement tracking.
- Reliable auto-save system (weight 0.04): The game automatically saves progress after each day and upon exiting, which players appreciate for its convenience and reliability.
- Unnatural 3D animations (weight 0.03): Some players notice awkward or unnatural animations, such as 'swiveling heads,' which detract from immersion and may indicate animation or rigging problems.
- Stable Unity engine performance (weight 0.03): No major issues are reported with the Unity game engine, indicating a stable foundation for the game’s technical performance.

Recommendations:
- Mixed but mostly positive recommendations (weight 0.42): The majority of players recommend the game despite its flaws, citing its depth, uniqueness, and value for money. However, some criticize its lack of polish, repetitive gameplay, or high price for the content provided.
- Appeals to niche strategy/survival fans (weight 0.37): The game is highly recommended for players who enjoy deep systems, genetics, tactical RPGs, resource management, and open-ended gameplay. It caters to those with patience and an interest in experimental or educational experiences.
- Suggests waiting for a sale (weight 0.12): Many players advise waiting for a discount before purchasing, as the game’s price may not justify its content for some. This is especially true for those unsure about its niche appeal or replayability.
- Desires expanded game modes (weight 0.11): Feedback calls for additional modes like survival, story, or hard mode to provide more structured goals and challenges. Multiplayer support is also frequently requested for competitive or collaborative play.
- Recommends sandbox adjustments (weight 0.1): Players suggest tweaking settings in sandbox mode or selecting specific difficulty levels (e.g., medium/hard islands) to enhance enjoyment. This includes setting win conditions or creating personal challenges for clearer goals.
- Requests more content variety (weight 0.09): Players express interest in more genes, mutations, environmental diversity, and creature breeds (e.g., bearyenas with varying lifespans). A sequel is also suggested to address these gaps.
- Comparisons to other games (weight 0.07): Some players recommend alternatives like *Spore*, *HoI4*, or *Frostpunk* if the game doesn’t meet expectations. Others suggest lowering expectations before playing to avoid disappointment.

Other player notes:
- Demand for creature customization (weight 0.06): Players frequently request more unique creature customization options, such as additional colors, and the ability to rename creatures. This highlights a desire for greater personalization and control over in-game assets.
- Optimism for future updates (weight 0.06): Players express hope for future improvements, DLC, or content updates, indicating they see potential in the game and are invested in its long-term evolution.
- High long-term engagement (weight 0.04): Players report spending 500+ hours in the game, indicating strong retention and replayability. This suggests the game offers substantial content or depth to sustain interest over time.
- Long-term player loyalty (weight 0.03): Some players mention having played the game since its beta phase, reflecting strong early adoption and sustained interest in the game’s development and updates.
- Flexible playtime experience (weight 0.03): Feedback suggests the game’s playtime is highly variable and depends on the player’s approach or goals, implying a flexible and adaptable gameplay experience.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.2): Players experience frustration due to high difficulty, repetitive gameplay, and poor accessibility. Key issues include short animal lifespans, overwhelming genetics and food management, unpredictable RNG mechanics, and frequent deaths. Technical problems like crashes, UI issues (e.g., overlapping creature names), and unclear tutorials exacerbate the challenge, making progression feel unsustainable or impossible.
- Disappointment (weight 0.13): Disappointment stems from unmet expectations regarding gameplay depth, polish, and value. Players criticize the repetitive mechanics, shallow survival systems, and lack of updates or content expansion. Poor execution, such as unpolished interfaces, short storylines, and unfulfilled potential (e.g., genetics systems), contrasts with the game’s promising premise, leading to regret over purchases or wasted time.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Players enjoy the game’s creative and strategic elements, particularly breeding mechanics, genetic customization, and island exploration. The cozy atmosphere, charming creature designs, and sandbox mode provide fun early-to-mid-game experiences. The game’s unique blend of resource management and tactical planning appeals to those interested in evolution-themed gameplay.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Satisfaction arises from mastering the game’s mechanics, such as successful breeding strategies, overcoming challenges, and achieving long-term survival. Players appreciate the logical genetics system, replayability through custom challenges, and the rewarding feeling of nurturing adapted lineages. Updates and improvements (e.g., new biomes) also enhance the sense of accomplishment.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement is driven by the game’s deep genetics mechanics, hybrid creation, and storytelling potential. Players are engaged by unlocking genes, experimenting with mutations, and discovering unique creature combinations. The addictive and creative gameplay loop, along with developer responsiveness, fuels long-term engagement and anticipation for future progress.
- Boredom (weight 0.05): Boredom sets in due to repetitive gameplay loops, lack of long-term goals, and tedious micromanagement. Players grow tired of constant restarting, slow pacing, and the absence of variety or depth in late-game content. The novelty of survival and breeding mechanics wears off, leaving gameplay feeling empty or monotonous.
- Amusement (weight 0.05): Amusement comes from the game’s quirky and humorous elements, such as absurd genetic traits (e.g., Derp Snout), ugly-cute creature designs, and spiteful NPC interactions. Players enjoy the lighthearted tone, unexpected mutations, and in-jokes about breeding, which add charm to the experience.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.05): Nostalgia is evoked by the game’s resemblance to classic evolution-themed titles (e.g., Spore) and personal memories. Players who followed the game since early access or childhood associate it with fond recollections of genetics, science, or older gameplay styles, enhancing their emotional connection.
- Hope (weight 0.03): Hope centers on the game’s potential for future improvements, such as updates, sequels, or mod support. Players express optimism for expanded content (e.g., new breeds, multiplayer) and narrative continuation, particularly in story mode, reflecting a desire for the game to reach its full potential.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Enthusiasm is fueled by the game’s addictive and educational gameplay, particularly its genetics mechanics and customization options. Players with a personal interest in biology or evolution praise its creative potential, strategic depth, and engaging outcomes, leading to high levels of enjoyment and investment.
- Curiosity (weight 0.02): Curiosity is sparked by the game’s unique focus on genetics and evolution, encouraging players to explore mechanics like natural selection, gene unlocking, and island discovery. The challenge of experimenting with genetic combinations and uncovering hidden systems keeps players engaged and eager to learn more.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Players appreciate the game’s educational value, beautiful design, and solid core ideas. The blend of fun and learning, particularly in genetics and evolution, is praised for its replayability and ability to engage both children and adults in scientific concepts.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy stems from the game’s fun and educational experiences, such as discovering easter eggs, watching children learn from gameplay, and interacting with adorable creature designs. The combination of engaging mechanics and charming aesthetics creates a delightful and heartwarming experience.
- Stress (weight 0.01): Stress arises from the game’s punishing difficulty, particularly managing uncontrolled mating, food scarcity, and tight time limits. The pressure to keep creatures alive amid rapid deaths and unpredictable mechanics (e.g., disease, predation) creates a tense and frustrating experience for players.
- Engagement (weight 0.01): Players become deeply engaged due to the game’s immersive mechanics, such as making tough genetic and survival decisions. The strategic depth and challenging gameplay loop can lead to extended play sessions, with players investing hours into managing tribes and overcoming obstacles.
- Addiction (weight 0.01): The game’s addictive qualities stem from its strategic gameplay, genetic outcomes, and the satisfaction of overcoming challenges. Players with an addictive personality may find themselves compelled to continue playing, driven by the desire to perfect breeding strategies or achieve long-term survival.
- Fascination (weight 0.01): Fascination is inspired by the game’s realistic portrayal of genetics and evolution, as well as its storytelling potential. Players are captivated by the mechanics of pack evolution, hybrid creation, and the intricate balance of survival, which align with real-world biological principles.
- Affection (weight 0.01): Affection is directed toward the game’s cute character designs, charming art style, and relaxing gameplay. Players often describe it as one of their favorite games, praising its ability to evoke warmth and enjoyment through its endearing aesthetics and soothing atmosphere.
- Pride (weight 0.01): Pride emerges from mastering the game’s mechanics, surviving hostile environments, and aligning gameplay with real-world biological principles. Players feel a sense of accomplishment in overcoming the game’s challenges and nurturing successful tribes through strategic decision-making.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Confusion arises from the game’s lack of in-game explanations for mechanics, unclear tutorials, and ambiguous goals. Players may struggle to understand genetic systems, progression paths, or survival strategies, leading to initial disorientation and frustration.}