Info about Where the Water Tastes Like Wine:

Official game description:
Special Wayfarer Edition
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The Special **Wayfarer Edition** of **Where The Water Tastes Like Wine** includes its full hauntingly beautiful **Original Digital Soundtrack** arranged by celebrated composer _Ryan Ike_ (provided as High Quality MP3 and FLAC files), and an **Exclusive Illustrated Digital Artbook** which chronicles the inspirations behind the game’s unique visual identity.  
About the Game
==============
**Where the Water Tastes Like Wine** is a Narrative-Adventure game about traveling, sharing stories, and surviving manifest destiny. Featuring gorgeous hand-drawn illustrations, Where the Water Tastes Like Wine combines 2D visuals with a 3D overworld US map.  
Players wander across a folkloric Depression era United States at their own pace, meeting strangers with their own stories to tell. Through these interactions, players will be able to collect unique stories which can then be re-told to unlock new interactions. In this way the in-game stories themselves act as a currency to progress through the game, and it’s up to the player to pair the right story with the unique needs of each of the characters that you will encounter throughout your travels. Only through these right pairings will characters reveal their true selves, and bestow you with the most powerful stories, the true ones which reveal something about their own lives. In Where The Water Tastes Like Wine, stories organically take on a life of their own as they grow larger and transform as they're told- and re-told.
Game Features
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*   "Big Rock Candy Mountain? El Dorado? The place over the hill where they say the water tastes just like the sweetest wine?": Travel the Depression-Era United States, laboring to pay off a debt by learning the true stories of 16 signature characters across a wide range of American experience from migrant workers to a travelling preacher to a Navajo woman forcibly relocated on the Long Walk.  
*   "This whole land's built on stories; it's one big story, America is": As you explore, you'll encounter strange and unsettling things: slices of a country built on dust clouds and murky dreams, where the folk tales are bleeding through. You'll carry those tales with you, swapping them round campfires to make the cast of characters open up to you and share their own stories.  
*   "The greatest stories are the true ones; the ones people will tell you about their own lives": The stories you share will return to you along your journey, changed in the telling as they've made their way around the country. As you meet the characters time and again on your travels, they will grow to trust you and, hopefully, share their true selves with you. Only by learning all their real stories can you pay off your debt.  
*   Beautiful combination of 3D overworld and hand drawn 2D illustrations  
*   Original stories written by a wide selection of accomplished authors  
*   Fully voiced characters from all walks of life brought to life by world-renowned voice acting talent, including Sting, Dave Fennoy (_The Walking Dead: A Telltale Game Series_), Cissy Jones (_Firewatch_), Kimberly Brooks (_Mass Effect_), Sarah Elmaleh (_Gone Home_), Melissa Hutchison (_The Walking Dead: A Telltale Game Series_), Elizabeth Maxwell (_The Legend of Zelda: Breath of The Wild_), and many more.  
*   A hauntingly beautiful original soundtrack arranged by celebrated composer Ryan Ike and featuring performances from a collection of gifted musicians.  
*   An emerging fantastical, psychedelic and surreal overarching atmosphere.  
*   "I hope you find what you're looking for"

Release date: Feb 28, 2018

Categories: Walking Simulator, Interactive Fiction, Narrative Adventure, Visual Novel, Story-driven Gameplay, Exploration, Meditative Gameplay

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: The Student; summary: The primary user complaints revolve around the need for external guides and research to understand game systems and context, fitting the 'The Student' category (Tier 3).

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $2.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews explicitly state the $20 full price is not worth it, advising to wait for deep discounts (90% off, or a few dollars). Positive reviews mention value only in the context of sale prices or bundled DLC. The community consensus indicates a fair base-game price well below $20, with most comfortable paying between $2 (deep sale) and $10 (moderate discount).
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 20.0h
  - Story completion: 10.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Game completion: multiple reviews report 20–23 hours for full completion including achievements (e.g., '20h~ to complete the game with all the possible achievements', '23 hours... unlocked all achievements'). Story/campaign completion: several sources indicate about 10 hours to finish the main narrative (e.g., '10 小时 通 关', '10-hour visual novel', 'took me around 10 hours to completion'). Session length: one Chinese review explicitly mentions playing in sessions of 'half an hour to an hour' (半小时一小时). Endgame: reviews mention that after the main story you can continue collecting stories, but no specific playtime hours are given for post-story content, so this metric is left as null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game provides an engaging first few hours with its narrative and atmosphere, but repetitive gameplay and slow movement cause enjoyment to decline sharply for most players.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Start of game
  - Time to anchor: 0h 0m
  - Friction: slow movement speed; tedious whistling minigame; repetitive gameplay loop; large empty map; lack of fast travel; repetitive music when whistling overrides soundtrack
  - Unlock drivers: auto-walk feature; appreciation for slow pacing; interest in American folklore and history; willingness to engage with repetitive mechanics
  - Conditions: solo play; contemplative mindset; interest in reading and storytelling; tolerance for slow pacing; playing in short sessions
- Player Archetypes:
  - Story-Driven Wanderer (buy)
    - Motivation: Collecting and experiencing evocative folk stories and Americana history.
    - Playstyle: Slow, meditative exploration focused on reading and collecting folk tales; wanders aimlessly, absorbs atmosphere, and reflects on narrative fragments.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Story lover; Folk history enthusiast; Narrative-focused player
    - Reference games: Oregon Trail; Visual novels
  - Frustrated Completionist (no buy)
    - Motivation: Achieving 100% completion and unlocking all achievements.
    - Playstyle: Meticulous, goal-oriented; attempts to collect every story and achievement, but is blocked by bugs and an intentionally unobtainable achievement.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: Completionist; Achievement hunter; Perfectionist
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Casual Chill Seeker (sale)
    - Motivation: Relaxation, atmosphere, and casual story consumption.
    - Playstyle: Passive, relaxed; plays in short sessions or as background ambiance, enjoying the music and wandering without pressure.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Chill player; Walking sim fan; Relaxation seeker
    - Reference games: Walking simulators
  - Gameplay Skeptic (no buy)
    - Motivation: Engaging gameplay mechanics and a sense of adventure.
    - Playstyle: Expects active gameplay, exploration, and meaningful progression; finds the slow walking and repetitive mechanics tedious.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: Gameplay-focused gamer; Exploration enthusiast; Critical player
    - 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:
- Excellent music and soundtrack (weight 0.75): Players consistently praise the music and soundtrack, describing it as unbeatable, excellent, and captivating. The variety of genres including folk, country, and blues, along with contributions from Ryan Ike, enhance the game's atmosphere.
- Engaging and deep stories (weight 0.67): Players find the stories fascinating, emotionally resonant, and thought-provoking, with many praising the individual narratives, American folklore, and thematic depth about history and social issues.
- Beautiful and unique art style (weight 0.5): The artwork is frequently highlighted as gorgeous, beautiful, and unique, with a melancholic visual style that complements the game's themes.
- Innovative story-sharing mechanics (weight 0.36): The game's mechanic of collecting, telling, and evolving stories through word of mouth is praised as neat, unique, and engaging, with audience-appropriate choices.
- High-quality voice acting (weight 0.33): Voice acting is well-received, noted as incredible and on par with AAA games, including cameos like Sting and professional performances by the cast.
- Excellent writing and premise (weight 0.27): The writing is praised as beautiful, excellent, and deep, covering thematic depth and well-crafted stories.
- Great atmosphere and immersion (weight 0.22): The overall atmosphere is described as first-class, dreamlike, relaxing, and immersive, contributing to a unique experience.
- Rich folklore and cultural depth (weight 0.22): The game is rooted in American and Native folklore, with hundreds of myths and encounters that enrich the experience.
- Memorable and unique characters (weight 0.21): Characters are described as creative, captivating, and having unique personalities with deep backstories that make them memorable.
- Relaxing and soothing experience (weight 0.12): Some players note the game as chill, relaxing, and calming, thanks to the soft music and gentle atmosphere.
- Value for money (weight 0.07): Players consider the game worth the price due to the quality and quantity of content, including over 200 stories.

Common complaints:
- Gameplay is boring and monotonous (weight 0.64): The core gameplay is widely criticized as boring, slow, and repetitive. Many players find it lacking engagement and call it a walking simulator with little interaction.
- Walking speed too slow (weight 0.54): The walking speed is excessively slow, making traversal tedious and frustrating for many players. This is the most frequently mentioned complaint across multiple clusters.
- Unobtainable achievement frustrates players (weight 0.27): There is an achievement that is reportedly impossible to obtain through normal gameplay, which players consider an intentional artistic choice or bug. This prevents 100% completion and has drawn significant criticism.
- Bad controls and tutorial (weight 0.1): Controls are poor, especially for keyboard and mouse, as they seem designed for a controller. The tutorial is also inadequate, failing to explain basic mechanics.
- Whistling minigame is annoying (weight 0.1): The whistling minigame is tedious and often overpowers background music, making it a frustrating experience for players.
- Hitchhiking mechanic is flawed (weight 0.1): The hitchhiking mechanic is unreliable because the driver randomly decides where you get off, making it difficult to reach specific destinations.
- Missing translations in text (weight 0.09): Some in-game text lacks translations, particularly in Spanish and Chinese. While not game-breaking, it detracts from the experience for non-English players.

Gameplay feedback:
- Walking simulator with story collection (weight 0.6): The game is primarily described as a walking simulator where the core gameplay involves collecting and retelling stories while traveling across a stylized map of the United States. This merges clusters that highlight the walking and story collection aspects.
- Narrative and visual novel hybrid (weight 0.34): The game blends narrative exploration with visual novel elements, featuring interactive choices and story vignettes that shape outcomes. This combines clusters about narrative style and interactive storytelling.
- Stories evolve through retelling (weight 0.26): Stories grow, change, and become fantastical legends when told and retold, simulating an oral tradition. This mechanic adds depth to the narrative experience.
- Travel across US to collect and spread stories (weight 0.23): The overarching goal involves traveling across the United States, including all 48 states, to gather stories and share them with others, spreading tales across the map.
- Tell stories to NPCs by category (weight 0.19): Players interact with main NPCs and other travellers by telling them stories based on emotional categories like happy, sad, funny, scary, or exciting. The game tracks which stories have been told.
- Tarot card story organization (weight 0.19): Stories are organized in the inventory using tarot card categories, and players share stories based on these categories. This provides a thematic structure to the collection and exchange mechanics.
- Discover stories at points of interest (weight 0.13): Players find stories and encounters by roaming the country, discovering tales at specific locations and from points of interest. Life stories act as wildcards for fulfilling requests.
- Storytelling and collection mechanics (weight 0.13): Core gameplay revolves around a story collection mechanic and storytelling, where players gather vignettes and retell them to progress or interact with the world.
- Meet strange and interesting people (weight 0.12): Players encounter a diverse cast of characters during their journey, including 16 travellers and NPCs, each with unique stories to share.
- Slow pace and wandering (weight 0.11): The game is described as slow-paced with leisurely travel across the US, emphasizing a contemplative exploration experience.
- Hitchhiking and train travel (weight 0.1): Travel methods include hitchhiking, hopping trains, and paying for train rides, offering varied ways to traverse the map. This merges clusters about travel mechanics.
- Whistling minigame for speed (weight 0.1): A whistling mini-game is used to increase walking speed, adding a simple interactive element to the otherwise slow-paced travel.
- Choices affect story outcomes (weight 0.1): Player choices during interactions can alter story variants and outcomes, providing a choose-your-own-adventure feel that impacts the narrative.
- Retell stories at campfires (weight 0.09): Stories are retold at campfire settings, reinforcing the oral tradition theme and creating a communal sharing atmosphere.

Performance notes:
- Crashes and loading issues (weight 0.11): The game experiences frequent lag and crashes, along with weird loading problems and graphic glitches, disrupting gameplay.
- Sound design and video problems (weight 0.1): Sound and graphics freeze or stutter, and videos do not function properly on RTX 2060 graphics cards, indicating audio-visual issues.
- Low frame rates on laptops (weight 0.05): Players on laptops report severe FPS drops, dropping to 15-10 FPS when clouds pass, indicating poor optimization for mobile hardware.
- Camera control technical issues (weight 0.04): Some players encounter technical problems with camera control on certain PCs, affecting gameplay usability.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for narrative and story lovers (weight 0.79): The game receives strong praise from players who value storytelling. Recommendations highlight its narrative depth and suitability for fans of literary fiction, folk tales, and American history. It is seen as a narrative masterpiece by some.
- Not for everyone, niche appeal (weight 0.69): The game is clearly not a mainstream title. It appeals to a specific audience that enjoys slow pacing, walking simulators, visual novels, and deep narrative. Players seeking action or conventional gaming experiences are warned away.
- Requires patience and slow pacing (weight 0.53): The game is extremely slow-paced, with players needing patience for long walks, repetitive gameplay, and a focus on atmosphere over action. It is recommended only for those who enjoy leisurely experiences and can tolerate minimal interaction.
- Not recommended for gameplay-focused players (weight 0.39): The game is heavily criticized for lacking traditional gameplay mechanics. Players who expect action, fast reflexes, or progression systems will be disappointed. It is better suited for those who prioritize story and atmosphere.
- Appeals to fans of American history and folklore (weight 0.39): The game is highly recommended for those interested in 20th-century American history, culture, folklore, and the Great Depression era. Players who enjoy learning about American geography and folk tales will find it particularly rewarding.
- Wait for sale or deep discount (weight 0.36): Many players advise against buying at full price. They recommend waiting for a steep discount (e.g., 90% off) or purchasing only when the price is very low, as the game's value is questionable at full price due to its niche appeal and limited gameplay.
- Highly specific target audience (weight 0.29): The game is repeatedly described as suitable only for those who enjoy walking simulators, visual novels, reading, and immersive storytelling. It explicitly excludes players looking for gameplay, action, or traditional systems.
- Suitable for relaxing or melancholy moods (weight 0.21): Players recommend the game for those seeking a chill, atmospheric experience. It works well as a palate cleanser or for a rainy day, providing a calming and introspective journey.
- Mixed recommendations despite positive highlights (weight 0.2): Several players note the game's merits but still hesitate to recommend it universally. They appreciate the writing or atmosphere but caution that it is not for everyone, often adding conditions like 'if you have patience' or 'on sale'.
- Strongly recommended for niche audiences (weight 0.19): Despite mixed general reception, the game is passionately recommended for specific groups: lovers of interactive fiction, fans of Jack Kerouac, Grateful Dead enthusiasts, and those who appreciate literary quality. It is called a 'gem' by some.
- Price-value debate: not worth full price (weight 0.17): Reviews indicate that the game's content does not justify its full price tag. Many suggest buying only when on sale or at a deep discount, as the experience may feel too short or lacking for the cost.
- Bugs and technical issues present (weight 0.16): Some players report bugs and technical problems, such as unobtainable achievements and performance issues. These detract from the experience and lead some to recommend against purchase until issues are resolved or guides are consulted.
- Good but requires effort to enjoy (weight 0.15): The game demands mental engagement and imagination from players. It is not a passive experience; players must invest time and cognitive effort to appreciate the stories and atmosphere. This can be rewarding but not for everyone.
- Content requires high English proficiency (weight 0.15): The game's narrative and cultural references require a strong command of English and familiarity with American history and geography. Non-native speakers may struggle to appreciate the content fully.
- Alternative suggestions: read a book or play other games (weight 0.12): Some negative reviews suggest that the experience offered is better achieved through other media, such as reading good books, watching movies, or playing games like Kentucky Route Zero. They argue the game fails to justify its existence as an interactive experience.
- Not for achievement hunters (weight 0.11): The game is specifically not recommended for players who enjoy unlocking achievements. One achievement is reportedly unobtainable without cheating, and the game lacks typical progression systems that reward grinding.
- Low replay value and short bursts (weight 0.1): The game is best experienced in short sessions rather than marathon play. Its slow pacing and lack of variety may cause boredom if played for long periods. Some suggest using a speedhack or guide to enhance experience.
- Check gameplay videos before buying (weight 0.07): Many players recommend watching gameplay footage before purchasing to avoid disappointment. The game's niche nature may lead to regret if expectations are not aligned with its slow, story-driven design.
- Perfect for fans of narrative-driven and experimental games (weight 0.07): Strong recommendations come from players who appreciate games as art and narrative experiments. The game is compared favorably to titles like 'Papers, Please' and 'Kentucky Route Zero', appealing to those seeking unique storytelling.

Other player notes:
- Unwinnable achievement increases appreciation (weight 0.04): Players find that an unwinnable achievement adds to their appreciation of the game, likely because it encourages multiple playthroughs or strategic thinking.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.21): Players expressed profound frustration with the game's slow, repetitive traversal and tedious walking speed, which hindered their enjoyment of otherwise good elements. Technical issues like bugs, poor optimization, and unattainable achievements compounded the experience, alongside missing translations and a confusing story selection menu.
- Disappointment (weight 0.13): Disappointment stemmed from the game failing to deliver on its promising premise, with shallow story content, poor gameplay execution, and technical issues undermining its artistic qualities. Many players felt the game was a boring walking simulator that wasted its potential, with short, unmemorable narratives and a lack of atmospheric depth.
- Appreciation (weight 0.12): Appreciation focused heavily on the game's writing, music, voice acting, and art style, which created a unique and emotionally resonant atmosphere. Players praised the storytelling mechanic and the way it connected to folklore and historical themes, despite acknowledging other flaws.
- Boredom (weight 0.05): Boredom arose from the monotonous, slow-paced walking between story segments, which was perceived as tedious and lacking engaging gameplay. The scattered narrative and repetitive mechanics failed to hold player interest over time.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.05): Enjoyment came from the relaxing, atmospheric experience created by the music, art, and storytelling. Players appreciated the unique premise and found the stories, writing, and voice acting engaging despite some overall flaws.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration was directed at the game's unmatched music, art style, and atmospheric depth, with some calling it a masterpiece. The original concept and philosophical storytelling were highly valued.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.02): Satisfaction stemmed from the high-quality presentation, including music, art, story, and voice acting, which provided a unique and comfortable narrative experience. The game's ambient atmosphere and journey were particularly praised.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyance was driven by bugs like freezing and missing stories, a confusing story selection interface, and an unattainable achievement. The slow pace and wasted time also contributed to player irritation.
- Love (weight 0.02): Love was expressed for the art style, emotional stories, and well-crafted characters, with players appreciating the fulfilling journey and dreamlike atmosphere despite the game's flaws.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia was evoked by the game's references to adventure novels, westerns, and the Great Depression era, with music and visual elements recalling classic road movies and literary works.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise came from how compelling the stories became and the unexpected enjoyment of a strange game. Players were caught off guard by unexpected story developments and charming little narratives.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Anger resulted from the perception that the game was hostile to players, with terrible gameplay and developer bans for mentioning issues. A reviewer called it the most disgusting game they had played.
- Irritation (weight 0.01): Irritation was caused by the slow walking speed, a tedious whistle minigame, an unattainable achievement, and frame rate pop-in during traversal.
- Wonder (weight 0.01): Wonder was inspired by the game's characters, stories, atmosphere, and writing, with one player dreaming about the game due to vivid story imagery and the overall experience.
- 遗憾 (weight 0.01): The game's low gameplay appeal and missing stories about Chinese laborers and Japanese people were noted as shortcomings, reducing its potential reach and completeness.
- Respect (weight 0.01): Respect was given to the developers for trying something different and for the unwinnable achievement, which some felt made the game's message click into place.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief came from purchasing the game at a very low price and from discovering the map and auto-walk features, which alleviated some of the traversal tedium.
- Awe (weight 0.01): Awe was expressed by players who described the game as a revelation with deep human connection, praising its poetic concept, execution, and immersive storytelling with folklore elements.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): Excitement arose from encountering more stories on the road and from gasping at particularly good stories, highlighting the narrative's engaging moments.
- Loneliness (weight 0.01): Loneliness was felt through the music and landscape, and notably after the main game ended, as there were no more characters to meet, creating a sense of isolation.}