Info about Hand of Fate 2:

Official game description:
Hand of Fate 2 is a dungeon crawler set in a world of dark fantasy. Master a living boardgame where every stage of the adventure is drawn from a deck of legendary encounters chosen by you! Choose wisely - your opponent, the enigmatic Dealer, will pull no punches as he shapes you into the instrument of his revenge.  
The table has changed, but the stakes remain the same: life or death!
KEY GAME FEATURES
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*   A world transformed - 100 years have passed since the Dealer was usurped and the Game of Life and Death gained a new master.  
*   22 exciting new challenges that will push your deck-building skills to the limit - Hunt fiendish assassins, reunite star-crossed lovers or build up a fortress to withstand a raider assault!  
*   Enlist the aid of all new companion characters - team up with them in battle, or have them bend the rules of the boardgame in your favor!  
*   Hundreds of new encounters, artifacts and items to earn and upgrade.  
*   Enhanced action-RPG combat - shred foes with quick dual-wielded daggers or brutalize them with heavy two-handed hammers. Build up your combo meter to unleash powerful special attacks!  
*   Engage new foes united by all-new card suits - Cross swords with disciplined Imperial soldiers, purge corrupted mutants and fend off northern raiders.

Release date: Nov 7, 2017

Categories: Deckbuilding, Dungeon Crawler, Action RPG, Roguelike, Card-based Gameplay, Narrative-driven Gameplay, Companion System, Dark Fantasy


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $20.00 - $30.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews consistently mention that the game is worth its price, with several users explicitly stating that it is worth the cost. The sentiment suggests that the game provides good value for money, especially for fans of the genre or the previous game in the series. The mention of the game being even better on sale indicates that while the full price is considered fair, a discounted price is seen as a great deal.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 44.0h
  - Story completion: 20.0h
  - Session length: 1.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides several direct and indirect references to playtime metrics. The first quote indicates that a player finished half of the main game in 20 hours, suggesting that the total game completion time is around 40 hours. The second quote supports this by stating that the player finished the game at 44 hours. The third and fourth quotes provide insights into session length, mentioning specific durations of gameplay sessions.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has an initial friction due to repetitive combat but becomes fun as players progress and unlock more content. It is enjoyable in short bursts and has an addictive quality.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: Unlocking new companions, tokens, and campaigns.
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: Repetitive combat; Tedious gameplay mechanics; Excessive RNG reliance
  - Unlock drivers: Progression system; Variety in challenges; New card mechanics
  - Conditions: Short play sessions; Unlocking new content; Playing different challenges
- Player Archetypes:
  - Franchise Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Nostalgia and continuity of experience from the first game.
    - Playstyle: Compares and contrasts with the original game, seeking familiar mechanics and improvements.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Fans of the saga; Franchise fan
    - Reference games: Hand of Fate 1
  - Meta-Gamer (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastery of game mechanics and optimization of strategies.
    - Playstyle: Strategic and analytical, focusing on understanding and exploiting game mechanics.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Meta-gamer; Strategy enthusiast
    - Reference games: Darkest Dungeon; Slay the Spire
  - Story-First Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Engaging story and immersive world-building.
    - Playstyle: Exploratory and narrative-focused, seeking rich storylines and character development.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Narrative enthusiast; Story-driven player
    - Reference games: The Witcher 3; Skyrim
  - Rogue-Lite Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Replayability and the thrill of randomized elements.
    - Playstyle: Adaptive and flexible, embracing the unpredictability and variety of rogue-lite mechanics.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Rogue-lite fan; RNG enthusiast
    - Reference games: Slay the Spire; Hades


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:
- Enhanced combat and graphics (weight 0.28): The game has seen significant improvements in its combat mechanics and graphics, making the gameplay more engaging and visually appealing.
- Companion system (weight 0.24): The addition of companions enhances the gameplay experience, providing new mechanics and entertaining interactions with unique storylines.
- Engaging content (weight 0.24): The game offers engaging writing, exploration, and a variety of trials and content, ensuring players remain interested and entertained.
- Excellent narration and storytelling (weight 0.23): The game features great narration and a solid story, enhancing the overall gaming experience with excellent voice-over work and a compelling narrative.
- Unique blend of genres (weight 0.23): The game combines elements from various genres such as deckbuilding, action, roguelite, and tabletop boardgame mechanics, creating a unique and enjoyable experience.
- Improved story and gameplay (weight 0.23): The game has seen improvements in both its story quality and gameplay mechanics, enhancing the overall experience compared to previous versions.
- Enjoyable and rewarding gameplay (weight 0.17): Players find the gameplay experience enjoyable and rewarding, with fun and challenging combat mechanics that keep them engaged.
- Captivating atmosphere (weight 0.16): The game offers an incredible atmosphere that is both captivating and immersive, complemented by good music and storytelling.
- Unique and original style (weight 0.16): The game stands out with its unique blend of genres and originality, offering a distinctive charm and well-written stories.
- Positive overall reception (weight 0.12): Players generally love the game and find it great value for the price, enjoying every bit of the experience.
- Creative roguelike experience (weight 0.12): The game offers a very pleasant and distinctive roguelike experience, combining plot narrative with roguelike elements effectively.
- Detailed and methodical combat (weight 0.12): Players enjoy the detailed combat system and the more methodical approach to combat, along with the story-driven nature of the game.

Common complaints:
- Combat is repetitive and unengaging (weight 0.67): Many players find the combat system to be tedious, simplistic, and repetitive. It lacks depth and can feel monotonous over time.
- Over-reliance on RNG (weight 0.29): The game heavily depends on luck, with many mechanics and challenges being determined by RNG, which can be frustrating for players.
- Repetitive gameplay elements (weight 0.24): Various aspects of the game, including combat and tasks, are repetitive and can lead to a lack of replayability.
- Translation errors (weight 0.24): The game has notable translation issues, particularly in the Chinese version, which can affect gameplay and story understanding.
- Uncomfortable combat mechanics (weight 0.21): The combat mechanics feel outdated and uncomfortable, with issues such as lack of invincibility frames during dodging.
- Issues with Endless Mode (weight 0.18): Endless mode is criticized for being more annoying than challenging, feeling half-finished, and lacking randomness. It can also be time-consuming and too difficult.
- High difficulty in mini-games (weight 0.11): Mini-games, particularly those involving drawing, are noted for their high difficulty and can be frustrating due to their luck-based nature.
- Lack of character development and customization (weight 0.11): There is a notable lack of character development and customization options, particularly for female characters.
- Weak plot and story progression (weight 0.09): The game's plot and story progression are considered weak, impacting the overall experience.
- Dealer's dialogue lacks interest (weight 0.09): The dealer's dialogue is less interesting and humorous in the second version, making the narration less engaging.
- Unskippable and repetitive cutscenes (weight 0.06): The game features repetitive and unskippable cutscenes, which can detract from the overall experience.
- Food scarcity (weight 0.06): The game has issues with food scarcity, making it a highly demanded resource.
- Limited variety in blessings and curses (weight 0.06): Blessings and curses in the game have limited variety and less impact, reducing their overall effectiveness and interest.
- Outdated graphics (weight 0.06): The graphics in the game are somewhat outdated and have not seen significant improvements.

Gameplay feedback:
- Dynamic action combat system (weight 0.46): The game features a dynamic and engaging action combat system that includes real-time sequences and a mix of action and card-based gameplay. Players appreciate the revision and focus on combat mechanics.
- Card-based gameplay mechanics (weight 0.41): The game incorporates a variety of card game mechanics, including card shuffling, turn-based card games, and card-based storytelling. This adds a layer of strategy and adventure to the gameplay.
- Character customization options (weight 0.2): Players can customize their characters with various options, including companions and equipment systems. This feature enhances character engagement and personalization.
- Variety of mini-games (weight 0.2): The game offers a range of mini-games, including dice rolls, pendulum challenges, and card tricks. These mini-games add variety and excitement to the overall gameplay experience.
- Roguelike deck-building elements (weight 0.19): The game combines roguelike features with deck-building mechanics, offering a unique blend of gameplay styles. Players can build and customize their decks for each quest.
- Structured quest scenarios (weight 0.16): The game offers structured scenarios and campaign quests with specific goals, unique stories, and boss battles. This provides a clear and engaging progression path for players.
- Endless mode with increasing difficulty (weight 0.12): An endless mode is available, providing players with an infinite adventure that becomes progressively more challenging. This mode appeals to those seeking long-term gameplay and replayability.
- Variety in quests and challenges (weight 0.09): Players encounter a variety of quests and challenges, each with different card outcomes and unique stories. This keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging.
- Narrative-driven plot (weight 0.09): The game features a narrator-driven story with narrative choices that impact the plot. This adds depth and immersion to the gameplay experience.
- Unique gameplay loop (weight 0.09): The game features a unique gameplay loop that combines simple mechanics with story-driven elements. This blend creates an engaging and enjoyable experience for players.

Performance notes:
- Control and reaction time delays (weight 0.12): Players have noted delays in controls and reaction times, affecting the overall gameplay experience.
- Good optimization and performance (weight 0.1): The game is well-optimized and runs smoothly with good stability and performance.
- Occasional game crashes (weight 0.09): Some players have experienced game crashes, which can disrupt the gaming experience.
- Mixed feedback on bugs (weight 0.07): Opinions on bugs vary, with some players reporting unresolved bugs while others experience no significant issues.
- Loading screen issues (weight 0.07): There are complaints about loading screens, including their appearance and the time they take.
- Fluid combat mechanics (weight 0.04): The combat in the game is fluid and well-executed, contributing to an enjoyable gameplay experience.
- Low FPS during combat (weight 0.04): Players have reported low frames per second (FPS) during combat, affecting the smoothness of gameplay.
- VR compatibility with mods (weight 0.04): The game works perfectly in VR when using mods, enhancing the virtual reality experience.
- Good controls on Steam Deck (weight 0.04): Players have reported that the game has good control compatibility with the Steam Deck.
- Decent PC requirements (weight 0.04): The game has reasonable system requirements for PC, making it accessible to a wide range of players.
- Improved graphics (weight 0.04): The game features enhanced graphics, providing a visually appealing experience.
- FPS drops during transitions (weight 0.04): The game experiences FPS drops during transitions between encounters, impacting the overall performance.
- Unattractive damage numbers (weight 0.03): The visual representation of damage numbers is considered unattractive by some players.
- Data collection concerns (weight 0.03): There are concerns about data collection and tracking within the game, raising privacy issues for some players.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended purchase (weight 0.21): Many reviews strongly recommend buying the game, suggesting that it is worth the full price and that players won't regret the purchase.
- Appeals to diverse gaming preferences (weight 0.19): The game is recommended for fans of various genres including card games, roguelites, action RPGs, and choose-your-own-adventure games. It particularly attracts those who enjoy deck-building games with story elements and action combat.
- Better value on sale (weight 0.09): The game is considered an even better purchase when it is on sale, offering more value for the price.
- Unique and creative roguelike experience (weight 0.07): The game is praised for its creativity and distinctiveness within the roguelike genre, making it a highly recommended experience for fans of unique RPGs.
- Consideration for Hand of Fate owners (weight 0.07): Potential buyers are advised to consider whether they already own Hand of Fate, as it might affect their decision to purchase this game.
- Improves on the original (weight 0.04): The game is noted for perfecting elements that made the original memorable, enhancing the overall experience.
- Worth playing despite flaws (weight 0.04): Despite its flaws, the game is still recommended and worth playing, offering a valuable experience.
- Enjoyable with interesting premise (weight 0.04): Players are likely to enjoy the game if the premise sounds interesting to them, making it a worthwhile experience.
- Ideal for quick RPG sessions (weight 0.04): The game is recommended for RPG fans looking for quick gaming sessions, fitting well into shorter playtimes.
- Worth checking out (weight 0.04): The game is still worth picking up and checking out, despite any potential drawbacks.
- Play Hand of Fate 1 first (weight 0.03): It is recommended to play Hand of Fate 1 before diving into Hand of Fate 2 for a better gaming experience.
- Good for strategic players (weight 0.03): The game is recommended for players looking for strategic tips and gameplay, catering to those who enjoy strategic challenges.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.3): Players are frustrated primarily due to the heavy reliance on RNG mechanics, which affect combat, mini-games, and card collecting. The combat system is criticized for being repetitive, monotonous, and overly difficult, especially for beginners. Additional frustrations stem from localization issues, unclear objectives, and game bugs that impact gameplay.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.17): Players express satisfaction with the engaging and improved gameplay mechanics, including combat and level design. The game's replayability, unique blend of deckbuilding and action, and rewarding progression contribute to a positive experience. Additionally, the storytelling and narrative elements are highlighted as enjoyable and well-executed.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.13): Players enjoy the unique blend of deckbuilding, action, and engaging storytelling. The mix of narrative, puzzle-solving, and combat, along with the variety of mini-games and challenges, creates a fun and intriguing experience. The high replayability and engaging gameplay loop also contribute to the overall enjoyment.
- Disappointment (weight 0.12): Players feel disappointed due to the game not meeting their expectations, particularly in terms of combat mechanics and narrative. The removal of liked features from the previous game and the sense of an unfinished product contribute to this disappointment. Additionally, the repetitive and boring combat, along with balance issues, further exacerbate these feelings.
- Excitement (weight 0.07): Players are excited about the improvements and new features in the game, including the engaging storyline and improved gameplay mechanics. The mix of different gameplay elements and the overall positive aspects of the game generate a sense of excitement and anticipation.
- Appreciation (weight 0.06): Players appreciate the unique card-based gameplay and the clever design of the game. The improved battle system, enhanced level design, and the developer's positive attitude towards the market are also highlighted. The game's art style, core gameplay, and high replay value are additional aspects that players appreciate.
- Frustrated (weight 0.02): Players are frustrated due to encountering bugs in high-difficulty mini-games, difficulty reading card names, and poor control implementation. Performance issues and unskippable cutscenes further contribute to this frustration.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Players admire the game's unique style, interesting gameplay, and well-written world and story. The voice performance and overall atmosphere, along with the unique connection with the game world, are also aspects that players admire.
- Sadness (weight 0.01): Players feel sadness due to the developer's closure and the game being in maintenance mode. This emotional response is tied to the end of active development and support for the game.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Players experience boredom due to the repetitive gameplay and lack of new experiences. The monotonous combat and repetitive content contribute to this feeling of boredom.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Players feel anger due to poor card-drawing mechanics in mini-games and combat hand-feel issues. These mechanics are seen as unfair and frustrating, leading to a sense of anger.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players are enthusiastic about the unique gameplay, card system, and the variety of trials. The engaging and diverse gameplay elements generate a sense of enthusiasm and excitement.}