Info about Deskrawl: Idle ARPG:

Official game description:
Grind mobs, farm loot, and capture enemies to serve you. Deskrawl is an epic idle ARPG that plays at the bottom of your desktop. Farm legendary items and build overpowered heroes while you work or chill.
**Desktop Idle ARPG**
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Idle farm legendary loot and push your power to broken extremes. Choose from a roster of heroes, each with their own playstyle, and mix gear, minions, and abilities until you reach a godlike build.
**Own Minions**
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Enemies in Deskrawl can be captured, even Bosses! Your minions haul the loot cart so you never stop grinding, and they support you in combat too: some grant passive buffs, while others unleash special abilities.
**Town Progression**
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Stockpile resources to grow your town from a quiet outpost into a thriving hub. Unlock new NPCs and services as you progress, each one opening up new ways to grow your power.
**Trading**
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Trade valuable equipment, materials, and minions with other players on the Steam Market.
**Mythic Realms**
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Test your hero in ultimate challenges, timed trials, and escalating difficulty tiers that push you to the limit. The deeper you go, the better the rewards.

Release date: Sep 28, 2026

Categories: Idle Game, Action RPG, Loot-Driven Combat System, Minion Management, Town Building, Marketplace Trading, Character Progression, Desktop Companion

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 20; verdict: Fair - Optional Cosmetic/Marketplace Content Only; summary: The reviews describe a $5 idle game that includes an optional supporter DLC and Steam Community Market integration enabling item trading. There is no evidence of real-money gacha, loot boxes, pay-to-win power sales, currency obfuscation, aggressive FOMO, or problem-then-solution design. Reported complaints center on gameplay (an offline mode that wastes time) and one player merely requests future paid cosmetic DLC. Under the real-money gate, the only real-money elements are an optional cosmetic/support DLC and a Steam marketplace, both of which fall under the override that caps such content at a fair score. No predatory monetization patterns are confirmed.
- Steam Deck: score 65; verdict: Tinkering Required - Online Launch Failures; summary: The Steam Deck experience is inconsistent and requires manual intervention. A verified user only reaches playable performance after forcing Proton 10.0-4 in compatibility settings, and others describe compatibility worse than the demo. More seriously, several reviewers cannot enter the game or open the online mode, and users report being silently dumped into an offline mode that wastes hours of progress with no warning. Graphic instability is also reported, with black-screening affecting the game and other running media. Because a forced Proton toggle is required and online launch failures appear, the score sits firmly in the "tinkering required with partial breakage" band.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 0.5h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The only explicit single-session duration is half an hour of idling, so sessionLength is set to 0.5 hours. A 9-hour offline grind is also reported, but it is a single user's cumulative wasted time and no consistent session length is provided. The 30-minute completion claim comes from hackers using cheat engine, so gameCompletion is null. Endgame is mentioned but without any hour figure, and no story completion time is reported, so both remain null.
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes:
  - Idle ARPG Build Tinkerer (buy)
    - Motivation: Experimenting with affixes, rune/gem and set combinations to theorycraft and test different builds
    - Playstyle: Actively plans and iterates on character builds, treating the idle loop as a vehicle for loot-driven build optimization
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Diablo; Path of Exile
  - Low-Attention Idle Convenience Player (sale)
    - Motivation: Making steady progress with minimal active attention or input
    - Playstyle: Passive idle play, often one-handed, with expectations of automated level advancement and unobtrusive background behavior
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Endgame Progression Grinder (buy)
    - Motivation: Pushing long-term progression through endgame, paragon levels, and leaderboard standing
    - Playstyle: Focuses on endgame systems, trading, and optimization for high-level progression and rankings
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: 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:
- Loot and progression satisfying (weight 0.5): Players enjoy collecting loot, upgrading equipment, and seeing their character grow stronger. The sense of progression, including paragon levels and skill trees, keeps them engaged.
- Four distinct classes available (weight 0.43): The game offers four classes—Warrior, Sorcerer, Hunter, and Monk—with multiple build directions. This variety encourages replayability and experimentation.
- Great as background idle game (weight 0.4): Many reviewers praise the game for its ability to run in the background or at the bottom of the screen, allowing them to multitask or play alongside other games. This low-attention design is a key appeal for players seeking a casual idle experience.
- Diablo-inspired ARPG feel (weight 0.4): Reviewers frequently compare the game to Diablo, citing its loot system, dark atmosphere, and hack-and-slash combat as reminiscent of the classic series. This familiarity attracts fans of the genre.
- Fun and enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.39): Many reviewers simply state that the game is fun and enjoyable to play, often mentioning its addictive quality and smooth combat. This broad appeal is a core strength.
- Deep build customization (weight 0.38): The game offers extensive build options through skill trees, paragon levels, and random affixes on items. This depth encourages players to experiment with different builds.
- Good item and skill systems (weight 0.31): The itemization, skill tree, and UI are well-designed, drawing inspiration from ARPGs like Path of Exile and Diablo. The clear numerical relationships make it easy to understand.
- Many systems and features (weight 0.28): The game includes numerous systems such as pets, followers, runes, gems, and town upgrades, providing depth and variety. This breadth of content keeps players engaged.
- Good graphics and visuals (weight 0.26): The game's graphics and visual effects are praised as good or great, contributing to an enjoyable overall experience. Combat animations are also noted as decent.
- Relaxing and addictive (weight 0.26): Many find the game relaxing and addictive, with a slow-paced progression that is satisfying without requiring constant attention. It provides a dopamine hit from acquiring items.
- Stable online and performance (weight 0.24): Players report that online features work without issues and the game runs smoothly with low system requirements. It also works well on Steam Deck with Proton.
- Improvements over demo and beta (weight 0.24): The full version has added significant content and improvements compared to the demo and beta, making it worth the wait. Many aspects have been enhanced.
- Character progression rewarding (weight 0.24): Players enjoy watching their character grow stronger, unlocking new skills and upgrading equipment. The progression feels meaningful and motivates continued play.
- Good value for price (weight 0.22): Several reviewers feel the game is worth its price, especially given the amount of content and the support pack options. The full version price is considered attractive.
- Unique background game concept (weight 0.21): The idea of a game that runs at the bottom of the screen while you do other things is considered unusual, cool, and well-implemented. It fills a niche for multitasking gamers.
- Supportive and responsive developers (weight 0.17): Reviewers note that the developers work hard on updates, listen to feedback, and monitor the game. This ongoing support is valued by the community.
- One-handed and casual play (weight 0.16): The game can be played with one hand and is easy to pick up, making it suitable for casual play. It is not overly complex, appealing to a wide audience.
- No pay-to-win or predatory monetization (weight 0.13): Reviewers appreciate that the game does not include pay-to-win mechanics or predatory monetization. This makes the game feel fair and accessible.
- Beta had better drop rates (weight 0.12): Some reviewers note that item drop rates were better in the beta, allowing for smoother progression and more frequent gold gear. This suggests a potential area for improvement.
- Trading and Steam integration (weight 0.11): The ability to sell resources and trade on Steam adds value and convenience. This integration is appreciated by players.

Common complaints:
- Online mode connection failures (weight 0.76): Players cannot access online mode due to various connection errors, including Steam connection failures, character creation issues, and region-specific blocks. Many are forced into offline play without clear notification.
- Interface and UI problems (weight 0.52): The UI is unrefined, occupies too much screen space, lacks minimize options, and cannot blur background. Scaling issues cause the game to occupy only part of the screen at 4K.
- Cheating and hacking issues (weight 0.43): Cheaters and hackers are prevalent, using tools like Cheat Engine to finish the game quickly and listing illegitimately obtained items. This ruins the economy and fair play.
- Insufficient tutorial and explanations (weight 0.3): Key mechanics like the combat potion slot, stat effects (e.g., agility), and hunter's powerful attack are poorly explained. There is no tutorial, making the game unfriendly to new players.
- Steam connectivity issues (weight 0.3): Players encounter 'Unable to connect to Steam' errors and cannot find SteamID, requiring workarounds like opening the Steam interface first. This blocks online access.
- Progression and difficulty spikes (weight 0.29): Levels 20 and 40 present harsh difficulty spikes requiring top-tier gear or specific builds. Mobs at level 8 can kill players quickly, and late-game numerical demands are high.
- Weapon drop rate too low (weight 0.28): Weapons rarely drop, with players reporting no weapon drops even after reaching level 8 or playing for hours. This severely hinders progression and leaves players stuck with starting weapons.
- Overall loot drop rates poor (weight 0.28): Equipment and gold drop rates are extremely low, with players often going entire runs without any equipment drops. This makes progression slow and unrewarding.
- Mount and reins drop rates low (weight 0.27): Mounts and mount reins are extremely rare, with very low drop rates. Players report never seeing a mount drop despite extensive play.
- Idle mechanics ineffective (weight 0.27): The game's idle features provide no offline progress or meaningful rewards, and dying respawns players in town, requiring constant monitoring. This contradicts the 'idle' label.
- Development and support lacking (weight 0.24): Development is slow, support group does not respond, and feedback from open testing was ignored. Players feel developers only care about early buyers.
- Character creation online blocked (weight 0.22): Players cannot create online characters due to connection errors, even when using accelerators like UU or Leishen. This prevents access to online features.
- Combat and targeting lag (weight 0.22): Melee characters experience laggy or stuttery targeting, and projectiles like fireballs fly off-screen due to interface issues. Combat feels unresponsive.
- Equipment stats and impact unclear (weight 0.21): Equipment provides only tiny stat increases, and it's unclear what stats like agility do. The game lacks an equipment-driven experience despite being equipment-focused.
- Elite monsters nerfed (weight 0.21): Elite monster distribution was cut, they give no experience, and boss tickets are scarce as a result. Players must farm low-level elites without experience for marginal gear.
- Melee class issues (weight 0.2): Melee characters are boring to play, cannot dual wield weapons, and lack depth. The warrior class is criticized for not being a barbarian.
- Gear level requirements mismatch (weight 0.17): Equipment required level often exceeds the recommended map level, so players can clear maps but cannot equip drops. Gear and character level can be 7-8 levels apart.
- Trading system restrictive (weight 0.12): The trading system only allows selling pre-top level gear, materials cannot be sold, and there is no market feature as promised. This limits economic activity.
- Missing promised features (weight 0.12): Wings from the DLC supporter pack are missing, and bonuses for playing beta and demo were not given. This disappoints backers.
- Class and build experimentation costly (weight 0.12): Respeccing talents costs gold, making it hard to experiment with different builds. Players must plan specific builds to avoid being stuck late-game.

Gameplay feedback:
- Multiple Playable Classes (weight 0.39): Players can choose from four classes: Warrior, Sorcerer, Hunter, and Monk. This offers diverse gameplay styles and build options.
- Idle Game Core Gameplay (weight 0.36): The game is fundamentally an idle game where progress occurs while the player is away. It includes post-idle rewards and is designed for AFK play.
- Diablo-Style ARPG Mechanics (weight 0.31): The game combines idle mechanics with Diablo 2-style side-scrolling ARPG design, including hack-and-slash combat and equipment-driven itemization.
- Equipment and Loot System (weight 0.31): Loot is gained over time, such as while away, and equipment has different stats. There is an item drop system with rarity tiers like blue and gold.
- Online and Offline Modes (weight 0.27): The game supports both online and offline play, with online mode including character creation. This provides flexibility for different player preferences.
- Town and Character Upgrades (weight 0.22): Players can unlock upgrades for the town and their chosen character. This progression system unlocks features gradually.
- Market and Trading (weight 0.13): The game includes a marketplace where players can buy and sell items. This adds an economic layer to the gameplay.
- Build Experimentation (weight 0.13): The game offers quite a few abilities that allow players to experiment with different builds. This adds depth and replayability.
- Single-Player Mode Available (weight 0.12): There is a single-player mode for those who prefer to play alone. This mode likely shares the same idle and ARPG features.

Performance notes:
- Steam connection failures at launch (weight 0.14): Players report being unable to connect to Steam when entering the game or when creating an online character. The SteamID N/A error suggests account linking problems.
- Unstable network connectivity reported (weight 0.14): Multiple reports indicate unstable network performance and connection issues that impact online gameplay. This affects both general connectivity and progression between levels.
- Online character creation fails (weight 0.08): Players are unable to create online characters, likely due to the Steam connection issues. This blocks access to online modes entirely.
- Runs well on Steam Deck (weight 0.08): The game performs well on Steam Deck when using Proton 10, indicating good compatibility with that setup. This is a positive note amid connectivity complaints.
- Compatibility issues cause black screens (weight 0.07): Other video and game software goes black when clicking in the game, suggesting compatibility conflicts. This can disrupt multitasking or streaming setups.

Recommendations:
- Commended for idle gameplay (weight 0.36): Many reviewers recommend the game for players who enjoy idle games, highlighting its strength and appeal in that genre. It is considered an excellent idle game and well done for its type.
- Great value for price (weight 0.22): Multiple reviewers find the game worth the price, with some calling it a steal and the full version price attractive. This suggests strong value for money.
- Recommended for ARPG fans (weight 0.22): Reviewers recommend the game for those who like ARPGs and Diablo-like games, emphasizing its appeal to action role-playing fans. It is also suggested for fans of loot and Diablo-likes.
- Negative purchase advice (weight 0.21): Several reviewers strongly advise against buying, with comments like do not buy, save your money, and run away. Refund is also requested due to connection issues, indicating significant problems.
- Suitable for casual play (weight 0.17): Some reviewers recommend it for those looking for a small game to play casually or simply. It is also recommended for people who are working.
- Mixed purchase recommendations (weight 0.17): A few reviewers give mixed recommendations, with some advising to buy blindly for a quality idle hack-and-slash game. Others suggest the full release should be avoided for now or that DOME players should not buy yet.
- Online market character mode (weight 0.13): New players should select online mode when creating a character to use the market, and should not mistakenly start in single-player if they want to use the market. This is important for accessing full features.
- Cheater impact on competition (weight 0.07): One reviewer notes that in online mode, cheaters are a concern as you cannot compete against them. This highlights a potential issue with online fairness.
- Equipment drop gating criticized (weight 0.06): A reviewer criticizes the gating of equipment drops, implying it hampers progression. This is a specific gameplay concern.
- Idle play needs feedback (weight 0.06): Feedback suggests idle play needs positive feedback to be rewarding, pointing to a design improvement. This is a niche but valid point.
- Not recommended for RMT (weight 0.06): The game is not recommended for players looking to do real money trading (RMT). This is a niche warning.
- Supporter pack not worth (weight 0.06): According to one reviewer, the supporter pack is not worth buying. This specific advice suggests limited value in that purchase.
- Generic recommendation (weight 0.06): A simple recommended without further detail, indicating general satisfaction. Low information but positive.
- Generic non-recommendation (weight 0.06): A simple cannot recommend it without elaboration, indicating general dissatisfaction. Low information but negative.
- For genre fans (weight 0.06): Recommended if you are into this type of games, suggesting appeal to specific genre enthusiasts. This is a vague but positive note.

Other player notes:
- Frequent Diablo comparisons (weight 0.61): Many reviewers compare the game's design, feel, and mechanics to the Diablo series, especially Diablo 2, citing ARPG and hack-and-slash similarities. Some also mention Path of Exile and Grim Dawn as reference points.
- Idle game with ARPG elements (weight 0.39): The game is described as an idle game with Diablo-like elements, offering simple idle mechanics but also many systems to research. It is compared to other idle games like TBH and IDL.
- Demo and full version differences (weight 0.38): Reviewers note that the full release adds significant content and gameplay improvements over the demo and beta versions. However, some feel the demo overpromised, and the full game has fewer locations or a different map layout.
- Steam market and trading (weight 0.35): The game includes a Steam marketplace feature that allows item trading, but some aspects like selling are restricted. This integration has caused negative reviews, particularly from Chinese players seeking real money trading.
- Paid single-player game (weight 0.29): The game is a paid single-player experience with an affordable price point. Reviewers consider the price reasonable for the amount of content offered.
- Supporter pack contents (weight 0.24): A supporter pack is available that includes cosmetic items like wings and a mount, with no stat bonuses. One mount provides movement speed, defense, and capacity bonuses.
- No pay-to-win mechanics (weight 0.18): Reviewers highlight that the game does not include pay-to-win mechanics and lacks predatory monetization. However, some monetization through charging is present.
- DLC sold separately (weight 0.12): The game's DLC cannot be purchased as a price-difference upgrade for owners of the base game. Buyers must purchase the base game and DLC separately, which has frustrated some users.
- Encourages continued updates (weight 0.12): Reviewers encourage the developers to continue updating the game. This suggests a desire for ongoing support and improvements.
- Tested in multiple phases (weight 0.11): The game was played across two test phases, indicating a prolonged testing period before release.
- Day-one leaderboard hackers (weight 0.07): Hackers are present on the leaderboard from day one. This is a concern for competitive integrity.
- Promised features limited implementation (weight 0.07): Developers promised exchanging valuable gear and materials, but the implementation is limited. This has led to disappointment.
- Low online population (weight 0.07): The game has a low online population. This may affect multiplayer or trading aspects.
- Boss fights present (weight 0.06): The game includes boss fights as part of its content. This is a notable feature for an idle game.
- Marketplace and bot issues (weight 0.06): A reviewer compares the game to Desk Bar Hero, stating that marketplace and bot issues killed that game for them. This raises concerns about similar problems.
- Steam Deck compatibility fix (weight 0.06): To run on Steam Deck, enable forced compatibility with Proton 10.0-4. This is a specific technical workaround.
- Comparison to Clash of Clans (weight 0.06): One reviewer mentions playing this game alongside Clash of Clans, indicating it fits into a similar casual gaming routine.
- Compared to DOME (weight 0.06): The game is compared to DOME as a similar experience, though details are limited.
- AI production labeling under Korean law (weight 0.06): One reviewer notes that AI production must be labeled for consumers under Korean law. This is a legal requirement mentioned in feedback.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.2): Players are frustrated by extremely low drop rates for mounts, weapons, and gear, often farming for hours with no progression. Online connectivity issues, including forced VPN use and login failures, further block access, while difficulty spikes and cheaters worsen the experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.15): Reviewers appreciate a smooth online experience without disconnections, abundant loot, and no pay-to-win mechanics. The game improves after unlocking classes and skills, with clean interfaces and a rewarding idle loop.
- Disappointment (weight 0.14): Many feel let down because an equipment-driven game lacks meaningful equipment progression, offline progress is missing, and promised features like trading and markets are absent. Online character creation failures and poor drop rates led some to refund.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Players find the core kill-upgrade-repeat loop fun, especially as a Diablo-style idle ARPG that can be played while studying or multitasking. The variety of classes and builds adds to the enjoyment.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement stems from playing an idle game previously only on phones now on PC, with beautiful graphics and interesting skills. The game is seen as a mini Diablo alternative with many classes and build variety.
- Concern (weight 0.04): Concerns focus on cheaters and hackers potentially ruining the online market and game balance, as well as restrictive gear requirements for advancement. The long cycle to collect rune sets and later players unable to join online also worry reviewers.
- Confusion (weight 0.03): Players are confused by unclear stat benefits like agility, class naming inconsistencies, and unexplained skill mechanics. Network connection issues that resolve by opening the Steam interface and software conflicts causing black screens add to the confusion.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Reviewers appreciate the concept of a background game with shared bank, life skills, and multiple classes in a desktop autobattler. The old-school RPG feel and well-done class/build variety are highlighted.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyances include projectiles flying off-screen into transparent areas, high respec costs limiting build experimentation, and having to buy DLC separately after purchasing the base game.
- Relief (weight 0.02): Relief comes from achievements now working, reasons to play other characters keeping the early game interesting, and solving Steam connection issues by updating the Steam version.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Joy is derived from waking up to loot and the game not taking up the whole screen, allowing it to be played alongside other games.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom arises from melee character gameplay feeling suffocating and the early game before level 5 having low gear drops and slow progression.
- Optimism (weight 0.02): Optimism is driven by looking forward to seeing what endgame will be like and being encouraged by the game's progress and hopeful for future updates.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Amusement comes from being able to play the game with one hand while doing other activities and the game only taking up the bottom of the screen, allowing multitasking.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is caused by poor window management and auction house sorting, lack of AI disclosure, and developers only caring about the first 1000 buyers.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.02): Dissatisfaction stems from endgame itemization not allowing free mixing of sets and strong rares like Diablo, and the game feeling too cumbersome as an idle game due to missing features like auto-next-level and minimize button.
- Uncertainty (weight 0.02): Uncertainty exists about whether town building features aid character progression and about numerical values and satisfaction in the late game.
- Mild disappointment (weight 0.02): Mild disappointment is due to the UI not being very refined and the models looking weird and unchanged.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Desire is for the window to be adjustable wider for watching battles and interfaces.
- Discomfort (weight 0.01): Discomfort is caused by the game occupying only a small area of the screen at 4K, making it tiring to look at.}