Info about Praey for the Gods:

Official game description:
JOIN OUR DISCORD
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About the Game
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Praey for the Gods is a boss climbing open world adventure game where you play as a lone hero sent to the edge of a dying frozen world to discover the mystery behind a never-ending winter. Arriving with only the clothes on your back, you must survive the colossal dangers that you encounter. To restore balance and reclaim the land from the brink, you will be faced with questions that not even a God knows the answer to.
Scale Massive Beasts
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Overcome impossible odds to climb atop and defeat the massive beasts that are bound to this land.
Climb, Glide, Swim
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You can climb on virtually anything you can get your hands on, from ruins and mountains to the massive beasts that inhabit the land. Ascend to the tops of mountains and then glide over the open world to reach previously inaccessible locations. Swim in frigid water to uncover hidden locations that contain secrets and treasure, but don't stay in too long or your swim could become your last.
Explore, Craft, and Survive
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You'll arrive on a frozen island with only the clothes on your back -- it's up to you to survive. Make fires, hunt for food, and find the equipment you need to make it through an eternal winter. Nature isn't the only danger, so craft weapons, defeat minions for better gear, and venture into long forgotten caves to discover their secrets. Triumphing over these trials will prepare you for the impossible odds that wait.
Make Your Path
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Praey for the Gods is a non-linear game where you choose who you battle and how. While destiny will give you a nudge, virtually all the large beasts can be attempted in any order allowing you to set the course.
Unravel the Mystery
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Why won't the winter stop? Why has no one returned? Cryptic paintings left behind allude to a story once thought forgotten. To restore balance and reclaim the land, you will be faced with questions that not even the gods know the answer to.
A Beautifully Frigid World
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Explore a landscape of unending winter framed by snow-capped peaks and crawling fog. The remnants of an ancient civilization lie before you, but don't let awe turn into carelessness -- snow storms can crop up at any moment and bury you in a blizzard. Luckily, you can leave footprints in the snow and follow your footsteps back if you are lost.
About the Development Team
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Praey for the Gods is being created by No Matter Studios a tiny studio of 3. Brian Parnell, Tim Wiese (glasses) and Hung-Chien Liao. In 2014, the friends began working after-hours on their first game. By January 2016, they had enough confidence in their progress to leave game-studio jobs in San Francisco and move to Seattle. Working in Parnell’s basement, they pursued an all-or-nothing dream to make the game of their dreams.

Release date: Dec 14, 2021

Categories: Open-World Exploration, Boss Fights, Climbing Mechanics, Survival Mechanics, Crafting, Puzzle Solving, Action-Adventure, Non-linear Progression

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback for the Steam Deck experience reveals significant issues with controls and performance. Users have reported non-intuitive and unresponsive controls, as well as frequent performance drops and stuttering. These issues severely impact the user experience, particularly during critical gameplay moments. While some users have had a positive experience, the prevalent technical barriers cannot be overlooked.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $7.50 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows that multiple users suggest the game is not worth its full price and recommend buying it only when it is on sale, specifically mentioning discounts around 75% off. This indicates that the community perceives the full price as too high and suggests a fair price would be significantly lower, around 25% of the full price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 7.0h
  - Story completion: 7.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides several direct mentions of playtime metrics. The first quote suggests a typical playtime of 6-7 hours for game completion. The second quote indicates a 12-hour playthrough, with a suggestion that the game could be finished 5 hours faster without side-content, supporting a story completion time of around 7 hours. The third quote implies that players might give up before completing the game due to control issues, which could affect the endgame metrics. The fourth quote reinforces that the game is not a 10+ hour experience, supporting the shorter playtime metrics.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game becomes fun after players master the grappling hook and other movement mechanics, which enhance exploration and combat.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Mastering the grappling hook and movement mechanics
  - Time to anchor: 0h 30m
  - Friction: Early game difficulty; Tedious crafting mechanics; Repetitive combat with normal enemies; Confusing narrative and pacing
  - Unlock drivers: Mastering the grappling hook; Using the glider effectively; Exploring the environment with movement options
  - Conditions: Playing on highest settings for better graphics; Engaging in boss fights; Using the grappling hook and glider for movement
- Player Archetypes:
  - Completionist Grinder (sale)
    - Motivation: To fully complete the game and upgrade all gear.
    - Playstyle: Methodical and thorough, using external resources to ensure completion.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: completionist
    - Reference games: Shadow of the Colossus; Breath of the Wild
  - Nostalgic Fan (sale)
    - Motivation: Nostalgia and enjoyment of similar gameplay mechanics to favorite games.
    - Playstyle: Explorative and boss-focused, enjoying the game for its similarities to beloved titles.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: fan of SotC; fan of BotW
    - Reference games: Shadow of the Colossus; Breath of the Wild
  - Critical Bargain Hunter (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Finding value in games despite their flaws, especially at a lower price point.
    - Playstyle: Analytical and critical, focusing on both the positives and negatives of the game.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: bargain hunter
    - Reference games: Shadow of the Colossus; Breath of the Wild


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:
- Homage to Shadow of the Colossus (weight 0.81): The game is widely recognized as a spiritual successor to Shadow of the Colossus, capturing its essence and providing a similar experience. It is recommended for fans of the original and praised for its respectful and innovative inspiration.
- Challenging and unique bosses (weight 0.47): The game features challenging and uniquely designed boss fights that are a major highlight. Boss battles are engaging, fun, and varied, requiring strategy.
- Enjoyable gameplay experience (weight 0.47): Players find the game enjoyable and fun, with engaging gameplay mechanics. Despite some issues, the overall experience is entertaining and impressive.
- Atmospheric environment (weight 0.44): The game features a deeply atmospheric and evocative environment with hauntingly beautiful scenery. The atmosphere is enhanced by sound design and artistic highlights.
- Rewarding exploration (weight 0.43): The game offers a vast open world with rewarding exploration. Players appreciate the freedom to explore and interact with the environment, enhanced by crafting and survival mechanics.
- Climbing and movement mechanics (weight 0.25): The game includes satisfying climbing mechanics and additional movement options like a grappling hook and glider. These mechanics are fun and add to the gameplay experience.
- Good graphics and optimization (weight 0.23): The game is praised for its beautiful graphics and good optimization. The visuals and technical aspects are impressive and well-received.
- Puzzle-solving elements (weight 0.12): The game features puzzle-like problem-solving and engaging puzzles within an open world. These puzzles add depth and interest to the exploration.
- Adjustable difficulty (weight 0.11): The game offers adjustable and customizable difficulty settings, making it replayable with different challenge levels.

Common complaints:
- Survival mechanics are intrusive (weight 0.63): Many players find the survival mechanics unnecessary and distracting, often feeling like they are tacked on and do not enhance the core gameplay experience.
- Clunky and frustrating controls (weight 0.55): The controls and combat mechanics are frequently described as clunky, janky, and frustrating, detracting from the overall gameplay experience.
- Game lacks depth and originality (weight 0.47): The game is often seen as too simple, lacking originality, and feeling unfinished, which affects the overall enjoyment and perceived value.
- Underwhelming boss design (weight 0.41): Boss fights are often criticized for being uninspired, repetitive, and lacking in originality, leading to a sense of boredom and monotony.
- Buggy and glitchy mechanics (weight 0.36): Players report various bugs and glitches, particularly with climbing mechanics and hit detection, which can be frustrating and detract from the gameplay experience.
- Weapon durability issues (weight 0.28): The weapon degradation system is a common complaint, with players finding that weapons break too soon and have low durability.
- Combat system lacks enjoyment (weight 0.25): The combat system, especially against smaller enemies, is criticized for being tedious, lacking weight, and not being enjoyable.
- Unclear objectives and direction (weight 0.12): Players often find the game's objectives unclear, leading to a lack of direction and frustration.
- Crafting system is underdeveloped (weight 0.11): The crafting system is seen as clumsy, lacking variety, and feeling underdeveloped, contributing to an overall sense of mediocrity in the gameplay.

Gameplay feedback:
- Open-world exploration focus (weight 0.44): The game features an open-world design that encourages exploration, with various traversal mechanics such as climbing, grappling, and gliding. The world is filled with secrets and puzzles to discover.
- Puzzle-solving in boss fights (weight 0.39): Boss fights often involve puzzle-like problem-solving, requiring players to strategize and find weak points to defeat the bosses.
- Crafting and gear upgrades (weight 0.22): Players can craft gear and weapons, as well as upgrade their equipment, adding a layer of progression and customization to the gameplay.
- Boss fights and mini-bosses (weight 0.22): The game includes various boss fights and mini-bosses, providing challenging encounters throughout the gameplay.
- Climbing and combat mechanics (weight 0.21): Climbing mechanics are a key part of the gameplay, especially during boss fights where players need to climb and strike weak points.
- Multiple difficulty levels (weight 0.15): The game offers different difficulty modes, allowing players to choose the level of challenge they prefer.
- Grapple hook and glider mechanics (weight 0.12): The game features grappling hooks and gliders, which aid in exploration and traversal across the open world.
- Lore and world-building (weight 0.1): The game features a rich lore and detailed world-building, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion.
- Enemy encounters and behavior (weight 0.1): The game includes various side enemies with distinct behaviors, adding to the challenge and depth of the gameplay.
- Resource collection and grinding (weight 0.09): Players need to collect resources and materials, which can involve some grinding, to craft and upgrade their gear.

Performance notes:
- Occasional bugs and glitches (weight 0.2): Players report various minor bugs and occasional graphical issues. These include glitchy climbing mechanics, physics glitches, and general game glitches.
- Positive graphics feedback (weight 0.16): Many players appreciate the good graphics and beautiful design aspects of the game. The graphics are generally well-optimized.
- Specific bugs and crashes (weight 0.15): Some players experience specific bugs such as clipping through bosses, audio bugs in boss fights, and crashes. There are also reports of black screens during location switching.
- Optimization and performance (weight 0.14): The game is reported to run smoothly and is mostly optimized. Some players mention fast PC requirements and occasional lags with grabbing.
- Graphical and animation issues (weight 0.12): There are complaints about dated modeling, janky animations, and texture seams. Some players also note jankiness in the environment's graphics and climbing mechanics.
- Steam Deck compatibility (weight 0.1): The game functions well on Steam Deck, with players reporting enjoyment and smooth performance. However, there are some performance issues with specific bosses.
- Control and camera issues (weight 0.09): Players report clunky controls and camera angle issues, particularly with the bird boss.
- Storm mechanics and physics issues (weight 0.06): Storm mechanics can be frustrating, and there are occasional issues with physics that can be frustrating for players.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for Shadow of the Colossus fans (weight 0.33): This game is highly recommended for fans of Shadow of the Colossus, as well as newcomers who enjoy similar mechanics or games like Breath of the Wild. It offers a familiar experience with elements that appeal to those who enjoyed Shadow of the Colossus.
- Best experienced on sale (weight 0.17): Several reviews suggest that the game is best purchased on sale, with some recommending a discount of 70% or more. This indicates that while the game is enjoyable, it may not be worth the full price for everyone.
- Highly recommended game (weight 0.16): Many reviewers highly recommend this game, suggesting it is worth trying for its unique gameplay and engaging mechanics. It is praised for its overall quality and enjoyment factor.
- Recommended for specific player types (weight 0.15): The game is recommended for those interested in specific gameplay elements such as solitary exploration, boss battles, and climbing. It is also suggested for hardcore players looking for a challenge.
- Recommendation with reservations (weight 0.1): Some reviewers recommend the game but with reservations, suggesting that it may need better balancing or future improvements to be fully enjoyable. Others give a tentative recommendation, indicating it might not appeal to everyone.
- Alternative game suggestion (weight 0.04): A few reviews suggest playing 'Eternal Strands' instead, indicating that it might offer a better or more enjoyable experience compared to this game.
- Hopes for future Shadow of the Colossus content (weight 0.03): Some players express a desire for a remaster or sequel to Shadow of the Colossus, indicating a strong attachment to the original game and its mechanics.

Other player notes:
- Legal issues with name change (weight 0.07): The game underwent a name change due to legal pressure from Bethesda, which caused some issues and discussions among players.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.22): Players are frustrated primarily due to the game's clunky controls, poor camera mechanics, and confusing gameplay elements. Additionally, the survival mechanics, repetitive boss fights, and lack of guidance contribute significantly to this frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.18): The game's lack of depth, repetitive mechanics, and comparison to Shadow of the Colossus have left players feeling disappointed. Many also express dissatisfaction with the game's short length, lack of variety, and overall mediocre experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.17): Players enjoy the game's overall gameplay experience, including its mechanics, world, and atmosphere. The boss fights, combat, and exploration elements are particularly highlighted as enjoyable aspects.
- Excitement (weight 0.13): The challenging and engaging gameplay, along with epic boss fights and exploration, generate excitement among players. The sense of freedom and the game's atmosphere also contribute to this excitement.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.11): Players feel satisfied with the game's unique highs, challenging bosses, and excellent audio. The freedom of movement, enjoyable combat, and survival elements also contribute to their satisfaction.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Players appreciate the developers' passion and the game's atmospheric and artistic aspects. The game's execution of colossal creatures and combat strategies are also highly appreciated.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Players admire the game's beautiful homage to Shadow of the Colossus and the impressive achievement for a small studio. The game's atmosphere, music, and exploration aspects are also admired.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): The game's similarities to Shadow of the Colossus evoke a sense of nostalgia among players. This feeling is strengthened by the game re-sparking childhood memories and emotions.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Players find joy in the game's enjoyable gameplay, story, and music. The overall experience, despite some flaws, brings a sense of happiness and satisfaction.
- Confusion (weight 0.01): Players feel confused due to the lack of clear objectives and guidance in the game. The plot being confusing and barely readable adds to this confusion.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players are surprised by the impressive Ragnarok and the ability to pet Fenrir. The game's overall quality being far better than expected also contributes to this surprise.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Players experience boredom due to the repetitive nature of the bosses and lack of engagement. Some players even uninstalled the game after losing interest.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players express enthusiasm for the game's boss fights and overall gameplay. This enthusiasm leads to high recommendations for the game.
- Fear (weight 0): The game's terrifying atmosphere induces fear among players. This fear is a significant emotional response to the game's environment.
- Interest (weight 0): Players are interested in the game's interesting visuals and open world. These aspects capture their attention and curiosity.}