Info about Kingdom: New Lands:

Official game description:
Check out this upcoming game!
=============================
About the Game
==============
_Tales spread of far off isles with mysteries waiting to be discovered. Rulers will need all the strength of their subjects to sail away and find new kingdoms in these New Lands._  
Kingdom: New Lands builds upon the award-winning gameplay and mystery of Kingdom by introducing an abundance of new content to the IGF-nominated title while maintaining the simplicity and depth that legions of monarchs have come to experience and enjoy. Travel to the New Lands and welcome the deluge of new mounts, merchants, and vagrants that call these isles home, but be wary of the new obstacles that threaten your arrival -- for not just the greedy creatures block your way but even the environment itself can defeat you.  
Kingdom: New Lands asks you to puzzle things out on your own. You'll come across items, NPCs, and mysterious statues to help you but you'll have to figure out just how exactly they'll aide you in building and defending your Kingdom.  
Kingdom: New Lands is about exploration, discovery, survival and that awesome feeling that you get, when you figure something out, on your own. When multiple pieces all of a sudden come together to form a whole – a basis for a new strategy or an understanding how something in the world of Kingdom: New Lands truly works.  
It is about tenacity and overcoming obstacles – even when they seem to be unsurmountable. Pulling through, against all odds. Rebuilding and recovering. And that huge internal high-five when you succeed.  
It is about figuring out how best to manage your little Kingdom and tie everything together in a fashion where the game doesn’t play you – you play the game.  
It’s also beautiful, tranquil, melancholy, frantic, stressful and wonderful. It delivers a spectrum of emotions that combine into a unique experience.  
It's a minimalist strategy game where you need to discover the rules of how the world behaves before you can rule effectively. It's also a little bit whimsical, it's pretty, and it can be frustrating but it won't hold your hand.
Kingdom: New Lands features:
----------------------------
● One ruler, their horse, and a bag of coins  
● Greedy creatures trying to take your coins and crown every night (stop them!)  
● Loyal subjects who will help build, attack and defend your Kingdom  
● Multiple upgrades for your homestead, different unit types to attack and defend, and secrets littered throughout the land  
● Beautiful soundtrack that has received two honorable mentions from the Independent Games Festival  
_Be brave, ruler, and fight to the bitter end, lest these New Lands conquer you instead._

Release date: Aug 9, 2016

Categories: Resource Management, Base Building, Tower Defense, Strategy, Survival, 2D Side-scrolling, Exploration

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair Monetization; summary: User reviews show a traditional DLC-based monetization model with one free DLC. No evidence of predatory practices such as microtransactions, pay-to-win, or gacha. Gameplay complaints about costs are limited to in-game currency.
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: THE STUDENT; summary: Primary user complaints center on inadequate in-game tutorials and explanations, requiring frequent external wiki consultations to understand game mechanics and progression.
- Proton/Linux: score 25; verdict: Works with minor tweak; summary: Based on limited evidence, the game works on Linux with Proton after a driver version change. No major issues or crashes reported.
- Steam Deck: score 75; verdict: Broken - Game crashes and requires Proton tinkering; summary: The game shows mixed performance on Steam Deck: it requires manual Proton configuration to launch, suffers from a game-breaking crash that resets progress, and has potential standby mode issues. On the positive side, it is well-optimized for low resolutions and supports common controllers and Steam Cloud. Overall, the stability flaws outweigh the optimizations, leading to a broken experience for many users.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: Most reviewers consider $15 too high, recommending sale purchases around $5–$10. A minority endorse the full $14.99 price, citing support for the developer or value for money. The evidence suggests a fair price range of $5–$15, with the lower end reflecting typical sale value and the upper end matching the current list price for those who believe it's worthwhile.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 30.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 4.8h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The French review explicitly states 30 hours to finish the game (game completion). The English review reports a 4.8-hour continuous session (session length). No clear evidence for story completion or endgame playtime in the provided reviews.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game offers a rewarding, addictive core loop once players overcome a steep, tutorial-less start, but its initial frustration and eventual repetitiveness temper the overall experience.
  - Stance: Mixed
  - Anchor: The moment the game's mechanics click
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: no tutorial; steep learning curve; repetitive gameplay; tedious late game; poor AI; lack of UI clarity
  - Unlock drivers: addictive progression pacing; satisfying once understood; simple yet addictive mechanics; cozy strategy vibe; learning from mistakes
  - Conditions: lack of tutorial at start; need to discover mechanics; early game difficulty spike; limited resources early; long travel times; no save mid-session; repetitive coin collection loop; AI pathfinding issues
- Player Archetypes:
  - Casual Chill Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Relaxation and simple strategic fun without stress.
    - Playstyle: Casual, slow-paced, exploratory, enjoys stumbling into game mechanics without pressure.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: chill; casual gamer; relaxation seeker
    - Reference games: Cult of the Lamb; Stacklands
  - Franchise Veteran / Two Crowns Advocate (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Finding the most refined experience; avoiding frustration from outdated design.
    - Playstyle: Strategic but critical; prefers polished mechanics and QoL features; compares across series entries.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: franchise veteran; discerning player; QoL seeker
    - Reference games: Kingdom: Two Crowns; Kingdom: Classic
  - Strategic Achievement Grinder (sale)
    - Motivation: Strategic challenge and achievement hunting; replayability through different approaches.
    - Playstyle: Methodical, iterative, focused on optimization and completionism.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: strategy enthusiast; achievement hunter; completionist
    - Reference games: Cult of the Lamb; Stacklands


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:
- Pixel art is stunning (weight 0.73): The pixel art graphics are consistently praised for being beautiful, well-animated, and running without performance issues. This art style is a major appeal of the game.
- Soundtrack is excellent (weight 0.65): The soundtrack and music are highly praised for being beautiful, immersive, and relaxing. Combined with the pixel art, it creates a captivating atmosphere.
- Game is highly enjoyable (weight 0.64): Players find the game enjoyable and engaging, with many calling it a good or great game overall. The fun factor is a key positive point.
- Easy to learn addictive (weight 0.56): The game is described as addictive and easy to learn but with strategic depth, making it rewarding to master. This balance appeals to a wide audience.
- Atmosphere is immersive (weight 0.4): The game's atmosphere is noted as fantastic, immersive, and relaxing, enhanced by the pixel art and music. The overall mood is a standout feature.
- Strategic kingdom building (weight 0.36): The game involves strategic resource management, kingdom building, and tower defense elements. It's described as a fun, slow-burn strategy game.
- Best in the series (weight 0.27): This version is seen as a significant improvement over the original Kingdom Classic and is considered the best in the series. It refines and enhances the experience.
- Simple yet challenging (weight 0.27): The game is straightforward to learn but offers punishing difficulty and deep mechanics, providing a rewarding challenge for players.
- Strongly recommend purchase (weight 0.21): Players strongly recommend purchasing the game, stating it is worth its full price. The value for money is widely acknowledged.
- Runs on any PC (weight 0.13): The game is optimized to run well on any PC, making it accessible to a wide range of players without hardware concerns.
- Relaxing gameplay loop (weight 0.13): Gameplay is described as relaxing and satisfying, offering a calm experience that still engages the player strategically.

Common complaints:
- High repetition leads to boredom (weight 0.58): Many players criticize the game for becoming dull and overly repetitive after a short playtime, with comments highlighting a lack of variety and a monotonous gameplay loop.
- Frustratingly poor AI behavior (weight 0.41): Numerous complaints focus on poor AI behavior, including making illogical decisions, running into danger, and distributing units poorly, which negatively impacts gameplay.
- Poor explanation of game mechanics (weight 0.38): A significant portion of feedback points out that core mechanics are not explained in-game, forcing players to rely on external guides or trial and error, which can be frustrating.
- No control over unit placement (weight 0.33): Players express frustration over the inability to control or reposition units, such as archers, leading to randomness and lack of strategic depth.
- Archers have terrible accuracy (weight 0.28): Players frequently mention that archers have very low accuracy, missing many shots, which undermines their effectiveness in defense.
- Feels inferior to Two Crowns (weight 0.22): Some players feel this game offers nothing new and is a lesser version compared to Kingdom Two Crowns, lacking innovative content.
- Horse stamina is too limited (weight 0.14): The horse stamina is criticized for being too short, forcing players to stop frequently and restart if chased, which breaks the flow of exploration.
- Knights flee wall too early (weight 0.14): Knights are reported to abandon the wall prematurely when it takes partial damage, leaving archers unprotected and causing defensive failures.
- Civilians walk too slowly (weight 0.13): Civilians are noted to move extremely slowly from day to night, which can delay progress and frustrate players waiting for tasks to be completed.
- Clunky and inconvenient controls (weight 0.13): Controls are described as clunky and inconvenient, making basic interactions less smooth and more cumbersome.
- Unpleasant and painful experience (weight 0.12): General feedback describes the game as painful and unpleasant to play, indicating a negative overall experience beyond specific mechanics.

Gameplay feedback:
- Retro pixel graphics style (weight 0.28): The game uses retro pixel art graphics that feel modern, with a minimalist style suitable for a strategy game.
- 100-day survival challenge (weight 0.2): Players must survive for 100 days, which is a key achievement and challenge in the game.
- Resource management and defense (weight 0.2): The game combines resource management, exploration, and tower defense elements for a strategic experience.
- Day-night cycle gameplay (weight 0.14): The day-night cycle requires players to explore and gather resources during the day while defending against raids at night.
- Meditative to hardcore survival (weight 0.14): The gameplay is meditative and relaxing early on, but becomes a hardcore survival challenge later.
- Build and defend from monsters (weight 0.14): Players build up their kingdom and defend it from monsters and greedy creatures that attack at night.
- Simple to play, hard to master (weight 0.14): The game is simple to play but hard to master, making it easy to learn but tough to master.
- New mechanics from predecessors (weight 0.14): The game incorporates mechanics from previous titles while adding new features, offering a fresh experience.
- More variety than original (weight 0.14): The game offers more variety than the original Kingdom, but remains very similar to Kingdom: Classic.
- Resource gathering from peasants (weight 0.14): Players gather resources from peasants and recruit them from settlements to build up the kingdom.
- Seasonal cycle with winter (weight 0.14): The game features a seasonal cycle including winter, which affects gameplay and resource management.
- Build palace and manage army (weight 0.14): Players build a palace, manage an army, and accommodate workers, while also placing defenses and recruiting archers and builders.
- Simple and calming game (weight 0.14): The game is simple, calming, and relaxing, featuring ambient music that enhances the experience.
- Horses require grass eating (weight 0.13): Horses need to eat grass rather than moss to restore stamina, otherwise they get tired.
- 2D side-scrolling tower defense (weight 0.13): The game is a tower defense game presented in a 2D side-scrolling perspective.
- Base defense with walls and towers (weight 0.13): Base defense involves building walls and towers to protect the kingdom from attacks.
- Bank system for winter storage (weight 0.13): A bank system stores coins in the castle, which can be used during winter for resource management.

Performance notes:
- Multiple game-breaking bugs (weight 0.25): Multiple users report various bugs including crashes when building a level-three base, builders stopping construction after a decade, and inability to build boats, indicating widespread stability and gameplay issues.
- Performance issues in complex scenes (weight 0.07): One user notes frame rate drops in complex scenes, suggesting performance issues in demanding areas.
- Linux Proton compatibility workaround (weight 0.06): One user reported that the game runs on Linux Mint after switching to a different Proton driver, indicating compatibility workaround.

Recommendations:
- Play Two Crowns instead (weight 0.61): A significant number of reviews recommend buying Kingdom Two Crowns instead of this game, claiming it improves on New Lands' flaws. Some suggest this game only for those who have already completed Two Crowns.
- Buy only on sale (weight 0.58): Multiple reviews emphasize that the game is only worth purchasing at a discounted price. They suggest waiting for a sale and paying only a few dollars, as full price or even a 90% discount is not justified.
- Do not recommend buying (weight 0.57): Many reviews strongly advise against buying the game due to bugs, boring gameplay, bad AI, lack of respect for player time, and unexplained mechanics leading to frustration. Some explicitly say 'do not waste money or time.'
- For strategy and pixel art fans (weight 0.55): Many reviews recommend the game to specific audiences: fans of thoughtful strategy, pixel art, atmospheric indie games, cozy strategy, or low-pressure management. They highlight the game's strategic depth and charming aesthetics.
- Positive general recommendation (weight 0.4): Several reviews give a straightforward, positive recommendation, calling it a great game, rating it 9/10, or saying 'buy it' and 'definitely recommend.'
- Only for patient players (weight 0.36): Reviews note the game is only for very patient players who enjoy thoughtful exploration and figuring out rules by observation, not for those who want to rush or kill everything. It appeals to those valuing meaningful routine but can be frustrating and unfriendly.
- Mild or generic recommendation (weight 0.31): Several positive but generic recommendations: 'I still recommend it,' 'recommended,' 'buy it,' 'won't be disappointed,' 'rated 9/10.'
- Good for casual or relaxed play (weight 0.28): Reviews state the game is good for casual relaxed play, to kill time, for those who like unique playthroughs or solo play, can be played one-handed but feels immersive, and good for 2-3 evenings.
- Good for series fans (weight 0.25): Reviews mention the game gives pleasure if you liked the first part, is recommended for fans of Kingdoms Classic wanting a harder challenge, is ideal to relax after work, and worth coming back to.
- Randomness and save issues (weight 0.23): Several reviews criticize the game for randomness affecting runs, a game-breaking design flaw, and the lack of save/load, which leads to high trial-and-error risk and repetition.
- Repetitive and time-consuming (weight 0.22): Reviews mention repetitions like surviving 100 days being boring, gameplay being repetitive, and the game is only good for 2-3 evenings or for players with lots of time.
- Bad AI and bugs (weight 0.18): Reviews point out bad AI, including worker AI frustration, and bugs. One calls it the least recommended of the series due to AI issues.
- Solid compared to Two Crowns (weight 0.17): Reviews compare it favorably to Two Crowns as a solid self-contained game, but some say just play the original Kingdom instead. One gameplay tip: stay ahead of the gremlins.
- Persevere or watch a let's play (weight 0.16): Reviews suggest persevering, watching a let's play rather than missing out, or buying if patient. One advises not to spoil anything.
- Must-play classic (weight 0.16): Reviews call it a must-play classic experience, must-play for fans of thoughtful atmospheric indie games, or for pixel art strategy enthusiasts.
- Worth full price (weight 0.14): A couple of reviews state the game is worth full price to support the creators or because it delivers a solid experience. This is a minority opinion.
- Play New Lands first (weight 0.11): Two reviews suggest playing New Lands first before Two Crowns, as it prepares players for the series. One review notes it is for those who have already completed Two Crowns and want more achievements.
- For time-consuming game lovers (weight 0.1): Reviews recommend for those who want a time-consuming game or for fans.
- Play casually, skip achievements (weight 0.06): One review recommends only playing casually and forgets about getting all achievements, indicating high difficulty or grind for completion.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.32): The game's mechanics are poorly explained, with obtuse systems and a lack of tutorials leading to frequent bad situations. The AI's idiotic behavior, such as making poor decisions at critical moments and causing defense failures, compounds the frustration. Additionally, slow movement speeds, the inability to undo commands, and the reliance on random elements make progression feel tedious and unfair.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.15): The game offers a rewarding sense of accomplishment through its punishing difficulty, requiring patience and strategic learning. The day-night cycle, exploration, and upgrade systems create a meditative yet challenging loop that feels satisfying to master. The cozy atmosphere and music enhance the experience, making the repetition worthwhile.
- Disappointment (weight 0.09): The game is perceived as a buggy alpha of a later title, with terrible AI and no meaningful improvements over previous versions, making it nearly unplayable after the first few islands. The high price and reliance on external wikis for basic understanding further diminish the value, with fun lasting only for the initial hours.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Players find enjoyment in the game's simple, beautiful design and relaxing gameplay, which allows for a mindless yet engaging experience. The excellent music and challenging tower defense mechanics, along with the exploration of islands, contribute to a fun loop that remains appealing even after breaks.
- Confusion (weight 0.05): The complete lack of in-game guidance leaves players confused, with no explanation for basic actions like using tools or riding the horse. The realization that the game is sold as separate full releases without clear distinctions adds to the confusion.
- Irritation (weight 0.05): The game's AI is consistently frustrating, with NPCs refusing to hunt, failing to defend properly, and making illogical decisions that ruin gameplay. The many inconvenient mechanics, such as slow worker speed and archer inefficiency, create an unfriendly experience.
- Relaxation (weight 0.05): The game's relaxing music and meditative gameplay provide a chill and calming experience, with captivating pixel art that enhances the atmosphere. The simple, time-consuming loop allows players to unwind and enjoy the ambiance.
- Joy (weight 0.03): The atmospheric game with beautiful views and a sense of discovery brings joy, especially for fans of the series. Once the mechanics are understood, the gameplay becomes deeply enjoyable and satisfying.
- Boredom (weight 0.03): The gameplay quickly becomes repetitive, with each island requiring the same process and the AI's stupidity making the experience monotonous. After about an hour, the lack of variety and nothing new happening leads to boredom.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): The tedious boat mechanic and the aimless behavior of NPCs with no priority task options are major sources of annoyance. These issues disrupt the flow and make simple tasks feel unnecessarily frustrating.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Useless shield soldiers who retreat early and bugged NPCs create unfair difficulty spikes that anger players. The combination of poor AI and seemingly insurmountable challenges leads to a sense of injustice.
- Relaxed (weight 0.03): The simple yet well-developed concept and chill, beautiful visuals create a relaxing experience that is both calming and visually appealing. The game's brutal moments are balanced by its serene aesthetic.
- Helplessness (weight 0.03): The inability to control NPCs directly forces reliance on randomness and hope, with only a single button press for actions. This lack of player agency creates a feeling of helplessness as the game decides outcomes based on RNG.
- Regret (weight 0.03): Players regret paying for the game, feeling that even the low price was wasted due to poor quality. The realization that gameplay becomes pointless after the fourth level reinforces this regret.
- Excitement (weight 0.03): The amazing concept and artwork, along with the addictive gameplay, generate excitement. The strategic depth and engaging mechanics keep players eager to continue.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): The game's beautiful pixel art and serene, ethereal music earn admiration, alongside its well-designed strategy mechanics. The visual and audio presentation creates an immersive and memorable experience.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.03): Inconvenient controls and the death of citizens before reaching base lead to dissatisfaction, compounded by the monotonous gameplay and flawed gold coin design. These issues detract from the overall experience.
- Engagement (weight 0.01): Despite frustrations, the beautiful art and engaging gameplay keep players invested. The strategic challenges and aesthetics create a compelling loop that maintains interest.
- Rage (weight 0.01): The long travel time required for the boat escape, which often results in a game over, incites rage. This mechanic feels punishing and unfair, especially after significant progress.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): The game's bugs, humorously compared to tax collectors, provide amusement, along with the roguelike feel of slow-paced, careful decision-making. The unexpected charm of these quirks adds a layer of enjoyment.}