Info about Along the Edge:

Official game description:
A profound and immersive story
------------------------------
Daphné is at a dead end. When she inherits her remote family estate in the French countryside, she also inherits a generational feud between her family, the Delatours, and the mighty Malterres. At the same time, Frank, the father of the child they lost, is back to patch things up, but Daphné must also juggle the insistent courtship of a new suitor, her work as a teacher in the local middle school, rumours of witchery attached to her name, and this mysterious condemned tower, in the center of her castle.  
_Will you choose to believe in magick, or will you hang on to your rational view of the world?_
An adventure shaped by your choices
-----------------------------------
*   Become a witch, a priestess, a math teacher, or the director of the local school.
*   Avenge your family, or bury the hatchet.
*   Choose Frank, Stanislas, or stay single.
A personalized and unique experience
------------------------------------
*   Over 450 full-screen illustrations.
*   An original soundtrack featuring piano music.
*   Dozens of achievements to unlock.
*   20 characters with over 400 variants and attitudes.
*   Nearly 80,000 words, about the size of a 400-page novel.
*   Make Daphné evolve with more than 38 alternative versions of the main character.

Release date: Oct 12, 2016

Categories: Visual Novel, Choice-based Narrative, Branching Narrative, Character Customization, Romance Simulation, Story-driven Gameplay, Multiple Endings

Feature scans:
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Needs Improvement in Instructional Data; summary: The primary user complaints revolve around the game's complex mechanics and lack of clear instructions. Users find the game mechanics confusing and poorly explained, leading to frustration and a reliance on external resources for understanding. Additionally, the lack of engaging content and clear walkthroughs contributes to a negative user experience.
- Proton/Linux: score 15; verdict: Works Well with Minor Issues; summary: The game generally runs well on Linux, with positive feedback on the native Linux port's performance and developer support. However, there are some mentions of Quality Assurance issues affecting the Linux version, which could indicate the presence of bugs or issues that need addressing.
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Playable with Tinkering; summary: The game generally runs well on Steam Deck, providing a positive experience for many users. However, there are notable quality assurance issues with the Linux version, and some users had to employ technical workarounds to get the game running. These issues indicate that while the game is playable, it may require some tinkering, especially on Linux.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that users find the game worthwhile at a discounted price, typically around a few dollars. Several users mention that they would not pay the full price, indicating that the current base price of $13.99 is considered too high. The general sentiment is that the game is more appropriately priced in the range of $5 to $10.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 15.0h
  - Story completion: 2.0h
  - Session length: 1.5h
  - Endgame: 10.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provided includes multiple mentions of playthrough times. The typical time to finish the main story/campaign is around 2 hours, as mentioned in several reviews. The total time to finish the game, considering multiple playthroughs for different endings and achievements, is estimated to be around 15-20 hours. A single session length is often around 1.5 to 2 hours, as players tend to complete the game in one sitting or over a few sessions. Endgame content is less explicitly mentioned, but given the high replay value and multiple endings, it is reasonable to estimate around 10 hours for exploring different outcomes and achieving all endings.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players generally find 'Along the Edge' fun and engaging from the start due to its strong narrative and intriguing story, though it can become repetitive over time.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: Initial hook of mystery and well-written narrative
  - Time to anchor: 0h 0m
  - Friction: Repetitive gameplay with multiple playthroughs; Slow pacing for some players
  - Unlock drivers: Engaging narrative; Intriguing story and mystery
  - Conditions: Appreciation for visual novels; Interest in choice-driven stories; Patience for slower pacing
- Player Archetypes:
  - Narrative Enthusiast (sale)
    - Motivation: Engaging story and unique art style
    - Playstyle: Explores different story paths and enjoys the visual and strategic aspects of the game.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: casual player; fan of narrative-driven games
    - Reference games: To the Moon; Life is Strange
  - Critical Non-Buyer (no buy)
    - Motivation: Value for time and money
    - Playstyle: Critical and selective about game quality and value.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: experienced gamer
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Completionist (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Unlocking all achievements
    - Playstyle: Systematically explores all options and paths to unlock achievements.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: completionist; achievement hunter
    - 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:
- Praised art style (weight 0.96): The game's art style is highly praised for its unique and detailed artwork. Players appreciate the visual style, which complements the game's tone and enhances emotional connection.
- Engaging and well-written story (weight 0.64): The story is noted for being interesting, well-written, and engaging. Players find the narrative satisfying and thought-provoking, with good character development.
- Meaningful choices shape story and character (weight 0.58): Players frequently highlight that choices significantly impact the story, character traits, and even the protagonist's appearance. This creates a dynamic and personalized narrative experience.
- High replayability with multiple endings (weight 0.52): The game offers high replayability due to its multiple endings and branching narratives. Players appreciate the variety of choices and outcomes.
- Positive visual novel experience (weight 0.37): Players enjoy the visual novel genre and find the game to be a good example of it. The experience is described as beautiful, touching, and atmospheric.
- Fitting and emotional music (weight 0.22): The music is praised for fitting well with the game's tone and enhancing the emotional experience. Players find the soundtrack subtle yet powerful.
- Immersive and melancholic atmosphere (weight 0.2): The game's atmosphere is described as immersive, mysterious, and somewhat melancholic. This adds to the overall emotional weight and engagement.
- Good value for money (weight 0.14): Players feel that the game is worth the purchase price and offers great value, especially considering the depth of the story and replayability.

Common complaints:
- Choice system problems (weight 0.47): The choice system is criticized for being confusing, lacking impact, and often taking decisions out of the player's hands. Many choices feel insignificant or forced.
- Lack of save functionality (weight 0.34): Players are frustrated by the absence of a manual save feature, with only a rigid auto-save system and limited save slots available.
- Unappealing character design (weight 0.28): Players find the character designs, particularly the male leads, unappealing and poorly developed. The romance options are also considered limited and unappealing.
- Lack of gameplay depth (weight 0.19): The game is criticized for its lack of gameplay depth, short duration, repetitive gameplay, and lack of voice acting.
- Limited language support (weight 0.18): The game lacks support for several languages, including Spanish, Russian, and Turkish, which limits accessibility for non-English speaking players.
- No skip text feature (weight 0.11): Players are frustrated by the lack of a feature to skip previously read text, making replayability more tedious.
- Pacing issues (weight 0.11): The game's pacing is criticized for being either too fast or too slow, leading to a disjointed experience.
- Translation errors (weight 0.08): There are several translation errors and awkward phrasing in different language versions of the game.
- Grammar and formatting errors (weight 0.08): The game contains various punctuation, spelling, grammar, and formatting errors, affecting the overall quality.

Gameplay feedback:
- Branching narrative and choices (weight 0.64): The game is a visual novel with a strong emphasis on a branching narrative driven by player choices. These choices lead to multiple story paths, endings, and achievements, providing a unique experience based on player decisions.
- Impactful player choices (weight 0.48): Player choices significantly impact the story, character development, and even the protagonist's appearance. This makes the choices feel meaningful and integral to the gameplay experience.
- Character and story focus (weight 0.32): The game is heavily focused on character-driven stories and character development. The narrative is shaped by player choices, which also influence character traits and relationships.
- Choose your own adventure style (weight 0.21): The game follows a 'choose your own adventure' style, where players make decisions that guide the story in different directions, similar to a graphic novel.
- Romance and supernatural elements (weight 0.13): The visual novel includes elements of romance and supernatural themes, adding depth and variety to the narrative.
- Dialogue options (weight 0.12): Players are presented with multiple dialogue options that influence the story and character interactions. However, some players noted that these options can feel limited.
- Thoughtful and melancholic narrative (weight 0.1): The game features a thoughtful and melancholic narrative, providing a serious and thought-provoking story that engages players on an emotional level.
- Platformer elements (weight 0.05): Some reviews mention platformer elements, indicating that there might be sections of the game that involve platforming mechanics.

Performance notes:
- Crashing at launch (weight 0.1): The game has been reported to crash at launch, particularly on systems using the old Electron-based engine.
- Migration to Unity engine (weight 0.08): Developers have moved the game to the Unity engine, which has resulted in fewer crashes and improved stability.
- Great performance on Steam Deck (weight 0.08): The game performs ideally on Steam Deck, providing a smooth gaming experience.
- Performance on Linux systems (weight 0.07): The game runs well on various Linux distributions and hardware configurations, including openSUSE Tumbleweed with HD 4400 and Arch with a 1660 Ti.
- Music stops randomly (weight 0.04): Players have reported that the music in the game stops randomly, which can affect the overall gaming experience.
- Lack of resolution options (weight 0.04): Players have noted the absence of options to change the game's resolution, which can be a limitation for some users.
- Glitch with choice outcomes (weight 0.04): There is a reported glitch related to the outcomes of choices made in the game, which can impact gameplay.
- Technical issues with Steam overlay (weight 0.04): There are reported technical issues with the Steam overlay, which can affect the user interface and experience.
- Check system requirements (weight 0.04): Some feedback suggests checking if the system can run basic applications like Paint, indicating concerns about system requirements.
- No spelling errors (weight 0.04): Players have noted that the game is free of spelling errors, indicating good attention to detail in the text.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for visual novel fans (weight 0.2): The game is highly recommended for fans of visual novels and choice-based games. It appeals to those who enjoy narrative-driven experiences with meaningful decisions.
- Worth the price (weight 0.18): Many players agree that the game offers solid value for its price, with some even suggesting it is worth the full price due to its content and quality.
- Strongly recommended (weight 0.13): The game receives strong recommendations from players, indicating high satisfaction and enjoyment. It is praised for its engaging content and overall quality.
- Recommended for specific interests (weight 0.12): The game is recommended for players with specific interests such as art, casual gaming, mysticism, and those who enjoy unhurried strategy games.
- Language-specific recommendations (weight 0.12): The game receives recommendations in various languages, indicating its broad appeal and positive reception among international players.
- Additional recommendations (weight 0.11): Players suggest buying the game on sale and also recommend exploring other games from the same developer. Some players appreciate the inclusion of official wallpapers and voice acting for characters.
- Recommended for story-driven players (weight 0.08): Players who enjoy story-driven games with rich atmosphere and emotional depth find this game particularly appealing. It is recommended for those who value nuanced decision-making and narrative subtlety.

Other player notes:
- Appreciation for free game (weight 0.05): Some reviewers expressed happiness for receiving the game for free.
- Technical translation details (weight 0.04): A reviewer provided technical details about the translation methods used in the game.
- First visual novel experience (weight 0.03): For one reviewer, this was their first experience with a visual novel.
- Recommendation for movie 'Men' (weight 0.03): One reviewer recommended the movie 'Men' in their feedback.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.15): Players are disappointed primarily due to the shallow and slow-paced story, underdeveloped characters, and lack of meaningful choices. Additionally, the absence of sound effects, music, and impactful gameplay mechanics contributes to this sentiment. The handling of sensitive topics and the lack of certain romantic storylines also play a role.
- Frustration (weight 0.14): Frustration stems from the lack of save functionality and chapter select features, as well as repetitive gameplay and confusing dialog options. Players are also frustrated with translation issues, inconsistent story elements, and the behavior of male characters. The lack of technical customization options and the feeling of being misled about the game's pricing and quality add to this frustration.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.11): Players are satisfied with the game's art style, music, and the impact of choices on the story. The complex story and character development, along with the quality of the visual novel and its features, contribute to this satisfaction. The real branching paths and multiple endings also enhance the overall experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Enjoyment is derived from the game's beautiful art style, interesting story, and unique approach to sorcery. Players appreciate the dynamic gameplay, immersive story, and beautiful music. The engaging story and well-thought-out alignment system also contribute to the enjoyment.
- Joy (weight 0.07): Joy comes from the beautiful art and music, as well as the engaging and thoughtful narrative. Players express joy and admiration for the game's replayability and narrative depth. The immersive story and beautiful music also bring joy to the players.
- Positive (weight 0.04): Players have a positive experience due to the interesting story, beautiful artwork, and overall enjoyable gameplay. The combination of good graphics, music, and story contributes to this positive sentiment. The game's choices and endings also add to the positive experience.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement is generated by the immersive narrative and multiple choices, as well as the engaging story and character development. Players are excited about the game's absorbing nature and impactful decisions. The anticipation of replaying the game and discovering other achievements also adds to the excitement.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the watercolor art style, immersive experience, and mature themes. The meaningful choices and mature narrative, along with the beautiful graphics and well-written story, contribute to this appreciation. The game's narrative depth and replayability are also highly valued.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Admiration is directed towards the artwork and overall experience of the game. Players admire the game's artistic style and emotional engagement, as well as the beautiful graphics and great story. The compelling story and wonderful art direction also evoke admiration.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger arises from the insane story developments and polarized choice options, as well as the useless magic and unsatisfying revenge plot. Players are angry about the poor story and unrealistic character decisions. Inconsistent character interactions and unwanted romantic advances also contribute to this anger.
- Negative (weight 0.02): Negative feelings come from the poor execution of the story and choices, as well as issues with localization and translation. Players are dissatisfied with the forced plot and handling of sensitive issues. The lack of depth in the story and tedious replay for achievements also contribute to the negative sentiment.
- Frustrated (weight 0.02): Frustration is caused by the lack of interaction and gameplay elements, as well as poor translation quality. Players are frustrated with character interactions and dialogue choices, as well as the lack of multiple save slots. The illogical language, poor character behavior, and lack of story logic also add to the frustration.
- Disappointed (weight 0.02): Disappointment stems from the feeling that the game is overpriced for its content and the lack of appealing characters and romance. The game's length and the behaviors of male characters also contribute to this disappointment. The lack of certain romantic storylines and unappealing male characters add to the sentiment.
- Engagement (weight 0.02): Engagement is driven by the branching choices and layered interactions, as well as the immersive experience and well-built atmosphere. The story with multiple endings and the engaging story with a strong sense of place and mood contribute to this engagement. The well-written story also keeps players engaged.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom is caused by the mediocre and boring story, as well as the monotonous gameplay. Players find the overall experience boring and some parts of the plot feel like being in prison. The lack of engaging elements leads to this boredom.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise comes from the depth of the story and the enjoyment of the game despite not usually liking slow games. Players are surprised by the depth and quality of the game, as well as the surprising endings. The first visual novel experience also brings a sense of surprise.
- Engaged (weight 0.01): Players are engaged by the captivating storyline and character depth, as well as the interesting lore and many plot twists. The game's atmosphere and narrative, along with the story and choices, keep players deeply engaged. The narrative, character development, and emotional depth also contribute to this engagement.
- Interest (weight 0.01): Interest is sparked by the story with many different turns and the impactful soundtrack and pictorial aesthetic. The story about family drama, love, and witchcraft, as well as the branching narratives, keep players interested.
- Impressed (weight 0.01): Players are impressed by the high replayability and multiple endings, as well as the meaningful choices and effective art style. The game's choice design and character development, along with the depth of the game, leave a strong impression.
- Curiosity (weight 0.01): Curiosity is piqued by the mystery and supernatural elements, as well as the new experience with European and American styles. The desire for more mystical/magical content and the different scenarios experienced through different choices keep players curious.}