Info about DPS: Desktop Pension Squad:

Official game description:
Even while you're busy working or studying, your monsters' adventure never stops.
Build your own squad, combine skills and equipment, and reclaim the Dungeon Cores stolen by humans!
Keep the game running in the corner of your screen while you work, study, or watch videos.
Your monster squad will automatically battle humans and collect chests.
Need more screen space? Simply minimize the game into Icon Mode.
Enjoy this free-to-play desktop idle RPG and add a little adventure to your everyday routine!
On every third attack, when an enemy is defeated, or when a target is marked.
Each skill activates automatically when its specific conditions are met.
Choose which of each character's 8 unique skills to equip and experiment with different combinations.
The skills you pair together can completely change how your squad fights!
Your monsters keep fighting and collecting chests even while you're focused on other things.
Open chests to discover new equipment and make your monster squad even stronger.
Condense unwanted equipment and use the materials you've gathered to craft new gear.
Who knows? Your next chest might contain that legendary piece of equipment you've been waiting for!
Equipment of Legendary rarity or higher can be transferred to your Steam Inventory.
Trade the equipment you've earned with other players through the Steam Community Market!
Humans have stolen nearly every Dungeon Core, leaving only one remaining.
While the legion fights to protect the last Core, a band of monsters deemed unworthy of joining its ranks sets out to reclaim those that were lost.
A former Labyrinth Lord and a one-armed sharpshooter.
A cowardly lich and a staff with an insatiable appetite.
A sorrowful jester and a Grim Reaper who protects fellow monsters.
Gather these unlikely heroes, each with their own story to tell, and form your own expedition squad.
From medieval knights to the armies of a desert pharaoh, new human forces stand in your way with every chapter.
Join the Monsters on Their Twilight Expedition!

Release date: Nov 11, 2026

Categories: Idle Game, RPG, Team Management, Equipment Customization, Crafting, Marketplace Trading, Idle Auto Function, Trigger-Based Skills

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 85; verdict: Predatory / Pay-to-Win; summary: The reviews provide direct evidence of post-purchase monetization: core idle automation such as auto synthesis, auto-equip, and warehouse settings is locked behind paid DLC, extra preset slots are paid, and multiple users describe character and quality-of-life DLC and pets as pay-to-win. This is not merely a base-price or cosmetic complaint; it is paid convenience and paid power at launch, placing the game in the predatory monetization range.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 3.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The reviews report a 2-hour play report and a roughly 3-hour "one more upgrade" session, plus another player saying they idled for several hours before writing. These support a typical session length of about 3 hours. No review gives a clear time to complete the game or story, and the 2-9/2-10 comments describe difficulty walls rather than endgame hours, so gameCompletion, storyCompletion, and endgame are null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Reviews mostly describe immediate enjoyment through easy onboarding, satisfying idle progression, and addictive resource or chest accumulation. Some players report friction from a required automation DLC, thin content, balance issues, and weak audio, but these reports do not establish a later click point.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: DLC auto feature seen as necessary for playability; Lack of content or innovation; Class balancing issues such as archer being overpowered; Boring impact sounds and BGM
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: Newcomer-friendly tutorial and clean interface; Idle or background desktop play; Fragmented play sessions; Interest in character design and art; Tolerance for limited innovation or content; Availability of the DLC auto feature for some players; Appeal of loot collection and team customization
- Player Archetypes:
  - Casual Background Idler (buy)
    - Motivation: Relaxing, low-attention entertainment that can run in the background.
    - Playstyle: Leaves the game running on the desktop, checks in occasionally, and avoids competitive progression pressure.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Taskbar Hero
  - Build & Rotation Optimizer (buy)
    - Motivation: Optimizing builds, team compositions, and progression efficiency.
    - Playstyle: Experiments with teams and damage multipliers, farms loot, and tests configurations while combat runs automatically.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: player who prefers team comps; player who studies output rotations
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Idle-Genre Veteran Critic (no buy)
    - Motivation: Finding fresh, fair idle-game systems without recycled grind or ecosystem problems.
    - Playstyle: Compares systems against prior idle games and evaluates long-term design, monetization, and community health.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Taskbar Hero; Quest Away
  - Value-Conscious DLC & Market Player (sale)
    - Motivation: Getting fair value from DLC, convenience features, and market systems.
    - Playstyle: Engages with trading and automation features while weighing free-player access and monetization value.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - 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:
- Overall positive and fun (weight 0.3): Many players find the game fun, engaging, and well-made. It is described as an enjoyable time sink with interesting gameplay.
- Charming and clean art style (weight 0.26): The art style is frequently praised as beautiful, charming, and distinctive, with a visual presentation that fits the theme well. The UI is also noted as clean and intuitive.
- Appealing character designs (weight 0.22): Character designs are widely liked for being cute, full of personality, and having distinct characteristics. The animations and movement of characters add to the charm.
- Easy to learn and play (weight 0.21): The game is easy to pick up for beginners, with simple controls and straightforward gameplay. It is suitable for busy people and casual play.
- Satisfying progression and upgrade loop (weight 0.18): The progression system and upgrade loop are highly engaging, providing a steady sense of accomplishment. Players find the loot grind and character progression rewarding.
- Team composition and damage focus (weight 0.18): The game emphasizes team composition and damage calculation over map traversal or story. Adjusting equipment, engravings, and action order meaningfully changes output, and the combat log and DPS stats are intuitive.
- Generally good or okay (weight 0.17): Several reviewers describe the game as okay or generally good, finding it playable and somewhat enjoyable overall.
- Pleasant visuals and graphics (weight 0.17): Graphics are appealing and of good quality, with clean and charming visuals. The art style is okay and fits well.
- Great idle/background game (weight 0.17): The game is well-suited for idling in the background while working or doing other tasks. Its simple controls and low-pressure nature make it easy to pick up and play casually.
- Developer care and potential (weight 0.14): Players can feel the developer's sincerity and see great potential in the game. They hope for continued updates and optimization.
- Satisfying idle gameplay and progression (weight 0.13): The idle gameplay is satisfying and comfortable, and squad progression while doing other things is very fun. The game is a fun and relaxing idle RPG.
- Good free idle game (weight 0.13): Reviewers consider it a good free idle game, surprisingly playable and well-structured. The free base game is praised for its quality.
- Fun team rebuilding after losses (weight 0.06): Rebuilding the team after losing to a boss is surprisingly fun, and revising team formation is a highlight for some players.
- Distinct classes and skills (weight 0.06): Each class has its own characteristics and different skills, adding depth to team building.
- High box drop rate (weight 0.05): The box drop rate is considered high, which players appreciate.
- Convenience DLC worth buying (weight 0.05): The convenience pack DLC, which includes auto-sort, is considered a correct purchase and worth it.
- Challenging but acceptable (weight 0.05): Some reviewers find the game somewhat challenging, but interesting enough that the difficulty is acceptable.

Common complaints:
- Basic features sold as DLC (weight 0.3): Players complain that fundamental functions such as auto-merge, auto-synthesis, and automatic equipment equipping are locked behind paid DLC, and that these features should be part of the base game. This monetization approach feels like cutting basic content to sell separately.
- Difficulty spike at stage 2-9 (weight 0.17): Players get stuck at stage 2-9, with many reporting being unable to progress for hours or even days. The difficulty spike is perceived as poorly designed.
- Market locked for three days (weight 0.14): The market cannot be used until three days after first launching the game, which players find annoying and restrictive. Listing items also requires a three-day wait, slowing trading.
- Cheaters and bots present (weight 0.14): Many cheaters, trainers, and gold-farming studios are present, even appearing on the first day. This ruins the game environment for legitimate players.
- DLC too expensive (weight 0.13): Reviewers find the DLC price unreasonable and somewhat expensive, especially considering the content it offers. Some also note the paid DLC includes a paid character.
- Legendary drop rates too low (weight 0.13): Many players report never seeing legendary items even after weeks of play due to extremely harsh drop rates. High-tier equipment drop rates are also disappointing, making progression feel unrewarding.
- DLC equipment pollutes loot pool (weight 0.13): Even without owning the DLC character, players can synthesize that character's equipment, which blocks a slot and pollutes the equipment pool. This creates frustration for non-DLC buyers.
- Auto-merge still requires manual click (weight 0.11): Even after setting up auto-merge, players must manually click to activate it, defeating the purpose of automation. Continuous crafting also requires manual clicking for the first craft.
- Lack of content and depth (weight 0.1): Players find the game lacking in content and depth, with insufficient combo/synergy systems. The overall experience feels shallow.
- Suspected fake positive reviews (weight 0.1): Reviewers suspect that positive reviews are inflated or from paid shills, indicating distrust in the game's reception. This harms credibility.
- Manual chest opening in idle game (weight 0.08): Chests must be opened one by one manually, which conflicts with the idle game genre. The auto-open chest talent only opens one common chest every five minutes, which is perceived as useless.
- Stage 2-10 impossible to clear (weight 0.07): Even with mostly purple and gold equipment, players cannot clear stage 2-10, making it feel impossible. This further exacerbates the progression wall.
- Pay-to-win monetization (weight 0.07): The game is perceived as pay-to-win, requiring payment to progress effectively. Basic functions in DLC contribute to this impression.
- Game not truly idle (weight 0.06): The game requires frequent attention and does not function as a true idle game, forcing players to actively manage it. This contradicts the genre expectation.
- Login stuck on spinner (weight 0.06): Some players experience the login screen spinning indefinitely, preventing them from entering the game. This is a critical technical issue.
- Launch version differs from demo (weight 0.05): The official launch version is almost unrecognizable compared to the demo, disappointing players who expected the demo experience. This suggests significant changes that may have worsened the game.
- Skill activation conditions unclear (weight 0.05): Skill activation conditions and explanations are difficult to understand, making it hard for players to optimize their builds. This adds unnecessary confusion to combat.
- Inventory space too small (weight 0.05): Backpack and inventory space are insufficient, causing management issues. Players often run out of space quickly.
- DLC perceived as useless (weight 0.05): Some players feel the DLC package is not very useful and does not add significant value, especially given its price.
- Long loading times in workshop (weight 0.05): Entering the workshop and engraving each take seven to eight seconds to load, which disrupts gameplay flow. This is a noticeable performance issue.

Gameplay feedback:
- Idle Game Genre (weight 0.47): The game is widely described as an idle game with menu-based interactions and AFK gameplay. Players note it is a desktop idle RPG that runs in the background.
- Automatic Combat in Background (weight 0.25): Combat is fully automatic and can run in the background while the player does other things. Monsters fight automatically in a corner of the PC screen.
- Player-Driven Marketplace (weight 0.23): The game features a marketplace where items can be listed for sale or traded on the Steam Community Market. Trading is a core part of the economy.
- Equipment Synthesis and Auto-Fuse (weight 0.19): The game features equipment synthesis, including automatic synthesis and auto equipping. Equipment can be fused using nine pieces of gear for level-based upgrades.
- Drop Rate System (weight 0.17): Players observe drop rates for equipment, loot boxes, and items. The game has a defined drop rate system that affects item acquisition.
- Idle Auto Function (weight 0.17): An auto function enables idle play, letting players do other things. Idle mode provides long-term automated progress.
- Team Composition System (weight 0.16): Team composition involves buff and debuff compatibility and requires planning. Players can rearrange their team, which matters for boss fights.
- Trigger-Based Skills (weight 0.15): Skills can be conditional, activating after a set number of attacks or when an enemy is defeated. This adds a layer of strategy to combat.
- Stage-Based Progression (weight 0.14): The game has stage-based progression with numbered stages like 2-10. Progression involves gradually leveling up and defeating bosses.
- Crafting for DLC Characters (weight 0.12): The crafting and synthesis systems can produce weapons and equipment for characters not yet owned, including DLC characters. This can be seen as a bug or feature.
- Upgrade and Skill Trees (weight 0.1): The game includes an upgrade tree and equipment upgrade mechanics. Players can repeatedly engage with the upgrade system.
- Grind-Based Progression (weight 0.1): Progression involves grinding and idle grinding gameplay. Players repeatedly engage with the game to advance.
- Engraving System (weight 0.09): An engraving or inscription system exists with a priority order. Players make priority choices for engravings.
- Inventory and Backpack System (weight 0.09): The game has a backpack or inventory system that requires dragging items. Inventory capacity is limited.
- Treasure Chest Drops (weight 0.09): The game includes chest opening with random drops. Treasure chests are part of the loot system.
- Trading Restrictions (weight 0.09): New accounts have a three-day trade restriction, and market listings have a 3-day wait. The market becomes available after 3 days.
- Class System (weight 0.09): The game has classes including a warrior, and Minos can be built as a tank or bruiser. Classes define character roles.
- Numerical Balance and Stats (weight 0.09): The game has stats and numerical balance. This affects combat outcomes and character builds.
- Legendary Items (weight 0.05): Legendary rarity items can be obtained through drops. These are part of the loot system.
- Icon Minimize Mode (weight 0.05): The game features an icon mode that allows it to be minimized to the system tray. This supports background play.

Performance notes:
- Good optimization overall (weight 0.13): Many users praise the game's optimization, noting smooth performance without lag.
- Low memory usage (weight 0.1): Several players report that the game uses very little memory, making it accessible on lower-end systems.
- Frequent loading spinners and stutters (weight 0.06): Players report frequent loading spinners and freezing or stuttering issues during gameplay.
- Smooth online experience (weight 0.06): Players mention that servers run smoothly without lag during gameplay.
- Long loading times for workshop/engraving (weight 0.06): Entering the workshop and engraving takes seven or eight seconds to load, which some players find slow.
- VPN needed for login (weight 0.03): Some users experience login connection issues that can be resolved by using a VPN.
- In-game clicking causes lag (weight 0.03): Clicking in-game can cause a noticeable 2-second lag for some players.
- Map 2-10 freezes players (weight 0.03): Players get stuck or experience freezing on map 2-10.
- Game stuck at 45% loading (weight 0.03): Some players report the game getting stuck at 45% loading, preventing them from playing.
- Opening new windows is slow (weight 0.03): Opening a new window takes several seconds, indicating a delay in UI responsiveness.
- Slow menu loading (weight 0.03): Menu loading can be slow at times, affecting navigation.

Recommendations:
- Negative reviews and refunds (weight 0.2): Some reviewers give negative recommendations, calling the game a scam or a waste of time and money. Others strongly advise against buying it.
- Great for idle game fans (weight 0.18): Multiple reviewers recommend the game to fans of idle games, describing it as a good example of the genre. It is suggested as a try for those who enjoy idle mechanics.
- Suited for background play (weight 0.17): Reviewers highlight that the game is ideal for running in the background while doing other tasks, making it perfect for office workers and students. It is recommended for low-attention play.
- Free to try, low risk (weight 0.13): Reviewers suggest trying the game because it is free, so there is little to lose if players do not like it. It is worth trying especially since it is free to play.
- Recommended for buildcrafting fans (weight 0.13): Players who enjoy researching loadouts, optimizing damage, and team-building highly recommend the game. It is praised for its buildcrafting and loot-farming appeal.
- General recommendations (weight 0.12): Many reviewers simply recommend the game without specific reasons, using phrases like 'highly recommended' or 'very good'. This indicates overall positive sentiment.
- Compared unfavorably to TBH (weight 0.11): Reviewers compare the game to TBH, with some suggesting players should just play TBH instead. Others tolerate TBH but find new games without auto-craft draining.
- Good for casual players (weight 0.11): The game is recommended for casual players with limited time, including those who want something entertaining running in the background. It suits fragmented time and slow resource accumulation.
- Avoid DLC unless improved (weight 0.1): Reviewers advise against buying the DLC if it remains unchanged, and some request refunds and warn others. The auto-craft and auto-dismantle DLC is specifically criticized.
- Convenience DLC worth buying (weight 0.08): Several reviewers recommend purchasing the convenience pack DLC, especially for its auto-sort feature. They consider it a worthwhile addition.
- Good for newcomers (weight 0.03): The game is easy to get into for newcomers due to being free and having auto-battle. It is recommended especially for beginners.
- Appeal to anime and TBH fans (weight 0.03): Reviewers mention the game is worth trying for free if you like TBH-style systems and anime designs.
- DLC equipment crafting criticized (weight 0.03): One reviewer does not recommend the game because of the DLC equipment crafting system.
- Network diagnosis tip (weight 0.03): One reviewer recommends using a VPN or accelerator to diagnose line issues for players with unstable network connections.
- Avoid farming Steam funds (weight 0.03): A reviewer advises buying the game only if you actually want to play, not just to farm Steam wallet funds.
- Less interesting for veterans (weight 0.03): The game may be good for those new to taskbar-like games, but it is not very interesting for others.
- Great for overnight idling (weight 0.03): The game is described as a decent setup for people who like to leave the game running all night.
- Card roguelike enthusiasts recommend (weight 0.03): The game is highly recommended for players who enjoy card roguelikes.
- Wait and see currently (weight 0.03): A reviewer suggests waiting and seeing because the game is currently not good.

Other player notes:
- Paid DLC monetization criticized (weight 0.56): Reviewers criticize the game for selling basic features and convenience as paid DLC, including auto-merge, auto-craft, and auto-decompose. Some feel the DLC is overpriced relative to the game's scale.
- Compared to Task Bar Hero (weight 0.48): Many reviewers compare the game to Task Bar Hero (TBH), noting similarities as an idle game. Some call it a clone or reskin, while others see it as an improved or prettier version.
- Free-to-play base game (weight 0.19): The game is described as free-to-play, with a free base version and optional DLC. Most DLCs are not required to enjoy the game or make decent progress.
- Steam Market integration (weight 0.08): The game supports Steam Community Market integration for selling dropped items and trading equipment. This feature is noted by several reviewers.
- Early access status (weight 0.07): The game is currently in early access, as mentioned by multiple reviewers. This may indicate ongoing development and potential for updates.
- Changed from demo to launch (weight 0.05): Reviewers note that the game changed significantly from the demo to the official launch. The launch version differs substantially from the demo.
- Negative reviews from profit seekers (weight 0.05): Some reviewers believe negative reviews mostly come from people trying to profit rather than reflecting the player experience. They suggest some negative reviews are from those unable to profit.
- Compared to typical idle games (weight 0.05): The game is compared to typical idle games with background progression and to a popular idle game as a benchmark. This highlights its place within the idle game genre.
- Hopes for ongoing updates (weight 0.05): Reviewers express hope for ongoing updates and optimization. This suggests a desire for continued improvement and support.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.16): Players are frustrated by tedious inventory management, low legendary drop rates, and being stuck on specific stages like 2-10 due to poor balance. Many basic quality-of-life features like auto-synthesis and auto-equip are locked behind DLC or require manual clicking, undermining the idle experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.11): Players enjoy the hands-off idle progression, deep build customization, and satisfying loot grind. The game's low barrier to entry, fair free-to-play model, and pleasant art style contribute to a relaxing and rewarding experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.06): Disappointment stems from the game feeling like an unoriginal clone with little innovation, low legendary drop rates, and a launch version that differs greatly from the demo. Content shortages, poor balancing, and paid DLC that fails to deliver promised automation also contribute.
- Anger (weight 0.05): Anger is driven by perceived greedy monetization, where basic functions are sold as DLC and paid automation features still require manual input. Boss stat inflation, cheating, and a save system that loses progress further fuel player outrage.
- Concern (weight 0.05): Players worry about cheating and bot activity damaging the game's economy and market. There is also concern that pay-to-win DLC and excessive automation could harm the game's balance and long-term health.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.04): Players find enjoyment in the relaxed idle progression, strategic team building, and the fun of rebuilding after a boss defeat. The game suits fragmented time and offers satisfying character development and loot collection.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement comes from the thrill of opening chests, getting legendary drops, and optimizing damage rotations. The high difficulty and challenging boss patterns keep players engaged and eager for future content.
- Annoyance (weight 0.04): Annoyance is caused by a small inventory that requires frequent clearing, DLC character equipment clogging drop pools, and slow window loading. Manual clicking for features that should be automatic also irritates players.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the well-designed art, smooth animations, and convenient auto-crafting. The game respects players' time and offers a clean, intuitive interface with depth in trigger-based combat.
- Anticipation (weight 0.02): Players look forward to future updates, new characters, and content expansions. The upcoming theme change and market opening after three days also generate anticipation.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arises from unclear skill and engraving explanations, especially for new idle game players. Uncertainty about what to prioritize and how certain systems work adds to the confusion.
- Disgust (weight 0.02): Disgust is felt toward greedy monetization practices, including selling basic functions as DLC and suspected review manipulation. The game's copycat nature and pay-to-win elements are also off-putting.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Players are surprised by the game's depth, robust economy, and engaging story. Many expected a simple idle game but found themselves hooked by the strategic formation and trigger-based combat.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Amusement comes from the quirky character designs and humorous situations, such as the cowardly lich and the talking magic wand. The game serves as a fun slacking-off tool at work.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Players hope the developers will fix automation issues, add more content, and avoid making DLC necessary in the late game. They wish for continued updates and good operation of the game.
- Desire (weight 0.02): Players desire more monster interaction, distinct character personalities, and additional skill build styles. They also want features like an auto-dismantle option and a compendium system.
- Admiration (weight 0.01): Admiration is expressed for the cool design of characters like the Grim Reaper and the Joker chapter. The beautiful skill animations and reverse concept of humans stealing the dungeon core are also praised.
- Relaxation (weight 0.01): Players find the game relaxing to have open in the background while working, as it requires low attention and progresses automatically. The idle gameplay and desktop integration provide a stress-free experience.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.01): Dissatisfaction is caused by scarce condensation materials, class imbalance, and expensive DLC that is not useful. Basic features being locked behind DLC and the game not feeling like a true idle game also contribute.
- Interest (weight 0.01): Interest is sparked by the conditional trigger skill design and the potential of the worldview and character stories. The progression and upgrade systems keep players engaged.}