Info about Phantom Brigade:

Official game description:
The free, major update, Phantom Brigade 2.0, is now available!
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The 2.0 update is extensive, transforming nearly every aspect of the game, but the highlights include:
*   **Fully realized pilots –** Recruit pilots with over 100 unique pilot traits and abilities which allow for in-depth buildcrafting and synergies with your mechs. With a new recruitment and class specialization system, expansive leveling with varied progression trees, combined with new visual customisation options, you can build your own flavor of deadly (and stylish) ace pilots.
*   **A reworked campaign** – New maps, new quests, and new combat scenarios along with fully rebalanced factions ensure you face varied squads with different equipment, armour and unit configurations. You have even more reason to collect new equipment and experiment with different loadouts to take on these new threats.
*   **Completely reimagined overworld** – Explore new provinces, varied landscapes and overhauled campaign systems. New liberation and overworld mechanics, new points of interest and events, new province modifiers and improved mission generation provide a varied, constantly evolving environment to encourage players to adapt and overcome.
*   **A HUGE amount of community driven quality of life updates** – New salvage and debriefing menus, new mission previews and reward generation, reworked workshop and crafting, improved damage logic and prediction, new options and difficulty settings, comprehensive weapon balancing, subsystem reworks and much more!
_Phantom Brigade_ is a cinematic, tactical mech strategy game with an innovative timeline-based command system. See the future, predict enemy actions, and plot your counterattack on the timeline! Recruit and level up your squad of rebels to retake war-torn Fyrland from the Kaskad occupation.
KEY FEATURES:
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*   **Cinematic spin on the turn-based genre –** Predict enemy movements, orchestrate precisely timed countermeasures, and hit “execute” to watch the physics-based action unfold in real time.
*   **Extensive customization –** Featuring a rich customization system, Phantom Brigade enables you to fine-tune the performance of your mechs, install a wide selection of equipment, and access a wealth of cosmetic options. Prepare your squad for any challenge - in style.
*   **An expansive arsenal –** Railguns, beam weapons, missiles, energy swords, and more! Rain destruction down upon your homeland’s invaders with weaponry salvaged from each enemy mech you defeat.
*   **Strategic tactical combat –** Make high-level tactical decisions on the world map, manage your mobile base, and decide how to apply your limited resources. Take command of your squad in varied missions ranging from sabotage of enemy equipment and convoy ambushes to liberation battles and challenging outpost onslaughts.
*   **Destructible environments –** It's not a proper game about giant mechs without destructible buildings! Phantom Brigade allows every square meter of each battle map to be destroyed. Shatter your enemy’s cover and collapse buildings on top of them!

Release date: Feb 28, 2023

Categories: Tactical, Turn-based Strategy, Mech Combat, Character Customization, Progression System, Squad Management, Destructible Environments, Real-time with Pause

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair / Pure; summary: The reviews indicate a highly positive reception to the game, with users expressing a strong desire for additional content and a willingness to support the developers through the purchase of DLC. There are no indications of predatory monetization practices, and the overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Needs Improvement in Instructional Data; summary: The primary issue identified from user feedback is the lack of instructional data, including in-game explanations and detailed wikis. This significantly impacts the user experience, as players struggle to understand game mechanics and item properties. Additionally, the absence of strategy sites and rough edges in the game contribute to a less enjoyable gameplay experience.
- Proton/Linux: score 10; verdict: Works Well; summary: The game generally works well on Linux with minor loading delays reported.
- Steam Deck: score 55; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game faces several technical barriers on the Steam Deck, including small text and UI scaling issues, optimization and performance problems, control difficulties, and significant overheating issues. These factors collectively impact the user experience, requiring additional effort and adjustments to play the game effectively on the Steam Deck.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $30.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence shows that users generally find the game worth its price, especially when on sale. Many reviews mention that $15 is a fair price, and several users explicitly state that the game is worth the $30 price tag. The positive sentiment around the game's features, such as mech customization and strategic gameplay, supports the higher end of the price range. The confidence is relatively high due to the consistent mention of the game's value at these price points.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 60.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provided includes direct mentions of playtime, such as 'for the 12 hours I played, it was fine' and 'in 60 hours of play I only just encountered the event of a stray dog.' These quotes indicate specific playtime durations. Additionally, phrases like 'made me play it for around 60 hours' suggest a significant investment of time, which can be inferred to relate to game completion. The lack of specific evidence for story completion, session length, and endgame metrics results in those fields being marked as null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game initially feels repetitive and frustrating due to the tutorial and early missions, but becomes more enjoyable and dynamic once players start customizing their mechs and pilots.
  - Stance: Fun after initial slog
  - Anchor: Customization of mechs and pilots
  - Time to anchor: 2h 0m
  - Friction: Repetitive tutorial and early missions; Initial learning curve; Lack of early variety
  - Unlock drivers: Customization of mechs; Customization of pilots; Understanding game mechanics
  - Conditions: Patience to push through initial slog; Willingness to learn and customize; Interest in mech tactics and strategy
- Player Archetypes:
  - Tactical Strategist (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoys deep tactical and strategic gameplay.
    - Playstyle: Plans and executes strategies carefully, appreciates complex mechanics and customization.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Strategy/RPG fan; Tactical gamer
    - Reference games: XCOM; Front Mission; Darkest Dungeon; FTL; Inscryption
  - Customization Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Enjoys deep customization and personalization options.
    - Playstyle: Experiments with different builds and strategies, enjoys tweaking and optimizing their mechs and pilots.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Customization lover; Build optimizer
    - Reference games: Armored Core; Battletech
  - Aesthetic Appreciator (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoys immersive and visually appealing experiences.
    - Playstyle: Appreciates the game's aesthetic qualities, enjoys the overall atmosphere and is willing to invest time into the game.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Visual enthusiast; Atmosphere lover
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Cautious Critic (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoys tactical games but has reservations about Phantom Brigade's flaws.
    - Playstyle: Approaches the game with caution, is aware of its limitations and may have specific preferences or requirements.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: Critical player; Cautious gamer
    - Reference games: Mount & Blade


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:
- Tactical mech combat praised (weight 0.55): Players consistently highlight the tactical mech combat as a standout feature, comparing it favorably to games like Battletech and Mechwarrior. The combat is described as dynamic, fast-paced, and top-notch, with a unique blend of turn-based and real-time elements.
- Version 2.0 improvements (weight 0.44): The 2.0 update is highly praised for addressing issues from the original release and significantly improving the game. Players note that it is a major overhaul that makes the game more interesting and enjoyable.
- Fun and enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.37): Many players express that the game is fun and enjoyable overall. The combat system, battles, and general gameplay are frequently described as fun and engaging.
- Pilot customization and progression (weight 0.36): Players appreciate the extensive customization options for pilots, including cosmetic changes, traits, and skill specialization. The pilot progression system, which includes leveling up and potential injuries or deaths, adds depth to the gameplay.
- Well-implemented combat mechanics (weight 0.32): The combat mechanics are frequently described as well-implemented, detailed, and fantastic. Players find the combat system unique, fun, and exciting.
- Challenging and rewarding gameplay (weight 0.21): The game offers challenging and rewarding gameplay with adjustable difficulty settings. Players find the gameplay engaging and enjoyable, with high replayability.
- Variety in weapon types (weight 0.2): The game provides a decent variety of weapon types and customization options, allowing for different playstyles and strategies.
- High-quality graphics (weight 0.16): The graphics are praised for their high quality and visual beauty. The 3D models and overall visuals are considered stylized and clear, contributing to a smooth performance.
- Unique future prediction mechanic (weight 0.15): The unique core mechanic of seeing a few seconds into the future is highly praised. Players love this aspect as it allows for strategic planning and adds a unique twist to the gameplay.
- Variety in missions (weight 0.14): The game offers a variety of missions and objectives, providing players with different experiences and challenges. This variety is appreciated and adds to the game's replayability.

Common complaints:
- Weak narrative and storytelling (weight 0.32): The game lacks a compelling storyline, voice acting, and cutscenes, making the story feel simplistic and bare bones. Players report a lack of plot, random events, and endgame content.
- Weapon and game balance issues (weight 0.22): There are significant balance problems, particularly with certain weapons being overpowered and others being underpowered, affecting gameplay fairness.
- Poor user interface design (weight 0.19): The UI is frequently described as confusing, inconsistent, and difficult to use. Players find it underwhelming and poorly designed, affecting overall usability.
- Lack of variety in enemies and maps (weight 0.17): Players note a lack of enemy variety, limited map variety, and repetitive combat maps, leading to a monotonous gaming experience.
- Inadequate pilot progression (weight 0.16): The pilot progression system is criticized for being lackluster and not offering meaningful development or customization options.
- Prediction system inaccuracies (weight 0.15): The prediction system, especially for missiles and other weapons, is reported as unreliable and inaccurate, leading to frustration.
- Pilot fatigue and random traits (weight 0.12): The pilot fatigue system and high randomness in pilot traits are criticized for being unrealistic and frustrating.
- AI behavior issues (weight 0.12): The AI is often criticized for making foolish mistakes and behaving incompetently, which detracts from the gameplay experience.
- Research system is lacking (weight 0.09): The game lacks a research system or provides insufficient information and statistics, which players find disappointing.
- Melee weapons are ineffective (weight 0.09): Melee weapons are considered too complex, weak, and not worth using, with difficult and fiddly aiming mechanics.
- Initial release issues (weight 0.07): The initial release had several issues, including difficulty balancing, randomness, new player onboarding problems, and technical issues.
- Hit detection and friendly fire issues (weight 0.07): There are issues with hit detection, particularly with sniper rifles, and problems with friendly fire.
- Limited scope and confusing elements (weight 0.07): The game is somewhat limited in scope and can be confusing at times, with limited accessories and options.
- Bland overworld gameplay (weight 0.07): The overworld is described as bland and in need of improvement, offering a less engaging experience.
- Tedious timeline system (weight 0.07): The timeline system is criticized for being tedious and wearing thin quickly, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- Shallow base upgrades (weight 0.07): Base upgrades are described as shallow and generally terrible, offering little meaningful progression.
- Heavy mechs are disadvantaged (weight 0.07): Heavy mechs are criticized for being too slow and seeing no real advantage over light mechs, making them less viable.
- Uninspiring art and music (weight 0.07): The art is described as dull and lifeless, lacking charm or style, and the music is uninspiring.
- Rough around the edges (weight 0.06): The game is reported to have some rough edges, indicating a need for further polishing and refinement.
- No battle replay feature (weight 0.06): Players note the lack of a unified battle replay feature, which would enhance the gaming experience.

Gameplay feedback:
- Turn-based and real-time hybrid combat (weight 0.75): The game features a unique blend of turn-based and real-time strategy elements. Players engage in turn-based missions with simultaneous turn mechanics, where actions are planned and executed in real-time intervals, often within 5-second turns.
- Predictive combat mechanics (weight 0.29): The combat system includes a prediction mechanic that allows players to anticipate enemy movements and plan their strategies accordingly. This adds a layer of tactical depth and strategic planning to the turn-based combat.
- Pilot management and customization (weight 0.28): The game includes a pilot system with various customization options, such as classes, talent trees, and traits. Players can manage pilot experience, fatigue, and specialization, adding depth to the gameplay.
- Variety in builds and gameplay (weight 0.25): There is a wide variety of builds, weapons, and equipment available, allowing for diverse gameplay experiences. Players can experiment with different weapon types, mech parts, and strategies to suit their preferences.
- Progression and difficulty settings (weight 0.15): The game features a progression system with mission advancements and weapon unlocks. Additionally, there are adjustable difficulty settings to cater to different player skill levels, providing a challenging and rewarding experience.
- Diverse mission types (weight 0.15): The game features a variety of mission types and objectives, ranging from different difficulty levels to unique puzzle-solving challenges. This diversity keeps the gameplay engaging and offers multiple strategies for completion.
- Tactical squad-based gameplay (weight 0.13): Players engage in tactical squad-based missions, requiring strategic planning and coordination. The gameplay involves managing a team of heavily armed robots, emphasizing tactical and strategical elements.
- Destructible environments (weight 0.11): Combat is enhanced by physics and destruction mechanics, allowing for environmental interactions. Players can use destructible environments to their advantage, adding a dynamic element to battles.
- Campaign and overworld map (weight 0.09): The game includes a campaign layout with an overworld map, allowing players to navigate and plan their missions strategically. This setup enhances the overall campaign experience and provides a structured progression through the game.
- Core gameplay loop (weight 0.09): The core gameplay loop involves a mix of tactical planning, combat execution, and progression. Players engage in a repetitive cycle of planning their actions, executing them in combat, and progressing through missions and objectives.

Performance notes:
- Good performance and stability (weight 0.14): Many players report that the game runs well with good optimization, smooth performance, and stability. Some players also noted that the software performance and stability are acceptable.
- High system requirements (weight 0.1): The game has demanding graphics settings and runs poorly on old hardware. It also has issues with optimization and tends to consume a lot of computer resources.
- Game lag and crashes (weight 0.08): Players experience game lag and system crashes. There are also reports of the game causing issues with the user's PC.
- Performance issues on Steam Deck (weight 0.08): The game is not well optimized for Steam Deck, leading to high battery usage and potential crashes. However, some players report it works fine when locked at 30fps.
- Visual and control issues (weight 0.08): Players report difficulty playing on small screens and issues with bright and washed-out visuals causing vision problems. There are also controller support issues.
- Compatibility with different systems (weight 0.06): The game works well on different systems, including desktop and laptop. However, the experimental full battle replay feature may cause crashes on systems with less than 16GB RAM.
- Long launch time (weight 0.03): The game takes a long time to launch, spending 15-20 seconds apparently doing nothing.
- Hardware limitations (weight 0.03): Hardware limitations affect real-time viewing, causing performance issues for some players.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for turn-based and mech fans (weight 0.31): The game is highly recommended for fans of turn-based tactics, mechs, and sci-fi combat. It is particularly appealing to those who enjoy games like XCOM and other tactical strategy games.
- Worth the price (weight 0.23): Many reviewers agree that the game is worth buying at full price, especially for fans of mecha strategy games. Some suggest waiting for a sale, but overall, it is considered a good value.
- Recommended despite issues (weight 0.2): The game is recommended by many reviewers, even though some acknowledge that it has certain issues. The overall experience seems to outweigh the problems for most players.
- Comparisons to other games (weight 0.19): The game is often compared to other popular titles like XCOM, Darkest Dungeon, FTL, and Battletech. These comparisons help potential buyers understand the gameplay style and appeal.
- Suggestions for improvements (weight 0.18): Reviewers have suggested various improvements such as adding more maps, enemy aces, vendors, voice acting, and improving the story. These suggestions indicate areas where the game could be enhanced.
- Recommendations for specific player types (weight 0.1): The game is recommended for specific types of players, such as those who enjoy TRPGs, tactical games, and grounded mecha design. This helps potential buyers determine if the game suits their preferences.
- Positive reception of updates (weight 0.07): Updates, particularly the 2.0 patch, have been well-received by the community. Players appreciate the improvements and additions made in these updates.
- Unique gameplay elements (weight 0.03): The game is noted for its unique elements such as permadeath and roguelike features, which add to its appeal for fans of tactical and strategy games.

Other player notes:
- Personal connection to theme (weight 0.03): Players expressed a personal connection to the game's theme, particularly as Ukrainians.
- Enjoyable on Steam Deck (weight 0.03): Players found the game fun to play on the Steam Deck.
- Disclaimer about characters (weight 0.03): Some reviews mentioned a disclaimer about 'woke' characters, but noted that it had a low impact on their experience.

Emotions:
- Excitement (weight 0.19): The excitement primarily stems from the game's innovative combat system, unique timeline mechanics, and extensive customization options for mechs. Players are also thrilled by the strategic depth, dynamic battles, and the variety in gameplay mechanics, which keep the experience fresh and engaging.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.18): Players enjoy the game's strategic complexity, mech-building system, and the variety in weapon types and playstyles. The fun and solid tactical squad-based gameplay, along with the improvements in the 2.0 update, contribute significantly to the overall enjoyment.
- Frustration (weight 0.17): Frustration is mainly caused by AI behavior issues, performance demands, and the lack of mid-mission saves. Players also struggle with unclear mechanics, balance issues, and repetitive missions, which detract from the overall experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.16): Players are satisfied with the game's mech-building system, active updates, and the core mechanic of predicting enemy intentions. The improvements in the 2.0 update, along with the combat system and mecha customization, contribute to a rewarding and satisfying gameplay experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.09): Disappointment arises from the lack of cutscenes and a minimal story, as well as weapon imbalance and hit detection issues. Players also feel let down by the game's repetitiveness, lack of variety, and abrupt ending, which make the game feel half-baked.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Players appreciate the developers' dedication, continuous support, and the improvements made in the 2.0 update. The excellent UI design and the effort put into animations are also highly valued by the community.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Enthusiasm is driven by the game's challenging gameplay, long duration, and innovative design. Players enjoy the unique synchronized turn-based combat and are eager for more mods and future updates.
- Excited (weight 0.02): Players are excited about the game's unique combat system, which allows for future-based planning and visually showing intent. The variety of missions and strategies, along with the dynamic gameplay, contribute to this excitement.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Hope stems from the game's potential to become an excellent work with future updates and improvements. Players believe that with suggested improvements and community mods, the game can reach its full potential.
- Happy (weight 0.02): Happiness comes from the engaging gameplay, frequent updates, and mech customization. Players enjoy the satisfying progression, fun weapon variety, and the unique mechanics that make the game enjoyable.
- Love (weight 0.01): Players love the game for its overall positive experience, timeline mechanic, and the enjoyment of its various features. The game's unique aspects and the new update contribute to this love.
- Frustrated (weight 0.01): Frustration is caused by the game's high repetitiveness, visual variety issues, and damage control problems. Players also struggle with inconsistent mechanics and artificial restrictions.
- Joy (weight 0.01): Joy is derived from the availability of Gundam mods, the tight squad tactics, and the feeling of being a tactical genius. Players also find joy in getting better at the game and rediscovering it with new updates.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Disappointment is due to the lack of excitement and tension, as well as issues with the game's story, logic, and AI. Players feel that the game did not improve from its previous version and has many flaws.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia is evoked by comparisons to other games like the Front Mission series and past versions of the game. Players also feel nostalgic when comparing it to games like XCOM and Into the Breach.
- Satisfied (weight 0.01): Satisfaction comes from the enjoyment of the gameplay and mech fantasy. Players are satisfied with the addictive campaign mechanic, tactical gameplay, and the improvements in version 2.0.
- Amusement (weight 0): Amusement is derived from the skill names and humorous combat scenarios described by players. These elements add a light-hearted and fun aspect to the game.
- Admiration (weight 0): Players admire the game's visuals and combat mechanics, considering it one of the most underrated tactical games. The game is seen as the pinnacle of tactical mechanics.
- Impressed (weight 0): Players are impressed with the current state of the game and the improvements made in version 2.0. The game's progress and enhancements contribute to this impression.
- Interest (weight 0): Interest is sparked by the gameplay mechanics and combat mechanics, along with the mech customization options. Players are intrigued by the strategic depth and unique features of the game.}