Info about Team Sonic Racing™:

Official game description:
  
Team Sonic Racing combines the best elements of arcade and fast-paced competitive style racing as you face-off with friends in intense multiplayer racing. Race together and work together as a team by sharing power-ups and speed boosts. Take control of your racing style - Choose from 3 distinct character types and unlock game changing vehicle customization options to suit your racing style.  
Gear Up. Speed Up. – Team Racing at Sonic Speed!  
**Key Features:**
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*   Online Multiplayer & Local Co-Op Modes – 12 players per race, 4 player split screen, and various offline / online race modes including Grand Prix Mode, Exhibition Mode, Time-Trial and Team Adventure Mode.  
*   Team Racing – Race as a team, win as a team. Use various team moves to assist your teammates, knock out opponents and unleash your Team Ultimate.  
*   Performance & Skin Customization – Alter the appearance and handling of your vehicle  
*   Wisps - 14 spectacular offensive and defensive items to help overcome rival teams and get ahead!  
*   Adventure Mode – Unique story experience where players are introduced to basic game features and characters.  
*   Various Characters and Types – 15 playable characters from across the Sonic Universe and 3 distinct character types including Speed, Technique, and Power.

Release date: May 21, 2019

Categories: Racing Simulation, Competitive Multiplayer, Vehicle Customization, Character Customization, Cooperative Multiplayer, Local Co-op, Split-screen Multiplayer

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 55; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals significant issues with Denuvo DRM, particularly on Linux, which severely impacts the user experience. Technical issues such as audio problems and frame drops are also notable. While there are some positive comments about gameplay and controls, the overall experience is marred by these technical barriers.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that the community generally finds the game worth purchasing only when it is on sale, indicating that the full price of $39.99 is considered too high. Many reviews mention waiting for discounts or sales, implying that a fair price range would be significantly lower than the current base price. The positive sentiments are often tied to the game being on sale, suggesting that a fair price range would be more aligned with typical sale prices, which are often around 50-75% off the base price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 25.0h
  - Story completion: 20.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: 5.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides several direct and indirect references to playtime. The first quote mentions completing the game after 20 to 25 hours of gameplay, which directly supports the `gameCompletion` metric. The second quote indicates spending a lot of time playing the game, which supports the `gameCompletion` and `storyCompletion` metrics. The third quote mentions taking hours of practice for a single level, which supports the `endgame` metric. The fourth quote mentions taking around 20 hours to finish the story mode, which supports the `storyCompletion` metric.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game is not enjoyable in single-player mode due to poor AI and repetitive content, but it becomes fun when played with friends or in local multiplayer.
  - Stance: Fun with friends
  - Anchor: Playing with friends or in local multiplayer
  - Time to anchor: 0h 0m
  - Friction: Poor AI in single-player mode; Repetitive single-player content; Dead online multiplayer
  - Unlock drivers: Playing with friends; Local multiplayer mode
  - Conditions: Playing with friends; Local multiplayer
- Player Archetypes:
  - Transformed Loyalist (sale)
    - Motivation: Seeking a superior racing experience.
    - Playstyle: Prefers solo play and enjoys comparing games.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Sonic fan; veteran gamer
    - Reference games: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed; Mario Kart
  - Solo Racer (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Seeking an independent racing experience.
    - Playstyle: Prefers solo play and avoids team mechanics.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: solo player; independent gamer
    - Reference games: Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
  - Social Multiplayer (sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoying the game with friends.
    - Playstyle: Prefers multiplayer and cooperative play.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: social gamer; multiplayer enthusiast
    - Reference games: Mario Kart


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:
- Innovative team mechanics (weight 0.59): The team mechanics are a standout feature, offering unique and well-developed cooperative play. Players find these mechanics fun, solid, and engaging, adding a fresh twist to the racing genre.
- Enjoyable racing experience (weight 0.44): As a racing game, it offers fast-paced, arcade-style action with power-ups and various race modes. The dynamic and colorful tracks, along with enjoyable elimination races, make it a fun experience for fans of the genre.
- Fun and engaging gameplay (weight 0.4): The game offers a variety of fun and fluid gameplay experiences, including enjoyable missions and a challenging career mode. Players appreciate both single-player and multiplayer modes.
- Unique and customizable karts (weight 0.36): The game offers a fresh spin on kart racing with more customizable and better-looking karts. Players appreciate the variety and uniqueness of the karts available.
- Impressive graphics and visuals (weight 0.34): The game features well-achieved and gorgeous graphics that are pleasing and visually appealing. The graphical improvements and smooth animations enhance the overall experience.
- Great soundtrack and voice acting (weight 0.24): The game features a fantastic and captivating soundtrack, along with great voice acting. The musical themes and soundtracks are highly praised by players.
- Responsive and intuitive controls (weight 0.21): The game handles well with responsive and intuitive controls, making it easy and convenient to play. The good physics and handling add to the overall enjoyment.
- Enjoyable multiplayer modes (weight 0.17): The game offers enjoyable local multiplayer and co-op modes, making it a great time with friends. The smooth multiplayer experience is a highlight for many players.
- Solid overall game (weight 0.15): The game is well-rounded, offering a good overall experience with various modes and features. It is considered an excellent game with good gameplay mechanics and enjoyable content.
- Suitable for all ages (weight 0.09): The game is suitable for a wide range of players, including kids, teens, adults, and even grandparents. This makes it a versatile and family-friendly option.

Common complaints:
- Dead online multiplayer (weight 0.56): The online multiplayer mode is reported as dead or inactive, with few players, connection errors, and poor matchmaking. Players struggle to find matches and experience long wait times.
- Downgrade from Transformed (weight 0.51): The game is seen as a major downgrade from 'Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed.' It lacks the challenge, content, and overall quality of its predecessor.
- Unengaging story mode (weight 0.38): The story mode is lackluster, boring, and generic. It does little to engage players and is often described as dull and repetitive.
- Poor AI behavior (weight 0.36): The AI teammates are often uncooperative, get stuck, and perform poorly. Their driving is inconsistent and can be frustrating for players.
- Boring and repetitive tracks (weight 0.29): Many tracks are described as boring, dull, and repetitive. The track design lacks creativity, variety, and excitement.
- Performance issues (weight 0.25): The game suffers from poor performance, including lag, stuttering, and slow speed. These issues affect the overall gameplay experience.
- Limited character roster (weight 0.22): The character roster is described as small, limited, and unappealing. There are few characters and no unlockable characters, which disappoints players.
- Not worth the price (weight 0.21): Players feel the game is overpriced and not worth the full price, even with discounts. The value proposition is seen as poor.
- Abandoned by developers (weight 0.14): Players feel the game has been abandoned by the developers, with no updates, fixes, or additional content being provided.
- DRM issues (weight 0.09): The game uses Denuvo DRM, which is criticized for causing problems and breaking the game, particularly on Linux.
- Limited content (weight 0.09): The game is criticized for having limited content and modifications. Players feel there is not enough to do or explore.
- Poor single-player experience (weight 0.08): The single-player game is described as bad and unenjoyable. Players find it lacking in quality and engagement.
- Presence of bugs (weight 0.08): The game has several bugs that affect gameplay. There are no patches or updates to fix these issues.

Gameplay feedback:
- Team-based racing mechanics (weight 0.46): The game features a variety of team-based racing mechanics, including cooperative gameplay, team racing dynamics, and mechanics to help teammates who are falling behind.
- Multiple game modes (weight 0.29): Players can enjoy various gameplay modes such as Grand Prix, Time Trial, Adventure mode with story, and multiplayer experiences.
- Variety of tracks (weight 0.28): The game offers a wide range of tracks with different designs, including shifting racetracks and classic tracks returning from older Sonic racing games.
- Kart racing mechanics (weight 0.2): The game includes standard kart racing mechanics like drifting, boosting, and different kart types, along with modding options for karts.
- Character roster and progression (weight 0.14): The game includes a roster of characters with different statistics and progression systems.
- Team Ultimate meter (weight 0.13): A strategic element where teams can use the Team Ultimate meter for abilities like turbo boosts and invulnerability.
- Customization options (weight 0.12): Players can customize their vehicles, providing a range of options to personalize their racing experience.
- Story quality and presentation (weight 0.12): The game includes a story mode with objectives and missions, though the quality and presentation of the story can vary.
- Difficulty levels (weight 0.12): The game features different difficulty levels that affect the speed of the cars and aiming precision.
- Planet Wisp and Wisps (weight 0.11): The inclusion of Planet Wisp and Wisps as pick-ups adds a unique element to the gameplay.
- Transformation mechanics (weight 0.1): The game includes transformation mechanics, though some players note the lack of this feature compared to previous games.
- Soundtrack and music (weight 0.07): The game features a variety of music tracks that change with each course, enhancing the racing experience.
- Vehicle speed and handling (weight 0.07): The game emphasizes vehicle speed and handling, which are crucial for competitive racing.
- AI behavior and opponents (weight 0.06): The game features AI opponents with specific behaviors that can affect the racing experience.

Performance notes:
- Performance and optimization issues (weight 0.29): Many players report bad performance, poor optimization, and frequent lag and stuttering. These issues are widespread and significantly impact the gameplay experience.
- Frame rate inconsistencies (weight 0.22): The game suffers from frame rate drops and inconsistent frame pacing. Players experience occasional drops from 60 FPS, affecting the smoothness of the gameplay.
- Frequent crashes (weight 0.16): The game frequently crashes, which disrupts gameplay and causes frustration among players. This issue is noted across different platforms and scenarios.
- Loading time problems (weight 0.09): Loading times vary, with some players experiencing long loading times while others find them reasonable. This inconsistency can affect the overall gaming experience.
- Graphics quality (weight 0.09): The game features good graphics for the current generation, with some technical issues reported. Overall, the graphics are considered nice and smooth.
- Physics and glitches (weight 0.09): There are reports of physics bugs and erratic behavior, particularly with the kart's physics. Additionally, some glitches can be exploited in Time Attack mode.
- Connection and lag issues (weight 0.07): Players experience lag spikes and connection issues, which can be particularly problematic in online multiplayer modes.
- Platform-specific performance (weight 0.07): The game runs at 30 FPS on Switch and 60 FPS on other platforms. There are also some slowdowns reported in local 4-player mode.
- Controller input lag (weight 0.04): Some players experience input lag or delayed response when using controllers, which can affect gameplay precision and enjoyment.
- Audio issues on Windows (weight 0.04): There are annoying audio issues specifically reported on Windows, which can detract from the overall gaming experience.
- Mouse visibility issues (weight 0.04): The mouse cursor remains visible during gameplay, which can be distracting and immersion-breaking for players.
- Multi-monitor performance issues (weight 0.04): Performance issues are reported when the game is run on multiple monitors, affecting the gameplay experience for users with multi-monitor setups.
- DRM issues (weight 0.04): Denuvo, the DRM used in the game, is reported to cause problems and break the game for some players.

Recommendations:
- Worth it on sale (weight 0.3): The game is recommended if purchased during a sale, as it may not be worth the full price.
- Better alternatives available (weight 0.26): Players suggest that other games like Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed or Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled are better options.
- Recommended for Sonic fans (weight 0.16): This game is highly recommended for fans of the Sonic franchise and kart racing games, especially if purchased at a discount.
- Best with friends (weight 0.1): The game is best experienced when played with friends, enhancing the overall enjoyment.
- Recommended for racing fans (weight 0.07): The game is suggested for fans of racing games who are looking for more content in the genre.
- Casual party game (weight 0.07): The game is recommended as a casual party game, particularly for non-gamers or those looking for a casual racing experience.
- Compatible with Steam Deck (weight 0.04): The game is compatible with Steam Deck, making it a good option for handheld gaming.
- Recommended despite flaws (weight 0.04): Despite its flaws, the game is still recommended by some players.
- Needs fixes to be great (weight 0.04): The game has potential but requires fixes to improve the overall experience.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.27): Players feel let down due to comparisons with previous games, particularly Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, citing a lack of content, poor single-player experience, and a lackluster story mode. The game's high price, limited roster, and removal of beloved features also contribute to this sentiment.
- Frustration (weight 0.23): Players are frustrated by poor AI teammates, stressful single-player mode, and various technical issues such as bugs, performance problems, and online multiplayer networking issues. The game's high difficulty, unbalanced mechanics, and reliance on team cooperation also add to the frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): Players enjoy the team racing dynamic, fun tracks, and entertaining gameplay. The game's music, smooth gameplay, and the overall fun experience, especially when playing with friends, contribute to this positive emotion.
- Positive (weight 0.06): Players have an overall positive experience with the game, enjoying its visuals, gameplay, and team mechanics. The game's soundtrack and character choices also add to the positive sentiment.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.04): Players are satisfied with the game's optimization, soundtrack, and enjoyable gameplay experience. The teamwork mechanics and overall gameplay, despite some flaws, contribute to this feeling of satisfaction.
- Excited (weight 0.03): Players are excited about the game's unique kart racing mechanics, detailed tracks, and well-implemented team system. The hype for future entries in the franchise and the game's beautiful graphics and soundtrack also contribute to this excitement.
- Disappointed (weight 0.03): Players feel disappointed due to the game's dull gameplay, lack of skill requirement, and failure to live up to its predecessor. The boring story and slower pace also contribute to this sentiment.
- Joy (weight 0.02): Players experience joy from playing with friends, enjoying the cool cars, and appreciating the beautiful maps and great soundtrack. The fun and visually overwhelming aspects of the game contribute to this positive emotion.
- Frustrated (weight 0.02): Players are frustrated by the high difficulty and lack of fun in the campaign mode. Lag spikes, broken achievements, poor AI behavior, and reliance on luck also add to the frustration.
- Satisfied (weight 0.02): Players are satisfied with the enjoyable gameplay and customization options. The good driving mechanics and great music contribute to this feeling of satisfaction.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Players feel nostalgic due to the game's soundtrack, which includes music from Sonic Adventure and Sonic Heroes. This nostalgia adds a positive sentiment to their experience.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Players feel anger due to the poor state of the game and the lack of response from developers. Negative experiences with the game contribute to this strong emotion.
- Contentment (weight 0.01): Players feel content with the enjoyable evenings of racing and the overall enjoyable racing game experience.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Players feel hopeful for future improvements and releases, such as Sonic Racing Crossworlds and more older games on PC.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Players are looking forward to future releases, such as the next gothic masterpiece by Segaur and Sonic Racing Crossworlds.
- Excitement (weight 0.01): Players are excited about the game's innovative mechanics and enjoyable experience. The innovative team mechanics and cooperative gameplay contribute to this excitement.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.01): Players are enthusiastic about the game's mechanics, presentation, and enjoyment of the music, tracks, and characters. The team mechanics and character customization also add to this enthusiasm.
- Disappointment (weight 0): Players feel deceived due to the lack of content and personalization in the game.
- Sadness (weight 0): Players feel sadness due to the online mode being dead, which affects their overall experience.}