Info about DEAD OR SCHOOL:

Official game description:
Zombies conquered the land of Tokyo.  
Without hope, in underground shelters, people lived quietly.  
Hisako, a girl who grew up underground, heard the word “school” from her grandmother.  
School is where children play and learn.  It is a paradise for young people.  The best place to spend their youth.  
Hisako dreamed of this “school”, and one day, she was on an underground train heading above ground.  What awaits her? Despair...  
Defeat enemies, grow your own character.  
Collect items, create your own most powerful weapons!  
Hack and Slash X Girl's action  
Gear obtain with money or gears, disassemble weapons, collect parts, customize your own weapons, and enhance your abilities.  
Mix and match the parts.  
Unlimited possibilities to customize your equipment; Attack, Weight, Rare effects...  
Gain many skills by advancing the player's level.  
Dynamic actions become possible, when various weapon skills are combined.   
Make your own unique character!  
Notice the changes in the player, when a certain level of damage is received.  
Pay attention to your status, caused by damaged clothes.  
Increasing your collection raises your parameters.  
Various souvenirs scattered around, people in need of assistance...  
Try to collect a variety of items within the game!  
Shinjuku, Asakusa, Akihabara and Roppongi...  
Save Tokyo's towns that are filled with Zombies. “Here I come! On an underground train!”  
Now gigantic monsters rule the ground above.  
A monster with a body of steel, Asakusa's Sensoji temple is occupied by thunder gods...  
Don't let tough enemies attack you and get in your way!  
Various action moves:  
Grab onto steel frames, get in and out of your enemies range, clear difficult stages, move on to the next level.   
Main character: Hisako  
Grew underground, in despair, while the surface world was controlled by zombies.  
Gifted with superior athletic abilities and a strong determination, her mind is unaffected. She faces the reality of the ground above.  
Her dreams are: Make many friends, and play in school!  
Though, she does not like studying...

Release date: Jun 3, 2019

Categories: Action RPG, Hack and Slash, Metroidvania, Weapon Customization, Skill Tree and Progression System, Side-scrolling, Boss Fights, Puzzle Solving

Feature scans:
- Steam Deck: score 55; verdict: Tinkering Required (Controller and Stability Issues); summary: The game is playable on Steam Deck but requires some tinkering. Key issues include a crash when interacting with the map, a controller recognition quirk (must plug in after launch), and a 30fps cap. These problems prevent a seamless experience but do not make the game unplayable. The crash is notable but appears isolated to a specific interaction; it may be avoidable or patchable.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews indicate that the full price (around $25) is too high, while lower prices like $10 or ~$4.50 during sales are considered fair. The community consistently recommends waiting for a discount, suggesting a fair price range well below the list price. Considering these mentions, a reasonable base-game price range is between $5 and $15.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 25.0h
  - Story completion: 17.5h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews converge on total playtime for completion: one states '20-30 hours' for normal play through 8 stages; another reports 24 hours for medium-difficulty achievement-complete run; a third indicates 30 hours for full achievements with story-only at 15-20 hours. Area-by-area estimates of 1.5-2.5 hours per stage also align with a 12-20 hour campaign. Story/campaign completion is explicitly given as 15-20 hours. Endgame evidence indicates minimal content beyond achievements and boss rush, with no substantive post-story hours reported. Session length is not explicitly mentioned, so it is left as null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Dead or School has a slow start with boring story and tough enemies, but becomes addictive after a few levels due to progression systems and weapon variety; however, the heavy grinding can lead to fatigue after extended play.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After playing a few levels
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: tedious combat due to tough enemies; repetitive grinding; boring early story; potential platforming bugs; fatigue after short play sessions
  - Unlock drivers: progression systems (level-ups, equipment, skill trees); getting stronger through grinding; variety of weapons and puzzles; smooth growth curve
  - Conditions: tolerance for grinding; head-empty big-number-get-bigger mindset; playing for exploration; using mini-tutorials; playing on easier difficulty
- Player Archetypes:
  - Build-Crafter Grinder (sale)
    - Motivation: Optimizing gear and maximizing damage output
    - Playstyle: Experiment with weapon attachments and perks, grind for better loot, and customize toward a preferred build for screen-clearing efficiency.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: min-maxer; theorycrafter; loot grinder
    - Reference games: Oboro Muramasa; Diablo-like looters
  - Story-First Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Engaging narrative and character development
    - Playstyle: Focus on story progression, enjoy cutscenes and dialogue, explore environments for lore and setting details.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: narrative gamer; anime fan; character-driven player
    - Reference games: Highschool of the Dead; Metal Slug
  - Casual Action/Head-Empty Player (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Mindless relaxation and big number satisfaction
    - Playstyle: Mash buttons, clear screens of enemies, ignore deep mechanics, play on easier difficulty for stress relief.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: casual gamer; stress reliever; anime action fan
    - Reference games: Highschool of the Dead; Musou games
  - Hardcore Challenge Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastery and overcoming difficult encounters
    - Playstyle: Learn boss patterns, aim for no-hit runs, optimize builds for maximum challenge and stylish play.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: hardcore gamer; old-school player; achievement hunter
    - Reference games: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night; Megaman X; Oboro Muramasa


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:
- Extensive weapon customization (weight 0.79): Players praise the huge arsenal with many weapon types, attachments, affixes, and mods that allow diverse playstyles and deep customization. This is a standout feature mentioned across multiple clusters.
- Attractive cute protagonist (weight 0.31): The female protagonist Hisako is widely described as cute, charming, and well-designed, adding to the game's appeal.
- Engaging story and narrative (weight 0.3): The story is considered captivating, touching, easy to understand, and full of surprises, making it a strong positive point.
- Simple and accessible gameplay (weight 0.22): The gameplay is simple, easy to pick up, and smooth once accustomed, making it accessible to many.
- Overall fun and enjoyable (weight 0.2): Players find the game very enjoyable, fun overall, and it exceeded expectations for some.
- Beautiful graphics and art (weight 0.19): The visuals are attractive, with beautiful graphics and character art that enhance the game's charm.
- Excellent music and sound (weight 0.16): The soundtrack and sound effects fit the scenes well, contributing to the overall experience.
- Metroidvania and RPG mix (weight 0.11): The blend of Metroidvania exploration with JRPG elements is praised, offering a good mix for players.
- Rewarding leveling system (weight 0.11): The level-up system feels rewarding, adding to the progression appeal.
- Interesting mini-games (weight 0.1): The variety of mini-games adds extra fun and keeps gameplay fresh.
- Well-integrated fan service (weight 0.1): Fan service is moderate and integrated well, appearing occasionally without distracting from gameplay.

Common complaints:
- False adult content ads (weight 0.48): The game is falsely advertised with tags for 18+ content, nudity, and sexual scenes, but none of this content is actually present, leading to significant disappointment.
- Difficulty too high (weight 0.3): Difficulty is extremely high even on easy mode, with normal mode being too easy for some but overall perceived as non-human level by others.
- Camera zoom too far (weight 0.24): The camera is consistently zoomed out too far, making the character appear very small and causing visibility issues during gameplay.
- Frustrating level design (weight 0.18): Level design is very bad and frustrating, with rough terrain, uneven gaps, and frustrating paths.
- Annoying parkour puzzles (weight 0.18): Collectibles require frustrating hellish parkour, and there are too many jump puzzles that are annoying.
- Stamina system hampers play (weight 0.18): The stamina system is unnecessary and hampers tempo, even draining stamina when shooting guns, which is confusing.
- Mini-games are punishing (weight 0.15): Mini-games are described as torturous, unnecessary, and punishing, significantly reducing enjoyment.
- Combat is repetitive (weight 0.15): Combat becomes repetitive and monotonous over time, lacking variety to keep players engaged.
- Not worth the price (weight 0.15): The game is considered overpriced for its content, with players feeling it is not worth the full price of 2500 yen.
- Excessive grinding needed (weight 0.15): Constant grinding is required to upgrade, which many players find tedious and excessive.
- No voice acting (weight 0.1): Cutscenes lack voice acting, which diminishes the narrative experience.
- Controls are confusing (weight 0.1): Controls are bad and confusing, making gameplay frustrating.
- Stuck on invisible objects (weight 0.1): The character frequently gets stuck on invisible objects and steps, causing movement issues.
- Not a true Metroidvania (weight 0.1): The game is not a true Metroidvania, which may disappoint players expecting that genre.
- Aiming issues (weight 0.1): Gamepad aiming is problematic due to mouse settings, and keyboard/mouse aiming is terrible.
- Low enemy variety (weight 0.1): Enemy variety is low, making combat feel repetitive.
- No New Game+ mode (weight 0.1): The game lacks a New Game+ mode or clear bonuses, reducing replayability.
- Becomes boring later (weight 0.1): The game becomes boring later, with a story that is boring at the start.
- Random weapon buffs (weight 0.1): Weapon ability attachments are random (gacha), and weapon buffs are random and rare, leading to frustration.

Gameplay feedback:
- Hack-and-slash combat (weight 0.58): Combat is hack-and-slash with melee and ranged weapons, often described as an action RPG or metroidvania-like.
- Three weapon types (weight 0.54): Players consistently mention three weapon categories: melee, light/medium ranged, and heavy/explosive. This is a core gameplay feature.
- Weapon customization system (weight 0.49): Weapons can be customized with attachments, mods, and random affixes, adding depth to the combat system.
- Skill tree system (weight 0.46): Skill trees are divided into three branches corresponding to weapon types, allowing specialized builds.
- Weapon durability and ammo (weight 0.45): Weapons have durability for melee and ammo for guns, with restocking at save points.
- Puzzle exploration (weight 0.33): Puzzles are integrated into exploration, with some being optional and others required.
- Side-scrolling action (weight 0.33): The game is a 2D or 2.5D side-scroller, blending action platforming with looter shooter elements.
- Boss battles (weight 0.33): Boss fights feature unique mechanics and patterns, with specific mention of the Steel Berserker boss.
- Mini-games and side quests (weight 0.3): Mini-games and side quests offer collectibles and optional puzzles, adding variety.
- Stamina system (weight 0.29): A stamina system limits continuous melee attacks and connects to special actions.
- Metroidvania elements (weight 0.22): The game is described as a metroidvania-like hack-and-slash RPG with side-scrolling.
- Grinding mechanic (weight 0.17): Grinding for tokens, gear, and levels is a mechanic, though not universally praised.
- Debug mode (weight 0.16): A debug mode accessible via startup parameter '_debug_on' allows console commands.
- Difficulty options (weight 0.15): Difficulty can be switched freely between easy, normal, and hard modes.
- Weapon variety (weight 0.11): There is variety in melee and ranged weapons, including swords, axes, and shotguns.
- Platforming sections (weight 0.1): Platforming and jumping sections are present, adding to the action platformer feel.
- Level progression (weight 0.1): Progression involves leveling up and equipping better gear.
- Dodge mechanic (weight 0.1): A perfect dodge mechanic with a very short timing window is mentioned.
- Large maps (weight 0.1): Large maps with puzzles and secrets encourage exploration.
- Enemy respawn (weight 0.1): Enemies respawn after saving at save points, which also restore resources.

Performance notes:
- Frequent game crashes (weight 0.25): Multiple players report that the game crashes unexpectedly, including during specific actions like selecting Shinjuku station on the railway map. These crashes force the game to close, disrupting gameplay.
- Poor optimization and performance (weight 0.12): Players note poor optimization, including low frame rates (30fps) and high system resource usage that causes the fan to run loudly. This suggests the game is not well-tuned for performance.
- Optimization works for some (weight 0.06): One player reports that the game is well optimized and runs without crashes, indicating that performance issues may not affect all users.

Recommendations:
- Buy on sale (weight 0.44): Multiple clusters advise buying Dead or School during a sale, often suggesting a 75% discount or price range of $5-$7, indicating that many players find the full price unjustified.
- Not recommended (weight 0.43): Many players do not recommend the game at full price or at all, citing bugs, boring mini-games, and developer attitude as major drawbacks.
- Accessible but difficult (weight 0.42): The game is accessible to action game enthusiasts but can be extremely difficult; many reviews suggest using cheats, console commands, or easy mode to manage difficulty.
- Recommended for genre fans (weight 0.37): The game is recommended for fans of metroidvania, hack-and-slash, side-scrolling action, and anime aesthetics, especially those who enjoy cute characters and light action.
- Not for grind haters (weight 0.36): The game is not recommended for achievement hunters, casual players, or those who dislike repetitive grinding; some reviewers suggest using cheats to skip grinding.
- Overall recommendations (weight 0.35): Several reviews recommend buying the game overall, acknowledging it has flaws but still positive, with encouragement to give it an honest chance.
- Not for adult content (weight 0.31): Several reviews warn that the game lacks adult or erotic content, despite having sexual themes, and some players refuse to recommend it without an 18+ patch.
- Cute characters appeal (weight 0.23): Players who enjoy cute female protagonists, moe aesthetics, and light hack-and-slash gameplay find the game appealing, especially for its visual style.
- Worth playing (weight 0.2): Some reviewers state the game is not worth playing and highly not recommended, often citing bugs and poor gameplay.
- Strongly recommended (weight 0.18): Some players strongly recommend the game, giving it a 10/10 rating and urging support for the developer, suggesting high enjoyment for certain audiences.
- Character building focus (weight 0.17): Suitable for players who prefer character building over pure action, and can be enjoyed if one tolerates small flaws; not suitable to play through in one sitting.
- Worth as grinding game (weight 0.15): The game is worth playing as a 2D grinding game or for a 'head-empty' experience with big numbers, occasional puzzles, and weird bosses, often featuring a girl killing zombies.
- Not for casuals (weight 0.15): The game is not recommended for achievement hunters, casual players, or those seeking fast-paced action or skill-based challenges due to repetitive grinding and inconsistent pacing.
- Suitable for casual play (weight 0.14): Some players find the game suitable for casual play, especially for those not used to sniping games, and recommend it as an easy game with an intriguing story and exploration elements.
- Specific build tips (weight 0.13): Specific build recommendations include stamina buffs, melee recovery buffs, attack buffs, and using a big knife on easy mode; players also suggest changing difficulty if too hard.
- Price points vary (weight 0.13): Price points mentioned include around R$20, $25 if played to completion, and 50 yuan as worth for genre fans.
- Story worth experiencing (weight 0.1): Players recommend the game with reservations for fans of 2D action-RPGs with anime aesthetics, but note it is not for those seeking a serious narrative or who are uncomfortable with sexual content; the story is considered worth experiencing.
- Not metroidvania (weight 0.1): The game is noted to not be a metroidvania; it is more like Strider with linear exploration and side exploration, but still recommended for metroidvania beginners.
- Decent 7/10 (weight 0.09): The game is rated as decent, 7/10, with the note that it is good overall despite flaws.
- Game length info (weight 0.09): Estimated 30 hours for full achievement, 15-20 for story; some players anticipate a price increase after full release, suggesting buying now if interested.

Other player notes:
- Pricing shift due to China (weight 0.06): The developer reportedly changed the game's pricing strategy in response to high sales in China, suggesting regional market adaptations influenced the business model.
- Manga artist Jupiter involved (weight 0.06): The game credits involvement from manga artist Jupiter, likely pointing to a notable creative collaboration that adds artistic or narrative weight.
- Development team size highlighted (weight 0.06): A reviewer noted the game was made by only three people, possibly emphasizing the team's efficiency or setting expectations for content scope.
- Missed thigh-high socks joke (weight 0.05): A reviewer referenced a specific joke or detail about missing thigh-high socks, likely indicating a minor cosmetic oversight or content gap that stood out to at least one player.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.22): Players expressed strong frustration due to poor level design, particularly with frustrating parkour sections, invisible platforms, and collectibles that require extreme precision. Additional issues like stiff controls, bad camera angles, unfair boss difficulty spikes, and forced grinding compounded the negative experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.1): Many players were disappointed by the lack of expected adult content, which they felt was falsely advertised through misleading tags and cover art. The superficial story, lack of voice acting, and monotonous presentation further detracted from the overall experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Players found satisfaction in discovering and utilizing weapon synergies and attachment combinations, which allowed for diverse playstyles. Successfully solving puzzles by interpreting environmental clues and overcoming challenging but fair boss fights also contributed to a rewarding experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.1): Enjoyment came from the satisfying hack-and-slash combat, engaging replayability, and the overall fun factor despite some bugs and flaws. The weapon customization system and entertaining story also contributed to players having a good time.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): The game reignited passion for some players with its pure and engaging combat and exploration. Many were hooked after the first 30 minutes due to an engrossing story and satisfying combat mechanics, with occasional fan service adding to the thrill.
- Amusement (weight 0.03): Players found amusement in unexpected moments, such as a tank boss appearing when a sword fight was expected, or the contrast between childlike and adult satisfaction. Cute monster designs and fun story moments also elicited laughter.
- Hope (weight 0.03): Players expressed hope that the game would improve with future updates, acknowledging its current flaws but expecting positive changes. This sentiment was particularly tied to the early access phase.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger was primarily directed at terrible level design, as evidenced by strong profanity and curses against the level designer. Bad camera angles, unfair combat, character bugs, and a high price for poor quality further fueled this emotion.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyance arose from achievements not unlocking despite meeting conditions, rough boss designs with unbalanced attacks, and long recovery times with stamina alerts. The skill tree split also caused minor irritation.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom set in due to the game being hard to get into and janky, with mini-games that were not fun but required for progression. Repetitive grinding for levels and money, along with poor combat feel and bland level design, also contributed.
- Affection (weight 0.01): Players felt affection towards the character Hisako, finding her cute and appealing, which created an emotional bond with the game.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Players were surprised that the game became addictive and fun after playing a few levels, offering more depth than the store screenshots suggested. Exceeding expectations despite being a random download also contributed.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Appreciation was expressed for the detailed story and charming character art, with players noting the game's depth and charm despite being developed by a small team.
- Captivated (weight 0.01): Players were captivated by the story, which featured interesting twists that kept them engaged and invested in the narrative.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Players were disappointed by the lack of post-game content, which limited replayability and left them wanting more after completing the game.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): Disgust was triggered by parkour sections described with strong negative language, indicating a visceral rejection of these gameplay segments.
- Irritation (weight 0.01): Irritation stemmed from RNG and limited availability of weapons and skills, as well as dialogues that auto-scrolled too fast, hindering player control.
- Slight annoyance (weight 0.01): Slight annoyance was caused by minor bugs that were not game-breaking but still detracted from a smooth experience.}