Info about Undead Citadel:

Official game description:
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About the Game
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UNDEAD CITADEL hurls you into a relentless adventure, where you’ll face off against hundreds of undead in brutal, cinematic combat. Slash, stab, crush, shoot, or dismember with your own hands as you carve your path into the heart of the cursed citadel.
🗡️**Physics-based Combat System**
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Fight realistically using a complete physics system built specifically for VR. Swing, stab, block, and parry with 1:1 motion. Your weapons react naturally to force and timing, making every strike feel real and satisfying.
⚔️ **Wide Arsenal of Weapons**
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Choose from over 60 weapons, including swords, axes, war hammers, bows, arrows, shields, two-handed weapons, and more. Use bombs, flasks, and even dismembered limbs to survive. Each weapon has its own stats for durability and strength.
**💀Dozens of Unique Undead Foes**
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Face a relentless horde of enemies in varying states of decay, each with distinct weapons, armor, and attack styles. Read their defenses, dodge or parry their blows, and strike with precision to exploit their weaknesses. And when they fall? Loot their weapons; they won’t need them anymore, but you definitely will.
🎯**Story Mode**
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Uncover the dark secret behind the plague as you explore over 10 different environments. Engage in combat, solve puzzles, and experience a gripping narrative-driven journey through the depths of the Citadel.
🔥 **Horde Mode**
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Fight off endless waves of the undead and climb the online leaderboards. Test your skills and push your reflexes in pure survival chaos.
🛡️ **Armory Mode**
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Freely test all unlocked weapons, potions, and items in a safe sandbox to practice your moves and combos.
**🏃‍♂️LOCOMOTION**
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**Various options for moving around with smooth and instant turning via smooth locomotion.**
Ready to test your mettle and face the horrors within, **Warrior**?  
Sharpen your blade, steady your aim, and prepare to enter the Undead Citadel.

Release date: Jun 8, 2023

Categories: Virtual Reality, Physics-based Combat, First-Person Melee Combat, Horde Mode, Dismemberment Mechanics, Weapon Variety, Dungeon Crawler, Dark Fantasy


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: 300.0h
  - Reasoning: The only explicit numeric playtime is the reviewer's statement of '300 HOURS' for Undead Citadel. The separate mention that modes 'enhance replayability' supports interpreting that long playtime as extended post-main-content or endgame engagement, so endgame is set to 300 hours. Other reviews mention repetitive extended sessions, chapter pacing, and a 10-minute bugged attempt, but provide no reliable numeric game-completion, story-completion, or typical session-length figures, so those metrics remain null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players report immediate enjoyment from physics-based combat, but some find the story and mission structure repetitive and progression streamlined once weapon novelty fades.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Low enemy variety makes the story boring; Repetitive mission structure in extended sessions; Limited environmental diversity or narrative depth; Streamlined progression after weapon variety novelty fades
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: For players seeking greater environmental diversity or narrative depth; For players craving layered RPG systems or expansive exploration; Once the novelty of weapon variety settles; Over extended sessions
- Player Archetypes:
  - Soulslike Difficulty Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastering difficult combat and proving themselves against Soulslike-style challenges.
    - Playstyle: Seeks demanding sword combat, learns enemy patterns, and looks forward to multiplayer dueling.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Dark Souls
  - Mod-Driven Sandbox Tinkerer (buy)
    - Motivation: Extending the game's fun and replayability through mods and sandbox experimentation.
    - Playstyle: Installs mods, experiments with physics interactions, and customizes the experience beyond the base game.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Physics-Fighting Hidden-Gem Evangelist (buy)
    - Motivation: Supporting and promoting an underrated physics-based fighting game with upcoming multiplayer.
    - Playstyle: Engages with physics-driven combat and recruits others to the game's niche fighting experience.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Casual Swordplay Story Dabbler (buy)
    - Motivation: Having casual fun with sword combat, visuals, and a bit of story.
    - Playstyle: Plays casually to pass time, enjoys combat and visuals, and samples the story without deep system mastery.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - 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 Reception (weight 0.83): Many reviewers describe the game as very good, excellent, enjoyable, and well worth its price. It is recommended and considered underrated.
- Deep Combat Mechanics (weight 0.74): Combat is the standout feature, featuring timing, positioning, and dynamic enemy reactions. The melee system feels like proper skirmishes that can become chaotic and brutal.
- Excellent Physics System (weight 0.68): The physics are consistently praised as good or excellent, with realistic weapon weight, inertia, and object interactions. Real-world arm movements translate directly into in-game strikes with satisfying impact.
- Weapon Variety and Realism (weight 0.57): A large arsenal of around 80 weapons, including swords, axes, maces, and throwables, each with distinct stats and usage styles. Thrown weapons fly and stick realistically.
- Immersive Atmosphere and Sound (weight 0.51): The dark fantasy setting, gothic aesthetic, and fitting sound design create a strong atmosphere. Environmental storytelling through relics and ruins adds depth.
- Compelling Protagonist and Narrative (weight 0.5): The former crusader protagonist's sarcastic and angry comments are loved, and his lines are excellent. The plot is awesome or cool, with great narration.
- Varied and Formidable Enemies (weight 0.46): Enemy AI varies from charging zombies to armored knights with combinable attacks. Weak points must be exposed, and enemies are considered formidable and fun to kill.
- Satisfying Dismemberment and Limb System (weight 0.4): Cutting off limbs and crushing bones is a pleasure, with enemies reacting to hits via blocking and a convincing damage model. The limb system fits the experimentation role.
- Challenging Horde Mode (weight 0.4): Horde mode provides a real challenge due to weapon durability and breakage, and extends longevity. It is well done for passing time or demonstrating VR.
- Engaging Exploration (weight 0.39): Exploring ruins and houses is fun and not boring, with environmental interactions that give a sense of presence.
- Strong VR Melee Simulator (weight 0.39): Reviewers call it the most physically realistic melee combat simulator in VR and one of the best sword and shield combat experiences. It stands out as a physics-based fighting game.
- Good Performance and Graphics (weight 0.32): The game runs without problems on PC, with pleasant and sufficient graphics that aid immersion. Version u10 has amazing performance.
- Fun for Relaxation and Slashing (weight 0.32): The game is fun for relaxing and slashing zombies with swords, and never gets boring.
- Boss Battles and Arena Mode (weight 0.25): Boss battles are doable once patterns are learned, and arena mode's constant brawling with enemy waves is engaging.
- Modding Support Adds Fun (weight 0.19): Modding adds layers of fun, and older versions had amazing mods that are no longer seen.
- Appealing to Dark Fantasy Fans (weight 0.19): The game is especially good for fans of medieval fantasy, undead, and grim settings like Dark Souls.
- Tolerable Bugs and Decent Early Chapters (weight 0.18): Bugs are tolerable, and the first seven chapters are decently fun low-budget jank.
- Weapon Durability Encourages Adaptation (weight 0.11): Durability systems and different damage properties encourage players to adapt their tactics.
- Armory Mode for Experimentation (weight 0.11): Armory Mode allows free experimentation with unlocked equipment.
- Improved Combat Feel in Updates (weight 0.1): Version u11 has a better feel in combat compared to earlier versions.

Common complaints:
- Frequent bugs and crashes (weight 0.63): Players encounter bugs like getting stuck, hard locks, soft crashes when picking up potions, black screens after reloading, and instant crashes after review prompts. Hand tracking loss causes death during important fights.
- Poor graphics and optimization (weight 0.61): Textures are extremely blurry, lighting is mediocre, and graphics are described as disgusting with low-poly weapon models. Optimization is lacking, with frame drops on high-end hardware and fake recommended specs.
- Physics and collision bugs (weight 0.58): Numerous physics issues include getting launched into the air when touching a sword, player hitbox being off by 0.5m, getting stuck in textures or walls, and falling off the map. Severed limbs stretch across the map and enemies pass through weapons during parries.
- Weak story and characters (weight 0.47): The story is short, not engaging, and lacks character development or complex lore. The protagonist screams about brothels then becomes devoid of personality, and humor feels like clinical reconstructions of jokes.
- Unclear objectives and getting lost (weight 0.44): No clear objective or on-screen indicators cause confusion, and it's easy to get lost in levels. Some buttons are well hidden, and puzzles often involve finding something in soupy visuals.
- Inventory and grabbing issues (weight 0.4): The item belt protrudes from the body, requiring players to look to locate a sword instead of grabbing behind their back. Pulling potions off the belt causes them to be thrown across the room, and picking up weapons sometimes doesn't work.
- Enemy variety lacking (weight 0.33): Enemies are mostly basic humanoid undead with no varied creatures, making combat and story boring. Only regular and armored zombies plus a main boss appear.
- Limited VR movement (weight 0.33): Players cannot jump or climb freely, only at designated spots, and movement speed is very slow. This lack of freedom in VR exploration is irritating.
- Progression blockers (weight 0.33): Players got stuck after obtaining the bow because no torch could be found, and skeletons stuck in textures block story progression. The second area had no level, only a gate and emptiness.
- Weapon imbalance and handling (weight 0.32): Weapons are unbalanced in strike force, and two-handed or heavy weapons do not work well. Back slots are dedicated only to bows, forcing large weapons onto the belt slot.
- Repetitive content (weight 0.32): High repetitiveness in exploration, mission structure, and enemy variety makes the game get old fast. Exploring ruins and houses becomes repetitive.
- Clumsy PC controls (weight 0.27): The PC version has imprecise and clumsy controls that frustrate when putting weapons away. On Index controllers, crouch and run require clicking and holding sticks and cannot be remapped or set to toggle, which is bad for all VR controllers.
- Frequent loading screens (weight 0.26): Annoying fade-to-black loading screens occur between rooms and when entering tiny houses, disrupting immersion. Constant movement between micro-locations with loading screens is tiring.
- Stereotypical environments hinder exploration (weight 0.25): Stereotypical environments kill motivation to explore, and half of the houses are empty. Level design feels like arbitrary graphic resources with serious collision problems.
- Filler and backtracking chapters (weight 0.25): One chapter is filler content, another involves backtracking, and another has a massive difficulty spike. These pacing issues detract from the experience.
- Unbalanced difficulty (weight 0.25): On hard difficulty, enemies die in one hit and pose no threat, while other parts have massive difficulty spikes. The boss battle is tough, and players can die easily.
- Final boss disappoints (weight 0.2): Players find the final boss fight atrocious, frustrating, and likened to a poor God of War clone. It is described as deeply underwhelming.
- Unnatural arm representation (weight 0.18): The player has no body, only wrists that twist unnaturally like rubber. This breaks immersion and feels odd.
- Forced positive review prompt (weight 0.11): The game interrupts play to ask for a positive review and then crashes instantly. This unethical practice annoys players.
- Dying in armory mode (weight 0.1): It is annoying that players can die while in armory mode, adding unnecessary frustration.

Gameplay feedback:
- Weapon variety and durability (weight 0.51): Around 80 weapons are available, including swords, axes, maces, and bows, each with stats and usage styles. Weapons have HP and can break, adding a durability system.
- Physics sandbox and mod support (weight 0.45): The game features a physics-based sandbox allowing goofy simulation, serious combat, or parkour. It also supports mods, enhancing creativity.
- Belt-based inventory system (weight 0.44): The inventory requires pulling potions and weapons from a belt, with a slot system for storing items. This immersive mechanic enhances VR realism.
- Exploration and hidden collectibles (weight 0.4): Players can explore ruins, houses, and levels with hidden doors, keys, buttons, and collectibles. Optional exploration adds depth.
- VR physics-based melee combat (weight 0.4): The game offers physics-driven melee combat built specifically for VR, with weapon handling and strikes that account for modeled characteristics. This includes two-handed weapon control.
- Story campaign and chapters (weight 0.37): The game includes a story campaign divided into chapters, unfolding across forests, fortifications, dungeons, and a citadel. It features a last chapter and boss battles.
- Dismemberment and weak points (weight 0.35): Enemies feature limb dismemberment and armored foes have weak points that must be exposed. This adds a tactical layer to combat.
- Horde mode included (weight 0.31): A horde mode is available where players face waves of undead in survival scenarios. This mode adds replayability.
- Lockpicking and chests (weight 0.28): Chests can be lockpicked, with some locks lacking a turning mechanism. Crouching is used for lockpicking.
- Puzzle solving elements (weight 0.17): Puzzles involve finding objects in the environment and using bows, adding variety to the action gameplay.
- Parry and sword-shield combat (weight 0.17): A parry mechanic and sword and shield combat are present, offering defensive options.
- Checkpoints and progression (weight 0.16): The game has checkpoints and requires potion pickup for progression, aiding player advancement.
- Environmental interaction (weight 0.16): Players can carry candles and light fires in dark environments, and interact with objects physically.
- Loading screens between areas (weight 0.14): Movement between micro-locations involves loading screens, which can break immersion.
- Enemy variety and boss (weight 0.11): Enemy types include regular unarmored zombies, armored zombies, and a main boss. This provides combat diversity.
- Easy difficulty on hard mode (weight 0.1): Enemies die easily on hard difficulty, reducing challenge for experienced players.
- Weapon throwing and sticking (weight 0.09): Throwing knives and swords stick into surfaces, adding a physics-based throwing mechanic.
- OpenXR and SteamVR requirement (weight 0.09): OpenXR is supported but the game still asks to set SteamVR as the default runtime, causing inconvenience.
- Armory sandbox mode (weight 0.09): An Armory Mode serves as a sandbox for experimenting with unlocked equipment.
- VR climbing restrictions (weight 0.08): Climbing is restricted to designated spots, which may limit freedom in VR movement.

Performance notes:
- Black screen loading issues (weight 0.26): Players experience black screens after reloading, during loading, and before entering small houses. This can result in missing menus and interrupted gameplay.
- Runs well on some PCs (weight 0.23): Some players report the game runs without problems on their PC and is easy to run. Performance is generally stable across supported platforms with minor technical quirks.
- Performance fluctuations and drops (weight 0.2): Frame rates fluctuate significantly, dropping from 144 to 80 even on high-end hardware. Performance is described as terrible and unstable.
- Poor optimization on capable PCs (weight 0.2): The game runs poorly on systems far above the recommended specifications. Optimization is considered awful, with graphics and shader optimization needing improvement.
- Crashes and soft locks (weight 0.19): The game soft crashes when picking up potions and can crash instantly after the review prompt. These issues disrupt progression.
- Hand tracking and disappearance bugs (weight 0.19): Hands disappear and require a restart when opening SteamVR or minimizing the game. Hand tracking is also lost during combat, affecting VR interaction.

Recommendations:
- Overall positive recommendations (weight 0.4): Many reviewers simply recommend the game, with some calling it great and on par with others in the genre. Despite downsides, cutting down undead is done well.
- Good value for money (weight 0.38): Multiple reviewers feel the game is easily worth the price and offers top value. Some suggest buying it on sale or from a merchant site if it seems expensive.
- Highly recommended, try once (weight 0.25): Some reviewers highly recommend the game and believe everyone should try it at least once. It is considered one of the best VR games by some.
- Negative and refund reviews (weight 0.25): Some reviewers cannot recommend the game and advise against buying it. One refunded and will wait for a proper discount.
- Appeals to setting enthusiasts (weight 0.24): Those interested in the medieval fantasy and undead setting will have fun with the game. It lets players step into a haunted medieval battlefield.
- Recommended for Dark Souls fans (weight 0.19): Reviewers recommend the game to those who enjoy difficulty and dark, grim atmospheres similar to Dark Souls. This appeal is echoed across multiple clusters.
- Fun Diablo-style hack-and-slash (weight 0.19): Players who enjoy Diablo-style hack-and-slash with HEMA flair and nice graphics will find it fun. The combat against skeleton warriors in catacombs and castles is highlighted.
- Combat and story experience (weight 0.18): Players should play it themselves to experience the combat and a bit of the story. The game offers an overall good combat experience.
- Compared unfavorably to competitors (weight 0.18): Reviewers mention Hell Split Arena and Blade and Sorcery as better alternatives to this game.
- Niche VR action snack (weight 0.1): The game is best suited for players seeking a straightforward, brutal action experience in VR without expecting more depth.
- Combat skill refinement (weight 0.1): The game appeals to players drawn to refining combat skills and chasing high survival scores.

Other player notes:
- Lacks story and RPG mechanics (weight 0.28): The game is criticized for having no story or RPG mechanics, though other feedback notes narration, a plot, and a concise story about Ser Anvil Caphus. Opinions on narrative depth are mixed.
- Compared to Blade & Sorcery (weight 0.25): Several reviewers compare the game to Blade & Sorcery, with some claiming its ideas were taken from it and others finding Blade & Sorcery better. The game is also noted to be different from Blade & Sorcery.
- Multiplayer and co-op anticipated (weight 0.24): Reviewers mention that a multiplayer mode is planned, and one reviewer looks forward to online co-op. This suggests community interest in multiplayer features.
- Trailer may mislead (weight 0.18): The official gameplay trailer is compared to the Rainbow Six Siege E3 trailer because both look different from the actual game. Reviewers warn that the trailer is designed to sell and can be misleading.
- Versions have different strengths (weight 0.1): Different game versions offer different strengths, such as mod availability, performance, and combat feel. This indicates platform-specific trade-offs.
- Runs well on Quest via Virtual Desktop (weight 0.1): The game runs well on Quest when using Virtual Desktop with VDXR and ignoring the prompt. This provides a workaround for performance issues.
- Requires physical space (weight 0.09): The game requires enough physical space and preferably no glass objects nearby for safe play. This is a practical consideration for VR players.
- Reviewer wants more VR games (weight 0.09): One reviewer expresses a desire for more enjoyable VR games like this one. This indicates overall enjoyment and demand for similar titles.
- Visual style focuses on mood (weight 0.09): The visual style prioritizes mood over hyper-realistic detail. This suggests an atmospheric aesthetic.
- Short completion time (weight 0.09): The game can be finished in about three sessions. This indicates a relatively short length.
- Compared to Hell Split Arena (weight 0.09): The game is compared to Hell Split Arena, which the reviewer finds more polished, fun, and similar. This suggests areas for improvement.
- Protagonist resembles Duke Nukem (weight 0.08): The protagonist is noted to resemble Duke Nukem. This comparison highlights the character's style.
- Developed by Dark Curry S.L. (weight 0.08): The game is developed and published by Dark Curry S.L. This identifies the studio behind the game.
- Rated 7/10 (weight 0.08): One reviewer gives the game a rating of 7/10. This provides a quantitative assessment.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.24): Players are frustrated by imprecise PC controls, unnatural arm twisting, and an unresponsive physics engine that makes weapon handling and object interaction clumsy. Technical problems like hard locks, crashes, black loading screens, and poor optimization further compound the irritation. Level design that leads to getting lost and a deeply underwhelming final boss fight also contribute to the frustration.
- Disappointment (weight 0.12): Disappointment stems from high repetitiveness, stereotypical environments, and a lack of enemy variety, with all foes being basic humanoid undead. The story campaign is straightforward and unengaging, and the game becomes old quickly due to filler content and backtracking. Low-poly weapon models and a difficulty spike in later chapters also let players down.
- Excitement (weight 0.09): Excitement is driven by physically faithful combat with weapon weight and inertia simulation, realistic weapon throwing, and chaotic melee skirmishes. The challenge of horde mode with breakable weapons and constant brawling in arena mode provide thrilling experiences. Many players consider it the best VR experience they have ever played.
- Annoyance (weight 0.07): Annoyance arises from the inventory system causing potions to be thrown across the room and having to press a button repeatedly to summon enemies in armory mode, leading to deaths. Bugs such as stuck skeletons, hand tracking loss, and being stuck searching for a torch add to the irritation. A request to leave a positive review also interrupts the experience.
- Amusement (weight 0.06): Amusement comes from the protagonist's fitting comments and cursing of enemies, as well as the player character's sarcasm and anger. The crude, honest character Ser Anvil and his fixation on wine and whores provide humorous moments. Relaxing fun slashing zombies with swords also contributes to the amusement.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Satisfaction is derived from excellent game physics and formidable enemies, with satisfying combat involving sword and shield, dodging, and thrusting. The core combat of cutting down undead is well done, and the excellent physics make sword swinging fun. Overall, players find the game excellent with good mechanics.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.06): Enjoyment comes from collecting all achievements and enjoying the game overall, with pretty good physics and an entertaining arena mode. Fun object interactions and immersive fire lighting enhance the experience. Hacking enemies with various tools and cutting off body parts adds to the fun.
- Anger (weight 0.04): Anger is caused by the inability to jump or climb freely in a VR game and slow movement, which feels restrictive. Reloading a checkpoint that drops the player into falling again is infuriating. The game crashing after the review prompt also provokes anger.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.03): Enthusiasm is fueled by the physics allowing almost anything and the enjoyment of modding, which expands gameplay possibilities. Physics-based fighting with a huge weapon selection also excites players. This combination encourages creative experimentation and deep engagement.
- Love (weight 0.03): Players express love for the game because they loved everything about it, indicating a strong overall positive attachment. Great mechanics and fun lock picking are specifically highlighted as enjoyable aspects. The affection is broad and not tied to a single feature.
- Anticipation (weight 0.03): Anticipation is building for online co-op, which players are looking forward to as a way to enhance the experience. Waiting for major updates also keeps players excited about future content. This forward-looking excitement reflects engagement with the game's development.
- Surprise (weight 0.01): Surprise comes from being more than positively surprised by the game despite negative comments about the combat. Players did not expect to enjoy it as much as they did, exceeding their initial expectations. This positive surprise contrasts with pre-existing criticisms.
- Fatigue (weight 0.01): Fatigue is caused by the sepia/blue filter, which becomes tiring to look at over time. The persistent color grading wears on players' eyes and reduces visual comfort. This visual element detracts from longer play sessions.
- Fear (weight 0.01): Fear is induced by dark rooms and atmosphere at the beginning of the game, creating a tense and unsettling environment. The lack of visibility and ominous setting heighten anxiety. This emotional response is tied to the game's horror elements.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom arises because story enemies are not varied, leading to repetitive encounters. The lack of enemy diversity makes combat feel monotonous. This sameness reduces engagement during the campaign.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Hope is inspired by the developer fixing bugs, showing responsiveness to player feedback. This action suggests ongoing improvement and care for the game. Players feel optimistic that issues will be addressed.
- Challenge (weight 0.01): Challenge is provided by a tough boss battle that tests players' skills. The difficulty of this encounter demands persistence and strategy. Overcoming it offers a sense of accomplishment.
- Immersion (weight 0.01): Immersion is achieved through the tactile sensation of wielding steel and responsive combat, making players feel present in the game world. The physical feedback of weapons and immediate reactions deepen the experience. This sensory engagement draws players in.
- Tension (weight 0.01): Tension is created by dimly lit corridors, fog-drenched exteriors, and unsettling undead, forming an eerie atmosphere. The threatening environment keeps players on edge. This combination of visual and enemy design builds suspense.
- Mild frustration (weight 0.01): Mild frustration occurs when object collisions make bow aiming in narrow spaces difficult, disrupting ranged combat. The physics interactions interfere with precise aiming. This minor obstacle adds a layer of annoyance without ruining the experience.}