Info about WORLD OF HORROR:

Official game description:
  
The Old Gods are reawakening, clawing their way back into a world that’s spiraling into madness. In hospitals, abandoned classrooms, quiet apartments, and dark forests, strange appearances and unexplainable phenomena test the sanity of residents in Shiokawa, Japan. Is it chaotic retribution, or the machinations of beings beyond our comprehension?  
This is WORLD OF HORROR: The end of the world is nigh, and the only solution is to confront the terror reigning over the apocalypse. Navigate this hellish, roguelite reality through turn-based combat and unforgiving choices in this roguelite-style cosmic horror RPG.  
Invoke dark rituals, uncover disturbing clues, and solve puzzles across multiple randomized mysteries. Each perplexing case unravels into a series of random encounters with nightmarish figures inspired by the works of horror legends Junji Ito and H.P. Lovecraft.  
*   Unveil the fates of 14 unique playable characters, and choose your path through a pool of 20 dreadful investigations.  
*   Most mysteries harbor multiple endings - for those that survive long enough.  
*   A haunting chiptune soundtrack accentuates the game’s stark 1-bit art style, drawn 100% in MS Paint.

Release date: Oct 19, 2023

Categories: Roguelite, Turn-based RPG, First-Person Perspective, Visual Novel, Mystery, Cosmic Horror, Point-and-click Adventure, Multiple Endings

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair (No In-Game Monetization); summary: User reviews focus on dissatisfaction with the base game price and an expensive merchandise item ($250 sweatshirt), but no reviews mention in-game microtransactions, currency shops, loot boxes, or pay-to-win mechanics. The game appears to be a one-time purchase with no additional in-game purchases.
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: Moderate Wiki Dependency; summary: The primary user complaint is the game's failure to explain its mechanics, UI, and quest systems, forcing players to consult external wikis and guides. This creates a strong dependency on instructional data.
- Proton/Linux: score 15; verdict: Minor Issues; summary: The game has limited explicit Linux/Proton feedback, with two Steam Deck reports giving conflicting results: one positive and one negative. No other Linux-specific issues are mentioned. The overall compatibility appears good, with minor uncertainties regarding Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: score 45; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game exhibits significant Steam Deck friction: controller input is broken, display scaling fails, and a workaround (toggling a menu setting) is required to progress. Cloud saves are absent, reducing portability. While a few users report no issues, the prevalent feedback indicates a tinkering-heavy experience.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00
  - Reasoning: The majority of reviews indicate that the current $20 base price is too high, with many recommending purchasing on sale. A fair price is consistently mentioned around $15, while $17 is still considered overpriced. Thus, the community would consider a base price between $10 and $15 as fair.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: 1.0h
  - Session length: 1.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Multiple reviews state that a single complete playthrough (story completion) takes about 1 hour, with a typical session length ranging from 30 to 60 minutes (approximately 1 hour). The 20-hour playtime reflects total replayability, not a specific completion metric; no clear number for 100% game completion or dedicated endgame time is provided. Hence, storyCompletion and sessionLength are set to 1 hour based on the most direct evidence, while gameCompletion and endgame remain null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game has a rough start with poor tutorials and frustrating RNG, but becomes addictive after about 30 minutes or a few playthroughs as mechanics click and content unlocks.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Completing the tutorial and first few playthroughs
  - Time to anchor: 0h 30m
  - Friction: steep learning curve; lack of effective tutorial; early-game RNG frustration; repetitive early content; overwhelming menu navigation
  - Unlock drivers: completing the tutorial; unlocking content through multiple runs; learning game mechanics over time; progression unlocks that open up gameplay
  - Conditions: tolerance for RNG; willingness to push through early confusion; interest in horror aesthetic and story; patience with repetitive gameplay; prior familiarity with roguelike genre
- Player Archetypes:
  - Horror Art Aficionado (buy)
    - Motivation: Appreciating the unique horror aesthetic and atmosphere inspired by Junji Ito and Lovecraft.
    - Playstyle: Exploratory and narrative-focused, enjoying the art, music, and story events.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Lovecraft simp; pixel art fan
    - Reference games: Arkham Horror
  - Modding Creator (buy)
    - Motivation: Creative expression and extending game content through accessible modding tools.
    - Playstyle: Tinkering, creating custom characters and scenarios, and experimenting with user-generated content.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Completionist Min-Maxer (sale)
    - Motivation: Unlocking all achievements and endings, and optimizing character builds within RNG constraints.
    - Playstyle: Systematic replay with meticulous resource management and meta-aware character selection.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Fallout 1
  - Disillusioned Early Adopter (no buy)
    - Motivation: Desire for a completed, updated game with active development.
    - Playstyle: Formerly engaged, now disappointed; may have played during early access and stopped due to lack of progress.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no 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:
- Junji Ito aesthetic praised (weight 0.59): Players consistently praise the game's art direction and atmosphere, directly comparing it to Junji Ito's manga and Lovecraftian cosmic horror. The visuals and storytelling are seen as a faithful homage.
- Multiple endings and replayability (weight 0.25): The game offers multiple endings and a variety of unlockable achievements and content, providing strong incentives for replay. This is seen as a key feature that adds depth.
- Game is highly rated (weight 0.2): A significant group of reviewers simply state the game is great, well-made, and phenomenal, indicating strong overall satisfaction with the experience.
- Creepy horror atmosphere (weight 0.1): Players describe the atmosphere as genuinely creepy, grotesque, and oppressive, successfully delivering a horror experience.
- Engaging roguelike gameplay (weight 0.1): The game is recognized as a roguelike with unique mechanics, customizable runs, and turn-based gameplay.
- Fusion of horror styles (weight 0.1): Reviewers appreciate the blend of Western Lovecraftian horror and Japanese horror elements, creating a unique fusion.
- Solid horror roguelite (weight 0.1): The game is described as a solid horror roguelite with stylish visuals and fun mechanics.
- Unique visual novel roguelike (weight 0.1): The mix of visual novel and roguelike horror is seen as a unique and fun take on the genres.
- Pleasant music quality (weight 0.09): The music is noted as good and fantastic, contributing positively to the overall experience.
- Excellent overall atmosphere (weight 0.09): The overall atmosphere is described as good and excellent, often in conjunction with the music.
- Point-and-click RPG fun (weight 0.09): Players note the game's point-and-click and RPG elements, calling it a fun and hard turn-based experience.

Common complaints:
- Developer abandoned the game (weight 0.68): Multiple players report the developer has abandoned the game with zero communication, no updates for years, and unfulfilled promises. This is the most frequent and severe complaint.
- Insufficient game content (weight 0.2): Feedback indicates the game feels barebones with not enough content, making it feel incomplete or unfinished despite being feature-complete.
- Price too high for value (weight 0.13): Players feel the $20 price tag is too expensive given the lack of content, updates, and perceived state of the game. Many suggest a lower price of $10-15.
- Missing Steam cloud saves (weight 0.08): The game lacks Steam Cloud save synchronization, which has been a missing feature for years, frustrating players who switch devices.
- No achievement integration (weight 0.07): Steam achievements and in-game achievement systems are missing, reducing the game's completion appeal.
- Frustrating RNG mechanics (weight 0.07): The game's random number generation in skill checks can be punishing and unsatisfying, leading to gameplay frustration.
- Confusing user interface (weight 0.07): The UI is described as unclear, convoluted, and unintuitive, making it rough for newcomers to navigate.
- Steep learning curve (weight 0.07): Players find the game difficult to learn initially, with a rough learning curve that may deter new players.

Gameplay feedback:
- Roguelite horror RPG (weight 0.41): The game is consistently described as a roguelite or roguelike with horror themes, combining run-based gameplay with turn-based combat and RPG elements. This hybrid structure is a core part of the game's identity.
- Junji Ito inspired horror (weight 0.23): The horror aesthetic is heavily compared to Junji Ito's surreal and manga-style art, often combined with Lovecraftian influences. This unique visual and narrative tone is frequently highlighted.
- Multiple endings system (weight 0.22): Players noted the presence of multiple branching endings for different mysteries or scenarios, which adds significant replay value. This feature is a major draw for narrative exploration.
- Text-based adventure elements (weight 0.21): The game includes text-based segments, reminiscent of choose-your-own-adventure or text adventure games. This adds a narrative depth.
- Mystery investigation focus (weight 0.21): Players solve multiple distinct mysteries with branching paths, each with unique story scenarios. The investigation is a core gameplay loop.
- Achievement unlocks content (weight 0.19): The achievement system is used to unlock additional characters, items, investigations, and game modifiers, serving as a key progression mechanic. This gate rewards player dedication.
- Skill check mechanics (weight 0.15): The game includes RNG-based skill checks reminiscent of D&D or Call of Cthulhu TTRPGs, influencing events and outcomes. This adds a layer of chance and strategic decision-making.
- Random events exploration (weight 0.14): Exploration involves random encounters and events, which vary between playthroughs and keep the gameplay unpredictable. This supports the roguelike structure.
- Doom meter timer (weight 0.1): A DOOM meter accumulates with player actions, acting as a time limit or pressure mechanic. This system drives tension and forces players to manage their resources carefully.
- Point-and-click adventure (weight 0.09): Some feedback describes the game as an old-fashioned point-and-click adventure, focusing on investigation and puzzle-solving within its horror setting. This appeals to fans of classic graphic adventures.
- Board game mechanics (weight 0.08): The game is compared to board games like Arkham Horror, with similar turn-based, strategic mechanics. This framing attracts tabletop fans.

Performance notes:
- Display scaling broken (weight 0.1): On the Steam Deck, the full screen shows only half or incomplete display, and screen scaling does not work properly. This affects basic usability on the device.
- Controller input issues (weight 0.1): The 'check for gamepads' setting prevents controller inputs from working on the Steam Deck, and controller support is missing or subpar. This makes the game difficult to control on the platform.
- Steam Deck unplayable (weight 0.09): The game is reported to be unplayable on the Steam Deck without a specific fix, and does not work well on the device. This indicates a critical compatibility problem for Steam Deck users.
- Wrong button prompts (weight 0.03): Button prompts show keyboard and mouse (KBM) icons even when a controller setting is enabled. This creates confusion for controller users.
- No issues on PC (weight 0.03): Some players report no issues on PC and Steam Deck, suggesting the problems may be specific to certain configurations or user experiences.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for horror fans (weight 0.51): The game is strongly recommended for fans of horror genres, especially those who enjoy Junji Ito's manga and Lovecraftian cosmic horror. Players who appreciate atmospheric, body horror, or psychological terror will likely find the game appealing.
- Buy on sale recommended (weight 0.36): Many players advise waiting for a sale before purchasing, as the current price is considered too high for the content or quality. Some mention specific discount thresholds, like 50% off or paying no more than $10.
- Not recommended by some (weight 0.22): A few players strongly advise against purchasing the game, citing dissatisfaction with the horror elements, poor value for money, or issues with the developer. Some feel it does not deliver on the promised horror experience.

Other player notes:
- Game accepted as-is (weight 0.03): Some players view the game as a fixed, unchangeable experience that should be taken at face value, without expecting ongoing updates or transformative patches.
- Review bombing meta commentary (weight 0.03): Players discuss the cyclical nature of review bombing campaigns on the platform, suggesting that such protests have become predictable and less impactful over time.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.17): Players are deeply frustrated by the developer's abandonment of the game, with no updates for years and broken promises, while the developer instead promotes overpriced merchandise. The game is riddled with bugs, poor UI, unfair RNG mechanics, and lacks basic features like cloud saves and autosave. Additionally, confusing combat signals, repetitive gameplay, and poor Steam Deck performance contribute to a punishing and unwinnable experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.15): Players feel let down by a promising game that remains unfinished and abandoned, with very little content that becomes repetitive quickly. The gameplay fails to deliver the deep mystery-solving and horror experience shown in trailers, instead offering shallow mechanics, anticlimactic endings, and no further updates. Many note that the developer prioritized merchandise over game content, leaving a hollow and unsatisfying experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.09): Satisfied players appreciate the game's deep strategic gameplay, rewarding skill and knowledge, along with high replayability from unlockables, mods, and secrets. They value the unique art style, atmospheric horror, and the sense of accomplishment from overcoming difficult challenges or completing endings. The game offers good value for its price, with engaging combat and exploration that stay fun over time.
- Excitement (weight 0.08): Players are excited by the game's unique combination of Junji Ito and Lovecraftian horror in a roguelite RPG, with unpredictable events and a creepy atmosphere. The anticipation of new updates, modding potential, and the thrill of discovering new endings, gods, and events keeps engagement high. The game's style, music, and grotesque horror elements create an addictive and suspenseful experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Players enjoy the game's short runs, achievements, and unique endings that encourage replay, along with the spectacular soundtrack and Junji Ito-inspired art style. The tense dice-roll mechanics and exploration create an unpredictable and rewarding loop, while the horror atmosphere and resource management provide an immersive experience. Many appreciate the high replayability and the ability to make creative or absurd choices.
- Appreciation (weight 0.05): Players appreciate the game's masterful pixel art and atmosphere that faithfully capture Junji Ito's grotesque style, combined with an immersive cosmic horror experience. The evocative writing, great soundtrack, and modding support are praised, as is the developer's solo effort despite the game's flaws. The unique visual style and gameplay create a memorable and stylish horror title.
- Admiration (weight 0.03): Admiration is directed at the game's outstanding art direction, music, and writing, which create a masterclass in occult horror that feels like a love letter to Junji Ito and cosmic horror. The turn-based combat system is praised for setting a high standard, and the unified aesthetic builds a perfectly tense atmosphere. The game's clever monster designs and references are also highly celebrated.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom stems from the game being too short and highly repetitive, with events becoming predictable after just a few runs. The shallow combat and lack of variety in content fail to provide incentive for replay, leading to players losing interest quickly. The slow pace and limited initial options further compound the monotonous experience.
- Amusement (weight 0.02): Amusement arises from absurd and funny in-game scenarios, such as beating ghosts to death, quirky mod content, and humorous choices like rizzing students or kung fu kicks. Unexpected deaths from mundane actions like walking up stairs or lifting boxes also add comedic value. The game's ability to generate bizarre and entertaining situations makes players laugh.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Players express hope for future updates, new mysteries, and improvements to the game, despite low expectations. Some cling to recent developer teasers or Discord posts as signs of a potential revival. There is also hope for better localization, such as official Chinese translation, and that the community might support the game further.
- Love (weight 0.02): Love for the game is driven by its engaging horror atmosphere, clever secrets, and attention to detail, making it a top favorite for many. The eldritch horror storyline combined with roguelike mechanics and character variety creates a deeply satisfying experience. Players appreciate the Junji Ito and Lovecraftian aesthetic, which keeps them coming back even after hundreds of hours.
- Anger (weight 0.01): Anger targets the developer's perceived greed and abandonment, with the game left unfinished while selling overpriced merchandise like a $300 watch. Players are furious at unreported updates, removed forum posts, and disrespectful behavior. Bugs, UI issues, and unanswered feature requests add to the sense of exploitation and neglect.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Regret stems from wasted money and time, as players who missed the refund window or ignored negative advice now find the game boring or unfinished. Some wish they could give a positive review but are held back by the game's flaws. The sense of a fine product abandoned by developers adds to the remorse.
- Intrigue (weight 0.01): Intrigue is sparked by the game's achievement system that unlocks new runs and its unique visual style blending horror themes. Players find the game compelling enough to continue playing despite its flaws, drawn by the mystery and atmosphere. The combination of Lovecraft and Junji Ito elements creates a fascinating and immersive world.
- Addiction (weight 0.01): Addiction is fueled by the roguelike gameplay with unique roleplay elements that keep players engaged despite initial confusion or RNG. The game's addictive pace and variety of events and choices make it hard to put down. Players find themselves compelled to continue even after frustrating moments.
- Desire (weight 0.01): Desire is expressed for more content, such as DLC or sequels, after seeing the game's potential. Players also want translations for broader accessibility, especially for Portuguese speakers. Some express a wish for a board game adaptation, reflecting a strong interest in the game's world.
- Adoration (weight 0.01): Adoration is felt for the game as a love letter to retro RPGs and Junji Ito's horror, with high replay value and wonderful graphics. Players consider it one of the best horror games, a benchmark in the genre, and absolutely adore its quality and atmosphere. The blend of Lovecraft and Japanese horror is highly valued.
- Fear (weight 0.01): Fear arises from the game's ability to make safe places feel unsafe, with certain cases being too scary to replay. The atmosphere creates genuine tension, making players scared to go to the bathroom or open doors. Jump scares and screen flashes from monsters add to the stressful experience.
- Resignation (weight 0.01): Resignation comes from accepting the game's high repetition and lack of updates, with players adapting to its flaws. Some understand the narrative theme that you cannot defeat the old god, only delay it, and thus settle for the experience as it is. This acceptance stems from realizing the game's limitations.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): Nostalgia is triggered by the fusion of Cthulhu mythos, Junji Ito's style, and pixel art, evoking memories of retro RPGs and urban legends. Players recall genuinely scary aspects of bygone computer game styles. The game reminds them of horror RPGs from the Game Boy Color era, creating a nostalgic feeling.}