Info about DX-Ball 2: 20th Anniversary Edition:

Official game description:
After more than 5 million downloads, the king of break-out games is back in a special 20th Anniversary Edition. Seumas McNally's fan-favourite DX-Ball 2 has been re-mastered for modern PCs while retaining all of the classic brick-breaking action and unique graphic style of the late 90's original.  
Features:  
*   150 Boards from the original Board Pack 1 (aka Full Version) plus the all-new anniversary boardset and widescreen variants.  
*   New dynamic animated boards change as you play!  
*   Switch between new high-res board textures or the original 90's graphics at any time.  
*   20 classic power-ups plus the all-new gravity-ball, lightning and more!  
*   Shoot the ball extra fast to instantly break multi-hit bricks with the new punch paddle!  
*   Move the ball from a distance with the gravity push/pull paddle.  
*   Saved games allow you to save your progress and continue later.  
*   Compete for the best score with new online leaderboards.  
*   Includes editing tools and full workshop support for creating and sharing custom boardsets with the community.  
*   Collect in-game charms for extra points and achievements.  
*   Play in "Classic" mode with only the original features and graphics.

Release date: Nov 21, 2018

Categories: Brick Breaker Gameplay, High Score Chasing, Custom Level Editor, Arcade, Single-player, Leaderboards and Achievements, Collectathon

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 85; verdict: Predatory Monetization; summary: The game's monetization strategy, particularly regarding its season pass and DLC, is perceived as predatory by many users. Key issues include overpriced content, lack of updates and support, and misleading promises about the content provided. These factors contribute to a negative user experience and a sense of being scammed.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


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:
- Variety of levels and customization (weight 0.96): The game offers a significant number of levels and level packs, including the ability to create and share custom levels through Steam Workshop. This adds to the game's replayability and customization options.
- Nostalgic and timeless gameplay (weight 0.87): The game is praised for its nostalgic value and timeless gameplay. It retains the spirit of the original while introducing new features and improvements, making it enjoyable for both old and new players.
- Improved graphics and audio (weight 0.68): The game features updated graphics, including higher resolution options and improved audio quality. The soundtrack is also praised for its quality and nostalgic value.
- Modern system support (weight 0.08): The game is well-optimized for modern systems, supporting widescreen resolutions and running smoothly on contemporary devices.
- Fun effects and collectibles (weight 0.07): The game includes fun effects, collectibles, and achievements, adding to the overall enjoyment and replayability.
- Online features and leaderboards (weight 0.06): Online score leaderboards and rankings add to the game's replayability and competitive aspect.
- Good value for price (weight 0.04): The game is seen as offering good value for its price, especially during sales, making it an attractive purchase.
- Multiple game modes and difficulty settings (weight 0.04): The game offers multiple game modes and a plethora of difficulty settings, catering to a wide range of player preferences.
- Exclusive content and collectibles (weight 0.04): The game includes exclusive content through the season pass and new charm collectibles, adding to the overall value and enjoyment.

Common complaints:
- Gameplay and design issues (weight 0.38): Players report various gameplay issues such as invisible blocks, indestructible blocks, and questionable level design. Some power-ups do not work as expected, and there are issues with the paddle and item effects.
- Graphical and visual problems (weight 0.37): The game suffers from graphical issues including pixelated and blurry graphics, low-resolution artwork, and noisy visuals. Some textures and the overall visual design are not up to standard.
- Game mechanics and power-ups (weight 0.32): There are issues with game mechanics, including the temporary nature of the Thru block power-up and the strange calculation of the ball's bounce angle and speed. Some power-ups do not reveal hidden blocks as expected.
- Lack of updates and content (weight 0.28): The game has not received any updates since 2020 and seems abandoned. Additionally, the developers did not release the last two packs promised, and the season pass is considered overpriced and incomplete.
- Value and pricing concerns (weight 0.27): Players feel that the game is not worth its price, especially considering the lack of updates and content. The season pass and DLC are considered overpriced and not providing enough value.
- Audio and sound problems (weight 0.24): The game has audio issues such as overcompressed sound effects, a loud winning celebration, and a lack of music. The broken music player and mismatched item effects also contribute to a poor audio experience.
- User interface and menu issues (weight 0.22): The game's user interface is described as uncomfortable and weird. The menu and options implementation are not user-friendly, making navigation and gameplay less enjoyable.
- Technical and performance issues (weight 0.21): There are several technical issues reported, including lagging, stuttering of moving objects, and high mouse sensitivity without the option to adjust it. The game also lacks support for certain screens and has issues with the Steam Overlay.
- Difficulty and monotony (weight 0.11): The game can become quite difficult and monotonous. Players find some levels annoying due to high difficulty and repetitive board designs. The lack of mid-level save function adds to the frustration.

Gameplay feedback:
- Classic brick-breaking gameplay (weight 0.58): The game follows the classic brick-breaking formula similar to Arkanoid and Breakout. It includes various elements like power-ups, multiple game modes, and challenging levels.
- Custom level creation (weight 0.12): Players can create and share custom levels, adding a significant amount of replayability and community engagement through custom-made maps.
- New charm collectibles (weight 0.08): The game introduces new collectible charms that add a layer of customization and cosmetic appeal. These charms have various effects and can be collected throughout the game.
- Diverse power-ups (weight 0.06): The game features a variety of power-ups that affect gameplay mechanics, such as expanding explosion blocks and other detailed power-up mechanics.
- Mouse control mechanics (weight 0.06): The game includes specific gameplay mechanics involving mouse controls, offering casual gameplay with some strategic elements and optional improvements.
- Level sets and animations (weight 0.06): The game includes new sets with brick animations and various level sets, offering a visually appealing and diverse gaming experience.
- Online rankings and achievements (weight 0.04): Online rankings and achievements add to the game's replayability, allowing players to compete globally and track their progress.
- Enhanced soundtrack (weight 0.04): The game features better quality soundtracks, including tracker module soundtracks that enhance the overall gaming experience.
- Save and load feature (weight 0.02): The game includes a save and load feature, allowing players to save their progress and continue playing later.
- Distinct art styles (weight 0.02): The game offers three distinct in-game art styles, providing players with different visual experiences and customization options.
- Anniversary features (weight 0.02): The game introduces new anniversary features, celebrating the game's history and providing additional content for players.

Performance notes:
- Modern system support and improvements (weight 0.16): The game has been updated to support modern operating systems and hardware, including improved graphics, resolution, and audio quality. It also supports widescreen resolutions and runs smoothly on modern systems.
- Music player and lagging issues (weight 0.04): There are reports of a broken music player and lagging issues, which can affect the overall gaming experience.
- Stuttering and paddle locking (weight 0.04): Some players have experienced strong stuttering of moving objects and issues with paddle locking, which can be frustrating during gameplay.
- Smoother gameplay experience (weight 0.03): The game feels more fluid and smoother compared to the original version, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended game (weight 0.31): The game is highly recommended for both fans of classic games like Arkanoid and newcomers. It is praised for its value, especially when purchased on sale, and is considered suitable for both casual play and challenging gameplay.
- Worth the price (weight 0.3): The base game and its DLCs are considered worth the price, offering good value for money. The season pass is also seen as a good deal, equivalent or slightly more than the two single DLCs combined.
- Nostalgic and fun gameplay (weight 0.28): The game is recommended for anyone looking for a fun and nostalgic gameplay experience. It is a cheap option to purchase for those seeking nostalgia.
- Tempting sale price (weight 0.02): The game's price during sales is considered very tempting, making it an attractive purchase for many players.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Nostalgia (weight 0.47): Players are experiencing a strong sense of nostalgia due to the game's faithful remake of the classic Breakout formula, which reminds them of playing similar games in their childhood. The 20th Anniversary Edition brings back memories of playing the original version with family or on old hardware, making players relive their past experiences.
- Excitement (weight 0.16): The excitement stems from the game's availability on Steam, which allows for easy access and sharing of gameplay tips. The addition of workshop integration for new boards and unique gameplay features, along with amazing music, has also contributed to the excitement among long-time fans and new players alike.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.12): Players enjoy the game due to its fun and casual gameplay experience, which is also mentally stimulating. The new features and improvements in the 20th Anniversary Edition make it suitable for casual play and add to the overall enjoyment.
- Frustration (weight 0.09): Frustration arises from various gameplay issues such as high mouse sensitivity, weird UI, and indestructible blocks that can make some levels annoying. Additionally, the loud winning celebration and mismatched item effects contribute to the frustration.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.06): Players feel satisfied with the game's smooth performance on modern systems and the ability to create and share custom levels. The remastered features and the overall job done by the developers have met the players' expectations.
- Disappointment (weight 0.04): Disappointment comes from the game's high difficulty level, which some players find not fun. Various issues with the game and its inability to hold attention also contribute to this feeling.}