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Specific tags for the title's features

Ranking

Similarity & Review

Review

Multiple Sources

Similarity

Compared to VS. Not a review!

Similarity Scale

Percentage of possible points earned scored -1 to 1 in tenths in 60 categories

Genre Controls Modes Progress Builds Stages Content Aesthetic Vibe
[edit]

Yet Another Zombie Survivors

EA

What my partner called "a survivors for the Call of Duty demographic", this zombie slaying take has some of the more complex 3D graphics in this genre, but manages to keep things fast, simple and snappy despite the "realism". While we're a little burnt on zombies and the aesthetic doesn't appeal as much to us and resulted in some quibbles ("taller" and easier to get hit, gems floating so hard to identify position) for some people this likely appeals to you in a way games with pixel graphics simply never will. Could use more content but it's pretty fully developed for Early Access and I'm looking forward to coming back on release.

Arena Shooter Auto-Shooter Bullet Heaven Enemy Hell Horde Survival Party Based Roguelite Single Stick Shooter Survivors-like Top Down or Isometric Wave Survival
8.2 Combined Ranking Score
19/72 Ranking Position
1431/1600 Total Points
8.3 Final Review
90% Steam
7.8 Scale
8.1 Vibes
4499 Steam Reviews
349/400 Review Points
8.0 Similarity Score
90% Diagnosis:
Similar
1082/1200 Comparison Points
99% Genre 7.9/8 genre
100% Simple Controls 7/7 move
99% Survival Modes 3.9/4 modes
100% Power Progression 4/4 level
85% Buildcrafting Depth 3.5/5 build
77% Stage Features 3.8/7 stage
84% Content Breadth 6.1/9 stuff
73% Aesthetics 2.8/6 style
97% Gameplay Vibe Check 9.3/10 vibe vibe

Yet Another Zombie Survivors Ranking Notes

- +

Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 3.0

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 11/5/2023

A zombie themed survivors-like notable for being one of the best with 3D art style. Despite the very 'realistic' 3D graphics (and they're not actually attempting to be, favoring simple style that reminds me of PS3 era shooters), it keeps the arcade vibe, fast pace and almost all of the gameplay style of Vampire Survivors, making you focus on moving away from some things (enemies) and towards others (your leveling resource) as the primary strategy. I think they could have done more complex graphics but decided not to, favoring ability to stack enemy density.

It notes in the menu that the optional manual aim and fire were implemented at the request of the community (pretty cool) but the game was not designed around them. That auto-first design and explicit noting, plus that it's enabled by default, gets it full points in those categories despite the presence of other options. Weapons "evolve" but not in the combine two to get something weird way.

Technically you control a group of "survivors" (really seems more like a military unit but I guess if you're shooting this many guns that makes sense) but we're going to call it 1 for Direct Control of Single Avatar since you don't individually trigger any of their abilities, for the most part it's just an aesthetic representation of how there could be so many attacks on screen.

Due to the engine there's never quite as many enemies or attacks on screen, but it still feels fairly over the top and invincible builds are possible in endless mode. Due to the style of weapons it's not as common for each survivor to cause you to move in different ways, which is something I like about other games I call mowing games. Due to the "realism" it also never quite seems to get as creative, though it does pretty well inside the genre. While it seems obvious in retrospect, the helicopter strike for example felt fresh mechanically and visually. Like the best abilities in these games it changes the way you move, in this case kiting huge crowds in as straight a line as possible.

Kind of wish one of the gals was available in the first three characters as the realistic style makes the masculine first three even more apparent (and overall masculine vibe) even though technically the game has a better balance than many on this list. I originally had a longer rant on it but it doesn't feel fair to leave it when many on the list have no girl characters.

My partner said they dislike that the gems float so they can't tell exactly where they are and hit enemies more, something I hadn't noticed. In general the more isometric viewpoint and "correct" height characters makes it more easy to hit enemies. Overall this one is pretty solid if you like the presentation and I didn't feel ready to move on when I had to.

Yet Another Zombie Survivors Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

8.0 Similarity Score
90% Diagnosis:
1082/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle 1/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 1/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 0.9/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) 1/1
Move Only 1/1
No Dash 1/1
No Trigger 1/1
No Special Move 1/1
No Aiming 1/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 1/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 1/1
Endless Mode 1/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 1/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 0.9/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 1/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 1/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 1/1
1/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 0.5/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 0/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 1/1
Explorable Map 0.3/1
BIG Maps -0.5/1
XP on Ground 1/1
Health on Ground 1/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 1/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 1/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 0/1
Enemy Variety 1/1
Bosses / Elites 1/1
Many Interesting Characters 1/1
Many Challenges 0.4/1
Multiple Stages 0.2/1
Difficulty Modifiers 0.5/1
Bestiary / Lore 0/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 1/1
Retro / Pixel Art -0.5/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 0.1/1
Bumpin Music 1/1
Fun Writing 0.2/1
Subtle Humor 1/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 1/1
Over the Top 0.8/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 1/1
Difficulty Ramp 1/1
Fun Ramp 0.8/1
Low Price 0.7/1
Technical Check 1/1
Controls Check 1/1
Fun Check 1/1
Feels like VS 0.9/1

Yet Another Zombie Survivors Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

8.3 Final Review
90% Positive Steam Reviews
4499 Steam Reviews
8.1 Pure Vibes
7.8 Review Scale
349/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 1/1
Not Janky 0.7/1
Good UI 0.6/1
Controller and Deck 1/1
Lots of Content 0.4/1
Good Theme 0.6/1
Good Graphics and Sound 0.9/1
Fun Feel 1/1
Unique Twists 0.7/1
Vibe Check 0.9/1

Metacritic Scores

- +

This title has metacritic data! The "fuck the man" score is adjusted so each person's review is equally weighted, regardless of critic or fan status.

Critic

- Converted 10 Point Score
- Number of Critic Reviews

User

8.0 User Review Average
1 Number of User Reviews

Average

8.0 Direct Average
8.0 "Fuck The Man" Combined Mean

Yet Another Zombie Survivors Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

LinuxSteam DeckWindows PCEA

Sorting Categories

Similar

Genre and Control Style Tags

Arena ShooterAuto-ShooterBullet HeavenEnemy HellHorde SurvivalParty BasedRogueliteSingle Stick ShooterSurvivors-likeTop Down or IsometricWave Survival

Aesthetic Tags

3DRealisticSerious

Setting / Story Tags

Horror ThemedMilitaryZombies

Control Styles

ControllerController 1 HandedController Move OnlyMouse Only

Game Mode Tags

Unknown20m

Features and Extras

Steam AchievementsSteam Cloud

Dev/Publisher

Awesome Games Studio

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: No
  • Online: No
  • Player Count: 1
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: 70
  • Steam Leaderboards: No
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: No

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: No
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: No

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

Same dev, I think, as Yet Another Zombie Defense HD.

"The Horde is coming but you're ready to fight it! Assemble your team and decide upon their enhancements to find the most efficient synergies against thousands of the undead. Survive. Then evolve. Then break all the limits in this deceivingly simple but addictive reverse bullet hell."

"Forget about things like complicated controls or hour-long cutscenes — jump right into the fray and watch the fireworks! It's a game that everyone will enjoy, no matter their gaming experience, as the characters you command aim and shoot on their own. Just drop onto the couch and bask in your endorphin rising from a survivors-like gameplay loop!"

Run Times & Speedups

- +

Average Run Time: 20m

Run Time Notes

?

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

Greedland

EA Free Available

A Crysis meets Starship Troopers meets Crimsonland survivors-like, aka a top down shooter with sci fi tech. It seemed designed to be a twin stick shooter (looks like it) but with auto-aim on it's very much was a survivors-like stuck in a mission based 2010s shooter user interface. Once you get into a run it's solid. It's not a chatty game but actually does have subtle humor sprinkled about it and while it has a dash and special move they are all mapped to the left side of the controller by default. Lots of challenges and an endless mode. It's not AAA graphics but if you want your next survivors-like to be a sci fi wave shooter on land with a 3D engine this might be the best pick I've come across yet. Still developing!

Arena Shooter Auto-Shooter Bullet Heaven Enemy Hell Horde Survival Mowing Game Roguelite Single Stick Shooter Survivors-like Top Down or Isometric Twin Stick Shooter Wave Survival
8.1 Combined Ranking Score
22/72 Ranking Position
1421/1600 Total Points
8.4 Final Review
84% Steam
8.3 Scale
8.6 Vibes
912 Steam Reviews
353/400 Review Points
7.8 Similarity Score
89% Diagnosis:
Similar
1068/1200 Comparison Points
99% Genre 7.8/8 genre
83% Simple Controls 4.6/7 move
100% Survival Modes 4/4 modes
100% Power Progression 4/4 level
98% Buildcrafting Depth 4.8/5 build
82% Stage Features 4.5/7 stage
83% Content Breadth 5.9/9 stuff
72% Aesthetics 2.6/6 style
93% Gameplay Vibe Check 8.6/10 vibe vibe

Greedland Ranking Notes

- +

Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 5.1

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 11/6/2023

This survivors-like has a kind of Crysis meets Starship Troopers vibe, with perhaps the wit more on the side of Crysis (sparse, but sometimes surprises you.) Starship Troopers vibe is mostly just due to the hordes of often buggy aliens swarming towards you. Or there's the obvious inspiration: Crimsonland.

Has a ton of menus shelving all kinds of customizations like equipment, starting weapons and upgrades. While I appreciated the customization found in many of these areas the finding of them was less enjoyable. I tend to prefer that when I open a game I can just ram the A button and end up in a run of some sort. This one brings you into an upgrade menu dead end, not that uncommon perhaps, but the LB over to the map, and then zoom in, and then select mission, and then select my loadout again and then finally into the action.. feels like it could be simplified.

Lots of missions but maps aren't really different. Kind of an arena shooter, though it's not a small box. Feels more oldschool in terms of set up / grind / "missions", though it's technically the same stuff you'd unlock or do as activities in any other survivors-like.

Has quick toggle button to switch to automatic which is honestly much better than manual fire imho, especially because you don't really have to choose because you can direct the fire with the right stick whenever you feel like. (You can even unlock auto leveling if you feel like it) That's one of my preferred methods of control for single stick shooters with an aim option, though my special interest at the moment is obviously the ones that basically have no aiming and force you to move interestingly.

This one does have some of those moves like orbiting weapons and so on, so despite the stylings more often seen in first person shooters, it respects a lot of the genre conventions for more than just bullets. I thought my time so far with it was fun, never really felt like the runs were dragging and even early in the game there were actual choices that seemed varied. I appreciate the impactful feeling level options - even if the gameplay impact of getting 40% increase to attack is exactly the same as 10%, it saying 40% on the upgrade card is fun. And the game doesn't go too far, obviously 1000% feels fake.

The design, when I understand it, is often smart like that (and some seems badly translated at the moment, but it's still Early Access). Thought this was going to get a neutral score in 'subtle humor' but it actually got me laughing a few times so full point.

Perhaps because overall it feels a little dry compared to whimsical titles like Elemental Survivors, the moments of levity stand out a lot. My pod drops on a little alien and it does 666 damage and squishes it to start the level. Level 2? Two little aliens. I'm ashamed but I laughed. Less ashamed to laugh at the fact you can unequip your HUD and ability to fire in your meta-progression and customization area. Guess who accidentally did that for a second.

I think the vibe usually worked for me when I was actually in game. The UI actually in a run is solid, nice big clear level choices and so on. So many of my issues are purely with how complicated it is to get in there. Probably extra fun if you really like to grind for odd goals and challenges.

Very solid for a solo dev early access title imho. If this came out for PS3 I would have died.

Greedland Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

7.8 Similarity Score
89% Diagnosis:
1068/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle 0.8/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 1/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 1/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) 1/1
Move Only 1/1
No Dash 0/1
No Trigger 0.8/1
No Special Move 0/1
No Aiming 0.8/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 1/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 1/1
Endless Mode 1/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 1/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 1/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 1/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 1/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 1/1
1/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 1/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 0.8/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 1/1
Explorable Map 0.4/1
BIG Maps 0.1/1
XP on Ground 1/1
Health on Ground 1/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 1/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 1/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 0/1
Enemy Variety 0.8/1
Bosses / Elites 0.8/1
Many Interesting Characters 0.8/1
Many Challenges 1/1
Multiple Stages 0.5/1
Difficulty Modifiers 1/1
Bestiary / Lore 0/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 0/1
Retro / Pixel Art 0/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 0.1/1
Bumpin Music 0.5/1
Fun Writing 0/1
Subtle Humor 1/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 1/1
Over the Top 1/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 1/1
Difficulty Ramp 0.5/1
Fun Ramp 0.6/1
Low Price 0.7/1
Technical Check 0.8/1
Controls Check 1/1
Fun Check 1/1
Feels like VS 1/1

Greedland Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

8.4 Final Review
84% Positive Steam Reviews
912 Steam Reviews
8.6 Pure Vibes
8.3 Review Scale
353/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 1/1
Not Janky 0.8/1
Good UI 0.4/1
Controller and Deck 1/1
Lots of Content 0.7/1
Good Theme 0.8/1
Good Graphics and Sound 1/1
Fun Feel 1/1
Unique Twists 0.6/1
Vibe Check 1/1

Greedland Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

Steam DeckWindows PCEAFree Available

Sorting Categories

Similar

Genre and Control Style Tags

Arena ShooterAuto-ShooterBullet HeavenEnemy HellHorde SurvivalMowing GameRogueliteSingle Stick ShooterSurvivors-likeTop Down or IsometricTwin Stick ShooterWave Survival

Aesthetic Tags

3DRealistic

Setting / Story Tags

ComedyMilitarySci-fi

Control Styles

ControllerController 1 HandedController Move Only

Game Mode Tags

Unknown10m

Features and Extras

Steam AchievementsSteam CloudSteam Trading Cards

Dev/Publisher

2P GamesGamersky GamesVaMP He

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: Co-Op
  • Online: Co-Op (Remote Play)
  • Player Count: 2
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: 123
  • Steam Leaderboards: No
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: Yes

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: Yes
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: No

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"Greedland is a top-down shooter mixed with survivor-like elements. Slaughter the monsters, break out of the siege, and welcome the dawn of victory!"

"Unleash an expansive array of powerful weapons and skills, crafting a satisfying loadout that harks back to the glory days of classic titles such as "Alien Shooter" and "Crimsonland."

"Equip yourself with the fiercest tools the Galaxy has to offer, complemented by a diverse skill set. Step into the shoes of a relentless mercenary with endless strategic possibilities. Stay tuned for powerful mechs in future updates!"

""Greedland" already boasts three challenging maps, each with its own distinctive enemy blend and formidable bosses. As the game continues to evolve, anticipate the arrival of fresh maps, new gameplay modes, and an exhilarating four-player co-op option, enriching your adventure."

Run Times & Speedups

- +

Average Run Time: 10m

Run Time Notes

?

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

Goobies

Free Available Released

A cute goo busting survivors-like with pretty straightforward single stick shooter gameplay. In my first impressions, it's a pretty straight up Vampire Survivors clone gameplay style. While I kind of appreciate the art style, it was a little unclear in action sometimes and eventually overall it felt a little lacking to me. Not as much depth, not as much over the top aspects, no exploration. Endless mode only afaik, but that ends up with me never feeling like I've "won". It could benefit from clear specific build related challenges. If it was the only game available, I could play a lot of it, but otherwise it feels like I'm grinding a lot of time for less payoff in terms of wacky mechanics. Many love it, try the demo!

Arena Shooter Auto-Shooter Bullet Heaven Enemy Hell Horde Survival Roguelite Single Stick Shooter Survivors-like Top Down or Isometric Twin Stick Shooter Wave Survival
8.0 Combined Ranking Score
24/72 Ranking Position
1413/1600 Total Points
8.1 Final Review
92% Steam
7.7 Scale
7.5 Vibes
1131 Steam Reviews
344/400 Review Points
7.8 Similarity Score
89% Diagnosis:
Similar
1069/1200 Comparison Points
100% Genre 8/8 genre
99% Simple Controls 6.9/7 move
88% Survival Modes 3/4 modes
100% Power Progression 4/4 level
82% Buildcrafting Depth 3.2/5 build
65% Stage Features 2.1/7 stage
85% Content Breadth 6.3/9 stuff
83% Aesthetics 4/6 style
96% Gameplay Vibe Check 9.2/10 vibe vibe

Goobies Ranking Notes

- +

Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 2.2

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 11/16/2023

First impressions! This game is a pretty typical survivors-like control wise with a relatively unique "globs of goo" aesthetic look. It seems to be fairly popular and well reviewed, though I had trouble getting into it and actually bounced off it a couple times before coming back and trying to put some more time in for the review.

It's not always easy to figure out exactly why something isn't working for me or get a full view of a game I haven't put a hundred hours into, but I attempted to examine this on pretty closely since it's very popular. People seem to enjoy that it's chill and often mention the aesthetics, but I did notice many of the positive reviewers also don't seem to have a huge amount of hours in the game.

I agree it's very easy to play, the basics of moving around are enjoyable. The character designs are cute, though the top down angle doesn't show much enough of it. Personally I thought the music might be a little too upbeat.

It's got a "World of Goo" kind of style with fairly abstract arenas and gooey trees and plenty of gooey enemies. I think this resulted in it feeling a little boring to me, though, eventually, as everything is goo and most of the enemies are also the same color. It's not a quick action game so unlike other abstract shape games I spent a lot of time staring at essentially the same shapes and colors moving slowly. They also explode in a way on hit spreading goop around them that makes it very hard to tell what is a live and recently dead enemy, resulting in me getting hit or at least stressed a fair amount while trying to skirt the edges of groups.

It's endless but seems most runs end around 30 min when much harder stuff starts to show up, hence the run time we noted. There don't seem to be different stages, though it does change the stage through your run when you beat a boss. One challenge includes manual aiming, which I didn't really find fun at all, but for the most part it's an auto-shooter. It's pretty much a bullet heaven, though it does have 'avoid red circle' style enemy attacks that are fairly common as you get into it.

There are a few characters and a currency based unlock menu for metaprogression, but I found this to feel pretty grindy. I think the lack of clear interesting build related challenges (not just kill x enemies) shown for goal based unlocks can be an issue for me, giving me less reasons to play for longer hours trying different builds. I'd like to get to the high level over the top gameplay I see on YouTube but feel I likely never will since it will just take so long to get there. In my two hours checking it out I didn't unlock a new character or any major changes to the gameplay, just some minor meta upgrades and the optional challenge turning off auto-fire (which I disliked and didn't use past one run since you can't toggle it off.)


I feel like the notes here are coming out a little unfair to it since I'm trying to pin my feelings down - I see how many people like it - but personally it's just not pulling me in to play more since I have so many other options. I like more exploration and build crafting specific challenges. But the vibe is very cute and the core gameplay can be satisfying so if the art style appeals to you it may be worth sticking with it!

Goobies Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

7.8 Similarity Score
89% Diagnosis:
1069/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle 1/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 1/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 1/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) 1/1
Move Only 1/1
No Dash 1/1
No Trigger 1/1
No Special Move 1/1
No Aiming 0.9/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 1/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 0/1
Endless Mode 1/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 1/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 1/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 1/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 1/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 0.9/1
1/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 0.4/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 0.8/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 0.1/1
Explorable Map -1/1
BIG Maps -0.9/1
XP on Ground 1/1
Health on Ground 1/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 1/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 1/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 0/1
Enemy Variety 0.5/1
Bosses / Elites 1/1
Many Interesting Characters 0.7/1
Many Challenges 0.1/1
Multiple Stages 0/1
Difficulty Modifiers 1/1
Bestiary / Lore 1/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 1/1
Retro / Pixel Art 0/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 0.5/1
Bumpin Music 1/1
Fun Writing 0.7/1
Subtle Humor 0.8/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 1/1
Over the Top 0.9/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 1/1
Difficulty Ramp 0.8/1
Fun Ramp 0.8/1
Low Price 1/1
Technical Check 0.9/1
Controls Check 1/1
Fun Check 1/1
Feels like VS 1/1

Goobies Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

8.1 Final Review
92% Positive Steam Reviews
1131 Steam Reviews
7.5 Pure Vibes
7.7 Review Scale
344/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 0.9/1
Not Janky 1/1
Good UI 1/1
Controller and Deck 1/1
Lots of Content 0.6/1
Good Theme 0.7/1
Good Graphics and Sound 0.8/1
Fun Feel 0.8/1
Unique Twists 0.1/1
Vibe Check 0.8/1

Goobies Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

Steam DeckWindows PCFree AvailableReleased

Sorting Categories

Similar

Genre and Control Style Tags

Arena ShooterAuto-ShooterBullet HeavenEnemy HellHorde SurvivalRogueliteSingle Stick ShooterSurvivors-likeTop Down or IsometricTwin Stick ShooterWave Survival

Aesthetic Tags

3DCell ShadedClaymationUglycute

Setting / Story Tags

Abstract

Control Styles

ControllerController 1 HandedController Move Only

Game Mode Tags

Unknown30m

Features and Extras

SoundtrackSteam AchievementsSteam Cloud

Dev/Publisher

Knifes

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: No
  • Online: No
  • Player Count: 1
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: ?
  • Steam Achievements: 43
  • Steam Leaderboards: No
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: No

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: Yes
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: YouTube

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"Battle thousands of blobs in this roguelike auto-shooter. Travel from island to island, defeat bosses, collect and upgrade items to become more powerful and discover lag-inducing combos in an endless blobbath."

"Choose your champion from a diverse cast of 5 Goobies, each with their own unique passive ability and playstyle. Discover countless combinations of items by collecting over 30 of them, many of which have multiple unique upgrades. Unlock the power of up to 20 game-changing artifacts that will redefine the game's mechanics and visuals. Collect Goobie coins from each run to unlock more power all whilst keeping track of your progress and learning about the lore via the in-game encyclopedia!"

Run Times & Speedups

- +

Average Run Time: 30m

Run Time Notes

It's endless but seems most runs end around 30 min when much harder stuff starts to show up.

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

Army of Ruin

Released

Incredibly similar in game design, VS-like score dragged down by special move button, muddy 3D graphics and lack of charm. Many people love it, personally I thought it felt slower and less impactful. With so many other options to play, I kind of bounced off it and based much of the scale for high level gameplay based on research.

Auto-Shooter Bullet Heaven Enemy Hell Horde Survival Mowing Game Roguelite Survivors-like Top Down or Isometric Twin Stick Shooter Wave Survival
7.9 Combined Ranking Score
25/72 Ranking Position
1419/1600 Total Points
7.5 Final Review
88% Steam
7.3 Scale
6.3 Vibes
1578 Steam Reviews
324/400 Review Points
8.3 Similarity Score
91% Diagnosis:
Similar
1095/1200 Comparison Points
99% Genre 7.8/8 genre
81% Simple Controls 4.3/7 move
100% Survival Modes 4/4 modes
100% Power Progression 4/4 level
99% Buildcrafting Depth 4.9/5 build
91% Stage Features 5.8/7 stage
94% Content Breadth 8/9 stuff
68% Aesthetics 2.2/6 style
88% Gameplay Vibe Check 7.5/10 vibe vibe

Army of Ruin Ranking Notes

- +

Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 1.7

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 10/13/2023

Bounced at first, but came back later and it feels less janky. Note: for high end computers, you'll want to check through all the advanced graphics options, some things should be disabled or set to lower levels to prevent it from looking muddy. Reddit likes this one a lot.

Seems to be a fairly straight rip but I don't like the graphics as much - anyone wanna sell me on it? Loses points in the VS-Likes for not pixel art, lofi aesthetic, or humor/originality. The nature of the 3D animation makes it feel slower even when it's moving the same speed as pixels technically.

Trying to come up with something else to write about this one. This review will get more fleshed out later as I go back through the sheet to actually review the games added earlier.

Army of Ruin Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

8.3 Similarity Score
91% Diagnosis:
1095/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle 0.8/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 1/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 1/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) 0.6/1
Move Only 0.4/1
No Dash 1/1
No Trigger 1/1
No Special Move 0/1
No Aiming 0.5/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 0.8/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 1/1
Endless Mode 1/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 1/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 1/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 1/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 1/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 1/1
0.9/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 1/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 1/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 1/1
Explorable Map 1/1
BIG Maps 0.8/1
XP on Ground 1/1
Health on Ground 1/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 1/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 1/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 0/1
Enemy Variety 1/1
Bosses / Elites 1/1
Many Interesting Characters 1/1
Many Challenges 1/1
Multiple Stages 1/1
Difficulty Modifiers 1/1
Bestiary / Lore 0/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 1/1
Retro / Pixel Art 0/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 0.2/1
Bumpin Music 1/1
Fun Writing 0/1
Subtle Humor 0/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 1/1
Over the Top 0.8/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 1/1
Difficulty Ramp 0.7/1
Fun Ramp 0.5/1
Low Price 0.8/1
Technical Check 1/1
Controls Check 0.9/1
Fun Check 0.8/1
Feels like VS 1/1

Army of Ruin Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

7.5 Final Review
88% Positive Steam Reviews
1578 Steam Reviews
6.3 Pure Vibes
7.3 Review Scale
324/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 1/1
Not Janky 1/1
Good UI 1/1
Controller and Deck 1/1
Lots of Content 1/1
Good Theme 0.5/1
Good Graphics and Sound 0.4/1
Fun Feel 0.8/1
Unique Twists 0/1
Vibe Check 0.6/1

Metacritic Scores

- +

This title has metacritic data! The "fuck the man" score is adjusted so each person's review is equally weighted, regardless of critic or fan status.

Critic

8.0 Converted 10 Point Score
2 Number of Critic Reviews

User

8.0 User Review Average
1 Number of User Reviews

Average

8.0 Direct Average
8.0 "Fuck The Man" Combined Mean

Army of Ruin Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

PS5Steam DeckSwitchWindows PCXboxReleased

Sorting Categories

Similar

Genre and Control Style Tags

Auto-ShooterBullet HeavenEnemy HellHorde SurvivalMowing GameRogueliteSurvivors-likeTop Down or IsometricTwin Stick ShooterWave Survival

Aesthetic Tags

3DSerious

Setting / Story Tags

DungeonsFantasy

Control Styles

Controller

Game Mode Tags

Unknown15m

Features and Extras

SoundtrackSteam AchievementsSteam CloudSteam Trading Cards

Dev/Publisher

Milkstone Studios

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: No
  • Online: No
  • Player Count: 1
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: 221
  • Steam Leaderboards: No
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: Yes

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: No
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: Steam Bandcamp YouTube GOG Amazon Apple

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"Wreak havoc on countless foes with mighty weapons and deadly spells! Enhance your skills and face even greater dangers! Army of Ruin is an auto-shooter where you become the Bullet Hell."

"Hundreds of challenges await you!"

Run Times & Speedups

- +

Average Run Time: 15m

Run Time Notes

Melerion, via discord: "I found that setting aside about 30 minutes for a run (beyond early game) was sensible for me. End game, aka Endless Mode, could take 45 to 60 minutes on average - some longer, some not so much."

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

Shape Shifter: Formations

EA

A game that applies all of the survivors-like lessons to a classic abstract arena shooter format, so far seems to be very good at both. Vibes of Geometry Wars or the vintage vector shooters both are based on. I've been playing mostly with auto aim / auto shoot which I think works pretty well and makes it feel a lot more survivors-like in a way my sore hands enjoy. Build depth is pretty good for a more arcade-style title and while there isn't much setting/stage variety I don't spend much time thinking about it. I admit I'd love if there was at least an unlockable boss-free mode, since it feels full on bullet hell with them. Great vibe overall, looking forward to more content.

Arcade Arena Shooter Auto-Shooter Bullet Heaven Bullet Hell Enemy Hell Roguelite Single Stick Shooter Survivors-like Top Down or Isometric Twin Stick Shooter Wave Shooter
7.9 Combined Ranking Score
26/72 Ranking Position
1357/1600 Total Points
9.6 Final Review
100% Steam
9.5 Scale
9.2 Vibes
62 Steam Reviews
387/400 Review Points
6.2 Similarity Score
81% Diagnosis:
Similar
970/1200 Comparison Points
95% Genre 7.2/8 genre
72% Simple Controls 3.1/7 move
83% Survival Modes 2.6/4 modes
100% Power Progression 4/4 level
69% Buildcrafting Depth 1.9/5 build
50% Stage Features 0/7 stage
78% Content Breadth 5.1/9 stuff
83% Aesthetics 4/6 style
93% Gameplay Vibe Check 8.6/10 vibe vibe

Shape Shifter: Formations Ranking Notes

- +

Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 3.5

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 11/14/2023

First impressions on this Early Access arcade style arena shooter are very positive. Honestly I'm super thankful for this resurgence of arcade style games so I can get stuff like this.

It's a top down shooter in a small arena, with "shape" enemies more complicated than you might see in some retro shooters but very much giving the abstract vibe. While the aesthetics are quite good in my opinion, the general direction of them is that you should concentrate entirely on the play and the play so far is worth concentrating on. I absolutely don't mind when an arcade style game doesn't have plot/setting trappings, it can still get a full score for on the review scale categories from me if it feels like the 'world' is still crafted for the experience the player is supposed to have. You know, Tron without all that talking.

I haven't yet encountered what I would really call multiple maps or stages, though the arena changes at different stages through the run. After beating a run once (referred to as "the game" in the guide accessible in the main menu), you unlock difficulty modifiers.

Has both goal based and currency based unlocks. The goal based ones are pretty solid for giving you something to do in a run, as in the best of these games (get a new ship!) and I enjoy how the refundable currency upgrades also include different play or build styles, like deciding to prioritize burn for the burn ship. Some of these games don't really understand that meta unlocks can be like offering the player interesting new puzzles and not just ways to make the game easier. The skill tree luckily isn't too baroque and easy access to it at the death screen made it easy to loop into another run.

Speaking of ease it certainly feels harder at first but I think this is partially the classic arcade style format. I'm not sure how much content actually exists here yet with early access, but in many of the games in this lineage you're not really expected to be beating all the bosses on your first run or very quickly. At least, I tried to tell myself this as I got used to actually dodging boss bullets again.

There is a special move button and dash. It's in no way bloated, but does include some fun stuff like stats. No bestiary, but then again not a lot of enemy variety yet either. I'd love to be able to unlock an endless mode without bosses so I could truly zone out.

It's definitely not a mowing game, with very projectile based attacks. The auto-aim/auto-fire is sometimes off in a way that feels a little bugged, but for the most part does work pretty satisfyingly. I found myself doing up close strafing more than I would in a classic arcade shooter, partially because I'm trying to collect the XP drops as well. In that way, while in an aesthetic wrapping of an older wave shooter, the gameplay can feel very much like a modern survivors-like. You move towards some things and away from others, getting into a fairly zen state interrupted only by quickly selecting from a simple selection of upgrades and eventually only sorely interrupted by the arrival of an often run ending boss.

I'm a big fan of older arcade style shooters (my favorite perhaps being Super Stardust HD) and while this one is a little slower to get started because it has the metaprogression aspect I found it very much tickled that old enjoyment. The music seems to keep on the same theme and the visuals are a very satisfying mix of retro aesthetics and fairly active and busy scenery in implementation. Overall I had a lot of fun with it so far and am eager to see it get more content through Early Access.

Shape Shifter: Formations Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

6.2 Similarity Score
81% Diagnosis:
970/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle 0.8/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 0.9/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 0.5/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) 0.5/1
Move Only 0/1
No Dash 0/1
No Trigger 0.8/1
No Special Move 0/1
No Aiming 0.8/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 1/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 1/1
Endless Mode Planned/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 1/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 0.6/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 1/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 1/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 1/1
0.9/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 0/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 0.5/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible -0.5/1
Explorable Map -1/1
BIG Maps -1/1
XP on Ground 1/1
Health on Ground 0/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 0/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 0/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 1/1
Enemy Variety 0/1
Bosses / Elites 1/1
Many Interesting Characters 1/1
Many Challenges 1/1
Multiple Stages 0.1/1
Difficulty Modifiers 1/1
Bestiary / Lore 0/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 0/1
Retro / Pixel Art 1/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 0.9/1
Bumpin Music 1/1
Fun Writing 0.1/1
Subtle Humor 0/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 0.8/1
Over the Top 0.8/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 1/1
Difficulty Ramp 1/1
Fun Ramp 1/1
Low Price 1/1
Technical Check 1/1
Controls Check 1/1
Fun Check 1/1
Feels like VS 0.5/1

Shape Shifter: Formations Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

9.6 Final Review
100% Positive Steam Reviews
62 Steam Reviews
9.2 Pure Vibes
9.5 Review Scale
387/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 0.9/1
Not Janky 0.9/1
Good UI 1/1
Controller and Deck 1/1
Lots of Content 0.8/1
Good Theme 1/1
Good Graphics and Sound 1/1
Fun Feel 1/1
Unique Twists 0.9/1
Vibe Check 1/1

Shape Shifter: Formations Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

Steam DeckWindows PCEA

Sorting Categories

Similar

Genre and Control Style Tags

ArcadeArena ShooterAuto-ShooterBullet HeavenBullet HellEnemy HellRogueliteSingle Stick ShooterSurvivors-likeTop Down or IsometricTwin Stick ShooterWave Shooter

Aesthetic Tags

3DGeometricNeonRaveRetroVector InspiredVivid

Setting / Story Tags

Abstract

Control Styles

Controller

Game Mode Tags

Unknown30m

Features and Extras

Steam AchievementsSteam Cloud

Dev/Publisher

Castec Studios

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: Co-Op
  • Online: Co-Op (Remote Play)
  • Player Count: 2
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: 86
  • Steam Leaderboards: No
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: No

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: No
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: No

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"Shape Shifter: Formations is an action twin-stick shooter with rogue-lite elements, where you must destroy hordes of geometric enemies alone or with a friend. Select your ship and combine a large variety of weapons, abilities and infinitely stacking upgrades to craft your own unique build."

"Choose from a wide variety of ships each with their own unique active and passive abilities, ranging from protective barriers or invisibility, to shocking tesla towers and a burning laser. Pick the ship the suits your play style and outfit it with a weapon of your choice. Spend cores gained each run on the skill tree to provide powerful permanent upgrades."

Co-op notes: "So each player can select their own ship/weapon and receives their own choice of upgrades when levelling up. Players earn currency in each run together, but they get their own pool to spend at the shop separately. The only thing that's shared, is progression on the skill tree, but this is offset by the fact you progress through this a little quicker in co-op"

Run Times & Speedups

- +

Average Run Time: 30m

Run Time Notes

?

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

Soulstone Survivors

EA Free Available

This is a popular survivors-like many seem to prefer to VS, though it's not my personal favorite. It's got a heavy dash reliance and a more "professional" 3D vibe. it would rank way higher except for aesthetics and small maps. Devs said "a spin on the genre taking itself more seriously." I'm not sure that's what I'm looking for. Personally I like meta-progression to not be spread over so many different views. it has a lot to draw people back, but never gets quite as crazy in a run. Much more focused on avoiding red enemy attack circles. You might agree it feels generic or you might love it!

Action RPG Arena Shooter Auto-Shooter Bullet Heaven Content Rich Enemy Hell Hack and Slash Horde Survival Mowing Game Roguelite Single Stick Shooter Survivors-like Wave Survival
7.8 Combined Ranking Score
27/72 Ranking Position
1389/1600 Total Points
8.1 Final Review
90% Steam
8.2 Scale
7.0 Vibes
13136 Steam Reviews
342/400 Review Points
7.5 Similarity Score
87% Diagnosis:
Similar
1047/1200 Comparison Points
98% Genre 7.7/8 genre
81% Simple Controls 4.3/7 move
98% Survival Modes 3.8/4 modes
100% Power Progression 4/4 level
89% Buildcrafting Depth 3.9/5 build
66% Stage Features 2.2/7 stage
92% Content Breadth 7.6/9 stuff
67% Aesthetics 2/6 style
91% Gameplay Vibe Check 8.2/10 vibe vibe

Soulstone Survivors Ranking Notes

- +

Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 3.4

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 10/22/2023

One of the most popular games in the genre, it feels like a bigger company got ahold of the concept and felt they could do it better and in many ways (on the surface anyway) pulled it off. I admit I'm mostly recommending it because so many other people do. My theory, though, is it simply got out quickly, was polished, and people were hungry for anything good. I don't prefer the 3D art style for these games because the slowly approaching horde almost always looks comically slow at first, making the whole game feel slower. To me 3D graphics is almost worse by default but I'm not dinging it in the review scale. Eventually that changes, but it's hard not to bounce off of when other games feel so immediate.

Adds a variety of mechanics. Auto aim is togglable. Very fully crafted presentation, though it loses a bit of lofi charm there. Personally I think the characters have less charm with the stylized blank faces, though they're technically fairly detailed. I like more simple unlock systems with really only one currency, ideally.

I don't love having to keep track of so many different tabs and currencies, to me it feels like artificially creating depth through complexity when the run gameplay could be just as fun with less menu fiddling. Which is funny,coming from someone who loves spreadsheets and menu fiddling. In this case, slows down my 'one more run' flow, but it could keep you addicted. Or feel grindy.

Soulstone Survivors Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

7.5 Similarity Score
87% Diagnosis:
1047/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle 0.8/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 0.9/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 1/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) 0.5/1
Move Only 0/1
No Dash 0/1
No Trigger 1/1
No Special Move 1/1
No Aiming 0.8/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 1/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 1/1
Endless Mode 1/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 1/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 0.8/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 1/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 1/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 1/1
1/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 0/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 1/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 0.9/1
Explorable Map 0.3/1
BIG Maps -0.1/1
XP on Ground 1/1
Health on Ground 1/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 0/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 0/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 0/1
Enemy Variety 1/1
Bosses / Elites 1/1
Many Interesting Characters 1/1
Many Challenges 1/1
Multiple Stages 0.8/1
Difficulty Modifiers 1/1
Bestiary / Lore 0/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 0.8/1
Retro / Pixel Art 0/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 0/1
Bumpin Music 1/1
Fun Writing 0/1
Subtle Humor 0/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 1/1
Over the Top 0.8/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 0.9/1
Difficulty Ramp 1/1
Fun Ramp 0.8/1
Low Price 0.8/1
Technical Check 1/1
Controls Check 1/1
Fun Check 0.9/1
Feels like VS 1/1

Soulstone Survivors Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

8.1 Final Review
90% Positive Steam Reviews
13136 Steam Reviews
7.0 Pure Vibes
8.2 Review Scale
342/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 1/1
Not Janky 1/1
Good UI 0.7/1
Controller and Deck 1/1
Lots of Content 1/1
Good Theme 0.4/1
Good Graphics and Sound 0.8/1
Fun Feel 0.8/1
Unique Twists 0.7/1
Vibe Check 0.8/1

Metacritic Scores

- +

This title has metacritic data! The "fuck the man" score is adjusted so each person's review is equally weighted, regardless of critic or fan status.

Critic

9.0 Converted 10 Point Score
1 Number of Critic Reviews

User

5.5 User Review Average
4 Number of User Reviews

Average

7.3 Direct Average
6.2 "Fuck The Man" Combined Mean

Soulstone Survivors Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

LinuxMacSteam DeckWindows PCEAFree Available

Sorting Categories

Similar

Genre and Control Style Tags

Action RPGArena ShooterAuto-ShooterBullet HeavenContent RichEnemy HellHack and SlashHorde SurvivalMowing GameRogueliteSingle Stick ShooterSurvivors-likeWave Survival

Aesthetic Tags

3DCell ShadedSerious

Setting / Story Tags

DungeonsFantasy

Control Styles

ControllerMouse Only

Game Mode Tags

Holiday Event20m

Features and Extras

SoundtrackSteam AchievementsSteam Cloud

Dev/Publisher

Game Smithing Limited

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: No
  • Online: No
  • Player Count: 1
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: 256
  • Steam Leaderboards: No
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: No

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: Yes
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: Steam YouTube Bandcamp Spotify Apple

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"Face the Lords of the Void and their endless minions, collect their Soulstones and become a god! In this Action Roguelite, unveil secret spells, craft mighty weapons, unlock multiple characters, discover game-breaking synergies and conquer the power of the void."

"A spin on the genre taking itself more seriously."

"With deep RPG mechanics intertwined with Roguelite elements, Soulstone Survivors offers a condensed, yet deep Action RPG experience." "With the spoils of every match craft weapons, unlock new characters, upgrade your skill tree and equip new runes."

Run Times & Speedups

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Average Run Time: 20m

Run Time Notes

?

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

Star Survivor

EA Free Available

A bit janky but ambitious deck building space ship equipping survivors-like, which also has a campaign mode. Metaprogression is available via both purchasable ships and unlockable and upgradeable cards. Has a boost mechanic relying on ship direction to create a high level of challenge - it may be too much to zen out to, but the great degree of customization and variety of game modes here may addict you. It's a little generic looking, starts slow, and some bugs and UI issues bring down the review score.

Arena Shooter Auto-Shooter Bullet Heaven Deckbuilding Enemy Hell Horde Survival Rogue-lite Survivors-like Top Down or Isometric Wave Survival
7.7 Combined Ranking Score
30/72 Ranking Position
1391/1600 Total Points
7.7 Final Review
74% Steam
7.4 Scale
8.3 Vibes
337 Steam Reviews
331/400 Review Points
7.7 Similarity Score
88% Diagnosis:
Similar
1060/1200 Comparison Points
99% Genre 7.8/8 genre
68% Simple Controls 2.5/7 move
100% Survival Modes 4/4 modes
100% Power Progression 4/4 level
100% Buildcrafting Depth 5/5 build
83% Stage Features 4.6/7 stage
84% Content Breadth 6.2/9 stuff
71% Aesthetics 2.5/6 style
92% Gameplay Vibe Check 8.4/10 vibe vibe

Star Survivor Ranking Notes

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Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 4.1

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 10/23/2023

Space auto-shooter with a deck building aspect. Meta progression includes using currency to unlock new cards. When you pick your level options, you then pick where to put the equipment on your ship, which adds a fun shipbuilding / tower defense feeling mechanic. There is a more Rogue-like campaign mode in addition to the more familiar challenge and endless modes using your unlocked cards, each with their own deck availabilities. The complexity is a big challenge in endless mode, since you don't just disable some items, you have to construct your deck.

Once accidentally started with only one card and tried to stick it out - it gives you some single use events on level until you die. Aim is important because boost pushes you in the direction you are facing, but you can use thrusters to strafe, which can be very challenging. There's speed and zoom options which is cool. Counting "Astrochicken" spawn as ground health. Maps seem endless but mostly empty. I like a lot about this one!

Graphics / vibe is a bit generic, but gameplay is challenging and build variety interesting. Most negative reviews seem to mention technical issues, which may hurt your experience. It could use more enemy variety and maybe interesting exploration on big maps, I would love that. I'm very excited to come back to this one as it evolves.

Star Survivor Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

7.7 Similarity Score
88% Diagnosis:
1060/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle 0.8/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 1/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 1/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) 0/1
Move Only 0/1
No Dash 0/1
No Trigger 1/1
No Special Move 1/1
No Aiming -0.5/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 1/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 1/1
Endless Mode 1/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 1/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 1/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 1/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 1/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 1/1
1/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 1/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 1/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 1/1
Explorable Map 0.1/1
BIG Maps 0.5/1
XP on Ground 1/1
Health on Ground 1/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 1/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 0/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 1/1
Enemy Variety 0.3/1
Bosses / Elites 1/1
Many Interesting Characters 1/1
Many Challenges 0.9/1
Multiple Stages 1/1
Difficulty Modifiers 1/1
Bestiary / Lore 0/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 0/1
Retro / Pixel Art 0/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 0.5/1
Bumpin Music 1/1
Fun Writing 0/1
Subtle Humor 0/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 0.8/1
Over the Top 0.8/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 1/1
Difficulty Ramp 1/1
Fun Ramp 1/1
Low Price 1/1
Technical Check 0.8/1
Controls Check 1/1
Fun Check 1/1
Feels like VS 1/1

Star Survivor Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

7.7 Final Review
74% Positive Steam Reviews
337 Steam Reviews
8.3 Pure Vibes
7.4 Review Scale
331/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 0.5/1
Not Janky 0.5/1
Good UI 0.5/1
Controller and Deck 0.8/1
Lots of Content 0.8/1
Good Theme 0.8/1
Good Graphics and Sound 0.8/1
Fun Feel 0.8/1
Unique Twists 1/1
Vibe Check 0.9/1

Star Survivor Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

AndroidiOSitch.ioSteam DeckWindows PCEAFree Available

Sorting Categories

Similar

Genre and Control Style Tags

Arena ShooterAuto-ShooterBullet HeavenDeckbuildingEnemy HellHorde SurvivalRogue-liteSurvivors-likeTop Down or IsometricWave Survival

Aesthetic Tags

3D

Setting / Story Tags

Sci-fiShip (Air/Space)Space

Control Styles

Controller

Game Mode Tags

Branching PathsEndless Mode15m

Features and Extras

Steam AchievementsSteam CloudSteam Trading Cards

Dev/Publisher

ErabitSpaceOwl Games

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: No
  • Online: No
  • Player Count: 1
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: 26
  • Steam Leaderboards: No
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: Yes

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: Yes
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: No

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"Survive the swarm in this rogue-lite + survivors + asteroids mashup! Exterminate as many alien drones as you can. Upgrade your ship from the crafted deck of equipment and power-ups. You are the Last ship against the Endless... Will your choices be enough to overcome the thousands hunting you?"

"Big call for those games I got inspirations from: Vampire Survivor, Brotato, SoulStone Survivors, 20 Minutes Till Dawn, Rogue: Genesia, Spellbook Demonslayers, Void Scrappers, Boneraiser Minions, Nova Drift, Runic Survivor"

Run Times & Speedups

- +

Average Run Time: 15m

Run Time Notes

?

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

God of Weapons

Free Available Released

An inventory management Brotato-style survivors-like with an enjoyable dungeon (if not actual crawling.. elevator riding?) presentation for the arena. This is a newer but fully released title a lot of folks are excited about with an active fan community. My first impressions are very positive. It's not as over the top but the inventory management for "leveling up" is a puzzle twist I liked. Also similar to Brotato (aside from the small arena) with end of round equipment choices instead of leveling on XP gain with organic waves. Not as lofi feeling but still a lot of charm, worth checking out if you'd like to spend some time stacking axes in gloomy rooms.

Arena Shooter Auto-Shooter Brotato-style Hack and Slash Horde Survival Puzzle Roguelite Single Stick Shooter Survivors-like Wave Survival
7.5 Combined Ranking Score
33/72 Ranking Position
1351/1600 Total Points
8.4 Final Review
85% Steam
8.6 Scale
8.2 Vibes
1762 Steam Reviews
353/400 Review Points
6.6 Similarity Score
83% Diagnosis:
Similar
998/1200 Comparison Points
96% Genre 7.4/8 genre
82% Simple Controls 4.5/7 move
74% Survival Modes 1.9/4 modes
78% Power Progression 2.2/4 level
90% Buildcrafting Depth 4/5 build
68% Stage Features 2.5/7 stage
79% Content Breadth 5.2/9 stuff
73% Aesthetics 2.7/6 style
92% Gameplay Vibe Check 8.4/10 vibe vibe

God of Weapons Ranking Notes

- +

Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 2.3

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 11/5/2023

A brotato-style survivors-like with a fun (for me anyway) inventory management twist to powering up. It's fully released but I need more time with it so let's consider this a first look review. I'll be checking on discord and with the devs on the features in the comparison ranking.

It's a 3D style game and based to my prior exposure I can't help sometimes feeling like it's a smooth Halls of Torment. The weapons play pretty differently though, or at least feel different. The isometric shift is also more intense, which can make it a little harder to avoid enemies at times. Has dash, doesn't seem you can map it to the left side so 0 still on one handed.

Luckily your weapons will be heavily favoring the closest enemy so often you're not worrying as much about one close tag. You get XP from to level up, which determines how much inventory you unlock on the next round. You gather currency from the ground to spend on round end. We'll call this a store and not level choices.

Worked fine on Steam Deck but had issues getting controller to work on PC, had to use a custom profile by some other steam user.

Personally I don't like when rounds end while there are still enemies and then it says the wave is complete, but when the timer is up for the round, well, it's over. Then it sends me to the store to power up and puts me in a new room with new enemies.

A fair amount of the arena shooters do stuff like that, but I much much prefer the more modern survivors-like trend of having organic waves and leveling up with a simple dialog that then drops you back into the same exact gameplay. This makes and the small arena makes it a "brotato-style" game which is another subsubgenre defined in the terms.

I like that I can see my DPS if I want. Low score in multiple stages because moving between the rooms feels so repetitive. While I prefer more exploration, I was still charmed by what's here.

My partner has basically no patience for the inventory management mechanic, but personally I like the blocks, the picking new inventory spaces to unlock, items from a large array of options, and then shifting things around. Well, mostly. I admit I often play games in this genre to turn my brain off more or at least just think about statistics, but it does help the game stand out and is utilized in interesting ways for proximity buffs, not just a matter of putting stuff in there.

Really then, with the short rounds, the game became all about the inventory to me, which is perhaps the point. I spend about as much time thinking and fiddling with it as I do in the round sometimes. Not complaining. Overall though it felt a tinsy bit dreary to me, missing something. I need to spend more time with it to know if that's a reasonable feeling, but with the enclosed arena shooters I get antsy quick. I could see myself getting very into this on a smaller screen while traveling.

God of Weapons Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

6.6 Similarity Score
83% Diagnosis:
998/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle 0.8/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 0.6/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 1/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) 0/1
Move Only 0.5/1
No Dash 0/1
No Trigger 1/1
No Special Move 1/1
No Aiming 1/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 1/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 1/1
Endless Mode 0/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 0.2/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 0.7/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 0.2/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 0/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 1/1
1/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 0/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 1/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 1/1
Explorable Map -0.5/1
BIG Maps -1/1
XP on Ground 1/1
Health on Ground 1/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 1/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 0/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 1/1
Enemy Variety 0.7/1
Bosses / Elites 0.8/1
Many Interesting Characters 1/1
Many Challenges 1/1
Multiple Stages 0.2/1
Difficulty Modifiers 0.5/1
Bestiary / Lore 0/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 0/1
Retro / Pixel Art 0.1/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 0.6/1
Bumpin Music 0.8/1
Fun Writing 0.2/1
Subtle Humor 0/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 1/1
Over the Top 0.4/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 1/1
Difficulty Ramp 1/1
Fun Ramp 1/1
Low Price 1/1
Technical Check 1/1
Controls Check 1/1
Fun Check 1/1
Feels like VS 1/1

God of Weapons Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

8.4 Final Review
85% Positive Steam Reviews
1762 Steam Reviews
8.2 Pure Vibes
8.6 Review Scale
353/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 0.9/1
Not Janky 0.9/1
Good UI 0.6/1
Controller and Deck 0.8/1
Lots of Content 0.8/1
Good Theme 0.7/1
Good Graphics and Sound 0.9/1
Fun Feel 1/1
Unique Twists 1/1
Vibe Check 1/1

Metacritic Scores

- +

This title has metacritic data! The "fuck the man" score is adjusted so each person's review is equally weighted, regardless of critic or fan status.

Critic

8.4 Converted 10 Point Score
1 Number of Critic Reviews

User

3.0 User Review Average
2 Number of User Reviews

Average

5.7 Direct Average
4.8 "Fuck The Man" Combined Mean

God of Weapons Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

Steam DeckWindows PCFree AvailableReleased

Sorting Categories

Similar

Genre and Control Style Tags

Arena ShooterAuto-ShooterBrotato-styleHack and SlashHorde SurvivalPuzzleRogueliteSingle Stick ShooterSurvivors-likeWave Survival

Aesthetic Tags

3DSerious

Setting / Story Tags

DungeonsFantasy

Control Styles

Controller

Game Mode Tags

Advance on Round EndInventory ManagementShort Rounds25m

Features and Extras

SoundtrackSteam AchievementsSteam Cloud

Dev/Publisher

Archmage Games StudioArchmage Labs

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: No
  • Online: No
  • Player Count: 1
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: 93
  • Steam Leaderboards: No
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: No

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: On itch.io
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: YouTube

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"Embark on a thrilling journey in God of Weapons, an action roguelike where you must ascend the tower of Zhor to reclaim the last light for the world. To survive the monster onslaught on each tower's level, you'll need to obtain and carefully organize weapons and accessories in your inventory"

I just found out after I wrote this all it's made by the Sexy Mystic Survivors folks? Which is funny to me because this is one of the least horny games on the list.

Run Times & Speedups

- +

Average Run Time: 25m

Run Time Notes

?

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

Reality Break

EA Free Available

Very Different. An option if you'd like to aim and pull the trigger in space, want more exploration aspects, and enjoy inventory/equipment management. Also more story. It has wave survival often, but it's not a horde movement/zen game. It's an isometric looter shooter ARPG, kind of like Diablo, with some Rogue-lite inspired elements but not your expected permadeath style. Lots going for it at this early stage of development!

Action RPG Looter Shooter Roguelite Story Rich Top Down or Isometric Twin Stick Shooter Wave Survival
7.4 Combined Ranking Score
36/72 Ranking Position
-/1600 Total Points
8.8 Final Review
-% Steam
9.6 Scale
7.9 Vibes
0 Steam Reviews
275/400 Review Points
6.1 Similarity Score
81% Diagnosis:
Very Different
967/1200 Comparison Points
73% Genre 3.6/8 genre
46% Simple Controls -0.5/7 move
85% Survival Modes 2.8/4 modes
98% Power Progression 3.8/4 level
89% Buildcrafting Depth 3.9/5 build
100% Stage Features 7/7 stage
84% Content Breadth 6.2/9 stuff
82% Aesthetics 3.8/6 style
82% Gameplay Vibe Check 6.3/10 vibe vibe

Reality Break Ranking Notes

- +

Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 2.0

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 10/20/2023

I'm in the market for a rogue-lite spaceship shmup with more exploration aspects, since Nova Drift and Time Wasters are excellent but they don't have exploration. It's heavily focused on Diablo style inventory management and uses several move buttons. I'll try to avoid spoilers, but it's not typical in how it handles "runs." Reality break starts with a plot heavy tutorial with respawn, then opens up the rogue-lite influence mode with meta-progression, though it still has respawn in certain contexts. There is wave survival, fairly often. Lots of interestingly approached mechanics. Uses right control stick to shoot, trigger for secondary fire, special move button and there is a dash.

It's less over the top, lots of enemy bullets, but it's enjoyable. Has asteroids to blow up, but doesn't 'drift' control like the game Asteroids. Inventory management can be a pain since the items don't look much different at a glance. Story progression style inspired by Hades. Interesting approach to runs, without respawning and then seemingly story/event based resets? Not sure how I feel about it, I kind of miss the quick in and out of a regular rogue-lite, but I'm also curious to see more.

A lot going for it for a free early access demo and I've already had a fair amount of fun. Super responsive dev, has discussed VS influences.

Note: Run lengths highly variably by player choice.

Reality Break Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

6.1 Similarity Score
81% Diagnosis:
967/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 0.4/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle -1/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 0.3/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 0.7/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 0.2/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) -1/1
Move Only 0/1
No Dash 0/1
No Trigger -0.5/1
No Special Move 0/1
No Aiming 0/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 1/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 0.8/1
Endless Mode 0.7/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 0.8/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 0.5/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 1/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 0.8/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 0.8/1
1/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 0.5/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 0.6/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 1/1
Explorable Map 1/1
BIG Maps 1/1
XP on Ground 1/1
Health on Ground 1/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 1/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 1/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 1/1
Enemy Variety 1/1
Bosses / Elites 1/1
Many Interesting Characters 1/1
Many Challenges 0.4/1
Multiple Stages 1/1
Difficulty Modifiers 0.8/1
Bestiary / Lore 0/1
Achievements EA/1
Secrets 1/1
Retro / Pixel Art 0/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 0.3/1
Bumpin Music 1/1
Fun Writing 1/1
Subtle Humor 0.5/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 0.3/1
Over the Top 0.5/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 0.4/1
Difficulty Ramp 0.8/1
Fun Ramp 1/1
Low Price EA/1
Technical Check 0.8/1
Controls Check 1/1
Fun Check 1/1
Feels like VS 0.3/1

Reality Break Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

8.8 Final Review
-% Positive Steam Reviews
0 Steam Reviews
7.9 Pure Vibes
9.6 Review Scale
275/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 1/1
Not Janky 0.9/1
Good UI 0.8/1
Controller and Deck 1/1
Lots of Content 1/1
Good Theme 1/1
Good Graphics and Sound 1/1
Fun Feel 1/1
Unique Twists 1/1
Vibe Check 0.9/1

Reality Break Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

Steam DeckWindows PCEAFree Available

Sorting Categories

Very Different

Genre and Control Style Tags

Action RPGLooter ShooterRogueliteStory RichTop Down or IsometricTwin Stick ShooterWave Survival

Aesthetic Tags

3DNeonRetroVivid

Setting / Story Tags

Alternate RealitySci-fiShip (Air/Space)Space

Control Styles

Controller

Game Mode Tags

CampaignWave Survival120m

Features and Extras

Steam Cloud

Dev/Publisher

Element GamesLLC

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: No
  • Online: No
  • Player Count: 1
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: No
  • Steam Leaderboards: No
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: No

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: Yes
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: No

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"Rewrite the universe! Break reality to change your fate, and use your powers to stop sinister forces from altering existence itself. Discover the origin of your new abilities in a fast-paced ARPG Loot Collection Roguelite where you will bend, break, and change the rules of spacetime itself!"

"Resetting your timeline will cause a ripple effect across many elements of the game, often in surprising and subtle ways."

Run Times & Speedups

- +

Average Run Time: 120m

Run Time Notes

Attempting to avoid spoilers, it has a story campaign style structure, but incorporates interesting "run" style features via in game "cycles". The dev says this makes it closer to "unfolding incremental games."

Dev: "60m or 120m are both correct for Reality Break while simultaneously painting an incomplete picture of how the game plays. Saying the run length is “variable” or “player-directed” would be most applicable given the game’s structure. You can hop in to do a mission or three over lunch, play for 10-15 minutes and make progress for that cycle." There are progression, plot and playstyle reasons to decide on both longer and shorter runs.

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

Risk of Rain 2

DLC Released

Very Different. An action focused rogue-lite third-person shooter with tons of enemies. Often recommended on reddit to fans of over the top builds, but high focus on reaction speed and aiming makes this very different from VS. It's also notable for an active multiplayer player base. No currency based meta progression, so very highly dependent on player skill.

Bullet Heaven Content Rich Dungeon Crawler Horde Survival Roguelite Third-Person Shooter Wave Survival
7.2 Combined Ranking Score
38/72 Ranking Position
1294/1600 Total Points
9.0 Final Review
96% Steam
8.5 Scale
8.9 Vibes
166251 Steam Reviews
370/400 Review Points
5.4 Similarity Score
77% Diagnosis:
Very Different
924/1200 Comparison Points
69% Genre 3/8 genre
12% Simple Controls -5.3/7 move
84% Survival Modes 2.7/4 modes
69% Power Progression 1.5/4 level
88% Buildcrafting Depth 3.8/5 build
88% Stage Features 5.3/7 stage
100% Content Breadth 9/9 stuff
90% Aesthetics 4.8/6 style
91% Gameplay Vibe Check 8.1/10 vibe vibe

Risk of Rain 2 Ranking Notes

- +

Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 4.1

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 10/18/2023

Third person shooter sometimes recommended on the VS subreddit to people looking for broken high level builds. You level up, but you don't get choices on level up, rather you have to pick up and stack items. The weapons you start with tend to be it, besides a special move and drones. Permanent progression is a little less obvious, through unlocked items and characters, not through a currency based unlock menu. It's a rogue-lite (or "like" perhaps without the obvious meta progression) but a third-person shooter most well known for multiplayer.

Very similar to the first game, which was a sidescroller. Most characters don't have a dodge, but let's call the jump a dodge for scoring purposes. Got more bullet-heaven-y for me when I realized I could hold all 4 "triggers" down at once with some classes, but the railgun (my fav) plays more like FPS snipers - completely aim and trigger dependant.

Annoying UI navigation issues with controller on PC. Kept getting bugs and connecting to multiplayer is a pain on PC for controller players IMHO. Quibbles Quibbles.

Risk of Rain 2 Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

5.4 Similarity Score
77% Diagnosis:
924/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle -1/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric -0.5/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 0.5/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 0/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) -1/1
Move Only -1/1
No Dash -0.5/1
No Trigger -1/1
No Special Move -1/1
No Aiming -1/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 0.2/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 0/1
Endless Mode 1/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 1/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 0.7/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 0.5/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 0/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 0/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 1/1
1/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 0/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 1/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 0.8/1
Explorable Map 1/1
BIG Maps 1/1
XP on Ground 0/1
Health on Ground 0.3/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 1/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 1/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 1/1
Enemy Variety 1/1
Bosses / Elites 1/1
Many Interesting Characters 1/1
Many Challenges 1/1
Multiple Stages 1/1
Difficulty Modifiers 1/1
Bestiary / Lore 1/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 1/1
Retro / Pixel Art 0.2/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 0.8/1
Bumpin Music 1/1
Fun Writing 1/1
Subtle Humor 0.8/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 0.5/1
Over the Top 0.9/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 1/1
Difficulty Ramp 1/1
Fun Ramp 1/1
Low Price 0/1
Technical Check 0.9/1
Controls Check 1/1
Fun Check 1/1
Feels like VS 0.3/1

Risk of Rain 2 Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

9.0 Final Review
96% Positive Steam Reviews
166251 Steam Reviews
8.9 Pure Vibes
8.5 Review Scale
370/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 0.7/1
Not Janky 0.8/1
Good UI 0.7/1
Controller and Deck 0.6/1
Lots of Content 1/1
Good Theme 1/1
Good Graphics and Sound 1/1
Fun Feel 0.8/1
Unique Twists 1/1
Vibe Check 0.9/1

Metacritic Scores

- +

This title has metacritic data! The "fuck the man" score is adjusted so each person's review is equally weighted, regardless of critic or fan status.

Critic

8.5 Converted 10 Point Score
20 Number of Critic Reviews

User

8.4 User Review Average
321 Number of User Reviews

Average

8.5 Direct Average
8.4 "Fuck The Man" Combined Mean

Risk of Rain 2 Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

EpicPS4PS5StadiaSteam DeckSwitchWindows PCXboxDLCReleased

Sorting Categories

Very Different

Genre and Control Style Tags

Bullet HeavenContent RichDungeon CrawlerHorde SurvivalRogueliteThird-Person ShooterWave Survival

Aesthetic Tags

3DCell Shaded

Setting / Story Tags

Sci-fi

Control Styles

Controller

Game Mode Tags

Unknown60m

Features and Extras

SoundtrackSteam AchievementsSteam CloudSteam Leaderboards

Dev/Publisher

Gearbox PublishingHopoo Games

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: No
  • Online: Co-Op
  • Player Count: 4
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: 118
  • Steam Leaderboards: Yes
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: No

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: No
  • DLC Available: Yes
  • Soundtrack Available: Steam Bandcamp Spotify YouTube Black Screen Records (LP)

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"Escape a chaotic alien planet by fighting through hordes of frenzied monsters – with your friends, or on your own. Combine loot in surprising ways and master each character until you become the havoc you feared upon your first crash landing."

"More than 110 items keep each run fresh and full of new challenge."

Run Times & Speedups

- +

Average Run Time: 60m

Run Time Notes

?

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

Hades

Released

Very Different. Perhaps you want a 30m run isometric rogue-lite but with more hands on hack & slash action, no horde survival, no bullet heaven and need a full story. Very different! One of 10 games Included to test the scale (see FAQ) with a commonly seen recommendation that does share some mechanics but differs widely on others. This is game came out to universal critical acclaim and has received some fun updates since. As shown here, a game that's very different but extremely highly regarded might still be able to get around a 7 on our ranking - it may still be worth trying!

Action Roguelike Content Rich Dating Sim Dungeon Crawler Hack and Slash Roguelite Story Rich Top Down or Isometric
7.1 Combined Ranking Score
40/72 Ranking Position
1256/1600 Total Points
9.8 Final Review
98% Steam
10.0 Scale
9.5 Vibes
216232 Steam Reviews
393/400 Review Points
4.4 Similarity Score
72% Diagnosis:
Very Different
863/1200 Comparison Points
75% Genre 4/8 genre
11% Simple Controls -5.5/7 move
31% Survival Modes -1.5/4 modes
88% Power Progression 3/4 level
87% Buildcrafting Depth 3.7/5 build
75% Stage Features 3.5/7 stage
93% Content Breadth 7.8/9 stuff
86% Aesthetics 4.3/6 style
89% Gameplay Vibe Check 7.7/10 vibe vibe

Hades Ranking Notes

- +

Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 26.6

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 10/14/2023

Included here to test/show the scale - accurately about halfway similar to VS. Sometimes recommended for VS fans, Hades is a hack and slash isometric dungeon crawl game that has you move from room to room and defeat a couple small but powerful waves of enemies in each room. It's not an auto battler, not movement-only, very much an action game and not a zen game. Runs are to beat several areas and bosses, not to survive a countdown or endlessly survive.

There's only one character. But it is a rogue-lite, with meaningful and fun upgrade systems (though not multiple weapons), around 30 minute run time, and many other positive features, meaning it does make sense that people recommend it. It's an excellent game - just won't scratch the itch of "more Vampire Survivors!" for many people.

Calling the way powers/items are selected "streamlined level choices" even though its' not "leveling up." It's a good example of how a dungeon crawler might handle the same concept.

Hades Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

4.4 Similarity Score
72% Diagnosis:
863/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle -1/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 0.7/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 0.2/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 0.1/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) -1/1
Move Only -1/1
No Dash -1/1
No Trigger -1/1
No Special Move -1/1
No Aiming 0/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty -0.5/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival -1/1
Endless Mode -1/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 0.2/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 0.3/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 0/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 1/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 1/1
1/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 0.5/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 1/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 0.2/1
Explorable Map 0.5/1
BIG Maps 0/1
XP on Ground 0/1
Health on Ground 0/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 1/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 1/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 1/1
Enemy Variety 0.8/1
Bosses / Elites 1/1
Many Interesting Characters 0/1
Many Challenges 1/1
Multiple Stages 1/1
Difficulty Modifiers 1/1
Bestiary / Lore 1/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 1/1
Retro / Pixel Art 0.1/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 0.2/1
Bumpin Music 1/1
Fun Writing 1/1
Subtle Humor 1/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 0.2/1
Over the Top 0.3/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 1/1
Difficulty Ramp 1/1
Fun Ramp 1/1
Low Price 0.2/1
Technical Check 1/1
Controls Check 1/1
Fun Check 1/1
Feels like VS 0.3/1

Hades Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

9.8 Final Review
98% Positive Steam Reviews
216232 Steam Reviews
9.5 Pure Vibes
10.0 Review Scale
393/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 1/1
Not Janky 1/1
Good UI 1/1
Controller and Deck 1/1
Lots of Content 1/1
Good Theme 1/1
Good Graphics and Sound 1/1
Fun Feel 1/1
Unique Twists 1/1
Vibe Check 1/1

Metacritic Scores

- +

This title has metacritic data! The "fuck the man" score is adjusted so each person's review is equally weighted, regardless of critic or fan status.

Critic

9.3 Converted 10 Point Score
61 Number of Critic Reviews

User

8.8 User Review Average
1936 Number of User Reviews

Average

9.1 Direct Average
8.8 "Fuck The Man" Combined Mean

Hades Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

MacPS4PS5Steam DeckSwitchWindows PCXboxReleased

Sorting Categories

Very Different

Genre and Control Style Tags

Action RoguelikeContent RichDating SimDungeon CrawlerHack and SlashRogueliteStory RichTop Down or Isometric

Aesthetic Tags

3DArtyCartoonCell Shaded

Setting / Story Tags

DungeonsFantasyGreek MythologyMythologyRomanceUnderworld

Control Styles

Controller

Game Mode Tags

Unknown30m

Features and Extras

SoundtrackSteam AchievementsSteam CloudSteam Trading Cards

Dev/Publisher

Supergiant Games

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: No
  • Online: No
  • Player Count: 1
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: 49
  • Steam Leaderboards: No
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: Yes

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: No
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: Steam YouTube Bandcamp iam8bit (LP)

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"Hades is a god-like rogue-like dungeon crawler that combines the best aspects of Supergiant's critically acclaimed titles, including the fast-paced action of Bastion, the rich atmosphere and depth of Transistor, and the character-driven storytelling of Pyre."

"New surprises await each time you delve into the ever-shifting Underworld, whose guardian bosses will remember you."

Run Times & Speedups

- +

Average Run Time: 30m

Run Time Notes

?

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

Assault Android Cactus

Released

Different. This is an older arcade top down shooter. Cactus used to be mentioned more right when VS came out, before the clones. It comes with a campaign mode and "infinity drive" wave survival mode that technically has an end at 49 levels but is "near impossible" to get to. Also a "daily drive" that can give you some of that randomized challenge run feeling. No Rogue-lite elements or builds, but collecting 'volts' to increase weapon power feels very similar to VS XP. It might scratch your itch, it's widely considered to be a great game.

Dungeon Crawler Story Rich Survivors-like Top Down or Isometric Twin Stick Shooter Wave Shooter Wave Survival
7.0 Combined Ranking Score
42/72 Ranking Position
1252/1600 Total Points
9.5 Final Review
94% Steam
9.8 Scale
9.3 Vibes
1207 Steam Reviews
385/400 Review Points
4.5 Similarity Score
72% Diagnosis:
Different
867/1200 Comparison Points
69% Genre 3.1/8 genre
41% Simple Controls -1.2/7 move
90% Survival Modes 3.2/4 modes
53% Power Progression 0.2/4 level
51% Buildcrafting Depth 0.1/5 build
75% Stage Features 3.5/7 stage
97% Content Breadth 8.5/9 stuff
79% Aesthetics 3.5/6 style
81% Gameplay Vibe Check 6.2/10 vibe vibe

Assault Android Cactus Ranking Notes

- +

Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 2.3

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 10/23/2023

This game is part of the precursor genre of twin stick shooters and was a pretty popular suggestion on Reddit when Vampire Survivors came out and before he genre defined itself and steam was flooded with clones. I can see why, it's got a daily challenge that makes it feel a little more run like. But overall, it's a level based twin stick shooter. No metaprogression, no leveling up. A fair amount of similar features though. Collecting "volts" to upgrade your weapon from level 0 to 3 doesn't offer upgrade paths, but does feel like sweeping up XP.

There's health that will knock you down if lost, but really it's got a timer mechanic with battery drain requiring you to keep getting new batteries to avoid running out of time. This feels a little bit like looking for XP on the floor to sweep. "I'm just a little android" song (with vocals!) when you get your ass handed to you is a banger. It's got a story, voice acting, and made the most of the 3D graphics of the time with chibi-robo soldier gals.

It reminds me some of great Housemarque games Super Stardust and Nex Machina. You'll just have to be motivated by high scores and not unlocks.

Assault Android Cactus Similarity Scale Heatmap

- +

Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

4.5 Similarity Score
72% Diagnosis:
867/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite -1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle -1/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 1/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 0.8/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) 0.3/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) -1/1
Move Only -1/1
No Dash 1/1
No Trigger -1/1
No Special Move 0.8/1
No Aiming -1/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 1/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 1/1
Endless Mode 0.5/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 1/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 0.7/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 0.2/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 0/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 0/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 0/1
Build Crafting 0/1
0/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 0.1/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 0/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 0/1
Explorable Map 0.5/1
BIG Maps 0/1
XP on Ground 1/1
Health on Ground 1/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 1/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 0/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 0/1
Enemy Variety 0.5/1
Bosses / Elites 1/1
Many Interesting Characters 1/1
Many Challenges 1/1
Multiple Stages 1/1
Difficulty Modifiers 1/1
Bestiary / Lore 1/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 1/1
Retro / Pixel Art 0/1
Damage Numbers 0/1
Lofi Charm 0.5/1
Bumpin Music 1/1
Fun Writing 1/1
Subtle Humor 1/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 0.8/1
Over the Top 0.7/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 0.5/1
Difficulty Ramp 0/1
Fun Ramp 0/1
Low Price 0.2/1
Technical Check 1/1
Controls Check 1/1
Fun Check 1/1
Feels like VS 0.6/1

Assault Android Cactus Review Scale Heatmap

- +

The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

9.5 Final Review
94% Positive Steam Reviews
1207 Steam Reviews
9.3 Pure Vibes
9.8 Review Scale
385/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 1/1
Not Janky 1/1
Good UI 1/1
Controller and Deck 1/1
Lots of Content 0.8/1
Good Theme 1/1
Good Graphics and Sound 1/1
Fun Feel 1/1
Unique Twists 1/1
Vibe Check 1/1

Metacritic Scores

- +

This title has metacritic data! The "fuck the man" score is adjusted so each person's review is equally weighted, regardless of critic or fan status.

Critic

8.6 Converted 10 Point Score
11 Number of Critic Reviews

User

8.4 User Review Average
35 Number of User Reviews

Average

8.5 Direct Average
8.4 "Fuck The Man" Combined Mean

Assault Android Cactus Tag Cloud

- +

More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

LinuxMacPS4Steam DeckSwitchWindows PCXboxReleased

Sorting Categories

Different

Genre and Control Style Tags

Dungeon CrawlerStory RichSurvivors-likeTop Down or IsometricTwin Stick ShooterWave ShooterWave Survival

Aesthetic Tags

3DAnimeCute

Setting / Story Tags

CyborgsRobotsSci-fi

Control Styles

Controller

Game Mode Tags

Unknownn/a

Features and Extras

SoundtrackSteam AchievementsSteam CloudSteam LeaderboardsSteam Trading Cards

Dev/Publisher

Witch Beam

Game Features

- +

Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: Co-Op
  • Online: Co-Op
  • Player Count: 4
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: 29
  • Steam Leaderboards: Yes
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: Yes

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: No
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: Steam Bandcamp YouTube Spotify Amazon Apple

Marketing Blurb

- +

Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"Assault Android Cactus is an intense arcade style twin stick shooter - pick from one of nine unique synthetic heroines and blast your way through overwhelming robots hordes to save the ship from its own workforce. Supports single player and local co-op game modes."

"..blending the gameplay of western styled arena shooters with aspects of Japanese style bullet hell as you charge head first through transforming stages, massive boss battles and an eclectic cast of characters.."

Run Times & Speedups

- +

Average Run Time: n/a

Run Time Notes

?

Speed Settings

?

[edit]

Whisker Squadron: Survivor

EA

Very Different. An excellent pick if you want to mix it up with a rogue-lite Star Fox style rail shooter survival with leveling mechanics. Has a ton of control differences but sometimes the differences from most survivors-likes makes a game your next favorite. Main complaint is there just isn't enough content. I want more varied pilots, weapons, maps, more bullet heaven aspects. I hope they bring a lot more during Early Access. Needs more for the price and a greater breadth and depth would skyrocket it up this list. Hate the energy meter firing delay.

On-Rails Shooter Roguelite Survivors-like
6.5 Combined Ranking Score
46/72 Ranking Position
1219/1600 Total Points
8.7 Final Review
92% Steam
8.4 Scale
8.4 Vibes
180 Steam Reviews
360/400 Review Points
4.3 Similarity Score
72% Diagnosis:
Very Different
859/1200 Comparison Points
71% Genre 3.4/8 genre
29% Simple Controls -3/7 move
85% Survival Modes 2.8/4 modes
100% Power Progression 4/4 level
60% Buildcrafting Depth 1/5 build
60% Stage Features 1.4/7 stage
75% Content Breadth 4.5/9 stuff
88% Aesthetics 4.6/6 style
82% Gameplay Vibe Check 6.4/10 vibe vibe

Whisker Squadron: Survivor Ranking Notes

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Scaling and Review Notes

Personal Hours Played: 3.8

Every game ranked was played, but also scaled based on research, talking to developers & your feedback. The priority with the scale's initial design was to compare similarity on relatively objective features - so it doesn't claim to include reviews of the depth and clarity you'd get at a games journalism site, nor the intensive time played you might get from player reviews on steam. We try to incorporate and link all of that along with a 'review scale' that checks for bugs. See the heatmap and breakdown! Time played noted so you can take any notes with a big grain of salt! I can't get to high level gameplay in 850+ games so I heavily research every game. Over 80 game creators let me interview or survey them! I Hope to go back and refine. Please argue or submit your own scores and reviews to be incorporated with credit into the notes and score numbers.

Added or last checked on 10/20/2023

It's rogue-lite wave survival wrapped around a star fox controls style rail shooter that looks like an HD neon remaster of a 1990s vector graphic shooter. That's awesome. Add a couple cute cats, and you've got yourself a nice little package. I had a lot of fun with this one and will probably try to at least unlock all the ships and levels. Lots of buttons/triggers, no auto, not like Vampire Survivors there. Fun music. The only real shame is there isn't a ton of content or build variety. Would be great to see more. There is both a boost and a roll so it gets a full -1 in that category.

More unique characters, ships, maps, and enemies. Character abilities are a little underwhelming and haven't gotten any over the top bullet heaven combos, but still fun. Would also be cool if characters got star fox style wah wah unique to them, not just the dot for the text. They could also use more personality. Don't love the energy meter. I customized controls to fire with trigger. Colors/levels could pulse/warp procedurally to give feel of endless variety, like some older games do. Quibbles quibbles. I worry because devs announced a next similar game while this could use more content for 14.99.

This has the bones to be one of the best games on this list and one of the best games I've played in a while, but it's just the bones right now. It needs to go over the top and it needs to go hard, and bringing in a writer with some humor and further developing some diversity in the style and color palette would help too.

Whisker Squadron: Survivor Similarity Scale Heatmap

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Measured in 60 categories via likert-scale style options -1 to 1 in tenths, how does this game compare to Vampire Survivors. This allows 1200 total "points". It's easier to have a point of comparison and we just picked Vampire Survivors since it's the most popular and commonly referenced game in the subgenre. For detailed methodology read the explainer. For in depth examples at score value, see the scoring guide and for term definitions see the key.

4.3 Similarity Score
72% Diagnosis:
859/1200 Comparison Points
Rogue-lite 1/1
Auto-Fire / Auto-Battle 0/1
Real Time 1/1
Top Down or Isometric 0/1
Direct Control of Single Avatar 1/1
Arcade Style 1/1
Bullet Heaven A (Many Player Bullets) 0.4/1
Bullet Heaven B (Few Enemy Bullets) -1/1
One Handed Play (w Controller) -1/1
Move Only 0/1
No Dash -1/1
No Trigger -1/1
No Special Move 0/1
No Aiming -1/1
No On-Aim / On-Fire Movement Penalty 1/1
Timed / Boss Ended Survival 1/1
Endless Mode 0/1
Organic / Unannounced Waves 1/1
High Enemy Count (Horde) 0.8/1
Level Up on XP Gain Event 1/1
Streamlined Level Choices (Simple UI) 1/1
Currency Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Goal Based Meta Unlocks 1/1
Build Crafting 0.4/1
0.5/1
Weapon Combination / "Evolution" 0/1
Interesting Item / Weapon / Ability Synergy 0.1/1
Broken / Invincible Builds Possible 0/1
Explorable Map -1/1
BIG Maps 1/1
XP on Ground 1/1
Health on Ground 0/1
Temp Powerups / Items on Ground 0.4/1
Treasure Chests and/or Loot Events 0/1
Vendor / Merchant on Run 0/1
Enemy Variety 0.1/1
Bosses / Elites 0.5/1
Many Interesting Characters 0.3/1
Many Challenges 0.6/1
Multiple Stages 0.6/1
Difficulty Modifiers 1/1
Bestiary / Lore 0/1
Achievements 1/1
Secrets 0.4/1
Retro / Pixel Art 1/1
Damage Numbers 1/1
Lofi Charm 1/1
Bumpin Music 1/1
Fun Writing 0.6/1
Subtle Humor 0/1
Panic & Zen Duo Vibe 0.5/1
Over the Top 0.6/1
"One More Run" / Short Runs 1/1
Difficulty Ramp 0.8/1
Fun Ramp 0.7/1
Low Price 0.1/1
Technical Check 1/1
Controls Check 0.9/1
Fun Check 0.8/1
Feels like VS 0.8/1

Whisker Squadron: Survivor Review Scale Heatmap

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The review scale is judged from -1 to 1 in 10 categories, with 200 possible "points" earned. Steam review positive percentage is worth another 100 points, and a "ten point" pure vibe review number adds extra subjectivity. Converted into points, that's 400 points total. The points aren't used directly in the ranking, though, which averages the three number scores for the final review score listed in the game line above.

8.7 Final Review
92% Positive Steam Reviews
180 Steam Reviews
8.4 Pure Vibes
8.4 Review Scale
360/400 Review Points
Not Buggy 1/1
Not Janky 1/1
Good UI 0.7/1
Controller and Deck 1/1
Lots of Content 0.3/1
Good Theme 0.4/1
Good Graphics and Sound 1/1
Fun Feel 1/1
Unique Twists 1/1
Vibe Check 1/1

Whisker Squadron: Survivor Tag Cloud

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More sortable taxonomies and categories associated with the game (genre tags are available in the main game table line!) We've just started adding tags to enable more sorting options, this section will get more filled out as we go!

Release Tags

LinuxMacSteam DeckWindows PCEA

Sorting Categories

Very Different

Genre and Control Style Tags

On-Rails ShooterRogueliteSurvivors-like

Aesthetic Tags

3DNeonRetroVector Inspired

Setting / Story Tags

AbstractFurryRobotsSci-fiShip (Air/Space)

Control Styles

Controller

Game Mode Tags

Currency MetaprogressionDropped Powerups30m

Features and Extras

SoundtrackSteam AchievementsSteam CloudSteam Trading Cards

Dev/Publisher

Flippfly LLC

Game Features

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Listing various features we've got info on.

Multiplayer

  • Local: No
  • Online: No
  • Player Count: 1
  • Leaderboards: ?

Steam Features

  • Steam Cloud: Yes
  • Steam Achievements: 22
  • Steam Leaderboards: No
  • Steam Workshop: No
  • Steam Trading Cards: Yes

Extras, Etc.

  • NSFW: No
  • Demo Available: No
  • DLC Available: No
  • Soundtrack Available: Steam Bandcamp YouTube

Marketing Blurb

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Some description of the game and its features from the creators.

"A cosmic roguelite on-rails shooter with wild 30-minute runs that will take your feline flight crew to thrilling new heights with each randomized adventure. Your plan is simple: wreak vengeance on the Swarm and try to survive."

"Embark on an ever-changing adventure across neon-laced roguelike levels featuring on-rails shooter runs that change with every 20-30 minute playthrough" "Design a fighter ship using randomized upgrades that can be built using scraps dropped throughout each level and Victory Points earned through play."

Run Times & Speedups

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Average Run Time: 30m

Run Time Notes

?

Speed Settings

?