welcome to v0.001 of the website!! ty for bearing with us while we optimize the survivors-likes wiki! the main page loads the entire database for pinned browsing atm, so this will take a long time. You can scroll while it loads. try a search/filter query or click a taxonomy tag to see a smaller slice.
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 12/6/2023
Scale scoring from scorecard submitted by Developer. Once evaluated after a couple hours play and some research, will be adjusted and moved up into the ranking proper.
Full metaprogression notes by Daemonbound, possible spoiler warnings: "The player's goals is ever changing as there are numerous things to work towards that will increase the player's options and overall power. To start off the player will initially work towards finding chests on the map to unlock new armor sets, artifacts, weapons and characters."
"They will also be looking for means of getting gold, which is used to purchase unlocked items and to upgrade their stats, via the upgrades menu. Player's goals might shift then to finding the exit on a map to unlock the next one, so they can further increase their arsenal and selection of characters."
"Each character has their own unlockable main weapon and secondary weapon, which can be unlocked by finding a gold chest on any map. Furthermore, these characters all have a primary and secondary stat bonus, which can be increased by reaching higher levels in a run past level 100. Players can later through the collection of marbles, increase the base damage of weapons in their stash to further increase their power too."
"As the player collects more achievements, their Survivor rank increases too, which unlocks numerous other hidden features, such as a new tier of upgrades, the workshop, where some of your unlocked characters offer their services as artisans, that can craft weapons and offer many other services. There is also the tavern, where adventurers you have found and saved on maps, can be hired to aid you with their skills. Lastly there is also the Auras feature, where the player's characters now can have unique auras to further enhance their and other player's stats."
Dev Scorecard Notes: "The game has elements of Diablo 2. Over 100 updates released since the game's launch."
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.
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.
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!
Some description of the game and its features from the creators.
"A rogue-lite where you fight hundreds of creatures to unlock more characters, weapons, artifacts and armor to challenge deeper levels. Team up with friends or go solo; all drops are instanced so you don't have to share. Casual gameplay combined with smart choices makes "one more run" a no-brainer."
The game is single stick, you only use direction inputs and occasionally either button press or mouse for choice selection or other inputs you can bind.
Automated Features
Auto-Aim
Auto-Fire
"Most attacks are auto aim, some are direction you are facing. All attacks are auto-fire."
Rush mode - Reduces the overall game time by making waves come sooner.
Runners - Which doubles all enemy movement speed, except for bosses
Blood Moon - Which doubles the enemy spawn rate and slightly increases their movement speed.
Grim Reaper - Mini-bosses are replaced by a slow moving Reaper that progressively gets faster and harder to kill as the player levels.
Game modes are available for all maps. The feature however must first be unlocked for that map, by unlocking everything that map has to offer.
The runtime is determined by the selected game mode. All modes take up a little over 30 minutes except for Rush mode, which takes up to 20 minutes.
There are no rounds and there is a constant shift between the spawn rate of groups of mobs and mini-bosses as time progresses. There is always a guardian spawn at the 30 minute mark. When all of them are defeated the spawn stops and the map is empty. The run technically continues indefinitely, until the player either leaves via a exit or uses the portal, but is functionally complete at this point.
Speed Settings
You cannot set clock speed. But the Rush game mode affects the time at which mobs spawn and when guardians show up, which allows quicker completion of the map, around 20m instead of 30m.
Players start with one weapon, defeat enemies, pick up xp gems and level on xp gain event. Streamlined level options (3 random choices) are determined by available slots and loadout.
Each map offers unique weapons. Lastly players can also increase their power through the act of "armor fusion", which is to have a full armor set equipped and the corresponding artifact for that set, fully upgraded. This moves the artifact over to the armor slots, leaving a new slot available and also further increasing their overall damage reduction stat.
Meta Progression
There are both currency and find/goal based unlocks. Found chests on each stage unlock new armor sets, artifacts, weapons and characters. Map "exits" unlock the next map once found.
Currency gathered, gold, is used to purchase unlocked items and upgrade their stats. A later game currency, marbles, can increase base damage of weapons.
Reaching high level in run with a character earns permanent bonuses. Achievements unlock numerous other hidden features and upgrade mechanics - for full spoiler details see the review notes.