Strong Narrative and Writing: Many users praised the game's writing, describing it as captivating and engaging, with unique storylines and character interactions that evoke a sense of immersion.
Art and Atmosphere: The artwork is frequently highlighted as beautiful and evocative, enhancing the overall experience of the game.
Replay Value: Players noted the game offers significant replayability due to its procedural generation of characters and scenarios, making each run feel fresh and unique.
Tactical Decision-Making: The game allows for diverse approaches to challenges, providing a sense of agency in how players navigate encounters, even if randomness plays a significant role.
Engagement with Failure: The "fail forward" mechanic was appreciated, as failures often lead to interesting narrative developments rather than simply ending the game.
The main cons of the game
High Randomness and RNG Dependence: Many players expressed frustration with the randomness of outcomes, feeling that luck often overshadowed strategy and decision-making, leading to abrupt failures that felt undeserved.
Lack of Character Attachment: The procedural generation of characters meant that players had little opportunity to form lasting attachments or see character development, diminishing the emotional impact of their journeys.
Opaque Mechanics: Users reported that the mechanics, particularly around the tile-drawing system and how traits affect outcomes, were poorly explained, leading to confusion and frustration during gameplay.
Repetitive Gameplay: Some players felt that the content could become repetitive over time, particularly due to the limited number of unique hells and heists available.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
Meta-Progression System: Many players expressed a desire for a progression system that would allow them to carry over achievements or character traits between runs, providing a sense of growth and investment in the game.
Better Feedback Mechanisms: Users suggested that clearer feedback on choices and outcomes would enhance the gameplay experience, allowing players to learn from their decisions more effectively.
Character Consistency: The ability to revisit or carry forward characters from previous runs was mentioned, as it could add depth to the narrative experience.
More Diverse Challenges and Mechanics: Some players hoped for a broader range of challenges and mechanics that could enhance gameplay variety, rather than relying heavily on the current RNG system.
Summary
Overall, while "Thousand Hells: The Underworld Heists" has garnered praise for its narrative and artistic elements, it faces criticism for its randomness, lack of character development, and gameplay mechanics that some players find frustrating or opaque.