[quote][url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_slop][b]Warning: AI Slop[/b][/url]
This game is partially or completely made with talentless, soulless AI generated content.[/quote]
Just when you thought the AI slop infestation on Steam couldn't get any worse, "CheeseCatToe" is a basic noughts and crosses/tic-tac-toe game, but made worse with AI slop, and carrying a pointless cats, cheese and mice theme.
What do you do in the game? Tic-tac-toe, the turn based 1v1 (vs AI) game of putting noughts or crosses on a grid. The objective is to make three in a row, or at least block your opponent from doing the same. The o's and x's here are replaced with AI slop pictures of cats paws and mice. There's also expanded game modes with larger grids and expanded goals like making 5 in a row instead of three. Yeah, that was what tic-tac-toe needed to break into the bleeding edge of PC gaming, AI slop and bigger grids. God help us all.
The "game" here is of a pretty low technical standard. The implementation is basic minimum effort stuff, more like a weekend project rather than a serious, professionally made product... and it's bad even compared to most amateur made games. An experimental piece... and the experiment is "Can I spend on Steam Direct and then call myself a game dev?" While that $100 spend on Steam Direct probably made the developers feel good about themselves, we have to ask why this kind of thing is good for gamers. It isn't.
As mentioned, this features really godawful, "wrong" looking AI slop instead of genuinely and sincerely created game assets. It's hard to say if this was because the developer didn't have the skill to do the job of creating real game assets or couldn't afford to hire someone who does, but it also doesn't matter. What matters is that this looks bad because of that decision. AI slop sticks out like a sore thumb... and it comes across as insulting.
There's also the old adage that those who lack the budget and talent to make their own game assets usually lack the budget and talent to do the rest of the job of game development properly, too, and that's glaringly obvious here.
Now on to pricing and value for gamers.
This is "free" enough (not every "free" game in the "free" section is truly free, there's usually some hidden price tag), at least you won't be expected to spend any more money after you download this, but just because something is free doesn't mean it's good, and the cost of a game is more than just financial, your time is valuable too.
A peak of [b]3 concurrent users[/b] for a "free" game is a disastrous public reception. Out of 130 million potential players here on Steam, almost nobody was interested. Even though this is "free". That level of rejection speaks a lot for the quality of the product.
Since free games don't contribute to your game collector badge and other profile stuff, is this a worthwhile addition to your Steam library?
Not on a bet. I didn't have to pay for this, but I still feel ripped off.
The use of AI slop is a direct insult to gamers and real, ethical content creators and artists everywhere.
