The comments on the game touch upon various aspects, including the level design, the plot's depth, the simplicity of the gameplay, and the overall experience beyond the game itself.
However, it must be acknowledged that divide has delivered an unforgettable experience to everyone who has played it. While certain moments in the game evoke a sense of pain for players, the journey remains thrilling and engaging, reminiscent of an animated movie. The anticipated happy ending has left many feeling deeply satisfied.
On the fourth day after the game's release, major media outlets began publishing their evaluations. Many game critics were moved, some even to the point of tears. In a time marked by a shortage of noteworthy new releases, few titles manage to captivate players' attention so effectively.
The memory of reviewing Dark Souls still lingers for many in the game media industry. Unlike some game developers who provide media outlets with early evaluation copies, Neon Games does not offer such access. Media reviewers experience the game at the same time as players, leaving them with limited time to produce detailed evaluations upon the game's release.
For game journalists, playing a game differs greatly from the casual player's experience. While players enjoy the game at their own pace, reviewers must meticulously analyse its content, unravel its nuances, and consider every detail thoroughly. This demands significant effort.
The launch of Dark Souls was particularly challenging for domestic game media. The game's punishing difficulty, fragmented narrative style, and intricate side quests—many of which are easy to miss without a guide—posed formidable obstacles. For over two weeks after its release, even the most authoritative game critics struggled to publish comprehensive reviews.
After finally overcoming the challenges of Dark Souls and delving into its in-depth content, an even more surprising situation arose. The game's reputation transformed dramatically, shifting from mixed reviews to widespread acclaim.
Players now fully understand the essence of Dark Souls. For many, media evaluations are merely a reference point for those unfamiliar with the game's genre. While such reviews are not crucial to experienced players, they guide casual gamers in deciding whether to purchase the game.
Back when Dark Souls gained attention, it left a profound mark on gaming media. However, things are different now.
When Double launched, gaming media outlets also did not receive advance review copies. Consequently, evaluations for the game were delayed and weren't available on release day. Despite this, the reviews arrived during the peak buzz surrounding Double. The game's unique two-player mechanics led many players to eagerly await feedback before jumping in.
This time, the evaluations hit at just the right moment, capturing the game's momentum perfectly. Among domestic media outlets, the lowest score given was an impressive 8.3 out of 10. One outlet, Game Time and Space, which had previously interviewed Chen Xu, even awarded the game a perfect score of 10 to curry favour but it also states the game quality.
Their evaluation of Double stated:
"Without a doubt, Double Together is the best two-player co-op game in recent years—absolutely no contest! From the moment you step into this mesmerizing world, your senses are continuously dazzled, allowing you to savour this masterpiece crafted with boundless creativity and imagination."
The review continued:
"For over ten hours, the gameplay and environments keep evolving. One moment, you're riding rails among the stars; the next, you're piloting a warship through a world of building blocks, battling a colossal octopus. Each corner holds new surprises, making it impossible to predict what awaits."
"Gameplay mechanisms that would serve as the centrepiece of other games are merely appetizers here, never to appear again on the same journey. This unpredictability, paired with the dreamlike settings, creates an exhilarating roller-coaster experience."
"It's a magnificent co-op adventure, brimming with innovative gameplay ideas! Beautifully designed, fast-paced, and teeming with creativity, the game ensures that every moment of experimentation is richly rewarding."
The review also highlighted the game's storyline:
"The plot of Double seamlessly integrates with its gameplay. It explores timeless themes of love, marriage, and family. When a marriage is worn down by life, can the warmth of family reignite love? This question is woven into a heartfelt narrative that perfectly complements the game's mechanics."
"In the game, three points revolve around the storyline:
[Faced with the firewood, rice, oil, and the salt of life, will the two sides give each other enough time to get along?],
[Besides love, what else could keep them together?],
[If life destroys our love, what is the meaning of life?]"
"Through the levels and plot of the game, players also find answers to these three questions, ultimately elevating the theme of the game."
"In the family, children act like a rope that connects husband and wife; however, children should never be the shackles of parents, but at least, they should be the last fuse."
"It's a bit cruel, but it is very sincere. The story's theme brings a heavy dose of reality. The game applies a tricky world-view, using the adventure of the fantasy villain to examine the world from another perspective."
With the release of evaluations from major media outlets, the popularity of divide shows no signs of slowing down.
Including the above sales, it has steadily risen, reaching 1.15 million pieces in two weeks.
This sales figure surprised Chen Xu a little.
After all, two-player games, especially those that force cooperative play, tend to attract a selective player base.
Not all players are in pairs, and Divide uses an invitation system: if one player owns the game, they can invite another player.
Despite this, the sales exceeded expectations.
Chen Xu briefly summed up the launch of Divide and now has a general sense of the bottom line.
The explosive sales of Divide can be attributed to three main factors.
The first factor is naturally the excellent quality of the game itself.
The second factor is the lack of this type of game. While two-player cooperative games aren't rare, a cooperative game with rich content and a large volume like Divide is the first of its kind.
The third factor is the game shortage. Although various game manufacturers launched new games after the year, most were not satisfying.
The games that players looked forward to remained in the coming soon stage.
In this situation, Divide naturally attracted the attention of players facing a game shortage.
To describe it, I have hold up and lives up to my reputation.
While Chen Xu was swiping his phone, there was a knock on the door of the office. After hearing the answer, Lin Rou came in and informed Chen Xu, "Mr. Chen, the reporter from Game Time and Space has arrived."
"Okay, I'll go right away." Chen Xu nodded.
After the word-of-mouth popularity of Divide exploded, Game Time and Space also contacted Neon Games to see if they could get Chen Xu exclusive interview on game topics.