The state of App Gaming is Horrendous.
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Good afternoon, guys. I hope the day so far is treating you well. Today, we're back in the AppStore, but this time, we will look at the classic non-paid content.
The topic is near to my heart. App gaming is what started the love of gaming for me especially because I didn’t have access to all the newest hardware.
When I was growing up my favorite games were: Angry Birds, Flappy Bird, Order Up, Subway Surfers, and so many more that I honestly can’t remember off the top of my head.
While I can look at those games with rose tinted glasses looking outside of them, the picture definitely isn’t quite pretty.
(Photo saved from: Sensor Tower/The Highest Rated iOS Apps and Games of All Time, According to App Store Users)
Guidelines
Because I prefaced before I’ve played quite a few app games that are still popular today I had to set some guidelines to make this post fair or at least as fair as possible.
I’m approaching the AppStore as if I were a completely new individual (barring the games I’ve played as I mentioned before)
I will be testing games for an hour each. This can entertain an individual for a commute or something so I think this is reasonable.
All games will be tested on both iPhone & iPad
So based on the guidelines from earlier I’ll be testing two games: SOULS & Cooking Fever: Restaurant Game
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Souls
First impression
I do like that the game starts right away with its opening cutscene
The UI (User Interface)is minimal but a little too minimal
The art style is nice, cozy, vibrant and colorful
This is a top-down turn-based game. This was definitely outside of my comfort zone, especially because I, am not particularly familiar with turn-based games.
The combat doesn’t look as nice as the cutscenes
The game doesn’t have that great of a tutorial, especially for those unfamiliar with turn-based games
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Game experience overall
Now I’m gonna be so honest y’all. I did not play this game for an hour. I couldn’t even stomach it not gonna lie that’s how unbearable this game was and I’m not sure if it’s because of me and not liking turn-based combat or if the game is this bad. And the main reason I didn’t like the game will probably shock you, the game was far too easy and honestly confusing.
The first 1–2 levels were a cakewalk. All you have to do is pick your characters and you watch them fight the enemies in front of you. Now I’m well aware for a lot of people this is a perfectly fulfilling gaming experience for me it is not. Especially, because the opening tutorial was essentially here’s your characters figure it out.
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Moreover, Level 3 was the level I eventually got stumped. This level is when progression as far as the tutorial finally progresses as well. Honestly, guys, this game would have resonated with me way more if I had more of a reason to care. About the characters, about the gameplay about like anything going on in this world.
This game was such a missed opportunity. If I were making this game I would have put more info or at least voiced some way to give the emotion of some sort to the characters, I would also add an option for a more in-depth tutorial so it would be three tiers: Hands-off tutorial, In-depth tutorial, or no tutorial that way it would bridge the gap, finally and most importantly I would make the game a little more dynamic as far as actual gameplay that way it wouldn’t be so boring to watch as well.
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Cooking Fever: Restaurant Game
Now before we get into the first impressions on this one I wanted to say that this game was part of the inspiration for this very post, and given the title you can tell its not for good reason.
First impressions
The ads for this game are so saturated on sites like YouTube and out of the other games advertised this was the best out of all of them which isn’t saying much
You have to get through five different screens before even starting the first level
To start the food cooks excrealinly slow, while the customers are quite impatient
Upgrades seem to be compensating for the bad game balacing
The game are style seems a little bland and differently could of used more personality of some sort to set it apart
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Overall game experience
Now this game was another miss for me and I think I have a firmer grip on why than with SOULS. Now, I work fast food as my real-life job, and this game reminds me too much of that. You see in other games specifically games where work is involved usually they will make them not feel like work.
For example, one of my favorite food service games that I mentioned earlier is Order Up. With that game, while you do have to serve consumers within a time limit similar to this one the act of actually cooking the food, the art style, mini-games, etc all made this game fun to play.
(Photo saved from X.com)
Cooking Fever: Restaurant Game sadly doesn’t have the same vibrance and appeal. The characters don’t even appear genuinely happy; they rudely leave their money; the art style is also flat, literally and figuratively. And remember guys, this was the best game I’ve seen advertised outside of the ones I mentioned earlier, which were released 15 years ago or more in some cases.
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
(Photo screenshot by Nia🫧)
Conclusion
All in all, I’m incredibly disappointed in app gaming. It feels like we’ve come so far to sadly be ignoring where it all started for some of us. While of course a few of the OG games are still around for those who are interested it shouldn’t be hard to want to play and find new games worth playing despite relying on what we know is good. Hopefully, things will improve, and this seems to partially be the case with the immersion of Apple Arcade however to have to pay a premium to get quality app games is just absurd. For now, though I recommend sticking to the classics. Alright, guys thank you so much for taking the time to read this week’s post I greatly appreciate it and I’ll catch you guys in the next one :).
