Crypto Hearthstone: Revisited
TLDRThe video script offers a critical review of the online collectible card game, Gods Unchained, highlighting its issues such as bugs, clunky gameplay, and a complicated crypto-based economy. Despite updates and new features like the mobile app and a new game mode, the game still struggles with a declining player base and technical problems. The reviewer questions the long-term viability of the game and its ability to compete with non-crypto games, ultimately giving it a low adjusted score.
Takeaways
- 🎮 Gods Unchained is an online collectible card game developed by Immutable Games, initially launched in 2018 and still in open beta as of 2024.
- 📈 The game has maintained a stable player base over the years, but has not reached mainstream success as some had speculated.
- 📱 The release of the mobile client in February 2024 was long-awaited but was not the catalyst for a surge in popularity as anticipated by investors.
- 🔄 The game was temporarily delisted from the Epic Game Store due to its adult-only ESRB rating, but was reinstated under a new exception for crypto games.
- 📉 Despite updates and new features, the player base has seen a consistent decline since its peak in 2021, with potential bot accounts skewing the data.
- 🆕 The introduction of a new game mode, Sealed Mode, was well-received and led to a temporary increase in player counts.
- 💳 The game's integration with the Amazon Prime gaming portal has provided a quality of life improvement for players.
- 🛠️ The game still suffers from numerous bugs and glitches that have not been adequately addressed by the developers over time.
- 🚀 The complexity of the blockchain and token system in Gods Unchained creates a barrier for new players and detracts from the gameplay experience.
- 📱 The mobile app version of the game has its own set of issues, including missing animations and crashes, leading to a subpar user experience.
- 💰 The investment in Gods Unchained tokens as of the video's date has yielded a modest return, but the game's potential for profitability is limited compared to other options.
Q & A
What is Gods Unchained and when was it first reviewed by the speaker?
-Gods Unchained is a crypto game, specifically an online collectible card game. The speaker first reviewed it in 2022.
What was the initial rating given by the speaker to Gods Unchained and what were the main complaints?
-The initial rating given by the speaker to Gods Unchained was 44 out of 100. The main complaints were the lack of polish and the abundance of confusing crypto mechanics.
How has the player base of Gods Unchained evolved since the initial review?
-Since the initial review, Gods Unchained has maintained one of the strongest and most stable player bases among crypto games.
What significant update did Gods Unchained receive in February 2024?
-In February 2024, the significant update that Gods Unchained received was the release of the mobile client for the game.
What was the community's reaction to the delay of the mobile app?
-The constant delays of the mobile app were a source of community frustration, especially since it was first teased 3 years ago.
What happened when Gods Unchained was added to the Epic Games Store and what led to its temporary removal?
-When Gods Unchained was added to the Epic Games Store, the player base temporarily increased but then declined. The game was temporarily removed from the store because it received an adults-only ESRB rating due to its implementation of real-world money and gambling aspects, which is against the rules of the Epic Games Store.
What is the issue with the card opening menu in the new desktop client of Gods Unchained?
-The new card opening menu in the desktop client has some functionality issues. It has fancy animations and sounds, but sometimes the screen doesn't work properly and card packs won't show up until the client is restarted.
What is the 'sealed mode' in Gods Unchained and how does it work?
-Sealed mode is a new game mode in Gods Unchained where players purchase a specified number of booster packs and then build a deck using only the cards obtained from those packs. If a player wins seven games before losing three, they win a prize of two legendary card packs and 21 Gods tokens.
What is the main criticism about the gameplay experience of Gods Unchained?
-The main criticism about the gameplay experience of Gods Unchained is that it feels clunky and sluggish to play, with many unnecessary clicks and animations that waste time. There are also numerous bugs and glitches that have persisted over the years.
What did the speaker conclude about the investment potential of Gods Unchained?
-The speaker concluded that investing in Gods Unchained or any crypto game is not a good way to make money. Despite the game being one of the most legitimate and stable crypto games, the return on investment is not significantly better than the overall stock market when considering the fees associated with buying, selling, and withdrawing tokens.
What was the adjusted John score given by the speaker for Gods Unchained in 2024?
-The adjusted John score given by the speaker for Gods Unchained in 2024 was 40 out of 100.
Outlines
🎮 Gods Unchained: A Retrospective and Current State
This paragraph discusses the initial review of Gods Unchained, a crypto game that received a high rating in 2022. Despite initial complaints about lack of polish and confusing crypto mechanics, the game has maintained a strong and stable player base. The video aims to reassess the game's success and potential mainstream appeal, highlighting its ongoing development and updates, particularly the release of the mobile client in February 2024, which was met with community frustration due to delays. The paragraph also touches on the game's addition to the Epic Game Store and the controversy surrounding its adult-only ESRB rating.
📈 Player Base and Game Improvements in 2024
The paragraph delves into the player base statistics of Gods Unchained, noting a consistent decline since 2021, with an all-time low reached in September 2023. The introduction of a new game mode, Sealed Mode, and the game's availability on the Amazon Prime gaming portal are cited as efforts to boost popularity. However, the paragraph also discusses the technical issues and bugs that persist in the game, emphasizing the need for significant improvements to the gameplay experience.
🚀 Navigating the Complex Cryptocurrency System of Gods Unchained
This section provides a critical overview of the game's complex cryptocurrency system, highlighting the difficulties faced by free-to-play players in earning and purchasing cards. The time-consuming process of buying and selling cards, along with the necessity to engage with multiple layers of blockchain, is discussed. The paragraph also touches on the game's lack of instant gratification and the significant time commitment required to earn rewards, which may deter players from continuing to play.
🤖 Bots, Connectivity Issues, and Mobile App Critique
The paragraph addresses the presence of bots in the lower ranks of Gods Unchained, which, while shortening queue times, provide an unsatisfying gameplay experience. The lack of a reconnection feature after game crashes is also criticized. The mobile app's usability is scrutinized, with reports of bugs and crashes, and the app's inability to purchase cards or claim rewards is highlighted. The paragraph questions the developers' priorities, given the game's technical issues and the shift in resources towards their layer 2 blockchain and wallet.
💰 Re-evaluating Gods Unchained: Investment and Game Economy
The paragraph presents a re-evaluation of Gods Unchained, considering the game's investment potential and economy. It discusses the release of new expansion packs and the limited edition card sales, which capitalize on fear of missing out (FOMO) and urgency. The paragraph also explores the concept of investing in the game's tokens, comparing potential returns to other investment options, and concludes that investing in crypto games is not a viable way to make money due to high fees and low liquidity.
📊 2024 Adjusted Review Scores for Gods Unchained
In this final paragraph, the reviewer assigns new scores to Gods Unchained across various categories, adjusting the previous ratings to reflect the game's current state. The reviewer maintains the same scores for ease of access and gameplay, lowers the score for graphics and audio, and reaffirms the low score for the game's use of crypto and NFTs. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on the game's potential for future success, skepticism towards the player counts due to the introduction of bots, and the reviewer's overall opinion that there are better games available.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Gods Unchained
💡Crypto Games
💡Immutable Games
💡Blockchain
💡NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens)
💡Player Base
💡Mobile Client
💡Epic Game Store
💡Spaghetti Code
💡Turn-Based Strategy
💡Blockchain Layers
Highlights
Gods Unchained, a crypto game reviewed in 2022, has maintained a stable player base and continues to exist.
The game received a John score of 44 out of 100, with complaints about lack of polish and confusing crypto mechanics.
Despite initial skepticism, the game has shown resilience and longevity in the crypto gaming space.
Immutable Games, the Australian developer, has consistently released updates, though often focused on microtransactions.
The mobile client release in February 2024 was anticipated to boost the game's popularity but was delayed and caused frustration in the community.
The game's addition to the Epic Games Store did not indicate Epic's support for crypto and was met with mixed reactions.
Player base numbers did not significantly increase after the Epic Games Store listing, contrary to investor speculation.
The introduction of a new game mode, Sealed Mode, saw the first increase in player counts in years.
The game's desktop client and mobile app underwent changes, but issues with bugs and user experience persist.
The game's complex blockchain mechanics and wallet funding process remain a significant barrier for new players.
The game's currency system and earning cards as a free-to-play player are still convoluted and time-consuming.
Matchmaking includes bots, which speed up queue times but offer an unsatisfying play experience.
The mobile app's launch was fraught with bugs and crashes, leading to negative user experiences.
The developers' focus on layer 2 blockchain development and the game's tech debt have impacted the game's improvement.
The game's monetization strategy relies on limited edition card sales and exploiting fear of missing out (FOMO).
Investment in Gods Unchained tokens did not yield significantly higher returns compared to the stock market.
The re-review of Gods Unchained in 2024 resulted in an adjusted John score of 40 out of 100, reflecting the game's stagnation and issues.
The game's potential for mainstream success and profitability for players is questioned, given the time commitment and monetary investment required.
The reviewer suggests that the game's community and investor base may not fully grasp the game's limitations and potential drawbacks.