Mobage is shit
Mobage is shit.
The thing about mobage is that I only see them as “time-killers”, and as games which I’m only ever going to use for killing time, I’m not going to spend any longer on it beyond that. This is the one reason why I haven’t idolize even a single event SR in LLSIF, because I feel like it’s too much grinding from a game I’m just going to spend for a couple of minutes to kill time.
F/GO has so many maintenance it eventually turned into a meme.
Furthermore, these mobile games require constant updates. I guess it helps that the developers are actively including new features in newer versions. At the same time, it sucks for people with an older device… like me, because the newer these mobage are updated, the higher the minimum requirements. LLSIF, the one and only mobage I have been actively playing, finally got a technical issue the other day. I was like “LLSIF is my one and only mobage I ever play, it’s my one true solace, and you would deny me even that?”
…But yeah, the game just won’t start in a proper horizontal format, I managed to get it horizontal by downloading another app to force my whole phone in horizontal orientation, but I shouldn’t need to do that in the first place. The latest LLSIF doesn’t support the older firmwares anymore, from what I know, it seems the developers are no longer providing technical support for older firmwares — hence odd, buggy issues appear like this and is something they will probably never fix. Eh, this sucks.
So if I can barely even play old mobage, needless to say, I doubt I can even play newer games. I just tried Granblue Fantasy the other day, and it lagged so much it’s completely unplayable, and my phone also can’t process the graphics properly too — during dialogues, there won’t be any sprites or backgrounds, just pure black screen though with dialogue box and the audio is at least working. I understand I’m to blame too, since I really should just change my ancient phone already. Besides, you can play Granblue on the computer too, and once I did that, I managed to get a little further into the game. And you know what? I got even more fed up.
The biggest appeal in mobage are SR, SSR, UR (or any equivalent terms) items or characters, mostly in the form of in-game cards. So what does mobage developers do? Well, microtransactions. Aside from looking absolutely amazing, these cards are the often more useful, and sometimes even game-breaking ones which you will probably never get unless you pay an enormous sum of money (because come on, it’s not like you can get what you want with just one try), or if you have some serious, miraculous luck. So most mobage players opted for the former, and it’s not uncommon to see people spending thousands, sometimes even millions of dollars just on these games. To be honest I’m even dangerously close to going down this hellhole too, but my phone’s in-app purchases doesn’t work, which is something I’m still not sure if I should feel fortunate or unfortunate to this very day.
But indeed, it does makes me feel like I’m missing a whole lot of fun though. Not sure why LLSIF is more tolerable with me, other than the slight occasional envy at other people’s idolized SRs and URs; but the moment I started Granblue, I was like “Ah shit, this game is gonna be fun…” It’s funny because some of these SSR characters are even more popular than their main story characters. Furthermore, it just doesn’t help that they advertise their SSR characters and weapons any opportunity they can, sometimes even the very moment you open the app — disrupting your gameplay by showing you these shiny ultra rare items, as if screaming to everyone “GIVE US YOUR MONEY”. I barely tried Granblue for a day or two and I already got fed up with it.
Admittedly though, it’s not like I have only hatred against these games. Most of these games are tailored specifically for people to kill time, and for that, these games serve their role perfectly. In fact, I honestly have nothing against these games. I like rhythm games and LLSIF is a good rhythm game, and it’s Love fucking Live. Granblue Fantasy is good since I always have a soft spot for medieval JRPGs. It’s just that I have a huge distaste for mobage’s reliance on microtransactions — I hate the idea that you have to pay so much to get more out of the game. Even paying a $60 console game sounds a lot more cheaper in comparison.
Mobage developers
That’s why I think mobage sucks, not because of the mobage themselves, but the system and culture behind them. The older your phone is, the less chances you will be able to play any of these games, combine that with the fact that these games are already so over-reliant on microtransactions — everything about them just screams MONEY. Oh well, if you happen to enjoy these mobage then fair enough, though I would rather just spend my time on other games in my backlog.
deluscar 
Mobage are pretty terrible, though I personally wouldn’t class LLSIF as one. It’s a free to play rhythm game first and foremost. I feel the same about those types of games though; I don’t really understand how things like Kantai Collection, Granblue Fantasy and Fate/Grand Order have gotten so popular when there’s very little actual gameplay. I suppose people enjoy the feeling of making progress even when they’ve put no real effort into it.
Free to Play games kind of make sense, but i’ve yet to find one i’d be willing to spend money on, and mobile games in general annoy me because their popularity means resources aren’t going into making legitimate games.
You know what? I don’t know how they got as popular as they do now either, other than the fact that they really DO have spectacular character designs. Tbf though, games like LLSIF and Granblue Fantasy do have somewhat engaging gameplay, just that micro-transactions kinda ruined them.
Very true. Although I would go so far as to say that the gacha system is the primary reason as to why most mobage suck.
As someone who also plays mobage (mainly F/GO, recently returned to LL!SIF) there really is a clear dichotomy between F2P and P2W. You’re right in that F2Pers have to grind events or be extremely lucky if they want “better” cards (or units, or characters, etc.) lest they just become casual with it and not particularly care for metagaming. SIF is an odd example because of the skill element it requires, but even that can be easily overtaken by having a team of URs — which is where the gacha comes in. While an F2Per can stick around (and even tier) in SIF out of sheer skill, games like FGO that require very minimal skill tend to just be a game of higher numbers (rarities, stats) at its core.
To that effect the gacha seems like a great equalizer for a lot of players (since everyone has the same odds of pulling something), but in reality it’s a gambling sim built into mobages that tickle the same parts of the brain that enjoys throwing money at slots in a casino. That’s what really sucks.
*resumes grind for idolized SR You*
Yeah I think you just summed up neatly why I feel SIF is much more tolerable for me compared to Granblue. It’s still possible to tier songs, but does make things much more easier if you’re paying money to buy gems… or buy URs literally, lol. I never played FGO but it seems just as frustrating.
The gacha system is shit. Try as you might, but you will never get the card you need :p It’s not a good system especially if you need a specific card. Like, I don’t know how many gems I have burned just to try to get an UR Maki.
…good luck.
Never played one, now I know not to.
You made a great choice.
Played a few but none really stuck to me. They have pretty visuals but gameplay-wise, they’re all starting to feel the same.
A few of them are actually good, it’s just the micro-transactions I dislike.
I have never been a big fan of mobile games since they aren’t as well in depth compared to regular video games. It’s expected to see these game have microtransactions since most mobiles are free to play. In general, I like games that have depth, although I admit to playing a bit of Kantai Collection, but the Playstation Vita port.
They don’t have a lot of depth since they are more “minimalist” games designed to play in shorter intervals, which is also exactly the reason why I refuse to grind and spend anymore time on them than is necessary. Some of the more mainstream mobage I tried seems to encourage this though, with events and whatnot which again, hilariously, aren’t really welcoming to new players most of the time unless you’re a vet or an overpowered P2Wer.
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I think you might have a better time with Kairisei Million Arthur, then. While it’s still a TCG and very much relies on getting the right cards, the JP server spits premium currency like water, so there really is no real motivation to pay. The JP server also gives a lot of cards from the get go, and they have monthly “holy grail festivals” where you have a pretty good chance of getting the better cards. They also pushed out a rookie system where you get goodies and extra premium currency for the first month you play it.
Again, though, that’s only for the JP server as far as I know. The TW server I used to play in was micro-transaction heavy, so I think it just depends on the managing team.
Never heard of it, I will check it out if I ever plan to get back to mobage… which is like… never, lol. Thanks for the recommendation though.
Good choice, lol. The new ones are all money grabbing after more money grabbing.
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