- Hamster Kombat (Mobile / Telegram)
- Pixels (web browser)
- Gods Unchained (PC, Mac, iOS, Android)
- Guild of Guardians (iOS и Android)
- Rumble Racing Star (PC, Mac)
Web3 games are much better than they used to be. Here is an evaluation of different games by experienced gamer David Morris according to the following criteria: adaptation, gameplay, graphics and tokenomics.
According to Morris, cryptocurrency is at a tipping point. The growing crypto speculative mania of the last decade seems to have subsided. This raises the value of products that deliver results instead of just making big promises. These include blockchain-based games that have emerged since the announcement of Ethereum.
Below are brief reviews of several blockchain-based games. Each game is rated on standard gameplay and graphics metrics. But unlike more traditional games, blockchain games should also be evaluated in terms of implementation experience (adaptation) and tokenomics.
Adaptation matters because games attract people with no experience in cryptocurrency, and imposing a list of complex tasks on them before they can play is a great way to immediately lose their interest. Tokenomics matters because the rules associated with cryptocurrency are hard to get right.
Hamster Kombat (Mobile / Telegram)
Adaptation: A
Gameplay: D
Graphics: A
Tokenomics: D
Hamster Kombat isn’t really a ‘game’. Currently, the only ‘gameplay’ is clicking on one object to get points, and then spending those points to get more points. If there is any actual ‘Combat’, it is completely opaque to the new player. Instead, Hamster Kombat, where the user plays the role of the aspiring CEO of a cryptocurrency exchange, gamifies social engagement by offering in-game “gold” for things like subscribing and promoting the game’s X / Twitter account or referring friends.
Hamster Kombat
The game gives the impression of a pyramid scheme built on nothing, but you can’t deny — it works, leading the “game” to huge popularity. In most other aspects, Hamster Kombat is a top-tier game with a flawlessly smooth interface and, most impressively, a really easy adaptation process, integrated directly into Telegram. That’s what makes you believe that a real game will emerge from underneath this perpetual self-promotion machine.
Unfortunately, gameplay evolution doesn’t seem to be a priority for the developers at the moment. Hamster Kombat’s roadmap includes improvements to the game, such as “Squad Kombat,” but the focus is clearly on the upcoming integration of the token into gameplay. The tokenization in general seems questionable, as does the gameplay value of Hamster Kombat, so hamsters get a D on tokenomics.
Pixels (web browser)
Adaptation: C
Gameplay: A
Graphics: A +
Tokenomics: A
Pixels is a resource gathering and building game, a bit like Farmville, but with a lot more style. Even the text is good in its own cute way, which is really notable. There are also expansions for more active forms of gameplay such as dungeons, but the simple cycle of harvesting, cooking and selling is already satisfying on its own. There are periods of downtime in the process, but this is a game that you can run in the background and check in on from time to time.
Pixels
The graphics and overall feel of the game are also excellent. The game has a nostalgic 8-bit style, which seems to be one of the reasons that Pixels actually imports NFT. The user can play as a chubby penguin or a bored monkey, and the Pixels team has guidelines that allow any collection to submit playable versions. The game’s paradigm adds value to the entire Web3 space and reflects what is the team’s more general deep agreement with the ideas and values of cryptocurrency.
What is annoying, however, is the process of adapting Pixels, which is frankly in direct contradiction to the care and values demonstrated elsewhere in the game. The Metamask login is blocked and no longer works for new players, who must instead download and install a wallet for Sky Mavis’ Ronin Network, an EVM network that has its own form of wrapped ethereum (WETH). Otherwise, it appears that assets are only processed on Mavis’ own Ronin Network. This is an illustration of a common incentive mismatch in Web3 games: there is a great temptation to use an attractive game to tie users to a highly specialized network, rather than improving interaction by leveraging a more widely distributed public network. This is a toxic dynamic that developers should be wary of.
Gods Unchained (PC, Mac, iOS, Android)
Adaptation: B
Gameplay: A
Graphics: A
Tokenomics: B
In 2019 Gods Unchained was more of a concept than a working game, now it can be called a really good game with a logical use case for blockchain. It has really robust user and commerce metrics, with over 200,000 holders recently exchanging over $250,000 worth of NFT-based cards per day.
Blockchain games – Gods Unchained
One possible criticism of Gods Unchained is that it is essentially a copy of Hearthstone, a CCG based on World of Warcraft. Sure, there are other digital card games with fairly similar formats and gameplay, but GU has strong similarities in little things, right down to the scoring and stats of specific (re-skinned) cards. There’s nothing wrong with this, as Hearthstone is a good game, and thanks to familiar UI mechanics, players quickly become immersed in it.
Gods Unchained also looks great and is fun to play, although the design and graphics are pretty standard.
There are some drawbacks, too. GU joining the Unchanged Passport ecosystem adds a seemingly pointless level of mediation. You can’t just log into Ethereum via Metamask, which is where the player cards reside and which the game eventually connects to. Additionally, Immutable itself uses a Google login or email rather than its own wallet — which seems convenient until it becomes apparent that it’s already an unnecessary step.
The tokenomics of Gods Unchained barely matter, and that’s a good thing. The user earns cards and decks per game in a way that, again, will be familiar to Hearthstone players. There are daily quests that can earn $ GODS tokens that can be exchanged for real money. But unlike Hamster Kombat, these are nice bonuses for a game that is inherently rewarding, rather than bribes for endlessly clicking on a static image.
Guild of Guardians (iOS and Android)
Adaptation: A
Gameplay: F
Graphics and presentation: D
Tokenomics: C
This specific game is not to everyone’s taste — an auto fighter with real animations requires little effort. “Autobattlers” play themselves without cost or skill on the part of the player. In the case of Guild of Guardians, it seems like the only gameplay is using a few heroic special abilities if you feel like it, but you “win” either way.
Blockchain games – Guild of Guardians
The game is also characterized by mediocre graphics and poor interface and design. Overall, it feels like it was created by contractors working on behalf of an investor rather than actual game designers. On the positive side, it was easy to log in, there are no intrusive cryptocurrency-based ads. Its internal tokenomics are completely boilerplate, with a transferability that seems to privilege insiders.
Rumble Racing Star (PC, Mac)
Adaptation: C
Gameplay: D
Graphics and presentation: D
Tokenomics: F
The game adheres to the concept of a token bubble. The Rumble Racing Star homepage is a good example, starting with an immediate pop-up encouraging users to spin the wheel and win little-known cryptocurrency tokens and NFT prizes. At the same time, it’s impossible to find any meaningful description of the game’s token design on the homepage. Where you would normally find technical documentation, there is only a vague description of gameplay.
Rumble Racing Star
Unfortunately, the game itself reflects this — it’s basic and is essentially a Mario Kart imitation with lawnmowers instead of carts, but the tracks, characters and vehicles are uninspiring, and worst of all, the controls are unreliable.
