Summary of Key Insights

Lily's Garden is a generally well-received match-3 puzzle game with a strong emphasis on storyline and garden renovation. The game's strengths lie in its engaging narrative, relaxing gameplay, and the absence of forced advertisements. However, users frequently express frustration with technical issues (crashing, loading problems), the high cost of in-app purchases and boosters, and the perceived shift towards making the game more difficult to encourage spending. Several users report that the game is becoming less enjoyable due to an increase in pop-ups, forced video ads, and an overabundance of side events. There is a divide between players who appreciate the main game and those who are frustrated by the add-on features. Overall sentiment is positive, with a high percentage of 5-star reviews, but negative reviews highlight significant problems that need addressing.

Quantitative Metrics:

• Overall rating skews positive due to a high number of 5-star reviews, however, this does not accurately reflect the number of critical issues raised.
• Score Distribution:
  • 5-star: 74.4% (372/500)
  • 4-star: 7.2% (36/500)
  • 3-star: 6.2% (31/500)
  • 2-star: 3.6% (18/500)
  • 1-star: 8.6% (43/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

• Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
• Time Frame: Not explicitly stated but presumed to be recent given version number and specific event mentions.
• Analysis Methods:
  • Manual sentiment analysis to determine the overall tone of each review.
  • Keyword extraction to identify frequently mentioned topics, issues, and requests.
  • Categorization of reviews based on themes and sentiment.

Key User Pain Points

• Technical Issues:
  • Crashing/Freezing: Many users report the game crashing, freezing, or failing to load, especially after updates. This prevents users from playing and can lead to lost progress.
  • Internet Connection Errors: Some users experience persistent "no internet connection" errors, even with a stable connection.
• In-App Purchase Concerns:
  • High Cost of Boosters/Moves: The cost of boosters and extra moves is perceived as too high, making it difficult to progress without spending money.
  • Pay-to-Win: Users feel the game is becoming increasingly difficult, pushing them towards in-app purchases to succeed.
  • Unreceived Purchases: Some users report being charged for purchases but not receiving the items.
• Ads and Pop-ups:
  • Too Many Pop-ups: An excessive number of pop-ups for sales, events, and other promotions disrupts the gameplay experience.
  • Forced Video Ads: Some users report forced video ads after every try on a level or after winning, which is perceived as intrusive and annoying.
• Game Updates:
  • Frequent Updates: Users are annoyed by the frequency of updates, especially when they cause technical issues.
• Loss of Progress:
  • Account Recovery Issues: Users who switch devices or reinstall the game sometimes struggle to recover their progress, leading to frustration.
• Mini-Games Absence/Misleading Ads:
  • Many users have never experienced the mini games advertised in the ads, making them feel misled.
• Storyline Issues:
  • Some find the storyline predictable or dislike certain plot elements.
  • Woke content and "gay agendas" are mentioned negatively by a minority of reviewers.

Frequently Requested Features

• In-Game Save Option: A reliable in-game save option (beyond Apple/Google) is desired to prevent progress loss.
• Lower Costs: Lower the cost of boosters, extra moves, and other in-app purchases.
• More Coins: Increase the number of coins earned per level to balance the high costs.
• Easier Levels: Make levels less difficult, especially at higher levels, to reduce the need for in-app purchases.
• More Mini-Games: More of the mini-games advertised in the app's marketing materials.
• Wardrobe Changes for Lily: Users want the ability to change Lily's outfits.
• Zoom Out Feature: Ability to zoom out to see the entire garden design at once.
• Bypass Aggravating Steps: Add the ability to skip particularly difficult or frustrating tasks.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

• Engaging Storyline: Many users enjoy the game's story, characters, and plot twists.
• Relaxing Gameplay: The game is often described as relaxing, calming, and a good way to de-stress.
• Beautiful Graphics: Users appreciate the game's colorful graphics and visually appealing scenes.
• Challenging Puzzles: The puzzles are generally considered challenging but not overly difficult.
• No Forced Ads (Initially): Some users specifically appreciate the absence of forced advertisements (although this seems to be changing).
• Generous Rewards: Some users feel the game is generous with rewards and free gifts.
• Team Feature: Players like being able to join teams and help each other.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

• High Priority:
  • Fix Technical Issues (Crashing, Freezing, Loading): Investigate and resolve the frequent crashing, freezing, and loading problems reported by users. Prioritize fixing issues introduced by updates.
  • Address In-App Purchase Concerns: Re-evaluate the cost of boosters and extra moves to ensure the game is balanced and fair for free-to-play users.
  • Reduce Pop-ups and Forced Ads: Minimize the number of pop-ups and eliminate forced video ads to improve the gameplay experience.
  • Improve Account Recovery: Implement a more robust and reliable account recovery system to prevent progress loss.
• Medium Priority:
  • Implement In-Game Save Option: Add a dedicated in-game save option to prevent progress loss when switching devices or reinstalling the game.
  • Add More Mini-Games: Incorporate more of the mini-games featured in the advertisements to meet user expectations.
  • Address Storyline Concerns: Consider user feedback on the storyline and make adjustments as needed.
  • Improve Level Design: Rebalance level difficulty to prevent frustration and reduce the perceived need for in-app purchases.
• Low Priority:
  • Add Wardrobe Changes: Explore the possibility of adding wardrobe options for Lily.
  • Implement Zoom Out Feature: Consider adding a zoom-out feature for the garden design view.
  • Bypass Aggravating Steps: Add the ability to skip particularly difficult or frustrating tasks.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

• Personalized Puzzle Difficulty: A system that adjusts puzzle difficulty based on player skill and spending habits, avoiding the "pay-to-win" perception.
• Dynamic Storyline: A branching storyline that adapts based on player choices and preferences.
• Community-Driven Content: Incorporate user-generated content, such as garden designs or puzzle levels.
• Fair Monetization Model: A subscription model that removes ads and provides unlimited lives/boosters, offering a clear value proposition for paying users.

Trends and Observations

• Language Preferences: Predominantly English reviews, with some Spanish reviews.
• Shift in Sentiment: A recurring theme is that the game was initially enjoyable but has become less so due to aggressive monetization and technical issues.
• Update-Related Problems: Many negative reviews are triggered by recent updates that introduce bugs or increase monetization pressure.
• Polarizing Storyline Elements: Some storyline elements (specifically, "woke" content) are polarizing, generating both positive and negative reactions.
• Misleading Ads: Many users feel misled by the advertisements, which showcase features not readily available in the actual game.

Conclusion

Lily's Garden has the potential to be a top-tier match-3 puzzle game, but it's currently being held back by technical issues and monetization strategies that are alienating its player base. Addressing the high-priority issues (crashing, in-app purchase costs, pop-ups) is crucial to improving the user experience and retaining players. Implementing requested features and refining the storyline can further enhance the game's appeal. By focusing on player satisfaction and fair monetization, Lily's Garden can solidify its position as a leading title in the genre.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lilys-garden-design-match/id1437783446?uo=2