Customer Reviews (500)

runz98 • 2025-03-22T11:40:31-07:00

Been playing for about a month and it’s a good game just there’s a lot of scammers/spam in global other than that the actual gameplay is cool and there’s plenty to do in the game

Nicely done d • 2025-03-21T13:40:44-07:00

Pretty fun

Jesse&@ • 2025-03-20T19:33:28-07:00

Appears to be a sea themed base building mmo similar to envoy and state of survival with some fancy makeup to hide behind. I will be uninstalling it immediately.

Summary of Key Insights

High Seas Hero has a polarized reception. While many users find the gameplay addictive and enjoyable, a significant portion report technical issues (especially related to loading) and concerns about pay-to-win mechanics. The game's simple, AFK-friendly nature is a major draw, but the potential for a dead server and repetitive events is a recurring concern. The game needs stability fixes and a review of its monetization strategy. Overall, the sentiment is mixed, with many users expressing enthusiasm tempered by concerns about the game's long-term viability and fairness.

  • Overall Rating: Based on the provided score distribution, the app has an average rating that leans positive, skewed by a large number of 5-star reviews.
  • Strengths: Addictive gameplay, AFK-friendly, visually appealing ship upgrades, simple mechanics.
  • Weaknesses: Loading issues, pay-to-win concerns, repetitive events, potential for dead servers, cluttered UI, bugs, and censorship.

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Total Reviews: 500
  • Score Distribution:
    • 5-star: 70.4% (352/500)
    • 4-star: 7.6% (38/500)
    • 3-star: 3.6% (18/500)
    • 2-star: 4.2% (21/500)
    • 1-star: 14.2% (71/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but implied to be recent, likely within the past month, given the version number (1.0.23) and comments about the game's recent release.
  • Analysis Methods: Manual review analysis, keyword extraction (implicitly), and sentiment assessment based on star ratings and review text.

Key User Pain Points

  • Loading Issues: A substantial number of users report the game getting stuck on the loading screen, rendering it unplayable. This is a critical issue impacting initial user experience.
  • Pay-to-Win (P2W) Mechanics: Many users express concern that the game is heavily reliant on in-app purchases to progress, creating an unfair advantage for paying players. This includes removal of items from the gem store and placing them behind paywalls.
  • Repetitive Events: Some long-term players find the game's events repetitive and lacking in variety, leading to boredom and potential churn.
  • Server Issues (Dead Servers): Players report servers becoming inactive and lacking content, diminishing the social and competitive aspects of the game.
  • Bugs and Glitches: Various bugs are mentioned, including freezing, crashing, black screens, and issues with cabin construction.
  • Cluttered UI: Some users find the user interface overwhelming and confusing due to the number of elements on the screen.
  • Censorship: Players found that the chat has been censored too much.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Server Mergers: Players on dying servers request server mergers to maintain a healthy player base and competition.
  • More Content/Events: Users want more diverse and engaging events to keep the game fresh.
  • Offline Mode/Data Play: Some users would like to be able to play the game without a constant WiFi connection.
  • More Boat Types/Customization: Players want more variety in ship designs and customization options.
  • Additional Research Queue: Players are requesting an additional Research Queue without having to pay real money.
  • VPN fix: Players are requesting a fix to make sure the game connects to the servers when the VPN is on.
  • Notification: Players are requesting to add the notification feature.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Addictive Gameplay: Many users describe the game as "addictive" and "fun."
  • AFK-Friendly: The game's idle mechanics allow players to progress even when they are not actively playing.
  • Visual Ship Upgrades: Players appreciate that weapon and equipment upgrades are reflected in the ship's appearance.
  • Simple Mechanics: The game is easy to pick up and play, making it accessible to a wide audience.
  • No Forced Ads: Some users appreciate that the game doesn't aggressively push ads unless the player chooses to watch them for rewards.
  • Community: Some users report a positive community experience.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

  • High Priority:
    • Fix Loading Issues: Immediately address the loading screen problem that prevents many users from playing the game. This is the most critical issue.
    • Address Pay-to-Win Concerns: Re-evaluate the monetization strategy to ensure a fair balance between free-to-play and paying players. Consider offering more ways to progress without spending money.
    • Fix Bugs and Glitches: Prioritize fixing reported bugs, such as freezing, crashing, and cabin construction issues.
  • Medium Priority:
    • Add More Content and Events: Develop new and engaging events to prevent player boredom and server inactivity.
    • Implement Server Mergers: Merge dying servers to maintain a healthy player base.
    • Improve UI Clutter: Streamline the user interface to reduce clutter and improve usability.
    • Optimize Server Stability: Improve server stability to prevent connection issues.
  • Low Priority:
    • Add Offline Mode/Data Play: Explore the possibility of adding an offline mode or allowing gameplay on data.
    • Add More Boat Types/Customization: Expand the range of ship designs and customization options.
    • VPN fix: Fix the issue to make sure the game connects to the servers when the VPN is on.
    • Notification: Add the notification feature.
    • Censorship: Review the censorship and adjust it.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Fair Monetization Consulting for Mobile Games: A service that helps mobile game developers design monetization strategies that are fair to both free-to-play and paying players, avoiding pay-to-win mechanics.
  • Mobile Game Server Health Monitoring: A tool that monitors the activity and health of mobile game servers, providing alerts when servers are at risk of becoming inactive, and suggesting server merger strategies.
  • Mobile Game Bug Tracking and Prioritization: A service that provides a platform for mobile game players to report bugs and glitches, and for developers to prioritize and track bug fixes based on severity and frequency.

Trends and Observations

  • Initial Positive Sentiment Followed by Concerns: Many users initially express enthusiasm for the game but later voice concerns about pay-to-win mechanics and lack of content.
  • Loading Issues at Launch: A high number of 1-star reviews mention loading issues immediately after launch, suggesting a problem with the initial release build.
  • "Copycat" Accusations: Some users say the game is a reskin of other popular titles.
  • Language Preference: A few reviews are in Spanish, suggesting the need for localization efforts in the future.

Conclusion

High Seas Hero has the potential to be a successful mobile game, but it needs to address critical technical issues and concerns about its monetization strategy. Fixing the loading issues and balancing the pay-to-win mechanics are essential for retaining players and ensuring long-term viability. By focusing on these improvements and adding more content, the developers can capitalize on the game's strengths and create a more enjoyable and engaging experience for all players.

Overall Recommendation: Address technical issues immediately and re-evaluate the monetization strategy to create a more balanced and enjoyable experience.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/high-seas-hero/id6621220868?uo=2