Customer Reviews (500)

Yoyoaec • 2025-02-17T05:44:24-07:00

~5% of the population is red green colorblind and yet you use 2 shades of red and green that are terrible for colorblind folks. Please add colorblind mode so I don’t have to guess which is an up and which is a down

David Umstattd • 2025-01-28T09:02:32-07:00

The game tricks you into having fun with its lore. The actual gameplay is purely based on memorization of the choices on the cards. Success is purely based on rng. There is a victory condition that requires a moon logic puzzle. So it is NOT a strategy game advertised. You were lied to. Much like how in game the game lies to you regarding the effects of decisions. DO NOT BUY

BlueBlood3 • 2023-11-13T22:11:13-07:00

A neat game worth playing that is I fortunately held back significantly by curious design choices and somewhat poor goal communication. I’ve been playing this game for years and it still often doesn’t make sense the way certain decisions effect your stats. Oh well.

Summary of Key Insights

Reigns is a well-received game with a unique swipe-based decision-making mechanic and a dark, often humorous, tone. The core gameplay loop is addictive and engaging, but many users find it becomes repetitive after a few hours. While some appreciate the depth and hidden storyline, others find the game's mechanics opaque, leading to frustration. Bugs and technical issues, particularly related to device compatibility and saving progress, significantly detract from the user experience. There's a strong desire for more content, features, and customization options. Overall sentiment is positive, but the game suffers from a lack of long-term engagement and some frustrating technical problems.

Overall Rating: High (based on score distribution), but tempered by complaints about repetition and bugs. Score Distribution: 5-star (50.2%), 4-star (16%), 3-star (11.4%), 2-star (8.2%), 1-star (14.2%).

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but reviews span several years, indicating a long-term perspective.
  • Analysis Methods:
    • Sentiment Analysis: Implicitly performed to gauge overall positive, negative, and neutral feedback.
    • Keyword Extraction: Used to identify frequently mentioned topics, features, and issues.
    • Thematic Analysis: Grouping reviews by common themes (e.g., repetition, bugs, storyline).

Key User Pain Points

  • Repetition: The most common complaint is the repetitive nature of the cards and scenarios after a few hours of gameplay. This leads to boredom and reduced long-term engagement.
  • Lack of Clarity/Unpredictable Consequences: Many users find it difficult to understand the consequences of their choices, leading to frustration and a feeling of randomness. They want better feedback on how decisions affect the four kingdom stats.
  • Bugs and Technical Issues: Significant number of users report bugs, including freezing, crashing, loss of progress, and compatibility issues with specific devices (especially iPhone X and XS Max screen fitting and landscape mode lock).
  • Saving Issues: Loss of progress due to crashes or glitches after a long and successful reign is a major source of frustration.
  • Dungeon Navigation: The dungeon sequences are often described as confusing, difficult to navigate, and reliant on luck, leading to frustration.
  • Colorblindness: The use of red and green color schemes is problematic for colorblind players.
  • Ending Frustration: Many players find it difficult or impossible to achieve the "good" ending without consulting online guides, and the process can be tedious.
  • Lack of Content: Users desire more cards, characters, storylines, and events to keep the game fresh.

Frequently Requested Features

  • More Content: New cards, storylines, characters, events, and achievements.
  • Save Progress Mid-Reign: A way to save progress without having to wait for the king to die.
  • Portrait Mode Optimization: Proper optimization for newer iPhones, especially the iPhone X and XS Max.
  • More Variety in Gameplay: Suggestions include adding mini-games (e.g., sword fights, dice games), different types of dogs, and more variety in dungeon encounters.
  • Historical Events: Incorporation of real-world historical events into the game.
  • Colorblind Mode: An option to adjust the color scheme for colorblind players.
  • Clarity on Decision Impacts: Better visual cues (e.g., color-coding) to indicate whether a decision will positively or negatively affect the stats.
  • Play as Queen: The ability to play as a queen instead of always as a king.
  • Apple Watch Compatibility: A version of the game playable on Apple Watch.
  • Timeline/History of Rulers: A way to view the lineage of rulers and their accomplishments.

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Addictive Gameplay: The core swipe-based decision-making mechanic is highly addictive and engaging.
  • Unique Concept: The game offers a unique and original take on the strategy/RPG genre.
  • Humorous Tone: The dark and often absurd humor is a major draw for many players.
  • Simple Interface: The Tinder-like interface is easy to learn and use.
  • Strategic Depth: Despite its simplicity, the game offers a surprising amount of strategic depth.
  • Art Style: The clean and distinctive graphics are widely praised.
  • Hidden Storyline: The game has a complex and mysterious storyline that rewards exploration and experimentation.
  • Quick Play Sessions: The game is perfect for short bursts of gameplay.
  • Value for Money: Many users feel the game is well worth the price.
  • No Microtransactions: The absence of in-app purchases is appreciated.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Fix Game-Breaking Bugs: Address the freezing, crashing, and data loss issues immediately. Prioritize compatibility with newer iPhone models.
  • Implement Save Progress Feature: Allow players to save their progress mid-reign to avoid frustration from unexpected crashes.
  • Address Colorblindness Issue: Implement a colorblind mode to make the game accessible to a wider audience.
  • Optimize Portrait Mode: Ensure the game is properly optimized for portrait mode on all devices, especially iPhone X and XS Max.
  • Improve Clarity of Decision Impacts: Provide better visual cues to indicate the effects of decisions on the four stats.

Medium Priority:

  • Add More Content: Introduce new cards, characters, storylines, and events to reduce repetition and extend long-term engagement.
  • Rebalance Dungeon Difficulty: Make the dungeon sequences less reliant on luck and provide clearer guidance for navigation.
  • Offer Alternative Endings: Add different endings to make the game more replayable.
  • Offer a way to restart a game with all cards unlocked:

Low Priority:

  • Add Mini-Games: Incorporate mini-games like sword fights or dice games to add variety to the gameplay.
  • Implement Historical Events: Integrate real-world historical events into the game.
  • Allow Playing as Queen: Offer the option to play as a queen.
  • Develop Apple Watch Compatibility: Create a version of the game playable on Apple Watch.
  • Allow King Name Customization:

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • AI-Powered Card Generation: A service that uses AI to generate new card scenarios and storylines for Reigns, providing a constant stream of fresh content.
  • Reigns Companion App: An app that provides guides, tips, and a community forum for Reigns players.
  • Reigns-Inspired Board Game: A physical board game that adapts the Reigns gameplay mechanics to a tabletop setting.
  • Personalized Difficulty: An AI powered system that adjusts the difficulty and content of the game to player skills, allowing for better long term engagement.
  • Reigns as a Service: A subscription service providing regular content updates and access to exclusive features.

Trends and Observations

  • Long-Term Players: A significant number of users have been playing the game for years, indicating a strong core fanbase.
  • Bug Reports Cluster: Several reviews mention similar bugs, suggesting widespread issues.
  • Desire for More Depth: Many users appreciate the simplicity of the game but also crave more depth and complexity.
  • Frustration with Randomness: The perceived randomness of the game mechanics is a recurring source of frustration.
  • No Real Language Preferences: The reviews are overwhelmingly in English.

Conclusion

Reigns is a successful and well-liked game with a unique concept and addictive gameplay. However, its long-term success is threatened by issues with repetition, bugs, and a lack of content. By addressing the prioritized action recommendations, the developers can significantly improve the user experience and extend the game's lifespan. Overall, Reigns is a worthwhile purchase, but potential buyers should be aware of its limitations.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/reigns/id1114127463?uo=2