Summary of Key Insights
The app "Brain Who? Tricky Riddle Tests" suffers from overwhelmingly negative sentiment due to excessive advertising. While some users find the puzzles engaging and enjoyable, the constant barrage of ads, often longer than the gameplay itself, ruins the user experience. Many users who paid for ad removal report that the ads persist, indicating a potential scam or technical issue. The puzzles are sometimes repetitive and not aligned with the game's advertising. Overall, the app has a very poor rating due to the ad issue, with a significant majority of 1-star reviews.
- Strengths: Engaging puzzles (when not interrupted by ads), brain training potential.
- Weaknesses: Excessive and intrusive advertising, misleading advertising, potential false advertising regarding ad removal purchase, repetitive puzzles, glitches on certain levels.
- Overall Sentiment: Extremely negative, driven by advertising issues.
- Overall Rating: Low. The rating distribution is heavily skewed towards 1-star reviews.
- Score Distribution: {"1":309,"2":80,"3":48,"4":21,"5":42} translates to: 61.8% 1-star, 16% 2-star, 9.6% 3-star, 4.2% 4-star, 8.4% 5-star.
Data & Methodology Overview
- Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
- Time Frame: Reviews span from several months ago to the present. Many are recent.
- Analysis Methods: Keyword extraction (e.g., "ads," "too many," "scam"), sentiment analysis (categorizing reviews as positive, negative, or neutral), and frequency analysis to identify recurring themes and pain points.
Key User Pain Points
- Excessive Advertising: The most significant complaint is the sheer volume of ads. Users report ads appearing after every level, often lasting longer than the gameplay itself. This severely disrupts the flow and enjoyment of the game.
- Misleading Advertising: Users complain that the game's actual content (e.g., drawing puzzles) differs significantly from the advertised puzzles (e.g., mystery/detective scenarios).
- False Advertising/Scam Regarding Ad Removal: Many users who paid for the "no ads" subscription report that they still experience ads, indicating a possible scam or a technical glitch that needs immediate attention. Some users also report being charged more than the advertised amount for the subscription.
- Repetitive Puzzles: Some users find the puzzles repetitive and lacking in variety.
- Glitches and Bugs: Several users reported glitches on specific levels, preventing them from progressing.
- High Subscription Cost: Some users find the weekly subscription cost for ad removal too expensive.
Frequently Requested Features
- Reduced Advertising Frequency: Significantly decrease the number of ads shown.
- More Diverse Puzzles: Introduce a wider variety of puzzle types, including those advertised.
- Fix Ad Removal Purchase Issue: Ensure that users who pay for ad removal actually receive an ad-free experience and address billing issues.
- One-Time Purchase Option: Offer a one-time purchase option for ad removal instead of a recurring subscription.
- Level Fixes: Address glitches and bugs on specific levels.
Strengths and Positive Aspects
- Engaging Puzzles: Some users find the puzzles themselves to be engaging, fun, and a good way to exercise their brains (when they can actually play them).
- Brain Training Potential: The app is seen as having the potential to be a good brain training tool.
- Good Time Killer: Some users mentioned the app is good for when you are bored.
Prioritized Action Recommendations
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High Priority:
- Fix Ad Removal Purchase Issue: This is critical. Investigate why paid ad removal is not working for some users and immediately resolve the issue. Issue refunds as necessary. This is potentially a legal and reputational risk.
- Reduce Advertising Frequency: Drastically reduce the number of ads shown. Consider showing ads every 3-5 levels instead of after every level.
- Address Misleading Advertising: Ensure that the game content aligns with the advertising. If the game includes drawing puzzles, this should be clearly stated in the app description and promotional materials.
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Medium Priority:
- Introduce Puzzle Variety: Add more diverse puzzle types, including the mystery/detective scenarios advertised.
- Fix Level Glitches: Address reported glitches and bugs on specific levels.
- Re-evaluate Subscription Cost: Consider a more competitive pricing model for the ad removal subscription, or offer a one-time purchase option.
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Low Priority:
- Improve Puzzle Difficulty: Adjust the difficulty of the puzzles to provide a more challenging experience for some users.
Opportunities for Startup Ideas
- Ethical Mobile Gaming Ad Platform: A mobile gaming ad platform that prioritizes user experience and limits ad frequency to avoid disrupting gameplay. This platform could offer tiered pricing based on ad frequency and intrusiveness.
- Puzzle Game Subscription Service: A subscription service that offers a curated selection of ad-free puzzle games with diverse puzzle types and difficulty levels.
- Mobile Game Review and Audit Service: A service that audits mobile games for deceptive advertising practices and excessive ad frequency, providing consumers with more transparent information.
Trends and Observations
- Dominant Negative Sentiment: The overwhelming majority of reviews are negative, primarily due to advertising issues.
- Recurring "Scam" Accusations: Multiple users explicitly accuse the app of being a scam because they paid for ad removal and still experience ads.
- Focus on Ad Frequency: The primary concern is not just the presence of ads, but their frequency and length.
- Inconsistent Game Content: A significant number of reviews mention the game not matching its advertised content.
- Language Preferences: The reviews are predominantly in English and Spanish, suggesting the app's main user base is in English and Spanish-speaking countries.
Conclusion
"Brain Who? Tricky Riddle Tests" is currently failing to deliver a positive user experience due to its excessive advertising and misleading marketing. The core gameplay has potential, but the current implementation is driving users away and damaging the app's reputation. The developer must urgently address the advertising issues, particularly the alleged scam regarding ad removal purchases. Reducing ad frequency, diversifying puzzle types, and aligning the game content with its advertising are crucial steps to improve user satisfaction and salvage the app's rating. Without these changes, the app is unlikely to succeed.
Original App Link
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brain-who-tricky-riddle-tests/id1526842079?uo=2