So recently, during the ‘Battle Bears Kickstarter launch‘ party in Box Critters, Lance (aka: Rocketsnail) introduced a new mini-game in the ‘Battle Bears universe/room’ where you click on the bears (aka: Huggables) and earn coins. Each defeated bear = 10 coins. And whilst it’s a fun game, allowing players to go online more, I’m here to say… I didn’t quite enjoy it.
Pros of the game
Before I start explaining my reasons, I want to bring up some positive notes of the new game. It’s a good introduction for a PVE (player vs environment) system in Box Critters. This shows that the game is improving and is taking a giant leap forward in its development.
While there may be a few glitches like lag or bears w/o the ‘huggables’ name tag being unclickable, hence you need to leave the room to refresh the page, it’s still engaging.
But not all games are perfect.
What’s wrong with the game
Look, I know this whole game is in beta. I know it’s still in development. But I don’t want this system to be ‘the main system’ for Box Critters. Especially since there’s an upcoming pirate arc on its way.
So here are my issues with the game. And I hope none of the developers or fans take offence.
It’s… kinda boring…
Runescape does the same thing but in a much more complex way where the monsters are affected by certain types of attacks. But as someone who’s stubborn, I take my chances with magic (it will be a disadvantage but I don’t mind spamming my spells).
In this game, you just click and they’re gone. That’s it. No strategy, no skill, just click. The ONLY strategy there is in this game is knowing where most bears spawn. And in my opinion… that’s kinda boring.
When I see a huggable, I want to know that my critter’s life is on the line. I want to know that my ‘bee bee’ blaster’s ammo is limited so I have to be good in my aim. I want the thrill of being in a warzone.
Not much reward
There is not much reward when you constantly click bears. And when I mean reward, I don’t mean coins. Reward is my terms is that I learn something from this game. For example, in Pokemon, I need to know how the items and move-sets work in order to make it through the game. In Club Penguin, every minigame has a system for me to learn and master.
I’d rather play ‘whack-a-mole’ in real life for 1 hours than play this minigame in the same duration due to this feeling. At least in ‘whack-a-mole’, my reaction times and strengths get rewarded for hitting moles.
You know what this game reminds me off? Cookie clickers. And that game had more reward compared to this.
What made Cookie clickers much more rewarding are the power-ups and how my cookies keep on increasing. It even came to a point back in high school where my friends were ‘lowkey concerned’ with me since the game was really addictive.
The mini-game… not so much. And I know there is a ‘movement’ from parents to let games be less addictive so kids could ‘play outside more‘ (yeah, ok boomer), but I want a reason to return to Box Critters. At the moment, it’s 2 rooms with not much to do. And clicking bears with no reward but 10 critter coins… it’s ok for the short term.
Not much variety
In Rocketsnail’s other game ‘Epic Snails’, there was more variety in the game despite it being a simple combat game with 3 gun types. Each gun changes how you deal damage to others and modifies your combat strategy.
This game… nope. It’s click, explode, and you don’t know if you were the first to click or not.
What could be added/improved?
I want to have adrenalin rushing when I see the bears. But at the same time, I know this game is still in development. So my suggestions won’t be too far fetched but it’s a start.
Let there be a countdown timer
Make the game have a time limit. It will give me the adrenalin rush to go back in knowing that ‘I can do better’. I want to be rewarded by knowing I can kill a lot more bears than before.
Spark fear by closing the tavern portal
Shut our only way out and make us face the bears. Let us kill them knowing one has the key to bring us home. This will encourage teamwork, knowing that no one can return to the Hamster Tavern unless that one Huggable is found and slaughtered.
Show there is risk by making the huggables harmful
All these bears do is say ‘hug’ and run. And that’s boring. At least make them harmful like if they say ‘hug’ next to us, we’re sent back to spawn. We lose our spot and we need to run back to kill the bears.
A boss bear
I want a boss battle with the king of the bears. Maybe after like 100 Huggable spawn and killed, a mega bear appears and it requires like 5 critters to take it on.
This will encourage teamwork and will get more critters to go online.
So the mini-game is ok. I enjoyed it, but it’s something I wouldn’t play for the long run if that’s how it’s going to be. I want to be challenged when playing the game, not bored to death.
The game is good… but it can do better.
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