New name, same game, lost accounts | Re-Review - The Pixel Ark
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✨Overview
The Pixel Ark is a mobile strategy game that follows players as they take command of a massive mobile base known as "The Ark" and navigate through a post-apocalyptic wasteland, recruiting heroes, and engaging in battles against monsters. The game combines hand-drawn anime aesthetics for cutscenes with charming chibi pixel art for its pinball-like gameplay.
The game actually went by a different name a month ago, and was also newly released that time. It suddenly underwent a significant rebranding, transitioning from its original title, "The Wandering Ark," to now "The Pixel Ark." This change was accompanied by the release of an entirely new app (with the same game inside) and introduced a host of new problems, particularly for older players.
Progress was not automatically transferred unless players received a code, leaving many longtime players frustrated and feeling alienated. The reasons behind this rebranding remain unclear, with speculation suggesting potential copyright issues or other undisclosed factors. But it’s definitely not because of localization or region concerns, as the original game was already in full English.
🟩Pros
+Brand new style of gameplay: Pinball combined with RPG?
+Variety of game modes
+Smooth and welcoming progression
🟥Cons
-Forgettable story
-Inconsistent artwork and quality
-Sudden app shutdown and name change question the longevity of this title
-Lost account and progress from old players coming from the previous app
⭐️Score: 4/10
📖Story and Premise
The premise of The Pixel Ark remains unchanged, placing players in the role of the captain of the titular mobile base, traversing a post-apocalyptic world, recruiting heroes, and battling monsters.
Despite its initially promising start, the story’s quality faded as the game progressed, with voice acting disappearing and text-based dialogue taking its place. The heroes are drawn from popular mythologies, bringing a sense of familiarity, featuring characters like Odin, Chang’e, Sigurd, and Tyr.
🎨Visuals and Art
The game combines hand-drawn anime aesthetics for cutscenes with charming chibi pixel art during gameplay. The steampunk and wasteland styles create a unique atmosphere, enhanced by hundreds of heroes drawn from both Chinese and Western mythologies. It literally looks just the same as the Wandering Ark, actually, I don’t even see either of the two titles referenced inside the game, so basically nothing has changed.
🎮Gameplay
Same with the gameplay, nothing has changed and it’s literally the same game just under a different name on the Playstore and TapTap. Inside the game, it’s exactly the same.
The core gameplay of The Wandering Ark/The Pixel Ark revolves around a 5v5 battle on a rectangular arena, where heroes engage in pinball-style combat. Players set trajectories for their units, launching them to bump into opponents for damage. This unique gameplay mechanic introduces a fresh and enjoyable experience, even if the story is a bit all over the place.
⏫Progression
The game follows a chapter-ized mainline structure for linear story progression, with additional features like the Nuclear Garden and Dungeons offering varied experiences. The Captain's Battle introduces real-time PvP with leveled heroes for balanced competition.
The progression system, despite featuring gacha microtransactions, provides a balanced free-to-play experience. Upgrading and progression feel smooth without the presence of energy or stamina elements, making the game enjoyable for both paying and non-paying players. Although if you’re a previous player, there’s a good chance you might have lost your account during the transition to this app.
As expected in free-to-play games, The Pixel Ark includes gacha microtransactions. While the game leans slightly towards pay-to-win in its PvP component, the overall free-to-play experience remains enjoyable and forgiving. Decent guided hero acquisition in the early hours and non-grindy progression contribute to a positive player experience.
📊Technical Performance
The game's interface is well-organized, with clear divisions and concentrated main functions in the main home menu. Performance wise I had no problems on my Snapdragon 888 device, with a smooth and responsive gameplay. I have no qualms about the game’s technical performance, and I did not encounter any noticeable issues while playing, same with my experience on the previous app.
⚖️Conclusion
I previously described the game under its former name as having fresh and enjoyable gameplay, with a variety of game modes, and a welcoming experience, especially for free-to-play players. Still true, however, it’s just not acceptable to kill a newly released app just to relaunch the exact same game under a different app without providing a surefire or even an automated way to transfer progress for older players.
This decision adds a lot of uncertainty to an already uncertain mobile game market where every game can announce an EOS (end-of-service) at any time, as seen in a recent example with the gacha anime game Takt Op. Symphony. I would only cautiously recommend The Pixel Ark if you’re that extremely interested in the concept, and even then, I would advise against spending money and to always assume that this game could go dark again at any time.
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