Solo Leveling Come up is without doubt one of the most high-quality gacha video games up to now

Throughout my years at Android Authority, I’ve had hands-on expertise with dozens of cell video games and developed sure expectations. Chief amongst them is that the majority cell video games based mostly on present franchises are nothing greater than low-cost money grabs. That’s what makes Solo Leveling: Come up such a breath of contemporary air and our choose for the Finest New Cellular App of the Week!

Solo Leveling started as a manhua novel in 2016 earlier than transitioning to the webtoon format two years later. Come up represents the sequence’ first try at a online game adaptation, and regardless of its heavy reliance on in-app purchases, it’s clear that actual care was taken to make sure the story, fight, and mechanics are as much as the identical normal because the manhua or webtoon.

What we love about Solo Leveling: Come up

Once I first booted up Solo Leveling: Come up on my Pixel 7, I believed it was going to be like each different tie-in sport I’ve reviewed on this style. Whereas there are apparent similarities, I rapidly realized there was extra right here than meets the attention. Not like most tie-in video games with watered-down storylines and mechanics, I used to be shocked by the detailed lore, world-building, and story parts.

The sport begins with a brief intro that explains the sport world. In short, there are gates the place monsters consistently emerge. The one factor stopping chaos from destroying the world are the Hunters. You tackle the function of Sung Jinwoo, generally known as “the weakest hunter of all mankind.”

The sport’s cutscenes use precise panels from the manhua for example the story, superbly animated. Simply remember Come up adapts the novel fully, so taking part in by means of the sport might spoil occasions that haven’t but appeared within the webtoon. The storytelling and dialogue are so good that it’s nearly like studying the novel.

Whereas Solo Leveling: Come up doesn’t dramatically change the gameplay expertise from different gacha motion video games, it provides RPG-like mechanics that assist it stand out. For instance, whereas the setup is just like Honkai Affect with particular abilities in your character, there are additionally particular weapon abilities that change relying on the weapons you utilize.

The combating expertise relies on quick phases with a couple of random fights sometimes, adopted by a serious boss combat. The principle aim is to take out the boss for every stage, requiring you to interrupt down their Guard bar with particular abilities and weapons within the course of. As soon as the Guard bar is lowered, the boss turns into briefly weak. This expertise won’t be novel, nevertheless it feels extra impressed and fleshed out than many different cell titles. Moreover, there are bonus goals in these phases that may show you how to earn in-game forex and different rewards.

What we don’t like about Solo Leveling: Come up

Solo Leveling: Come up isn’t with out its faults. As talked about within the cons, loading instances might be fairly lengthy. The primary boot took me 5-6 minutes as a result of preliminary downloads, and even in-game transitions might take as much as a minute or extra, particularly throughout moments of server lag.

I encountered a number of bugs, similar to my character freezing throughout a battle and the sport crashing with out warning. These points ought to hopefully be addressed in future updates and aren’t essentially deal breakers, however they’re value noting.

Essentially the most important challenge is the aggressive in-app purchases. Whereas the sport feels console-like and polished, the in-app purchases are a continuing reminder it’s a cell sport. There are digital storefronts, a paid battle cross system, and pay-to-win bonuses. The entire expertise is pretty aggressive. The excellent news is that the sport is playable with out spending cash, nevertheless it turns into a lot tougher.

Does this contradict my declare this sport isn’t only a money seize? Probably not. Whereas it’s true the corporate has loads of money-making alternatives with their in-app purchases, the precise depth of the sport’s mechanics and story assist make this really feel like a product of affection and never only a method to make a buck. I simply want there have been a premium paid model that did away with the in-app buy component.

Regardless of its flaws, Solo Leveling: Come up doesn’t really feel like only a money seize. The depth of the sport’s mechanics and story exhibits a product of affection and dedication to the followers, not only a method to generate profits. I simply want there have been a premium model with out in-app purchases.

For those who’re on the lookout for a gacha sport with a robust story and deeper mechanics than most, choose up Solo Leveling: Come up. It won’t be good, nevertheless it’s probably the greatest tie-in cell video games I’ve ever seen and offers me hope that not all video games like this should be money grabs.