It’s another #freemiumfriday at Freemium Queen! Today we
look at Electronic Arts’ Pets Unleashed, a tie-in for the Universal film The
Secret Life of Pets, which comes out today.
Pets Unleashed is no different from Candy Crush, Bejeweled,
and other match-three games. It’s prettier—at least when it doesn’t lag and
blur the animation—but it doesn’t really differ in any remarkable way. The game
is a cute way to introduce characters such as Gidget, who clearly loves her spa
days, and also has cute moments (the pug scooting across the rug to clear the toys).
When the game begins, you have only Max to play for. You
match toys and receive bonuses in a near-identical manner to Candy Crush Soda. Eventually,
other characters are unlocked. Depending on which character has that level, the
goal is to score a certain number of points, obtain a certain number of a type
of toy, drop down items, or play other types of games. There are currently 150
levels, but the game promises more in the future.
Players who beat levels are awarded 1-3 stars, depending on
their score. However, this reviewer experienced a glitch where some levels were
shown as having been cleared, but the game did not retain the stars. Another
glitch experienced was the app frequently crashing between levels. Hopefully,
these will be fixed on a future update.
There are a lot of downsides for Pets Unleashed. It’s much
more of a battery hog than a game of this type should be. The graphics are more
advanced and there is more animation, but those are not strictly necessary for
a match-three game. Second, the loading times are almost unbearable. It feels
like you spend as much time looking at game tips between levels as you do
actually playing. Third, this reviewer experienced a lot of force closes.
Finally, it’s a little frustrating that the game requires constant Wi Fi. Given these downsides, we can’t really
recommend the game to anyone who isn’t waiting for their Candy Crushes to
refill.
Category: Casual
Developer: Electronic Arts
Last updated: 30 June
2016
Is it worth playing? Not really. Download only if you’re a
Candy Crush/Bejeweled/Cookie Jam superfan.
What is the time commitment for this game? There is a daily
log-in reward, but players should expect the same time commitment they make to
Candy Crush—that is, you can play for a long time in the beginning, and a few
minutes here and there as the levels get progressively harder.
How long does it take for free games/energy to refill? 30
minutes
How intrusive are the ads? The only ad displayed is one at
the very beginning for movie tickets.
How is premium currency earned? Players earn five coins
logging in daily and playing fetch with Max. There is also an option to
purchase coins or pester your Facebook friends.
Top tip: Make sure you play fetch with Max every day to
receive coins that can be traded for level-clearing items.
Does the game utilize Google Play Games? Yes
Does the game grant achievements? Yes
What permissions does the app ask?
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