As part of a benchmark series, we will look at many 2048 games out there to see how they compare, and highlight best practices swell as common pitfalls for this type of games.
Next up, Hexic 2048.
Category: Game reviews
Game review : Catherine’s Tutorials and Controls Usability Review
Tutorials & Controls in Catherine’s nightmares
In this article, we are going to have a closer look at Catherine’s controls and tutorials. Let’s have a look at how players accomodate awkward controls by moving from using the stick to using the less input-error-prone directional arrows. Next, we will see how even the good tutorial of Catherine can fire back when too much explanations discourage users from using game features.
Continue reading Game review : Catherine’s Tutorials and Controls Usability Review
City 2048 usability evaluation
As part of a benchmark series, we will look at many 2048 games out there to see how they compare, and highlight best practices swell as common pitfalls for this type of games.
Next up, City 2048.
Problem solving in Catherine and how the interface design decisions influence player performance
Catherine is a game about problem solving. Players need to learn techniques, chunk them to remember them easily and detect patterns in the environment to know when to use which technique to progress in the game. Repetition also leads them to over-learning : techniques become automatic and allow the player to be faster and to reach higher awards as he masters the game mechanics and execution.
Kittie 2048 usability evaluation
As part of a benchmark series, we will look at many 2048 games out there to see how they compare, and highlight best practices swell as common pitfalls for this type of games.
Next up, Kittie 2048, looks pretty much the same as Cats 2048, but has little in common with it in terms of experience !
Catherine’s game Interface usability review : how mismatching mental models affects player experience
Catherine is a mature game about adultery and pushing boxes. Don’t run away, it’s the good kind of pushing boxes. Just let me take you through the first steps of the game.
Tested on PS3
Pixels 2048 usability evaluation
As part of a benchmark series, we will look at many 2048 games out there to see how they compare, and highlight best practices swell as common pitfalls for this type of games.
Next up, Pixels 2048.
How the mobile game experience of Lines could be improved
The game start ups fast, but the first screen is immediately confusing. The player has to chose between puzzle and free.
In this screenshot, you can see a player expecting the “puzzle” to be a paying option, and pick the “free” button first.
From there, the next steps aren’t obvious, and the player finally realised their error, seeing there was no tutorial at the start of the game.
Continue reading How the mobile game experience of Lines could be improved
Some Games User Research on Color Zen
Color Zen is a game in which the player needs to fill the screen with a single color. To do so, he needs to move objects around. When two objects of the same color touch, they fill the screen with that color. Sounds simple enough?
Let’s have a look at the usability wins and fails of this game !
Tested on Android / One+
Usability issues that break Tale of Tale’s Sunset experience
Sunset is the last of Tale of Tale’s games, and their first commercial attempt. We’re not going to discuss in depth the business issue, there’s already all the tough love for Tale of Tales out there, and it pretty much matches my point of view.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Sunset, as much as The Path or The Graveyard. The idea behind it is awesome to me. But that’s just because Tale of Tales inspire me, and I have an infinite patience with their games that most players I have watched play Sunset do not share.
This review is going to highlight 3 usability issues that can break Sunset’s experience.
Continue reading Usability issues that break Tale of Tale’s Sunset experience