Recently I saw someone talking about Zhan Shuang on the forum. As a veteran action mobile game, its popularity back then was truly phenomenal. But now the discussion has dropped significantly. Is it because the game itself is no longer good, or because players' tastes have changed? Let me do an objective analysis.
Let's first talk about why it's so popular🔥
Screen: Apocalyptic science fiction + high-precision 3D modeling, the vertical design of the combination of machinery and human body is strong, and the light and shadow special effects are top-notch on mobile phones. The vertical paintings, scenes, and character movements are all very recognizable, and it stood out among many two-dimensional games in the early days.
Gameplay: The core "Xiaxiaole + Hardcore ACT" is indeed creative, the QTE combos are refreshing and smooth, and the BOSS battle design also pays attention to operational skills, unlike some brainless idle games. Multi-role switching, attribute and skill matching are in-depth.
IP: Apocalypse + Machinery + Pamish Virus, complete world view, literary and artistic plot, fully Chinese/Japanese bilingual dubbing, good sense of immersion.
Early stage of operation: There was a lot of momentum before the public beta, players' expectations were high, and the servers were overflowing on the day the server was launched.
Let's talk about why the popularity dropped seriously😅
Krypton gold and paid design issues: The early black card incident (the official temporarily changed the price of black cards) directly angered core players, and the compensation was difficult to find, and the reputation directly collapsed. The subsequent character drawing mechanism (for example, the S character requires 3S to be complete) is too expensive, and the experience of zero krypton and micro krypton is poor. Character strength iterates quickly, and old characters are easy to retire from the environment.
Gameplay bottleneck: Although the idea of Xiaoxiaole + action is good, it lacks in-depth gameplay iteration after long-term updates. The daily content gradually becomes monotonous. In the middle and later stages, it can easily become "online cleansing energy + mopping up".
Weak sociability: It is basically a single-player experience, the guild system and online dungeons are not outstanding, and it lacks long-term stickiness.
Impact of competing products: Open-world action mobile games such as Genshin Impact and Ming Tide, as well as similar competing products such as Honkai Impact 3, are making progress, and the differentiation advantage of Zhanshuang is gradually being reduced.
Frequent operational accidents: In addition to black card incidents, there are also problems such as probability secret changes and version bugs, which reduce player trust.
How is the game now?
The graphics and action are still one of the benchmarks of its kind. The recently updated characters such as Binglu and Shenhen are still well designed, and the plot is also coming to an end. But unless you are a heavy action person or character chef, it will be difficult to play for a long time.
If I were to rate it, I would give it a 7/10.
Advantages: Smooth action, top-notch vertical graphics, and immersive apocalyptic plot.
Disadvantages: High threshold for earning money, single gameplay in the later stage, and poor social experience.
Summary: Zhanshuang is a typical product that starts high and goes low. It is essentially a good product, but its operations and business design hold it back. If the card drawing experience can be optimized and more in-depth gameplay can be added in the later period, it may be able to recover, but for now it is a pity. 🤷