Nekoverse: City of Greed may deceive players at first glance with its charming and simple graphics, leading them to underestimate the game's complexity and strategic depth. However, as players delve deeper, they find themselves engrossed in a game where every decision significantly impacts their success and earnings.
Gameplay
The game aims to be highly accessible, free to play, and available from any browser with a wallet connection. The paid version of the game follows the same core game loop and offers additional rewards upon completing the rounds.
At first glance, Nekoverse resembles a slots game. The game board consists of a 5-reel, four-symbol slot. Initially, the reels are mostly empty with only a few symbols. The game is divided into stages. In each stage, players must earn enough coins to pay the tax, all while under the pressure of limited spins. Each spin costs one coin, and once the reels stop, the coins given by each symbol are calculated as winnings for the spin. Players then choose from three options in the shop, which range from symbols to boosters, each with varying rarity and cost.
However, focusing solely on the raw "coin payout" of each symbol will lead to failure. The game's strategy lies in building synergies between symbols, Nekos, and boosters. For example, one Neko provides a bonus payout when adjacent to a water bottle symbol. A booster may ensure that all "ore" symbols give an extra coin. However, not all symbols provide benefits; some present a good risk/reward dilemma, such as a high-paying sword that risks destroying symbols with each spin.
These factors introduce a deeper level of strategic play. The choice of how to spend coins and which synergies to build, considering the randomness of the shop, draws players into the game. Additional pressure is added in the final rounds when players face off against the boss. Now, players not only pay a tax but also "attack" the boss, with each coin won reducing its health. However, the boss fights back by adding a debuff every turn, such as halving the payout of some of the player's best symbols.
Between each stage, players encounter dialogue from the "Mayor" Cat, which surprisingly engages players and creates a fuller "world" beyond the slots. This wider world is also reflected in the idea that each slot machine is situated on "land" with a fertility rating and level, affecting the quality of items offered by the shop. This functions as "daily energy," limiting how often players can play.
Successfully defeating the boss rewards players with random rewards, ranging from symbols for their inventory, usable in future games, to payouts in Ethereum.
Review
The art, symbols, and animations are engaging, and even after extended play, they do not become repetitive or grating. The depth of strategy, especially as players become more familiar with their options, elevates the game beyond casual enjoyment. While the rewards incentivize play, the style alone is enough to keep players coming back for more.
Nekoverse: City of Greed has been released in "seasons," with each one slightly changing the core loop—a great way to keep replayability high. They also added a 5x speed mode, making it much easier to grind through enjoyable sessions. Tweaking the loop and introducing different symbols helps prevent dominant metas from forming. I have a set "deck" that I aim for, and once I locked into that strategy, the game lost much of its challenge, making later runs feel more brainless.
The game reminds me of the gambling-combo-strategy elements found in the popular title Balatro, where strategy is mixed with unlocks that enhance earning potential. On the web3 side of things, City of Greed had a great run in rewarding its players, but in its current state, the economy isn’t quite working. However, this can be ignored if you just want to play for fun.
The simplistic interactions and PvE nature of the challenge mean a large chunk of players might not click with the game. However, for its target audience, it checks a lot of boxes. I'm excited to see what the next seasons bring and what the dastardly Mayor Cat does next.