Blacksmith of the Sand Kingdom
- January 6, 2021
- Rideon
- 30h median play time
"Blacksmith of the Sand Kingdom" is a role-playing game where you play as Volker, a blacksmith's son who dreams of becoming an adventurer while also aiming to become a court blacksmith. Explore dungeons to gather materials, loot monsters, and craft high-quality equipment, then choose whether to equip it or sell it in your shop. With 14 classes, faith selection, and passive skills, you can fully customize your character as you fulfill requests and progress through the story. The game is compatible with devices newer than iPhone 6s, iPad 5, and iPad mini 5 with iOS 11 and up.
Reviews
- The crafting system is engaging and adds depth to the gameplay, allowing for customization and strategic planning.
- The game offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic JRPGs, with enjoyable mechanics and a solid character progression system.
- It's a fun and addictive game that provides a good balance of casual play and grinding, making it suitable for both short sessions and longer gaming periods.
- The game suffers from repetitive gameplay and a lack of meaningful story, which can lead to a feeling of monotony over time.
- Players frequently encounter issues with long loading times and the need to redownload game data each time they start the app, which can be frustrating.
- The combat and overall challenge level are often considered too easy, especially after leveling up, which may diminish the sense of accomplishment.
- story68 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and enjoyable, while others describe it as simplistic or lacking depth. Many appreciate the characters and immersive elements, but there is a common desire for a more substantial narrative and character interaction. Overall, while the gameplay is often praised, the story is seen as a weak point that could benefit from further development.
“Absolutely loved this story-driven game.”
“The characters that make up the world are fun and entertaining, and the story is easy to immerse yourself in.”
“The story is good; it makes you want to keep playing.”
“The story is lame, which is a big disappointment since Kemco is known for amazing stories!”
“Overall this game is another grinding game with minimal story but has dungeon adventure experience.”
“Very boring, no story :(”
- gameplay42 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, featuring simple and enjoyable mechanics, particularly the crafting and combat systems, which many find addictive. However, players note that the gameplay can become repetitive over time, with a significant focus on grinding for gear and materials. While the game offers a solid RPG experience with a compelling story, some players feel that the lengthy crafting process and reliance on auto-combat detract from the overall enjoyment.
“The gameplay loop is simple enough, but fun to come back to.”
“The grinding mechanics as well as the subclass make it never a bore as you just keep on making new equipment and upgrading new skills to fight bigger and badder foes.”
“Brilliant gameplay, not taxing.”
“The gameplay is decent, but the game cycle gets repetitive, and the time taken to craft a full set of gear for each character is a major pain/time sink.”
“Gameplay is pretty repetitive, which might turn some people away, 2/5.”
“Most of the gameplay is making new gear and fighting monsters for new gear materials.”
- grinding26 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's grinding mechanics are a central aspect, characterized by repetitive dungeon crawls and crafting systems that can feel tedious yet rewarding. Players appreciate the ability to forge and upgrade equipment, which can alleviate some of the monotony, but many note that the overall experience is heavily reliant on grinding, making it more suitable for those who enjoy repetitive gameplay. While the auto-battle feature helps manage the grind, the game is ultimately described as easy and lacking in challenge, with a focus on crafting and leveling up characters.
“The most monotonous aspect is the dungeon crawls due to their repetitive material grinding nature, but once I ranked up my blacksmith to forge Damascus steel armaments and items (mid-tier), the money started flowing in.”
“Overall this game is another grinding game with minimal story but has dungeon adventure experience.”
“It was just tedious.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their beauty and appeal, with many users noting that they enhance the overall experience without significantly draining battery life. While there are some variations in graphics, they are consistently described as solid and enjoyable, contributing positively to the gameplay and story. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, with potential for further improvement if the game were to be upgraded for consoles.
“The graphics are beautiful, the story is interesting, and the gameplay is easy and balanced.”
“Music and graphics are appealing and it doesn't drain the battery as quickly as others.”
“Nevertheless, the graphics and gameplay are solid and offer lots of customizations similarly to Dragon Sinker and Dragon Lapis.”
“This game could go very far if you can get this to console and upgrade the graphics.”
“The only difference is the graphics vary and the story is different.”
- monetization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The monetization model is generally well-received, with non-intrusive ads limited to login and in-app purchases deemed unnecessary for gameplay progression. Players appreciate the ability to earn premium currency through regular play, although some express a desire for lower costs on in-game purchases. Overall, the system balances nostalgia and optional microtransactions without detracting from the RPG experience.
“In-app purchases are not at all necessary to play and beat the game.”
“Good but not perfect in-app purchases in a single-player game do not sit well with me, but it's easy to obtain the 'premium currency' through normal gameplay.”
“Optional microtransactions and nostalgia are the two big feelings.”
“Easily get the currency for the microtransaction items by playing, similar to old school RPGs of the day.”
- music5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, providing an appealing backdrop that enhances the overall experience without draining battery life. However, some players expressed a desire for more variety in battle themes across different areas. Despite some technical issues, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
“Music and graphics are appealing and it doesn't drain the battery as quickly as others.”
“Characters are fun and the art is great; music makes for a good backdrop while you play.”
“So yet again another great game from Kemco, and nice to see Rideon on board too! Smooth gameplay, nice music, and an interesting story so far.”
“I don't know where to start. First, I have to redownload the data like 10 times, and the loading gets stuck at 66/100 so many times. Then, when I finally manage to play it, I save my progress and quit. A few hours later, when I play it again, all I get is a black screen with background music. So what's the solution?”
“The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I expected a dynamic soundtrack, but the music feels flat and uninspired, which really detracts from the overall experience.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highly praised, with players enjoying the witty dialogue of NPCs and clever fourth-wall breaks that enhance the experience. Many reviewers found the comedic elements to be a standout feature, contributing significantly to their overall enjoyment and ratings.
“I was going to rate this game a 3/5 until the sneaky but funny developers broke the 4th wall to ask for a review (or not!).”
“5 stars for the humor.”
“The dialogue of the NPCs is funny and not bland, so that's good.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users appreciate the character designs but feel that the character development is lacking and requires significant improvement to enhance the overall experience.
“The character designs are fantastic, but I wish there was more depth to the character development.”
“There is a need for more improvement in both the world-building and character development.”
“This needs more improvement; there should be more focus on character development.”
“Which is sad as I love the character designs!”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While the game receives high praise with a score of 5/5, many users note that it lacks significant replayability, suggesting that once completed, there may be little incentive to revisit it.
“5/5, but not much replayability.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying the game feel redundant.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has significant stability issues, with many users reporting frequent bugs and an inability to launch, often resulting in a persistent black screen.
“Really buggy, can't open the game; it just shows a black screen.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experience constant lag and freezing, which ruins the experience.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While the game showcases impressive visuals and evident effort in its design, players report significant optimization issues that hinder performance.
“The game looks wonderful and the effort can be seen, but it's very poorly optimized.”
“The performance issues are frustrating, making it hard to enjoy the beautiful graphics.”
“Despite the impressive visuals, the game suffers from significant lag and stuttering.”