Cell Expansion Wars

About

"Cell Expansion Wars" is a strategy game with simple controls, where players defend their cells and counterattack to take control of enemies' cells. It features line multiplying cells for extended reach, attack/defense cells for dealing/regaining health, supportive items, unique mini-games, 16 language support, and achievement/leaderboard tracking. The game is compatible with tablet PC devices.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,883 reviews

gameplay46 positive mentions

monetization670 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay with a variety of levels that challenge strategic thinking.
Minimal ads that do not interrupt gameplay significantly, allowing for a smoother experience.
Fun and addictive, making it a great time killer.

Levels become increasingly difficult, often requiring power-ups that can only be purchased, leading to a pay-to-win model.
Some levels are designed to be impossible without using items, frustrating players who prefer to play without spending money.
Graphics and UI are considered outdated and not visually appealing, detracting from the overall experience.

monetization
699 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
96%
The monetization strategy of the game heavily relies on frequent advertisements, with many players reporting ads appearing after nearly every level, often interrupting gameplay. While some users find the ads manageable due to their short duration and skippability, others express frustration over the sheer volume and the necessity to watch ads to earn in-game currency or power-ups, leading to a perception of the game as a "cash grab." Additionally, there is a notable demand for an option to pay for an ad-free experience, as many players feel that the ads detract significantly from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “I have not spent a single penny on in-app purchases, but have endured a few ads for free in-game boosts.”
- “It is really good you can play it offline and if you turn your internet off, no ads. Super good game!”
- “No ads and a fun game.”
- “The amount of ads is maddening (one after every level, and often when switching screens) and really kills the immersion.”
- “You can't play after level 25 without either buying coins or watching endless ads.”
- “The gameplay is fun but the time wasted on ads makes this game nearly unplayable.”
gameplay
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
53%
12%
The gameplay is generally described as satisfying and fun, with simple yet effective mechanics that can become complex at higher levels. However, many players express frustration with the frequent ads, which often disrupt the experience, and some criticize the game for being a clone of existing titles with repetitive levels. While the game offers a good challenge and strategic elements, issues like slow pacing and unclear mechanics detract from the overall enjoyment for some users.
- “The gameplay is actually pretty fun, but most of the time I felt like I was spending more time watching ads than playing.”
- “Gameplay is as advertised; levels are well designed to ramp up difficulty over time, making you always feel great when you win.”
- “The mechanics are incredibly simple and intuitive, yet allow for a wide range of complexity.”
- “Gameplay can also be slow and tedious, even when sped up.”
- “During four separate levels, my gameplay was railroaded by an ad that blocked one of the cells, effectively creating an enemy cell that could not be defeated.”
- “The gameplay is way too slow and boring.”
graphics
113 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
48%
26%
Overall, the graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users describing them as poor, childish, and reminiscent of outdated designs. Comparisons to the original "Tentacle Wars" highlight a significant decline in visual quality, leading players to express disappointment and a desire for improvements. While a few users noted decent graphics, the consensus leans heavily towards the need for a major graphical overhaul to enhance the gaming experience.
- “Great mechanics, graphics, and level progression!”
- “It is so relaxing, the graphics are good and is very addicting!”
- “Game play is smooth no lag at least not this pandemic (lol)...anyway, graphics look good color is nice on the eyes”
- “Graphics and visual effects are absolute garbage, there's annoying music in the background, and it keeps showing tutorials every single level.”
- “The graphics are washed out and it feels like one of those interactive ads more than an actual game.”
- “Absolutely terrible graphics and gameplay.”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
38%
29%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it relaxing and suitable for a chill gaming experience, while others criticize it as repetitive, annoying, and of low quality. Many users express frustration with the looping tracks that can disrupt gameplay and their own music, though a few appreciate the calming effect it has. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the music can enhance relaxation, it often detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “Game is very addicting and the music is nice and calm.”
- “But it is meditative with the music/beat and is soothing even with my not really knowing what to do.”
- “The game is fun and the music is relaxing and it's soooo cool without ads too 😎”
- “I actually loathe the angry birds-style rating system at the end of the rounds and the bad music.”
- “Honestly, the 6-second musical loop in this game will drive you to insanity before the unresponsive controls do.”
- “Tacky music, tackier graphics, and even tackier ads.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with many players finding it amusing and entertaining. While some users express frustration with gameplay issues, the overall sentiment highlights a lighthearted and funny experience that adds to the game's appeal.
- “It's a great game; it's addictive, but why can't we play online with other players? It would be so funny.”
- “Cool and kind of funny.”
- “Good funny game.”
stability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting frequent glitches, crashes, and unresponsive controls that significantly hinder gameplay. Many players experience random freezes, unskippable tutorials, and issues with achievements, making the game feel overly buggy and frustrating. Additionally, the presence of intrusive ads further detracts from the overall experience, leading to a consensus that the game is not reliably playable.
- “Only problem is about 1/3 of the time I try to play the game, it glitches out and nothing works.”
- “This game is way too buggy to be playable.”
- “A lot of bugs, almost never get rewards for watching videos, videos get halfway through then just freeze, and when you finally get enough coins to use a perk, the game just closes itself halfway through the level.”
story
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
55%
27%
The game's story aspect is criticized for its lack of depth and backstory, leaving players wanting more narrative context. Many users feel that the missions are unbalanced, with some being overly difficult and requiring paid upgrades to succeed, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, players express a desire for a more engaging storyline and the ability to create and share their own missions.
- “It's a good game, but I would like a backstory to it.”
- “But I wish there must be a storyline, battle royale with a virus as weapons and pills for healing.”
- “A lot of missions are just unfair in every way and require perfect strategy, then the next level is a cakewalk.”
- “Takes way too long to get going and no backstory or explanation as to what's going on.”
- “After the first ten missions, you basically have to pay to win.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many levels requiring significant effort to progress, often relying on power-ups that necessitate grinding for coins. While the game starts off engaging, it quickly becomes monotonous as players face similar challenges without meaningful new content after a certain point. Overall, the grind can detract from the enjoyment, despite the game's appealing visuals and initial fun.
- “It gets really tedious and there is no room for any error.”
- “There aren't new levels after about 100 or so, they're just the same levels where enemy colors just have more and more points to start with, grinding the game to a lazy undeveloped halt.”
- “Interesting concept, but becomes repetitive and tedious.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that certain levels, particularly Level 185, evoke strong emotional responses, with some even reporting tears due to the difficulty and frustration experienced. The challenge of the game is noted to be overwhelming, leading to a desire for easier levels.
- “Level 185 literally made me cry. I spent 5 hours on it and it still did not pass.”
- “Super hard, made me cry.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is criticized for poor optimization, particularly on larger screen phones, leading to a subpar user experience.
- “Not even optimized for bigger screen phones.”