Clusterduck
- November 30, 2020
- PIKPOK
- 2h median play time
Clusterduck is a simulation game where players breed and watch weird ducks mutate into bizarre creatures, while enjoying its delightful graphics, phenomenal game mechanics, and plenty of humor. However, it has some significant downsides, including grinding, annoying ads, bugs, and can be highly emotional. The game's perfect soundtrack adds to the overall experience.
Reviews
- humor629 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its absurdity and creativity, with players finding the duck mutations, quirky descriptions, and sound effects to be hilariously entertaining. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to evoke laughter through its silly premise and unique character designs, making it a fun and addictive experience. Overall, the game's humor is described as a standout feature that enhances its appeal, despite some players noting that the gameplay can become repetitive over time.
“This game is more fun than a duck breeding/murder game... no even the premise is hilarious.”
“The mutations are hilarious and so are the personalities of the ducks.”
“This game is hilariously weird.”
“I believe that they should all thank me more because without me they would be so uncool. It's just not funny at all.”
“It's funny, but I would love to see different varieties of these kinds of games.”
- monetization520 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 3 % neutral mentions
- 79 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is generally viewed as fair and reasonable, with many players appreciating the option to remove ads for a small fee, typically around $1 to $2. While some users report a significant presence of ads, particularly when hatching eggs or upgrading, most agree that these ads are non-intrusive and optional, allowing for a mostly enjoyable experience without mandatory purchases. However, there are mixed feelings about the frequency and length of ads, with some players feeling overwhelmed by them, leading to a perception that the game is designed to encourage ad viewing or in-app purchases.
“Definitely scratches the collecting itch that I have, and the in-game purchases aren't necessary but are reasonably priced and useful.”
“Wonderful art and very fair monetization.”
“In-app purchases are not obtrusive and not necessary unless you get obsessed.”
“Overall I think this was just a vehicle for ads and a simple cash grab.”
“This is a platform for advertising hidden in a game.”
“You spend more time watching ads than being able to try the game before buying.”
- graphics114 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their cute and engaging art style, with many users highlighting the clean visuals and humorous designs. While the artwork is considered fantastic and adds charm to the gameplay, some players feel that the simplicity of the graphics does not compensate for the lack of depth in the game's mechanics. Overall, the aesthetic appeal is a strong point, making it enjoyable for casual play despite some criticisms regarding gameplay engagement.
“The graphics are clean, the gameplay is simple.”
“Overall the graphics are fantastic and the way they put the ducks together is well done, I totally recommend it.”
“Gorgeous artwork and perfect animations.”
“The graphics are too simple to motivate me to pay for the premium version.”
“Unfortunately the artwork alone isn't enough to make up for the lack of effort the developers put into the actual gameplay.”
“Cute graphics but I honestly couldn't see any point to this 'game'.”
- gameplay88 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and casual nature, often described as addictive yet shallow, with many players expressing frustration over the lack of depth and meaningful progression. While the graphics and humor are appreciated, the core mechanics primarily involve waiting and randomness, leading to a repetitive experience that can quickly become stale. Overall, the game has potential but is hindered by limited gameplay options and a reliance on ads for advancement.
“Fun gameplay where you simulate the evolution of your ducks.”
“The mechanics are relatively easy to control and the graphics were pleasing to look at.”
“Gameplay is about managing your duck flock and breeding the duck collections.”
“With too much randomness in the core gameplay loop, there just isn't a way to make achievable progress towards any particular duck breed.”
“But the gameplay is so shallow that you will easily be bored in the first 10 minutes.”
“Next to no gameplay and it honestly feels like the game was only made to milk money out of you and waste your time.”
- music30 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quirky and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall experience with a fun, duck-themed soundtrack. However, several users report technical issues where the music continues to play even after exiting the app or when the game freezes, detracting from the enjoyment. Despite these problems, many players appreciate the sound effects and find the music to be a standout feature, contributing positively to the game's charm.
“The sounds and the music are perfect; it's quirky but still immersive.”
“The sound effects and music are very good, and the gameplay is amazing.”
“My favorite part is the music and quacking variations.”
“The music plays in the background, but I can't do anything anymore.”
“It was fine at first, but when I tried opening the app a second time, the screen was black and the music continued even when I was out of the app. I have to close the app to get it to stop; please help explain what's happening?”
“The game freezes before the hole appears, then the music plays even when I close the app.”
- story24 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and structure, with many players expressing a desire for a more engaging narrative or mission system to enhance motivation. While some appreciate the simplicity and casual nature of the gameplay, others feel that the absence of a storyline or quests makes it less compelling. Overall, players suggest that adding a backstory or quests could significantly improve the game's appeal.
“There is action, suspense, and the storytelling/lore could inspire the best movies of this generation.”
“Just weird and lovely; maybe make a story to it, and that would be interesting. Unless there is one, I don't really know, lol.”
“Fun game; the story is riduckulous for sure.”
“There's no story behind it or incremental goals, so it's not as motivating as it could be.”
“No minigames or storyline.”
“Litterally nothing to do, no story no nothing besides hatching ducks and seeing what variant you get.”
- stability23 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- -9 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous users reporting frequent freezes and crashes, particularly when reopening the app after a break. Many players experience loss of progress due to these glitches, making the game frustrating and often unplayable. While some users find the game enjoyable, the persistent technical problems detract from the overall experience.
“Really enjoyable, no lag, no glitches, fun, easy!”
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes, making for a seamless experience.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it allows me to focus on strategy without interruptions.”
“I find myself having to close the app multiple times because it freezes up.”
“The game works great the first time opening and I love playing it, but when you try to open it after the first time, the game freezes and never unfreezes, making it unplayable.”
“Fun game, but once you try to start the game up the next day, it freezes and crashes.”
- grinding20 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, especially as they progress. While the initial experience is enjoyable, the randomness and lack of control over obtaining desired ducks lead to frustration. Many users express a desire for an upgrade system or mechanics that could alleviate the grind and enhance the overall experience.
“That's a horribly unoptimized experience; I've spent several hours grinding for just two sets, pumping and dumping eggs at max speed, even with all bonuses and no ads bought.”
“You don't have enough control to get the duck you want without hours of grinding, and even if you purchase the extra storage space, you don't have enough to store the ducks you spent all that time creating, let alone the ones you want to keep since they have useful parts.”
“This is an okay game for the first few hours, but then it gets absurdly grindy pretty fast.”
- emotional13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game's cute ducks, often becoming deeply attached to them through naming and personal backstories. The game's wholesome and humorous nature enhances this emotional investment, leading to feelings of loss when ducks are sacrificed or lost. Overall, the experience is described as fun, quirky, and heartwarming, making it a standout for those seeking emotional engagement in gaming.
“I wish that the flock sizes were bigger because once you read the ducks' bio and you name it, you become so emotionally attached (at least I did) that sacrifices seem almost impossible.”
“I never thought I would be so emotionally invested in some ducks... my only downside is after watching 1 ad to upgrade my egg, that feature now seems to be lost so I can't upgrade my eggs any further :(”
“I've formed an actual emotional connection with these ducks.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the recent FPS improvements, others report significant performance issues that hinder the overall experience. Despite these concerns, many still find the game enjoyable and recommend it, albeit with reservations regarding its optimization.
“Good optimization.”
“The latest FPS optimizations are just the cherry on top of a time-wasting game, meant in a good way.”
“Still recommend this but can't give five stars because of the low performance.”
“That's a horribly unoptimized experience. I've spent several hours grinding for just two sets, pumping and dumping eggs at max speed, and that is with all bonuses and no ads bought.”
“The latest FPS optimizations are just a cherry on top of a time-wasting game, meant in a good way.”
“Still recommend this, but can't give five stars because of the low performance.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game's character development for its impressive design and detailed descriptions, highlighting the fun and simplistic nature of the characters, particularly the variety of collectible ducks. The cute aesthetic adds to the overall enjoyment, making it a delightful experience for players.
“Such an amazing game for time killing; the developers really put in the effort on character design and descriptions.”
“So fun! Tons and tons of ducks to collect; it's really simplistic, plus its cute character design!”
“Such an amazing game for time killing, but the character development feels shallow and lacks depth.”
“The character design is cute, but the overall development is simplistic and doesn't offer much growth.”
“While the game is fun and engaging, the characters lack meaningful development and complexity.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players generally find that the game offers significant replayability due to its varied gameplay mechanics, multiple endings, and the ability to make different choices that affect the outcome. Many reviewers appreciate the inclusion of unlockable content and challenges that encourage multiple playthroughs. Overall, the consensus is that the game remains engaging even after completing it once.
“The game offers endless replayability with its dynamic storylines and multiple endings.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh thanks to the diverse character choices and branching paths.”
“I love how the game encourages experimentation, making me want to replay it to explore different strategies.”
“The game lacks any real incentive to replay it after finishing the main story.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little reason to go back; the choices feel superficial.”
“The lack of varied endings or significant changes in gameplay makes replaying feel tedious.”