I Can't Believe It's Not Gambling
- December 11, 2017
- Mutant Entertainment Studios
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"I Can't Believe It's Not Gambling" is a game that satirically focuses on the thrill of opening loot boxes. Players can experience the excitement of never getting the desired items while receiving duplicate unwanted loot. The game features a comprehensive loot system, a massive collection system, and customization options with boxes, skins, and hats, all available in loot boxes.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game cleverly parodies the loot box mechanics prevalent in modern gaming, providing a humorous and engaging experience.
- It's a fun and addictive game that offers a sense of pride and accomplishment without the financial risk associated with real gambling.
- For its low price, the game delivers a surprisingly entertaining experience with a simple yet effective gameplay loop.
- The last achievement, requiring players to open 100,000 loot boxes, is excessively grindy and can take an unreasonable amount of time to complete.
- The gameplay can become monotonous quickly, leading to boredom after the initial novelty wears off.
- Technical issues, such as bugs and crashes, can detract from the overall experience and frustrate players.
- gameplay162 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily centered around opening loot boxes, with minimal interactive mechanics, leading to a repetitive and simplistic experience. While some players find the process addictive and humorous as a satire of loot box practices, many criticize the lack of substantial gameplay elements, describing it as little more than a button-clicking exercise. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy the thrill of loot collection without the complexities of traditional gameplay.
“The gameplay is surprisingly strategic, making you think while still keeping things light-hearted.”
“Actually addictive gameplay; I didn't know that it would actually feel as satisfying as opening cases in real games and dropping super rare items.”
“Ultimately you'll come for the amusing satire and stay for the relatively satisfying (it is still lootboxes...) gameplay as you try to make your cardboard boxes, dragonballs, and treasure chests look 'simply faaabulous'.”
“The gameplay is very basic: you click to open loot boxes, click again to pick which loot to keep, click again to trade in the rest that you don't want in order to make money which then lets you open more loot boxes, and repeat ad infinitum.”
“The gameplay loop is sparse: you click a button and things happen.”
“All the good stuff of a skinner box without any of that annoying gameplay and skill getting in the way.”
- humor126 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated for its clever satire of loot boxes and microtransactions, with many players finding it funny and engaging, especially in its initial moments. However, some reviewers note that the humor can wear thin quickly, leading to a repetitive experience that diminishes enjoyment over time. Overall, while the game is seen as a humorous commentary on gaming culture, its execution and gameplay may not sustain the initial laughs for all players.
“I can't believe it's not gambling goty edition - this game combines humor and clever mechanics in a way that keeps you hooked from start to finish.”
“The parody of the mechanic does the mechanic best and that's hilarious.”
“Skewers AAA gaming culture with wonderfully funny satire.”
“Yeah this is 'a meme game', but it's not funny, not clever, not entertaining... and no, I'm not upvoting literal trash because of nihilistic post-irony culture!”
“No, not funny.”
- monetization66 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The game's monetization strategy has drawn mixed reactions, with many praising its satirical take on microtransactions and lootboxes, while others criticize the lack of actual in-game purchases, suggesting that it misses the mark by not fully embracing the mechanics it mocks. Some players appreciate the absence of predatory monetization practices, while others feel the game could benefit from optional microtransactions to enhance gameplay. Overall, the game serves as a commentary on the current state of monetization in gaming, but opinions vary on its execution.
“This game was designed as a middle finger to EA and all other companies who make microtransactions the main part of any game's experience, and I love it.”
“I enjoy the satirical approach to microtransactions and lowkey gambling in today's modern cosmetics. The message it's trying to convey is quite positive, and honestly, even if you aren't going to play the game, I'd buy this just to give the creator props.”
“I can't believe it's not gambling (ICBING) is a satirical game about loot boxes in video games and how ridiculous the increase of monetization of customers has been.”
“In an insult to gamers everywhere, the game features advertising on the menu screen!”
“That might be understandable (but not acceptable) if this was free... but people paid (wasted) money on this and now the developer is trying to extort even more revenue by advertising to the audience.”
“It's a greedy, offensive practice that simply must not be tolerated, and even more insulting because this advertising is stapled onto an insincere joke game already.”
- graphics42 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the charming art style and stunning visuals, while others find them basic and mediocre. Many highlight the quality of animations and the appeal of unique skins, but there are also mentions of performance issues and bugs. Overall, the graphics are seen as a secondary aspect to the gameplay, with some players considering them excellent and others rating them as average.
“The graphics are stunning.”
“Graphics and sound quality are the best of the generation, without a doubt.”
“Eye-popping graphics, atmospheric music, and in-depth, engaging gameplay that truly challenges the player with deep and moral choices, each one greatly affecting the way the game plays out make this an almost instant timeless classic.”
“The graphics are pretty basic, but the real novelty is the variety and ridiculousness of skins and hats for each type of loot box.”
“As simple as the game is, it's a wonder there even needs to be graphics settings; the unboxing animation isn't smooth regardless, and I've run into several bugs playing the snake game.”
“The graphics are mediocre, but what is important is the gameplay.”
- music34 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring a catchy chiptune main menu track and atmospheric tunes that enhance the gameplay experience. However, some players noted that the music can become repetitive over time, leading to a desire for more variety. Overall, the soundtrack is praised for its relaxing qualities and ability to complement the game's engaging mechanics.
“The main menu song is a nice jiving chiptune song which gets you into the unboxing mood, but then the actual game slips in a nice atmospheric tune to let you mellow out and get lost in the unboxing.”
“Also, the music is really relaxing; I think I fell into a trance at one point.”
“Great music, great graphics, great experience.”
“My only gripe is the music is very repetitive.”
“The only real downside is that (as far as I'm aware) there's only one song looping.”
“It didn't wear on me (I listened to it for the entire hour I spent writing this review) but if you're playing this legitimately then you will eventually want to bring your own music after a few hours.”
- story32 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely praised for its emotional depth and engaging characters, often described as touching and capable of evoking strong feelings. However, some players feel that the narrative is somewhat obscured by the game's focus on loot boxes, requiring them to dig deeper to fully appreciate the storyline. Despite this, the backstory and character development are noted as impressive, contributing to the overall experience.
“It's a truly touching story which made me shed a singular tear.”
“The amount of backstory is staggering and beautiful.”
“Game developers always relate most of their mentors in how to make a good game to this one, its flawless gameplay, its touching story, and the replayability!”
“Unfortunately, I don't have enough star cards to increase the amount of pride and accomplishment I feel when I open each new box, so I feel like the story was slightly lessened for me, and it was a bit immersion-breaking, but that's eased away with story-rich videos about each and every character displayed here.”
“Which really reminds me of DLC Quest years back on the DLC craze, which has been getting worse than before.”
“For example, DLC Quest remains one of my favorite indie games of all time, despite its shortness.”
- grinding20 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
Players express mixed feelings about grinding in games, often finding it tedious and frustrating, especially when trying to obtain rare loot or skins. While some enjoy the excitement of opening loot crates, many feel that the time spent grinding detracts from the overall experience, leading to a lack of satisfaction and a sense of monotony. However, those who appreciate grind-heavy gameplay or parody games may still find enjoyment in the process.
“Eventually this can become a bit tedious as you almost waste more time trying to grab coins within the mini game more than actually completing the objective of the game.”
“The achievements are a bit ridiculously grindy to complete and like real-life loot boxes, it gets pretty frustrating that you don't get the skin you want to complete your collection.”
“I don't get the, how should I put it, sense of pride and accomplishment grinding on an infinite treadmill.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized, with users noting significant performance issues despite the inclusion of cosmetic upgrades for loot boxes. The overall sentiment suggests that the developers should prioritize better optimization, even in a parody context.
“All the while you are collecting skins (and hats!) that you can dress up your loot box with to make it more visually appealing or to improve its performance, like racing stripes and flames to make them open faster.”
“Just because you're making a parody game doesn't mean you shouldn't care about proper optimization.”
“Just because you're making a cancerous parody game doesn't mean you shouldn't care about proper optimization.”
“It is very... not optimized.”
“Just because you're making a cancerous parody game doesn't mean you shouldn't care about proper optimization.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a catchy chiptune main menu track that sets a playful tone, transitioning into a more immersive and mellow soundtrack during gameplay. Coupled with stunning graphics and engaging gameplay that incorporates deep moral choices, the overall atmosphere creates a captivating experience that resonates with players and reflects current industry sentiments.
“The main menu song is a nice jiving chiptune that gets you into the unboxing mood, but then the actual game slips in a nice atmospheric tune to let you mellow out and get lost in the unboxing.”
“Eye-popping graphics, atmospheric music, and in-depth, engaging gameplay that truly challenges the player with deep and moral choices, each one greatly affecting the way the game plays out, make this an almost instant timeless classic.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its deeply touching story that evokes strong emotional responses, with players noting moments that brought them to tears. Its ability to capture the emotional highs and lows of the gaming experience, combined with flawless gameplay and high replayability, makes it a standout in the genre.
“It's a truly touching story which made me shed a singular tear.”
“Game developers always relate most of their mentors in how to make a good game to this one, its flawless gameplay, its touching story, and the replayability!”
“Thus, reproducing the emotional highs and lows of looting.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The reviews on replayability are highly polarized, with some users rating it as low as 3/10, indicating minimal replay value, while others highlight a significant potential for replayability. This contrast suggests that player experiences may vary widely based on personal preferences or gameplay styles.
“Huge replayability.”
“Huge replayability.”
“Huge replayability.”
“Replayability - 3/10”
“Pretty much no replay value.”
“Replayability - 3/10”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its poor stability, with numerous reports of glitches, bugs, and clunky performance. Additionally, players experienced significant launch issues, including extended server downtime on day one. Overall, the game's stability is considered a major drawback.
“Game is a buggy mess, not to mention the day one launch issues (what is with the server being down for 12 hours?).”
“It's buggy and exceptionally ugly and very, very clunky.”
“We've seen games rushed out the door filled with glitches and bugs.”
