Idle Evolution
- April 3, 2017
- MTR
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Idle Evolution" is a game where players must manage and combine atoms to create elements and advance through different periods and ages. The game offers a mix of idle/clicker and time-management gameplay, with strategic decisions and missions to complete. It aims to educate players about the process of element creation, while also providing an original and engaging gaming experience.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Very educational, providing a solid understanding of the periodic table and chemistry concepts.
- Engaging gameplay with a mix of quizzes and mini-games that reinforce learning.
- Visually appealing graphics and a polished user interface enhance the overall experience.
- The game is too short for an idle game, with a lack of depth and repetitive gameplay mechanics.
- Some missions are poorly designed or unintuitive, leading to frustration and confusion.
- Frequent crashes and technical issues detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- gameplay36 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of engaging mechanics and educational elements, featuring a variety of evolution stages and minigames that enhance the idle experience. However, some players find the gameplay loop repetitive and lacking depth due to static upgrades and the absence of prestige mechanics, leading to a sense of boredom after a certain point. While the game offers a wealth of content compared to its predecessor, there are calls for even more variety to prevent repetition and maintain player interest.
“Furthermore, I do like how they expand on the gameplay by offering more content compared to the older version, be it by having more evolution stages to work through that the old game didn't present at the time or those fun little distractions that are the three minigames that are brief and don't overstay their welcome but also offer notable permanent boosts to any atoms that you successfully 'win'. This all helps to give the impression that you can do more when being active in the game of idling and not just merely leaving your mouse cursor pointed at a screen.”
“Excellent game about chemistry, with many gameplay options and links to Wikipedia explaining what happens here.”
“The gameplay is rich with complexity that is slowly introduced and built upon as you play the game.”
“The gameplay loop consists of buying the same two upgrades to increase production, and the increase is static and linear.”
“For me, this was way too short, and since there are no prestige mechanics, I got tired of the gameplay loop by the end.”
“The level progression is locked behind a 'clinch' mechanic which is totally unnecessary, and it gets really boring after level 4.”
- story26 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's story is marred by frustrating mission structures that often feel unintuitive and overly complex, leading to a disjointed experience. Players report that some quests are mandatory yet require excessive grinding or obscure actions, detracting from overall enjoyment. While the narrative has potential, the execution leaves much to be desired, with many missions feeling like tedious tutorials rather than engaging storytelling.
“This is a game designed to be put away for some time, so you can go do something productive knowing that there will be something interesting waiting for you when you get tired.”
“I really want to like this, and it has some decent aspects, but some of the missions require you to do some extremely unintuitive or clumsy things.”
“Then I hit a quest that was mandatory to progress which required me to max out the knowledge on 56 different elements, with 50 clicks per element at different spots on a grid in a random order.”
“The main missions, which you have to go through, will kick you out of the game within the first hour.”
“The later stages have 2 impossible missions which you have to Google too, making it less than ideal since by that time you're most likely in the 'just wanna finish it' mood.”
“Then I hit a quest that was mandatory to progress which required me to max out the knowledge on 56 different elements (50 clicks per element, and it's 50 clicks at different spots on a grid in a random order).”
- graphics16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for being a significant improvement over the previous version, featuring a cleaner and more polished aesthetic with vibrant special effects. However, some users noted issues with the display, such as elements appearing off-screen and a mismatch in tone between different sections of the game. Overall, while the visuals are appealing and enhance the gameplay experience, there are minor inconsistencies that detract from the overall presentation.
“Focusing on the positives first, the graphics are a step-up from the old game, and Idle Evolution on Steam does not disappoint!”
“Seeing how it keeps much of the structure from the old game intact, yet polishes a lot of the older graphics to give it a far nicer and cleaner look in this version, kudos goes to the evolution setting for each stage alongside the colorful and fluid special effects seen for using evolve points, getting achievements, and exchanging atoms, giving it a more presentable look for a game in 2021!”
“Quite cool visuals; it makes you think a little to optimize your output and, above all, is educational. As a chemistry student, this jogged a good few memories.”
“Still, the video seems to not be the high point here - and graphics (even 'full screen') seem to be placed slightly off-screen or similar.”
“But the graphics do have a different tone from the rest of the game.”
“I noticed that in the knowledge section too, the graphics and sound of the little robots shooting the circuit board were out of tone with the rest of the game.”
- music14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with many users praising the soundtrack as "awesome" and "relaxing." While some tracks, particularly the sci-fi music, are well-liked, there are mixed opinions on others. Overall, the music enhances the gaming experience, with features that allow players to learn more about the background tracks.
“The soundtrack is awesome.”
“Music is relaxing.”
“I must also mention that I love the music.”
“Dammit Jim, I'm a musician not a chemist.”
“For example, hitting 'M' on your keyboard while in-game will display information about the currently playing background music.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, especially in the later stages of a typical 12-hour playthrough, where repetitive tasks and minigames detract from the overall experience. Many reviewers suggest that the grindiness may be indicative of a mobile game design aimed at encouraging in-game purchases, leading to frustration with the gameplay mechanics. Despite these issues, some still view the game as a decent productivity tool.
“A normal playthrough takes about 12 hours, with the later parts becoming rather tedious as you 'just unlock the rest and finally be done with it.'”
“The game also reaches a point where it becomes incredibly grindy, and the reason for this seems to be that it might be a mobile game that required in-game purchases.”
“There are definite tedious aspects where you're essentially either finding Waldo on the periodic table or clicking the screen a bunch of times to prove you aren't colorblind, which motivates you to pay more resources to not have to click as much.”
- monetization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game offers a refreshing monetization model as it is a paid version without microtransactions or pay-to-win elements, which contrasts with many free-to-play idle games. However, players note that it can become grindy, suggesting that it may have originally been designed with in-game purchases in mind, typical of mobile games. Overall, while it is not free, its pricing is considered reasonable.
“The game has some decent mechanics, and seeing that there are no microtransactions but instead a paid version is refreshing.”
“No, it’s not free to play like many idlers, but there are no microtransactions here, and it’s cheap.”
“As a Steam idle game, it's not free, but it has no microtransactions or pay-to-win elements either.”
“The game also reaches a point where it becomes incredibly grindy, and the reason for this seems to be that this game might be a mobile game that required in-game purchases.”
“No, it’s not free to play like many idlers, but there’s no microtransactions here and it’s cheap.”
“As a Steam idle game, it's not free but it has no microtransactions or pay-to-win either.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, as users report no performance issues even when running it in a small window on average Windows 10 systems with i7 processors and NVIDIA graphics.
“I ran the game in a small window on my laptop and had no performance issues on an average Windows 10/i7/NVIDIA system.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly regarded as an effective educational tool, seamlessly blending learning with engaging gameplay.
“The atmosphere of the game is incredibly immersive, making you feel like you're truly part of the world.”
“The game's atmosphere is rich and detailed, drawing you in with its stunning visuals and sound design.”
“Every element of the atmosphere contributes to a sense of tension and excitement that keeps you engaged.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report a high level of stability, noting the absence of bugs, glitches, or poor design issues in their experience.
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with multiple users highlighting its comedic elements as a standout feature. Overall, players find the game to be genuinely funny and entertaining.
