Idle Skilling

About

Idle Skilling is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by Lavaflame2 and was released on September 15, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Level up 21 Unique Skills! Mine ores, Catch fish, Breed cute pets, and more!

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69%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,746 reviews

gameplay24 positive mentions

grinding55 negative mentions

Idle Skilling offers a vast amount of content and engaging gameplay, making it a great idle game for players who enjoy incremental progress.
The game is genuinely addictive, with many skills and activities to unlock, providing a satisfying sense of progression.
It's a fun time-waster that can be played casually, allowing players to check in periodically and still make progress.

The game is plagued with bugs, especially in the late game, leading to lost progress and frustrating experiences for players.
There are significant issues with the cloud saving system, causing players to lose hours or even days of progress unexpectedly.
The introduction of a second premium currency and heavy monetization makes the game feel pay-to-win, detracting from the overall experience.

gameplay
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
74%
5%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a mix of engaging mechanics and frustrating design choices, with players noting a balance between online and offline play, a variety of tasks, and a notable progression system. However, many reviews highlight a lack of tutorials, confusing mechanics, and a user interface that complicates the experience, often leading to reliance on external guides. Additionally, the presence of microtransactions and exploitative bugs detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the gameplay feel tedious and sometimes predatory.
- “The gameplay is well balanced for free play, with a multitude of numbers to make go up in the proud tradition of idle games.”
- “With its relaxing gameplay, deep progression system, and constant updates, idle skilling offers an enjoyable and addictive experience that is hard to put down.”
- “What truly sets idle skilling apart is its commitment to player-friendly mechanics.”
- “It's alright, but there is a lack of tutorials which forces you to look up online guides to understand how certain mechanics work.”
- “Around mid-late game many of the upgrades start to cost 'lots'... the game won't even tell you how much it costs despite having more than enough to buy it... after using the prestige mechanic in the game you will likely spend an hour or more re-upgrading everything just to get back to the point you were previously at and is really tedious.”
- “The worst thing about it is the goddamn UI; this game is just a bunch of click boxes and menus with numbers placed haphazardly around the screen that are tied to confusing mechanics with text descriptions that often deviate from the actual mechanics of the game.”
grinding
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
96%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, particularly in the late game where players must engage in repetitive tasks with little sense of reward. Many reviews highlight the lack of quality-of-life features, cumbersome interfaces, and the need for constant clicking, making the experience feel more like a chore than enjoyable gameplay. While some players appreciate the depth and variety of activities available, the overwhelming grind often detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to frustration and burnout.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Eventually it gets tedious and it supports the dev for making 'free' games.”
- “Around mid-late game many of the upgrades start to cost 'lots'... the game won't even tell you how much it costs despite having more than enough to buy it... after using the prestige mechanic in the game you will likely spend an hour or more re-upgrading everything just to get back to the point you were previously at and is really tedious.”
- “This game has a lot of potential, but having to actually click on the training tabs for your stats to register they have increased or on the mining tab for the game to register how much ore you have becomes tedious rather quickly.”
stability
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of "Idle Skilling" is widely criticized, with players reporting numerous game-breaking bugs, glitches, and issues with the save system that can lead to significant progress loss. Many users feel the game has been abandoned by the developer, resulting in a lack of updates and fixes for these persistent problems. While some find the game enjoyable despite its flaws, the overwhelming sentiment is that it is a buggy and unpolished experience that detracts from overall gameplay.
- “Conditions that do not trigger, high values wrapping back to negative, progress reset by random glitches...”
- “Game breaking glitches that make it impossible to progress.”
- “Buggy and abandoned mess.”
graphics
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
62%
16%
The graphics of "Idle Skilling" are characterized by a charming pixel art style that many players find nostalgic and visually appealing, despite some criticisms regarding their simplicity and lack of polish compared to AAA titles. While the art style is often praised for its cuteness and effectiveness in creating a relaxing atmosphere, several reviews note that the overall graphic quality is inconsistent, with some describing it as low-quality or reminiscent of older mobile games. Overall, the graphics receive mixed feedback, with a general consensus that they are adequate for a free game but may not meet the expectations of players seeking more advanced visuals.
- “The pixel art aesthetic of Idle Skilling is a visual delight.”
- “While it may not boast the hyper-realistic graphics of some AAA titles, the charming and nostalgic pixel art style creates a unique atmosphere that resonates with players of all ages.”
- “Idle Skilling's graphics are simple but effective, with a charming and colorful art style that adds to the game's relaxing atmosphere.”
- “While idle skilling provides addictive and slow-burn gameplay, it falls short when compared to genre leaders like Adventure Capitalist, due to its less engaging mechanics and somewhat lackluster visuals.”
- “Most of the graphic resources are reused from Idleon; some of the mechanics too, like gems and pinball. Actually, this game is like a poor repackaging of Idleon into a single-player experience.”
- “The graphics and art style, if I could sum it up, could run on the Babbage difference engine (look up this reference, interesting to know the earliest form of a computer).”
monetization
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
60%
25%
The monetization strategy of this game has drawn mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it as a cash grab heavily reliant on microtransactions, particularly in the late game. While some appreciate the absence of intrusive ads, the overall sentiment is that the in-game purchases are poorly implemented and often lead to frustrating experiences, such as lost progress. Players recommend avoiding spending money due to the developer's lack of support and the game's numerous bugs, suggesting that a more ethical approach would be to charge an upfront price instead.
- “This is hands down one of the best idle game devs. No ads, other than for in-game stuff and rarely even then.”
- “The absence of paywalls or intrusive microtransactions is a breath of fresh air in an industry often plagued by monetization strategies that hinder genuine enjoyment.”
- “While in-app purchases are available for those who wish to support the developers, they never feel forced upon players.”
- “It's more like a cash grab cleverly disguised as an idle game, with all the red flags of a shady mobile monetization scheme.”
- “Though this game is 'free to play,' the microtransactions are practically required, especially in the late game.”
- “Selling microtransactions for such a broken game with no signs of improvement is unethical.”
humor
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as quirky and entertaining, with a mix of cute graphics and a playful take on RPG tropes. Players appreciate the developer's comedic style, noting the presence of jokes and easter eggs throughout the experience, although some frustrations with gameplay balance detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game is seen as a lighthearted and amusing time-waster, perfect for casual play.
- “It's funny as it's a basic RPG that still pokes fun at RPGs.”
- “Thank you, Lava, what a funny and enjoyable experience you just made.”
- “The creator is a funny guy; there are jokes here and there, and if you play both games, you're bound to find Easter eggs.”
optimization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
22%
57%
The optimization of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with users reporting frequent stuttering, crashes, and significant lag, particularly towards the end of gameplay sessions. Many players express frustration over the lack of auto-save features during crashes and criticize the game's inability to handle increased rewards from updates, leading to a poor overall experience. While some users note that performance is generally smooth on certain hardware, the persistent issues have led to strong recommendations against the game, especially for fans of the clicker genre.
- “For example, the Infinity Forge is a gem store item that allows you to use the forge continuously instead of being restricted to 3 attempts. There are also items that boost your skillers to perform twice as effectively, along with a one-time purchase gem portal that grants you gems over a few days.”
- “Performance: 9/10”
- “Idle Skilling's performance is generally smooth, with the game running well on most hardware configurations.”
- “Couldn't get 5 minutes in until it started stuttering and wouldn't stop.”
- “Unfortunately, near the end of everything, the game starts to lag really hard as it is not optimized for the amount of rewards you get with the latest update.”
- “There's a very high chance that at some point the game will brick by starting to stutter and lag every time you switch to another screen.”
story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
54%
31%
The game's story is widely criticized for being virtually nonexistent, with many players noting that it lacks engaging elements and depth typical of more captivating narratives. The final update introduced frustrating mechanics and a repetitive storyline that failed to resonate with the audience, leading to dissatisfaction and a sense of disconnection from the game's progression. Overall, players feel that the story is a significant weakness, rating it poorly and highlighting its absence as a major flaw.
- “Here's my story...”
- “Here's my story...”
- “Story as old as time itself really, the final update was full of stupid time gates, added a single minigame, broke endgame and that was the end of it!”
- “While idle games are meant to be simple and relaxing, Idle Skilling felt a bit too basic, lacking the engaging elements or storylines that can make this genre more captivating.”
- “Story: 1/10 - there isn't a real story to the game, it's an idle game and you do as you please.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The music and sound design in the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of a cohesive soundtrack and minimal sound effects that detract from the overall experience. Some users appreciate the absence of music, suggesting it allows for background tunes, while others criticize the game for its generic audio and lack of variety. Overall, the sound aspect appears to be a significant area for improvement.
- “Music and sound effects are all great.”
- “This game has zero sound, which can be good to have music on in the background while playing.”
- “Idle Skilling's sound design is minimal, with basic sound effects and a generic soundtrack that does not add much to the overall experience.”
- “The game has no OST and needs to be up to date.”
- “No music, no sounds; enemies quickly get reused, and gems come in at a trickle unless you are crazy lucky.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its charming and nostalgic pixel art style, which resonates with players of all ages and contributes to a relaxing experience. While the graphics are simple yet effective, enhancing the sound design could further immerse players in this tranquil environment.
- “While it may not boast the hyper-realistic graphics of some AAA titles, the charming and nostalgic pixel art style creates a unique atmosphere that resonates with players of all ages.”
- “Idle Skilling's graphics are simple but effective, with a charming and colorful art style that adds to the game's relaxing atmosphere.”
- “While not essential to the gameplay, a more immersive sound design would enhance the game's relaxing atmosphere.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Players find the game highly replayable, praising its blend of old-school graphics and modern gameplay, along with its fun and challenging nature. The satisfaction of returning to the game after periods of inactivity enhances its replay value, although some users suggest improvements in monetization aspects. Overall, it offers a compelling experience that encourages repeated play.
- “It is replayable, fun, challenging, and original.”
- “Idle Skilling is an amazing game with large amounts of replayability and is very satisfying to come back to after a long time of afking, perfect for an idle game.”
- “Before I rate it - first go play it, it's the old school graphics mixed with new style gameplay, everything is repeatable and replayable.”
- “Before I rate it - first go play it. It's the old school graphics mixed with new style gameplay. Everything is repeatable and replayable, but buying gems needs to be cheaper. You can make more money in Idleon MMO since there still needs to be tons more added to that.”
- “The game lacks variety, making it hard to find motivation for replaying. Once you've seen everything, there's little incentive to dive back in.”
- “While the initial experience is enjoyable, the lack of meaningful content updates means that replayability quickly diminishes.”