Lifeline
- March 16, 2017
- 3 Minute Games
- 2h median play time
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Get on Apple Store"Lifeline" is a text-based mobile game where players communicate with a stranded astronaut, Taylor, through a digital transmission. The game offers unique story branches based on player decisions, creating a personalized experience. Players must help Taylor make life-or-death choices and solve puzzles to ensure their survival until rescue.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
PC
Phone
Windows
Android
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- Engaging and immersive story that keeps players invested in the character's fate.
- Unique real-time gameplay mechanic that enhances the experience and adds suspense.
- Well-written dialogue that creates a relatable and likeable protagonist.
- Limited choices that often lead to the same outcomes, reducing replayability.
- Some technical issues, including crashes and notification problems.
- Pacing can feel slow due to long wait times for character responses.
- story3,844 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is widely praised for its engaging and immersive narrative, with many players feeling a strong emotional connection to the protagonist, Taylor. While the writing is often described as clever and humorous, some reviewers note that the story can feel linear, with limited choices that lead to similar outcomes. Overall, players appreciate the unique real-time storytelling format, which enhances the suspense and investment in the character's journey, despite some frustrations with pacing and the lack of significant branching paths.
“I came to truly root for Taylor despite his flaws and felt my decisions had real weight as the story unfolded.”
“The story is engaging and exciting.”
“The story is so immersive and I have already downloaded Silent Night and am about to start playing.”
“The story is too short and after playing through it again, the choices don't have a significant effect on the end.”
“The story is very linear, the software's a bit buggy too, I constantly get the notification 'Taylor is waiting for you' when in the story it says 'Taylor is busy'.”
“The story was short, generic, and shallow.”
- emotional194 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
Players overwhelmingly express a deep emotional connection to the character Taylor, often describing their experiences as heart-wrenching and immersive. Many report feeling genuine anxiety and attachment, as their choices directly impact Taylor's fate, leading to tears and a sense of responsibility for the character's well-being. The game's unique storytelling and real-time elements enhance this emotional investment, making it a standout experience in mobile gaming.
“No matter how many times I play it, I always get emotionally attached and get so scared for Taylor through every step of their journey.”
“I never thought I could get so emotionally attached to a character just by witty dialogue on a screen in a couple of days, but that's what happened.”
“This game made me feel like Taylor was a real person and that my decisions were her life and death.”
“Boring story, unrealistic because if I was on a distant planet, I wouldn't ask a guy for advice every move I made.”
“You will fall in love with Taylor by the end of this story (made me cry). I would love it if the developer of this game made many more like this; I would buy every one of them.”
- humor172 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the witty and engaging dialogue of the protagonist, Taylor, who often employs sarcasm and dry humor to cope with dire situations. However, some reviewers found the humor forced or repetitive, detracting from the overall experience, and felt that it sometimes undermined the game's tension. Overall, while the humor adds a unique charm to the narrative, its effectiveness varies among players.
“The storyline was engaging, funny, and intelligent.”
“Unexpectedly funny in a good way and witty with just the right dose of sarcasm.”
“The writing is great - engaging and hilarious.”
“Good game, though the jokes seem repetitive way too much, making them not funny at one point.”
“His unfunny comic relief is getting really annoying!”
“So for the rest of the game you are tortured with unfunny jokes that follow a formula similar to 'I had to do a thing with a unit, haha I don't know what a metric unit is!'”
- gameplay157 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its unique real-time mechanics, which enhance immersion and emotional investment in the story, despite being largely a choose-your-own-adventure format. While some players find the waiting periods and simplistic mechanics frustrating, many appreciate how these elements contribute to the narrative experience, making it engaging and addictive. Overall, the combination of compelling storytelling and innovative gameplay mechanics has garnered positive feedback, though some users note that the linearity and lack of depth in gameplay could be improved.
“A fantastic game that uses the medium of the mobile platform to the fullest potential by using real-time waiting mechanics to keep tensions high.”
“The gameplay is deep and immersive, and the fact that there can be hours between some of Taylor's responses really gets the player to invest, emotionally, in the survival and well-being of Taylor.”
“The real-time mechanics make this text adventure stand out.”
“However, in certain threads of the gameplay, you will tell the explorer to do something and they will wind up doing whatever they want, which defeats the purpose of the game.”
“Too often I get the impression that your choices just don't matter and as making choices is the core/only gameplay, that's kind of a big deal.”
“The story, writing, and overall 'gameplay' become tedious very quickly.”
- replayability87 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The reviews reflect a mixed perspective on replayability, with many players noting limited replay value due to linear storytelling and minimal impact from choices. However, some highlight the presence of multiple endings and the ability to revisit decisions as factors that enhance replayability. Overall, while a few games offer significant replay potential, many are criticized for their lack of depth in this area.
“Great game, an amazing replayable adventure.”
“Also some great replayability value because of the different endings and a useful fast mode once you completed the story (skips all the waiting).”
“There are multiple endings to the story, which adds a good amount of replayability.”
“No reason to play it again, low replayability.”
“It was disappointingly short and has little replay value as the story doesn't really branch out much - most decisions have very little effect as the story plays out, and you follow a path that is more or less laid out for you while trying not to die.”
“Unfortunately little replay value after a few games.”
- graphics81 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are minimal to non-existent, relying solely on text to convey its story, which many players appreciate as it allows for greater imagination and immersion. While some users express a desire for visuals to enhance the experience, the consensus is that the strong narrative compensates for the lack of graphical elements, proving that compelling storytelling can outweigh the need for high-quality graphics. Overall, the simplicity of the graphics is seen as a refreshing change, emphasizing the game's focus on narrative over visual spectacle.
“It just goes to show that you don't need massive graphics, a ton of detail, and so much more to make a great game, and it shows sometimes less is much more beautiful than adding.”
“In a time when graphics rule games, a great story is really what you need.”
“Character dialogue and text-driven format create a far more realistic and immersive experience than any game whose UX is graphics-driven.”
“Few things I wish I knew before I got the game are: 1) there is no graphics at all.”
“There is a lot of reading and I wish there were more graphics so we could see what our person is doing somewhere in the universe.”
“At first I didn't expect that I have to interact with lines of text at all times without any graphics.”
- music70 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its eerie and immersive qualities that complement the storyline. While some players appreciate the haunting and suspenseful soundtrack, others suggest that it could benefit from more variety and options. Overall, the music effectively contributes to the game's mood, drawing players deeper into the experience.
“The music is perfect!!”
“An amazing game, with beautiful music and an incredible story.”
“The music absorbs you, the text feels like you're actually talking to a real person and it invites you into the environment.”
“The soundtrack is creepy and can be a bit overpowering at times, but it does immediately transport you to the moon Taylor is on.”
“The sound/music also keeps playing sometimes even if the game is in the background or closed completely, which is strange.”
“My only complaint is that I wished there was more of a soundtrack.”
- atmosphere60 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by excellent sound design, engaging storytelling, and a unique setting that evokes a sense of danger and urgency. Players feel a strong emotional connection to the narrative, often describing it as chilling and atmospheric, with many noting that the minimalist design and real-time elements contribute significantly to the overall experience. Overall, the game's ability to create a captivating and eerie atmosphere leaves a lasting impression on players.
“Very atmospheric and I felt like I was there.”
“The atmosphere it creates is amazing and leaves you feeling remote, with only words.”
“The music and sounds create a unique atmosphere that draws you in further.”
“Short story that could have been decent if it weren't for that totally unreal character (cracking stupid jokes even when running for his life - all the jokes about the metric system mind you), spoiling any chance to feel attachment and create atmosphere.”
“Only drawback was that the game kept closing, which removed from the frantic atmosphere at the end!”
“I love the atmosphere; it's so eerie and spooky. The only thing is that when I open the app with Wi-Fi, it says 'application not licensed'; otherwise, I love the game.”
- monetization45 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users expressing frustration over the presence of ads and in-app purchase permissions despite the developer's claims of a no-ads, no-in-app-purchases model. While some players appreciate the absence of microtransactions and ads, others feel misled by the game's description and recent updates that introduced unexpected monetization elements. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging content, but the inconsistency in monetization practices has left some players dissatisfied.
“No ads, no in-app purchases, for 10 cents, it's totally worth it.”
“Very fun and my favorite thing about it is: no in-app purchases/pay to win!”
“In a market full of games driven by frustration and in-app purchases, this is a wonderful, engaging, and imaginative change.”
“The developer says no in-app purchases are required, but this is not quite the case.”
“For an update that's just 'bug fixes', why are there new permissions for in-app purchases and access to photos/media/files with no explanation?”
“I paid for this game and now you put ads in?”
- stability31 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting no issues while others experienced frequent glitches and crashes that hindered gameplay. Many users noted specific problems such as unreadable text, notifications not functioning correctly, and freezing during critical moments. Overall, while some enjoyed the game despite its bugs, a significant number found the stability issues frustrating enough to impact their overall experience.
“There were no glitches or bugs at all.”
“Everything worked fine, no glitches.”
“No bugs, no glitches; definitely worth buying.”
“There were periodic glitches that caused the text size to get off and make parts of sentences unreadable.”
“I lost that time and so I wanted to try again, but it is so buggy I can't finish the game or even get halfway through.”
“The story is very linear, the software's a bit buggy too; I constantly get the notification 'Taylor is waiting for you' when actually they aren't.”
- grinding20 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often feeling that the repetitive nature of waiting for messages and restarting after failures detracts from the experience. While some appreciate the story and strategic elements, many express frustration with the pacing and the need to scroll through messages, leading to a sense of monotony. Despite these issues, some players still recommend the game for its imaginative potential, particularly for those who enjoy narrative-driven experiences.
“It made it so that the game wasn't tedious if you made a mistake or wanted to see how another option panned out.”
“It's tedious, dying and restarting.”
“You are able to return to the start of a day, if you die, and try again, but it becomes tedious to catch back up.”
“The story, writing and overall 'gameplay' become tedious very quickly.”
- character development10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, character development in the game is praised for its depth and engagement, with many players feeling a strong connection to the characters and their stories. However, some reviews suggest that certain aspects, such as dialogue and originality, could be improved to enhance the overall experience. While many appreciate the well-crafted narratives, a few users noted instances of weak character development that detracted from their immersion.
“I've never played a game where the character development is this good; I started to really feel as if I knew him. Well done!”
“The amazing setting, character development, and tormenting drama made this game probably one of my favorite experiences on Android.”
“Character development was amazing, and the story really does well in keeping you engaged.”
“Good concept for an app but unoriginal story, weak character development, and poor dialogue.”
“The main character, whatever his name is, I couldn't remember it because of the lack of character development and a weak story.”
“I might suggest more dialogue or character development, but Bloodlines improves on this already.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs smoothly on certain devices, such as Android Wear, some users report performance issues, particularly on older models like the m7. Despite its engaging premise, there are calls for further optimization to enhance the experience.
“Of all the games I've played from the Google Play Store, this has got to be by far one of the best games. Oh, and it works on Android Wear devices too. In fact, it's optimized for said devices. I'm always looking at my Moto 360 smartwatch for notifications from our friend Taylor.”
“It's great, guys, but can use a little optimization.”
“The performance on my M7 is terrible and it's a text adventure!”
“Some performance issues with the app, but nothing game-breaking.”
