Onmyoji Arena
- August 3, 2018
- NetEase Games
- 151h median play time
Onmyoji Arena is a Role Playing game set in the Heian era with Japanese aesthetics, featuring an intriguing story, outstanding gameplay, phenomenal visuals, and a splendid soundtrack. The game offers both multi-player and single-player modes, with innovative map designs and an all-new 3v3v3 Battle Royale. Although it can be very grinding and buggy, with the removal of the paid amulet system, players now have a more equal opportunity to reign supreme.
Reviews
- Great concept with original characters and beautiful design.
- The graphics are stunning and the controls are fluid.
- The characters are mostly balanced, providing a fair gameplay experience.
- Servers lag a lot, causing frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Wait time for matches is often more than 3 minutes, making it hard to enjoy the game.
- The UI can be confusing and buggy, with menus needing improvement.
- graphics2,130 mentions
- 74 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning quality and artistic design, often described as some of the best in mobile MOBA games. Players appreciate the vibrant character designs and smooth animations, although many have reported performance issues such as lag and high ping, even on lower graphics settings. While the visuals are praised, there are calls for better optimization to accommodate lower-end devices and improve overall gameplay experience.
“The graphics are truly amazing.”
“The graphics are the best I've seen for any mobile MOBA, the character designs are beautiful along with the multiple skins for each one.”
“Graphics are phenomenal, you can tell they put time into it, the arena graphics and textures are better than most mobile MOBAs but could always improve in terms of depth.”
“My only problem is the graphics; even on the lowest option, the graphics still look high, and it's really causing very poor performance while battling. It's very laggy, maybe consuming too much RAM.”
“I turned down all of the graphic settings, and my phone still can't keep up.”
“It's impossible to even participate in a team fight without freezing as the FPS drops below 10-2, even at lowest graphics you still get FPS drops.”
- gameplay931 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this mobile MOBA is generally praised for its smooth mechanics, fast-paced action, and unique character abilities, making it enjoyable for both new and experienced players. However, many users report issues with lag, high ping, and long matchmaking times, which can detract from the overall experience. While the graphics are consistently highlighted as exceptional, the need for better optimization and server stability is a common request among players.
“The overall gameplay is really absorbing and fast-paced, but still has a relative depth to it.”
“The gameplay is smooth and responsive, and the control seems to be very fluid.”
“The gameplay, graphics, and heroes are awesome.”
“The game is good overall, the characters and skins designs animation are cool, but the only problem I have is during the gameplay, my FPS would significantly drop to 6-7 during combat even when my internet connection is good. Please fix it.”
“The lagging gameplay is a pain in the ass.”
“Gameplay is slow.”
- optimization199 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing frustration over lag, frame drops, and poor server performance, particularly on lower-end devices. While some users appreciate the graphics and gameplay, they highlight that the game requires significant optimization to ensure smoother performance and better compatibility across a wider range of devices. Developers are urged to address these issues to enhance the overall gaming experience.
“The game is incredibly well balanced and well optimized.”
“Much better optimized than any other MOBA on the Play Store at the moment, including Vainglory.”
“Nice graphic, quality gameplay, lovely art style, great characters/skins, smooth performance on my device and I have no problem with it so far.”
“This game needs to improve its overall match performance because I have been playing this game for quite a long time, but it doesn't load in matches and takes me back to the start game option several times. It won't open sometimes as well!”
“Fps drop always occurs, which means the optimization of the game is bad.”
“The design and gameplay feel great and unique, but even on low graphics, it takes too much performance, especially during team fights, which causes dramatic fps drops and delays in input, making it unplayable.”
- monetization107 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is generally viewed positively, with players appreciating that microtransactions are optional and reasonably priced compared to other mobile MOBAs. However, a significant concern is the lack of advertising, which many believe is hindering the game's visibility and player base growth, leading to long matchmaking times and a perception of being underrated. Players urge developers to invest more in marketing efforts to attract new users and enhance the overall gaming experience.
“Good job, the game was awesome; it had a unique look and feel, and the microtransactions weren't invasive and were reasonably priced.”
“In-app purchases are also cheaper compared to other mobile MOBAs.”
“All microtransactions are optional, so it's completely free to play.”
“The game is also pretty dead in the global servers simply because of trash advertising by the company.”
“Waiting over 10 minutes for a match and still nothing... this is horrible, waste of time. The game has so much potential; put some effort into advertising.”
“This game has 0 advertisements and publicity overseas other than in Asia. They spend their money on a competitive league when not many know the game in NA nor in EU. If this game actually took their time to advertise overseas and get more recognition, I'm sure it will stand toe to toe with ML or even beat it.”
- character development102 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
Character development in this mobile MOBA is highly praised for its stunning graphics and unique character designs, which feature diverse playstyles and abilities. Players appreciate the fluid gameplay and engaging combat, although some express concerns about character balance and matchmaking issues. Overall, the character designs are considered top-notch, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and user experience.
“The character designs look cool and the game provides a variety of characters with different playstyles.”
“Sound design and animation are top notch while character development is flawless.”
“I love the character design, the whole concept is amazing, finally a MOBA with outstanding characters.”
“The character designs are terrible.”
“It is good but as a beginner to the game (not in mobas) the character designs are a bit confusing so you have to really read the skills and roles of every shikigami.”
“Characters are designed for children only, not for mature audiences; AOV is a lot better in terms of character development.”
- story80 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its originality and depth, with many players appreciating the unique backstories of characters based on Japanese folklore and the overall narrative. However, some users express a desire for a more structured story mode and additional quests to enhance engagement, as the current gameplay experience is hindered by technical issues like lag and matchmaking problems. Overall, while the graphics and storyline are highlighted as strong points, the lack of a compelling, easily accessible narrative mode detracts from the experience for some players.
“The story behind every shikigami is one of the reasons why I stay with this game for so long.”
“Incredible gameplay, interesting story, and amazing characters based on Japanese folklore!”
“Beautifully crafted heroes and an entertaining story.”
“I like the idea of adding more action to the original story, but I wish this game actually had a story to follow, such as a story mode.”
“Because when the matching takes forever and some people want to play solo and there's no compelling story, it makes people lose interest really quickly.”
“There are levels and chapters and some stupid story; I wasted my whole day downloading this for that.”
- stability55 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with frequent reports of bugs, glitches, and lag affecting gameplay. Many players experience issues such as freezing during matches, unexpected exits to the home screen, and problems with the user interface, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. Despite the game's fun and addictive nature, these stability issues have led to frustration and lower ratings from users.
“Runs great.”
“Runs great on my phone, but this is pretty hard to understand for beginners.”
“The game is great all in all, but the reason I gave this 3 stars is because it's super laggy, even though I configured my settings to the lowest setting possible, it still freezes or lags sometimes.”
“Kept freezing and the FPS drop is unbearable, I can't even play right whenever I press shop it freezes for 3 seconds, moving the camera makes the FPS drop.”
“First, I played this game last year in November, it was very smooth at 50-60 FPS stable, but the latest update is annoying; it gave me 45 FPS to 1 FPS and sometimes it freezes.”
- music48 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and thematic relevance, with many players expressing a strong emotional connection to the soundtrack, particularly the opening song. However, several users report issues with music playback, including sudden stops and complete muting after updates, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these technical problems, the game's music is often described as relaxing and fitting well with its artistic style, contributing positively to the gameplay atmosphere.
“The characters are so well designed and the soundtrack is awesome.”
“Love the theme, music, and the character designs.”
“Stunning graphics and epic soundtrack.”
“When I play it, the background music starts to go off, and the sound effects go off too.”
“After the previous update, I got a problem where there isn't any background music now. When I check the settings, the volume is at full, but no music comes out. I also have FPS problems since the last update; it always drops, which never happened before.”
“The speaker and background music always stop suddenly, creating a terrible gaming experience. Is the development team spending all their efforts on other games and losing their attention on maintenance?”
- grinding24 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
Players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game; while some find it rewarding for unlocking characters and evolving skins, others feel it can be tedious and time-consuming, especially in ranked matches. The grind for resources and character progression is seen as intensive, with complaints about matchmaking and the balance of farming mechanics. Overall, while grinding can enhance gameplay for some, it may also lead to frustration due to its repetitive nature and the need for better balance in character roles.
“No grindy rune system!”
“No grinding needed, just play.”
“I wasted much time from grinding.”
“It's just- you just join the game you're already grinding for coins; it kinda gets boring in my opinion.”
“Im sorry.. I got level 20 in 2 days.. just keeping all day farming.. on the NA server there are no people to play.. a matchmaking can easily spend 5 minutes of your life.. and to be a free user.. better be ready to spend money.. real... bye bye game.”
- humor18 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- -11 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players finding certain aspects genuinely funny while others come off as unintentionally intimidating or frustrating. Many users appreciate the comedic elements, such as quirky character designs and amusing in-game dialogues, which enhance the overall enjoyment and replayability. However, some players express frustration with technical issues that detract from the humor, indicating that while the game is entertaining, it could benefit from improved stability.
“The game is so funny and I play it more than any other game.”
“Good game, awesome graphics, have a lot of cute characters, good stories of characters, many funny activities.”
“Very detailed, funny to play.”
“Not funny because I lost because of that.”
“The jokes fell flat and felt forced.”
“I expected humor, but it was more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its unique and calming traditional Japanese aesthetic, which sets it apart from other MOBAs. While many players appreciate the vibrant graphics and the original touch it brings, some feel that the heavy cultural elements may detract from the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both competitive and casual, though it can be marred by player toxicity.
“It has really nice graphics, as well as a unique atmosphere compared to other MOBAs I've played.”
“I especially like the calming traditional Japanese atmosphere; it has its original touch.”
“Every character is fantastic in their own way, and the atmosphere of the game alone is excellent.”
“This game is too 'Japanese' and the religious traditional Japanese aspect really pulls me away from this game. It's a real shame because the gameplay itself is great, but the concept is... meh. The developer should have chosen the concept and atmosphere of the game more carefully. It's a real pity.”
“Great mechanics, balanced characters, tactical gameplay, and a crazy Japanese atmosphere.”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a mix of frustration and emotional investment in the game, highlighting issues with touchscreen controls and connectivity that can lead to feelings of helplessness. The competitive environment is described as challenging, with some players exhibiting toxic behavior, which can further impact the emotional experience. Despite these challenges, there is a recognition of the game's potential for enjoyment, suggesting a complex emotional landscape for players.
“I really want to cry!”
“New players who experience this 5v5 game better have good emotional control because 20% of the players are not normal; they all basically steal lanes, and even jungle monsters want to steal. In some ways, the AI is better than these 20% of players.”
“There's a wholesome MOBA, but the queue is quite slow, and during specific periods of the day, you might not find a match at all.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users express concerns about the game's replayability due to performance issues on low-end devices, which hinder smooth gameplay and graphics quality. They hope for improvements from the development team to enhance the overall experience and make it more engaging for a wider audience.
“The game lacks replayability, as there isn't enough content to keep players engaged after the initial playthrough.”
“I found myself losing interest quickly because there are no new challenges or incentives to replay the game.”
“Once you finish the game, there’s little reason to go back, making it feel like a one-time experience.”