Peridot

About

"Peridot" is a single-player simulation game featuring one-of-a-kind virtual pets to explore the world with. The game boasts pretty visuals, but is full of bugs and has too much advertisement. Players can raise and care for their unique Peridots as they adventure through various environments.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

45%

Audience ScoreBased on 540 reviews

gameplay13 positive mentions

stability50 negative mentions

The game features adorable and unique pet designs, making it visually appealing.
Recent updates have introduced ways to earn free nests, improving accessibility for players.
The AR technology allows for engaging interactions with the environment, enhancing the gameplay experience.

The core gameplay mechanic of breeding is locked behind a paywall, requiring players to spend real money for nests after the first free one.
The game drains battery quickly and causes phones to overheat, making it uncomfortable to play for extended periods.
There are significant bugs and glitches, including issues with the friends list and AR functionality, which hinder the overall experience.

gameplay
113 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
81%
8%
The gameplay of the game has received significant criticism for locking its core mechanics, particularly breeding, behind a steep paywall of $5 per attempt, which many players find unreasonable and detrimental to the overall experience. While the creatures are cute and the genetic inheritance mechanics are appealing, the gameplay loop is described as shallow, repetitive, and lacking depth, leading to a quick sense of boredom. Additionally, technical issues such as poor optimization and battery drain further detract from the enjoyment, leaving players frustrated with the overall execution of the game.
- “The gameplay is cute and compelling enough that I've felt motivated to go on daily walks with it, but in a 1-hour walk, the game will crash at least 5 times.”
- “The game is simple and cute, with an easy-to-understand gameplay loop that isn't demanding and doesn't give you FOMO.”
- “The breeding mechanic is really cool, and there's a ton of different combinations that your dot can be.”
- “The gameplay loop is very minimal and isn't worth the paywall.”
- “The core gameplay is slow, excessively time gated, and uninspired.”
- “This was a fantastic premise with a lot of potential killed off on day 1 because of Niantic's decision to lock the core gameplay mechanic (breeding and hatching 'dots' as the game calls them) behind a $5 paywall every single time you wish to execute on the core mechanic.”
stability
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and performance issues, particularly related to its AR features. Many players experience glitches that hinder gameplay, such as unresponsive controls and overheating devices, leading to frustration and a diminished overall experience. While there is potential for improvement, the current state of stability is seen as a major drawback that detracts from the game's enjoyment.
- “Niantic has adjusted the paywalling from the initial launch, but the game is still buggy and battery-intensive.”
- “The main issues I have with it are glitches; the dot is always glitching everywhere and never stays in view for more than a few seconds. It's quite laggy even though my internet is fine, and it costs a lot just to get more dots.”
- “The gameplay is still buggy and choppy (Pixel 6 Pro) though, and needs work.”
monetization
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
45%
45%
The monetization strategy in this game has been widely criticized for being overly aggressive and predatory, with many players feeling it prioritizes profit over gameplay. Users express frustration over high costs for microtransactions, which they perceive as a cash grab, detracting from the overall experience and potential of the game. While some hope for improvements, the current state of monetization has led to disappointment and concerns about accessibility, especially for younger players.
- “I completely understand that in-app purchases are necessary and revenue is needed to make a great game.”
- “This game is very cute, but I don't really like how the monetization works.”
- “There's just enough functionality here to try to get you to spend money for in-game purchases or merch.”
- “The microtransactions are predatory, and the game offers little to do.”
- “Ultimately, this game is simply a cash grab and a massive battery drain.”
- “Game has lots of potential but bugs that were reported in beta remained after launch, the battery use is crazy thanks to poor optimization and always on AR, and the monetization was horribly done since they charge too much for hatching new dots which is a core gameplay loop.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
73%
14%
The story aspect of the game is criticized for being shallow and repetitive, with limited interactions and a lack of engaging narrative elements. Players express frustration over the reliance on paid content to access essential gameplay features, such as nests for hatching new creatures, which detracts from the core premise of breeding and repopulating species. Overall, while the initial concept and graphics are appealing, the execution leaves much to be desired, leading to a disappointing experience for many users.
- “When the story of the game says we're supposed to breed the dots, it makes that a core game mechanic.”
- “I liked it in the beginning, graphics are cute and quests with looking for items through the screen feel fresh.”
- “Update: changing score to 1 star, the nests being stuck behind a $5 paywall is ridiculous, the whole story premise behind the game is diversifying and repopulating the species.”
- “Interactions and missions are shallow and very quickly become repetitive.”
- “Doesn't provide much to do from the story perspective either.”
- “Can only do a few things with your virtual pet and there is no story mode or any other tasks/activities to do.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
43%
14%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the cute aesthetics and unique art style, while others criticize the simplistic and occasionally glitchy visuals. Some users report smooth performance on high settings, but others experience lag and loading issues, suggesting that improvements are needed for a more polished experience. Overall, while the visuals are appealing, there are concerns about consistency and functionality that detract from the gameplay.
- “Great graphics!”
- “I love the aesthetics of the dots and the uniqueness of each one I see!”
- “Visuals are good, use of AR is great, and a fascinating concept for creature 'DNA'.”
- “I like the concept of the game but it's laggy, things take a while to load, graphics are okay but could definitely do with some improvement as the dots without fur just look wet and it looks kinda weird.”
- “Graphically it's a buggy nightmare and once your first dot reaches adulthood there's basically nothing else to do.”
- “Graphics were a bit glitchy for me though.”
optimization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many users reporting severe performance issues, including excessive battery drain and overheating on devices. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay without bugs, the majority express frustration over the game's unoptimized state and the need for urgent patches to improve performance. The concept is well-received, but the current optimization problems hinder the overall experience.
- “Love the idea of the game, everything runs smoothly.”
- “Haven't had any performance issues on a Xperia 5-II; AR tracking can be hit and miss on some surfaces.”
- “My tip until they roll out performance upgrades is to play in short spurts of a few minutes.”
- “It's entire premise is precious and something I would love—if only it were better optimized.”
- “The biggest negative so far is just how hard it is on your phone's performance.”
- “Game has lots of potential but bugs that were reported in beta remained after launch, the battery use is crazy thanks to poor optimization and always on AR.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the paywall restricting core features like breeding after an initial free attempt. The repetitive daily actions and cumbersome controls contribute to a lack of engagement, making the overall experience feel slow and unattractive despite the game's appealing concept. Many users express a desire for more accessible options to progress without resorting to purchases.
- “The daily actions are tedious as you need to do it over 8 times to max out.”
- “Even if it's slow and tedious, there has to be an option other than buying them after your first one!”
- “The idea and game concept are great, but after playing for a week, it has become tedious.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of quirky, passive-aggressive complaints from characters, which adds a comedic layer to the gameplay. Players find the interactions amusing, particularly when the game humorously critiques their actions, such as failing to show a dot a tree trunk or a person. Overall, the humor is seen as a clever way to engage players while highlighting their in-game choices.
- “And this is funny: I was supposed to show my dot a tree trunk and a person.”
- “They complain about other things in a funny way, but the screen complaining is a pushy, passive-aggressive attempt to get you outside by complaining.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
The music in the game is described as relaxing and enjoyable, complementing the charming animation and the fun of raising the little creatures. However, some users express concerns about the game's performance, particularly regarding battery drain.
- “The music is relaxing, the little creature is perfect, and raising them is so much fun!”
- “I love the animation, I love the music.”
- “I love the animation, I love the music, I just can't get into it without burning up my phone.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be heartwarming, particularly when observing their pets play, but some express disappointment over the pricing, which they feel detracts from the overall experience and evokes feelings of heartbreak.
- “Watching your pet playing around is so wholesome.”
- “But $5 a nest for the basic premise of the game is just too much... and honestly, for me, it's pretty heartbreaking.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players note that the introduction of free nests significantly enhances the game's replayability, making it more engaging and enjoyable to revisit.
- “The addition of free nests has significantly enhanced the game's replayability.”
- “Each playthrough offers new challenges and experiences, making me want to dive back in.”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes keeps the game fresh and exciting every time I play.”