Pocket ZONE

About

Pocket ZONE is a single player survival action adventure game. It was developed by Go Dreams and was released on August 29, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

co-op survival classic RPG in the world stalkers of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,405 reviews

story22 positive mentions

monetization82 negative mentions

The game captures the essence of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series well, providing a nostalgic experience.
Gameplay is engaging and offers a good balance of challenge and progression.
The absence of forced ads enhances the overall experience, allowing for uninterrupted gameplay.

The game suffers from translation issues, making some mechanics and instructions unclear.
Progression can feel slow and grindy, especially in the early stages.
Some mechanics, like artifact collection and weapon jamming, can be frustrating and lead to unfair deaths.

story
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
78%
4%
Overall, players express a strong desire for a more developed story in the game, noting the current lack of a compelling narrative and structured quests. Many reviews highlight the frustration of having to rely on ads for missions and the absence of engaging side quests or NPC interactions, which detracts from the overall experience. While some enjoy the gameplay mechanics and immersive environment, the consensus is that a richer storyline and clearer quest system would significantly enhance the game's appeal.
- “This game is amazing and I just love the story and the creative aspect.”
- “I love the story it's fun I can't stop playing.”
- “Great stalker experience would love some more storyline stuff happening while raiding.”
- “My only complaint, and I understand why this might be the case, is that there seems to be little story in the game.”
- “There is no primary and main story or quest.”
- “Fun game, but the amount of ads you have to watch in order to progress and the inability to get any missions without Wi-Fi ruins it for me.”
gameplay
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
44%
3%
The gameplay is generally praised for its fun and easy-to-understand mechanics, with many players appreciating the unique and engaging gameplay loop. However, some users noted that the gameplay can become repetitive over time, and there are calls for more variety in quests, events, and character customization options. Overall, while the game offers a solid experience with enjoyable mechanics, there are suggestions for improvements to enhance depth and reduce monotony.
- “Actually one of the best mobile games I've played in some years, the environment and atmosphere of the game is well done, no paywalls, no waiting hours for upgrades, and the gameplay loop is addictive, very interactive and fun.”
- “I personally love this game, it has the right gameplay that keeps you on your toes, the pricing makes you have tough decisions, and my favorite part, you have to keep your valuable things tucked away!”
- “The gameplay is fun, simple mechanics but everything makes sense for the gameplay, all in all, very good beta starting off strong.”
- “Quests seem to be locked behind ads early on, which itself isn't a huge problem, but that does kind of make watching ads a mandatory part of gameplay which definitely hurts the experience a bit.”
- “The game is fun at the beginning, but after a while, it started to lose my interest as my gun literally always jammed. In every battle, my primary and extra weapons always jammed until I was dead. This is the worst game mechanic, making the gun jam even with 100 durability.”
- “Game is simple and easy to understand, but very boring; it doesn't come up with new mechanics, just repeats the same thing in different zones.”
monetization
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
6%
73%
Overall, the monetization strategy of the game is well-received, with players appreciating the lack of intrusive ads and the optional nature of in-game purchases. While some users note that watching ads is necessary for certain quests and bonuses, many find this approach fair and not overly aggressive compared to typical mobile games. The game is praised for its balance between providing optional ads for rewards and maintaining a playable experience without constant interruptions or pressure to spend money.
- “I like that they added the premium shop; it really does give them financial support via in-game purchases.”
- “It's fun, no ads, progression is realistic, and it is not pay to win, although you can choose to buy equipment to progress faster.”
- “This game is great; there are almost no ads, and in-app purchases aren't forced, making progression clear.”
- “I don't usually like mobile games anymore because they're all cash grabs with no real direction.”
- “Quests seem to be locked behind ads early on, which itself isn't a huge problem, but that does kind of make watching ads a mandatory part of gameplay which definitely hurts the experience a bit.”
- “Love the game but why is everything so expensive, even when you're resetting your skill you need to pay... it should be free or maybe put some ads... not all people have a lot of money, some just want to enjoy the game without spending money.”
graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
62%
29%
9%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many players appreciating the pixel art style and its fitting aesthetic that complements the gameplay. While some users express a desire for more visual enhancements and customization options, the overall design is considered enjoyable and engaging, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere. The simplistic graphics and interface are noted for being user-friendly, making the game accessible for both short and long play sessions.
- “I love the art style and the gameplay loop.”
- “This is an amazing game with my favorite style of graphics, and you don't need to spend money, but if you want to, you can. Yet I recommend that you take time and don't expect to rush this game.”
- “A very good game, great gameplay, and the graphics are amazing as well.”
- “I hope the developers keep on upgrading the game, maybe improve the graphics and the UI system.”
- “It has very simplistic graphics; it's not pay to win, and it's easy to play for short/long periods of time!”
- “With rough but pleasing pixel graphics and turn-based combat, it may sound rather boring, but I promise you when you're down to your last turn and both you and a terrible defender are both down to a sliver of health, you'll be sweating bullets.”
grinding
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the sense of achievement that comes from hard-earned progression, many describe it as tedious and overly time-consuming. Suggestions for improvement include adding more character slots, respec options, and reducing the grind required for skill points and item acquisition. Overall, the game is enjoyable but could benefit from better balance in its grinding mechanics.
- “Not too grindy, can still be improved.”
- “It is hard to get skill points though I've been grinding and still don't have any.”
- “Ultimately annoying grindy game that needs balance.”
- “It's a bit of a grind and can be tedious at times, dying also really sucks but you've done a great job with this game.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
17%
8%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised, with users highlighting its immersive environment and art style that effectively captures the essence of classic RPGs and the Stalker series. Reviewers appreciate the addictive gameplay loop and the absence of paywalls, contributing to an enjoyable and engaging experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as fantastic, making it a standout feature for players.
- “The atmosphere, like I said, is wonderful!”
- “It's an absolutely fantastic game and captures the feel and atmosphere of the original games perfectly in a mobile package.”
- “Great atmosphere, fun”
- “Great phone game, especially if you like old school RPGs and the Stalker atmosphere.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
Players generally appreciate the game's music and soundtrack, noting it enhances the overall experience, but many express a desire for more variety and thematic additions, particularly related to the game's setting. Some users report technical issues, such as unexpected sound cuts and bugs affecting music playback, which detracts from their enjoyment. Overall, while the music is well-received, there is a strong call for improvements and updates to expand the audio offerings.
- “It's my favorite time killer at this time; I think it just lacks in terms of tutorial or wiki for new players. I've spent a lot of hours with this game and have a beautiful and well-done art, a good soundtrack, and good gameplay.”
- “Honestly, I really like the game; the graphics, music, and gameplay are pretty good. I recommend it.”
- “This game is good as I expected, like Zone Anomaly but mobile. Can we have new music in the radio, like Clear Sky or Bandit?”
- “Though I'm already experiencing problems, for example, unexpected cuts on both sound and music whenever I'm in battle, and it takes a suspiciously long time to load whenever I revisit it.”
- “I just wish you would add music that has a theme like zombie apocalypse or Chernobyl-related stuff.”
- “There's a bug where the music plays after I close the app.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players highlight the game's strong replayability, attributing it to its engaging mechanics, well-paced gameplay, and the potential for future improvements like additional scenarios and items. The rogue-like elements and progression systems further enhance the replay value, making it a promising title with a solid foundation for continued enjoyment.
- “Very fun and has such high replay value; simple mechanics but everything makes sense for the gameplay. Overall, a very good beta starting off strong.”
- “Really love the replayability of the game; love the rogue-like aspect, as well as progression.”
- “The only thing I see for this game's future is improvement; you can tell the devs are fans of the Stalker formula and what makes it so replayable.”
- “More scenarios and events, plus more items, will give this app a lot of replayability.”
- “I really love the replayability of the game; I enjoy the rogue-like aspect, as well as the progression.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be quirky and enjoyable, with amusing elements like unexpected language choices and humorous gameplay mechanics, such as the ineffectiveness of bandages. The variety of events and random encounters adds to the comedic experience, making the game both engaging and entertaining. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The only odd thing when repairing gear was that it was in Russian instead of English. It's not anything bad, and one can still navigate it; it's just random and funny.”
- “Pretty cool! The bandages are funny because they don't do anything, and the character can barely carry anything.”
- “This game has more events and random encounters that range from funny to disastrous, giving the player more options on how to interact with people and the world around them, which would add to this game brilliantly.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
80%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report a smooth experience with no major bugs or crashes, others encounter noticeable bugs that affect gameplay. Despite these issues, many users see potential in the game and appreciate its concept.
- “Runs properly, with no glitches or random crashes.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, ensuring a smooth experience.”
- “I haven't encountered any bugs, making my gameplay seamless.”
- “Great game, awesome concept, but it's pretty buggy.”
- “Still buggy, but great potential!”
- “But much less buggy and it's a nice text-based adventure.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players have reported significant stuttering issues following the recent 104 update, even on high-end devices, leading to frustration and a diminished gaming experience. This optimization problem has impacted gameplay progression, causing some users to lose interest.
- “After the new 104 update, the game is stuttering a lot on my high-end phone. It's really frustrating how frequent the stuttering is.”
- “The game needs some sort of guide or wiki because I don't know where to find the artifacts that the missions require.”
- “I progressed quite far, but it becomes boring because I'm stuck at the same place with minimal profit.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional response to unexpected and sudden defeats, highlighting feelings of frustration and vulnerability despite being well-prepared. The experience of losing everything in an instant after achieving a goal adds to the game's emotional intensity.