Umamusume: Pretty Derby

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Umamusume: Pretty Derby is ready to race! Scout featured trainees and supporters as you navigate the immersive sports life simulation through the game's in-depth training system and top-of-the-line 3D graphics!

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96%

Audience ScoreBased on 6,460 reviews

gameplay86 positive mentions

monetization8 negative mentions

gameplay
316 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
64%
9%
The gameplay of "Umamusume: Pretty Derby" is characterized by a unique blend of horse racing, idol management, and deep character interactions, creating an addictive loop that many players find rewarding. While the game offers a satisfying progression system and visually appealing elements, it suffers from a lack of clear explanations for its mechanics, leading to frustration for some users, especially due to its reliance on RNG. Overall, players appreciate the engaging gameplay but note that it can become repetitive and may require external resources to fully understand its complexities.
- “Managing racing schedules, friendships, and earning trust through consistent care creates a satisfying gameplay loop that’s both methodical and emotionally rewarding.”
- “The gameplay is incredibly ambitious in its scope and yet it somehow manages to be spectacular in each thing it sets out to do: not only is it a fantastic raising/training sim with a great core gameplay loop and satisfying rogue-like elements, but it's also a fantastic visual novel experience with amazing visuals, great voice acting, and a truly wonderful cast of characters.”
- “The vibrant visuals, top-tier voice acting, and constant stream of new content make for an addictive and truly charming gameplay loop.”
- “The main gameplay, in and of itself, is actually incredibly boring - you pick options to watch the numbers go up and watch cute/funny/goofy cutscenes.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay loop quickly becomes stale.”
- “The game barely explains its mechanics and only roughly goes over how to actually play the game, leaving out the most important details.”
story
140 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
59%
2%
The story in "Umamusume: Pretty Derby" is a rich blend of slice-of-life and sports anime, featuring well-written characters based on real-life racehorses, each with their own unique narratives and emotional arcs. Players appreciate the depth of character development and the engaging plotlines that unfold through training and racing, although some find the text-heavy nature of the game a bit overwhelming. Overall, the storytelling is praised for its compelling drama and character interactions, making it a standout aspect of the game.
- “I really can't stress enough how much I enjoy this game and I think this game will have staying power because 1) the characters are all so well written -- it's truly amazing how the game gets you to care for each girl as you complete careers with them; 2) there's so much story content that's unique to each girl that is well written with just the right amount of tension, relationship building, and goal setting; and 3) the core gameplay loop has so much depth from carefully planning out your support deck for each girl to carefully managing the stat raising and events in each career.”
- “Each girl getting their character explored and developed through the plot device of horse races and competition is really compelling storytelling!”
- “The characters in the game are famous racehorses from Japan and even the world, all featuring distinct personalities and varied traits, full of youth, vitality, and passion, and the plot content of various events is quite rich.”
- “The story is okay, but I'd rather just watch the anime since it's the same as in the game.”
- “I just want to watch horses race; why is there a whole storyline I have to sit through?”
- “Story is quite fine, but the gameplay is just so boring, filled with RNG-fest.”
music
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
49%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its catchy and high-quality soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. The diverse range of songs, including character-specific vocals and energetic performances, captivates players and adds depth to the gameplay. Overall, the music is described as uplifting, engaging, and a significant highlight of the game, making it enjoyable even for those not typically interested in idol culture.
- “The characters are charming and have interesting stories and development, the world is wonderfully silly, the visuals are amazing and the music is top tier.”
- “The music is an eternal bop; the background BGM of course, but also a bevy of full-on vocal numbers of a variety of genres - you will get some ridiculously catchy song stuck in your head, and you will love it.”
- “Whether or not you’re into idol culture, you can’t deny the dedication and love poured into every song and choreography in the game.”
- “And music was annoying.”
- “Locked into an unskippable tutorial before I am even able to adjust sound settings, which after completing puts on an unskippable intro song that will play at full blast until the game fully downloads.”
- “Just download the CGs and music online, watch the story on YouTube, play around with the JP DMM version in a model viewer, and skip the game.”
emotional
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game "Umamusume" resonates deeply with players, who express unexpected attachment and investment in the characters' journeys, often leading to genuine emotional highs and lows. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of joy, sadness, and nostalgia through its heartwarming narratives and character development, making it a surprisingly impactful experience that transcends its whimsical premise. Overall, players find themselves emotionally engaged, often crying over the triumphs and struggles of the horse-girl characters, which adds a unique layer to the gameplay.
- “There is no emotional high that compares to seeing your horse girl win by a nose.”
- “I never thought a horse raising simulator would make me feel the things this game has made me feel.”
- “Umamusume has made me cry (in a good way) more than any other franchise, by far.”
humor
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cuteness and charm, with players enjoying the funny antics of the horse girls and their quirky personalities. Many reviews highlight the amusing dialogues and entertaining cutscenes, making the experience light-hearted and enjoyable, even if the core gameplay can feel repetitive. Overall, the game's blend of humor and adorable characters has captivated players, leading to a strong community engagement and a sense of fun throughout the gameplay.
- “The stories are fun and the idols are cute, funny, and full of personalities.”
- “This game is so wow because there are horse girls and they go fast like zoom zoom and you're like go baby go and they're like nyaaa I love running and then you give them a snack and they win the race and do a funny little concert and your brain goes yay and everything is shiny and good and friendship explodes.”
- “Downloaded this game thinking it's going to be a funny joke game, ended up playing nonstop for 11 hours lol.”
graphics
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
26%
5%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the stunning visuals, unique character designs, and smooth animations that enhance the overall experience. The vibrant art style and engaging audiovisual elements contribute to an addictive gameplay loop, making it particularly appealing to fans of the anime aesthetic. However, some users noted limitations in graphic settings on PC, which could detract from the visual experience at higher resolutions.
- “The visuals were impressive, the character designs were unique and well-crafted, and the gameplay felt smooth and rewarding.”
- “Peak gacha game, unique gameplay, stunning graphics, beautiful voice acting.”
- “Absolutely love the roguelite gameplay, the graphics are amazing for a phone game and the music videos are the best I've seen around.”
- “I really hope Cygames improves the graphics though because this game has potential in race and story; well, that's just a suggestion from me.”
- “The game is severely lacking game setting options that you'd come to expect with a PC release: you're only given the option to set the graphics to 'standard' or 'basic' and there's no resolution scaling options whatsoever, so the text and backgrounds can get quite pixelated at higher resolutions.”
- “The visuals?”
optimization
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
37%
13%
Overall, "Umamusume: Pretty Derby" has received positive feedback regarding its optimization, with many players noting stable performance across platforms, including PC and Steam Deck. The game's 3D character modeling and smooth animations contribute to a visually appealing experience, although some users have mentioned minor performance issues that need addressing. The integration of support cards and various gameplay elements enhances the overall performance, making it a standout title in its genre.
- “What a one of the best games I've played on my phone has been released on PC version, perfect/100, optimization 10/10, no complaints.”
- “Overall, Umamusume: Pretty Derby's gameplay is unique in its genre, with a relatively successful visual performance and character creation.”
- “All the characters in the game are equipped with fine 3D modeling; in contrast to the rigid live 2D performance, the transition of expressions and movements during character dialogues is quite smooth and natural.”
- “Steam Deck performance tests, docked and without power management settings (afaik, I'm no benchmarker)”
- “"Stable" game performance”
- “The live performances?”
monetization
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
42%
33%
The monetization in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it reasonable and not overly predatory, while others criticize it for having a pay-to-win (p2w) element and classic gacha mechanics. Although there are concerns about the long-term sustainability of premium currency sources, many appreciate the lack of intrusive ads and the overall addictive gameplay. Overall, opinions vary widely, reflecting a balance between enjoyment and frustration with the monetization strategies employed.
- “The gameplay is smooth, the music is fantastic, and the monetization is quite reasonable.”
- “Definitely worth giving a shot without worrying about pay-to-win metas or any scummy microtransactions.”
- “Also pretty fair monetization, I gotta admit.”
- “To sum it all up, incredibly bad monetization with a serious pay-to-win element, which for some reason everyone denies...”
- “Kinda stingy plus no pity, only a spark at 200 rolls... classic Japanese gacha monetization to be honest.”
- “My feelings on monetization are still pending (I'm not sure how renewable the sources of premium currency are), but the game is overall really addictive and polished.”
grinding
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of "Umamusume: Pretty Derby" is heavily criticized for being excessively time-consuming and often frustrating, with players feeling that success relies more on resource grinding than on strategy. While some enjoy the character-raising and management elements, many find the experience tedious, as hours of effort can lead to disappointing results due to RNG and stat imbalances. Overall, the game fosters a cycle of grinding that can overshadow its charm.
- “Stats feel meaningless, and success often depends more on resource grinding than actual strategy.”
- “It fosters a cycle of excessive grinding and frustration.”
- “Raising a character to a competitive level can take hours of grinding, only to be met with underwhelming results due to bad event RNG or stat imbalances.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
Character development in the game is marked by a mix of unique and cute designs, though some characters may appear similar when in uniform. While the visuals and animations are praised for their quality and expressiveness, there are concerns about certain designs feeling generic. Overall, the character designs are well-crafted and contribute positively to the gameplay experience.
- “The visuals were impressive, the character designs were unique and well-crafted, and the gameplay felt smooth and rewarding.”
- “Everyone has unique and very fun character designs that the character modeling captures perfectly through fluid and expressive animation.”
- “Visually, the UI is clean and vibrant, although the character designs can feel a bit generic.”
- “Character designs are pretty cute, although some of them look a bit samey when they're all wearing their uniform.”
- “It walks a fine line with character design, but as long as it continues to respect its audience and source material, it stays in a genuinely good place.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game boasts high replayability, particularly in its single-player career mode, which offers a compelling visual novel experience as players witness the growth of their chosen trainee. Additionally, the inclusion of roguelike elements enhances replay value, making it an engaging experience that aligns well with the aesthetics of the associated show and movie.
- “The single player aspect is incredibly replayable - the career mode is compelling in the sense of a visual novel, and watching your chosen trainee grow is super satisfying.”
- “The roguelike elements really make the game replayable, and it looks great, exactly what you would expect from the show and movie if you watched it.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been reported to have stability issues, particularly on mobile devices, with users noting that it feels somewhat buggy.
- “The game seems a little buggy on mobile, though.”