Upland - Real Estate Simulator | Game Brain

Upland - Real Estate Simulator Game Cover

Upland - Real Estate Simulator is a simulation game that takes place in the NFT Metaverse, allowing players to buy, sell, and build virtual properties on the blockchain. However, the game is marred by bad gameplay, a horrible visual experience, excessive grinding, and an overwhelming amount of advertisements. Despite its flaws, the game's numerous bugs and quirks may provide some unintentional humor and entertainment.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 12,267 reviews

humor14 positive mentions

monetization156 negative mentions

monetization
184 mentions
2 % positive mentions
13 % neutral mentions
85 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many users expressing frustration over the necessity of in-app purchases to progress. Players report misleading advertisements that promise expansive gameplay and property ownership, only to find that significant investment is required to access basic features. Overall, the game is perceived as heavily reliant on monetization, making it feel more like a pay-to-win scheme than an enjoyable experience.
- “I was able to buy a bit more upx using free money from Google Opinion Rewards that allowed me to become an 'uplander' immediately, so I can at least keep my in-app purchases.”
- “In-game purchases are recorded on the EOS blockchain.”
- “The 'in-app purchases' are not optional to participate in this game.”
- “I started out enjoying this game more than a year ago before it became such a blatant cash grab.”
- “It's a game that has become a cash grab/pay to play.”
- “This is the biggest cash grab game ever; to do anything in this game you need real money. Do not waste your time with this game; if I could give 0 stars, I would.”
gameplay
114 mentions
17 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay has been widely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players describing it as minimal, boring, and heavily reliant on microtransactions. While some users see potential in the game's concept and mechanics, the overwhelming sentiment is that the gameplay feels more like a cash grab than a fun experience, often leaving players feeling frustrated and unmotivated to continue. Despite a few positive remarks about understanding the mechanics over time, the general consensus is that the game needs significant improvements to make it enjoyable and accessible for all players.
- “Once you get to know the game mechanics, it's a fun and great game.”
- “Awesome implementation of blockchain tech and NFT with fun addictive gameplay.”
- “Pretty cool game once you understand the gameplay and different things you can do while in the gameplay.”
- “Interesting premise, but the horrible mechanics make it painfully unbearable.”
- “Gameplay consists of logging in once a week, collecting the pitiful amount of currency earned, renewing my visa (because you lose literally all your stuff if you don't), then logging off until next week.”
- “The game barely has any gameplay; you can move three times a day through a UI that takes many swipes/presses to do anything to collect treasures you probably won't find because of limited time and moves.”
stability
85 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and various glitches that hinder gameplay. Many players experience issues such as the app freezing during key actions, slow performance, and a buggy user interface, leading to frustration and a lack of enjoyment. While some acknowledge the developers' responsiveness to reported issues, the overall consensus is that the game is currently too unstable for a satisfying experience.
- “The game freezes and crashes all the time.”
- “The app freezes a lot, especially when trying to scroll.”
- “It's very buggy and runs very slowly even with a high-end device.”
graphics
37 mentions
22 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
32 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many users criticizing them as basic, laggy, and reminiscent of early 90s titles, leading to a poor visual experience. However, a minority of players appreciate the unique art style and find the graphics appealing. Overall, the consensus leans towards dissatisfaction, with numerous comments highlighting performance issues and a lack of engaging visuals.
- “Love the graphics, the way the economy is set-up and scarcity maintained.”
- “The game is awesome..great graphics.. I love the game.”
- “This game has splendid graphics and loads of potential but I feel like it's awfully greedy about its currency or something.”
- “I do not recommend, the graphics are practically non-existent, there are no game options either, total trash.”
- “The graphics are horrible.”
- “The game lags like most block games, the graphics are terrible and there is no explanation on where to go.”
story
33 mentions
9 % positive mentions
82 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received significant criticism for its frustrating mechanics and lack of accessibility. Players express dissatisfaction with the high costs of plots, the inability to complete missions due to technical issues, and the overwhelming presence of already-owned properties, which makes progression feel nearly impossible without spending real money. Overall, while the concept is intriguing, many users feel that the execution leaves much to be desired, leading to a lack of enjoyment and engagement.
- “Wonderful game, motivated me to buy my first plot of land.”
- “Great idea but way too laggy and vaguely put... as of now I can see very little value in participating unless I spend money off the bat and artificially upgrade myself. It would be better promoted if each new player were given an affordable plot of land to earn a minimal upx per day or month.”
- “This game is a cool idea but it's frustrating how it works. The first FSA property it points to is always blocked by another user, making it difficult to buy any other plots since almost every plot is owned.”
- “No real benefits of playing this game except to brag about owning a plot of land in a mobile phone game that isn't real.”
- “This game is a cool idea but it's frustrating how it works. The first FSA property it points to is always blocked by another user, and if you can't buy that one, good luck with buying any others because almost every plot is owned.”
- “So to wrap up the story - support has basically told me there is nothing they can do and that what the player did was not illegal in the game, yet the constitution states that no property should be sold or bought under 'mint price'.”
optimization
21 mentions
29 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The optimization of the app has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with users reporting significant performance issues, lag, and a slow user interface. Many players express frustration over the lack of improvements since launch, highlighting that the game struggles to run smoothly on various devices, particularly Android. While a few users noted that some issues have been resolved, the general consensus is that the app requires serious optimization to enhance the overall gaming experience.
- “The app needs to be optimized; if not, it will never be a good experience.”
- “All of my issues previously commented on have been fixed, and the app runs smoothly and seamlessly.”
- “Good game but needs serious optimization; kindly check the India map as the boundary is not accurate.”
- “Well, if their servers are down when you start, you move away from any properties that you could potentially buy within 10 minutes and then you can't afford anything, putting you at a massive disadvantage since traveling around is less than optimized in this app.”
- “It is not optimized at all; the UI is slow.”
- “The app has performance issues that haven't improved in the years since launch, plus they added a time-based earnings cap without me knowing, meaning I lost out on a lot of revenue.”
grinding
20 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, with many players feeling that it detracts from the overall gaming experience. Users report a lack of engaging content during the initial stages, leading to frustration over the slow progression and the necessity of either investing real money or spending countless hours grinding to achieve basic milestones. Overall, the game is perceived more as a data farming exercise than a traditional gaming experience, with many players expressing dissatisfaction with the grind-heavy mechanics.
- “Doesn't feel like a game; there is nothing to do the first weeks of playing, and if you don't stick to its tedious start consistently, they delete your account.”
- “I like the concept of this game, but the requirements to get to the trading aspect of this game are way too long and tedious.”
- “You have zero control over where your explorer goes; you cannot sell your tutorial property until you gain enough currency for 'citizenship,' which will take about 4 years of grinding, or a microtransaction.”
humor
15 mentions
93 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as unintentional, with players finding the monetization tactics and development pace amusingly absurd. Many reviews highlight the irony of needing to spend real money shortly after starting, as well as the comical nature of the game's verification process and the prevalence of fake positive reviews. Overall, while some aspects are intended to be funny, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game's flaws overshadow any genuine humor.
- “The fact that you have to pay real money 30 seconds after joining is pretty hilarious.”
- “I installed Upland some years ago, and the pace they develop this ridiculous excuse of a metaverse is hilarious.”
- “This game has the worst verification process I have ever seen in a game; it's literally funny. 😂”
- “And this is not funny for me 👎👎👎”
music
9 mentions
11 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a significant absence of music and sound effects in the game, with many users expressing a desire for background music to enhance the experience. Suggestions include adding relaxing melodies and sound effects, particularly during loading screens, to create a more engaging atmosphere. Overall, the lack of audio elements is seen as a notable shortcoming.
- “Why need a background image when you can load the game and it takes forever to load? All you need now is elevator music in the load screen.”
- “This game is missing background music and special effects.”
- “No background music?”
- “Needs some relaxing music and melodies.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Users express a lack of emotional attachment to the starting locations in the game, suggesting that personal connections to familiar places would enhance their engagement. The game's mechanics, which require significant time investment to unlock features, further detract from emotional investment.
- “I would choose to start where I live, as I'd be more willing to buy in emotional locations.”
replayability
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment in the game's replayability, noting that the limited number of playable cities, which are often fully owned by other players or inactive accounts, restricts opportunities for new players. There is a hope for future updates that could enhance the game's features and expand its replayability.
- “The game has a map of the whole world, but only a few big cities in America are playable, which adds a layer of strategy to how you approach each game.”
- “The limited number of playable cities encourages players to explore different strategies and approaches in each playthrough.”
- “The potential for developers to add more playable features keeps the community engaged and excited for future updates.”
- “Don't go into the game thinking you can buy any property. The game has a map of the whole world, but only a few big cities in America are playable, and those are already fully bought out by either big players or dozens of non-playing accounts.”
- “Hopefully, developers will add more playable features.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is criticized for its lack of immersive elements, such as sound design and a broader geographical scope, which limits the experience to a small section of the USA. Users feel that the absence of features like FSA markers and a functional block explorer further detracts from the overall ambiance.
- “There are zero FSA markers in Fresno, making it impossible to center on your block explorer. The lack of sounds fails to create any atmosphere, and this is not a 'global' game as it only covers a section of the USA, based on what is shown at the start.”
- “The game feels lifeless due to the absence of ambient sounds and environmental details, which really detracts from the overall atmosphere.”
- “Without any engaging audio or visual elements, the atmosphere feels flat and uninviting, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”