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.

Play Modes

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

Reviews

56%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,960 reviews

humor11 positive mentions

monetization151 negative mentions

Interesting concept that combines real estate with blockchain technology.
Active community support available through Discord for new players.
Regular updates and new features being added to the game.

Extremely slow progression for new players without spending real money.
Many properties are already owned, making it difficult for new players to find affordable options.
Confusing user interface and lack of clear instructions on how to play.

monetization
177 mentions
2 % positive mentions
12 % 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 scam than a legitimate gaming 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 nearly impossible to make money if you don't make in-app purchases and invest into this game despite how laggy and boring it is.”
- “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
100 mentions
12 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
28 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has been widely criticized for being minimal, unengaging, and heavily reliant on microtransactions, leading many players to feel that it prioritizes profit over enjoyment. Users report a lack of meaningful mechanics, with gameplay often reduced to logging in occasionally to collect meager rewards, and many express frustration over the clunky interface and the necessity of spending real money to progress. While some see potential in the concept, the overwhelming sentiment is that the current gameplay experience is tedious and poorly executed.
- “Once you get to know the game mechanics, it's a fun and great game.”
- “Pretty cool game once you understand the gameplay and different things you can do while in the gameplay.”
- “Awesome implementation of blockchain tech and NFT with fun addictive 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
79 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of frequent freezing, crashing, and glitches that hinder gameplay. Users express frustration over a buggy user interface and slow performance, often requiring restarts to regain functionality. While some acknowledge the developers' responsiveness to issues, the overall consensus is that the game is currently too unstable for an enjoyable 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
34 mentions
18 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
35 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users describing them as basic, clunky, and reminiscent of early 90s titles. While a few players appreciate the unique art style and solid UI design, the majority criticize the visuals as poor and uninviting, often citing lag and performance issues. Overall, the consensus suggests that the graphics detract significantly from the gaming experience.
- “Love the graphics, the way the economy is set up and scarcity maintained.”
- “This game has splendid graphics and loads of potential but I feel like it's awfully greedy about its currency or something.”
- “The game is awesome... great graphics... I love the game.”
- “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
6 % positive mentions
85 % 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 purchasing plots, the overwhelming competition for available properties, and the inefficacy of missions that do not yield meaningful rewards. Many feel that the game is designed to encourage spending money rather than providing a fair and enjoyable experience for new players.
- “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.”
- “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
20 mentions
25 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
35 % 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. Overall, there is a strong consensus that the app requires serious optimization to enhance the user experience.
- “All of my issues previously commented on have been fixed and the app runs smoothly and seamlessly.”
- “It needs some performance updates and some more areas you can play with.”
- “Good game but needs to do some serious optimization.”
- “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
19 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and slow, with many players feeling that it detracts from the overall gaming experience. Users report a lack of engaging activities in the early stages, leading to frustration over the lengthy grind required to progress, often necessitating real money investment to bypass these barriers. Overall, the grinding is seen as a major hurdle that could deter players from enjoying the game fully.
- “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
12 mentions
92 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The humor in the reviews primarily stems from the absurdity of the game's monetization model and the developers' practices, with users finding the requirement to spend real money shortly after joining particularly amusing. Many comments highlight the irony of the game's design and the experience of writing negative reviews that seem to vanish, contributing to a sense of dark humor surrounding the game's shortcomings. Overall, while some aspects are intended to be funny, the overwhelming sentiment is one of frustration rather than genuine amusement.
- “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
7 mentions
14 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
43 % 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 even humorous comments about the need for "elevator music" during loading screens. Overall, the lack of audio elements is seen as a major 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.”
- “Needs some relaxing music and melodies.”
- “No background music?”
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, such as the slow accumulation of in-game currency, further detract from emotional investment, as players feel disconnected from the experience.
- “I would choose to start where I live, as I'd be more willing to buy in emotional locations.”
replayability
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Replayability is limited due to the restricted number of playable cities, which are often fully owned by other players or inactive accounts, leaving little room for new players to engage meaningfully. Users express a desire for more playable features to enhance the game's longevity and replay value.
- “The game offers a vast world map, but only a few major cities in America are playable, which adds a layer of strategy as you navigate the competitive landscape.”
- “The replayability is enhanced by the dynamic nature of the game, where each session can lead to different outcomes based on player interactions.”
- “I love how the game keeps evolving; I can't wait to see what new features the developers will add to keep things fresh.”
- “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 numerous non-playing accounts.”
- “Hopefully, the 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 and lacks any immersive elements that would typically enhance the atmosphere. It's hard to get engaged when everything feels so flat and uninviting.”
- “Without any ambient sounds or environmental details, the atmosphere feels empty and uninspired, making it difficult to stay invested in the game.”