Excellent Expectations

About

Excellent Expectations is a single player action game. It was developed by 内购人生PABL and was released on December 21, 2017. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Excellent Expectations" is a game where you, as a conscience-driven individual, seek to take down greedy mobile game companies. After finding a game company boss's phone, you'll retrieve apps, break into them, and gather incriminating evidence through search engines to expose their wrongdoings. This unique game experience offers a fresh perspective on mobile gaming corruption.

Genres & Tags

Indie

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 16 reviews

graphics2 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Excellent Expectations offers a unique and immersive experience as players navigate a smartphone interface to uncover a layered narrative about greed and deceit in the mobile gaming industry.
The writing is sharp and filled with dry humor, effectively critiquing the exploitative tendencies of mobile game development while allowing players to draw their own conclusions.
The game features an engaging search mechanic that encourages close reading and inference, making the act of uncovering the story feel rewarding and intellectually stimulating.

The lack of English localization significantly limits accessibility, preventing non-Chinese speakers from fully enjoying the clever writing and cultural nuances.
Some design choices may feel obscure or humorless to players unfamiliar with Chinese internet culture, leading to potential confusion regarding character motivations and emotional depth.
The minimalist presentation, while effective, can feel barebones, and the search mechanic occasionally relies on obscure logic that may disrupt immersion.

story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
"Excellent Expectations" presents a sharp and engaging narrative that explores themes of greed and deceit within the mobile gaming industry through a unique smartphone simulator format. The story unfolds through fragmented conversations and information, creating an immersive experience that encourages players to piece together the truth, resulting in a poignant emotional impact. While replay value is limited, the game's clever storytelling and authentic atmosphere leave a lasting impression.
- “Excellent Expectations, developed and published by Pabl, is a small but sharply intelligent indie puzzle game that uses the form of a smartphone simulator to tell a story about greed, deceit, and the dark side of the mobile gaming industry.”
- “Ultimately, Excellent Expectations succeeds because it understands that storytelling can be just as powerful through interface as it is through dialogue or visuals.”
- “The story’s tone alternates between amusing and cynical, portraying characters who embody the greed and moral compromises that have become all too familiar in the industry.”
- “The story itself is composed of fragments of conversations, pictures, and information.”
- “While there isn’t much incentive to replay the game beyond seeing alternate dialogue or revisiting favorite moments, the impact of the story lingers long after it’s over.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The gameplay centers around a unique search mechanic that promotes close reading and inference, enhancing player engagement. However, it can sometimes require trial and error, and its reliance on obscure logic may disrupt immersion when players encounter challenges.
- “The heart of the gameplay lies in its search mechanic.”
- “The search mechanic, though creative, occasionally relies on obscure logic that can break immersion when you get stuck.”
- “It’s a mechanic that encourages close reading and inference rather than simple guesswork, though occasionally it demands a bit of trial and error.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The graphics of "Excellent Expectations" feature a minimalist aesthetic that aligns well with its concept, effectively conveying storytelling through its interface. However, some players may find the visuals to be somewhat barebones and desire more variety and interactivity. Overall, the game successfully demonstrates that impactful storytelling can transcend traditional visual elements.
- “Visually, Excellent Expectations maintains a minimalist aesthetic that fits its concept.”
- “Ultimately, Excellent Expectations succeeds because it understands that storytelling can be just as powerful through interface as it is through dialogue or visuals.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game creates an authentic, voyeuristic atmosphere that enhances the emotional connection to its narrative, allowing players to uncover both heartwarming and heartbreaking stories. However, the emotional relationships between characters are noted to be somewhat one-dimensional, which may limit the depth of the overall emotional experience.
- “This restraint gives the game an authentic, voyeuristic atmosphere that strengthens the emotional connection to its story.”
- “When piecing all the information together, the player uncovers a heartwarming or heartbreaking emotional story.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a blend of dry wit, sharp satire, and thoughtful moments, creating a unique narrative experience that balances comedic elements with deeper reflections.
- “The narrative is filled with dry humor, biting satire, and moments of genuine reflection.”
- “The game is packed with clever jokes and witty dialogue that kept me laughing throughout.”
- “I love how the humor is woven into the gameplay, making even the toughest challenges feel lighthearted.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a restrained, voyeuristic quality that enhances the emotional connection to its narrative, creating an authentic experience for players.
- “This restraint gives the game an authentic, voyeuristic atmosphere that strengthens the emotional connection to its story.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight concerns about the monetization practices in mobile games, criticizing the prevalence of predatory microtransactions and a focus on profit over creative design, which leads to exploitative experiences for players.
- “It takes aim at the exploitative tendencies of mobile game development—the predatory microtransactions, the hollow design philosophies, and the obsession with profit over creativity.”