Great in areas, not so great in others
What works: the concept is excellent, the UI is great, the gameplay loop is perfect for collectors. I even enjoy the getting new colours is limited, it makes each new find feel important.
What doesn’t work: some of the walking mechanics seem to only track while the specific screen is open. Some quests don’t seem to work either. I feel as though some elements (text) feel a bit AI generated. I do not like having a core amount of resources tied to ads without a meaningful way around it. Maybe the subscription service should remove the need to watch ads like many other collection based mobile games.
I’m sorry if my criticisms are blunt, but there is just so much potential here.
I want to return, I want to spend more money on packs and the subscriptions, but until I see an update addressing some of these concerns, I probably won’t open the app much.
I intend to update this review in the future, best of luck devs!
amazing app
Great game
Feels like a gacha game, when it shouldn’t.
The gameplay loop has a good core concept, but almost entirely relies on ads, or real world purchases to make any real progress. In its current state, you can collect 3 colors a WEEK for free guarunteed, relying on the gacha slots mechanic. I believe that the gameplay loop should be more inclusive to folk who’re unable or unwilling to watch ads for daily spins, or even find another way for players to collect colors. Common colors should be very easy for anyone to get. Trust that if you build an enjoyable free gameplay loop, the whales will come.
The app is very clunky. Running on a relatively recent (iPhone 16PM) flagship phone should be a breeze but I notice a lot of the UI seems to be loading more than it needs. Also managing a large inventory of colors is almost impossible due to constant freezing. My phone gets very hot when freezing begins.
Chromas are needed for literally every meaningful action. The only way to collect CHM is via daily ads, real world money, completing palettes, weekly challenges (both of which require you to spend CHM), or performing well in a daily game.
Hexel feels like a gotcha game when it shouldn’t. I foresee a unique rival to Pokémon Go, but when literal slots is THE core collection mechanic it will not get the attention it deserves. The gatcha mechanic is certainly addicting (I say that with almost 1500 colors in a week of ‘playing’), but it’s not very rewarding in the grand scheme of the game.
Lastly, Hexel offers a support email to reach out regarding account issues, however they don’t seem to be monitoring the inbox.
Overall Hexel is a fun and fresh concept but leaves a lot to be desired. It’s not currently the Niantic-killer that it could be.
Changes that would bring my rating to a 5*;
-Much faster UI in all aspects. Loading marketplace data, large or small inventories, cycling through colors, or sales, or different interactions.
-A less reliant-on-gacha core gameplay loop. Maybe the colors you sample can somehow be crafted into fresh colors with enough R/G/B/B/S collected.
-Bulk quick sell / marketplace listing. A way to quickly sell a large number of colors both quick sell and through auctions
-FASTER UI. It is unbearable to spend over a minute waiting through freezing and hitches to quick sell, or list ONE color for auction. This single problem will drive me to lose interest due to the inconvenience and friction it causes doing basic things.
-Please answer support emails if you’re going to list a support link in the app.
Response from developer
Hi, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a detailed and honest review, and for playing so much this past week. Nearly 1,500 colours is serious dedication and we really do value you as one of our most active players. You've raised fair points and we're taking all of them on board, especially the speed of the inventory and marketplace screens. That's a lot more colours in a week than we'd tested around, so we hadn't seen the slowdowns you describe. If you're happy to share your device, app version and roughly how many colours you had when it froze, it would help us find the cause much faster. On support, we're sorry it felt unanswered. We usually reply within a few days, often the same day, so we think your message may have gone to the wrong address. Please send it to info@twilightstudios.co.uk or use the form at hexel.uk/support and we'll look at it properly. We've also just opened a Discord for players (https://discord.gg/uEyGmcR8E). Your ideas on bulk selling and crafting colours are exactly the kind of thing we'd love to hear more of there. Thank you again. We're really glad you're enjoying Hexel and we hope you keep collecting. Happy collecting!
Greedy game, heavy on the p2w.
Response from developer
Thanks for the honest feedback. In Hexel, money only buys volume and convenience, never better odds or colours others can't get. Every player gets free spins each week, and several of our all-time top 10 collectors have never paid. You're right that ad rewards feel small, and we're reviewing them. More ideas welcome at hexel.uk/support.
