# Secret of the Pendulum — user reviews > 172 indexed App Store user reviews of Secret of the Pendulum by Games Cafe Inc., rated 4.50/5 from 71 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-of-the-pendulum/id585346911/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-of-the-pendulum/id585346911.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 53 · 4★ 10 · 3★ 3 · 2★ 3 · 1★ 2 ## What do users think of Secret of the Pendulum? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 🎮 Engaging mystery storyline and narrative - 🎨 Good graphics and visual design - 💰 Free to play without mandatory purchases - 🧩 Variety of puzzles and hidden object games - 🌙 Unique day/night mode mechanic - 📖 Interesting character interactions and memories - ⭐ No energy/stamina system required to start playing **Cons** - 💸 Aggressive monetization and in-app purchases - ⏳ Extremely slow coin/star regeneration rates - 🔄 Repetitive gameplay with same scenes replayed - 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues - ❌ Game progression blocked at final chapters - 📱 Compatibility issues with older devices - 🎯 Unclear objectives and confusing tutorials - 💎 Pay-to-progress mechanics disguised as free-to-play - 🔧 Poor customer support for purchase issues - 🎪 Constant pop-ups requesting 5-star reviews **Commonly reported bugs** - Game freezes or crashes on startup - Inventory items disappearing unexpectedly - Items require multiple taps to register - High scores not being recorded - Game won't load after closing and reopening - App crashes when adding friends - Inventory display missing after updates - Exhibit pictures not displaying visually - Stuck on final chapter unable to progress - Data loss when accidentally deleting game - Coins not being awarded after purchases - Diamonds purchased never received **Most requested features** - Save game progress to cloud or account - Ability to earn stars without paying - More puzzle variety beyond hidden objects - Additional chapters and story content - Faster coin/star regeneration rates - Better hint system with more free hints - Replay option for completed puzzles - French language support - Cross-device synchronization - Reduced cost for hidden object scenes ## Newest reviews (18 of 172) ### 2/5 — Deludente *2021-11-15, version 1.8.0* Si blocca all’ultimo capitolo e non va avanti deludente ### 4/5 — Me encanta este juego pero *2021-06-08, version 1.8.0* Se me borro sin querer iba bien avanzada y perdí todo lo que había hecho, debería de poder guardarse el proceso ya que es bien molesto iniciar desde 0 ### 2/5 — I WAS enjoying this *2020-07-12* I was enjoying this game and had completed all but the last chapter. Sadly, since yesterday it will not load. I have an old iPad and was happy to find a good game that would run well. There appears to be no good reason for this sudden failure - if it had updated, I would presume it had simply outgrown the capabilities of my device, but it hasn't for a couple of years now. If it doesn't decide to start working soon, I will sadly have to abandon it. 2/5 for now, 4/5 if it revives. ### 4/5 — 👍 *2019-11-23, version 1.8.0* Aiuto sono bloccata alla sala di controllo della metropolitana... che peccato sono proprio delusa mi piaceva tanto... ### 4/5 — Good storyline *2019-10-28* Thank you to the makers of this game. I’ve been really enjoying playing your game. The story line is very interesting. I like how you can switch between day and night mode and how it affects how you interact with the scenes and people. It’s a little difference from other games that makes it a bit more unique. The memories are an interesting difference too. And i like helping the other characters. Please keep up this kind of creativity in games to come. No negative feedback so far, I’m really enjoying the game. Keep up the good work:) ### 5/5 — Pendulum *2017-11-20* Really good game ### 5/5 — Like it so far *2017-10-20, version 1.8.0* Great game but getting harder. ### 5/5 — Un buon inizio *2017-09-26, version 1.8.0* Sembra fatto bene ed abbastanza vario. Speriamo che la conclusione non deluda ### 4/5 — Average *2017-09-03* The game is ok, obviously reliant on in app purchases to move on to the next next quickly ### 5/5 — Pendolum *2017-06-14, version 1.8.0* Top nel suo genere!!! ### 4/5 — Pretty fun... *2017-04-29* Pretty fun, but kind of mindless...but sometime yo want mindless! ### 2/5 — Ok *2017-04-24* Kind of simple and slow ### 5/5 — Good game *2017-04-23* So far I'm enjoying this game. Just wish there was a way to earn stars without paying for them. ### 5/5 — Ok *2017-04-19* Ok but boring ### 3/5 — Save Time *2017-01-08* I'm not thinking that gamble is involved. ### 2/5 — Wires *2016-11-02* I can't figure out what to do with the wires ### 4/5 — ก็โอเค *2016-10-14, version 1.8.0* พึ่งเริ่มเล่นแป๊บเดียวให้rateละ ก็ถือมีเรื่องราวดูรายละเอียดเยอะดี แต่ต้องใช้เหรียญใช้เพชรด้วย ไม่รู้จะมีให้เล่นฟรีๆได้นานแค่ไหน ### 4/5 — Good Game... *2016-10-06* Like playing the game but the coin cost of the hidden object scenes is way too high. Other than that I am enjoying the game. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Frustrating beyond belief 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼 *2019-12-29* This game is not fun. Tap and tap repeatedly on an object and it doesn't register. Use one of the previous few hints and it guides you to the exact item you were desperately trying to get in the first place. You get hardly any rewards for tons of work. That's what this game is. Frustrating work. No thanks! 👋 I can see why this app was abandoned ### 1/5 — 👊🏻 *2017-05-19, version 1.8.0* เล่นไม่ได้ ### 1/5 — What the? *2016-05-04* Ok, granted, I've just started, but this game has gone nowhere fast. They start you out with basic tap the arrow, find the pieces, here's a map. Somehow I received 6,000 coins, you go to her apartment, find the puzzle pieces, open the safe, etc. Then what? You play the same hidden object game at 1,000 coins at a time. Your score is never registered, and you have no idea where to go or what to do next...and no instruction either. I'd give this zero stars if I could. There's no logic, it's just ...stupid. Going to delete this thing and find something else ### 1/5 — Lacking support *2016-01-15, version 1.7.3* Great game until you purchase diamonds and never receive them! It is going on 3 weeks and they still have not fixed this issue or even responded to me!!! Basically robbed me of 10 bucks ### 1/5 — Don't know what to do *2015-09-14, version 1.7.0* Stuck at memory 5.. What key ? Usb or something ? I don't know how to solve it ### 1/5 — Update July 3rd 2015 *2015-07-03* Still stuck on the load screen. Update did not solve the issue. From iPad4 iOS 8.4 ### 1/5 — SO TIRED of crappy games. *2015-04-16, version 1.4.0* Especially the HO ones that either make you pay for "energy" points or coins in order to continue playing - AND have a weak story line and sub par graphics...... Big Fish, Absolutist, EAR, Elephant games, etc...HELP!! Please put production teams into overdrive and get us some SMART, well developed and thought out games!! HO with sharp graphics, peppered with challenging fun puzzle/strategy games!! PLEASE!!!! 😕 ### 1/5 — Ok. *2015-03-22* Average. ### 1/5 — game won't open *2014-12-31* I would love to rate this game 5 stars but after I played once, left the game, now it won't open. I am getting the same error as another person commented on Dec. 9th. I would have thought a fix would be available by now. ### 1/5 — Inventory keeps disappearing *2014-12-09* I would rate this game higher but this is my third try. Twice I have tried to play and my inventory disappears, I have had to delete and install again to try it over. Cannot move forward without the inventory items that have disappeared. Once it happened when the rate now popped up, and then today with the new game update. Good luck, hope it does not happen again. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Generous *2021-05-16* Excellent game, and very generous of the team to let us have it for free many thanks. ### 5/5 — Muito bom *2021-03-11* Bom demais ### 5/5 — Bellissimo! *2020-11-05, version 1.8.0* Gioco bellissimo! Vale la pena giocarci, é fantastico! ### 5/5 — 5 Stars so far! *2020-06-30* So far so good. It’s nice to play an adventure mystery game without getting into it and then having to pay to progress. ### 5/5 — Update *2019-11-25, version 1.8.0* When is the new update coming? I’ve finished the exhibitions but on the map there are some scenes to unlock. Please update the game ### 5/5 — Nice *2019-02-14, version 1.8.0* Nice and free ### 5/5 — macht Spaß *2018-12-27* macht Spaß ### 5/5 — Intéressant *2018-12-07* Bon jeu ### 5/5 — Great *2018-02-14* Great ### 5/5 — The Pendelum *2018-01-06* Enjoying the game, a mixture of hidden object and riddles to solve. Major complaint - coins to play hidden object games cannot be purchased, they reproduce automatically but takes too much time. Need to complete hidden object games to earn stars to continue in the game, for days and days you can be stuck in a level, just waiting to earn enough coins to play again. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-23.*