Idle Fantasy is a new gacha game by Electronic Soul. The global release hit the Google Play Store on April 25th, and as the name implies, features idle gacha mechanics with anime-inspired characters.
The first thing players will notice after downloading the initial patch is how poor the voice acting is. Players are greeted by a pretty generic catgirl wearing a revealing dress, with voice audio that sounds like it was recorded on a cheap microphone. Aside from this admittedly poor first impression, the rest of the voice acting isn’t quite as bad. Static permeates through half of the voices, which can be frustrating. At least the actual sound quality for the characters themselves isn’t awful. The sound effects themselves are bland, and some are simply strange and feel out of place (Like the DINK noise a bell makes as you prepare to summon). Overall, this game is probably best when played muted.
Character designs are rather generic, but there isn’t anything too offensive here. Graphically, the game looks just okay, but in no way does it stand out from other games in the genre. There aren’t any fancy animations that will wow players. The menus are clean and easy to follow, which is a pleasant considering that most games in this genre are a cluttery mess.
As expected with any idle game, the battles are constantly being waged, whether the player is in a menu or not playing at all. This kind of game can be ideal for those who don’t want to commit to how time-consuming gacha games can be. Players can enter battles whenever they please to activate their character’s skills. This will be necessary in the beginning as there is no true auto battle until level 10. Fortunately, the player level increases rather quickly, and most players will hit the level requirement within an hour of active play. There is obviously a grind to access other features and modes, but it feels like there isn’t any effort needed. The player just has to wait. For those who want a more active experience, this game doesn’t offer much.
One concern I have is how the developers aren’t so generous with premium currency. Aside from the initial two pulls that the game gives you during the brief tutorial, players won’t summon for quite some time. Maybe there will be some generous events in the near future, but I have my doubts.
After a couple of hours with the Idle Fantasy, I can’t say that I am impressed yet. It has some potential, especially considering that most of the features are locked behind a couple of dozens of level ups. The production values are decent, with the exception of the audio. The game doesn’t shower players with gifts, which will instantly turn away those who are obsessed with pulling in gacha games. In time, this can be a fine idle game, but it doesn’t look like it will be at the top of the pack for now.