If you’ve ever looked into the history of idle games, they actually have a crazy long history in Japan that (funnily enough) actually started out with flip phones! The reasoning behind them being… well, what else can you do with such an underpowered device?
Idle games in 2019 serve a very different purpose to the one’s players used to enjoy on their now old and outdated flip phones. And we actually kind of like it.
AFK Arena (by Lilith Games) is an idle / RPG adventure game for iOS and Android that (from what we can tell at least) seems to be carefully crafted masterpiece of a game designed to unleash maximum addictiveness!
Set in a fantasy style RPG world formally ruled by people – but now under attack by evil demon monster thingies from the underworld, AFK Arena features a fairly standard RPG vibe anyone who doesn’t live under a rock really shouldn’t need to get used to. The game features the same sort of level-based progression as most of the popular puzzle games on the market, and your role in battles is pretty much to initiate special charge attacks whenever you feel the timing is right.
…which, in most cases means immediately tapping on the screen whenever the option becomes available…! 😂
Much as AFK Arena is a very fun (and simple) game, we think what makes this game truly special/addictive is how your players are constantly getting stronger even when you aren’t playing the game.
For anyone who lost their childhood to Pokemon, you probably already know what it feels like to get stuck at a Gym. Feeling stuck in a game is the worst feeling you could ever have since the solution to your frustration is right there! All you need to do is spend 50 hours leveling up a water type and you’ll be good!
Yeah… and what if your Mom limits your gameplay to a maximum of 2 hours a day?
Although there are situations in which you will get stuck in AFK Arena they are much less common making the game far more enjoyable for casual players. And, if you do so happen to get suck, your heroes will automatically continue to collect resources, allowing you to try again later with stronger, more powerful heroes next time you open the app.
For some people, AFK Arena may be a game that sort of defeats the purpose. But for busy mobile players who don’t really have a lot of time to sit and grind for a few hours, we can see why this game would seem so addictive!
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Find it on App Store / Google Play