Mobile Strike - Epic War

This review of Mobile Strike was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 6 March 2016.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Mobile Strike contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

This app was reviewed to level 7.

App description

Mobile Strike is an MMO timer-and-quest battle game. The objective of the game is to build up an army base with resources and recruits, and utilise this to engage in battle with enemy soldiers. The skills involved in playing through this app include problem solving, as well as motor skills to use the functions of the app itself.

Reviewers comments

When the app is first installed, players are taken to a complex screen containing an overhead view of an army base. They are greeted by a female character who states ‘Greetings, General. I will be your guide.’  When players tap to continue, the woman goes on to explain that players must ‘build a farm’ because the ‘base will need food’. They are then taken through a step-by-step training module, which indicates that players must tap on an empty plot of land and then find ‘Farm’ in their menu. Players can then opt to build it instantly by utilising gold coins, or can elect to build the farm by waiting a period of time (e.g. 1 minute).

Players are then told that the best way to increase their power is to upgrade their HQ whenever possible. To do this, players must tap on various buildings they have placed and click ‘upgrade’. The app also contains an ‘Items’ section, where players can purchase ‘powerful items’ from the store – these are broken down into categories such as ‘War’, ‘Speed Ups’, ‘Resources’, ‘Special’, etc.

The ‘Missions’ tab allocates players missions that they should complete (e.g. ‘Base missions’, ‘Alliance Missions’, ‘Daily Missions’, and ‘VIP missions’). Each of the mission categories contains specific missions, such as building a farm, housing, oil well, etc. Players are then able to collect rewards for completing missions. As the game continues, players must continue building things and obtaining resources for their army base – for example, players must build and upgrade an oil well because oil is an essential resource in fuelling their base’s progress. Players must also build a warehouse to store their resources, a radar station to keep an eye out for enemies, a hospital for wounded recruits, etc. As a result of building more things, players are able to level up their character – when a player levels up, they obtain points for Power, Skills and Rebel Target Skills. These skills can be utilised to upgrade the base itself, or to boost the commander’s energy efficiency and attack strength.

Players can participate in challenges and battles, which contain some animated violence. They are able to attack enemy bases, engage in player versus player battles, etc. During battles, enemy buildings are seen to catch fire, and players must tap on individual bases in order to send troops in to attack.

The app contains advertising for its own in-app purchases – static visual advertisements frequently appear for ‘sales’, such as purchasing 6000 gold bars for $6.72. This sale is advertised as making players ‘unstoppable!’ if they purchase it. These full-screen ads must be manually closed.

The app also contains an in-app store where players can make purchases for real-life money. Players are able to buy packages of gold bars, in packages of 600 bars for $6.72, 1400 bars for $13.46, 3000 bars for $26.94, 8000 bars for $67.36, 20,000 bars for $134.74. These gold bars are utilised within the game to speed up waiting periods for building things.

Furthermore, the app includes a Mailbox where players receive notifications from the app itself, and can also chat to other players. At the bottom of the inbox, there is a small live chat function where players can chat and discuss joining each other’s ‘Alliances’. The game encourages players to join alliances by offering 500 gold, as well as free gifts and bonuses. Players can browse the range of Alliances, with titles chosen by other players (e.g. Gods of War, PBJ Sandwiches, Los Terroristas, etc). Once a player joins an alliance, they are able to live-chat with other members, trade items and resources, participate in war rallies, and provide assistance to other members in building/upgrading their own bases. Players can also enter a ‘Shooting Gallery’, which is a smaller game where targets are provided and players must tap on them in order to practice shooting. Ammo must be purchased with gold bars.

The app additionally contains a ‘Facebook Referrals’ section, where players are informed that they may ‘Refer a friend using Facebook’, and ‘Instantly receive the joining rewards’ and ‘Receive awards for playing the game’.

In App purchasing

The app contains an in-app store where players can make purchases for real-life money. Players are able to buy packages of gold bars, in packages of 600 bars for $6.72, 1400 bars for $13.46, 3000 bars for $26.94, 8000 bars for $67.36, 20,000 bars for $134.74. These gold bars are utilised within the game to speed up waiting periods for building things.

Online information

The app includes a Mailbox, where players receive notifications from the app itself, and can also chat to other players. At the bottom of the inbox, there is a small live chat function where players can chat and discuss joining each other’s ‘Alliances’. The game encourages players to join alliances by offering 500 gold, as well as free gifts and bonuses. Players can browse the range of Alliances, with titles chosen by other players (e.g. Gods of War, PBJ Sandwiches, Los Terroristas, etc). Once a player joins an alliance, they are able to live-chat with other members, trade items and resources, participate in war rallies, and provide assistance to other members in building/upgrading their own bases. Players can also enter a ‘Shooting Gallery’, which is a smaller game where targets are provided and players must tap on them in order to practice shooting. Ammo must be purchased with gold bars.

The app also contains a ‘Facebook Referrals’ section, where players are informed that they may ‘Refer a friend using Facebook’, and ‘Instantly receive the joining rewards’ and ‘Receive awards for playing the game’

Gambling

No gambling content was found during this review.

Advertising and product placement

The app contains advertising for its own in-app purchases – static visual advertisements will frequently appear for ‘sales’, such as purchasing 6000 gold bars for $6.72. This sale is advertised as making players ‘unstoppable!’ if they purchase it. These full-screen ads must be manually closed.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

There are sexualised female characters.

Coarse language

N/A.

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

The timer-and-quest nature of the app, in addition to the frequently advertised packages of in-app purchase items, may encourage players to spend real-life currency when playing the game. There is also animated violence, but this is quite limited and the game is more focussed on strategy.

Other

N/A.

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