Apex Legends user review - a sort of

Not by me, I'm not into mmos, but the fresh EA title is currently very popular so wouldn't be fair to skip some impressions from reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/apexlegends…eres_my_story/

To preface this, I am a 24 year old college graduate with a bachelors degree from a 4 year university. I have a full-time job, a long term girlfriend, and have my life together for the most part. This is merely to show that this can happen to anyone, not just young kids and those not educated on the predatory nature of loot boxes in games.

I’ve played video games my whole life, I’ve seen all the micro transaction tactics before, including loot boxes. I’ve put hours into Overwatch and Rocket League, two games notorious for their loot box system.

However, these games didn’t tempt me into ludicrous spending. In my many hours in both games I probably spent less than $30 total. I’ve never had much luck when it comes to loot boxes and despite wanting the items inside, I knew the math behind it and wasn’t going to throw my money around chasing the carrot on a stick.

Along with this, I’ve never bought scratch offs, lottery tickets, etc. I knew the odds and thought my money was better spent elsewhere.

So why was this time different? The answer was the elusive Wraith heirlooms.

Yesterday I began my journey into the rabbit hole that is chasing after the heirloom items, something that has a <1% chance of dropping.

Why did I do this after everything I just wrote, knowing the math behind these loot boxes?

What got me with Apex Crates was the guaranteed “pity timer”. If you open 500 crates you are guaranteed a heirloom bundle. To top it off, the only heirlooms in the game right now are for Wraith (my main) and I wanted to secure them before new ones dropped, lowering my chance to ever luck out and receive them.

At least 3 of my friends have gotten the Wraith heirlooms in only a few crates, all the streamers have them, surely it wouldn’t take me the whole 500 crates right?

Wrong. I bought bundle of coins after bundle. Each time thinking to myself, “The heirlooms will come this set of packs”. I knew from the very first crate that I would be entering into a serious sunk cost fallacy but I still couldn’t stop. I opened up crates until I reached #500, the guaranteed Wraith heirlooms.

I can tell you it wasn’t worth it. I now own every single blue rarity item in the game, along with countless legendaries for almost every gun and legend in the game, none of which I really care for or wanted. All in the hunt for a set of items that has a less than 1 percent chance of dropping.

Feel free to roast me, I deserve it. I’ve already roasted myself plenty. I just hope this story will resonate with some people and maybe help prevent someone from doing the same thing I did. I can provide proof of my purchases if necessary.

TL;DR: I spent $500 opening 500 Apex Crates In search of the Wraith heirlooms. I got them on my 500th crate. Don’t be like me.

He could have picked a more interesting game to throw his money away for, I think

Idiocy is the main driving force nowadays.

I saw another sort-of-review which is pretty funny, too.

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
He could have picked a more interesting game to throw his money away for, I think

You didn't like it?

Which game would you spend $500 on?

Also, how's Anthem going?

You didn't like it?

Apex? Didn't play it. Dislike the entire genre.

Let me correct myself: He could have found a better genre to throw his money away for.

Looks like a nice enough game for people into that sort of thing, I will grant that - but buying random loot in that sort of game is tremendously unwise.

At least, I would say so.

Which game would you spend $500 on?

Not counting WoW subscriptions, there's only one game I've spent that kind of money on.

I think you know which one

I also highly recommend spending money on it, if you're into that particularly sort of game. Well, if you're the kind of person who enjoys supporting things he believes in, of course.

Also, how's Anthem going?

In what way?

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
Apex? Didn't play it. Dislike the entire genre.

Let me correct myself: He could have found a better genre to throw his money away for.

Looks like a nice enough game for people into that sort of thing, I will grant that - but buying random loot in that sort of game is tremendously unwise.

At least, I would say so.

Yeah, I haven't liked the genre in the past. Apex has had it's moments of great reward, though. For example, I played a game the other day where I solo queued and I was the Jumpmaster (who controls where the squad lands unless they hold CTRL to split off from the group) and I was carefully watching where the other squads were going and none were heading for the supply ship so I decided that would be my target but the idiot squadmates broke off and missed the ship! By the time I'd looted it they were both dead and one guy was raging at me on mic saying it was my fault and he hopes I get cancer and all that. So, normally I'd just save time and die and queue again but I decided "fuck it, I'll win this on my own. That'll show 'em!". I pretty much just played it safe and never engaged anyone but stalked them and watched until the ring was very small at which point I took out a 2 man squad with a surprise attack which left me on about 10 health and while I was healing up I guess the last squad died outside the ring because it displayed the Champion! screen for a victory. Easy! Who needs those raging noobs, anyway? Not I! xD

I'm not planning on spending any more on it, though. Sounds like other people are spending enough for both of us.

It's only 11GB install and free. I'll bet if you get a win you'll be quite thrilled by it. My first day playing I barely even got any kills but now that I'm familiar with the guns I get a couple of wins every day.

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
Not counting WoW subscriptions, there's only one game I've spent that kind of money on.

I think you know which one

I also highly recommend spending money on it, if you're into that particularly sort of game. Well, if you're the kind of person who enjoys supporting things he believes in, of course.

Yeah, I've spent $500 or more on wow subs.

Trouble with Star Citizen is I don't believe in it. I was always going to buy it when it got released. Same with Elite: Dangerous. When it has a metascore I'll buy it. Until then I'll just wait for Sekiro or something.

In what way?

You pretty much answered this already in those other threads.

Trouble with Star Citizen is I don't believe in it. I was always going to buy it when it got released. Same with Elite: Dangerous. When it has a metascore I'll buy it. Until then I'll just wait for Sekiro or something.

Obviously, I can't recommend supporting something you don't believe in.

But, with Star Citizen - I know I'm right. Well, I'm as close to knowing I'm right as I can be about being right about games that aren't released.

There's certainly no hurry - it will take a while yet

You'll love it, though. At least, I think you will - if you don't prejudice yourself too emotionally against it.

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
Obviously, I can't recommend supporting something you don't believe in.

But, with Star Citizen - I know I'm right. Well, I'm as close to knowing I'm right as I can be about being right about games that aren't released.

There's certainly no hurry - it will take a while yet

You'll love it, though. At least, I think you will - if you don't prejudice yourself too emotionally against it.

I'm fully open to it being awesome!

How much have you spent? You didn't get the $15,000 package, I hope…

Originally Posted by SirJames
I'm fully open to it being awesome!

How much have you spent? You didn't get the $15,000 package, I hope…

Let me check…

845$

I'm a subscriber - which is where almost all the money comes from. I've only bought a basic ship package.

In fact, I would prefer to start without a ship - but they won't let you, which pisses me off.

Anyway, I would gladly pay more - but they don't need my money. I just do it because I don't feel it ticking away when it's on a monthly basis.

I figure that instead of spreading it out on a lot of unknowns, I prefer to focus on the one game of the industry that does what I always dreamed would be how games should be done - before I was old and jaded enough to understand the business of the industry.

Star Citizen is literally the only game in existence that does anything even remotely on the level I always thought it should be done at.

There's no way I can't support that - even knowing it could fail and fall flat. I would feel terrible for not supporting it.

So, when do you stop subscribing? Development won't stop after launch, right?

Originally Posted by SirJames
So, when do you stop subscribing? Development won't stop after launch, right?

I don't know that I will ever stop. I don't care about the money.

You're out of control!

Maybe you should cancel the sub and buy me and everyone on RPGwatch a copy.

The Watch only cares about ancient throwback CRPGs, sadly.

I mean, I'm doing everything I can to advertise the best modern games - and no one gives a shit.

But it's ok, I can enjoy myself talking to a wall

I mean, you are one of the very few people around here who seems interested in games that go beyond that tiny sphere.

Sadly, you still seem to focus on the wrong games.

I will change that, eventually. I'm very persuasive - even if no one dares admit it

Well, which games, other than SC, should I be focused on?

I'll tell you what I'm looking forward to:

Sekiro
Mount and Blade 2
Jupiter Hell
Druidstone
Wasteland 3
Knights of the Chalice 2
Conan Unconquered
Realms Beyond
and maybe Devil May Cry 5

You'll probably say Division 2?

Originally Posted by SirJames
Well, which games, other than SC, should I be focused on?

I'll tell you what I'm looking forward to:

Sekiro
Mount and Blade 2
Jupiter Hell
Druidstone
Wasteland 3
Knights of the Chalice 2
Conan Unconquered
and maybe Devil May Cry 5

You'll probably say Division 2?
ed: Almost forgot Realms beyond!

A whole lot of yawn-based throwbacks there

Right now? You should be playing KCD or Anthem.

Division 2 might be too sophisticated for a MHW fan

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
A whole lot of yawn-based throwbacks there

Right now? You should be playing KCD or Anthem.

Division 2 might be too sophisticated for a MHW fan

What's so sophisticated about The Division?

I'm pretty sure you'd love MHW. I know you despise asians or something but the style isn't that anime. You don't see me buying God Eater 3!

Originally Posted by SirJames
What's so sophisticated about The Division?

The setting and the mechanics

I'm pretty sure you'd love MHW. I know you despise asian's or something but the style isn't that anime. You don't see me buying God Eater 3!

I would probably have liked a westernized, less grindy, less hollow and less busy iteration of that sort of game.

The UI alone gives me a headache. Beyond that, the aesthetic seems designed to aggravate me.

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
The setting and the mechanics

Surely you jest!?

I only know one guy who bought The Division and he got it on PS4. I know another guy who played it in a free weekend and got to the end and said it's shit. Boring, repetitive, bullet sponge combat. There's no sophisticated mechanics, it's just a console shooter.

Try Dwarf Fortress if you want complexity.

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
I would probably have liked a westernized, less grindy, less hollow and less busy iteration of that sort of game.

The UI alone gives me a headache. Beyond that, the aesthetic seems designed to aggravate me.

Easily the best game of 2018. You really missed out on a good one there.

Originally Posted by SirJames
Surely you jest!?

I only know one guy who bought The Division and he got it on PS4. I know another guy who played it in a free weekend and got to the end and said it's shit. Boring, repetitive, bullet sponge combat. There's no sophisticated mechanics, it's just a console shooter.

Try Dwarf Fortress if you want complexity.

Is Dwarf Fortress a looter shooter now?

Oh, the whole "I know a guy". The usual SirJames standard of an informed opinion.

I didn't say complexity - I said sophistication.

Also, I thought we were talking about Division 2.

Easily the best game of 2018. You really missed out on a good one there.

Does it even have character powers or abilities?

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
Oh, the whole "I know a guy". The usual SirJames standard of an informed opinion.

That's what a guy said when I told him all the positive things you were saying about Anthem! How does it feel being one of my informants?

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
I didn't say complexity - I said sophistication.

Well the dictionary definition of sophisticated is

intelligent or made in a complicated way and therefore able to do complicated tasks

Which is very much about complexity and it's required level of INT.

Originally Posted by Darth Tagnan
Also, I thought we were talking about Division 2.

What's the difference? Sounds like a cash grab? You lose all your Division 1 progress? Why isn't it just an expansion? I don't want to buy in to Division2 only to have to buy Division3 and start again!

Does it even have character powers or abilities?

Well, the weapons are the "classes". They have quite a lot of depth and you won't be mastering them in a hurry. There's more than enough going on to keep you entertained. It's not easy to land the biggest damage hits in the most vulnerable monster areas.

Dare I say that it's far more sophisticated than pressing the "I win" button in Warframe or Anthem.