Gacha games mainly thrive on compulsion, or creating an obligation to play, rather than engagement, or genuine interest in the content. That’s not to say that the whole genre is terrible and we should all drop them, though-- for mid-game players, Epic Seven remains intrinsically rewarding with the problem-solving involved in beating Hunts, Abyss, Guild Wars, Arena opponents, the Hall of Trials, and Hell Raid. Mastery also comes into play for PvP and the knowledge required to anticipate enemy actions.

With that said, nobody can deny that Epic Seven is padded out with Skinner Box mechanics. It’s quite telling that one of the most highly anticipated features allows you to skip actually playing the game. The time investment only serves as a barrier to the most engaging content. Of course, with its treadmill-like nature, Epic Seven’s progression is engineered so that the next milestone is always ahead of the player.

The gear grind isn't a ticket to play the game - it IS the game. -TemporaryInformation

For those who go in knowing this, Epic Seven is still a fun experience. But others who expect more are rightfully bored and feel cheated out of their time, energy and money.

For Epic Seven-- and the Gacha genre-- to survive with its monetization model, the gameplay needs to actually be enjoyable. Sadly, in the mobile genre and many RPGs, both players and developers have lost sight of one simple principle: that games should be fun.

Smilegate has posted a Notice promising changes and improvements. Whether due to translation issues or careful wording, however, the statements are too vague to generate high expectations. My hope though is that the publisher and developer can decide on a better direction for Epic Seven-- and be more honest with players along the way.