★★★★★ An Accessibility Tool disguised as a Game
Tue Jun 25 2024 the horned rabbitI picked this up because I like word games and thought it could be cool - now I can’t put it down because I’m reading again.
I have ADHD, so it is prohibitively hard for to read. I haven’t read a book in years. I’ve listened to audiobooks, but mostly easy to read ones. I wanted to have read Dracula, and despite the story being fantastic, even listening to the audiobook was a slog that I had to force my way through.
When I play through a book on this app, the puzzles increase the level of engagement I have with the book. I have to actively engage with each word. Focus is no longer an issue. In fact, focus has become so much of a non issue that difficult linguistic patterns in earlier books is more intuitive and intelligible than they would otherwise be.
I went through college as an English major, focusing on poetry as much as I could, and reading verse through these puzzles makes it easier for me to appreciate the meter, rhyme scheme, word choices, AND understand what’s going on all at the same time. The experience is a revelation. I cannot overstate how much more accessible reading is to me now than before I downloaded this.
That said, the books in the app are heavily abridged. The purpose of this, it seems, is to make the game more palatable for people who are using the app as a game, but the unintended consequence is that it limits the app’s effectiveness as an accessibility tool. My greatest hope for this app is that they will realize how revolutionary this app is when used as an accessibility tool instead of as a game and choose to include more unabridged books. I tried to read Frankenstein once, and despite loving it, I couldn’t get more than halfway through - I’d love to read it with this app! Perhaps as more books are added, we will start to see books that are less heavily abridged, and perhaps even an entire novel length book. Fingers crossed!
★★★★★ Enjoyable Word Play and Reading Fun
Tue Apr 07 2020 RockinannaI am enjoying this game/app immensely right now. As I’ve so far read 90% of these titles, I appreciate the condensed versions for the purpose of the game. It would be more tedious and less fun to read through the full versions of these books while playing.
Overall, I enjoy the goal aspect. I personally like to have some sort of achievements to complete that unlock new things. However, some of these goals I would prefer to delete/archive and allow another to take its place. I don’t like seeing the goal there unless I’m working on it. Or I end up trying to unlock it like the Arduous Journey or The Perfectionist, failing miserably. Having the option to remove it would be ideal! I hope that more goals will be added soon as well since I see that I’ve unlocked 9/16 and would like to try more.
There are some typos. I tried emailing them but the mail was bounced back. So that would be a good added feature to report those.
Nice music. I like the sounds and haptics. Relaxing to play on the Relaxed setting. I enjoy the Page Turner setting the most. The challenges throughout the game are fun and the randomization aspect makes it interesting. For some goals, I would like to be able to choose the type of challenge at the beginning of each chapter. Another feature I would appreciate but doesn’t keep me from playing.
A great game! Enjoyable on so many levels. Love the concept!
★★★★★ “That’s Not A Game!” Yeah, it is!
Tue Aug 01 2023 TexaspuzzleloverI really love this game. Okay, yeah, for the most part you are just proofreading books. It is much more than that though.
The books are abridged, which is fine for this game and works very well. I do find myself addictively playing because I want to know what happens in the next chapter. I found Dorian Gray much more interesting in Dear Reader because Lord Henry’s pedantic diatribes we’re succinct, short, and to the point. I’ve done a few of the harder books and still found myself enjoying learning about things I didn’t think I would find interesting. I’m getting exposed to books I’ve always wanted to read but haven’t gotten around to, and I am learning new things. Fantastic!
If you love reading, word games, writing, or anything else to do with words, you will probably enjoy this game. I really like that you can select your favorite types of Wordplay so you see them more often. I also like that you can drop down a speed/earning level for a more relaxing game or step it up for a super fast-paced game. The mid-level is challenging but not overwhelming.
Developers: Please switch to a QWERTY layout instead of the silly A to Z format that you use, it takes too long to find a letter you know you need and you are penalized for not knowing where it is. We ALL text, most type, QWERTY would be an awesome improvement. Thank you for making this game!
★★★★★ Refreshing, maddening & enjoyable word game
Mon Jun 13 2022 MakasisThis is not your average word game. If you love reading and a challenge, give this a whirl. I adore reading, word and puzzle games and this has a bit of all three. It is not your average word game that you will tire of immediately and delete. I will also say, it can be maddening and addictive. I started out on the timed mode, but found it didn’t work for my current “reading mood”. I find I enjoy different reads at different times/seasons based on what else is going on in my life. It is summer and I have many irons in the fire, making it harder for me to concentrate in short bursts of time. After I changed to relaxed mode, I was completely hooked and plan to switch back when my next “reading mood” kicks in.
Switching playing modes is a real game changer, so just saying not to give up on it too soon. It may become your favorite game before you know it.
★★★★★ Months of game playing data lost
Thu Jul 29 2021 DDReviewsI have played this game daily for over 18 months. After playing for several months on my iPhone 12, I decided to play it on my iPad 7. When I launched the game I was given a choice of my current game, played the day before or a months old game from the iPad. Of course I chose the current game. It then popped up with the same question but this time the dates on the iPhone and iPad saves were inverted. I chose the latest date and poof months of playing vanished as the old iPad game loaded. I raced to my iPhone and there wasn’t even a choice, it just automatically loaded from the cloud the older version of the game.
Now I can’t even stand to look at your game icon. I doubt I will ever play the game again. Months of progress gone. There should have been the ability to have multiple local saves like so many other Arcade games to avoid these kinds of bugs. Arcade wants to build user loyalty with games that draw the user back day after day but they aren’t go to do that without backup failsafes for game data. Congratulations your data loss bug has led to me decide not to renew my Arcade subscription.
★★★★★ Great game for book lovers
Thu Oct 10 2019 Acrosonic55Word play using free domain literature is just the game for readers. I started with Pride and Prejudice, which I’ve read many times over the years, and despite the abridged text needed for gameplay it brought the story back to me while I was having fun playing the game and earning ink. Same for a couple of other books I’ve read and know well. Some books I haven’t read but while playing the game I found myself interested in actually reading those books. I love playing a game where you aren’t being asked to spend money on “coins” so you can progress through the game more easily or are being asked to subscribe. Using the Apple Arcade with one monthly subscription fee is a lot more economical than paying for individual games. I love working to earn ink to “buy” new books for gameplay use. And the daily challenges and the goals are just the lagniappe in a thoroughly enjoyable game!!
★★★★★ Amazing Game!! 📕📗📘📙
Tue Oct 29 2019 I don't know what to put heteIt’s quite fun and relaxing to play. There are over 400 chapters of books in total (in the store) with different difficulties. A chapter usually has 5-7 parts and each part is like 3 swaps (phrases) or 5 fill ins (words). Those are just 2 types of world play and there are over 20. Basically there’s just so much content with different difficulties and there’s so many types of puzzles. For sure there’s weeks opon weeks opon weeks of content. There’s also daily challenges. The fact that you have to buy new books with in-game currency instead of real money is great too. You earn ink by doing chapters and so when you finish a book can easily buy a new book. The UI is simple but beautiful. If you don’t pay attention to the books because you are doing puzzles, you can go back and reread them. 11/10 would recommend to everyone. This is by far my favorite Apple Arcade game.
★★★★★ Clever way to get people reading again!
Sat Apr 05 2025 QuirkyCarterSeriously I have not enjoyed reading this much in years. The books are old, but they are well loved classics. I would be willing to purchase newer books in order to 'play' them as well.
Huge kudos to the developers who came up with the brilliant idea to bring books from many genres, times, and perspectives to today's readers in an accessible format! This is a gem!
Suggestion: the currency used to purchase rare books should be able to be used to buy regular books too. I don't know how you choose which books are rare, but the ones in that category don't appeal to me nearly as much as the books in the regular catalog. That doesn't make sense- books in the rare section should be more appealing. Failing that, let us get books from the regular catalog as well.
