Review / We review BTS World mobile game: K-pop ARMYs will love it; everyone else … not so much
My phone rings and without thinking, I pick up. The flawless faces of BTS pop up via video call, my shocked, post-shower self visible in the smaller screen in the corner. The members of the world’s biggest boy band continue to chat to me, while I scramble to put on some clothes, despite knowing this is all just a game.
BTS is already on the way to worldwide domination of our entire mediasphere, so it was no surprise when Big Hit Entertainment announced the launch of mobile game, BTS World, developed by Netmarble (CEO Bang Joon-hyuk is cousin to Big Hit founder and CEO Bang Si-hyuk).
Rolled out in more than 249 markets worldwide, the title hit number one in Apple’s App Store charts in 25 countries, after being released on June 26. Meanwhile the accompanying BTS World: Original Soundtrack topped Billboard’s World Albums chart, and saw the group team up with the likes of Charli XCX, Zara Larsson and Juice Wrld.
Now, more than two months later, interest appears to be dying down as levels become harder and harder to clear. As the dust settles on an unprecedented multimedia phenomenon, we take a closer look and ask: are games the new future for pop stars the world over?
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The story
The game sees the player take on the role of BTS’ manager, charged with navigating the band into its career-making deal with Big Hit, over two different gaming modes. Big Hit has put a lot of thought into the game’s main storyline, BTS Story – as well as the individual storylines in Another Story that focus on what each member would have done, had they not become K-pop stars.
For example: At the outset Jungkook tries to bring new life into the school’s taekwondo club, hapless city boy V returns to the countryside, Jimin is juggling his grandmother’s rice cake shop and dance, RM is a genius college student/detective, and Mr “Worldwide Handsome” Jin is slogging it out in a hotel.
In BTS Story, you’re sent back to 2012 before the band debuted, and you begin the process of convincing each member to sign with Big Hit. There’s some serious nostalgia for ARMYs who have been there since the beginning – it was cute seeing the boys in their debut No More Dream outfits, albeit with better hair.
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In both the BTS Story and Another Story there are video chapters, text messages, video calls and multiple choice answers, that collectively bring to mind otome games, rather than the idea that I’m supposed to be a serious manager (and professional). The dialogue is often flirty, which made me slightly uncomfortable – I just want to make them successful, not date them, honest!
That being said, a certain amount of fan service is definitely appreciated, whether it’s a video of the boys surprising you with cake, or personal texts.
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Gameplay
It’s basically a card game, whereby all aspiring “managers” must collect as many cards of the members as possible. Cards are ranked from one to five stars, with different stats for empathy, passion, stamina and wisdom. To level up a card you need to clear missions, which give you coins, flowers and special items to help manage a member’s condition when doing agency-specific tasks. Clearing certain card levels unlocks special surprises – such as phone calls, individual and group texts, and social media posts.
As expected, missions get harder and harder to clear; you need certain cards, and to get those cards, you’ll either have to farm at least 80 puzzle pieces from Another Story missions, or use gems and coins to randomly draw out cards. Cards can also be exchanged for flowers, “DNA” and member-specific gems, which are used to upgrade the cards.
You get one free draw for the three to five star cards, and one to three star cards a day, but unless you want to progress at the rate of a half-squashed slug, you’ll have to pay for premiums.
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There’s also the chance to fill out the photo album by collecting various cards, which are used to unlock exclusive pictures and videos of the members (although you can find most of these online now).
It took me just under a week of fulfilling the daily mission, farming flowers and completing various agency tasks to get past level 6-15. It’s not for everyone – my friends list has dwindled from 20 active players to six.
Another complaint I’ve heard is that your decisions in the game make no real difference – the band will debut, eventually (assuming you finish the game). The only real implication is the level of affinity with each member, which affects Another Story more than BTS Story.
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Our verdict: ARMYs will love it, everyone else … not so much. This isn’t the end of the band’s foray into games, though – Bang recently announced a new game with Netmarble in a completely new genre.
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With a soundtrack featuring Charli XCX, Zara Larsson and Juice Wrld, does the K-pop boy band’s mobile video game represent the future for music stars worldwide?