Before I begin I should probably own up to the fact that reality TV is a guilty pleasure of mine. I'm not talking about Masterchef, I'm talking about the stuff that most people publicly call "trash TV", but secretly watch behind closed doors; eating up the myriad of shallow problems and relationship dramas as if they were pop corn. Keeping up with the Kardashian's epitomises this brand of reality TV as the most successful and long running of the genre.
Despite my addiction to the Kardashian family, I did not expect that I would be sucked into Kim's latest venture: Kim Kardashian: Hollywood (KK:H), a game that allows the player to follow in her footsteps and rise up the ranks of Hollywood from relative nobody to Kardashian-esque A-Lister. How wrong I was to doubt the power of the Kardashian empire!
Simply put, this app is the greatest thing that has ever happened to the world EVER. Not only is it simply designed and the game mechanics easily mastered, it has captured that certain something that the Kardashian family possesses that causes otherwise sane members of society to obsess over them.
The Storyline:
Much like Kim herself, the player begins as a nobody (or in KK:H speak, an E-Lister) living in Hollywood. The players ascent to the A-List begins when a chance encounter with Kim Kardashian occurs at the store you work at and the rest is history!
The game encourages the player to create a wannabe-celebrity alter-ego that travels the same path that Kim did to fame (minus the unfortunate sex tape). The player traverses around a fictionalised version of the Kardashian mother land (LA) completing tasks set by Kim and your manager, Simon, such as photoshoots, appearances or promoting brands or products.
By completing these tasks, the player earns money, which allows for the purchase of anything from clothes to fashion accessories to houses, and depending on how well the task is completed (through a simple 5-star rating system) the player also earns fans, which determines what celebrity list you belong to- I myself am currently a B-Lister.
Additionally, KK:H features an unusual feature for a free App Store game: the ability to interact with friends through Facebook and Game Centre (because the only thing better than being in a feaux-photoshoot by yourself is being in a feaux-photoshoot with a friend)! On the other hand, I don't think I have ever felt so ferociously competitive with my group of friends before. The thought of them being more "famous" than me is enough to throw me into the game for hours straight, or irrevocably destroy over a decade of friendship.
Overall rating: ★★★★★
A simple gaming style is always key when it comes to an App Store game, and KK:H is probably the best example of this that I have ever seen. Not only are the game mechanics easy to get the hang of, the design of the characters, the fashion choices and myriad of background locations are absolutely beautiful!
It's also worth noting that KK:H clearly acknowledges that Kim Kardashian is only famous for being famous. Surprisingly, the game does not go out of it's way to glaze over this fact or attempt to make Kim into something she's not- it actually seems to embrace it which I found highly refreshing. The game also clearly pokes fun at the ridiculousness of modern-celebrity with shockingly comical and witty dialogue, which makes many tongue-in-cheek references to the Hollywood of today.
KK:H combines that special something innate to the Kardashians, with a simple and rewarding gaming style in order to create the most addictive App experience a player is likely to ever have. Watch out Candy Crush!
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