Innovation is hard to come by, especially in the casual games industry where the same old game idea can sell more than a creative one. So when Punch Entertainment’s EGO came along, and we heard it won the Most Innovative Game award at this year’s Independent Games Festival (IGF) Mobile, we wanted to see what the fuss was about.

EGO is a social networking game that you can play on both your PC and mobile phone. Like other online multiplayer casual games, you have a customizable avatar (called an EGO), a room that you can decorate with purchased items, and other players to meet and greet. But the similarity to other games ends there.

For one thing, your EGO interacts with another EGO based on personality attributes (such as Friendly, Aggressive, Smart, and Sexy). Think of them like stat rolls in an RPG - send an EGO a hug, and depending on the recipient’s personality, he can either accept your hug (success) or back away (fail). There are numerous actions available - you can tell jokes, give gifts, argue, dance, you name it. After each conversation, your EGO’s attributes level up and your personality develops. This is a GREAT way to meet people, and you can even do this offline, leaving conversations for other EGOs and checking the results when you log in later. You can also add some custom text to your actions so it doesn’t just feel like a battle of stats.

Another game feature is the Clubs, which are hangout places to meet other EGOs. Right now two Clubs are playable. The Ego Fighting Championship is our favorite, where you can duel with another EGO in a Street Fighter meets Rock Paper Scissors minigame. You choose one attack, one defense, and one enhancement (like a bonus skill or spell) and your opponent does the same, though you don’t know what he’s chosen. After 8 seconds, you both execute your moves, taking damage appropriately - then you choose again. This minigame is fast and fun, and gets addictive pretty quickly.

The other Club is the Love Lounge, a straightforward dating area where you interact with other EGOs. The lounge checks for compatibility based on a personality survey that you take, and an EGO can become your friend, sweetheart, or enemy based on the results of your actions together.

Gameplay is what sells this game, not graphics (which are functional at best). Your first time in EGO City might be confusing too, with not much tutorials for first-timers. But once you get the hang of it, the social interaction system is really engaging; and it’s fun to see your EGO develop into different archetypes (right now my character is Goth, and considered aggressive by others).

We have to warn you though that this game is definitely not for kids. There is mature content here, especially in the Love Lounge, and you have to be at least 13 to register with the site (though some adult actions are meant for a much older age than that). But with a recent study showing the average gamer to be 35 years old, games like EGO City could be the next big thing. Also, while EGO is basically free, you will need to purchase tokens to buy things in the game (such as furniture or pets). A token costs roughly US$0.10 each. (Some features of the game are still disabled, but we hear they’ll be launched within the next few months.)

This game isn’t your typical casual game, but that’s why we’re here at Casual Review - to try out games you may not have discovered on your own. If you’re looking for an adult casual online game, try this out - EGO may be right for you!

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(14 votes, average: 4.21 out of 5)

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