The Play-to-Earn NFT game sector has been growing in popularity ever since the concept was first born, and introduced to the crypto and NFT enthusiast communities around the world. Some projects have managed to become more successful than others, though! In this Upland review, we’ll be taking a look at one of the better-known games of the genre.
At its core, Upland is a metaverse-based, NFT-powered P2E game about digital land ownership. While that’s a lot of different buzzwords in one sentence, worry not - it will all make sense by the end of this Upland game review. Within the game, users are able to acquire digital land plots, which are situated in a virtual equivalent of the real world.
The game is huge, though, and pretty complex - many people are looking for Upland reviews in order to find out about the in-game token (UPX), or the actual mechanics of how to play Upland, too. If you’re interested in playing the game, I will be writing a dedicated tutorial on the topic - after you’ve read the review, you’ll be able to find it here.
Pros
- Supported on multiple devices
- P2E mechanics
- Exclusive NFTs - available
- Based on real-world properties
- An active and passionate community
- A native token (UPX)
Cons
- UPX isn't a crypto token
- Steep learning curve
Table of Contents
- 1. Upland Review: PROS
- 1.1. Based on Real-World Cities
- 1.2. UPX - The Native In-Game Currency of Upland
- 1.3. Your Properties are Recorded on the Blockchain
- 1.4. Play-to-Earn Model
- 1.5. An Active Community
- 1.6. Great for Collectible-Driven Personalities
- 1.7. Supported on Multiple Devices
- 2. Upland Reviews: CONS
- 2.1. UPX Tokens are a Single-Way In-Game Currency
- 2.2. Difficult to Get Into (Steep Learning Curve)
- 3. Conclusions
Upland Review: PROS
To start things off, we’ll discuss some of the best and most-notable features of Upland.me. Since the game is huge, there’s certainly a lot to cover! One of the best places to start, though, would probably be the core element of the gameplay itself - Upland being built on top of the real world.
Based on Real-World Cities
Undoubtedly one of the most unique features of Upland is the fact that you’ll be able to explore real-world environments within the game. Well, sort of.
User Upland reviews talk about the in-game world being built on the facade of real-world cities, and city districts. So, imagine that you took a map of some sort of a real-world city (i.e. San Francisco - the city that you start in), and created a game on top of it, with all of the buildings and notable areas of interest corresponding with the map.
That is why, if you live in a major city (depending on the progress that the team behind Upland will make, the cities may vary), there’s a chance that you’ll be able to purchase your house within the game, too. How cool is that?!
This, however, is just part of the appeal. Even if your city isn’t part of Upland’s metaverse-based digital real estate map, exploring it can yield different benefits, still.
For example, some user Upland reviews talk about how cool it is that the game allows them to learn about the different San Francisco areas out there. Since all buildings are based on actual, real-world structures, you can travel through the streets, and get to know the areas of, say, some famous landmarks.
That’s the other thing, too - with UPX tokens (the native tokens of the platform), you are able to purchase these landmarks, in addition to some of the more-generic buildings.
So, if you’ve always wanted to own the Golden Gate Bridge, or some other famous landmark, you might be able to purchase them, within the game! That being said, though, keep in mind that it will most probably cost you a lot of UPX tokens.
UPX - The Native In-Game Currency of Upland
If you’re interested in playing Upland (and are reading through player Upland reviews to get a better picture of the game), then it’s crucial to understand the role that UPX tokens play, when it comes to the big picture.
So, what is UPX? Well, as stated earlier, it’s the Upland-native token that’s used within the game. However, this token is quite unique, in a few different ways.
One thing that you should note about UPX is that it’s not a “crypto token”. To be more specific, it’s not a token that you could trade, purchase or sell on cryptocurrency exchange platforms. Instead, the only way to get yourself some UPX is by buying the tokens from Upland, via the official in-game store.
This, in itself, is a rather unique approach, since most games make their tokens blockchain-based - players are able to swap them around for different cryptocurrencies, as well as purchase and sell them for fiat money, too. Not the case with the UPX coin.
This is both a good and a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. We’ll cover the “bad” part a bit later on in the Upland review - for now, let’s stick to the positives.
The best feature of UPX tokens being non-crypto-based is the fact that this creates a lot of simplicity around acquiring them. You simply hop into the UPX shop within the game, and purchase your desired amount of UPX with fiat money. That’s it!
It also helps keep the in-game economy functioning and stable, too. UPX can be earned, and the tokens are used to purchase properties around the virtual cities. Hence, the in-game currency part - UPX coins become a form of money, within Upland.
All in all, it’s important to understand what is UPX, since it’ll be one of the fundamental parts of your Upland experience. Thankfully, though, acquiring the tokens is simple enough, and you don’t need any advanced, blockchain-specific knowledge in order to get started.
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Your Properties are Recorded on the Blockchain
I know that this point might seem a bit confusing after what we’ve just talked about, earlier in the Upland review, but bear with me - everything will make sense in a minute.
UPX coins aren’t based on the blockchain - that’s true. However, the properties that you purchase with that UPX are a different story… Kind of.
You see, Upland is powered by the EOS blockchain. Same as blockchains such as Ethereum or TRON, EOS allows individuals to create NFTs - non-fungible tokens - on it. Your Upland properties act as those said NFTs, after a certain point in your gameplay.
This point is reached when you surpass 10,000 UPX in net worth, and achieve the “Uplander” status. From that point moving forward, all of your properties will be recorded on the EOS blockchain, and thus, your asset ownership will be provable, for eternity.
This is really cool! It adds a pretty competitive element to the game, as well. More specifically, you might want to acquire specific properties that are owned (or have been owned) by some sort of a famous individual. Naturally, in these situations, the prices become very subjective, but it does add an element of interest to the game!
Potentially-interesting features aside, the fact that you may record the ownership of your property on the blockchain is definitely a huge added bonus, when it comes to this Upland review!
Play-to-Earn Model
This is, evidently, among the more-controversial points, in regard to player Upland game reviews. That said, once again - for now, we’ll be focusing on the positive side of things, and discuss the “controversial” aspect a bit later on.
As you’ve probably gathered by now, Upland employs the ever-popular Play-to-Earn (P2E) model with their game. This is a currently super-common concept of blockchain-powered games that allows players to earn real-world money (in one way or another) as they play the game.
Naturally, things usually aren’t as simple as they sound. The P2E model is no exception - more often than not, you will need to invest some money before you can start earning, and the process will often usually a lot of attention and gameplay, in order to be even remotely successful.
Still, however, there are some amazing P2E examples out there - games that have helped their players make huge amounts of money. Just look at Axie Infinity, as an example!
Upland does, in fact, utilize P2E mechanics, as well. However, within this game, they are somewhat indirect.
In Upland, you pay to acquire UPX coins, or earn them playing - we’ve discussed that much already. However, as you use that UPX to purchase digital land plots, they become NFTs, and you can then trade them with other people, for fiat money. This is the P2E element present within Upland.me!
Doing some quick research, it seems that Upland NFTs aren’t really accessible via popular NFT markets, such as OpenSea. Instead, individuals need to connect with one another via other means, if they want to purchase or sell their Upland land plots.
That being the case, the digital plots of land are seemingly sold for either fiat money, or crypto. The most popular option, however, is the former - it allows players to then purchase the cryptos that they’d like, and easily calculate the profits that they’ve made.
The P2E mechanics of Upland don’t really stop there, though. They are actually closely connected to UPX tokens, as well.
As you purchase properties in Upland, each property will generate UPX tokens, in a passive manner. There are UPX multipliers available, too, depending on the property, your achievements, and a few other factors. Put simply, though, you are able to earn passive UPX, after you have a few digital estates at your disposal.
UPX tokens then directly result in your being able to buy more properties, which then generate even more UPX. You get the picture by now.
All in all, while the Play-to-Earn mechanics within Upland are a bit unique, they are still there, nonetheless!
An Active Community
Community support is undoubtedly a key aspect of any successful project. After all, in most cases, success is measured by the reception that the project (in this case - the game) receives from the community!
It’s no secret that there are quite a few crypto gaming projects out there that aren’t as successful in building community hype around them. This, in turn, results in a poor in-game economy, a small number of players, and the game eventually having to admit failure, at least to some extent.
This isn’t the case with Upland.me, though. In fact, reading through the user Upland reviews, you’ll likely be surprised with the support that this particular game has received!
If you’d like to see the simplest example of this, you needn’t look any further than the YouTube videos created about Upland. There are countless numbers of videos with tens of thousands of views, teaching players how to start with Upland, how to perform specific actions within the game, or simply reviewing the game, in general. So, there’s clear interest, from the community side of thing!
The same is true not only when reading through various player Upland reviews left online, but also through the YouTube comments, as well. Everywhere you look, it would seem like there’s an ever-increasing number of people taking interest in the game.
Community support is only half of the equation, though. The other half has to do with the actual development of the project.
Upland could have the biggest and most passionate community in the industry, but if there was no active development of the game, that community would die off, pretty quickly. No amount of UPX coins or treasure trail prizes could help mitigate a lack of updates and community support, from the team.
Thankfully, though, this is not the case - Upland does, for a fact, receive a lot of attention and care from the team behind the game.
There are updates being issued, dedicated communication channels, NFT releases (collaborations with other brands or individuals), and so on. Few Upland game reviews mention this, but the people behind the project are definitely taking care of it, rather well! This, combined with the earlier-discussed community support, makes up for a pretty great ecosystem.
Great for Collectible-Driven Personalities
Different NFT games offer players differing experiences. Some cater to the financial side of things, while others focus on the gameplay elements. It depends!
Reading through the various user Upland reviews found online, it would seem that this particular game will suit collectors the best. If you have a thing to collect digital assets, and are an avid fan of achievements within games, Upland’s got you covered!
The collectibles come in the form of the earlier-mentioned properties. You may purchase specific properties that you like (hold sentimental value over), trade other players for some lucrative and speculative properties, or simply try to collect an entire block or district, in general - the end goals are up to you!
Furthermore, Upland has an achievement system, as well. These achievements aren’t only for visual aesthetic, though - as you level up your character, and acquire more properties (and thus, complete more and more achievements), you will also be able to increase your passive monthly UPX token generation, as well. That’s definitely an added, tangible benefit!
If collecting properties isn’t your cup of tea, though, there’s another major element involved with Upland, too - competitive and speculative property acquisition.
While you can’t make passive or active gains from UPX crypto tokens (since, as you already know, they’re not CRYPTO tokens, to begin with), speculating on properties can be a really enticing element of the game. It’s all up to your preferences, really!
Supported on Multiple Devices
One of the most underrated features of Upland is the fact that it’s a game that you can play on multiple different devices. You won’t be tied to your computer or browser - instead, you may load up Upland on iOS and Android devices (your mobile phone), or via an internet browser of your choosing.
This is mostly significant for one, single reason - convenience.
Being supported on all of the mainstream platforms out there, Upland will be accessible at any point in time, no matter what you might be doing. Are you at work, and want to load up the game to check on your properties? You can do so, straight from your mobile device?
On a holiday, and only have your laptop with you? No problem - the game is supported on all of the mainstream browsers!
Some users Upland reviews will tell you that this feature (multiple device support) is especially important when you’re just starting out, and are only a “Visitor” in the game. With this role, you need to log in at least once, every single week, in order to keep your profile active.
That sounds like a lot of time, but it can fly by pretty fast! If there have been six whole days since you’ve last logged into Upland, and you’re currently driving cross-country, with no access to a computer, the fact that you can jump on into the digital world on your phone is awesome!
All in all, multiple device support is great, no matter how you look at it. Whether it be convenience or new user attraction, it’s definitely a feature worth highlighting!
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Upland Reviews: CONS
Now, throughout this Upland review, there were a few instances where I’ve mentioned that certain aspects of the game are somewhat, well… Controversial. Truth be told, this mostly pertains to the aspect of UPX coins, and how difficult it is to make an actual, fiat profit from playing the game.
UPX Tokens are a Single-Way In-Game Currency
So, remember when, earlier in the article, I’ve told you about UPX tokens, and how they’re NOT based on the blockchain? Well, despite this being a unique approach, it’s often thought to be a downside of the project, speaking strictly from the P2E side of things. Let me explain.
With most NFT gaming ventures, you have a native token that’s used within the game, but can also be traded on various crypto exchange platforms, for other cryptocurrencies. This makes earning passive income from these games much simpler and more straightforward.
With there being no UPX prices available on the market, since it’s not a crypto asset, individuals aren’t able to trade UPX, in any way, shape, or form. Instead, you need to purchase UPX with fiat money, then purchase a digital property with that UPX, and only THEN are you able to sell your properties for fiat, to other people.
Another issue here is that there’s really no simple, automated way to find buyers and sellers. Instead, you need to go through Upland’s Discord server, advertise your sales on Twitter, and so on.
All of these things add up to create a pretty difficult process, when it comes to the actual “Play-to-Earn” part. If you want to realize significant profits from the game, you will need to put in a lot of effort, both when it comes to learning and navigating through the game, as well as selling your properties.
If you’re passionate about Upland, as a game, and the potential passive gains is more of a secondary feature for you, then this isn’t really that big of an issue. However, if you’re only looking for the best P2E games on the current market, in order to maximize your profits, well… In a situation like this, you might need to learn to optimize your experience with the game in question.
Difficult to Get Into (Steep Learning Curve)
If you’re looking for UPX crypto tokens, you won’t find any - since the tokens aren’t based on the blockchain, you won’t be able to transact with them, and trade them with other individuals. We’ve got that much down already.
Moving forward, though, another big shortcoming of the game, as outlined by multiple player Upland reviews, is the learning curve that the project entails.
Most DeFi-related projects - especially games - aim to provide their users with the simplest and most welcoming experience possible. This way, they can build their core audience, and attract people who have nothing to do with crypto, in general, to still use their platform!
As stated above, games are where this concept becomes even more-so true. All that you need to do in order to see this in action is take a look at any of the high-profile P2E NFT games out there, on the current market - chances are that the majority of them will be super-simple to get into!
That’s not really the case with Upland, though. This particular game is reported to be on the more difficult side of things.
The difficulty associated with Upland mostly stems from its steep learning curve. To be more specific, once you start the game, you’ll be thrown into the middle of San Francisco, with a wide variety of different pop-ups and interfaces to explore and navigate through. It can get confusing, fast!
On top of that, you aren’t really given much guidance, either. The mitigating factor here is that Upland has a lot of different guides for you to follow - many of which are created by your fellow players, too! It would definitely be a good idea to check them out, before committing to an account.
Remember - if you’re looking for a tutorial on how to start out with Upland, when you’re reading this, I probably have a dedicated guide written on the topic, too. You’ll be able to find it here.
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Conclusions
One thing that is very clear when it comes to the Play-to-Earn game markets is the fact that creating a popular and well-liked P2E game isn’t a simple feat. Developers and the general team behind the project must really concentrate both on the passive financial gain aspect of the matter, as well as the game mechanics, and its general appeal.
Has Upland managed to tackle this difficult feat? Is it a project worth checking out, in the first place?
Well, I would have to agree with the majority of user Upland reviews found online - it would seem so!
Upland is a really fun and interactive game that allows players to collect different properties, starting from the city of San Francisco. The game incorporates all of the major features that you’d come to expect from a project of its kind - NFTs, metaverse-oriented mechanics, P2E, and so on.
One of the biggest strengths of Upland is the fact that it has a very lively and dedicated community. This is good for both the in-game economy, as well as the general hype surrounding the project.
On the flip side, though, a good number of players appear to be confused, and state that Upland isn’t all that simple to get into. Whether it’s questions such as “what is UPX?”, or ones that relate to the actual gameplay elements of the project, you can check out my dedicated tutorial on Upland, and learn how to start playing the game!
All of that being said, thanks for reading through my Upland review! Good luck with all of your upcoming NFT-powered gaming experiences!
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