I really wanted to give this game 5 stars because the gameplay is excellent. The merge mechanics are fun, the graphics are cheerful, and in the beginning the game feels generous, exciting, and rewarding. I happily spent money because it felt like a fair value.Unfortunately, the experience changed dramatically as I progressed. The opportunities to earn energy became fewer and farther between. The value of paid energy also dropped dramatically. Early on I could buy 1,500 energy for $0.99. Just four days later, the offers available to me were 150 energy for $2.99, an enormous increase in price for far less value.The rewarded ads also changed. At first they were short and easy to close. Later they became much longer, sometimes two, three, or four times as long, and increasingly difficult to exit, all to earn just 25 energy.It left me feeling like the game became much more focused on monetization the further I progressed. I don’t mind supporting developers or making occasional purchases, but I do mind when the value declines so sharply over time.I was also disappointed by the app’s privacy practices, which, according to the App Store privacy disclosures, involve extensive tracking.It’s a genuinely fun game, but for me the increasingly restrictive energy system, declining value of purchases, longer ads, and privacy concerns ultimately took away from what started as a great experience.