Game Review: Rhythm Tengoku (JP)

Game: Rhythm Tengoku
Console: Game Boy Advance
Developer: J.P. Room
Release Date: 3rd August 2006

Have you ever loved a game so much that you've decided to import the first game in the series, despite the fact it's entirely in Japanese? If so then you'll know the sort of love I have for the Rhythm Heaven series. So far I've reviewed Rhythm Heaven for the DS, and Rhythm Heaven Fever for the Wii. While there's an instalment coming out on 3DS, I'm yet to own that system, and it's not out yet, so I looked to the East for some more rhythm based minigame fun.

As the first game in the series, Rhythm Tengoku set the precedent with many of the features that are included in later games such as Rhythm Toys, Endless Minigame bonuses, Medals for Superb ranks on songs, and the chance to get a 'Perfect' grade. Also included on this game, but not others in the series are drum lessons, with the chance to drum to many of the game's songs once the game is beaten.

There are 48 rhythm minigames featured in total, arranged into 8 sets of 6. Each set of 6 games contains 5 regular games and 1 remix, unlocked when all 5 regular games are cleared. As the player progresses through the game, more difficult versions of previous minigames are unlocked, meaning that the total number of unique minigames lies somewhere around 20. While this may not seem a lot, it's more than enough to keep the level of entertainment high.

Compared to other games in the Rhythm Heaven series, minigames in general seem to be somewhat easier to clear, but far harder to get a 'Superb' rank on. There are certain games where one missed step will be enough to stop players getting a Superb. A few of the minigames also seem a little short when compared to those of later games, though none of the games are short enough to be ruined by their length.

For those that have played other games in the series, there are some familiar faces, and it's fun to see the origins of some of the series' characters. It's a little disappointing that more of the characters from the original game weren't used later in the series, as there are some great minigames and concepts featured.

The bonus games and rhythm toys are great fun as always, though a little harder to work out in Japanese. I was able to get through most of the game without needing to concentrate too much on the language barrier. As I recall only two minigames presented a challenge of this kind; one was a call and response type clapping game where the instructions appeared karaoke style onscreen in Japanese, and the other involved a call of "Left" or "Right" before button input, which meant I had to listen carefully to what was said.

Graphically the game shares its cutesy style with the games that came after it and the simple style works well with the capabilities of the Game Boy Advance. Even in Japanese the game is easy to use and understand on the whole, especially for fans of the series. Musically the game is excellent, as might be expected of a musical rhythm game. While there aren't as many standout tunes/games as on Rhythm Heaven for DS, there's still some highly enjoyable tracks.

Overall Rhythm Tengoku seems to me to be the next logical step for fans of the series that have exhausted the DS and Wii games and are looking for some new fun. While not quite as polished (or easy) as the other games, this instalment has some classic moments, characters and minigames to enjoy.

Rating: 87/100
Grade: B

Mobile Gaming Month: Crossy Road

Game: Crossy Road
Platform: Android
Developer: Hipster Whale
Release Date: 20th November 2014

Whilst deciding what mobile games to download for this month of reviews, I thought it'd be a good idea to see what the most downloaded mobile game was. Crossy Road initially sounded like a parody of Flappy Bird, and it's not without its similarities, but instead of guiding a bird through a difficult course of pipes players must guide various characters across roads, rivers and railroads Frogger-style.

The aim of the game is to get as high of a score as possible while collecting coins that are scattered about the map. These coins exist for the sole purpose of purchasing a turn on a Gacha style machine (gumball/toy dispenser) which distributes and unlocks characters for 100 coins a turn. If the character that comes of the machine is already unlocked then the 100 coins are wasted and players must go back to earning coins.

Other ways to earn coins include waiting for a timed gift which is given out every 6 hours (it begins at 1 minute and works its way up once players start redeeming the gifts), and watching various advertisements. As coins are pretty scarce overall, the best bet is usually to wait for the daily gift as it often contains in excess of 100 coins. I barely collected any coins whilst playing, although it'd be possible to get a spin every 10 or so turns with some skill and dedication..

The general gameplay of Crossy Road is good, if a little simple. The screen is tapped to move forwards, and swiped to move from side to side or backwards. Standing still for 10 seconds or more will result in an eagle swooping to end the player's game, as will moving back 3 rows. There's some fun to be had in timing your runs and making it through to reach a high score, but at its core this game is about unlocking all of the characters and sharing/comparing high scores with friends.

Graphically the game looks great with an impressive pixel art style, and a wide range of characters to unlock. Each character has specific death animations and moving traits, which adds excitement to unlocking new ones. The sound effects featured in the game lend it an air of realism without taking away the fun of the simple style.

Overall while there's not a whole lot to do in Crossy Road as such, it can be fun to try and reach higher and higher heights. If the developers had perhaps taken upgrade ideas from other games, there'd be more replayability with various upgrades to prolong turns and help with coin collecting. As it is though, this is a game that should be played in short bursts regularly.

Rating: 59/100
Grade: D

Collection Review: Taito Legends Part 1 1978-85

Having already looked at the second collection of Taito arcade games for the PS2, I thought that it was high time I tried the first, containing many of the original games whose sequels were featured on Taito Legends 2.

Space Invaders

Game: Space Invaders
Console: Arcade
Developer: Taito
Release Date: 1978

Perhaps the most classic and well known of all arcade games, Space Invaders caused a huge spike in the popularity of arcades and gaming worldwide. While there have been many iterations, clones, sequels and games inspired by the original, there's nothing quite like playing the real thing. The goal of the game is to shoot all of the invaders from the top of the screen before the reach the bottom. Doing so will move the player onto the next level and thus continue the game.

While the games industry does owe an awful lot to the creation and popularity of this particular game, the action gets pretty stale after a short while and there's not enough variation in the game as a whole to keep players interested. It's classic gameplay and design will live on in gaming history, but gameplay-wise this feels like a relic compared to games released even 5 years later.

Rating: 62/100
Grade: C

Phoenix

Game: Phoenix
Console: Arcade
Developer: Taito
Release Date: 1980

Talking of games inspired by Space Invaders, Phoenix is another Taito title that plays similarly. Instead of invaders which head slowly across and down the screen in formation however, there's a range of fast moving and proactively attacking enemies which appear to be different species of birds. Though it's hard to get particularly far in the game owing to its high difficulty, the desire to see what features in later levels sets it above the original Space Invaders.

In terms of graphics, the game looks far better than Space Invaders and is more varied; backgrounds change throughout levels as do enemy types. Musically the game is a little bit more confused with sound effects and music clashing somewhat as the levels progress. For me it's still a little too similar to Space Invaders, and would probably work better as a conventional shoot 'em up, but its a start.

Rating: 64/100
Grade: C

Space Invaders Part II

Whether or not Space Invaders needed a sequel whose gameplay so closely matched the original is debatable, but the popularity of the first game was always going to lead to attempts at making more money from the series. From the outset it appears that Space Invaders Part II is simply the first game, in colour with slightly smoother handling, short cutscenes between levels and a harder difficulty. Other than these factors, not a whole lot has changed.

Any replayability problems that the first game had are still present, and as progression is even more difficult, players are more likely to give up quickly. With less points for nostalgia value and about the same amount to offer, Space Invaders Part II needn't have really existed in hindsight. It doesn't add too much to the collection overall and adds very little to the series as a whole.

Rating: 62/100
Grade: C

Colony 7

Game: Colony 7
Console: Arcade
Developer: Taito
Release Date: 1981

Released a year after Missile Command, Colony 7 features similar gameplay which tasks players with defending a colony at the bottom of the screen, with two guns at the right and left hand sides. As attackers appear at the top of the screen, players must move the aiming reticule and try to stop them before the colony is destroyed, or their own guns are bombed by special attack units.

On the whole the game plays well and isn't that difficult to pick up. There's a choice between the regular fire button and limited shots such as the Megashot and Eradicator which deal damage in a far wider area. Once all of the fighters in a squadron have been shot down, the next wave begins. Play continues until the player's guns have been destroyed three times in total.

Graphically the game is simplistic, but features recognisible landmarks and items from outer space. Sound effects are the only audio accompaniment to gameplay, but as a fast paced shooting game, it doesn't feel as if too much is missing. On the whole this is a simple but fun little Missile Command spin-off.

Rating: 67/100
Grade: C

Electric Yo-yo

Featuring gameplay that seems like a cross between Pac-man and Qix, The Electric Yo-yo tasks players with collecting all of the dots onscreen with a yo-yo which must avoid enemies, and can be powered up by hitting special blocks. Once all of the blocks on-screen have been collected, the next level begins. Players begin with 5 lives and lose a life each time they're hit by an enemy.

Each level features different formations of dots, and progressively more enemies. There are two types of enemy; one which can only move around on the dots that moves fairly slowly, and another which bounces around the area which the dots are not occupying. As well as being able to pick up the first type of enemy and deposit them on the dot it next hits, this second enemy type also turns dots into special dots by hitting them. When collected these special blocks make the player's yo-yo go faster, and invulnerable to the slow enemies for a short time.

With a simplistic look and overall concept, the game's audio is also simply the sound effects of the yo-yo moving around and collecting dots. While common for arcade games of the time, it'd have been nice to have some sort of music behind gameplay. Overall Electric Yo-yo is a little too simple to be an enjoyable puzzle game, and feels more like a mash-up of other arcade titles.

Rating: 52/100
Grade: D

Jungle Hunt

Game: Jungle Hunt

Console: Arcade

Developer: Taito

Release Date: 1982

Jungle Hunt is unusual in terms of early arcade games because it features platforming gameplay presented in what could be called minigame style, in a short but fun quest to rescue a girl from being cooked alive by natives. The player's explorer must first swing across vines to reach a crocodile filled lake which he must swim through before jumping over rocks falling down a hill which leads to where the girl is being held captive. All that remains to be done then is to jump over her captors and untie her by cutting the ropes with a knife. Each game is played using only the A button and the D-pad (in true Warioware style!).

At first things can be a little tricky to get the hang of, but with a little practice the game can be complete in around 3 minutes. This is its only real flaw; such a short runtime means that past the initial excitement and experience there is only repetition. The music and graphics are satisfactory, though both could be better in order to keep players interested past the first playthrough.

Rating: 69/100

Grade: C

Zoo Keeper

Game: Zoo Keeper

Console: Arcade

Developer: Taito

Release Date: 1982

Zoo Keeper begins with a good concept; players control a zookeeper who must keep his animals in captivity by building walls around them, and make sure to jump over any that have escaped from inside the walls he has built. Unfortunately the controls and some other gameplay elements prevent this concept from being a good game. Firstly to move, players use the d-pad in whichever direction they wish to travel, until a corner is reached when the button must be changed to whichever direction they now wish to go. While this sounds fairly reasonable, it feels wrong and overcomplex when the controls could have simply been left to move anticlockwise and right to move clockwise. 

Secondly, the game takes place around an invisible rectangle, making it hard to predict the movements of both the animals and the zookeeper. Many times when animals had escaped, I lost a life because I wasn't able to tell that my path was about to coincide with theirs. The last gameplay issue is jumping, as the zookeeper has a very long, but low jump which is enough to jump over animals, but very difficult to judge a landing spot from, creating problems later on in the game with more animal collisions.

There is a section of the game which features more standard platforming, but it seems to have been included only to break up the monotony of the zookeeper levels. With the only objective of the main levels being to wait until time is up, without being hit by any animals, the game quickly becomes too difficult as many animals are set loose at the beginning of the 3rd level and beyond. Overall the game was poorly designed and executed; with a little tweaking and some better ideas it could have been far more enjoyable.

Rating: 36/100

Grade: E

Elevator Action

Game: Elevator Action

Console: Arcade

Developer: Taito

Release Date: 1983

Elevator Action is an innovative blend of run and gun style gameplay with puzzle platforming where players must decend through the floors of a 30 storey skyscraper, collecting secret documents from rooms with red doors on the way down whilst evading or shooting enemy agents. Once the basement is reached, with all of the secret documents in the agent's possession, he speeds away in a car, only to be taken to the next level. 

As the game continues, the layout of the buildings become more complex, and there are greater numbers of enemy agents. While it's not difficult to progress through the game, keeping track of where the elevators, enemies and secret documents are can be challenging at times. Players are able to move, shoot and jump, the last of which is helpful for dodging enemy bullets. 

Graphically the game is simple, and sprites are recognisible by their colours more than any amount of detail included. The music which accompanies gameplay is also fairly simple, but serves well enough to add an old arcade feel to the game, at the very least. Overall Elevator Action is a great concept for an arcade game, though it's a shame that there wasn't the hardware in 1983 to allow the game to reach its full potential. 

Rating: 74/100

Grade: B

Great Swordsman

Game: Great Swordsman

Console: Arcade

Developer: Taito

Release Date: 1984

Great Swordsman allows players to experience the excitement of sword based combat throughout the ages, including fencing, kendo and Roman broadsword fighting. Players control their fighter's movement and have a choice of three different attacks; high, mid and low, none of which do much on their own, but rather act as counters to opponent's attacks and are best used when well timed to score points, fencing style throughout the game. 

The levels are set up so that three fencing battles must be cleared before players progress onto the next section. Unfortunately a loss in any round means game over, and starting again from the beginning. Thanks to this, and the relatively high difficulty level across the game which increases in each round, it's particularly difficult to progress. 

Graphically the game is pretty poor for having been released in 1984; the fighters just about manage to look like actual people, but the effects and animations are basic at best. The music that accompanies gameplay is ill fitting and does nothing to heighten the experience of the game overall. 

On the whole Great Swordsman suffers from controlling poorly, being too niche as a concept, and unbalanced difficulty. With these factors added to the uninspiring visuals and audio, there's really not a lot of gameplay value here.

Rating: 48/100

Grade: D

Game: Return of the Invaders

Console: Arcade

Developer: Taito

Release Date: 1985

Lastly for this part of my review, it's the next sequel to Space Invaders; Return of the Invaders. With upgraded enemies, graphics, and attack patterns, the series is finally given an instalment that's interesting enough to challenge other space based shooters of the time. While the game is still loosely based on the original, with bases to hide behind and some stages featuring the classic formation and attack pattern, there's far more to do in other sections of this game.

From the outset enemies move in more of a circular pattern onscreen, and are more intelligent in their attacks against the player. With a far wider range of enemy types, including some which require precision shooting to kill, players can employ deeper strategies and ideas for progressing to the next level. 

Graphically the game is much improved, with interesting backgrounds as well as enemy design. With easily the best musical accompaniment so far in the collection; a sort of spacey electronic sounding track, the game looks and sounds good. While the improved AI shooting makes it a little harder to progress, it's far better to be outwitted by than the simple increase in speed of the original Space Invaders. Overall while Return of the Invaders still shares a lot of similar features with its predecessors, some original thoughts are in there which improve the game considerably. 

Rating: 65/100

Grade: C

Mobile Gaming Month: Fruit Ninja

Game; Fruit Ninja
Platform: Android
Developer: Halfbrick Studios
Release Date: 17th September 2010

Designed specifically for touchscreen devices, Fruit Ninja challenges players to score as many points as possible by slicing fruits which appear onscreen whilst simultaneously avoiding bombs. There are three gameplay modes; Classic, Arcade and Zen. In Classic mode players must slash every fruit that appears onscreen, as missing a fruit will use up one of three lives. Hitting a bomb will instantly end a game in Classic mode. In Arcade mode, players have 60 seconds to reach a high score; missing fruits has no impact on score, but bombs subtract 10 points and clear all fruit onscreen. Finally Zen mode has no bombs and so allows players to focus on getting combos and slicing fruit. Missing fruits in Zen mode has no impact on overall score either.

The touchscreen controls are responsive and work well with the game's mechanics; there's enough challenge to keep players engaged, but its easy enough for anyone to pick up. There's a level up system in place which is driven by XP earned from each turn and completing various challenges, 3 of which are set at the beginning of each turn and remain until cleared. There's also a virtual currency in the form of starfruit, which is earned each turn and used to buy upgrades, as well as new dojos and swords.

Before each turn, players can choose to use starfruit in order to make things easier for themselves. Upgrades include 3 chances at hitting bombs before game over in Classic Mode, extra time for hitting peaches in Arcade and Zen Modes, and extra points for hitting strawberries. These upgrades are neither crucial to gameplay, nor too expensive to use frequently, thus allowing players to use them as they wish within games. There is the option to spend real money on starfruit or special event dojos/swords, but none of this is necessary for progression.

As for the range of unlockable dojos and swords, most if not all are easily affordable with the starfruit earned from simply playing the game, and can help towards getting high scores. A favourite dojo of mine in game was the 'Great Wave' Dojo which features a random chance of a 10 fruit mega-wave appearing every now and then, thus contributing to the overall score, especially if sliced in a combo.

Graphically the game looks good and is easy to understand and play; bombs can be quickly identified and avoided and each fruit has its own distinct features. The variety of dojos and effects in arcade mode is nice, but could have been expanded further in the time since the game's release. Musically the game isn't too bad, featuring an attempt at 'japanese sounding music' behind menus and more simplistic drumming behind the actual game.

Overall Fruit Ninja is a fun and addictive experience which really shows off the best of touchscreen gaming as a whole. With little point in investing actual money into the game, thanks to its generous use of in game currency, it can be enjoyed without too much grinding or replaying of the same sections. My only real complaint is that after a while the XP challenges set repeat, and end up focussing on Arcade and Zen modes rather than classic. If you're looking for something to waste a few minutes, or even hours this is a good choice.

Rating: 84/100
Grade: B

Game Review: ToeJam & Earl

 

Game: ToeJam & Earl
Console: Sega Mega Drive
Developer: ToeJam & Earl Productions
Release Date: 12th March 1992

Usually games that feature unconventional concepts or gameplay receive polarising reviews, either wowing critics with their unique new gameplay ideas or falling flat. ToeJam & Earl took many elements from existing games, but revitalised them with a new concept, a 90s feel, funky music, and co-op gameplay. Playing as the titular duo of alien rappers, players aim to find all 10 pieces of their spaceship across 25 levels in order to return home.

The 2D levels featured in the game can be either randomly generated or played as fixed levels, though the preset versions can be a little more challenging. As players explore the landscape, they'll encounter presents which contain items which help or hinder ToeJam and Earl's progress. There are powerups which give health, a speed boost, and even the ability to fire weapons at enemies, but there are also food based powerups which take away an amount of health if eaten.

The main objective of each level is to find any ship pieces (a warning will appear when on a level where one is hidden), and then the elevator to take players to the next level. As players explore levels, each visited area of the map becomes visible on the map screen. This can help when players need to guide eachother to the elevator, or when backtracking through levels due to falling off a higher level onto the one below.

Gameplay is generally relaxed, with enemies occasionally appearing to get in the way of player progress. While the exploration setup and style of humour won't appeal to everyone, ToeJam & Earl presents a coherant gaming experience which is timeless and fun. While the game can be played in single player, it's definitely best to grab a friend and play the game as a team.

Graphically the game features a simplistic almost cartoon style, which helps contribute towards to overall 90s feel with brightly coloured background textures and items. Character designs are outlandish and memorable, with a good amount of humour thrown into the mix (player ranks throughout the game include wiener, poindexter, peanut and rapmaster). Musically the game combines the Mega Drive soundchip with funky basslines and tunes for a memorable and fitting accompaniment.

Overall ToeJam & Earl is a great multiplayer exploration game whose overall style and presentation contributes a lot toward its charm and long lasting popularity. There's something satisfying about getting a friend over, and exploring a randomly generated map to find 10 pieces of a spaceship so that 2 aliens can get home.

Rating: 82/100
Grade: B

Mobile Gaming Month: Dumb Ways To Die

Game: Dumb Ways To Die
Platform: Android
Developer: Metro Trains
Release Date: 17th September 2013

Originally a train safety video, Dumb Ways to Die implied that while rewiring your own house, poking a bear and eating super glue are dumb ways to die, being impatient at level crossings, walking across train tracks and standing beyond the yellow line on a train platform are in fact the dumbest ways to die. It's not often that a game, let alone a good game comes from an advertising campaign, but just under a year after the original video, Dumb Ways to Die was released as a minigame collection style game.

With a choice of 13 games in total, the game isn't as expansive as other minigame collections, but there's a good amount of variety nonetheless. The activities featured in the minigames include many of the "ways to die" from the video campaign, and the object of each is to prevent the character(s) from dying by tapping, tilting, drawing on the screen and blowing into the phone's microphone (though this minigame can be disabled in the options thankfully).

The minigames themselves are fairly fun and responsive; the only one I had a real issue with was the one which requires players to blow on their phone's microphone, as it didn't seem to detect any sound. At times the difficulty of some games seems far higher than others, but this is a pretty constant feature of minigame collections and may be percieved differently from person to person.

Gameplay continues with increasing speed and difficulty until players have failed 3 minigames in total, leading to the game over screen. 100 points are awarded for each game successfully completed, as well as a random bonus which can be good or bad, but is usually given a humourous title. As players pass certain amounts of points in each turn, they unlock characters on the game's starting screen, though this has no effect on the gameplay as a whole. This is perhaps the weakest part of the game as whole; there's very little replay value once players feel as if they're competent at all of the games. Luckily there's a sequel which I plan to check out at some point soon.

Graphically the game is more stylistically impressive than technically impressive, but this is usually the case with mobile gaming. The simple characters and cutesy representations of some pretty gruesome deaths are one of the reasons that the video and campaign as a whole became so popular. There's a musical theme based on the song from the ad campaign behind gameplay, and the package as a whole is well polished and fun to interact with.

Overall Dumb Ways to Die was an excellent informational campaign which spawned a fun mobile game, which while limited in its replayability and number of minigames offered players an extension of the original video and a fairly original gameplay experience (which is more than can be said for many mobile titles).

Rating: 75/100
Grade: B

Game Review: The Rub Rabbits!

Game: The Rub Rabbits!
Console: Nintendo DS
Developer: Sonic Team
Release Date: 13th February 2006

As the sequel to Project Rub, 'The Rub Rabbits!' does a lot of things similarly to its predecessor. There's a story told through many different minigames and 4-koma style comic panels, there are games which use the microphone as well as ones which use the stylus and a couple of the games featured are variants of games already seen in Project Rub. The gameplay and progression through the game is almost exactly the same, and the visual style is also continued.

There are some differences however; the game is longer in terms of the number of minigames featured, but shorter in play time thanks to a far lower overall difficulty level. Many more of the games require one playthrough rather than several, although there still are a considerable number which have 5 parts. Once the game has been completed, an additional story is unlocked which consists of a few minigames from the main storyline, but no original content.

Another new feature of this game is that some games require the DS to be held sideways or even upside-down. The games which make use of different orientations are usually slightly more inventive and fun to play. Unfortunately the overall range and variation in games and gameplay feels as if it has diminished; without counting repeats of some games, there were still quite a few instances of similar concepts within the game's 40(ish) story mode stages.

While there's an abundance of extra features and modes in the game, none of them really have much depth. There's a multiplayer game which involves passing the DS whilst holding onto various buttons, a mode for two players to make a baby and check their compatibility (which seems like a fairly random addition to the game), a dress up mode for the female lead character and challenge modes where story mode stages can be replayed for high scores.

The plot of the game is slightly more sensible than the first game, though not by too much; after falling for the game's female lead, the player character must chase her, win her over and then attempt to protect her from the 'genius girl next door''s plot to kidnap and woo him. Each stage deals with a small part of the story and sometimes there are huge leaps between locations and events, but I doubt many players are into playing for the plot of this particular title. 

Once story mode is complete, players are able to play through it again in Hard and Hell modes. While these provide much needed challenge to the scenes, the game has low replay value due to the nature of the plot and minigames. It's possible to complete the game in a few hours, after which there's very little to do, and I'd imagine that another run through story mode isn't top of most people's list after beating the game. 

Graphically the game is very similar to Project Rub, with silhouette characters only distinguishable by their clothes and hair colour. Items and locations are nicely stylised and presented, and minigames are usually intuitive and easy to understand by design. Musically the title features many remixes of famous classical tunes, sung by a chorus of voices. These fit the mood of the game well, but are also likely to annoy players after a while.

Overall 'The Rub Rabbits!' feels incredibly close to the experience of the first game in the series; perhaps a little too much so. The low replay value and repeating of some minigames through the course of story mode contributes to its 'one-off' appeal, meaning that most players will run through the game once and never play again. If minigames are your thing however, and you enjoyed Project Rub and want more of the same, then this is the game for you!

Rating: 73/100
Grade: C

Mobile Gaming Month: Temple Run

Game: Temple Run
Platform: Android
Developer: Imangi Studios
Release Date: 27th March 2012

As I mentioned with Sonic Dash, endless runner style games on mobile devices have the potential to be rebranded for use with whatever characters and franchises are popular, and so that particular element of these games won't have too much impact on their score. Temple Run has a simple premise; players steal an idol at the beginning of them game, causing them to be chased by a pack of wild, somewhat deformed monkeys. By negotiating jumps, changes in terrain and low hanging trees the goal is to make it as far as possible, whilst collecting coins which can be put towards various upgrades and unlocks.

The gameplay action itself is engaging and fast paced, with a gradual increase in speed as time elapses. Players can swipe upwards to jump, downwards to slide under obstacles, or from side to side to turn a corner. Tilting the phone will change the character's position in the lane slightly, as coins are positioned on the left, right and in the centre. Where its possible to use powerups, they can be tapped from just under the score, and coin counter. Overall the controls work well and are simple to understand though occasionally left/right swipes don't seem to get recognised, resulting in a shortened run.

The powerup and upgrade system is generally good, allowing players to extend their runs as they collect more gems by way of improving the powerups found during each run. It's possible to optimally upgrade each powerup without having to spend any real-world cash, and it'll come naturally as long as you're playing the game anyway. As there's no real end goal, the only progress markers seem to be upgrading each powerup, and achievements which increase the score multiplier.

Graphically Temple Run has a simplistic feel overall, with some textures almost completely obviously pasted onto trees or rocks. It's not too much of an issue for a mobile game though, and the visuals are ample to tell what's going on. I'd have appreciated a little musical accompaniment to gameplay, but all that's given to players is some beating drums and the screaming of the chasing monkeys if your characters slows down too much.

Overall Temple Run is an interesting little endless runner for mobile that has a wide general appeal and easy to pick up gameplay. While it doesn't have the boss battles or brand appeal of Sonic Dash, there's still a fair amount to do, and a nice difficulty curve as runs continue. As there's a sequel, I might have to return to the series in a little while; it'll certainly be interesting to see what improvements have been made.

Rating: 65/100
Grade: C

Game Review: Heavy Rain

Game: Heavy Rain
Console: Sony Playstation 3
Developer: Quantic Dream
Release Date: 23rd February 2010

Some video games are difficult to categorize, falling into many different genres, none of which define them properly. The best way to describe Heavy Rain in my opinion would be as an interactive experience. It's definitely still a video game, rather than a movie as players have control over their character's actions and thus the outcome of the game, but there's less direct control than in most games.

Featuring 4 playable characters, each with a different perspective on the story, the game unfolds in small chapters. While each character has different personality traits and motives, gameplay is pretty similar from one to the other apart from FBI agent, Norman Jayden who has hi-tech glasses which allow him to inspect and record data from crime scenes and other areas of interest. Besides this though, other normal actions are performed in the same way as the other 3 characters.

Gameplay actions are performed via button presses, movements of the controller and analog stick movements. Depending on what needs to be done, players may need to perform the action slowly, gently or in a certain way. Often there are choices as to which action to perform, or things to say; these appear as the symbol for a button press, followed by the action which the choice will initiate. When characters are stressed the choices may rotate quickly around their heads, or be difficult to read, imitating their mood.

A large part of the game is QTE's or Quick Time Events; at many stages in the game where quick decisions need to be made, such as fight scenes, chases and tasks, actions appear onscreen which must be completed within a few moments of being seen by the player to initiate the correct response. Failing to press a single button hardly ever impacts the entire fight/chase etc, but consistent errors may well have a bearing on the result.

As a cinematic experience, the game relies heavily on its plot to entertain players with the gameplay as more of an empowering secondary device. Without spoiling too much, players must investigate the case of the Origami Killer as 3 of the playable characters, while completing tasks set by the Origami Killer as Ethan, arguably the game's main character. There are multiple twists and turns, and many memorable moments throughout the plot, and it's paced almost perfectly at 10-15 hours for full completion.

Depending on what choices are made by players, any of the playable characters can die, or fail to perform vital actions to initiate the best possible ending. Because of this there are many possible endings to the game, ranging from the perfect ending to the absolute worst case scenario. The game handles this well though, as it's not too hard to get a generally good ending, even if players have made some mistakes on the way through the game. While I can understand the frustration of getting a bad ending, it's fairly unlikely that anyone attempting to get the best ending will lose in such a way.

Graphically the game is excellent; locations, objects and characters are all well modelled and weather and lighting effects combine nicely to accent the game's overall mood. My only complaint is that some of the character's faces seem a little less human than they could, but it's to be expected of CGI style character models, and it doesn't impact the game particularly. The voice acting is mixed, with some actors doing an excellent job with their characters, and others not quite hitting the mark.

Overall Heavy Rain is an experience that many gamers should enjoy; it's a break from the grey haze of shooters, and mass of racing games we're offered, for more depth and storytelling. While some people might not be fans of the QTEs or style of decision making featured in the game, any other gamers should at least enjoy the experience that's being offered. It's not a game without its problems, but they're not big enough to matter once you reach the end of the game.

Rating: 91/100
Grade: A

Mobile Gaming Month: Sonic Dash

Having recently picked up a smartphone after many years of resisting change, I've had an opportunity to delve into the mobile gaming market and experience everything that games based on swiping, tapping and tilting phones have to offer. While I refuse to play game that are based solely on a pay-to-win model, anything with legitimate gameplay is up for review and I'll be judging on each game's fun factor, features and replayability.

Game: Sonic Dash
Platform: Android
Developer: Hardlight Studio
Release Date: 26th November 2013

Featuring similar gameplay elements to some other mobile games, it'd be easy to say that Sonic Dash is at the very least derivative but in a market where there's limited control options and gameplay types (at least to a degree), it's necessary to judge games on their individual merits and only take points away from games which are complete clones.

The objective of Sonic Dash is for players to control a character from the Sonic franchise, running as far as they can whilst collecting rings, avoiding obstacles and beating bosses. Essentially it's like one endless stage from a 3D Sonic game, which sounds like a more interesting prospect than it actually is for much of the gameplay.

Each time players hit jump pads at the end of sections, their rings are banked. Once Sonic hits an obstacle, the turn is over and players receive the number of rings they've banked to be added onto their total. With these rings, upgrades and items to help turns last longer can be purchased as well as new characters to play as, and Sonic wallpapers for the player's mobile phone. Rings can also be purchased for real money, but it's never completely necessary and is only advertised to the player if they're seeking more rings.

In order to increase player's scores each turn, there are also multipliers which increase as challenges are completed. Currently there are 20 levels of challenges, for a maximum score multiplier of x20. A daily challenge which consists of running far enough to collect 4 puzzle pieces also helps players to collect score-increase items, alongside a daily spin minigame.

Moves available to players in game include swiping to change lanes, jumping by swiping upwards, rolling by swiping downwards, and tapping to perform a homing attack when it's available. As players collect rings, their Dash meter increases until it's full at which point players can perform a dash for a limited distance, which can be increased through upgrades.

Boss battles are a nice change up in gameplay; players must first dodge projectiles from behind, then avoid obstacles placed in front of them, before taking to the air and defeating the boss by performing homing attacks. Two bosses are featured in the game; Zazz from Sonic Lost World and Dr. Robotnik from many of the Sonic games.

Graphically the game looks very impressive, with detailed stylistic graphics which fit well with previous iterations of the Sonic series. There's sometimes issues with the game freezing after Sonic hits an obstacle, but they're infrequent and don't generally affect gameplay sessions. Musically, the pieces featured are bearable, with Zazz's boss battle theme being a particular highlight.

Overall Sonic Dash is good fun for playing every now and then, with a good difficulty curve as the distance travelled increases. The upgrades and items aren't integral to the game and so the paid element doesn't encroach too far, though if you're looking to unlock everything the game has to offer, it might take quite a while of playing, if you're not intending to spend any money. For the casual player and Sonic fan, it's a worthy distraction though.

Rating: 70/100
Grade: C