It's been a strong week for blockbuster iOS games, but one game stands out as being particularly exciting: Midnight Star: Renegade.
In a week that sees the latest effort from Ravenous Games (Journey Below) hitting the App Store alongside the console-like splendour of Eisenhorn: Xenos, it takes a special game to divert our attention. And yet that's just what Midnight Star: Renegade has managed to do.
So what's so special (potentially, at least) about Midnight Star: Renegade? Allow us to explain.
It's got Halo pedigree
Industrial Toys CEO Alex Seropian was a co-founder of Bungie - the developer behind Halo, aka one of the finest FPS franchises in history.
So you see, when we talk about Midnight Star: Renegade having pedigree, we really mean it.
Of course, Midnight Star: Renegade doesn't really play like Halo, though static screenshots may suggest that it does. But the reason it feels so different is actually a good thing...
A mobile FPS that works
Let's not beat around the bush here - your mobile phone or tablet is far from the natural habitat for traditional first person shooters. Sure, there have been some commendable efforts, but the fact remains the FPS genre is built around tight physical controls.
The makers of Midnight Star: Renegade appreciate that, and they've gone for the completely different approach. Movement is automatic here, with swipes of the screen ferrying you between action points.
It's then up to you to pick out targets with your finger as they swarm in. Think of it as a Time Crisis-like shooting gallery, but with lots of little enhancements to give you a stronger feeling of control, such as the ability to zoom, modify your view, and lob grenades.
The original was great
Another reason we're confident in the Midnight Star: Renegade formula is that we've seen it before. It's a sequel, you see.
Midnight Star launched near the beginning of 2015, and presented the core components of what we're seeing in Midnight Star: Renegade - a sophisticated sci-fi shooting gallery with ace graphics and plenty of legs.
Of course, that's not to say that Industrial Toys hasn't learned a few tricks in the intervening year.
It's even more mobile-friendly
While the original was a pretty accomplished shooter that distilled the FPS to a mobile-friendly format, Industrial Toys wanted to boil things down even further.
"In the first game we made these big bespoke levels that took a long time to play," Seropian told Gamesindustry.biz earlier this year. "Now we have levels that are more snackable. The play loop is about a minute, maybe two minutes."
If you've played the original Midnight Star, then, expect a much snappier and immediate experience from the follow-up - something you can whip out and have a blast on for the odd minute rather than having to dedicate serious time to.
Lovely loot
If you've experienced the modern console game obsession with loot drops - whether it be Battlefield 4, Hearthstone, or Overwatch - then you'll know all about the joys of cracking over a box featuring a random assortment of enhancements and trinkets.
Midnight Star: Renegade nails that delicious sense of reward and progression with its own loot box system. Here you'll find various components for enhancing your weapons and armour, giving them more kick and precision. You'll also get random daily drops.
Finding a rare item that gives your stats a major kick is one of gaming's great feelings, and it's no less effective here.
