Com2US have made a mark on the App Store thanks to their relatively solid releases and in particular their deft hand at producing decent action KRPG titles. Caligo Chaser was an interesting take on the side-scrolling beat'em-up and Queen's Crown returned to the top-down roots while introducing a new weapon-swapping mechanic, however their latest release, Third Blade, adds a third kind of heat by mixing side-scrolling with the weapon-swap system for a far more immediate action experience.

The result is a game that feels far less in-depth than its predecessors, however this is a boon for those who enjoy the action and not the RPG. Basic kidnapped girlfriend plot aside, you'll travel around the world beating up the same handful of monsters over and over using one of three weapons. Your twin blades may not pack a huge punch, but they're the best way to increase your combo score which (in turn) increases the damage you do significantly. Players can then switch to a sword and board setup, dishing out damage while healing and ignoring incoming attacks in turn; and lastly a two-handed weapon provides the most brutal amount of impact, clearing the screen once you're maxed out on your combo.

While this does sound like there's potential for a lot of variety, things quickly hit their stride early on as you spend levels - 1) Maxing your combo; 2) Healing as needed; and 3) Switching to two-handed to end things quickly. Cash is earned based on your performance and can be spent on upgrading weapons, armor, potions and purchasing other bonuses such as runes which are used to purchase and upgrade skills for each weapon. Without purchasing cash from the in-game store you can expect a bit of grinding to push through later levels as enemy health and damage ramps up to provide an artificial barrier.

With that said, no one said you couldn't kill monsters in style and the visuals are very appealing even despite the repetitive use of a handful of creatures. Due to the skill system you'll be treated to special effects more often than not and 'boss' creatures can provide a serious challenge later on as you learn to deal with their unique spells.

Third Blade attempts to appeal to those who enjoy mindless combat without the burden of a complex story or pointless questing. It's not perfect and it can get monotonous if you're not a fan of the genre, but it's still amusing at least for a little while.