Curvebot Evolved Review
PROS
- Great spin on an old game mechanic.
- Good presentation.
- Lots of content.
CONS
- Slow game pace may turn some gamers off.
VERDICT
Fans of Qix or those looking for a different style of game on their iphone should check Curvebot out.
- Full Review
- App Store Info
In 1981, Taito released Qix, a game where you have to cut shapes out of a level while avoiding enemies. Once a certain percentage of the level is filled in, you progress to the next one. Qix had many imitators over the years, including a huge array of adult titles using this mechanic, but now with Curvebot, we have essentially reverse Qix.
You start each level moving around the edge of a shape. By cutting through the shape, parts get lopped off, and when eighty percent or more is gone, the fierys in the level shoot off, and you get to hack a new shape to pieces. Things are made a little trickier by the drones that inhabit most levels. If they hit your tail, your cut is immediately invalidated, and if they hit you, your multiplier is lost. Yes, as you cut off pieces of the level, you are rewarded with boost balls that follow you like a tail. The longer your tail, the greater your score as you make cuts. Later on you also can earn coins that grant bonuses such as frozen drones, or a complete tail, making things more interesting.
The presentation is a solid effort. The shapes are fun and varied, and the bots and drones add charm. The music fits the gameplay, and at the end of each level you get to relive all your cuts on a small scale version of the shape, which is a really nice touch. There are ten worlds, including bonus levels, and a 5-star rating to be earned on each of them, so content is not an issue.
Curvebot is a well made game. It's a unique idea with good controls, great presentation, and a lot of content. Where it might lose people is the slower game pace. The challenge doesn't really kick in until the end of world 3, and even though it's fun playing around, seeing what kind of cuts you can make in a level, the novelty does wear off fast. Still for the price point, it's definitely worth a look.
Screenshots
$0.99
