Consider this reviewer slightly impressed, if only because a relatively unknown, but otherwise unique and fun title has not only received a sequel, but a considerably significant one under a major publisher. Babel Rising 3D by Ubisoft and Mando Productions places you in the morbidly entertaining position of a vengeful god, punishing the humans who would, in their vanity, seek to reach heaven through their blasphemous tower - it's dark, it's funny, and you will fail. Constantly.

That last point isn't such a bad thing at all, though you may almost be thankful for the end when your game reach the 30+ minute mark, but I'm jumping ahead of things.

Through the use of elemental powers, each coming in the form of a tap, swipe or 'ultimate' variations, the player can dish out swift and painful death to multiple heathens as they climb their tower to help construct it. From boulders to fireballs and lightning, your range of spells are diverse and unlocking additional levels of each power with the cash you earn will increase their potency in various ways, be it making them last longer or imparting damage directly on the tower being built, giving you some breathing room.

Unfortunately the game suffers from poor pacing in the campaign mode, dishing out paltry rewards for completing levels that can take up to almost 10 minutes to complete in one sitting. Also, while the 'swipe' controls are assisted by holding down on the screen to 'lock' the camera and initiate the maneuver, as the tower gets higher, the game becomes confused as to what level you're trying to deploy your power to, ruining an otherwise smooth run.

Thankfully the campaign is not the true meat and bones of Babel Rising, with the 'survival' mode managing to mix up the gameplay with regular curses, large waves of workers, and a shooting-gallery bonus round to break up the frantic pace.

While a decided improvement on the original 2D title, Babel Rising 3D feels like a dangerous mix of fun and frustration that may keep some coming back for more, while turning off those who expect these bumps to be smoothed out before release.