AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! (Force = Mass x Acceleration) Review

By , on March 1, 2012


AaaaaAAaaaAAAaaAAAAaAAAAA!!! (Force = Mass x Acceleration)
Download on the AppStore
5 out of 5

PROS

  • Universal executable; perfect for iPhone or iPad owners.
  • Perfectly executed controls; sensitivity options allow for a range of fine or twitchy movement speeds.
  • Manic, futuristic presentation; vertically stacked hyper-structures to weave through and deface.
  • Huge amount of unlockable content; natural replay value as each stage allows for multiple complex paths to success.

CONS

  • No alternate control scheme; yes, tilting is perfect, but catering for those who are embarrassed / unable to 'tilt' in public would be even better.

VERDICT

The original 'A Reckless Disregard for Gravity' captured the speed and excitement of base jumping in a way that was visceral, but 'Force = Mass x Acceleration' takes things to a whole new level, introducing tilt controls to the iOS platform and allowing players to feel every crunched bone as you miss that finely-timed dive through a vent-shaft; a real boon for any iPhone or iPad gamer.


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Elegance is a word you have to use when you describe a game like 'Aaaa!!! F=ma' by Dejobaan Games and Owlchemy Labs, if only because it takes such a compact and simple concept (falling) and turns it in to something so utterly addictive that you will wonder how you managed to do without playing the game any sooner. Those who have played the original PC and Mac version 'A Reckless Disregard for Gravity' may wonder if the word 'elegant' is entirely appropriate given the game's somewhat raw approach to absurd humor and to those people I say, "put down your sub-sandwich full of wolves and play this version too, it's worth every tooth".

As already mentioned, the game stylizes itself as a base-jumping simulator set in a futuristic society filled with vertically-stacked highrises. By kissing (going near), hugging (staying near), and smashing your way through obstacles you gain points that are tallied at the end, should you survive with all of your limbs intact. Thankfully things are set in a first-person perspective and controlled through the intuitive use of tilt-controls that are calibrated before the beginning of every run. While the default sensitivity is more than accurate enough for weaving your way through industrial fans, walkways and tight corners, you can modify these settings to suit your particular needs.

There's a chaos about the presentation that's almost appealing - a mish-mash of turbulent radio signals, music, humorous dialogue, text and video to distract you while falling or exploring the various unlockable stages. Points in the form of 'teeth' are used to unlock stages and bonuses via a grid system, with subsequent progression requiring an increasing amount of teeth. As you progress you'll learn out to flip-off or thumbs up protesters and fans alike, while government buildings are also subject to defacing should you be packing a spray-can. These help to reward you with higher scores, potentially maxing out at a 5-star score with all the bonus teeth this brings.

Casually falling and threading your way through tight corridors is a rush - certainly not comparable to the real deal of parachuting, but you'll want to be just as cautious as each crunching and thumping injury you inflict on your jumper invokes a vivid image that's best avoided through skilled piloting.

Interestingly, not every level in the game is subject to Game Center leaderboards, with only a handful of unlockable stages providing players with a competitive playground. Given the sheer expansive number of stages, their variety of challenges, visual, and even aural presentation, this is almost a prudent way of keeping things in check as these stages can be tweaked and balanced to provide a high level of competitive play.

Whether you're interested in finding out the email of the guy at Dejobaan who can help with your relationship problems, baking cookies with ashes, or you want to play a balls-to-the-wall falling simulator that manages to capture both the elegance and heart-thumping fury of sky-diving, 'Aaaa!!! F=ma' is an absolute must have for your iDevice.

Screenshots

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