Bombcats Special Edition Review
PROS
- Decent flow through batches of levels.
- Real sense of progression over a massive, content-packed map.
- Different cat types keep things interesting.
CONS
- Checkpoint events kill flow.
- Gem currency feels like a holdover from the freemium version.
VERDICT
Bombcats Special Edition is a solid, well-presented physics puzzler with loads of content. Unfortunately, it can't quite get away from its currency-based freemium roots.
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Chillingo has been experimenting with freemium games in recent months. One of these experiments was Bombcats, a game which combined the physics flinging fun of exploding kitties with a freemium gem system. We didn't get around to reviewing the original release, but with Bombcats Special Edition sidelining the gem currency and adding more content, we thought we'd take second look.
So there are these trapped kittens. To free them, you chuck an exploding cat (because cats explode now) in their general direction. Cats can jump more than once, and, nlike other games in the genre, you don't need to wait till the cat comes to a complete stop before flinging it again. However, you can only make it jump so many times. Once he fuse has been lit, and it's only a matter of time until complete kitty combustion.
As you progress through the massive world map, you unlock new cats, upgrades, powers, and skins. These cost gems to purchase, which you can earn from completing levels and collecting suns. Obviously this is a hangover from the freemium model, though the items do cost less than before.
However, gems aren't the only echo of Bombcats Special Edition's previous incarnation. Every few levels, just when you're really getting into the flow of the game, you have to exit back to the map to either unlock an upgrade or partake in a time trail or marathon. While these events can be enjoyable in their own right, the forced checkpoints interrupt your progress, to the point where you begin to dread their appearance.
Bombcats Special Edition has strong enough presentation and ideas to hold its on in the physics flinger genre. However, while the freemium aspects of the game have been softened, the game can't escape its free-to-play roots. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if you don't like juggling ingame currencies, you might find Bombcats Special Edition's explosive charms might fizzle out a little early.
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