Things have been getting terribly twisty in the world of iOS gaming lately. Duet, the twitch-based game of rotation and avoidance, is the latest in the recent spat of lo-fi spinathons. Like Pivvot and Super Hexagon before it, Duet takes a simple concept, dresses it up in basic block colours, and then begins to mercilessly test your reflexes without giving a second thought to your sanity or self worth.
You take charge of two coloured orbs which are linked by a circle. It's your job to avoid letting either of these orbs touch any of the descending white barriers. To achieve this, you rotate the circle left or right by touching the appropriate side of the screen.
The chapters - each of which are named after one of the psychological stages experienced when coping with loss - comprise around six mini-stages. At first, the blocks and bars which approach can be swivelled around relatively easily. Soon, you encounter strings of blocks that require you to gracefully loop-de-loop around their insta-killing corners.
Once you get the hang of things, besting levels delivers a real glow of satisfaction. As with all the good auto-runners, chaining a series of perfectly-timed manouvres together and emerging unscathed feel both deserved and brilliant, and spurs you on to tackle the next challenge.
However, when shifting and rotating blocks appear, things start getting hairy. Soon, you're leaving red and blue smears all over the clean white barriers, and offering up foul curses to the gods of dexterity and compulsion.
But you've only got yourself to blame. Duet's mechanics are considered and methodical - exactly the frame of mind you must be in to get the best out of the game. It's harsh, but fair, and though its visuals may be crude, its subtleties cannot be denied. If Pivvot had you spinning right round (baby), then Duet should have you coming back for seconds again and again.
Description
Enter a mesmerising trance of co-dependence in Duet. The rules are simple: control two vessels in sync, survive against all odds and keep calm.
Best, Most Elegant iPhone Games of the Year 2013 - The New Yorker
Grand Prize Winner, Best Action, Best Audio - Intel Level Up
Best Design, Best Audio - Australian Game Developer Awards
Best Design - IGF China
PAX 10 & PAX East Indie Showcase Selection
Mobile Game of the Year 2013 - Kotaku
4.5/5 - Touch Arcade
4.5/5 - 148 Apps
4.5/5 - App Smile
"...few other games are as fun when you succeed." -- The New Yorker
"It feels as designed as a raindrop, and just as perfect." -- Ben Kuchera, Polygon
"Duet does what the best video games do." -- Kotaku
"Highly Recommended." -- Penny Arcade Report
"Duet looks hard as nails. And I love it." -- Touch Arcade
"Duet is a must-have." -- 148 Apps
"Shiel's soundtrack ... is as innovative as the game it scores." -- Jake Cleland, The Vine
"Your eyes, ears, and thumbs were built to perform this Duet together." -- Indie Games
"...Duet's plaintive and melancholic aesthetic imbues it with a sense of the profound." -- CVG
"But while the aesthetic of Duet is familiar, the gameplay is all new." -- Pocket Gamer
"It is fantastic." -- Tim Rogers
"Duet on iOS. Instant love. Instant." -- Mark Serrels
Your survival is dependent on protecting two vessels - they are devices in sync, a dance and song between two entities tethered together in symbiosis. Feel edge of your seat terror where the world around you becomes quiet and numb as all that matters is the game living between your palms -- that is Duet.
% NINE CHAPTERS
Experience nine chapters of deceptive narrative and nerve-twisting gameplay. Unlock the bonus Survival chapter for endless score chasing delight. Replay any stage to perfect your movements and unlock over 25 Game Center achievements. This is a game that will test you.
% EIGHT NEW EPILOGUE CHAPTERS
Explore a whole new narrative with all-new game mechanics in our new “epilogue” to Duet. Including over 40 new stages, new narrative and new remix tracks. You will need a new state of mind to complete this experience.
% PERFECT GAMEPLAY
With air tight controls and gameplay that’s tuned to perfection Duet provides the perfect balance between challenge and pure gaming satisfaction. Touch either side of the screen to twist your vessels and avoid everything in your path. Remember: even that which begins simple can end complex.
% HYPNOTIC AUDIO
An outstanding handcrafted soundtrack by Melbourne composer and Gotye multi-instrumentalist Tim Shiel. Nine unique and mesmerizingly beautiful compositions ensure an immersive experience for you at every step of your journey, complemented by full in-game vocal narration by Jojo Petrina.
% FULLY FEATURED
- Full iCloud support - sync your progress across all your devices.
- Universal App - play on your new iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and iPad mini.
- Compete with Game Center on the leaderboards.
% ABOUT KUMOBIUS
Selected for the Indie Showcase at PAX Aus and a finalist in both Game Design and Audio for the Freeplay Festival. This is another award-winning title from the team behind Time Surfer & Bean’s Quest. We call Duet a “Hex-like” in honour of Terry Cavanagh’s contribution to the medium of games and exploration of genres.
% ABOUT TIM SHIEL
Tim Shiel is a composer/producer based in Melbourne. Tim is known to some as Faux Pas, the moniker under which he released a steady stream of constantly shifting electronic music for many years. He is also known for his work as a broadcaster at Melbourne independent radio station 3RRR FM, and for his recent role as multi-instrumentalist in Gotye's live band.
% SUPPORT
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What's New in Version 4.2
Bug fixes.
$2.99
