Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor Review

By Andrew Nesvadba, on August 11, 2009

Publisher: GameClub
Genre: Strategy
Released: 10 Aug, 2009
Size: 233.0 MB
Price: FREE!

PROS

The chance to experience a game that almost begs for a full price-tag on other handheld devices.
Truly unique gameplay for the iPhone.

CONS

The controls can be fiddly.
Not the kind of game that works in small bursts.

VERDICT

The Secret of Bryce Manor is a sophisticated enough game to please even the most hardened of gamers, while remaining friendly to the more casual of players.

Full Review
App Store Info

It's a rare moment to come across a game on the iPhone that oozes style and addictive gameplay. It's even rarer for it to be the first publication of a new developer. Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor by Tiger Style has set the bar high for gaming on a mobile device with an action/adventure that ties elegant gameplay with a mature narrative and a slick artistic style.

The main objective of the game is to feed your spider by creating geometric webs to capture insects, which is further complicated by the need to find useful anchor points for your web. This is achieved through the flicks, taps and presses used to jump, lay webs or simply run around the environment. At times, the game can misinterpret your gestures, but this rarely causes you to fail a level.

The artistic impact of this game on the iPhone is worth the purchase alone, with each of the 28 levels using hand-drawn 2D environments that are not only stunning to view, but are instrumental in easily identifying areas to spin your webs. Much of the hefty 50mb download for this game went in to the artwork, but there was still room for a musical soundtrack that defies you to turn it off.

With a subtle narrative told only by experiencing the game, this is the kind of app that may be marked as a key moment in the history of mobile phone gaming. This is a game that has matured with challenging and clever gameplay that will test your mettle as a gamer. Take your time to savor Spider because it's hard to put down.

Screenshots