diffusion8r
08-23-2009, 02:44 PM
App: A Quest Of Knights Onrush
Developer: MoreGames
Publisher: Chillingo
Price: Free
Screenshots:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=327080180&mt=8
iTunes Link: Click Here (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=327080180&mt=8)
A Quest of Knights Onrush, or Quest, is a spin-off in the 'Knights Onrush' series. While the main game in this family tree is a castle defense game, the developer MoreGames has altered the formula and made it an arcade style side scroller. Yes, there are hundreds of them on the app store already, including the amazingly good Inkvaders, so how can this game which is only used to promote the main castle defense app going to stand a chance? Easy - just like the dev did with Knights Onrush, they've made a few tweaks to the tried and true formula that can make it stand out from the rest.
Boot the game up and you'll notice the insane amount of polish this game possesses, probably the most I've ever seen in a free app; I'll come back to why later. A problem I have found is that the game throws you straight into the action with no real prior help - the help section is taken up by Knights Onrush help, not Quest help. Anyways, the controls are easy to learn - a virtual analogue stick for moving, and buttons for jumping and attacking. They're really responsive and perfect for the genre. No guns this time - just a typical sword for close quarters slashing. Enemies are predictable - other knights, some on horseback, trebuchets, wizards ex cetera, and some not so obvious like random instant kill falling boulders from the sky and annoyingly placed spikes. Unlike games like Zombieville there are no levels - you need to see how far you get which is measured in feet. This would be fine if there are online leaderboards which there aren't, and if the game didn't occasionally build an invisible wall you couldn't get through. and if it didn't end prematurely at 7,000 feet.
Sounds rather average, doesn't it? Might as well not bother and get Inkvaders instead...
...but wait. The game has tricks up its sleeves, many in fact. Firstly you can move up, down, diagonal, left, right, wherever. It's not 2D, so it you move the analogue stick up you actually move upwards down the field. This adds a whole new dimention (literally) to the game, and can give you 2 to 3 layers of enemies. Also, you can upgrade your character every time they gain a new level by getting experience from enemies. This upgrade can range from a killer spell that kills everything on the screen, a powerful charge, a super jump, an ice sword slash and more. These have to be recharged after use or they would be spammed to death however. This adds so much depth to the game, and you need to work out what's the best time to upgrade a certain stat, and what combinations of moves work best.
The game, although, isn't half short of value, or at least won't be in time. The lite version of Knights Onrush is added, which is very conveniant so you have 2 apps in 1, an extra place on the springboard for another wikipedia clone. The devs also will see the sales of the game and then possibly make a premium version, with different heroes with unique powers, new maps, levels, and a hell of a lot more depth, and trust me after you buy this game you'll want it a lot.
So, here are my individual ratings for each section of the game:
Sound: 3.5 Stars
Can get repetitive, and the sound effects are average at best, but good quality music.
Graphics: 4.5 Stars
Clean, shiny cartoon graphics. Everything looks nice, and the graphics alone could pass in a $10 game.
Controls: 5 Stars
The best arcade side scrolling controls you could get. Responsive, easy to use, perfect.
Gameplay: 4.5 Stars
This would get a perfect five - with the 2.5Dish environment, the new techniques you can learn plus more it is incredible fun - but some bugs and glitches spoil it.
Replayibility 3 Stars
The Minigore of side scrollers - immensely fun, probably the best in the genre, but it has no depth whatsoever. It is fun trying to get a high score but with limits in glitches and a stopping point and no online leaderboards it is pulled down, regardless of how addictive it is.
Overall
This game is incredibly fun - better than any other side scroller in raw gameplay - but as it's lacking in depth and with its glitches can't really compete until a premium version is released. Immense fun - and for free you can't pass it up. And by downloading you may help bring one of the best iPhone apps to the table, but in its current state it can't compete against bigger games like Inkvaders. Watch this space, as when teh full version is out it will rip apart the competition.
4 Stars - Fun but needing a fix.
Developer: MoreGames
Publisher: Chillingo
Price: Free
Screenshots:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=327080180&mt=8
iTunes Link: Click Here (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=327080180&mt=8)
A Quest of Knights Onrush, or Quest, is a spin-off in the 'Knights Onrush' series. While the main game in this family tree is a castle defense game, the developer MoreGames has altered the formula and made it an arcade style side scroller. Yes, there are hundreds of them on the app store already, including the amazingly good Inkvaders, so how can this game which is only used to promote the main castle defense app going to stand a chance? Easy - just like the dev did with Knights Onrush, they've made a few tweaks to the tried and true formula that can make it stand out from the rest.
Boot the game up and you'll notice the insane amount of polish this game possesses, probably the most I've ever seen in a free app; I'll come back to why later. A problem I have found is that the game throws you straight into the action with no real prior help - the help section is taken up by Knights Onrush help, not Quest help. Anyways, the controls are easy to learn - a virtual analogue stick for moving, and buttons for jumping and attacking. They're really responsive and perfect for the genre. No guns this time - just a typical sword for close quarters slashing. Enemies are predictable - other knights, some on horseback, trebuchets, wizards ex cetera, and some not so obvious like random instant kill falling boulders from the sky and annoyingly placed spikes. Unlike games like Zombieville there are no levels - you need to see how far you get which is measured in feet. This would be fine if there are online leaderboards which there aren't, and if the game didn't occasionally build an invisible wall you couldn't get through. and if it didn't end prematurely at 7,000 feet.
Sounds rather average, doesn't it? Might as well not bother and get Inkvaders instead...
...but wait. The game has tricks up its sleeves, many in fact. Firstly you can move up, down, diagonal, left, right, wherever. It's not 2D, so it you move the analogue stick up you actually move upwards down the field. This adds a whole new dimention (literally) to the game, and can give you 2 to 3 layers of enemies. Also, you can upgrade your character every time they gain a new level by getting experience from enemies. This upgrade can range from a killer spell that kills everything on the screen, a powerful charge, a super jump, an ice sword slash and more. These have to be recharged after use or they would be spammed to death however. This adds so much depth to the game, and you need to work out what's the best time to upgrade a certain stat, and what combinations of moves work best.
The game, although, isn't half short of value, or at least won't be in time. The lite version of Knights Onrush is added, which is very conveniant so you have 2 apps in 1, an extra place on the springboard for another wikipedia clone. The devs also will see the sales of the game and then possibly make a premium version, with different heroes with unique powers, new maps, levels, and a hell of a lot more depth, and trust me after you buy this game you'll want it a lot.
So, here are my individual ratings for each section of the game:
Sound: 3.5 Stars
Can get repetitive, and the sound effects are average at best, but good quality music.
Graphics: 4.5 Stars
Clean, shiny cartoon graphics. Everything looks nice, and the graphics alone could pass in a $10 game.
Controls: 5 Stars
The best arcade side scrolling controls you could get. Responsive, easy to use, perfect.
Gameplay: 4.5 Stars
This would get a perfect five - with the 2.5Dish environment, the new techniques you can learn plus more it is incredible fun - but some bugs and glitches spoil it.
Replayibility 3 Stars
The Minigore of side scrollers - immensely fun, probably the best in the genre, but it has no depth whatsoever. It is fun trying to get a high score but with limits in glitches and a stopping point and no online leaderboards it is pulled down, regardless of how addictive it is.
Overall
This game is incredibly fun - better than any other side scroller in raw gameplay - but as it's lacking in depth and with its glitches can't really compete until a premium version is released. Immense fun - and for free you can't pass it up. And by downloading you may help bring one of the best iPhone apps to the table, but in its current state it can't compete against bigger games like Inkvaders. Watch this space, as when teh full version is out it will rip apart the competition.
4 Stars - Fun but needing a fix.