Windburn
08-31-2009, 11:14 PM
Abstract:
Bear on a Wire [App Link (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=327374323&mt=8)] has fast become a favourite! The artwork and caricature is incredibly well done, and fits in with the light-hearted humour at the core its very excellent gameplay. There is much fun to be had here for all audiences.
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=327374323&mt=8
Discussion Thread: http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=23873
Review:
For some overly courageous folk, tightrope-riding on a moped may seem a straightforward concept-- but when the challenging 15 levels in Bear on a Wire take on a form more closely resembling a roller coaster on powerlines-- which becomes especially manifest when our Bear-hero lands head first into one of them and fries his bear bottom (pun very much intended), then you'll forgive Dreamsocket Inc for thinking outside the box a little.
This charm and light-hearted fun is exuded in every detail that comprises Bear on a Wire, from the fantastic artwork and quirky circus animations that accompany each of the game's 15 tricks to the sputter of the moped to signal that you ought to be picking up the pace. The backdrops are not overstated and are gorgeous to behold and are blessedly unique to each level. The music that accompanies the game unfortunately doesn't follow suit in its variance; but it is subtle, cheerful and chirpy enough that it never manages to really grate.
The gameplay proper requires use of the accelerometer to balance the heroic Bearzo as he performs his stunts in a race against the clock to reach the end. There are coins to pick up along the way, whether they they have any in-game effect beyond adding to your score at the end of each round remains a mystery. The majority of the points you accumulate however, will come from pulling off some very whacky bike stunts performed with key-press combinations of the 3 on-screen keys. It'll take some very practiced timing and quick reflexes to chain together the difficult stunts, but they are immensely satisfying when landed flawlessly.
One has to dig deep indeed to find any criticisms of Bear on a Wire. One noticeable flaw though is that sometimes the flip mechanic fails to register. Unlike stunts, flips are completely player driven, requiring an exaggerated tilt of the accelerometer to have Bearzo somersaulting head over heels as you try to steady him again for that perfect landing. On the right jump with enough altitude they are a breeze to perform, but it was noticed on more than one occassion that the game may not credit you for your efforts. Hopefully this is addressed in a future update.
The game itself is quite challenging, and it's not difficult to imagine quite some time lost in just learning the levels, particularly the longer ones in the latter part of the game. The 5 lives offered strike a terrific balance between letting you run wild on your stunts and reigning in your bravado just enough to get Bearzo to his destination, though you will find yourself crashing head first into an unsuspecting power line ramp on more than one occasion. Once you have the levels down-pat though, then it's up to you to start on improving your stunt scores though, which are all tracked by an easily accessed high score table.
It is clear that Bear on a Wire is a game absolutely screaming for an Openfeint online leaderboard and achievements, and comments on the Touch Arcade forums from the developer indicate that this will very likely be coming in the near future, which is something to truly get excited about. Together with the many stunts on offer and the ability to rack up some impressive scores, players will be soon trying to wring every point from each of the game's levels to achieve that perfect score. In its current state though, competing for high scores against friends on the same handset offers perfectly good practice in lieu of the more global competition being promised on the horizon.
Closing comments:
Bear on a Wire is definitely worth the purchase at it's modest $2.99 price point. This game oozes charm and attention to detail. Its simple concept and controls belie a richer, more challenging (but ultimately very fun!) trick mechanic that will be difficult to master but very satisfying nonetheless.
Windburn's rating:
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: (4 out of 5 stars)
NB: Rating compliant with iTunes Store rating system; no half stars are awarded.
Windburn's review system notes:
I have some very clear and concrete ideas on how reviews should operate.
Firstly, I do not want to put too much of an emphasis on a review's score, as I believe the content of my review should be enough for people to make their own minds up. Having said that, I understand that it makes no sense to disregard Apple's own rating system, so I'll abide by the 5 stars approach that Apple provides its customers to rate titles. That means I won't be giving half stars.
Secondly, I am a big fan of developers following up their initial releases, either with updates or with patches as deemed necessary. If you are a developer and you believe your recent updates and efforts warrant a second look at your title, please contact me on these forums and I will be more than happy to provide a revised perspective on your release.
I am not afraid of altering my review score if it truly deserves to be altered, as I see this as a respectful and appreciative nod to the necessary post-release efforts that the truly caring developers out there should be putting into their games if their titles are not fully realised from the outset.
Thirdly, I am Australian. Be warned, I'll be using the Queen's English!
Bear on a Wire [App Link (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=327374323&mt=8)] has fast become a favourite! The artwork and caricature is incredibly well done, and fits in with the light-hearted humour at the core its very excellent gameplay. There is much fun to be had here for all audiences.
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=327374323&mt=8
Discussion Thread: http://forums.toucharcade.com/showthread.php?t=23873
Review:
For some overly courageous folk, tightrope-riding on a moped may seem a straightforward concept-- but when the challenging 15 levels in Bear on a Wire take on a form more closely resembling a roller coaster on powerlines-- which becomes especially manifest when our Bear-hero lands head first into one of them and fries his bear bottom (pun very much intended), then you'll forgive Dreamsocket Inc for thinking outside the box a little.
This charm and light-hearted fun is exuded in every detail that comprises Bear on a Wire, from the fantastic artwork and quirky circus animations that accompany each of the game's 15 tricks to the sputter of the moped to signal that you ought to be picking up the pace. The backdrops are not overstated and are gorgeous to behold and are blessedly unique to each level. The music that accompanies the game unfortunately doesn't follow suit in its variance; but it is subtle, cheerful and chirpy enough that it never manages to really grate.
The gameplay proper requires use of the accelerometer to balance the heroic Bearzo as he performs his stunts in a race against the clock to reach the end. There are coins to pick up along the way, whether they they have any in-game effect beyond adding to your score at the end of each round remains a mystery. The majority of the points you accumulate however, will come from pulling off some very whacky bike stunts performed with key-press combinations of the 3 on-screen keys. It'll take some very practiced timing and quick reflexes to chain together the difficult stunts, but they are immensely satisfying when landed flawlessly.
One has to dig deep indeed to find any criticisms of Bear on a Wire. One noticeable flaw though is that sometimes the flip mechanic fails to register. Unlike stunts, flips are completely player driven, requiring an exaggerated tilt of the accelerometer to have Bearzo somersaulting head over heels as you try to steady him again for that perfect landing. On the right jump with enough altitude they are a breeze to perform, but it was noticed on more than one occassion that the game may not credit you for your efforts. Hopefully this is addressed in a future update.
The game itself is quite challenging, and it's not difficult to imagine quite some time lost in just learning the levels, particularly the longer ones in the latter part of the game. The 5 lives offered strike a terrific balance between letting you run wild on your stunts and reigning in your bravado just enough to get Bearzo to his destination, though you will find yourself crashing head first into an unsuspecting power line ramp on more than one occasion. Once you have the levels down-pat though, then it's up to you to start on improving your stunt scores though, which are all tracked by an easily accessed high score table.
It is clear that Bear on a Wire is a game absolutely screaming for an Openfeint online leaderboard and achievements, and comments on the Touch Arcade forums from the developer indicate that this will very likely be coming in the near future, which is something to truly get excited about. Together with the many stunts on offer and the ability to rack up some impressive scores, players will be soon trying to wring every point from each of the game's levels to achieve that perfect score. In its current state though, competing for high scores against friends on the same handset offers perfectly good practice in lieu of the more global competition being promised on the horizon.
Closing comments:
Bear on a Wire is definitely worth the purchase at it's modest $2.99 price point. This game oozes charm and attention to detail. Its simple concept and controls belie a richer, more challenging (but ultimately very fun!) trick mechanic that will be difficult to master but very satisfying nonetheless.
Windburn's rating:
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: (4 out of 5 stars)
NB: Rating compliant with iTunes Store rating system; no half stars are awarded.
Windburn's review system notes:
I have some very clear and concrete ideas on how reviews should operate.
Firstly, I do not want to put too much of an emphasis on a review's score, as I believe the content of my review should be enough for people to make their own minds up. Having said that, I understand that it makes no sense to disregard Apple's own rating system, so I'll abide by the 5 stars approach that Apple provides its customers to rate titles. That means I won't be giving half stars.
Secondly, I am a big fan of developers following up their initial releases, either with updates or with patches as deemed necessary. If you are a developer and you believe your recent updates and efforts warrant a second look at your title, please contact me on these forums and I will be more than happy to provide a revised perspective on your release.
I am not afraid of altering my review score if it truly deserves to be altered, as I see this as a respectful and appreciative nod to the necessary post-release efforts that the truly caring developers out there should be putting into their games if their titles are not fully realised from the outset.
Thirdly, I am Australian. Be warned, I'll be using the Queen's English!