Sushi Quest review

[SpaceJoker]

Sushi Quest
Price: $1.99
Size: 14.3MB

After a recomendation from a friend, I looked up "Sushi Quest" in the App Store. While a bit hesitant at the first for the price (1.99 cents), I soon understood that it was something more than just another 2d game.
I started it up, and quickly was watching the a short intro about the 'Bobs', the cute creatures that populate this game, followed by a interactive tutorial.
The first impression is, well, this game certantly features an interesting art style, very cartoony and colorful, that kids will probably love. And is it all in 3D, so the production values are a bit above average compared to other iPhone games.

I played the game during my trip back home, and I have to say, well, this game is challenging! It really forces you to explore the level and try to interact with everything. For example, in the first level if you look around you can find some bombs. Then you can either use the bombs to break some rocks and find more bombs and coins or explode a bridge (and doing this releases a couple of barrels in the river that you can later use to cross to the other side). Some times the difficulty level can be frustating though, but luckily the game lets you skip a stage after you lose a couple times.

Graphics
As said before, the graphics in "Sushi Quest" are 3d and very cute. The artstyle overall is really consistent, with good use of colors, making up for a very relaxing experience. In some screenshots I have seen some scary looking areas, I guess they are more advanced stages that I did not unlock yet.

Sound
I have quite a mixed opinion about the sound in "Sushi Quest". The special effects are cool, with the exception of the anoying bouncing sound the characters do when walking. Probably the kids will find it ammusing though. Anyway you can always turn the sound effects volume down in the options. Now the music is another thing, first, it is, how to say, strange, but at the same time soothing and beautiful, it reminds me a bit of some oriental sounds.

Controls
This is the weak point of 'Sushi Quest'. While the tutorial says at first 'touch the screen to move' it is a bit misleading. First I tried sweeping motions, but then I found that the correct way was to touch the character and drag it around. The controls are very tigh as soon as you understand it, but before that, it can be frustrating.

Fun
If you're just wanting some quick action, then I won't recomend this game, as some parts are slow, are require you to stop and think for a bit, but
if you love puzzles and exploration like me, then you will really love this game.
The difficulty of the puzzles range fluctuates greatly from very easy to hard (I still stuck in one puzzle in stage 7).
Overall, the sensation of 'Oh, I found the solution!' it is quite regarding, but some levels can get quite complex, it is not the game you can pick and play in a hurry.

Price
I would say the price is good enough, as if you like the game, it can last you hours to complete, especially if you try unlocking everything, as the stage secrets greatly increase the replay factor. It is a nice addition to your iPhone collection, since it is quite an unique title, go get it!

My score: 4 out of 5

iTunes link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sushi-quest/id441003304#