vParticle+ (iPhone) review

vParticle+ is a modern day version of the classic game Labyrinth. This game is about controlling a bunch of particles through a maze of different kinds of traps. You have to get every single particle to safety into a box, marked with an E, before you can finish the level.

You control the particles with the accelerometer on your iPhone. The particles behave very realistic and precise thanks to the custom-built physics engine. You can also change the sensitivity and calibrate the control so that the particles behave more the way you want.

There are 220 different levels and 5 level types. Some levels are easy and some are really hard. It can become frustrating sometimes but overall the games difficulty has a great variety. And most levels have checkpoints, depending on the difficulty, so you don't have to start from the beginning. If your particles get smashed by moving blocks or other kinds of traps, that specific particle will either start from the beginning or from the nearest checkpoint.

The neon graphics are really nice and very sharp thanks to the full Retina display support. You can also change the theme anytime during gameplay, which is nice. And at every restart a new random theme will be generated. vParticle+ runs at 60 frames per second, and it really shows because the game runs very smoothly.

This game feels very futuristic and so does the music. The soundtrack is electronica based and matches the feel of the game. But if you don't like it, you can always use the iPod feature to play your own music.

Overall: vParticle+ is a fun and challenging labyrinth puzzle game that will keep you busy for hours. With awesome graphics, fantastic particle physics and many different kinds of levels makes this game a must have on your iPhone 4.

Review: vParticle+ (iPhone) XXXX [4/5].

Rage HD (iPhone) review

What, has Id Software's new video game been leaked a year before the release!? No, but you will get a great preview on your iPhone.

John Carmack is a genius. What he does with his programming is nothing you can teach or even force out. He has a very rare talent whom few have. We have seen the results of it ever since Id Software became famous with Doom, revolutionized multiplayer with Quake and won every German game award for "Most Polygons" with the third game about the horrors of hell. Now, he intends to change the mobile market.

I read an interview with Carmack a few years ago where he described the happiness of finding his way back to his code roots, siting alone with a project and let your fingers do the magic with very limited basis. He also said that it would be very difficult to do a good shooter for mobile phones but with Rage HD he surprises everyone, probably also himself.

Rage HD is a full blown gaming experience and with classic Id-style, they push the technology without mercy. The nameless and always silent main character moves by himself, leaving you to control the sight which is done at the absolute best way I've ever experienced on the platform. To tilt the phone and let the gyro do the work sounds like a bad solution in advance, but once you get started, it feels very natural. It's also possible to control the sight by dragging your finger, which works great as well. In the corners of the screen, you will find buttons to shoot, reload and switch weapons. Simple but very effective.

With that information, you're ready to participate in the show Mutant Bash TV. The game is based on that show, and each track is a new episode. At launch, there're three levels: an apartment complex, a madhouse and a bunker. I wouldn't be surprised if more is released in a future update. On paper, the content may seem slim but since you are looking for high scores and reviews rather than to clear the tracks, although that in itself can be a challenge at first, it will last for a very long time.

Points can be scored, not surprisingly, by shooting the mutants that will crawl and jump out of all possible places. There're bags to pick, ammunition to collect and stationary targets to hit so you can count on that you will be busy from the start. During my first play-through I didn't do much more than shoot mutants. The entire process is on time so if you want to end up at the top charts you need to hit everything at a very fast rate. It simply smells Id and it's a taste I'll never get tired of.

The Texas company also shows tremendous confidence when they release Rage first on mobile phones, we're after all one year away from seeing their first major game in 14 years.

Overall: Rage HD is a must have for all that wants to play an awesome FPS on their iDevices. With great controls and impressive graphics make this one of the best games on the iPhone.

Review: Rage HD (iPhone) XXXX [4/5].