4/12/2009
Eliss version 1.0 by Stephane Thirion ($3.99):
Eliss is one of those rarest of games that you go and see and you say "Ah, this is why Roger Ebert was wrong!"
Indeed, you would be right. It's challenging, but not too challenging. In Eliss, sound is absolutely integral to the feel of the game: the bloops as spheres merge, the two notes which introduce you to each sector, and the sound of pain you hear when differing spheres meet.
The whole of this game is multi-touch to draw similar spheres apart or together while various obstacles are presented. It does get challenging at times, and is vaguely simple. Still, I can't help but love it as rather than regurgitate the same theme, Eliss challenges you with something new on each level. While I wouldn't recommend playing this on the bus -- you'll be too engaged and the bumpity-bump of any vehicle would probably throw off your game -- there are certainly plenty of other places to play it. And you should find those and embrace them.
Everything is memorable and grand and sounds like a Commodore 64 with the dry heaves after vomiting up an NES. A bargain at any price, buy Eliss or the owl will eat you.
Rating: A+
Wifi Fighters version 1.0 by Touch Fever ($1.99):
Bizarre space-craft hover about on the surface of a flat plane. The simplest deathmatch with only some power-ups and tilt control for variety, Wifi Fighters is unfortunate.
It has the potential to be hugely engaging if only it weren't this mismatched collection of features from games, while featuring the polish of none of them.
There is no sound when your ship is struck nor when your cannon fire strikes another craft. Why you're flying in what clearly appear as space craft at about ground level makes no sense either. What ground is there is a simple texture and quite boring. I'm not sure if uneven terrain would make the game more interesting, but it would at least change it up a bit. Maybe some snow or something more Hoth-esque? Optionally, you can fight four bots or other humans over the titular Wifi, locally only.
Toss in some polish, internet play, and VoIP when iPhone OS hits 3.0 and this game could be truly fun. Until then it's hardly worth the space it takes on the phone.
I suppose this game might be entertaining if you're drunk with your pals and want to see who will vomit first from the tilting. However I don't consider that the watershed moment in Wifi Fighters prospects.
Rating: C-
Join us next time, for more adventures in... TimeDoctor's iGame Squadron!
