FingerGaming

Rating:

• Price: $4.99 (Get Full Version or Free Lite Demo)
• Version: 1.1
• Official Site: Mobigame

Half the battle in creating a puzzle title for the iPhone, it seems, lies in creating an original concept that stands out from the crowd. With Edge, developer Mobigame has not only created an entirely unique experience, but it’s executed it brilliantly on multiple fronts.

Edge gives you control over a cube, which you must successfully navigate through a series of isometric environments. You’re able to move in four different directions, and you can climb walls of up to one cube length, with certain physical restrictions. On the way to each level’s goal, you’ll need to solve small puzzles and overcome obstacles placed in your path.

It’s a familiar premise that fits many of the action-puzzlers previously released in the App Store. What sets Edge apart is a combination of factors, ranging from its striking aesthetic to its smooth controls to its challenging gameplay. Every element in Edge has obviously been given very careful attention to detail, and the result is a product that feels altogether complete and satisfying.

The first thing you’re likely to notice about Edge is its sense of style. Edge’s environments are monochrome, while your cube and the collectible icons strewn throughout each level wildly cycle through a spectrum of colors in contrast. You might think that the colorful elements would be the most visually striking part of the game, but a few levels in, you’ll be proven wrong. Though the environments lack color, they possess a life of their own; you’ll see level structures morph, detach, and reassemble multiple times during the course of each level.

You’re mostly in control of when the more jarring level redesigns occur, as most are triggered by pressing switches. A large part of Edge’s gameplay involves hitting cleverly placed switches, though you’ll have to use dexterity to clear the more taxing levels. Some levels will suddenly shift their structures and push your cube around, requiring you to react quickly. At times, you’ll need to balance your cube over the edge of one block as you wait for the right moment to cross a gap or collect an item.

This mechanic takes practice, but it’s soon mastered thanks to Edge’s variety of control schemes. The game defaults to swipe-based controls, which should effectively serve you throughout most of the game. You can also use a tilt-based control method, though this tends to be the least accurate of the available control options. Many times, I preferred using the third control scheme, which allows you to move your block by touching four on-screen arrows. I found that balancing your cube on the edge of a platform is much easier using this control method.

Whichever control scheme you use, Edge remains a delight throughout its 43 levels (including 17 new stages added in a recent update). A forgiving checkpoint system ensures that you’ll rarely get frustrated with Edge’s more challenging moments, and since you have unlimited tries, each mistake feels like part of a learning process, rather than an unfair setback. I recommend this one highly.

Tags: Action, edge, mobigame, Puzzle, reviews