Craft Control for iPhone new line-drawing game

Craft Control iPhone

Craft Control iPhone

Craft Control [rating: 3.5/5]

Craft Control is a hard game to pigeon hole with a one line description. In some ways it seems a little like an evolution of a game you might have seen on a Nintendo Game & Watch in the 1980s. Obviously the gameplay and graphics are far more advanced than those little monochrome wonders of my youth. The addiction and satisfaction that you would get from dealing with the steadily increasing difficulty curve and the simple, satisfyingly, repetitive but fun gameplay is something that Craft Control most definitely inherited from its prehistoric cousins.

It occurs to me that Craft Control also has some similarities to the breakout iPhone, iPod Touch and now iPad hit ‘Flight Control’. In fact one of the games customers described it as “Flight Control of the seas”, and I can kind of see why.

In essence your role in Craft Control is to draw lines from the boat’s starting position on a map, so that they reach their goal as efficiently as possible. There are four main maps to choose from in the game. A few more might be nice in a future update, perhaps? As you mark a navigation path on the screen with your finger a line is drawn to show you the route you have created and then your selected boat will start out on its journey.

Time is a factor in the gameplay, but Craft Control doesn’t ram that concept down your throat. It feels more like you are being gently pushed along by a kind captain who would like you to do well.

As the game progresses environmental factors increase, and that can make the task to route your craft more complex. These “environmental factors” can be in the form of other ships passing through the map which will force you to route your ships around their predicted path.

The graphics are eye catching, and a lot of work has obviously gone into making the atmospheric water effects, and the objects floating around on them behave realistically. The maps, while a little basic, are well presented and pretty.

The sound is probably what reminds me most of the old Nintendo games, as it is cute, but can get a little high pitched and repetitive. Though when you are in a trance playing the game you don’t notice this so much.

Craft Control

An added layer to the game is that by completing runs in good time you increase your earnings and this will cause a pop up sailer to offer you the opportunity to go and spend some of your loot on upgrading game and ship options. The way you route your craft will result in more or less rewards, and consequently cash to spend in the shop.. If you are good at time management, you’ll be good at Craft Control.

The shop is well presented and well executed and makes good use of the touch display. Some of the decisions you make in the shop section of Craft Control will impact how you progress in the game as the navigation problems increase in difficulty for you.

There is an online leader-board, as well as a local high score table, which also adds a social aspect to the game.

Craft Control is a fun little game. That will certainly give you some amusement on those occasions when you simply want to vegetate and play something simple and rewarding.

In summary, its worth the $0.99 it is being sold for at right now.

Pros

  • Well Presented.
  • Pretty Graphics.
  • Addictive Gameplay.

Cons

  • Would like a little more variation in maps and environmental events.
  • Sound can get repetitive.

$0.99 (View in iTunes)
Category: Games
Released:Sep 15, 2010
Reviewed Version:1.0
Size: 7.7 MB
Language:English
Seller:Istom Games Kft.
© 2010 Istom Games Kft.
Requirements:Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later.

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