Darkside is the second iOS title from developer Clockwook Pixels and if you have a soft spot for the retro game Asteroids then Darkside may be worth a look.
For those of you under 30 Asteroids is a 2 dimensional space shooter where you control a 4 line spaceship surrounded by spinning asteroids with your only option to spin and shoot your way through them.
While Asteroids still stands the test of time Darkside brings it into the 21st century with gorgeous retina display graphics, firework like explosions and a thumping aural experience.
Each level is based on a planet which you spin around and using the left virtual analog stick while shooting a full 360 degrees using the right virtual analog stick. The controls are simple and effective and allow you to navigate the busy planet at speed which is something you’ll need if you plan to progress through the levels.
You single weapon soon finds itself as little help against the huge asteroids that are bombarding you but luckily a variety of power-ups will provide you with just what you need to blast through the levels.
The game comes in three flavors, Arcade, Mission and Survival modes which add slightly different challenges to the main concept. Arcade is included in as part of the free universal app while a single in-app purchase will unlock the additional two modes.
If you are looking for a shooter that fires up the senses or want to relive the memories of yesterday year then you can’t go far wrong with Darkside that has a built-in trial period thanks to the 99 cent in-app purchase.
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I think I went to school with Keith T. Maxwell, not the war hero who finds himself at the centre of a battle to save the Earth from aliens who’s purpose it seems is to destroy everything in their path. No, the Keith T. Maxwell I believe I knew was a mild mannered boy who would never have got mixed up in such shenanigans!
The game starts as it means to go on with the beginning of a beautifully crafted and engaging storyline interspersed with a splattering of humour along the way. There is a lot of story and while some people may not enjoy that it certainly adds to the game especially as it is completely voice acted meaning that you don’t need to read the words on screen.
As the game starts you are immediately thrown into a space dog fight which quickly gets you a handle on the controls which for the most part are very simple. The simplicity is helped by the lack of a throttle for you to control the speed of your ship. While this makes things easier it limits the maneuverability of the ship which is a little disappointing. Steering options include either the touch screen or the accelerometer but while the accelerometer is fun the touchscreen offered better accuracy and control.
You’ll soon find yourself flying around downing the enemy combatants with relative ease. If you’ve come here just expecting a space shoot though you will either be disappointed, surprised or both as for has much shooting goes on there are missions to complete that will help you build your experience and more importantly upgrade your ship.
While you may be tempted just to upgrade your weapons you must also upgrade your shields and engines as a slow ship is a sitting duck however strong your weapons are. Complete enough missions however and you’ll be able to purchase whole new ships too.
The scale of the game is pretty impressive, there are over 100 space stations to visit spread over 20 solar systems. Luckily there is a map to help you navigate and avoid the long flights between locations. Not that flying around space in this game is always a bad thing as the game looks great, from the detail of the ships to the beauty and scale of the planets, asteriods and other items just flying around can be a delight too.
The missions are fun and included finding specific items, mining asteroids, collecting loot and ‘rescuing’ abandoned ships to trade with. The various space stations is where you will complete your trading activities, you can also meet other characters here who will offer you additional opportunities to improve your reputation and items.
The variety in Galaxy on Fire 2 is great especially with the number of interesting characters you will get to talk to and shoot down during the dog fights in space. At $6.99 you would probably expect nothing less and it’s worth every cent especially for those of you with both an iPhone and an iPad as while this game is currently only for the iPhone/iPod Touch a future upgrade will provide an iPad compatible version and if you’ve already paid for the iPhone version the iPad version will come free.
If you were disappointed with the original Galaxy of Fire you won’t be with this sequel and if you love the original, Galaxy of Fire 2 is the game you’ve been waiting for.
$6.99 (View in iTunes)
Category: Games
Released: Oct 27, 2010
Version: 1.0.1
1.0.1
108 MB
Languages: English, German
Seller: FISHLABS
© 2010 FISHLABS
Rated 12+ for the following:
Infrequent/Mild Alcohol, Tobacco, or Drug Use or References
Infrequent/Mild Profanity or Crude Humor
Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence
Requirements:Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 3.0 or later