By Jason Nimer
Little Guy Games' Battle Blasters is a tough game to characterize. Perfectly
suited for the iPhone and its touch controls, this app straddles the line
between a fancy version of Pong and a rather simple, albeit rewarding, fighting
game. A lot of my higher scores have gone to games that expertly blend genre
conventions (Darksiders, Borderlands, Mass Effect 2), but does Battle Blasters
measure up? Keep reading... or dont the game is only $2.99 and worth the price.
But if you want to know WHY... well, Ill tell you.
Dont misunderstand; Battle Blasters is a bite-sized iPhone game and has
nowhere near the quality level found in the titles I mentioned above. It is,
however, a lot of fun in small doses and a great distraction for when youre
standing in line, riding the bus, etc. Being that the title Battle Blasters
doesnt tell much about the game itself, a quick overview is warranted. Players
choose from a list of different personalities with varying skills and degrees
of usefulness to do one-on-one battle with the games other personalities.
Sounds like a fighting game, right? Not really. The battle is shown from an
overhead view, and players attack one another with projectiles, rather than
punches or kicks. The strength of the attacks is based on the touch screen
gesture used to activate them (slowly drawn lines equal slower blasts, while
quick strokes fire faster, less damaging attacks. Heres where the Pong
comparison comes in; all attacks are deflectable or able to be destroyed, which
has both warriors constantly on both offense and defense. As you get the hang of
things and face tougher enemies, the action can get pretty intense, with
projectiles cluttering the screen while you try to judge the opponents next
move.
Aside from offering up some of the iPhones fastest-paced action, Battle
Blasters is pretty middle of the road. It looks and sounds pretty good, but not
outstanding. It offers some moderate replay value, as there are a few characters
that you can unlock and use. Really, the games appeal comes mostly from the
back-and-forth action and the developers understanding of how a
pick-up-and-play game should be executed. And for the price, thats plenty. Any
post office line that breezes by because you have a few enemies to explode makes
Battle Blasters a valuable app, at least in my book.
Final Rating: 80%
