Watch Out Danger Ahead Review

Monday, June 27, 2011

Watch Out Danger Ahead Review

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Watch Out Danger Ahead Review

By Phillip Levin on June 27th, 2011
Our Rating:

:: MINIMALISTIC
iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad

A simplistic but interesting take on the platforming genre.

Developer: Pop Bottom Games
Price: $0.99
Version Reviewed: 1.1
Device Reviewed On: iPhone

Graphics / Sound Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Game Controls Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Gameplay Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Replay Value Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.13 out of 5 stars

Watch Out Danger Ahead is a minimalist platformer in which users assume control of a ball and must roll it across stages, traversing jumps and overcoming geometric puzzles.

Other than its unusual title, the first thing that stands out about Watch Out Danger Ahead is its simplistic, minimalistic visuals. Its creator – Pop Bottom Games – has in fact spared expense when it comes to this app’s graphics. But this is not a necessarily a bad thing. Watch Out Danger Ahead, despite its simplistic and even primitive visuals, has somewhat of an art direction, even if it’s mostly limited to plain geometry and use of color.

The simple graphics go hand in hand with the equally simple gameplay at the foundation of Watch Out Danger Ahead. Gamers tilt their iOS device to roll their ball either left or right. By tapping the jump button, they can cause the nameless ball to jump, and by tapping the zoom button, they can give their ball a boost. Players are limited to rolling, jumping and boosting their ball across the level – that’s all there is to this simple platformer.

But don’t assume that Watch Out Danger Ahead is an easy game. There is certainly some challenge to be hand here. Beyond simply rolling a ball around, the true gameplay here comes from the challenge of manipulating the ball around chasms and other geometric puzzles, such as 90-degree inclines. Indeed, the game is actually fairly challenging and requires mastering its controls to progress very far at all.

That said, the intuitive control scheme is somewhat of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a control system that works well and lacks overwhelming complexity. However, at times, the controls can be frustrating. Getting the exact feel for the tilting, which is required in scenarios involving precision, can be quite difficult. If players stick with it, it does get easier. But it takes some time to master a control scheme that at first glance appears ridiculously straightforward.

Watch Out Danger Ahead’s approach to the platforming genre is simple and its concept is even kind of original. While this is no Mario, it’s a decent, unique twist on platforming.