Crazy Escape Review

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Crazy Escape Review

at 7:05 AM

Crazy Escape Review

By Lisa Caplan on October 25th, 2011
Our Rating:

:: PATHS OF FUN
Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

Crazy Escape adds a cartoonish cat and mouse like twist to the path drawing genre.

Developer: Bulkypix
Price: $.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0.
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 4, iPad 2

Graphics / Sound Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
Game Controls Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Gameplay Rating: 4.15 out of 5 stars
Replay Value Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars

Path drawing games seem to be enjoying a resurgence. Flight Control has long been a hit, but we've seen new titles from all the big names that use this control scheme. Now Bulky Pix enters the arena with a cute action-puzzler called Crazy Escape. It combines the excitement of a cat and mouse game with a path drawing twist.

"A terrible thing has happened," opens the game description. What is this horror? A herd of hapless sheep have been captured by ravenous wolves and it’s up to heroes Cutlet and Mishmash, Jeep-wrangling penguins, to save them. Players must guide the pair over a variety of terrains trying to save sheep and collecting stars all while trying to avoid wolves. What is it about flightless fowl and iOS gaming anyway?

In any case, gamers use their finger to lay out their route, avoiding obstacles and looking for the best way to the exit whilst collecting the sheep, some of which are locked and require keys, and of course the stars.

Players need a quick finger to avoid all pitfalls like mud, rocks and other obstacles. Of course the wolf pack chases the penguins relentlessly throughout the game. Hesitate and the wolves will be feasting on sheep – and penguin too.

The game relies a lot on a player’s ability to control the jeep – drawing too quickly will cause the jeep to tilt or run into obstacles, while driving too slowly makes for easy wolf pickings. Finding the most direct route to the exit is the key. There are a full 90 levels of silly fun in this family-friendly game, with Game Center support and a decent amount of replay value for the price.

The only issue I encountered was more that sometimes, particularly on a frantic chance, my finger obscured the view of the game board, but this was only a problem on my iPhone. On the iPad’s bigger screen, the obstruction was minimal. The controls themselves are very responsive, even allowing for my jerky attempts to avoid hitting trees.

Crazy Escape's cartoon style graphics suit the game perfectly and add humor. It's hard not to laugh as the sheep are dragged mercilessly behind the jeep. This is a great introduction to path drawing games for younger gamers, but packs a fast-paced challenge for even a seasoned finger-pilot. It's worth the pickup if path-drawing games appeal.