Slingshot Justice

Monday, July 11, 2011

Slingshot Justice

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Slingshot Justice

By Phillip Levin on July 11th, 2011
Our Rating:

:: ALL RIGHT
iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad

Protect the lemonade stand from an onslaught of bullies.

Developer: Anomalous Interactive
Price: $0.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Device Reviewed On: iPhone

Graphics / Sound Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Game Controls Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Gameplay Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Replay Value Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Overall Rating: 3.13 out of 5 stars

I can’t help but wonder if whoever originally thought of the idea of Slingshot Justice was a victim of schoolyard bullying. They certainly don’t like bullies. Then again, who does?

The whole concept of Slingshot Justice is to protect lemonade stands from bullies who seek to steal bags of lemons. This is accomplished primarily with the use of a slingshot, as well as several other weapons, such as an automatic BB gun and grenade launcher that shoots flour. There are three different scenarios, including Treehouse, Rooftop and Branches – each of which has players camped out from a different perspective. Still, the core gameplay in each scenario is the same. Gamers tap to shoot their weapon of choice to stop waves of bullies from reaching the lemonade stand.

The game’s developer, Anomalous Interactive, has includes some extra options that gamers will appreciate, such as the ability to change the kind of ammunition they use, as well as unlock new kinds of ammunition. For example, players can choose to use grapes, sugar cubes, cashews or marbles with their slingshot. Even though these choices are purely aesthetic, this adds some needed dimension to a game that is otherwise pretty simple and straightforward.

The underlying gameplay isn’t really deep or original, but it works decently well enough. The issue, though, is that I find the concept of Slingshot Justice to be a little unsettling. Yeah, gamers are targeting bullies, with their slingshots, but they’re still shooting at what are basically school-age children. What’s more, when players take out several bullies simultaneously, they’re awarded a “multikill” bonus, which calls into question whether or not these bullies are just being “stopped” or “killed.” If it’s the latter, well, there’s just something a little disconcerting about that, considering the age of the characters on screen.

Potential controversy aside, Slingshot Justice is a fairly entertaining little game. Again, it’s not particularly deep or game-changing, but it’s not trying to be.