RazorianFly

Independent developer Tricky Software, who were also directly involved in bring EA’s Spore™ Origins [App Store] to the App Store, have gone solo, launching their own gaming title separate to that of the ‘EA’ label. Armado. I was sure to pick it up, and heres how I got on …

Tricky Software do seem to be a developer to watch closely, not just because they have (or have had) previous links with a major gaming company (Electronic Arts) and have helped to launch a highly popular title (Spore™ Origins), but actually – they also seem to be very original, and professional themselves.

In their words:

“We consider the art and design very critical to our approach. Creating characters and environments that people connect with is really what’s important when approaching the look and feel of any game. Preproduction plays an important role, but in the end having a clear direction is what’s key.”

What is Armado?
The game works on a level-by-level basis, and uses a graphical map to show you your progression. You are Amado [App Store] , an armadillo looking to regain control of his home territory. During the game you will guide your shell-housed friend through treacherous pathways, and along the way you’ll come into contact with enemies of all shape and size, who carry the ability to hurt you. Avoid them at all costs, or if it comes to it, eliminate them. To kill enemies, simply jump on top of them.

Gameplay
On the playing screen you’ll find a few things you’ll want to know about. The first is your spin bar, bottom left – when that runs out, your definitely in trouble. Your spin bar is the amount of power you have left in you, in order to perform a spin. To replenish the spin bar, collect as many gems available to you. Above this, you’ll also find a timer. This counts down from 7 minutes, to 0. Allow it to reach 0, and it’s game over for little Armado. Top left? – Your life indicators, and the pause button. Top right? – Your gem count. The more gems you collect, the better your score.

Gameplay Video
We’ll have our own up shortly. For now, here’s Tricky Software’s Promo:

Controls
Rolling, jumping and crashing his way through the game, Armado uses two types of controls. For general movement the game takes advantage of the device’s accelerometer. Tilt your phone back and forth and Armado moves in the respective direction. Cliffs, waterfalls, boulders, rolling logs!? – This is where the second method of control comes in. Touch. Simply tap the screen and Armado will leap into the air. Careful though, time it wrong, and your in trouble.

Collectibles
Throughout the game you’ll find a series of collectibles or pickups which will help you reach your goal and beat your score.

• Gems
  There are four types of gem throughout, each giving different amounts of points.

• Multipliers
  Multipliers are items on the pathway which when picked up will multiply the value of gems for a short time. There are three types of multiplier; x2, x3 and x6.

• Magical Rings
  Magical Rings can be worn by Armado only for a short time, each harnessing a secret power.

Price
On sale from £3.99 for the holiday season, Armado is currently selling for £1.79. In my opinion, I’d be willing to spend £3.99 on it, so at it’s currently price it’s a bit of a hot deal. Not convinced? – Grab Armado Lite, compeltely free, here [App Store].

Visuals & Sound
Can I just say, I would actually pay just have Armado’s icon on my home screen. That is one nice icon. Ok – onto the visuals. So, the game features a slurry of visual effects – possible the best we’ve seen so far on the device – you just have to look at the backdrop on this thing! I feel unlike other titles I could name, Tricky have really paid attention to the sheer detail of the title. However, all of this doesn’t come without it’s downsides. Due to Armado being so graphically intensive, it’s a little shaky right now, and does seem to crash occasionally.

Sound is also very present in the game. The picking up gems, jumping over obstacles, and other activities sees Armado make the appropriate noises.

Saving your Progress
Armado is one of titles adding to the small group which allows you to save your current progress. If you accidentally hit the home button, or your battery runs out, the next time you start Armado, it’ll zoom you back to exactly where you left off.

Overall
The game is respectable and definitely sets a new president for graphics on iPhone. Despite it’s moderate crashing, Amardo is a Super Mario-like adventure through an environment which has more hazards than you can bare to shake a stick at. Did we expect anything less from the developer’s behind Spore™ Origins?

Armado is also available for Mac and PC here.

Rating: 8.6/10

Reviewed at: v1.0
Released on: 20th Nov 2008
Retails for: ON SALE at £1.79 (Usually £3.99)

Compatible with: iPod touch Gen 1 & 2 / iPhone Classic / iPhone 3G

Grab Armado
Grab Armado Lite
Checkout Tricky Software