Edge: The Minimalist’s Platformer [Video]

Posted on January 6th, 2009. Written by Arron.

On Monday of this week, multi-award winning platformer Edge made it’s way to iPhone and iPod touch. Guiding a multicoloured cube around an ever-changing spacial environment, you will try to complete all 26 courses, while also trying to avoid being thrown off …

On first look (especially from the still screen shots on the App Store) Edge [App Store] could look boring, uninviting, and just another platformer in the big world of gaming. However, take a closer look, and you’ll realise it’s mutli-award winning title isn’t just there for laughs …

Aim
The game is made up of connecting geometrical shapes which move, twist and invert to certain timings. Your aim is to move a cube (affected by gravity) around a maze of objects. Climbing, tilting and turning, picking up collectibles, and finally reaching the end-of-level portal.

Controls
You’ll be glad to know Edge offers two options for controlling your cube. The first and more obvious is touch control. By swiping in the given direction you will help push your cube over. This method does have it’s downsides though. As seen in the video below, moving with touch is fine on straights, but waiting for floating objects and then swiping without enough force won’t move your cube at all. The second is tilt control. Set it by using ‘Options’ then ‘Sensor’ > ‘On/Off’ from the games main menu.

Gameplay
It’s extremely varied. Possibly the most varied game play I’ve seen on an App Store title yet. The basic concept stays constant (i.e starting at one point, and finishing at another), but the environment around you evolves as you progress. For example on one level I encountered, I started out on a platform with no surrounding pathways to follow. I had to fall off each side until I found the right direction. On finding it, white blocks shot up from the floor at started to make the path I would follow.

Throughout the game you’ll also find specific squares which will change the properties and visual features of your cube. For example, to find those hard to reach places was the ability to change your cube into a smaller one. While this smaller cube, a move was counted at 1/9 of a normal square, and I had the ability to climb walls. Further into the game I encountered situations where I would have to tilt the cube in such a way as to cling onto another moving object in an attempt to cross a menacing gap. Features like this found the game play being extended and becoming very interesting indeed!

See it in Action:

‘Mars’ by Fake Blood. â„— 2008 Cheap Thrills

On each level you complete, you’ll be ranked on your performance. Ranks run from ‘D’ to S+ (D > C > B > A > S and S+) S+ being ‘Edge Master’. Completed levels will become available to you in the level selection, so you can play them again, and try to beat your score, or pickup that collectible you missed last time round.

Visuals
Again, it’s sort of modern ‘retro’. Minimalistic. Filling a huge black vacuum is this simple geometric environment which you scale with a cube of your own. Simple yet effective. Even down to the menu’s themselves. In a word? Class.

Extra Options
As well as the option of controlling your cube via the built-in accelerometer, I also found another nice touch. I was asking myself the question – Can I play this in landscape? and after turning the device landscape and nothing seeming to happen, I was about to say no. Turns out, you actually can (but not in the normal sense). In order to play Edge in landscape mode simply take two fingers, place them down on the screen and rotate either clockwise or anti-clockwise. The camera view will which to whichever direction you want to play at! Not as user-friendly as some titles, but definitely pretty unique.

Awards
Being recognised in the industry as the highly polished, highly addictive game that it is, Edge has already won Mobigame two high ranking awards in gaming excellence. Including:

- “Excellence in Gaming” (International Mobile Gaming Awards)
- “The Best Mobile Game of 2008″ (Milthon)

It’s now also up in competition for The British Academy of Film and Television (Celebrating Excellence in Video Gaming), and has also received recognition by the Independent Games Festival (IGF).

Overall
It’s a strong title, with a great concept behind it. Being a simple game, visuals are scarce – but in a way I like that. I like the way it doesn’t scream ‘Eye-candy over HERE!’. I’ve been looking for a title that I can say “This is the classic for iPhone”. I have to say, Rolando and Space Ninja were pretty massive competitors for this title, however the re-playability and simplistic nature of Edge – and me being the minimalist I am, it really seemed to hit with me. Having said all that, it does have it’s down falls. As with Rolando, it’s short. Very short. £3.49 buys you 26 levels, each averaging roughly 4-5 minutes (if your good).

I think Edge, alongside Space Ninja are true classics. Classic in the sense of their level design. Their original concept as games. You probably won’t be surprised to hear that, Edge is currently exclusive to mobile, with mobigame having no future intentions to bring it to other platforms just yet.

Things we’d love to see:

- DLC (Downloadable Content) in the shape of new levels, unlockables etc ..
- Feature/Section to paint and customise the cube

Current status: Recommended

Reviewed at: v1.0
Reviewed on Firmware: 2.2
Download size: 9.5MB
Released on: 24th Dec 2008
Retails for: £3.49 / $5.99

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