What’s in a name? Quite a bit actually, especially when it comes to the gaming arena! A catchy title can really vie for attention in this crowded era, especially with names like “I Made a Game With Zombies In it!" or “A Space Shooter for Five Bucks." While Red Game Without a Great Name ($1.99) isn’t all that enticing, the gameplay is far flashier than the moniker.
Set in a dystopian future in a Steampunk world, you’ll play the part as a mechancial bird, tasked with carrying secret messages across the land. It’s not the most riveting setup and any potential narrative payoffs don’t really exist, but the aesthetic is very unique and fitting. The red and black hues dominate the visual style, which is not only pleasing to the eye, but makes it very easy to see what’s going on gameplay-wise. Even with the bird and the backgrounds frequently using the same dark color scheme, the style is so distinct and the animations are so detailed that you won’t lose track of anything.
You’ll accomplish your goal of delivering letters by teleporting to and fro, with a simple swipe initiating a warp to any location you wish. It’s a bit annoying at first to get into the swing of things, as you’ll need to actually swipe from the bird itself to get anywhere, but you’ll get used to it — especially since there’s a decent amount of screen real estate available. Although the screen does scroll for you there’s not real automatic movement, so you’ll have to constantly be on your toes to avoid hazards like wire, and getting squished by the screen. It adds an active feel to the game and gives you the control you need to make decisions on a split-second basis.
As time goes on new concepts will appear such as power-ups and even directional changes, but for the most part, the basic gist is compelling enough to traverse through all 60 levels without getting bored. If you’re so inclined you can try to go for “flawless" runs, as well as gather all three collectibles in each stage. It’s not required, but it’s a nice little incentive, and most of the time, said bonus pickups aren’t devilishly hidden to the point of frustration.
Thankfully, the developer has chosen to eschew any sort of pay-to-win elements or IAP of any kind. Instead, you’ll get the entire game from start to finish. They could have very easily added in extra power-ups, but instead the design of each level is crafted in such a way where it feels fair, and feasible to complete. Having said that, what you see in the first set of levels is basically what you’re going to get.
Red Game Without a Great Name truly doesn’t have a very good name, but it’s a great break from the endless sea of games that heavily feature IAP. It’s sleek, it’s responsive, and although I would have liked to see a bit more concept-wise, it’s worth playing.
