Not all runners are created equal. Some are endless, others are finite, but for the most part, we can agree that they fit the mobile platform due to their simplistic controls. Escape from the Pyramid ($1.99) is another game that both benefits and suffers from its simplicity.
One of the coolest aspects about Escape from the Pyramid is that it actually isn’t an endless runner, and is more akin to a platformer that just happens to have auto-running. Levels are structured with a beginning and an end, and often times you’ll be tasked with locating said destination on your own, free from giant arrows and for the most part, help. Spikes, traps, and pitfalls block your path, often countered by deliberate taps to avoid both ground and ceiling-based quagmires.
Escape is content to teach you pretty much everything in the form of a scrolling tutorial screen, and it’s actually one of my favorite things about the game. Most core concepts can be gleaned by a quick glance at the instructions, like wall-jumping and quick-turning, and you’re left to figure them all out on your own as the game drops you into the fray.
You don’t need to learn much on paper either, as the bulk of the game is controlled by a left screen sprint and a right screen jump (with an automatic brisk jog, naturally), hosting a few extra abilities like turning plastered on the screen. While I appreciate the challenge, the scheme is a bit cumbersome, especially when you’re trying to rapidly run, jump, and turn on a dime. I end up constantly pressing the turn button instead of leaping, while often spells my doom. Sprinting and jump also feels off sometimes due to the screen ratio.
Unfortunately, glitches marred my experience. On one of the first levels and some subsequent challenges, I glitched through walls and missed crucial paths that were needed to obtain some objectives, forcing me to repeat them until the glitch didn’t occur. I also encountered some crashing on an iPhone 6. The good news is that there are are 45 stages and most of them didn’t feature bugs — or pushy IAP of any kind.
While some may point out that it’s similar to the PC and PS4 hosted Apotheon, it actually looks a tad different due to the fact that it centers on an Egyptian aesthetic. Escape forges its own identity, most notably with the power-ups that are scattered about each level and the character models themselves.
Escape From the Pyramid will scratch your itch if you’re looking for another challenging runner that actually has an end. It could use a few tweaks control-wise and maybe a bit more content down the line, but for now it’s a great way to unwind and watch all of the IAP-heavy runners pass you by.
Wonder how crazy the world will go once Nintendo starts making their flagship Pokemon games free-to-play and charging a ton, relying on energy timers, etc. THEN, maybe people will create a backlash and get back onboard this premium-game train I'm riding. I sure as heck-fire hope so.
Not all freemium games are bad, it's just money pirating mechanics that are messed up. There are plenty of "premium" games that are awful in part by being so short sited.
There is NO freemium game that I wouldn't enjoy more if it was premium.
There's lots of free to plays with non obtrusive ways of making money, like Team Fortress 2 and League of Legends.
The full Pokémon experience could probably translate really well to free to play by monetising things like the items sold at the Battle Tower, or creating pay to enter tournaments.
And that's the thinking that will cause the premium experience to die out. I am throwing my money at premium titles hoping that I can keep the good ones coming. I like to invest money once for an experience that I can enjoy anytime, anywhere. And THAT is how Pokemon has been enjoyed since it's inception. GB, GBC, GBA, DS. I doubt f2p would make most fans happy.
It isn't hard to guess. It'll be all about cash grabs. Very predictable and no crystal ball is needed here. What ever happened to games once played from start to finish? Now it's endless gaming with endless purchases just like a poker machine.
Yeah let's forget all those other games that were in the Nintendo Direct.
You're missing the point. That's a completely different discussion.
*kills himself*
Sebastian! NOOOOOOOO! Why Nintendo? He was so young... *sniff*
I'm upvoting your comment and replying from the afterlife.
Oh there's definitely gonna be a backlash as I see many young on their 3DS's EVERYDAY. I'm pretty sure most of them don't have the income to deal with IAP in the manner businesses are presenting it.
*makes a comment about it being April 1st*
I'm excited to see what Nintendo will bring to mobile devices.
I've got a lot of faith in them that they'll get it right.
Pokémon Rumble World certainly seems like it'd be right at home on iOS.
Maybe Pokemon in Puzzle & Dragon or Brave Frontier style would be nice.
I got every mobile console they released all the way to the Gameboy, solely to play Pokemon and later Legend of Zelda. But if they are going this way, I will cease to buy any more. I hate the way world is going, last 10 years world has been slowly corrupted by "Facebook", people are easily comitting crimes, giving false accusations, marriages ending by online cheating, kids see and learn foul things easily and mostly unwittingly, everything is "online" and virtual. When I get a game, I can't get that feeling that puts a smile on you owning a great game because there is no ownership or permanency. Because I have to activate it online. But wait If I don't have internet, I can't even play it, which I hate the most!!! No I don't want online features, no I don't want to connect my game to whatever the devil's thing Facebook, Twitter or such (only "social media" I use is Toucharcade). No I don't want DLC's, iaps, doublers, ads popping into your face about dumb games, timers, premium currency, centillions of the same copied games. I just want the solid, cold casettes, cartriges and discs I can play when I ran the relevant console decades later. Nintendo was a special company and Noah's ship for non-fraud gaming business. And it seems someone bore a hole under the ship.
Calm your tits man...they're just porting all their shovel ware to the AppStore...you still can pick up great games for the 3ds just got xenoblade,majoras mask and you can't go wrong with monster hunter 4u (best game ever IMO) as a purchase. I don't see those being ported to the AppStore. Don't worry man I'm sure they nintendo won't sell us out especially after the release of the new 3ds and dedicated handheld devices (even the supposedly dead now indie vita) are still all the rage in japan where they come from.
is this gonna be online play?
Idk about this BUT if it works out, then I'd try it out. I've been a casual Pokemon fan ever since red came out for the game out. If this is a Nintendo dena first then Pokemon has some hope of coming out on an iPhone!! Here's hoping for an open world Pokemon with pokemon snap and pokemon colosseum together whether 3ds or not