One of my favourite recent App Store trends is how developers have started to place an emphasis on environment interaction, and using the level to manipulate your character rather than traditional control inputs. The compelling and curious Stretch Dungeon (Free) by Nitrome was one such title, and the upcoming Splitter Critters looks like an incredibly promising example of how puzzle games can feel fresh and fun through this environment-centric focus. Today, Big Bucket (of The Incident (Free) and Space Age ($2.99) fame) have announced that their latest title Stagehand – which we first brought you news of in November of last year – will finally release for iPhone on February 8th. While on the surface its pixel art graphics and platforming action may make it seem like little more than an retro auto-runner, rather than controlling the character, you have to move pieces of the stage to progress through the game’s levels. It’s great to see yet another excellent example of what the developers have described as a ‘reverse platformer’, and is definitely one to watch when it launches on the App Store on February 8th.
Big Bucket’s rationale behind their decision to put the player in control of the stage in Stagehand rather than the character makes a lot of sense in practice – the lack of precision in some platforming titles on iOS puts many off the genre, and so having to manipulate your environment rather than rely on virtual controls is arguably better suited to touch screen gaming. Furthermore, the trailer for Stagehand depicts the numerous environments your protagonist will have to persevere through – from sunny fields to ominously purple plains – and with a wide variety of platforms that can be moved, Stagehand should still pose a challenge for gamers looking for another hardcore high-score chasing experience. My only reservation regarding Stagehand is that it looks to be one continuous level, rather than separate worlds with their own bespoke challenges. While endless gameplay will be a great addition for many, I hope Big Bucket have included enough variety as the runs progress. Either way, look out for Stagehand on the App Store for $1.99 on February 8th, and be sure to let us know your initial impressions on our forum thread.
Cheers to awp69 for the heads-up!
