It’s hard to look at On The Wind [$1.99] and not think, ‘Hey! That reminds me of Flower except without the third dimension’. Like thatgamecompany’s award-winning title, On The Wind will have you guiding plant-based material (you’ll be herding leaves as opposed to flower petals here) through a scenic landscape.
However, where Flower was intended to evoke positive emotions and to be your standard ‘challenging’ title, On The Wind will have demand a little more from your Infinity Blade-honed reflexes.
Because you are defined by the leaves you collect as you progress through the seasons, you must always ensure that there’s a steady supply within the immediate vicinity of your fingertip. Should you find yourself bereft of them, the game ends and you’ll be forced to restart.
The catch here is that leaves have a certain ‘lifespan’. After a certain amount of time, they will drift away from your reach, thereafter reducing your supply. As such, you’ll be constantly called upon to collect more leaves, something that can be accomplished by dragging your finger over a bountiful plant.
Sounds easy? Well, it is. Sort of. The controls aren’t exactly rocket science. To navigate through the artsy-looking terrain, you simply have to move your finger across the screen. If you lift your finger, the game will automatically pause. However, the problem with the controls is this: you can’t really see where you’re going.
Unless you’re graced with the tiniest of digits, chances are that you’ll find your view of your path obscured by your own flesh, something that lead to a disastrous finish and a return to the beginning of spring. It’s an annoying little quirk that some right-handed people have resolved by utilizing the left appendage but that also comes with some problems of its own.
Still, if you’re willing to overlook the fact that movement in the game can sometimes be genuinely frustrating, On The Wind is a pleasant way to wile away your time. Each time you flit through the trees, they respond with a smattering of musical notes. The music is largely tranquil and will provide a pleasant backdrop to your activities in the game. I’m on the fence in regards to the visuals. On one hand, I like the soft colors and the silhouette-style terrain. On the other hand, I can’t help but feel as though I’ve seen the art style somewhere else before.
That said, On The Wind is solid enough for a debut production and for those sick of the guns, girls and gore, it will also be a nice change of pace.
Thank you for mentioning whether the game supports or omits major features such as iCloud and iPad Retina. It's often impossible to tell from the App Store description.
DevilDark’s visual engine is another standout feature in the game. The cell-shaded style looks great on Retina-enabled iOS devices.
The UI for the new iPad was "mostly" fixed in last night's update, but I gotta say...
... try it again on the new iPad and re-think that statement. I realize you probably didn't review it on the newest iOS device due to the UI issues... but it really is a disappointing engine to view. The textures are muddy, the text is blocky and often unreadable under the UI, the UI is oversized and fugly, the character feels too zoomed in. It is not at all up to the aesthetic quality I've come to expect from Triniti, personally. I certainly wouldn't say the visual engine would lead me to recommend it on an iPad, actually the complete opposite.
It certainly looks fine on Retina enabled phones... but I'd say the iPad was an afterthought at best.
If you have a tablet, I'd say to avoid it until they put more attention to the different form factor.
This app makes many mistakes as a paid app imo. There are adds on the main menu and pause menu along the button. There are weapons with special abilities that can ONLY be obtained by IAP and overpriced gear to make the IAP all the more temping. As a free game, this should be fine, but paying for a game with these freemium model is just Irritating.
Hj
WHY do they persist with these freemium games? I would happily pay a little more for the game to get everything in one package without the IAP's! I hate that! Ruins everything!
It's funny: a lot of people say that, but it turns out that MUCH fewer of them actually do it.
I'm not saying you won't, there are plenty who will. But IAP games, even ones that have a few simple IAPs (not 'buy some currency' but 'buy an expansion pack' or whatever), make more money, because people can find out that they like them and then invest a couple more bucks.
It's an unfortunate fact of human psychology that probably isn't going away anytime soon.
agreed.
actually i feel freemium is reasonable. you enter the game with no cost. you try the game and you like it, then, you pay some bucks to make it full in content or mechanism.
of course people are making impulse purchase, and that is what the dev wants. i think this is the part many people hate.
If that was the case the majority of the games that are top grossing wouldnt be freemium
The game has great graphics, gameplay and just feels right. I don't mind grinding for gold and levelling up my character - the one gripe I have with this game is the one everybody has, the IAPs. If you wanted the best gear you could spend upwards of $99 USD. That's nuts. There's nothing in this game that warrants that kind of investment. Perhaps for a World of Warcraft-type game that has gone on for years, but for DevilDark? Good game though. The simple tweak the developers could do is make the IAPs cheaper - going from $0.99 to $4.99. But $99?? What? Are you insane? Follow the Jetpack Joyride model - I've gladly invested a few shekels in that game and will continue to when the big update hits. If DevilDark does the same, expect me to throw you $5-10.
I'm looking forward one day to an upcoming headline that reads: "mobile industry sees a major decline in IAP".
I play this game since a week and I like it!
what is the last stage of the game?
what do I do after I get the HOLY MOLY Relic?? Is that the end of the game?
It's funny hearing people complain about a 99 cent game.
Good review, but it neglects to mention the major failing of this game: the "story" isn't finished. Once you finish the level 35 boss mission, the game gives you no more story advancement, no notification that you've "saved" the land, won, etc... You can keep playing existing encounters, leveling and grinding, but that's it.