by Matt Dunn
Do you like Geometry Wars? Of course you do! Would you believe me if I told you there is an awesome game for your iPhone that plays just like Geometry, and is currently FREE!? (As of 12/25) Sounds too good to true, so read on for the review!
2079 is fun. Why? Because the graphics are good, the sound is good, there are cool power-ups, and most importantly, the controls are fantastic. Tilt controlled games are the bane of my existence, so when a game like this uses tilt to move and touch to shoot, and does it well, you know it’s something special. Oh and you shake for the field-clearing bomb. Perfect. 2079 plays like a dream, with it’s only disadvantage being it’s lack of other gameplay modes, and it’s lack of an online leaderboard. But, according to the developer, new modes are coming in the new year, so that’s good.
Presentation and Graphics:
Very smooth animation and good graphics. Not incredible, but very good. A tad bit a of framerate slow-down with lots of enemies on screen, but not very much, and by then you’re probably dead anyways.
Sound:
Great sound effects. No music, but the sound effects almost form a song of their own…
Gameplay:
Perfect controls. Difficulty ramps of slowly, and you are provided with ample power-ups to help you as things get tough. Power-ups themselves are cool and mostly borrow from Geometry Wars… with the exception of the really clever “wall” power-up. Tons of fun! But wait, no autosave/continue when the game is interrupted!? Bad developer, No eggnog for you! Oh, but you added accelerometer calibration! Ok, maybe you can have a sip.
Gamelife:
It was fun to play the original Geometry over and over, even with only one main game mode. Why? Cuz you were playing to beat online scores! 2079 needs this badly. The dev has mentioned that new game modes are coming, which is great, but for now there is only one, that can be played with two different views.
Game Rating
Although it’s free right now, 2079 is a great and fun game for the iPhone, and will be worth the money when the free period is over. Developers looking for an example of combined touch and tilt controls, look no further! Even though it falls short in online features and game modes, it’s simply fun to play, which is more than most games on the App Store can boast. I’m looking forward to new features in the new year, but until then, this game will keep you occupied for a bit.
