Apple IPod Touch App Reviews: Lunarcy

Lunarcy, the self-described “arcade type, puzzle orbit simulation game,” has been released by The FABRIK in the app store. Though it sounds like a mouthful used to describe a complicated game, Lunarcy is actually a simple, yet challenging, offering.

The goal in Lunarcy is to use your spaceship to dock with the space station for refueling, then return safely to your home planet. Of course, there’s a bit more to it than that. You’ll have to master the physics involved with gravitational orbit, as well as use fuel for maximum efficiency and avoid damaging your ship upon re-entry. There are nearly 50 levels in the game, offering plenty of time to hone your skills. There is even a level select option, allowing you to jump to any previously completed level quickly. Each level is a bit different, changing up the orientation of the orbiting station, adding additional stations to dock with, introducing stronger gravity fields, and much more. A tutorial is available to walk you through the nuances. Gameplay is pretty addicting, as we found ourselves engaged for 45 minutes without realizing it.

The graphics have a strong retro feel to them, simple yet fitting for the simple nature of this game. It’s definitely a throwback to the early days of video gaming. The music is good, too, reacting to your movements on-screen in a pleasing way. The controls are also easy to get used to. Left and right buttons controls the direction which your spaceship spins. A rotational stabilization button between these buttons stops your spin, stabilizing your ship so that you can find the proper orientation in which to dock or land. A thrust button on the right side of the screen powers your ship. Of course, you’ll want to use this in tiny bursts, as it burns fuel quickly. Once you’ve used up all of your fuel, you’re given the option of restarting, though if you wait, your ship may still land safely on occasion, as it did for us. There are plenty of stats on-screen to assist you in your goal. You can quickly assess your speed, the direction and distance of the station and planet, and more.

In truth, hooking up with the stations is not so hard. If you are close enough, you’ll dock with little issue. Docking earns credits. Tap the ship to undock. It is the landing that is most difficult. We spent much time orienting toward the planet, giving a little thrust, and trying to spin the ship to land in the right way. More often than not, we would just fly past the planet and enter into a different orbit. It was a huge relief when we finally landed, even if we weren’t in the proper position and we exploded. At least we made it back. With some practice, you’ll get the mechanics down. The learning curve, however, is quite steep. A rough landing will require you to use credits to replenish your stats, thus reducing your high score.

We haven’t seen anything that resembles Lunarcy in the app store, so it appears to be fairly unique in that sense. Replay value may be a bit limited, though you can probably find ways to improve your previous scores. There is no global leaderboard. Priced at $2.99, some might find it a bit hefty. We feel it could certainly justify a $1.99 tag. Despite its difficult to master controls and lack of global leaderboard, Lunarcy is a 4-Dimple star.

For more AppSmile.com Reviews click Here: Free iPhone Downloads
For other iPhone news visit: Apple iPhone Reviews

Get realistic ideas for cheap playstation 3 system – this is your individual knowledge pack.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Tags: iphone apps