Full disclosure: I got a promo code from the dev. I don't know if that influences any opinions on my impressions but though I'd be open about it. It goes without saying that Spooklands is a game that aims to impress. You only have to look at the screenshots to appreciate the wildly colourful visuals. In motion, things only look better. The creature design meshes cute with vicious in a fantastic juxtaposition; managing the nigh impossible task of making a heaving mass of eyes and limbs look sweet. The high class production values certainly don't end there though. Taking the wonderfully intuitive control scheme seen in Toast Time, Luderia have combined it with frantic arena-based combat. I have to admit that twin-stick arena shooters are starting to repeat on me; having been perfected by games like Minigore and Geometry Wars many years ago it's very rare for one outside of Radiangames' production to impress me at all. Whilst it's not the most accurate genre placement for Spooklands, it certainly stands out from the majority of games in competition with it. It all comes down to the simplicity of movement and mechanics. You tap, you shoot. You shoot, you move. That's mostly it beyond a hold to release a charge attack. Whilst it sounds dangerously close to being a little too basic, combining your means of attacking with your only hope to avoid damage makes for chaos. Beautiful, elegant and heart-pounding mayhem. Words are terribly inefficient for describing the adrenaline-fueled tapping panic you'll find yourself in as the difficulty increases steadily. Early lulls had me disappointed at the ease of success but you'll soon learn to value those calm moments. When Hell breaks lose you're forced to weigh up whether your shots will put you at more risk than they resolve. Whether you have the time to charge a large axe to clear a line of foes or strumming loose a flurry of smaller shots. To me, Spooklands is to the one-touch control method that Tilt to Live is to tilt controls. Every attack will hit its target with pinpoint accuracy and every death is your own failing. You will die a lot, your shots wavering as new and incredibly large creatures are introduced but you'll also progress between each match. Again, much like Tilt to Live, reaching highscores unlocks new and more impressive power-ups to be collected during gameplay. Just like the shooting inertia, trying to collect them can kill you as often as they help but it exemplifies the risk/reward nature of the game. To top it all off, there's not a single glimpse of an IAP, not even an optional one. Social networking features are tucked away in a side-tab without ever being mentioned. No ads pop up to test your patience. Game Centre is well integrated with both leaderboards for each arena and achievements for those that way inclined. All of this is wrapped in a 99 cents price tag which seems so unusual these days for a truly premium experience. See you on the scoreboards!
Holey moley this game is FANTABULOUS. I gots me a code from the devs. The visuals are sooo well done, easy on the eyes and pretty likable, monsters and main characters alike, and the sounds are pretty good too. Sounds and visuals arent much without good gameplay. Fortunately, Spooklands doesnt just have good gameplay: It's friggin-tastic! Controls may be tricky at first, but you'll be racking up points in no time as the controls are fairly straightforward yet very accurate. Tap a spot, and you character shoots in that direction, while the recoil propels your character backwards. Later on, enemies will be spawning everywhere around you that you'll actually have to maneuver and place your shots well to get far into this game. There are 3 arena-like stages in the game, and there is a progression system in terms of unlocking the other 2 stages. Reach a certain score to unlock the next stage. Also, as you play the game, you unlock powerups that spawn in the arenas. These help you clear waves, or protecting you from being hit. And you have 3 lives before you are greeted by the game over screen. These may sound simple, but Spookland's mechanics are quite complex, and actually can require a bit of strategy if you want to hit higher scores. If you are fond of frantic-fun, high-octane action arcade titles like Tilt To Live or Slayin, there's no doubt you'll easily love Spooklands. I now know 2 games that are MUST-HAVEs from this week, Spooklands is definitely one of them. The verdict, obviously, is INSTABUY IT WHEN IT RELEASES! Spooklands is highly recommended! Oh... And did i mention there's no IAPs?
I'm a bit pressed for time at the moment... But let's just say I can also confirm through personal experience that this game is amazing. Imagine Toast Time controls in a Tilt to Live arena with Tilt to Live style timed powerups and Minigore enemies, but feels like it's own thing. My favorite iOS arcade game since the original Tilt to Live. And the art style is awesome. Expect more from me soon
And we both saved the best news til the last paragraph haha! JCho is right, this is way up there with the greats. It's one of those games that gets you animated whilst you're playing - swearing, cheering and grimacing; just like the fantastic Tilt to Live.
Man you guys seem to get a lot of codes for a lot of games haha yeah that all does sound like what I imagined. Does Crimsonland ring a bell?
Livin' the VIP life. I've only seen gameplay of Crimsonland, but from what I've seen I'm going to say no. This is much twitchier and arcadier
This game has me hooked. Leaning towards this for my game of the week. Im even considering it for my GotY list, which is slowly growing.
Great game! Like others said the controls take a bit to get used to and I prefer playing it with 2 fingers. There are many different enemies, 3 different arenas and lots of weapons. Highly recommended!
This game looks ANAZING. After watching the trailer, I can't help but drool in ancticipation looking at the beautiful art and gameplay. I am really looking forward to this, and after hearing impressions, I can't stress how much I want this.
I was lucky and received a code from the dev also but only managed to redeem it today. I can't explain it as eloquently as pete and the others so I'll keep it short and say that everything they say is spot on and you guys are in for a real treat when this releases. I love the controls, art style, sounds and the whole experience in general. Thank you so much to the dev for giving me the code with no strings attached, it was a lovely suprise when I found it in my inbox, I will be gifting this to my nephews to make up for the lost sale from me and so I can leave a review on the App Store. I'd recommend this game to anyone in a heartbeat.
I am loving the reviews from pete and cloud. Looks like I'm going to have to make a purchase and add a review as well. Of course that depends on if and when it gets released in the US. The game looks like it is well thought out and has nice graphics as well. Dev: When will you be doing a release in the US? Soon I hope!!! #
I just got around to opening this thread and all I can say is THIS CAN'T RELEASE SOON ENOUGH! I can already tell I'll be investing sheer hours in this, it's just the style of gameplay that is random enough to keep me enthralled and coming back for more. Can't wait
Oh yeah extra work for me. Thanks a lot (sarcasm) Kidding! Actually, it says it's being released but did not state in the US or just New Zealand. Due to your response I am going to assume that it means all countries. Thank you. I am really looking forward to the game!!
