Review: Braincube
Score:
65%
Ximad have a nice isometric maze game here in Braincube. Although when I say maze game, it has a decent amount of puzzling involved as well. Ideally suited to touch screens, Braincube is a challenging game to win, but it's very simple to play.
Version Reviewed: 1.3.0.0
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You'll be moving a three-dimensional block through a maze. Compared to the isometrically-viewed square game grid, the block is the equivalent of two cubes pushed together. Thankfully, it can rest on any one of its six sides, but it's too heavy to be lifted. Any movement on the block can only be made by rocking it onto another one of its sides.
Each level has an exit, and you need to rock the block up to this exit so it stands vertical on its square edge. Block falls through the exit hole, you get rated on how close to a perfect solution you were on the completed level, and you move on to the next level.
This is as much a spatial challenge as anything else. Rocking your block around the level is going to see it fall in various directions, so not only do you have to navigate the level to reach the exit, you need to reach the exit in such a way as you can stand your block up tall and proud.
As you progress through the game, you'll find the level design adds in a number of new features, including switches to remove deadly spikes from the game, fragile tiles made of wood and glass that you can only cross once, teleports to move you around the map, and expansive levels that you'll need to scroll through first (with the handy toggle switch) to work out where you need to go. There's also the option in later levels to split your block into two smaller cubes and control them independently, a nice extension to a game style that while rare, is one I've seen before (and enjoyed before then as well as now).
Moving your block is a simple slide of your finger along the screen - which is a far easier method of control than relying on a button configuration either on-screen or using physical buttons as I have done on older handsets which I've played this style of game on.
There are some practical issues around the application that could be addressed in a 'final lick of paint' style - the block's animation is enough to see what is going on, but a few more frames of animation, especially when it's being rocked into or out of the vertical position, would give the game a more solid feel - at the moment it's jerky enough for me to notice that it wasn't as smooth as you'd expect from a powerful smartphone.
It also really needs to get to grips with the fast-app switching method. It's been some time since I've run a new app that takes as long as Braincube does to return to the game after you accidentally return to the start screen.
I'm not going to make too much of a fuss over the placing of the advertising in the game - the paid-for download removes the advertising and if you find you're playing long enough to think the ad banner is obtrusive, that would be the time to pony up and reward the developer team.
The core of the game in Braincube hits the spot - it's well implemented and designed. The code and presentation around the central aspect of the game is a little bit lacking. There is a lot of promise here, and another iteration or two will lift Braincube's presentation to a professional level that will encourage people to keep playing (and generate ad revenue) or upgrade to the full priced version.
There's nothing inherently wrong with Braincube, it just needs a bit more flair to stand out.
Reviewed by Ewan Spence at