Swordigo Review

By , on March 28, 2012


Swordigo
  • Publisher: Touch Foo
  • Genre: Adventure
  • Released: 22 Mar, 2012
  • Size: 126.3 MB
  • Price: FREE!
Download on the AppStore
5 out of 5

PROS

  • Furiously paced RPG platform gameplay; more than a strong nod to classics like Zelda.
  • Simple, yet satisfying combat; master melee and magic-based attacks to make short work of each enemy type.
  • Novel to the end; be it new enemies, new variations or new weapons and spells to keep you hooked.

CONS

  • Control over weapon swings limited; set pattern makes certain enemies frustrating to deal with.
  • Platforming occasionally frustrating.

VERDICT

Swordigo treads the line between slavish homage and love-letter to a genre and style of action-adventure that remains exciting thanks to its almost unstoppable pace that keeps you hooked the entire way.


  • Full Review
  • App Store Info

To cut to the chase and put things simply, if you've ever wondered what it would be like if someone managed to boil down the Zelda series, turn it in to a platformer with RPG elements and dump it on the App Store, it would look and play a little like Swordigo by Touch Foo.

That's high praise for a game, but Swordigo doesn't hold back and throws you right in to an otherwise generic fantasy storyline without hesitation. Your master has died in an attempt to thwart the return of evil to the lands and you'll need to seek out a magic sword in order to restore order. Along the way you'll level up, selecting to either increase your health, your melee attack or your spell damage, collecting new weapons and spells to delve in to ever-more challenging areas.

The pace at which the game pulls you along is almost frighteningly fast. As a result the player doesn't feel as though they're being forced to pointlessly side-track, making efforts to explore each area for its cache of secret items and chests worthwhile as you feel the impact of purchasing or finding new equipment immediately.

The other upside to moving along so quickly is the way in which the game mixes up its enemies, be it a harder variation on something you've seen before, a mini-boss hidden away in a cave guarding a chest filled with experience or better still, something entirely new and unexpected. There are the usual set of platforming puzzles to overcome (moving boxes to reach high platforms or hold down switches, etc.) and they provide a welcome distraction from the otherwise frantic pace the game sets.

Taking its inspiration from classic adventure titles, the game's short, but incredibly addictive gameplay makes it a great addition to your iOS game collection. Its gorgeous presentation and wonderful soundtrack are the cherry atop an already fun platformer you should check out.

Screenshots

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