Ms. Splosion Man Review

By , on April 2, 2013


Ms. Splosion Man
Download on the AppStore
4 out of 5

PROS

  • Fun twist on the standard platforming tropes; no 'jumping' per se, but rather a series of controlled 'explosions'.
  • A good mix of stages with flowing momentum, and the occasional puzzle to keep your brain from shutting down.

CONS

  • Zoomed out perspective pairs badly with the smaller iOS screen.
  • Controls not as precise as they could be.

VERDICT

Ms. Splosion Man is still the fun and over the top platformer it was on consoles, but without modifications to suit iOS devices it has some teething problems.


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More and more these days we're seeing console and PC titles making their way to the App Store. However the most successful of these shape their title to fit the mold of the iOS platform, be it through unique controls to suit the touch-screen or a complete rework of its gameplay. Ms. Splosion Man takes the easier route of keeping things mostly unchanged, and while it does hurt the game in some ways, the manic platformer from Twisted Pixel Games remains a treat to play.

If you took a bubbly 'Valley Girl' stereotype and gave her a comic-book-esque transformation in to a living bomb, you'd be close to describing the main character of the game. Also, she doesn't jump so much as she uses her explosive energy to bounce around. This proves to be extremely handy as there are plenty of explosive barrels to bounce off of, and the key to many of the game's many puzzles lie in working out the right order in which to approach them.

Unfortunately two things mar the game's otherwise solid gameplay. Firstly the visuals are poorly suited to iOS devices; whether using an iPad or an iPhone, the explosive action makes it hard to keep track of your character and it gets even worse when you're in a 'locked room' and she hides behind your fingers. Secondly, the controls never really seem to provide enough fidelity for some of the fiddlier platforming sections; it's not a deal breaker, but whether you slide or tap it's hard to remain confident in your actions.

These issues aside, there's a lot of content on offer, especially for those who seek to challenge themselves by replaying levels to complete bonus missions or to beat a global high score. Ms. Splosion Man walks a fine line between being irritating thanks to its many dated references, and being hilarious and absorbing thanks to these very same moments.

If you enjoyed the original console release you'll already know what to expect (and that may make it less worthwhile a purchase) but if you're new to the series, this is a great pick up if you enjoy your platformers.

Screenshots

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