Pivvot Review

By , on August 9, 2013
Last modified 10 years, 7 months ago


Pivvot
Download on the AppStore
4 out of 5

PROS

  • Employs smart teching method.
  • Sound and visual design compliment one another.
  • Reaching milestones feels great.

CONS

  • Random elements can be a little frustrating.

VERDICT

A simple game of avoidance wrapped up in a synaesthesia of audio and visual styling, Pivvot should keep you pushing onward to the break of dawn.


  • Full Review
  • App Store Info

Pivvot is described by its creators as a game of “strategic avoidance”. Though guiding your small orb around obstacles relies on your ability to dodge effectively, the game is more about quick reflexes and adaptability than strategy.

There are two game modes available from the outset: Voyage, and Endless. Voyage is a finite experience in which must weave your way through a series of obstacles. Tapping the sides of the screen rotates your orb clockwise and counter-clockwise. If you sucessfully avoid the obstacles, you'll hit markers which trigger progress milestones. Once you've learned to dodge a obstacle, the game throws a random onslaught at you to test you on what you've learned.

Endless mode on the other hand assumes you're familiar with all the obstacles the game throws at you, and dares you to survive for 100 seconds.

Both Voyage and Endless modes have to be conquered before their expert modes unlock. These assume you're already familiar with the obstacles you've encountered, and present you with more intense variations to really test your skill. If you're accomplished enough to make it through these, you unlock Berserk mode, designed for true masochists only.

There's no denying that this simple premise is packaged with enough content to keep enthusiast occupied. But is it worth persistence? Well, the minimal visual style is clean and engaging, and the music supports the action well.It also helps that you can instantly restart a run with a tap of the screen. This helps to eliminate the frustration of constant retries prompted by your failure to anticipate the next randomly-generated barrier.

Like Super Hexagon, Pivvot taps into that deep seated human desire to overcome adversity. If you gel with the simple contols and concept, you may have found your next interactive obsession.

Screenshots

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