dEXTRIS Review

By , on May 15, 2014
Last modified 9 years, 10 months ago


SHREDD
Download on the AppStore
4 out of 5

PROS

  • Twitch based fun
  • Responsive controls
  • Stark visuals work well with the fast pace

CONS

  • Not much to it
  • Becomes tiring when played for too long

VERDICT

Dextris isn't complicated, or complex, but it is fantastic fast fun in short bursts.


  • Full Review
  • App Store Info

Dextris is twitch gaming distilled down to its purest form. Controlling two neon coloured blocks in unison, your simple task is to dodge left and right as you rocket endlessly upwards through its vertically-scrolling course.

By default, the pink and blue squares you command sit happily in the middle of the screen. Holding the right side of the screen causes both blocks to shoot rapidly to the right and grind their way up the wall. Hold the left side, and you'll get the opposite result. However, holding both sides of the screen makes the cubes seperate and hug the opposing walls in a shower of neon sparks.

Dextris's world is predominantly a dark blue hue. This works well against the various light grey hazards that fill the world, making them stand out prominently along with your neon blocks.

There are only really four obstacles in the game, each corresponding to the four possible states of your cubes: together, seperated, left, or right. To keep the pressure on,  the action speeds up every ten obstacles.Within 30 obstacles you're whizzing past a blur of barriers, relying on pure instinct to survive.

The process of zipping back and forth across the map is satisfying and intuitive. The responsive controls are simple and natural, perfectly suited to the reactive gameplay. This ensures that when death eventually comes, you find yourself blaming your own lazy thumbs and not Dextris's course or controls.

Dextris isn't complicated, or complex, but it is fantastic fast fun in short bursts. The downside to this simplicity is that the game can struggle to hold your attention during extended sessions. You may find yourself completely absorbed at first, but discover that the game's lo-fi charms wear a little thin after a few sessions.

Luckily, the ad-support means that it costs you nothing to take the game for a spin, and find out for yourself whether Dextris will be a passing fancy, or your next obsession. 

Screenshots

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