Polara Review

By , on October 16, 2012


Polara
Download on the AppStore
4 out of 5

PROS

  • Constantly evolving challenges; plenty of twists on concepts you've just mastered.
  • New challenges on already completed stages naturally increase their difficulty.
  • Tonnes of unlockable modes to explore!

CONS

  • No official iPhone 5 support; edges don't detect taps, causing a disturbing amount of mistaps.
  • Repetitive environments; stuck with the same boring layout for significant amounts of time.

VERDICT

Polara could easily have fallen apart thanks to its mixed-bag approach to smashing together 'endless runner' concepts we've seen before, but instead it seamlessly stitches blends them together and turns it in to an engrossing challenge.


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We've seen men that can switch gravity almost on a whim; all manner of traps and obstacles; and that unmistakable feeling of dread as things spiral out of control despite the utter simplicity of the controls you're handed. Polara by Hope This Game Works is the buffet-feast of endless runners, packing together ideas we've seen before, but somehow managing to give them all a fresh twist thanks to a color-switching mechanic.

Lara is in the unenviable position of having to escape from a high-tech facility wearing nothing but the test-suit used to make sure the government's 'suppression' technology is working correctly. Thankfully this means she's capable of bypassing these weapons by allowing the suit to 'absorb' the energy directed at her - a simple tap switches you from blue to red and back again, giving you the ability to interact with the world you're sprinting through.

Early on the obstacles are obvious and telegraphed to give you time to adjust to the controls. Basic bullets and laser fields may block your path, but as you advance through the game's 50 stages you'll start to deal with colored mines; platforms that can also act as barriers; jump boosters; conveyor belts; and most confusing of all, gravity fields that switch with your color.

Thankfully there are plenty of checkpoints to keep you on your feet, ensuring the momentum of your runs never really slows down. On the few occasions you get to take on a large 'boss' battle, these checkpoints will keep you from shattering your iDevice on the nearest hard surface.

Of course there's an endless mode to explore as well, but those after a real challenge can jump back in to the levels they've already completed to take on new challenges like collecting a word or an item secreted away on the stage; both add a surprising amount of difficulty to proceedings.

Polara is executed almost perfectly. There are some issues with the game feeling flat and dull thanks to repetitive environments, but it's a small price to pay for a runner that understands that running and jumping should be fun and not a boring chore.

Screenshots

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