In a continued effort to bring their free Flash based titles to the App Store, Armor Games have recently launched the sequel to their popular screen-flipping puzzle-platformer ':Shift:', adding in a whole lot more content and some surprisingly interesting features that could help to change how the genre is treated in the future.

The gameplay hasn't shifted much from the original and players will need to flip their character between the black and white sections of the screen (inverting the screen in the process) in order to collect keys, light-bulbs and to change the gravity, all in the name of escaping the level they're on. It's a mind-warping style that takes some time to get accustomed to, but once you're on a roll the only hindering factor is the control scheme. Two buttons (one on each side) allow you to move left and right, though the opposite button will turn in to a 'jump' when moving to keep the screen streamlined. This would ordinarily be OK, however some sections requiring finessed jumps off small platforms can result in wasted time, or at worst repeating the level entirely.

Visually the game remains fairly bland in its pure black and white style and while the full HD support is appreciated it's only really noticeable on the spikes (though rotating the screen does look a lot smoother). The real stand-out feature is how :Shift!2: handles 'new' levels, incorporating a QR code scanner that allows Armor Games to not only distribute levels electronically, but via printed media as well. It's an ingenious concept for sharing levels, if a little inconvenient in terms of needing to source the images from somewhere.

:Shift!2: isn't just more of the same, it's a LOT more of mostly the same and given the entry fee it's almost a bargain for fans of the original or those after something different and a bit challenging. Hopefully the QR codes take off as well, but until then you'll be busy avoiding traps as you continue to unlock more content.