Stealth Inc. Review

By , on November 15, 2013
Last modified 10 years, 11 months ago


Stealth Inc.
Download on the AppStore
4 out of 5

PROS

  • Wickedly clever level design.
  • Nice balance of mental and physical tests.
  • Cute but gloomy visuals.

CONS

  • Controls don't quite live up to their console and PC counterparts.

VERDICT

Though not the quintessential version, this port of puzzle-platformer Stealth Inc. is a decent translation of a really good game,


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Stealth Inc. is a platform puzzler with a cruel sense of humour. Like Portal's Chell before him, your little clone is trapped inside a testing facility filled with laser turrets, sentry robots, and spinning saw blades. It's up to you to guide the goggle wearing lab rat through a series of wickedly constructed death mazes, hacking into computer terminals along the way to open the exit.

Being a port of a PC and console, the controls have been paired down a bit. It's definitely a little trickier to execute wall jumps and make micro adjustments using the touchscreen system, but not enough to spoil our enjoyment or impede our progress.

The levels themselves are brutal exercises in lateral thinking and dexterity. Sometimes you'll have to move objects around to create shadows, allowing you to hide from security cameras while accessing a command console. Often, there will be pressure pads scattered around the level which open doors and hatches. The solutions to some of the tougher stages are elegant and complex, and can take numerous attempts to suss out.

You are punished mercilessly for every error. As you play through the game's 80 stages you'll be repeatedly crushed, shredded, and vaporised. It could be very easy to get frustrated with all the instakills, especially as the iOS controls aren't quite as forgiving as their console counterparts. Luckily, restarts are immediate, and the checkpointing is fairly generous, so you'll rarely feel unfairly treated. Also, your death is often accompanied by a vaguely patronising message from an unidentified overseer, giving you even more incentive to beat the level, find the author, and stuff your green goggles down their throat.

Though we wouldn't say this version of Stealth Inc. is the quintessential port, it's a decent translation of a really good game, and a bargain at £2.99 / $4.99. If you like a bit of light skulking but haven't tried Stealth Inc. yet, now's your chance.

Screenshots

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