Saturday, July 18, 2009

Clue iPhone Game Review

 



Clue is one of those classic board games that you undoubtedly played as a child before your parents bought you a video game console. Mashing the two together, EA games has brought Clue to the iPhone and iPod Touch for only $5.

Offering a very streamlined approach, Clue works extremely well on the iPhone and feels very natural right out of the gate. Played entirely in landscape mode, Clue is often best experienced in bed with the lights off.

Storyline:

Self explanatory to say the most. A wealthy older man has a dinner party sleepover and somehow ends up dead in the end. Having invited some potentially unsavory characters it’s up to you to figure out the who, the what, and the where. Using your deduction skills you have to come up with an accusation before the time runs out.

Graphics:

While there’s not a whole lot going on graphically, Clue looks really nice for what it set out to do. Strongly resembling a GTA art style, Clue’s main visual scaffolding is built around colorful backgrounds with small animated pieces that add to the atmospherics. While basic in its delivery, Clue does ooze a certain amount of sophistication that really adds to the level of immersion necessary to bring the player into the unfolding mystery.

Sound:

Not a whole lot of sound actually. Beyond the clicking sounds of pressed buttons the score is very reminiscent of trendy music you’d hear playing at a boutique hotel. While hearing recorded voices might have been nice, I think that Clue does well without it.

Gameplay:

Intuitive, the gameplay never really leaves you hanging. You always know what to do and how to do it. Navigation through screens and menus is about as robust as possible and the format of the game comes off really polished. EA did a stellar job at bringing this game to the iPhone as it’s just really easy to play and it accessible to all age groups.

Replay Value:

High. While the actual career arc isn’t all that deep, all the scenarios can be played multiple times for a variety of different endings. Each game can be as short or as long as you’d like but the game clock itself plays rather quickly. Every move you make, be it to a different room or a conversation, takes time off the clock. Essentially the game forces you to be astute in your observations, as wasting time is definitely not in your best interest.

Final Endings:

Clue is a great game for all that it is. It takes a classic board game and seamlessly translates it to a portable medium with virtually no glitches at all. I really have no problems with this game whatsoever beyond the fact that sometimes I feel stupid when I make an ill fated accusation. This is the first Ea game I have played for the iPhone and I am rather impressed with the overall quality and sheen of this product. Well worth the price of admission, Clue is one of those apps that will stay on your iPhone for quite some time.

Pros:

  • Strong design and build make for an easy and accessible experience
  • Attractive GTA art style
  • Solid replay value
Cons:

  • None 



No comments: