ElementZ iPhone Game Review
ElementZ is a puzzle game first developed as a facebook game and then ported over to the iPhone and iPod Touch. It plays something like Bejeweled where you align 3 or more of the same coloured orbs together to get points. ElementZ is now out for $1.99
ElementZ isn’t exactly like Bejeweled. While they have very major similarities, ElementZ is more of a tweaked version of Bejeweled. Basically as it name suggests, the game does incorporate elements such as fire, water, air, earth and lightning (I know it isn’t an element but the game just uses it). The colours of the orbs represent different elements. There are a total of 6 orb colours in the game. Red for fire, Green and Brown for Earth, Blue for Water, Purple for Air and Yellow for Lightning. So it is like Bejeweled, align 3 or more similar coloured orbs for points. However, you can align 4 similar coloured orb to get a special orb that will unleash that particular element. For example 4 blue orbs will give you a sparkling blue orb after 3 within the chain disappears. By aligning this sparkling blue orb within another chain, you unleash the element of water, destroying a bulk of orbs and at the same time rack up the points.
This goes the same for the rest of the orbs, each unleashing different elements and destroying bulks of other orbs. While you can use the sparkling orb to unleash an element, alignment of 5 similar coloured orb or an “L” shaped (two orbs vertical and two orbs horizontal connected by one orb. All orbs are of the same colour) will result in the element being unleashed instantly. That sums up the whole game’s gameplay. There are 3 modes available: “Training” where you basically just keep playing without any time limit (score cannot be registered) “Endurance” where you have to keep aligning orbs to maintain a limit bar (a bar that constantly decreases but can be raised when orbs are destroyed. Once limit bar empties, the game is over) and “Blitz” where it you have to rack up as much points as you can within a set time.
You can either swipe your finger or press on an orb and then another to change their positions. Controls are smooth but might be a little problem for people with larger finger size. Not frustrating but your speed might be hindered due to the decrease in accuracy. Score is multiplied when chains of orbs are destroyed with a single move. Thus to get a really high score, you have to try get the multiplier up and better if you can unleash an element or two along the way. Your score can be registered both in facebook (to compare with friends) and locally in your iPhone. You have the option to check out the scores of your friends directly from the game itself.
The game graphically wise is rather pretty. Orbs are nicely coloured and the interface is sweetly done. There are also special animations when elements are unleashed for example some lightning effects when a chain of yellow orbs is completed and so on. Each element has a unique animation to it and all of them are beautiful. The sound effects of the game are well done as well. A particular effect for each element and the background music starts beating fast when time is almost up. Everything comes together to make the game a wholesomely good package.
While almost every aspect of the game is well executed, the game lacks the x factor to make it a perfect one. I mean I would love to see other modes available rather than the 2 common ones that we see in almost every other game of similar gameplay. Maybe some kind of story behind each level or maybe like an RPG mode (like puzzle quest). It can be anything fun but there should be something else there to make the game much better. I mean it is good as it is already but if another creative idea can be implemented in the game, it will be fantastic.
The price seems reasonable for what the game has to offer. Similar styled games of similar quality seem to be priced higher (bejeweled 2 by Popcap at $2.99) thus I believe for $1.99, ElementZ is a great quality game.
iTunes App Store Link: ElementZ
Popularity: 2%
last year i was so addicted with the Bejewelled game and i played all night.~`
These are great. I have not played Bejeweled so Ill have to check it out.