Murphid - Review

We've heard from developers that the XNA framework makes it piece of cake to port games between Xbox 360 and Windows Phone.  That's a good thing as gamers who enjoy a game on the big screen may also want to play it on the become and vice-versa. Ane indie game that recently fabricated the transition from 360 to Windows Phone is Murphid from Decapod Studios. While Murphid's name might atomic number 82 i to expect a connection to Robocop, it's really an unrelated but unique puzzle game.

Drop past the interruption for our full review.

Murphid'south game play combines elements of match-three games and falling blocks games while remaining fairly distinct. In about falling cake games, pieces fall from the pinnacle of the screen downward to the bottom, eventually reaching the top and ending the game. Here a serial of colored blocks slowly rises from the lesser of the screen. If one of those blocks reaches the top, the player loses a life or the game ends, depending on the mode. Switching the source of game play pressure level from the top to the bottom certainly changes the puzzle game flavor.

Drib the blocks

Pieces do even so announced from the top, though. Sets of ii colored blocks (paired horizontally or vertically) are what players utilize to fight the ascension horde of blocks. Unlike pretty much every other puzzle game in history, these pieces can't be rotated to make meliorate matches. Y'all just line them upwardly horizontally and then drop them into the playing field in an attempt to match three or more blocks of the same colour. If the current piece isn't a skilful match for the pile at the bottom, it tin be swapped back and forth with the next slice. Swapping can certainly be useful, simply I never stopped wanting to rotate pieces for a better fit.

Ungracious gravity

The inability to rotate pieces is only one component of Murphid's rigid experience. The other factor is the way pieces behave once they have landed. In many puzzlers like Castlevania Puzzle, when a piece composed of two blocks is in a horizontal position and so lands with one of its blocks hanging over the edge of another block, the hanging cake will autumn, separating from the block it was originally connected with, and potentially match up with whatever it finally lands on. However, in games like Dr. Mario and Murphid, the block that hangs over the edge does non autumn; it remains connected to its partner block. The only style to separate information technology and make information technology fall down further is to destroy the partner block past making a combo or using an particular. It's more of a trouble in Murphid than Dr. Mario because players tin't normally move pieces sideways once they've been dropped – pieces but fall straight down. Thus nada can exist placed under a hanging block, which is a hassle.

Powerups forever

Inconveniently placed blocks and blocker marbles (blocks that can't be matched with other blocks) can sometimes be dispatched with powerups. Appearing after big combos, Murphid'southward powerups are really its best feature. These include a chainsaw item that destroys several blocks below its landing indicate, a Rubik'southward-cube-ish wildcard piece that will lucifer up with whatever set up of two or more aforementioned colored blocks, an item that destroys all blocks of the colour information technology lands on, and more. There are then many powerups that information technology'south occasionally hard to remember what a particular one does, and yet the game'southward Help department intentionally describes just a few of them. Still, powerups are by and large helpful and easy enough to utilize.

Murphid's many modes

Murphid has three distinct game modes: Campaign, Arcade, and Survival. Entrada'due south 72 levels are cleaved upward into 12 sets of 6. Each level has a specific number of blocks that must be destroyed in order to progress. Players have a express number of lives to complete each set, equally continuing starts you back at the first level in a set. Campaign doesn't actually offer much variety other than steadily increasing difficulty, but I always like it when puzzle games have a sense of progression.

Maybe you but desire to run across how long you lot tin survive rather trying to complete different levels. In that case, Murphid's Survival and Arcade modes fit the bill. Survival is only like campaign except that it's i endless level. Arcade mode works the same way but with a key deviation: instead of pieces staying at the tiptop until the role player makes them drib, the pieces slowly autumn on their own. Thus they can be steered on the fly, opening up placement possibilities that aren't possible in the other modes. Information technology's cracking that Arcade offers a unique feel, though it seems like Entrada should be playable with Arcade's mechanics too.

Controls

To movement pieces left or right in Murphid, merely slide your finger left or right. A button at the lesser of the screen swaps the current piece out for the adjacent slice. Tapping anywhere on screen drops the current piece into the playing field. Unfortunately, the dropping command isn't equally authentic as information technology should exist. Several times when I intended to drop a slice, it moved a chip to the side before dropping, consequently landing in the wrong place. Something like a downwards swipe ala Castlevania Puzzle would work better. To Decapod's credit, the initial release of Murphid featured a completely dissimilar control scheme; perhaps a futurity update volition fix the chinks in the current implementation.

Graphics and audio

Murphid boasts strong graphics for an indie title. Blocks await good, every bit practise the graphical furnishings that back-trail combos and powerup usage. Backgrounds tend to utilise garish color choices, simply they don't distract much during game play. A dandy UI and attractive tutorial text round out the game's visual presentation.

The surface area where Murphid falters is audio. Showtime off, there'south no music. Games like this really need a catchy melody or two to maintain player interest. Every bit for the sound effects, they get the chore done. Simply combos and chain reactions don't sound any different than regular matches. Increasing the pitch or otherwise varying the sound in those circumstances (ala Popcap games) would add some excitement. Playing danger sound effects or music when the stack of blocks nears the top of the screen would be a skillful idea too.

Awards and Leaderboards

Murphid has viii in-game awards that function much like Achievements. These provide goals like surviving for 20 minutes in Survival mode and earning 9 lives in Campaign mode. Meters even pop up during game play, indicating progress toward the awards. Optional goals like these can actually extend a game'due south playtime.

Leaderboards are some other feature that can raise replay value. Unfortunately, Murphid'south leaderboard leaves much to exist desired. It tracks player'southward scores in each fashion but doesn't allow names to be entered. Seeing my score every bit 'Yous' kind of kills the score tracking for me. Thankfully Decapod plans to supervene upon the electric current scoreboard with a proper online organization like Scoreloop in the future.

Overall Impression

Murphid is a promising puzzle game that needs some fine-tuning earlier information technology really becomes addictive. I like the visual presentation, menus, and powerups. Just the sound, controls, and leaderboards display a lot of room for comeback. Still, puzzle game fans should give the game a try.

Murphid's available in 2 flavors: inexpensive and cheaper. The full game costs 99 cents and there is also a free version that contains only the beginning 11 campaign levels – a demo, if you will. With such a low barrier to entry, information technology'south easy to notice out whether Murphid'south unique puzzle mechanics work for you.

The paid version of Murphid costs 99 cents and you can observe it hither (Zune link) on the Marketplace. If that's also rich for your blood, snap up the shorter free version here.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/murphid-review

Posted by: williamshicess.blogspot.com

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