Even though gaming has gotten very popular on mobile devices and the designers have gotten better at given us full game experiences and not just games that are categorized as good “for a mobile game”, there is still a long way to go. But it is getting better. They are obviously making a lot of money.
I will say, that I am more willing to give a chance to a game that is $.99 as a opposed to a full retail priced console game. One of these games that I tried was Dead Space by EA games on Android. I am not usually a fan of horror or survival games. In fact, I outright dislike zombie games. I don’t even like to play zombie mode on Call of Duty. It is what it is. But, I decided to give the mobile version of Dead Space a chance.
First off, the graphics are gorgeous. I know, they look good for a mobile game, but the graphics look so good, I don’t even think of it as mobile gaming. I would be happy if any portable game looked as good. Anyway, the problem with a mobile game is usually the controls, the touch screen makes everything about the control scheme harder than it needs to be. It is usually what makes the game inaccurate and hard to control. Its just the nature of the interface and honestly, carrying around a controller defeats the purpose of mobile gaming.
The controls are serviceable and the menus are easy to navigate. The sound effects and music are what make this game stand out for me. This little portable game was able to deliver what I wasn’t expecting it to deliver…jump scares. I expected it to be a little watered down to be honest, it’s one of the reasons I gave it a chance. Again, remember, I don’t generally like scary games. I thought that I would be okay to handle this one. But the developers managed to get me again. I literally dropped my phone as I played this game while waiting for my son at baseball practice. I was immersed in the game, wearing headphones and was totally engrossed in the game. An alien monster jumped out from an air duct and actually made me drop my phone. I know, embarrassing. I was wearing my Selby gaming headphones, so I am not sure if i screamed out loud or if the squeal was kept inside. But I did get some funny looks as I picked my phone up off the carpet. I guess it’s like they say…in space, nobody can hear your screams.
Anyway, the game is recommended, especially if you like the horror-survival genre. It’s pretty good, for a mobile game.
