App Review: Apocalypse Runner

Every play those endless side-scrolling games where your avatar runs, and runs, and runs forever until it dies? Those are called "infinite running games", and today I will be reviewing one of these - a modest little app named Apocalypse Runner by Anion Software.

The version I downloaded was the free version, which means it came with ads. No biggie. Back when I played it, there was the occasional bug. It's taken me two years to move my ass and write this review, so it's probably improved in the meantime!

There's also its sequel, Apocalypse Runner 2: Volcano, which looks like a clone of Apocalypse Runner, just with more shades of orange thrown in. I don't see any point in reviewing something so similar, so I'm not going to bother.

The Premise

The world has ended and there's a tidal wave coming to get you. You need to run, and escape the inevitable in a world now filled with ledges, wicked spikes and rocky obstacles.

What?

Running (and leaping) for your life.

That's it! That's the premise. It's an infinite running game, what were you expecting?!

The Aesthetics

It's dour and depressing, with silhouettes representing your avatar and the various obstacles. The background is that of a dead wasteland. It comes across as really desolate. The hazy skies and bleak landscape are the backdrop of this game.

Deliberately depressing visuals.

The Experience

This game is easy to get into. You just need to keep avoiding the obstacles, such as spikes, rotating saws that inexplicably crop out of the ground, and rocks. It'll take a bit of practice to get the hang of it, but once you're in the zone, you can really go.

Watch out for those spikes...

...and those (ouch) saws...

...and the rocks!

The Interface

Controls are straightforward. You tap to jump, tap twice to double jump, and when you gain the ability to fly, you keep tapping or tap and hold. It's all really simple and shouldn't take you long to master. Careful with the double jump, now... it's really cool and all, but if you overuse it, you're apt to lose control at the most inopportune moments.

What I liked

Cawing of carrion birds.

Atmosphere is fantastic. The cawing of the crows, the constant sound of rushing water as the tidal wave chases you, the buzzing of saws, the crunch when your avatar runs face-first into a rock outcropping... you're in a constant fight for your virtual life.

Sprout bat wings and fly!

Flying. Your avatar gets the ability to fly after accumulating a certain number of points. That's one of the little extra features that sets Apocalypse Runner apart from the rest.

Low storage and battery usage. A cheap distraction. How nice!

What I didn't

It can feel a little cartoony at times. Arguably, that's kind of the point.

Replayability isn't infinite, though that's not much of a surprise. How much running (or flying) do you really want to do anyway? Infinite running is going to get repetitive after a while. It's not really the game's fault, but more of the genre's.

Conclusion

Apocalypse Runner isn't a great game. But it's a nice distraction and an inexpensive (storage-wise, that is) download that doesn't take up much of your time or bandwidth. It's one of those games you can have on your phone forever and not feel bad about all the resources its taking up.

Honestly, it's good shit. You may get tired of it after a bit, but it's an idea that's nicely executed and deserves a spell or two on your mobile device.

My Rating

6 / 10

That's the end of the review. Run along now!
T___T