..Volcano Escape..

REVIEW |

Ah, the climbing genre. Clearly, it has reached the height of its popularity thanks to the digital age. One of the major contributors to its success has to be the mobile platform – namely, the iOS. But BRAVO Game Studio’s latest foray on the App Store meshes another genre to the beloved casual category: the twin-stick shooter. Volcano Escape – part climbing, part twin-stick shooter – is a very entertaining iOS title. Of course, that being said, it still has its limitations and, unfortunately, seems to appeal to a specific category of players.

There isn’t much story to be read or experienced in Volcano Escape. It’s very straightforward: gamers initially control Colonel Charlie Bravo, a “decorated war veteran and all around hero” who has been captured on his summer vacation and thrown into a volcano. Your job is to get as far up the volcano as possible, while shooting the heck out of natives along the way. You’ll unlock more characters as you play the game, but that’s the basic gist of things.

- Shoot or Die -

I generally lose interest with arcadey games which only strive to make you work on your high score, but Volcano Escape kept me more engaged than I thought possible. There are a variety of pick-ups on your way up: rockets to propel you further up and expedite your trek, stronger firearms such as rocket launchers and shotguns as well as other short-lived perks. The dual-stick component helps challenge gamers, but I think what is most worthy of praise are the game’s graphics. Since most of us are used to 2D or 2.5D dynamic backgrounds in most casual titles, the incredibly-detailed tikis and environment of Volcano Escape are superbly designed and worthy of mention. If you’ve got a device with Retina Display, prepare to be in awe!

But regardless of its art, it’s fair to say that Volcano Escape is indeed a fun game. And so the question here is one of longevity: How much of it can you stand? If you’re a huge fan of climbing games, then Volcano Escape will hold your attention for long periods of time. But for someone like me who often finds themselves looking for the next big thing, Volcano Escape is not a very smart investment. I think much of it has to do with the fact that even though it blends twin-stick with climbing, the sense of progression is minimal – you’re simply acquiring high scores, therefore leaving you little sense of accomplishment and usually frustrating you when you die all too quickly.

- Do you have what it takes? -

However, aside from those main gripes, BRAVO’s Volcano Escape is just excellent, mindless, challenging fun and will liven up any app library – given that the owner does not easily grow tedious of the genre. 

GameDynamo's Score for Volcano Escape (Mobile)

Arsen Nazaryan

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