There are very few games that pique my interest – I’m not what you’d call a hardcore gamer. However, Rage for iOS has my full and undivided attention plus the cost of entry — it’s that good!
Rage for iOS is another media marvel from id Software, the fine folks who brought you Quake and Doom, games that need no introduction. Rage, otherwise referred to as Mutant Bash, sets the bar for iOS gaming much like Quake and Doom did for PC gaming. If you’ve had your doubts about the iPod touch or iPad as a serious gaming competitor, you can rest assured that the A4 processor is capable of some serious kick ass gaming.
Game Play
One of the biggest concerns for iOS games is gameplay. The absence of a control pad is both thrilling yet counter intuitive for the traditional console gamer. While features such as social networking and innovative gameplay have made up for the lack of physical buttons, not everyone will find a touch screen enjoyable. Rage takes the learning curve out of using a touch screen for a first person shooter by putting the character on a rail. While the game controls the path a player follows, firing at and dodging enemies are very easy to do without any guidance. You can tilt your iDevice in the direction you want to shoot or tap to aim – the later being more preferable.
Visual Appeal
One of the things I like the most about Rage is its stunning visual environments. Everything is beautifully rendered and obliterates the competition at the $1.99 price line for the HD version. Now, if a game is worth playing, the actual playing ‘playing’ part should be the focus over stunning graphics right? Rage balances both and sets a new precedent for iOS games. Id Software effectively took the bar, smashed it half, made a new one and raised it another 12 feet then put Rage on the App Store while sipping an ice-cold beer.
That right there one of the main reasons why I like Rage for iOS. It’s going to force developers to not only focus on great gameplay, but also great graphics as well. Even if this causes developers to raise the price of their games, I’d have no problem if they can compete or beat Rage on visual appeal.
John Carmack, lead developer of Rage is ecstatic about the potential in iOS and the iPad:
“…that you can technically do an excellent, full-featured FPS game, because these devices are more powerful now than like a previous generation Xbox. They’re still multiple intervals away from like a 360 or a PS3, but they’re in the same order of magnitude, so there’s no doubt that you could compile and build a wonderful FPS.”
Final Rating
I give Rage for iOS a 4 out of 5 stars. The environments and enemies are beautifully rendered, the story line is fun and enticing but the only drawback is the learning curve for the controls. Using a touch screen forces your fingers to cover a larger surface area to aim, this gets tiring after extended game play.
Other than the learning adjustment, I’d highly recommend Rage for iOS. At $1.99 for the HD version (think Retina display) it’s a steal and if you want to play it on an older iDevice, the $0.99 non-HD version is just as great.
Rage for iOS on iTunes
