Osmos for iPad Review: More Than Just Good Looks

App Name:	Osmos for iPad
Platforms:	iPad
Publisher(s):	Hemisphere Games Inc.
Version Reviewed:	1.6.1
Genre(s):	physics
Release Date:	July 10, 2010 (updated)

If you’re anything like me, then you’re always on the lookout for the perfect application to demonstrate what the iPad is all about to someone who is unfamiliar or skeptical.  Well, look no further. When it comes to gaming, Osmos for iPad does a spectacular job  of utilizing multitouch controls, trance-inducing visuals, and dynamic audio. Not to mention the addictive gameplay that offers up plenty of variety and challenge.

The tutorial is over and done within just a few minutes. There’s very little that you need to know. Becoming a master of the physics-based gameplay (which the developers call “osmoting)” is really a matter practicing and getting more sensitive to how the multitouch controls function. Cheesy as it sounds, you really need to get immersed in the game’s atmosphere before you’ll start to understand how to move the orbs to the desired location.

It works like this. You’re a spherical shape in the center of screen (referred to as a “lifeform”). Surrounding this lifeform are numerous other lifeforms with varying characteristics. Generally, the goal of each level is to absorb other lifeforms, which will make your own grow larger. Your lifeform moves when you tap anywhere on the screen. It will eject a bubble of matter and move in the opposite direction of where you tapped. But keep in mind that when the lifeform ejects mass, it shrinks slightly, and only lifeforms that are smaller than yours can be absorbed. Colliding with a larger lifeform will result in termination. This means that tapping must be kept to a minimum, and patience is key.

So there are the ground rules: Navigate through a space field of lifeforms and try to become the biggest. . . . But that’s just the beginning. Developer Hemisphere Games Inc. takes these fundamental controls and expands on them beautifully. Going through the selected levels in the “Odyssey” mode will make you encounter all kinds of variations. Some lifeforms are repelled away when you near them, others can’t be absorbed. Certain stages put you in orbit around one big lifeform and force you to control your orbital path while still managing to grow in size.  But the stages and lifeforms aren’t the only things that evolve. As you progress, Osmos for iPad introduces you to new control functions, such as pinching to zoom in and out, and swiping left or right to control the flow of time. The combined effect of these mechanics has you moving your hand across the screen in a variety of ways: tapping, swiping, pinching. This may be a game, but you’ll still feel like you’re putting your iPad’s functionality to great use.

One minor drawback to be mentioned is the lack of a hint system. Deep into the Odyssey mode, things get quite difficult in a puzzle sort of way. Up until then, Osmos for iPad is more about being an immersive experience than an intense challenge, so getting hung up on a few stages comes as an unwelcome frustration, and some optional hints would be a nice touch.

But the list of positives in Osmos for iPad far outweigh any drawbacks. It may be a fairly small game when compared to others, but the execution and design are superb. Download Osmos for iPad if for no other reason than to have a great demonstration tool at the ready for the next time someone notices your iPad and wants to check it out. But chances are, that won’t be the only time you’ll find yourself playing this title from Hemisphere Games Inc . . . One last word of advice: Follow the on-screen tip and plug in your headphones, then let Osmos and its subtle electronic soundtrack truly carry you away.

Our Score: 4.5/5

Osmos is available for $4.99 at the time of the review.

About the Author

Devin Wieland

 

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