App Review No. 108 Rider

Strong Points:
Strong art style
Lots to collect and do
Drop rate of cars is fair
Nice sense of progression compared to other games in genre

Weak Points:
Fiddly controls
Repetitive
Random difficulty spikes

In-depth Review:

Release Dates:
World Wide: July 2017

Controls:
Hold to move forward/(in air) spin

Another day, another Ketchapp game. This time we have Rider, a one-touch platform, racer arcade experience of neon. The main objective is to drive as far as possible while doing tricks and avoiding obstacles. So far, so clone.

Besides the artistic style of the game (which I really like), the other aspect which sets it apart is the addition of the 'one-touch' mechanic. The entire game can be played with one finger, and while in concept this is a good idea, in practice it's not really pulled off. I constantly found my car spinning with every little jump (the activator for the spin) which meant even if one wheel was off the ground I would spin to my doom. I think having two sections of the screen; one for acceleration and one for the tricks would have been better.

It's a shame really, because the rest of the game is relatively fun. The obstacles are interesting, if not wholly original, and there's plenty to do. There's levels to beat, cars to collect, themes to unlock and challenges to complete, as well as just trying to beat your high score. I've found that the game is also reasonable in unlocking cars etc. unlike other games of the genre. You'll gain crystals (the game's currency) quickly, and I was able to build up a collection of cars quite quickly including some epics. It's a odd connection, but the game simultaneously manages to have a lot to do but also a nice sense of progression.

The levels are tough. Besides battling with the control scheme, the obstacles you face mean you probably won't get three or even two stars in the levels straight away, even in the first few. I wouldn't call them frustratingly difficult, but it can be discouraging when you constantly can't get close to the top stars, especially in a game which you'd play for five minutes at the time. It does mean you will be playing this game for a long time though.

Finally, we have the music which is your typical electronic sound, which fits perfectly with the neon graphics of the game. It all looks clean and well presented, even the ads aren't too intrusive. The designs of the cars/bikes as well are well done and varied, from Harvey's to Tron bikes.

Conclusion: an entertaining enough one-touch game. Plenty to keep you interested on those long bus journeys, but slightly too difficult controls to wholly recommend.

Rating: 70%

Thanks for reading, Satamer.