Ever wanted to be master of your own universe? Who hasn’t wanted to be the guiding hand that manipulates and controls all? Okay, if that’s sounding a little super-villainish, let me bring it back down. In the vastness of game design, it seems everything’s been done before. We’ve had fireball-chucking plumbers, light-speed fast hedgehogs, numerous battling monsters and everything in-between. It’s tough to make something original these days, and yet, that’s exactly what Rinikulous Games Corp have done with their brand new game, Lonely Sun. Because in Lonely Sun, you play as a planet, or more specifically, you play as gravity. Sound interesting? You bet it is, and it’s available now for iOS.
Now, first of all, let’s just put some of you at ease; Lonely Sun’s concept is entirely and staggeringly original, but it’s mechanics are not. Essentially, the game plays like any mobile phone side scroller; you manoeuvre your lump of space rock through a series of obstacles and scenarios, collecting items (in this case ‘planet cores’) and avoiding destruction as you go. The controls are instinctive and easy to pick up; you’ll be intuitively creating your very own solar system in no time at all.
There are five planets to create and play as, fulfilling the titular lonely sun’s destiny of powering its very own solar system. Each brave new world (Nuriona, Ametho, Neryssa, Isoley and Sirocco respectively) has its own strange landscapes, distinct dangers, and gravitational forces to surmount on your way to building a complete star system. The concept is by far the strongest aspect of the game. It feels epic, yet is contained and intimate enough to be both addictive and rewarding. Also, it’s got a slow pace to it, which actually makes it much more involving than similar games that move at the breakneck speed of a blue hedgehog.
The concept it bolstered significantly by the gorgeous graphics on display. The game design is truly awesome, and the development team combine the visual beauty with an amazing soundtrack. The quality of the production is some of the best I’ve ever seen in an iPhone game, and I’ve seen a few. It’s games like Lonely Sun that make games apps able to compete with other handheld devices and platforms. It’ll appeal to both casual players, and more in depth gaming nerds, and will no doubt become a firm favourite with both camps. Check it out now!
Set a course for the App Store and get creating your own universe today!
