When the iPhone launched in 2007, the word "EDGE" was only brought up in discussions about mobile data systems. It's probably safe to assume, though, that when Mobigame decided to publish an iPhone game by the name of Edge, they weren't trying to make any references to AT&T's network technology. The title seems a little bit mysterious, at first, but as you begin to play Edge, you realize that there is no other word that so appropriately describes the primary game mechanic of Mobigame's retro-styled 3D platformer.
Edge is a game with a simple presentation, using old-school vector graphics to display cubic structures composed of gray and white, arranged into platforms, staircases, and Escher-esque optical tricks. It's as if Echochrome were made out of gray LEGOs. Edge also has an equally simple premise -- the instructions, in fact, are presented in only three steps: Move a cube around the playing field with touch or motion controls; collect all of the shiny "prisms" and get to the level exit; finish faster to get a higher score.
It looks like an approachable title, and the initial gameplay matches the appearance. A few levels into Edge, however, one realizes that there is much more going on than a simple routine of rolling around and finding the exit. Most of the levels are fairly linear, leaving few circumstances where the path to victory is unclear. Traversing that path, on the other hand, is so devious a test of dexterity, precision and persistence, that it demands pixel-perfect platforming skills and a steady finger. Don't be fooled by the simple graphics and bare-bones instructions in Edge -- you're really going to have to work to beat this game.
Part of this difficulty is derived from Edge's level design, which gradually demands several unexpected and tricky moves from the player's cube. There is only one control mechanic in Edge: Either by moving one's finger on the touch screen or by tilting the iPhone itself, the cube will roll in four directions, allowing one to cross the playing field, one cube-side at a time. Almost immediately, however, one learns that by moving into a wall, the cube will roll over its top edge rather than the one on the ground, allowing it to climb up obstacles of its own height (it will slide back down a wall that is any taller). This lends itself to several potential obstacles -- since the cube must roll over its edge, rather than hover upward to the next height, certain "staircase" areas must be crossed in a specific way. The cube cannot move up if there is another wall directly behind it (since there's no room to roll outwards), for example.
Most diabolical of all, however, is the game's titular mechanic: sticking to an edge. Once the cube has started to move, the edge it is pivoting over essentially becomes an anchor, allowing the cube to balance there for extended periods. When moving horizontally, this lets the player better anticipate next moves, waiting in a half-rolled position while a moving platform or other obstacle slides into place. When moving vertically, however, this lets the player perform a few physics-defying maneuvers; most often, this involves rolling halfway up a wall, and then taking advantage of the anchored edge to hang on that wall while it moves across a bottomless pit, letting go once the cube is safely over solid ground again.
These maneuvers sound like they would open up an endless array of puzzles for Edge's levels, but this is not the case. There is rarely a moment in Edge where it won't be perfectly obvious what you're supposed to do, to get from point A to point B. Mostly, this is because the game directly tells you how to play, through a series of glowing "hint" triggers. Of course, players don't have to take hints if they don't want to, but given how light Edge is on pre-game instruction, this isn't a bad option. Mechanics like the edge-hang are not hinted at until they are required during the game's progression, and unless one has been experimenting with the game's controls, there's no way to logically know about the rather counter-intuitive maneuvers. From there, once the maneuvers have been introduced, it's easy to know when to use them.
This brings us to the major difficulty source in Edge, which, unfortunately, are the game's controls. Maneuvering in Edge is awkward and inconsistent at times, which does not mesh well with the precise tasks demanded by its later levels. Using the touch screen also sometimes results in arbitrary responses from the cube. At times, dragging one's finger so much as a millimeter will send the cube rolling rapidly across a platform, while on other occasions it won't muster the momentum to roll over. Opting to use the motion controls is no better -- rather than the tense, hypersensitive motions produced by the touch screen, tilting the iPhone seems to barely register most of the time, forcing the player to really swing and swivel the device to get anywhere, which doesn't make things easy during the time-sensitive challenges.
Ultimately, the game's signature mechanic will also become its biggest frustration. The edge-hang is the single hardest maneuver to perform in the game. Fail to provide enough rolling motion, and the cube will tilt back down to the floor (which may no longer be there). Roll up too high, and the cube's next edge will contact the wall, causing the edge to unhinge. It's reminiscent of trying to maintain a wheelie -- the game even pops up a little "Edge Timer" when you're performing the move, allowing you to try and break your own record. My personal best was roughly five seconds, but nine times out of ten, I was lucky to last even a single second.
Given that the game's final levels rely almost exclusively on holding edge-hangs for three to four seconds on multiple occasions, one may be in for a very frustrating time. At a level's conclusion, Edge displays the total time, along with how many deaths you endured. For me, those deaths were climbing to 50 to 60 per level. It reminded me of another game with "Edge" in the title, and not in a good way.
On the plus side, Edge does move at a rapid clip, even across multiple deaths. The level never needs to reload; you simply pop back into place at a convenient (but unmarked) checkpoint, allowing you to die once every couple of seconds, if you're so inclined. Even on levels where one has lost an entire army of plummeting cubes, finishing a level will only take one to five minutes, and completing Edge's 25-level run will last about an hour and a half. Finding all of the game's prisms, however, and replaying levels for high grades, can be expected to last considerably longer.
There's plenty of good things about Edge, including its cool retro-styled graphics and chiptunes, its inventive spin on the cube-navigation puzzle-platformer, and its mobile-friendly bite-sized levels. It's hurt, though, by its maddeningly difficult levels and unpolished controls. There are also a few technical snags to mention -- on one occasion, I died and was placed back in a position from which the level was unbeatable, forcing me to restart. Other times, I found that landing the cube halfway onto a square would lock up my controls entirely, inevitably leading to my swift death (which seems unfair, given that you're frequently forced to try and land the cube on fast-moving platforms).
Edge is a very difficult game to beat. On the other hand, if you're determined and patient, it's still a playable -- and beatable -- game. Hardcore platformers may find an excellent challenge in the tough moves and time trial scores, but casual players may wish to avoid Edge.
I realize that this review is a little old. However, I felt I needed to point out that edge hanging isn't really all that hard if you use the first control option on the options page. The one with the four arrows. In the game, you use the arrows as virtual buttons to control the cube. This allows for much finer control of the cube and allows for much longer edge hanging sessions. I have managed almost 10 seconds in this control mode. I was not able to do it at all in the other control options.
I suggest checking out the game with the arrow options turned on. It's a totally different game with them on.
By the way, have you found any sites that have either hits or show where all the prisms are for each of the levels? I am having some serious problems finding them on some of the levels. I can't find 4 on level 18 for instance. Just checking.
When the iPhone launched in 2007, the word "EDGE" was only brought up in discussions about mobile data systems. It's probably safe to assume, though, that when Mobigame decided to publish an iPhone game by the name of Edge, they weren't trying to make any references to AT&T's network technology. The title seems a little bit mysterious, at first, but as you begin to play Edge, you realize that there is no other word that so appropriately describes the primary game mechanic of Mobigame's retro-styled 3D platformer.
Part of this difficulty is derived from Edge's level design, which gradually demands several unexpected and tricky moves from the player's cube. There is only one control mechanic in Edge: Either by moving one's finger on the touch screen or by tilting the iPhone itself, the cube will roll in four directions, allowing one to cross the playing field, one cube-side at a time. Almost immediately, however, one learns that by moving into a wall, the cube will roll over its top edge rather than the one on the ground, allowing it to climb up obstacles of its own height (it will slide back down a wall that is any taller). This lends itself to several potential obstacles -- since the cube must roll over its edge, rather than hover upward to the next height, certain "staircase" areas must be crossed in a specific way. The cube cannot move up if there is another wall directly behind it (since there's no room to roll outwards), for example.
Ultimately, the game's signature mechanic will also become its biggest frustration. The edge-hang is the single hardest maneuver to perform in the game. Fail to provide enough rolling motion, and the cube will tilt back down to the floor (which may no longer be there). Roll up too high, and the cube's next edge will contact the wall, causing the edge to unhinge. It's reminiscent of trying to maintain a wheelie -- the game even pops up a little "Edge Timer" when you're performing the move, allowing you to try and break your own record. My personal best was roughly five seconds, but nine times out of ten, I was lucky to last even a single second.
April 16th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I realize that this review is a little old. However, I felt I needed to point out that edge hanging isn't really all that hard if you use the first control option on the options page. The one with the four arrows. In the game, you use the arrows as virtual buttons to control the cube. This allows for much finer control of the cube and allows for much longer edge hanging sessions. I have managed almost 10 seconds in this control mode. I was not able to do it at all in the other control options.
I suggest checking out the game with the arrow options turned on. It's a totally different game with them on.
By the way, have you found any sites that have either hits or show where all the prisms are for each of the levels? I am having some serious problems finding them on some of the levels. I can't find 4 on level 18 for instance. Just checking.