quantumrand
Android Expert
Description
Newton is a physics based puzzle game. The object of the game is to shoot a projectile through an obstacle course of walls, gravity wells, and repulsers to hit a target. It's a fun game and is dynamic enough to keep you interested at least until you get to a frustratingly difficult level.
Game Play
The game play is simple and entertaining. All the levels entail lining up your particle gun, arranging obstacles, and a LOT of trial and error. Very few of the levels have clever, easily reproducible obstacle configurations, so you are forced to make hundreds of tiny adjustments until you finally get it right, which is the biggest down-side to the game.
The obstacles consist of walls that either destroy or deflect your projectile, "pullers" that create a gravity well to attract/pull your projectile, and "pushers" which create repulsive forces that repel/push your projectile. The physics of all of the obstacles are quite accurate, so with a very analytical and mathematical mind, it is possible to complete a level with a single shot, but don't expect it. Some of the levels, while not particularly fun or creative, can be extremely challenging, and therefore frustrating.
Graphics
The graphics are nothing amazing, but they are clean and simple. Video performance is fine, with little to no lag, and a 2D option is available for the lower end devices (and to save a little bit of battery power).
Interface
The interface is your typical touch screen driven interface, with buttons and a swipe-able grid. Objects can be moved by drag and drop on the touch screen or with on-screen buttons for fine adjustment. Multi-touch would be very convenient as many maps require zooming in and out, and several objects make use of rotation, but it is not currently supported.
Level Editor
Newton also includes a level editor capable of creating full-featured levels which can be saved to your phone and/or uploaded online so that anyone can play them (although level selection online is essentially a randomizer). The editor itself is easy to figure out, creating walls with a polygon tool-like method, simple drag and drop, and additional property flags in the form of check-boxes.
Summary
When it comes down to it, Newton is a fun game, but the level complexity could be overwhelming. Fortunately, there is a free version available with fewer levels that should allow you to evaluate whether or not you may enjoy the full version.
The Good
The Bad
Breakdown
Newton is a physics based puzzle game. The object of the game is to shoot a projectile through an obstacle course of walls, gravity wells, and repulsers to hit a target. It's a fun game and is dynamic enough to keep you interested at least until you get to a frustratingly difficult level.
Game Play
The game play is simple and entertaining. All the levels entail lining up your particle gun, arranging obstacles, and a LOT of trial and error. Very few of the levels have clever, easily reproducible obstacle configurations, so you are forced to make hundreds of tiny adjustments until you finally get it right, which is the biggest down-side to the game.
The obstacles consist of walls that either destroy or deflect your projectile, "pullers" that create a gravity well to attract/pull your projectile, and "pushers" which create repulsive forces that repel/push your projectile. The physics of all of the obstacles are quite accurate, so with a very analytical and mathematical mind, it is possible to complete a level with a single shot, but don't expect it. Some of the levels, while not particularly fun or creative, can be extremely challenging, and therefore frustrating.
Graphics
The graphics are nothing amazing, but they are clean and simple. Video performance is fine, with little to no lag, and a 2D option is available for the lower end devices (and to save a little bit of battery power).
Interface
The interface is your typical touch screen driven interface, with buttons and a swipe-able grid. Objects can be moved by drag and drop on the touch screen or with on-screen buttons for fine adjustment. Multi-touch would be very convenient as many maps require zooming in and out, and several objects make use of rotation, but it is not currently supported.
Level Editor
Newton also includes a level editor capable of creating full-featured levels which can be saved to your phone and/or uploaded online so that anyone can play them (although level selection online is essentially a randomizer). The editor itself is easy to figure out, creating walls with a polygon tool-like method, simple drag and drop, and additional property flags in the form of check-boxes.
Summary
When it comes down to it, Newton is a fun game, but the level complexity could be overwhelming. Fortunately, there is a free version available with fewer levels that should allow you to evaluate whether or not you may enjoy the full version.
Newton Lite - Free
The Good
- Fun, engaging gamplay
- Open-ended level design to promote creative solutions
- Constantly growing level list
- Create and share your own levels
The Bad
- Levels can be very tedious
- Cumbersome interface, especially on smaller screens
- Online level selection is pretty useless
Breakdown