Last weekend I was contacted by Sercan from the game developers "Devada." Earlier in the week Devada released their very first mobile game, and they were wondering if I could give it a try for myself, and see how I liked it. Well, here is what you might call my "mini review!"
Pathika is an iOS puzzle game released by the Turkish developer Devada. The game follows two brothers by the names of Yin and Yang as they try to uncover an evil plot which is threatening their peaceful land made out of shapes. The game begins with Yin searching for his brother Yang, but as the game progresses, more of the "true" story is uncovered. Overall it is a simple little plot, and enough to push you forward, but it really isn't as important as the game's gameplay.
As you play through the game, the main character(s) will have to go through dungeons, climb towers, and explore other areas of their world; however doing so isn't quite that simple. Each area, or level, of the game takes place on a shape filled screen where you must navigate your character to the exit. By tapping on the different squares and shapes on the screen, you can move your character to the next space; however, each space is not quite the same.
While basic white squares make up the pathway for you to walk across, there are also color coded squares, diamonds shaped objects, gray colored squares, and a few other types to get in your way. Upon stepping on a basic white square, the square will vanish, and your path will then be sealed off. Although the very same thing happens when you step on other shapes; the white squares are only there to vanish, and the other shapes are to solve puzzles.
In order to exit a level, your character must be the same color as the exit. To change colors all you have to do is step on a colored square, but it really isn't as simple as it may sound. For example, you may have to step on a red square to become red, but that red square may be across the area with winding paths and walls blocking you off at different ends. Not only will you have to be able to step on every white square on the way, you will also have to step on them so that you can return from that red square, and make it toward the exit. To top that off, sometimes the exits are an odd color, so you will have to mix and match different colors if you want to become the right color to beat the stage. This becomes even more complicated when squares start to show up that actually change colors each time you step on them. One moment the square may be blue, but the next time you step on it; it may become red. Either way you look at it, you will have to keep stepping on this square to go through all of the colors and get rid of it, but you may come to find that you actually had to be a solid "standard" color rather than a mixed color. If this is the case, not only will you have to keep changing your color, but you will also have to make your way across the level to a black square to remove your color properties
As you make your way through the game, more and more shapes will start to get in your way. What starts out as a simple game with white path way squares, soon becomes one filled with walls, diamonds that warp you across the map, gray squares which take more than one step to destroy, and other obstacles as well. With each passing level, the game gets harder and harder, and the story goes deeper and deeper into the game's world. Although tutorials do pop up to help introduce new features; the game does not hold your hand when it comes to actually solving the puzzle for yourself. Although you can use "chi" to give you hints and help guide you to the exit, it is a limited resource, and it really can take the fun out of the game.
If you are a fan of puzzle games, or puzzle games of this nature, then this is a game I would recommend checking out. The game is broken up into 5 episodes, each with 50 levels to play (for a grand total of 250 stages). While the first episode is completely free to play, the other 4 must be bought via an in game purchase. Each one is sold for a grand total of $1.99, but a 4 episode pack can be downloaded for $5.99 as well.
With all things considered, Pathika really is a nice little game. It is a good time killer, it puts a new twist on an old puzzle solving standard, and it provides a good challenge! The game is also only around 20 MB, and it does in fact have achievements to unlock in the game center. Overall I give Pathika for iOS, a solid 8/10 (4/5 on the App Store)!
