G
by Jeff Effendi on Sunday 10th May 2009

I don’t like space ships, I don’t like floating mechanical balls that divert missiles through the use of gravity, and I definitely don’t like venturing off into space to explore some strange cosmic mass that might eat up my spaceship (not that I’ve done any of these). But somehow, I like G – in fact, I like it a lot. You’ve read the two part interview with Soma Games, you’ve read what inspired the developers and you’ve probably bought the game based on what Chris Skaggs of Soma Games had to say about the game alone. No, this game doesn’t have aliens, robots, ninjas or pirates. Conceptually it’s a simple pick-up-and-play game, but practically you’ll need to spend a good hour or two to master the complex mechanics of G to fully enjoy the world that Soma Games have built. For an indie title, this is as good as it currently gets.

Rarely have I seen the concept art of the game to match its in-game counterpart so well. Soma Games have basically translated what they drew on paper onto your iDevice screen. And they’ve done it flawlessly. The game doesn’t boast an all-powerful 3D engine; in fact the game plays out on a beautifully realized 2D plane.  Words such as refined, flamboyant, colourful and exuberant all pop up when you see G in motion. This is arguably G’s strongest point in the game, and there’s really nothing like it in the App Store. Why some reviewers haven’t been bothered to mention the artwork in this game is beyond me. The images of G you saw earlier in the year that was dubbed as “concept art” has actually been masterfully implemented in the game. From the light shade of blue, aqua-tinged skies, stunningly designed Ptolemy, and the occasionally eerie mist-like atmosphere the visuals spell out high-budget. I can only applaud Soma Games for having the incentive to take this approach and not dumb things down. Between the visuals, soundtrack, voice over and storyline, the game has created a thick layer of immersion for you to cover yourself in.

            

Many games in the App Store don’t have voice over work for their games, whether story driven or not. And it’s a shame, because most of the time instead of giving characters something to talk about, all you’re given is a dialogue box to read. The presence of voice overs just add that extra layer of immersion for a more complete package. Terminator Salvation didn’t have it, Car Jack Streets didn’t have it, and Underworlds didn’t have it. Alright, so Assassin’s Creed did, but it was universally regarded as mediocre. You’ll be glad to know that though the voice over work won’t dominate your headphones, they are of the highest standard. Despite Soma Games’ limited budget, I was constantly surprised to discover that they have implemented a myriad of things that even the big boys were too lazy to include in their games. Though there are only two characters that are voiced, they add so much more to the experience and makes the game that much more refined. Add a winning orchestral soundtrack and you’ve got yourself an audio experience full of gaming win.

As if I haven’t been saying it enough – G is unique. Gameplay wise, it might not be for everyone. But that doesn’t stop it from being brilliant pick-up-and-play material. You’re basically in control of your ship, Ptolemy. The ship fires different types of rockets depending on which you select. You can adjust the burn duration and launch impulse of the missiles upon firing it. You’re also required to adjust a 360 degree missile firing cannon. No, you’re not going to blow things up with the missiles. You’re not here to kill aliens, shoot monsters or run over extraterrestrial pedestrians. You’re here to gather information on The Rain, a mysterious mass of resources sitting in space. By guiding your missile to the certain checkpoints, you’re in essence obtaining more and more information on The Rain. Add a healthy dose of balled-up blizzard-ice-looking-things that pull your missiles in different directions due to its gravitational force, and you’ve got yourself a level to think through.

This game is all about trial and error. You’ll probably need to fire off a few missiles and adjust the burn duration, launch impulse and direction every time before you can pass through the checkpoints in the level. Though this is all good and well, the game sometimes treads into tedious territory. With a storyline that comes and goes as it pleases, you’re sometimes left to keep firing those missiles until you get a briefing from Barker, your ship’s commander. Though it is fresh in some aspects, the gameplay tends to get rather stale after the fifth or sixth straight mission you play in one sitting. Some bugs also mar down the game. There were different reports to which bugs existed, but one I experienced myself was one that didn’t allow me to advance in the mission. I tried rebooting my system, restarting the level and restarting the whole game. This was finally remedied after I changed the settings in the option menu to disable audio and dialogue. Though yes the bugs can be fixed by your own homemade solutions, I would’ve much preferred it if they ironed it out before it was released.

             

Despite its shortcomings, G is still an incredible title to play – especially for an indie developed project. With an update, all bugs should be ironed out. It’s visually tasteful and stylish; it incorporates excellent voice over work alongside an atmospheric soundtrack, and contains gameplay that are hard to come by in the App Store. Though it may temporarily get tedious after half an hour, you can always come back to it at a later time for a fresh replay. G might not be your cup of tea, but for those  willing to give it a try; G might well be the best damn cup of tea you’ll have this half of the year. I don’t like spaceships, Sigourney Weaver looking like a man in Alien 2, and gravitational ice blocks that are able to rip my guts out. But if this is what space truly looks like, someone get me onboard the Ptolemy and introduce me to Barker because I want in!

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