Oddy Smog’s Misadventure review

It has been a while since I held my breath, clenched my teeth, and knotted my stomach while playing a game. Medusa Web Site’s application Oddy Smog’s Misadventure has got me completely reeling. This game scores on every level. Let me break it down: Graphics: AWESOME. Concept: AWESOME. Interplay: AWESOME. Aside from making my thumbs hurt from playing too much and too hard, this game touches on every level of awesome.

You know how annoying it is to read instructions, especially when they don’t make any sense? This game gives you instructions as you go along as you begin playing so that you can apply them as the game is revealed to you. Did the creators study psychology? Teach elementary school? Or do they just understand human nature? I am sure a lot of you have an easy time with instructions, but to be completely honest, I fail at them unless they are incredibly straight forward.

In the case of Oddy Smog, the instructions come as an interactive part of the game while you get started. To top this, the game provided triggers to guide you as you begin to play. There is no ambiguity when it comes to controls, technique, or direction. While it took a while to mentally coordinate the controls that disappear after you get past the introduction, I was completely engaged and excited about progressing from the time I started playing.

My enthusiasm could easily be attributed to the fact that the graphics are amazing. You are a black gaseous creature, symbolic of Hexxus from Fern Gully, except that you are the protagonist of the game. In what might resemble the tiles of a public restroom, you try to climb up the walls of a narrow space in which black smog follows you. You are able to elevate yourself through spinning wheels that are suspended in the air, like wheels of a cog.

The imagery gives you a stark depiction of machinery and industrialism. The catch is, you are a product of such, being a cloud of soot with two eyes and a frantic need to escape the smog. I think beyond entertainment, this game forces you to think rather critically about the elements involved. For a piddly 99 cents I think this game is well worth the price tag.

Here is a video demo of the Oddy Smog’s Misadventure app on the iPhone

AppSafari Rating: 4.5/5

AppSafari review of Oddy Smog’s Misadventure was written by Renata Paszterko on July 11th, 2010 and categorized under Action, Adventure, App Store, Featured, Games. Page viewed 4339 times, 2 so far today. Need help on using these apps? Please read the Help Page.