This game is today’s AppVent Calendar FREE game for the day. Just so happened we had to review it

Polyhedra (FREE Today Only)

I was really afraid this was just going to be another one of those “fill the space” kind of games. At its heart, it most certainly is. However, there are a couple of game play elements that make it stand out from the pack. A pretty slick presentation doesn’t hurt anything either.

Presentation

Graphically the game takes the “simple but cool” approach. The objects are all line drawings, with the bad guys basically being small versions of the objects that you can create in the current level set. The background is a nice psychedelic swirl of colors, with faded out objects that appear to once again be small versions of the object in the current level set. These background objects are always flowing towards the top of the screen in a bubble like manner.

Sound effects are sparse but sufficient for the activity that encompasses the game, such as a sound when an object has been completed or destroyed by an enemy. The music is pretty decent, but if it’s not your cup of tea you do have the option to listen to your own music while retaining the game’s special effects.

Controls

To create an object you simply press down on the screen and keep pressing until the object is as big as you want. There are of course certain other factors that will limit that, but from a user interaction perspective the only way to stop growing an object is to let go of the screen.

As you’re holding your finger down you can drag it around the screen to move the object while you’re growing it. To rotate the playing field you simply rotate the device. Double-tapping the screen pauses the game and brings up a menu with various options.

Game Play

The game play is simple. On each level you must fill at least 66% of the screen with objects you create. To create an object you press on the screen, and you release your finger to finish creating the object. Of course, if you run out of room in the area you’re currently at the object will be finished for you. Also, if a bad guy hits the object before it is finished then the object will be destroyed.

Within the confines of the space you have you can move the object around while you’re creating it by dragging your finger. This is a nice feature not seen in too many games of this genre. Another cool feature is that the objects you can create come in five different shapes – circles, squares, polygons, hexagons and octagons. My favorite, however, is Medley mode where the game rotates between all of the objects.

The other factor that sets Polyhedra apart from other games in this genre is that you can rotate the device to move already created objects. Yes, included inside of your “fill up the screen” game is a physics game of sorts. Be very careful how you use or abuse this feature, though. When you think you’re trapping some bad guys beneath a tumbling set of objects, you might be freeing others. Also, if you’re not careful in how you shift the objects you might not leave yourself with adequate room to create new objects. You must always keep in mind that your ultimate goal is to fill 66% of the screen with objects.

There’s also a toy box mode that lets you switch at will between whatever shapes you want. Unfortunately there are no bad guys, so this mode is pretty pointless in my book. I suppose some might appreciate the zen-like tranquility to this mode, though.

Suggestions

My main suggestion would be to integrate the ability to choose your own shape each time into the Medley mode of game play. Maybe the developers could even make it an option for those who are content with the level picking which shape comes next. I just think it could add a nice element of strategy to the user’s game if they can decide which shape comes next.

Conclusion

Ever since I first played a flash version of one of these “fill ‘em up” type of games I’ve been hooked, but it’s still nice to see developers innovating on a theme. Polyhedra certainlywins points for style, but more importantly it scores big time thanks to the 360 degree playing field. This mechanic adds a new element of strategy that this genre was sorely missing. I know there are other games of this genre in the App Store, but as of now Polyhedra is my favorite.