As much as reviewers like to espouse the virtues
of video games and (with their critics hat
on) even point out why something works, there
are games that come by now and then that seem
to almost defy deeper analysis. QuBIT by Secret
Sauce is, quite simply, a fun game to play
and despite only having one mode of play it's
an easy game to keep coming back to.
The basic premise of QuBIT is to collect as
much 'Obscurium' from the planet surface as
possible, unfortunately you have a limited
amount of energy that needs to be constantly
replenished either by creating combos or riding
'plasma' objects. Combos require you to 'lock
in' all the QuBs (cubes) by collecting a run
of crystals that match its color. Once you've
locked them all in you'll get an energy boost;
your score will increase further; and you'll
progress further along the current 'level',
eventually ending up in a bonus stage as you
transition to a new area.
Each level adds a new QuB to your robot while
also mixing up the terrain and speed you travel
at to make things more challenging. More QuBs
make it harder to fill your quota with the
energy at your disposal, however riding plasma
'rails' and 'balls' can help (though they
will kill your combo). Getting the balance
of completing combos and staying alive only
gets harder as you progress, especially when
locked in crystals turn in to obstacles that
clutter the field.
Getting around the 3D world of QuBIT is a
snap, with three basic control types available
(tilt, tap and slide), though tilting is by
far the easiest to use to quickly weave back
and forth with precision between crystals
at near warp-speed. This is further aided
by the gorgeously simple dark aesthetic that's
offset by the bright and colorful crystals
you're collecting. Small touches like QuBIT
and his QuBs doing a little shimmy of victor
or looking flat and depressed when low on
energy help to set the mood without being
too overt.
Part matching game, part racer and all fun,
QuBIT is more than the average high-score
arcade title on the App Store. Whether you're
after something simple and fun for your iPhone,
iPod Touch or iPad, it's worth checking this
title out.
