Parkour - also known as 'free running' - has
enjoyed a sort of cultural high over the last
decade.
This is especially true in the gaming sphere
as the idea of smooth, flowing movement makes
for great platforming.
Vector by Nekki is not the first to come to
this conclusion, but its sharp visuals and
incredibly easy to master controls allows
the game to explore the kinds of challenges
other platformers would shy from.
The basic formula is much as you've seen in
any other side-scrolling auto runner on the
App Store as you swipe to jump, slide and
bounce off of walls.
However, unlike these other games the timing
of your jumps will mean the difference between
a flawless escape and being knocked out by
a powerful stun-baton.
This is because your proximity to the objects
you're vaulting over changes how your character
behaves.
Need to clear a series of small, but close
together platforms?
Keep swiping up and you'll bounce from one
foot to the other.
Need to jump just a bit further?
Wait just a moment longer to plant both feet
before springing in to the air.
You'll need to master the surprisingly nuanced
controls in order to collect the many bonus
packages located throughout the stage, though
this is no easy thing as you'll often need
to know where they are ahead of time to collect
them all.
In this way the game breaks its otherwise
flawless sense of flow, forcing the player
to take a less-than-optimal path (and potentially
risking capture) to collect these packages.
You could avoid them, but you'll need the
stars they unlock in order to not only reach
newer content, but also in order to afford
the rather pricey special maneuvers in the
game's shop so you can unlock the third and
final star of a stage.
While dying over and over may not appeal to
everyone, nailing the perfect three-star run
will keep you coming back to Vector's beautifully
brutal stages until you've conquered all the
content on offer.
