Sparticle

Looks aren't everything, but sublime aesthetics can enhance the right game. Whatever argument there is to be made for Sparticle's artistic value, however, there's no denying that it's a lacklustre piece of work.

Putting you in the shoes of an unnamed amorphous ragdolling humanoid thing, Sparticle encourages you to outlast the clock. Seconds are added when you begin a game, after which you collect gems of various shapes and sizes to extend time. Surviving for as long as possible is the objective, with the game ending as soon as the clock empties.

Gems, which randomly slide down the cavernous levels, come in all varieties from cat heads to shimmering diamonds to hearts. Tilting your handset allows you to alter gravity so as to move your avatar, lining it up to pick up gems as they rush in from the background. Collect enough gems and a portal opens to another stage.

Boulders also roll toward you, but they subtract time from the clock instead of adding more. Avoiding them is also a matter of tilting to move your avatar, although it's often useful to jump over any rocks by tapping to jump.

Doing so can be risky, though, since the direction of a jump is influenced by gravity. In other words, it's a chancy endeavour because the controls are so unpredictable and clumsy.

To say that Sparticle is an avant garde piece of interactive art would be an uncomfortable stretch. As a game, it's spongy and unsatisfying. Aesthetically, it aims for the minimal hypnotic charm of PS2 classic Rez but falls short.

Technically proficient, this game is deficient on every other front. The decision to not include music, for instance, demonstrates the game's incomplete quality. Sparticle lacks engaging play, exciting visuals, and a clear purpose. Bright colours do not make art; moving parts do not make a game.