Game Reviews

iBlast Moki 2 HD

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iBlast Moki 2 HD

iBlast Moki 2 HD has a problem.

As with its predecessor, making the tiniest of adjustments to the contraptions you’re tasked with constructing can be a seriously fiddly process - especially where ropes are involved.

So, iBlast Moki 2 HD has a problem. But that’s a problem. Singular.

In every other respect, this physics-puzzler sequel is approaching perfection. Refined and sublime, it’s one of the most polished and purely enjoyable games on the App Store.

That’s not to say that it’s a huge departure from the original concept. You’re still transporting cute little creatures – the Moki of the title - to a warpgate to complete each stage.

Petal power

You still need to collect flowers along the way to boost your score (although this time you’re rated in stars rather than medals). And you’ll still mostly achieve all this via a mixture of bombs, ropes, metal bars, and balloons, just as in the first game.

With bombs remaining the primary method of propulsion, you’d reasonably expect more varieties, and that’s very much the case here. Red bombs explode to leave a rubbery residue, which can bounce Moki over gaps and obstacles.

Yellow variants, meanwhile, add a slippery sheen to the surface they’re placed on, allowing Moki to accelerate up steep slopes, or even travel rapidly around loops like a limbless Sonic.

'Splosions, man

Then there are the green bombs, which apply a glue-like substance to objects and environments, allowing Moki to stick to them. A well-timed explosion from a standard bomb is required should you need to unglue any of your diminutive charges.

Levels also contain more moveable objects to interact with. You might need to attach your buoyant Moki to a rolling boulder to tug it underwater, or swing a barrel to knock a snoozing creature towards the exit.

Cases of TNT blast your Moki higher and further, and on one stage, you’re pulled across a body of water by a rubber duck-powered boat.

The more elaborate solutions can take quite some time to figure out, but Godzilab has cleverly designed its levels to be more flexible than before.

Simple measures

On many occasions, the solution is more straightforward than it seems, and while optimal times usually require judicious use of all the tools at your disposal, you can often finish a level with but a single bomb and a little patience.

Better yet: if you’re really, really stuck, you can spend a Moki coin – earned by completing a certain number of levels – to view solutions from the top players on the game’s online leaderboards.

And if you’re desperately struggling and you don’t have any Moki coins left to spend, then you can purchase five for 69p. Forking out the same amount unlocks all the stages, if you fancy seeing the later levels, but don’t have the skill to unlock them.

It’s the perfect way to open the game up to the widest possible audience and alleviate the frustration wrought by the trickier levels, while still rewarding the patience of those who haven’t relied on outside help.

If looks could kill...

Even without all these new features, the graphical overhaul would be almost enough to recommend an instant download. Its homespun feel evokes LittleBigPlanet, though the game doesn’t feel like a cheap imitation of Media Molecule’s style - iBlast Moki 2 HD retains its own quirky personality.

If that wasn’t enough, there’s an expanded level creator that feels more robust than the original’s toolset. Sharing levels with other users is a doddle, theoretically making for an endless supply of fresh content.

Those not interested in creating or sharing, however, will be more than happy to simply play. The 90 stages provided and the gloriously freeform physics-puzzling are ample enough reason to make this an essential purchase.

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iBlast Moki 2 HD

Everything a sequel should be, iBlast Moki 2 HD might be the best £1.99 you'll ever spend
Score
Chris Schilling
Chris Schilling
Chris has been gaming since the age of five, though you wouldn't think it to see him play. Thankfully, his knowledge of the medium is as impressive as his unerring ability to fail at Angry Birds.