Game Reviews

Revolution 60

Star onStar onStar onStar onStar off
|
iOS
| Revolution 60
Get
Revolution 60
|
iOS
| Revolution 60

Revolution 60 is an interactive sci-fi movie. It's ostensibly about a crack black-ops team attempting to avert a nuclear war by disabling an orbital weapons platform that's drifted over enemy territory.

However, as you work your way through the story, the lead's nagging doubts soon give way to a greater mystery, and a lot of moral conundrums.

Your direct involvement occurs in three ways. You make decisions about where to head or how to respond during conversations, you swipe and tap through geometrically shaped quick-time events, and you fight grid-based combats when you find yourself one-on-one with an adversary.

World building

The cinematic nature of Revolution 60 is evident from the off. Plenty of effort has gone into building the universe and the characters.

The protagonists feel like individuals, with their own quirks and backgrounds, from cool and clinical assassin Holiday to the perky Amelia. Their world is fully formed, with a sinister depiction of technology, and a geopolitical situation teetering on the brink.

Visually, everything's dazzling and stylish, even if the odd iffy texture or repeated model sometimes suggest an ambitious indie punching well above its weight.

An initial playthrough on the easiest difficulty level presented little challenge, suggesting any reasonably competent player would be able to just enjoy getting to the end.

Normal difficulty provided a stiffer test, with more demanding action events and combat. The story remains engaging throughout regardless of how you choose to play, meaning even during Revolution 60's slower moments you're eagerly awaiting your next plot fix.

All mixed up

The gameplay elements are more variable, and can have an odd effect on Revolution 60's pacing. At times you'll be barrelling along, before finding yourself facing a goon that needs to be dispatched in a relatively time-consuming combat sequence.

Additionally some of the 'wandering along space station corridor' sequences grate due to their length and repetitive nature. This is especially true on repeat playthroughs, since they can't be skipped.

The game's also heavily linear when it comes to moving about and conversing. There are branches to explore, but they're mostly of relatively little consequence.

Responses during conversations have more impact on proceedings (even if the dialogue sometimes feels a bit disjointed), but this is still a straight-line plot regardless of whether you decide to take a rebellious or professional approach.

Dance dance revolution

While the interactive elements sometimes turn Revolution 60 into a slightly staccato experience, they also provide scope for tension and excitement.

The action events might be simple, but when Holiday's very survival depends on your ability to rapidly and accurately draw a circle, they can be pretty tense.

The combat does something different. You're scrapping through a real-time battle on a chequerboard background, with a kind of choreography and rhythm that's as reminiscent of dancing as fighting. Expanded it would make for a great iOS title on its own.

So while the ingredients don't always gel, Revolution 60 is still an enjoyable and compelling experience. It's an ambitious indie title that keeps you engaged, and has the kind of confidence and swagger that you can't help but root for.

Revolution 60

A touch disjointed, but always captivating, this cinematic Charlie's Angels in space has modern sensibilities, smarts and attitude
Score
Craig Grannell
Craig Grannell
Craig gets all confused with modern games systems with a million buttons, hence preferring the glass-surfaced delights of mobile devices. He spends much of his time swiping and tilting (sometimes actually with a device), and also mulling why no-one’s converted Cannon Fodder to iPad.