Zen Bound 2

Publisher: Secret Exit Ltd.
Price: £1.79 (buy now)
Version reviewed: iPhone, by nofi.

The original Zen Bound, an expertly produced, mesmeric game for the iPhone in 2009, was a triumph of visual and gameplay, combining stunning Easter iconography with a beautifully inventive puzzle mechanic: tilt the device to aim a length of rope and use a finger to spin the object in front of you, the aim being to cover said object.  Zen Bound’s simple charm but exquisite graphics blew me away when it was released, and the sequel, which has just been updated for the iPhone 4′s Retina display, has somehow managed to surpass it.

The wooden craftwork, chiseled to perfection and punctuated only with a couple of nails, needs to be covered a certain amount before you can pass that particular stage.  If you can cover 70 per cent you get one flower, another at 85 per cent, and a final one should you manage 99 per cent.  It’s a clever idea because although there are markers along the level path that require a certain number of flowers to pass, you rarely need to stick at one object long enough to get the full three flowers, meaning that progress is, for the most part, nice and progressive.

The graphics have always impressed, and this sequel, which is a universal app (and looks gorgeous on an iPad) is spectacularly good looking.  On the iPhone 4 with the latest update the upped resolution has resulted in even sharper textures and the use of OpenGL ES 2.0 means nicer shadows too – there’s no difference to the gameplay but it’s great to have more games running at 960 x 620.  The sound, too, is lovely, the stretching of the rope playing off the relaxing music might not quite be Zen-inducing, but it certainly puts you in the right mood.

The game remains simple and focused throughout, the only diversions are (naturally) trickier objects to cover and paint bombs, which cover a large area when triggered but are often found in harder to cover areas.  But Zen Bound (and its sequel) were never about insurmountable challenges, this is a game that’s meant to be played at your own pace and at a level that’s comfortable for the individual.  In that respect, Zen Bound 2 is about as close to a perfect game as we’ve seen on the App Store – without niggles or issues, this is without a doubt essential.

• Tweet This
• Graphics: 10
• Sound: 9
• Gameplay: 9
• Overall: 10
  Reader rating:
  
   Loading ...