Running away from something terrible —sometimes referred to as endless runners – are a prevalent type of mobile game, but even though they are a dime a dozen, sometimes you come across one that's a diamond in the rough.
Wormster Dash prides itself on not being an endless runner, meaning there is an end to the game; however, whether you can reach the end is an entirely different story.
A high difficulty curve
Wormster Dash appears to pride itself on being difficult, after all, if it truly is a runner game with an ending, it wouldn't be entertaining if it was too easy.
The first thing you will probably notice when you start playing the game is the giant work from which you are trying to escape is very fast comparative to your character. Immediately from the start of each new run, the enormous worm is right behind you, which fills you with a great sense of urgency. The game does a hell of a job creating a tense atmosphere, which I thoroughly enjoyed each time I played; made it feel like something was at stake.
A lot of the difficulty from Wormster Dash comes in the game design. As you progress further in the game, you'll encounter new obstacles which the first time you see them you may not know how to get past, meaning you're way more likely to make a mistake and bite the dust. Of course, since Wormster Dash isn't a roguelike game, it means each run you learn something new. The next time you encounter that obstacle that killed you, you'll be better equipped to handle it.
This isn't a new concept, plenty of other games do this, but it's important to note that the gameplay is quite simple. You won't be frustrated by the controls — which are very responsive — its the way the game progresses that will give you the most headaches.
Unique art
To say I love the art in Wormster Dash would be an understatement. I can't imagine the time it took to draw all the elements in the game. Do yourself a favor and just take a gander at the screenshot pictured above; examine the entire thing. The amount of detail in the drawings is incredible.
What I love about the art style is it isn't just for looks, it also fits the theme of the game. It's whimsical and very cartoon-ish which helps bring out some of the subtle humor in the game. It especially makes some of the moving elements in the game design way more interesting. I have died playing the game because I have spent too much time staring at the screen looking at all the art.
Final thoughts
Wormster Dash comes with a $1.99 price tag; I think its worth the price of admission.
I don't think I have been as impressed with a game's artwork since last year's Hidden Folks. I love when developers take the time to really craft their games from the ground up, and since Wromster Dash was all hand-drawn on paper you know, it took a lot of time and effort.
Although the gameplay isn't ground-breaking in any way, it's still deeply enjoyable runner game that has a steep difficulty curve. I foresee myself loading up Wormster Dash anytime I have a short time to spare, and I'm looking to enjoy myself, and really, what more can you ask for?
Other games this week
I can't write a full review of every game I play, but there are plenty of great games every week that are worth checking out. Here are some other games I enjoyed this week!
Reed: Reed is a tiny cat-like creature and the last creation of an old supercomputer which is dying without its cubes! You'll need to traverse over 50 cool 8-bit platforming levels to find all the cubes and save the supercomputer from death. $1.99 in the App Store.
Evoland 2: That's right, Evoland has a sequel, and it is everything you loved from the original and more. With over 20 hours of gameplay, this epic adventure is a giant love letter to the history of video games, and it's indeed a one-of-a-kind experience. $6.99 in the App Store.
Alto's Odyssey: Alto is back and this time he his boarding through the desert! With a bunch of new mechanics, Alto's Odyssey is a worthy successor to Alto's Adventure. $4.99 in the App Store.
