Dark Nebula: Episode Two Review

Dark Nebula is at its heart a ball-rolling game, Labyrinth-style—but to stop there would be an insult to this highly evolved, beautifully produced action game. Dark Nebula is far more than a ball-roller. True, it's tilt-based, but so much is added to that basic mechanic that once you beat it, you'll wonder how anyone could consider real-life labyrinth sets fun.

So what makes Dark Nebula different? Well, you're rolling a silver ball through twenty different, gorgeous levels, with the simple goal of making it to the end. The levels themselves, however, make it unique: moving platforms, laser tripwires, and deadly obstacles all make appearances, so much so that it feels almost like a platformer. Oh, and there's a boss battle at the end.

Yes. Boss battle. As in, your ball gets equipped with these lasers that whir in orbit around it, and then you can damage stationary items (early on) and finally a boss (at the end). Other cool tricks include a button that propels your ball upward and forward, allowing you to "jump" over barriers.

The resulting levels are fast-paced and present some really neat designs. Action is the name of the game!

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Don't think that production values are short, either. Graphics are beautiful and backgrounds are detailed; the sound, while not excellent, adds to the atmosphere. The calibration options give you flexibility; meanwhile, fully integrated online leaderboards and detailed records give you extra replay value. And it runs beautifully, too.

We loved Dark Nebula: Episode One, but were saddened by its length—Episode Two "only" has twenty levels, but they're all fantastic. And let's face it, this tilter is in a league of its own. Highly inventive level designs, top-notch production values, great controls...what's not to love? Even if you generally hate labyrinth games, you can't afford to pass this one up. Dark Nebula: Episode Two gets my full-hearted recommendation.