Multitasking HD Review

The advent of the Digital Age has left of juggling more responsibilities and distractions than ever, and it seems that at any given moment our mind is pulled a million different directions at once. Multitasking HD turns the very idea of information overload into a game, with entertaining yet overwhelming results. All the onscreen action can sometimes become a bit too much, but at least this is a game where you can never claim to be bored.

Multitasking HD challenges you not to play one or two or even three games at once, but rather up to nine mini-games at the same time. Each window houses a simple task like tapping saws before they cut a rope or keeping a ball balanced on a beam, but when nine such tasks are begging for your attention at once things quickly get hairy. Furthermore, the fact that the game ends whenever you make a single mistake means that you can never focus on any one section of the screen for more than a second or two. It's true twitch gaming, and your skill level will likely be associated with your level of ADD. Unlike all those casual games that let you sit back and play at your own pace, this title is constantly moving at full-throttle.

The visuals in the game are simple yet interesting, and seem to be heavily inspired by retro games and newer titles like Geometry Wars. The visual aesthetics, coupled with the soundtrack give the title a bit of a Tron vibe, which works rather well. While nothing about it is particularly mind-blowing, the looks and sound are nice enough, and definitely don't detract from the experience in the slightest.

Really the only downside to Multitasking HD is how frantic the gameplay becomes, but anyone who picks up the game likely is already expecting an immensely challenging experience. This is a game where you will fail over and over again, but it's still fun. The only major knock against the title is the fact that one of the mini-games (and only one) requires you to turn the iPad from landscape to portrait, which can seriously mess up what you're trying to do in the other eight windows. Extra difficult? Of course, but also kind of irritating.

Ultimately, I'm not sure if a high score in Multitasking HD is a badge of honor or a sign of serious mental disorder, but the game is highly entertaining either way. Just don't be surprised if you need to take a long break after only a couple play sessions, the fact that you're exhausted just means you're still a real human being and not yet an information-processing machine.