Write It VS Free Review

Much like pen and paper games of old, Write It VS Free is a fun and different take on the typical asynchronous multiplayer based word game that we've all seen before. It's just a shame that the community doesn't seem so keen, and it's a game that proves much more enjoyable played locally.

Players are given a title and series of words with their aim to write a coherent sentence of a story in 140 characters or less, before passing the story over to the next player. The title and words are chosen randomly with different points allocated depending on the difficulty of the word. All words have to be used to complete the turn, otherwise a life is lost, eventually leading to the loss of the game.

It's quite enjoyable getting so creative, although there's no algorithm engine to determine if a sentence is nonsensical meaning a certain amount of cheating is possible. That's where the most fun comes from playing against someone sitting next to the player, as it means the pair can laugh at some silly creations as well as moderate each other's ability. There's also the issue that the numerous games I created with random players, simply didn't go anywhere even after a weekend of waiting it out.

Some control issues do emerge, mostly in terms of typing. While it's possible to tap a button to place one of the chosen words, all other parts of a sentence have to be tapped manually. Given there's no auto correct within the game, it can get awkward for those used to iOS picking up such errors automatically. Given the time limit involved, this can play an important role in winning or losing. A plethora of adverts plague the Free version, too, although these can be wiped out with a $0.99 in-app purchase.

The main problem, though, is the lack of active community. Write It VS Free is distinct from the crowd and deserves more popularity. It does take a bit more thought than many other word games though, which may explain the extended waiting time to complete moves. For the creative mind, however, playing a quick session could be the start of a great inspirational afternoon. It's certainly quirky enough for it.