Escape from the Pyramid Review

Developer: Tama Global
Price: $1.99
Version Reviewed: 1.11
App Reviewed on: iPhone 5

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Escape from the Pyramid is an auto-running platformer that combines sensibilities from old and modern classics like Prince of Persia and Super Meat Boy. With a great presentation, brutal-but-clever level design, and tight controls,Escape from the Pyramidis a fantastic package for hardcore platformer fans.

Presented in the style of hieroglyphic carvings,Escape from the Pyramidis loaded with levels full of snakes, lava pits, spikes, and other traps that the player must avoid in their quest for the exit. Unlike a lot of other auto-running platformersEscape from the Pyramid is nonlinear, meaning players are challenged to take multiple paths, back-track for collectibles, and switch directions to avoid death.

In any given level,players can expect to die. A lot. It's brutally difficult and has some challenges that require lightning-quick reflexes or some forethought that won't always come to players quickly enough the first time around. Surprisingly, none of this challenge ends up seeming particularly unfair thanks to a control scheme that balances a sense of momentum with responsiveness phenomenally well. As a result, deaths inEscape from the Pyramidalways feel like they are the players fault, and not something that was completely random or uncontrollable. Finally, it also helps that the game instantly reloads a level upon death, so players never feel removed from the action for long enough to get overly frustrated.

To add additional replay value, each level inEscape from the Pyramidhas two sets of collectibles and time challenges that can earn players both bragging rights and additional playable characters. Combine this with three distinct pyramids, final bosses, and unique mechanics, and it's easy to see a lot of value here.

It takes a special combination of mechanics and design to make a platformer feel intuitive, challenging, and fast, but also rewarding.Escape from the Pyramid- for the most part - achieves this. There are few games like it that can make a perfect run on a level feel so gratifying.Escape from the Pyramidis a fantastic game because of its great sense of style, speed, control, and challenge.