Alphabeats Review
Price: $1.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0.1
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 5
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Combining a word game with a music game seems like a concept that should be more popular than it is. Both genres involve a certain amount of rhythm in order to succeed so it makes sense, right? Alphabeats is one such game that combines both genres and it does a reasonable job of doing so; if only the controls were more user friendly.
Power-ups help to an extent, enabling you to shrink words so they take up less space, as well as a trusty multiplier bonus, and a bomb to clear useless letters. These power-ups are activated through gestures that are quite intuitive if a little fiddly to perform when rushed. Three difficulty levels ensure there's no chance of Alphabeats ever becoming too easy either, with the likes of Spellfire being especially fearsome.
It's unfortunate that this proves infuriating for Alphabeats players, as it's a cool idea otherwise. Accept the awkward placement of the bar and soon enough longer and more impressive words come together, but it's a shame that Alphabeats still feels a little unwelcoming to players who want more flexibility.