Eliss Infinity Review

Eliss originally came out almost five years ago, and was one of the more creative uses of touchscreen controls seen yet, being actually built for multitouch. It was one of the more creative uses of iOS. However, the game was kind of left lingering - it never got updated for the iPad or widescreen iPhones - until now. Eliss Infinity is a remastered version of Eliss that still holds up well in 2014.

The goal of the game is the same as it was, which is kind of abstract and makes more sense to play than to explain: essentially, planets spawn in the game space, and they must be moved to a circle of the same color to make a match that eliminates that planet. Planets of the same color can be joined together or split apart to become bigger or smaller, which is necessary for some circles, and also just to manage the differently-colored planets, which can’t come in contact with each other lest the life bar at the top take damage. Once the life bar runs out, it’s game over.

While veterans of the original will have the same 25 original levels to play (albeit with various refinements), there’s the new Infinite mode to try out. This is quite the doozy, forcing players to keep making matches in order to keep going, with new orbs spawning in all the time. Managing the chaos is the challenge, with combos available for those who can make multiple matches without causing any damage. It’s a perfect addition to the game, making it great for casual play and greatly enhancing the replay value. As well, a sandbox mode is also available to toy around with.

The iPad feels like the natural home for Eliss. The larger screen is perfect for some of the more complex multitouch shenanigans that go on. Seriously, that this game was never updated until now feels like the universe was missing something for years. The game still feels great on the iPhone, and it looks crisper than ever on the Retina Display.

Again, that we are only getting all of this now feels like it’s well overdue!

The interface for the game uses minimal text, giving the game a very abstract feel that’s appropriate for its abstract origins. But the abstraction goes way too far, to the point where figuring out what everything means is not really clear given the lack of clear visual cues. Feel around and figure out where everything is.

Eliss Infinity is incredibly inventive, and the perfect game for multitouch - and that it has laid dormant for so long is a shame. For those that haven’t experienced this classic - and I know I hadn’t played it in a long time - this is a perfect time to jump in. And for those who haven’t played it in a while, the Infinite mode and the fresh new look are well worth it.

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