Gauge Review

Since the App Store is full of copycat games, it's refreshing when developers try to do something new and unique. Those attempts may be resounding successes or complete failures, but without those attempts there would be no innovation. Gauge lays somewhere in between that huge success and failure. The game is simple and fun, but it doesn't have that addicting factor that would make it a revolutionary game.

This is definitely a weird one but it has its moments. As a free game, it's pretty much awful. And that's reflected in my "playtime" rating of the game. The "free version" of the game is basically a demo. It's even tough to replay the game without going through a series of menus (instead of the expected, one-tap retry). The gameplay isn't different in the free version, but players don't have access to all three modes. Gameplay consists on holding/tapping the single button (the button is the screen). A gauge appears (hence the name) and extends towards the left and right side of the screen. There are limit markers at a few places and then the gauge ends. The closer the player gets to the edges, the more points the player racks up. There are other game elements too (like lives and a second gauge controlled by a second finger on the screen) but not many. The game is designed to "put your focus to the test and in that it succeeds.

As far as graphics and sound go, this game is great. The graphics theme is a colorful sort of techno feel with wide text and enough flashing lights to cause a seizure. The game description even has a warning for people with epileptic conditions. The music is an upbeat, rave-like theme and the sounds that accompany the game match that.

Considering I reviewed this one as a free game (since it's available for free), I didn't get a chance to test the paid features. But the paid version includes three game modes, leaderboards, achievements, and (I'm assuming) the ability to restart the game without going through a please-spend-money screen and basically restarting the app. Since it's free, it's definitely worth taking a look at. The full game in-app purchase is only $0.99. So if you're a fan of the demo, it can't hurt to upgrade.