Oddwings Escape Review

Developer: Small Giant Games
Price: FREE
Version Reviewed: 1.4.2
App Reviewed on: iPhone 5

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Overall Rating:

It’d be very easy to dismiss Oddwings Escape as yet another cutesy endless flying kind of game. I know this because that’s what I very nearly did. Yes, it owes a lot to other titles, but it’s an enjoyable mixture of elements that should ensure you come back for more. Its only real flaw is a heavy-handed approach to in-app purchases.

You control a bird, known as an Oddwing, as he negotiates various levels, both endless and structured in nature. While the bird flies automatically, you can drag an arrow in front of him to direct him, as well as affect the speed. A shorter arrow means a slower bird and so forth.

Each level is only around 30 seconds long at most, with three objectives relating to three stars for each stage. These tend to be simple enough, such as dodging all obstacles, or collecting a particular item, but there’s enough here to keep things interesting. At times, you have to switch out to an Endless session, with completing objectives here opening up new levels. In each case, you can see the position of your friends, as well as 'smash' through their latest high score. It's pretty satisfying to do.

It’s reasonably well balanced, although at times, you’ll find yourself having to grind out a few stages in order to get ahead. Coins are used to upgrade your bird, with special keys unlocking new birds with extra abilities. There’s also an energy system, restricting how many times you can play in a row. It is all a tad restrictive, meaning you’ll often find yourself wanting to play more, but without that choice open to you.

That’s a shame as there’s a solidly enjoyable game underneath those in-app purchases. Offering different controls and giving you more to accomplish means that Oddwings Escape feels a cut above the rest. Just try not to be too infuriated by its attempts to make you pay up so often.