written by: Tanish ‘PyR0’ Choudhary
Writer’s note: This game was reviewed on the android platform
Canabalt was something of a hit when it launched a few years ago, combining addictive score-based gameplay with an effortlessly cool visual style.
However, as gripping as the game was, it always seemed like a missed opportunity that the storyline wasn’t fleshed out a bit. What are you running from? What are those strange robots on the horizon? Much was left to your imagination – something which Vector doesn’t do.
Vector is essentially Canabalt crossed with Mirror’s Edge. You assume the role of a drone-like office worker living in a totalitarian regime that keeps its subjects in check via mind-control.
The slick animated introduction sequence shows your character breaking free of his bonds and making a run for it – with security forces predictably in pursuit.
Breaking free
The game is broken up into levels, and your objective is to get from one end to the other without being caught. To do this you need to master a whole host of parkour moves, such as leaping over obstacles, sliding into tight spaces, and breaking your fall effectively following a large jump.
These moves are all controlled by swipes, and many are context-sensitive, so you don’t have to remember a long list of controls.
The catch is that you don’t have access to all of the moves from the start. You’ll need to unlock them as you play, and this requires cash. Cash can be picked up in each level, but you can also obtain it using in-app purchases.
Cunning stunts
Visually, Vector is a treat. Character models are actually rendered in 3D, giving the game tremendously smooth animation and allowing one parkour move to flow effortlessly into another. The environments are equally impressive, and the way in which the camera zooms in and out depending on the proximity of your pursuer adds to the tension.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjznxb1L7Kg
The game’s reliance on cash to unlock moves does rob it of a little spontaneity, but it’s actually quite enjoyable to put the additional effort in to accrue enough money to unlock the next trick. With over 100 different moves available, there’s plenty of content on offer.
Vector may not be incredibly original, but it’s so well-produced and downright playable that the lack of innovation at all.
You can download the game on these links:
