Free to a Good Home
iFanzine had the opportunity to give a near-final pre-release copy of Won-O-Soft’s Fox Tales (out now, free) a whirl a couple of weeks back, and really enjoyed the title’s tilt based take on the old-school 2D platform game formula. For those of you that might have missed our hands-on preview, Fox Tales puts you in the pelt of wily hero Jack Fox as he runs ‘n’ jumps his way across an island filled with booby-traps and other strange obstacles.
From the preview: “Fox Tales is a platformer very much in the classic mold – the aim of the game is simply to get from each level’s starting point to the exit while gobbling as much fruit as possible, avoiding obstacles and trying not to fall off anything – but that’s not to say it’s predictable in the slightest.”
And that’s pretty much Fox Tales in a nutshell – the stylized, 2D visuals and environments hark back to sidescrollers of yesteryear while Won-O-Soft’s experimenting with tilt controls and implementing a series of increasingly challenging puzzles helps keep the game feeling fresh and exciting for the duration.
The average level (of which there are a generous 21) consists of plotting out the least hazerdous course of action by utilizing a free-roaming camera which allows you to assess the dangers that lie ahead without risking your protagonist’s skin. Once you’ve settled on the best route, you then navigate your way through levels, collecting apples and taking care not to brush against enemies or fall foul of any of the fiendish contraptions Dr. Goober has constructed around the island. Now, while it is fun, traversing these obstacle courses does eventually start to get a bit samey and repetitive, or at least it would if not for a trio of bonus mini-games, which switch to a snazzy 3D perspective and see Jack Fox trying to outrun a rock slide, crossing alligator infested waters in a dinky row boat and more.
Another addition to this finished version are a range of in-app purchases. Rest assured though, the game’s perfectly functional and playable without spending an extra cent!. All in all, Fox Tales isn’t the best looking or most polished platform game on iOS, but, as I said before, it remains something of a must-have for fans of the genre at the unbeatable price of free. Deserves to rocket up the free app charts.
iFanzine Verdict: A fun and fully featured freebie, Fox Tales is well worth a download for fans of old school 2D platform games. Between this and Danger Express, Won-O-Soft have proven themselves an indie developer capable of successfully turning their hand to a range of genres, and, I for one, am looking forward to seeing what they decide to try next.
[xrr rating=3.5/5]