ShadowGun for iOS and Android is probably the most graphically impressive mobile game out there
A lot of games for mobile devices try to mimic console/PC games, with mixed results. The control issue aside, these games generally aren’t up to the standards of consoles when it involves a 3D world, be it for raving, shooting or football. The polygon count – the number of “dots” that when you draw lines between them make objects – is normally quite low and create a lot of squareish objects. ShadowGun is a new shooter game that has come out, and it is – to put it mildly – rather impressive when it comes to that. It still isn’t console quality as far as shooters go, but it’s the closest I’ve seen so far.
ShadowGun is a clone of an existing game series, but for once it’s not Gameloft who’s been out copying. If you’ve ever played Gears of War on the Xbox 360, you’ll feel right at home in ShadowGuns. Even the logo is a close copy! Basically the game has you controlling a overly muscular soldier who hasn’t ever heard of helmets. Your task is to run around and duck behind conveniently placed waist-high walls that someone for some reason has placed all around…everywhere. Unlike Modern Combat 3 and similar games, ShadowGun is rather simple when it comes to the controls you have access to; movement, aim, fire, reload, select weapon. No spring, no crouching, no grenades, no aim down sight. This plus the “hide behind the walls and shoot stuff” factor makes controls less of an issue because it’s more at your own pace. That being said, it still might cause you some headache when the hugs a wall like he automatically does and you have to “unstick” him. Generally speaking though, this type of shooter game seems better suited the touch screen experience. One issue I did find was that as you put aim sensitivity to a level where you can easily pan around, the minimum movement possible is too much for accurate aiming. Perhaps a auto-target system or a larger hitbox for bullets would be a good idea.
What makes ShadowGun so impressive is as I said the graphics. If you’ve ever played Borderlands, that sort of cartoonified effect is also present in ShadowGuns. That plus generally more detailed models make this game a looker if I ever saw one. While I have played Infinity Blade, that sort of “cheating” with an almost rail based game is not the same as a game where you move freely at all times. ShadowGun is available both for iOS and Android, priced at $4.99 both places. Note that this is a performance demanding game, so both for iOS and Android you’re better off with newer devices.
[iTunes | Android Market]
