Rope Rescue HD Review iconDeveloper: Chillingo
Price: $0.99
Version Reviewed: 1.0
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 4
 
If there’s one company that dominates the physics based puzzle game genre on the App Store, it’s Chillingo. Not a week goes by without Chillingo releasing another title, invariably offering a cute protagonist alongside a simple yet compelling premise. This time round, it’s the turn of a sweet bird in Rope Rescue HD who must help rescue their feathered friends. This is done by dragging a length of rope around a level and through a series of gears, culminating in attaching it to a cage to then release the birds. It’s a simple idea but one that quickly hooked me in.
Much of this success is down to the difficulty curve. During the first few levels of Rope Rescue HD, the various elements of the game are explained and deciphered. It’s quite straight forward. Obstacles such as knives, flames and bats get in the way and must be carefully avoided. In other instances, it’s difficult to reach every wheel, especially given the fact that there’s only a limited amount of rope to use. Rewards in the form of feathers are offered according to how efficiently each stage is completed and there are tips via butterflies that can provide hints of how to progress.
Like many other games of the genre, Rope Rescue HD is an ideal title to play for as long as free time is available. A quick play through a couple of levels is just as productive and satisfying as spending an hour with it. The variety of solutions to each level keeps things interesting and provides plenty of reasons to return to earlier stages.
While many physics based puzzle games have been done before, I can’t recall seeing something that uses ropes in this way. That level of ingenuity ensures that Rope Rescue HD is well worth playing. It’s an interesting title that’s enjoyable to play for gamers of all age and skill levels. What more could anyone want?