Aqua Forest: A Physics-Based Puzzler
posted July 8th, 2008 2:59 PM EST by Blake Patterson in Featured, iPhone games, iPod touch games, Puzzle
Hudson Soft and Prometech Software are bringing Aqua Forest, a most unique title, to the iTunes App Store. Fully utilizing the iPhone's touchscreen and accelerometer controls, Aqua Forest is a game in which players can manipulate on-screen water and various other substances by touch.
Catch water drops falling from the tree leaves without spilling, guide a water drop through a maze, or bounce rubber off barriers that you draw. Play with water in one of 3 fun ways! Select an editing function of OctaveEngine Casual (choose from options like wind, heat or cold), tilt the handset in any direction to activate the accelerative sensor, or draw shapes on the touch panel with your finger.
Choose between puzzle mode or free mode. In free mode, experiment by choosing different physical properties (such as water, fire, rubber, gel, hard barriers, heat, cold, and more) and manipulating them with movement and drawing tools (Hold, Move, Brush, Pen and Eraser). You can also get creative making free drawings on the screen with OctaveEngine Casual. Then play with your pictures in real-time with operations tools (create water droplets and steam, melt solid objects, or set an image rotating with wind).
As the YouTube video demonstrates, the player can, for example, choose water as a medium, swipe a finger across the touchscreen, and watch a blue slash transform into a falling bolt of water that splashes about convincingly and responds to the orientation of the iPhone. As the developer states, it's a mesmerizing experience.
Aqua Forest features a 2D "multi-physics engine" known as OctaveEngine Casual, a particle system which drives the behavior of the various elements in the game. The game offers 5 play modes across 10 stages for a total of 50 play rounds. With the successful completion of each stage, the playfield's forest backdrop grows slightly.
Aqua Forest might not be the hardcore gamer's cup of tea, but it seems a rather pleasant and curious distraction.
