Squids [iOS]

Squids is a turn based RPG for the iPhone with versions for the iPad, Android, Mac & PC platforms planned. Squids is a little different from your average turn based RPG, as it incorporates an action element, in that you drag and fling your squids to attack.

There are four classes of squid: scouts, who have the ability to dash, healers who can heal, shooters who get to fire a long range shot and troopers who have a radius attack dealing damage to all foes in a circle. The classes are simple, yet varied enough to keep the game fun and interesting. You also earn bonus pearls (the in game currency) for doing things like bouncing off a wall then hitting an enemy and hitting multiple enemies etc.

Graphically the game looks great. It has a cutesy style that blends 2D and 3D together.  When your characters are not in the action they will watch little sprites (the magical kind) fly past them or perhaps yawn impatiently. Little animations are taking place all the time for example, the seaweed and starfish will sway lightly in the currents.

The game is currently selling for AU$0.99 and Game Bakers are claiming that this is 50% off. This is really the price point it should be at when you consider the game is also using micro-transactions. You can buy extra in game pearls which are used to level up your characters and purchase items. You can also pay to buy a fish that grants you a multiplier on the amount of pearls you get per level, which comes in at AU$0.99 on its own. As you can tell this means you are a little shorter on pearls than you would like to be. This is a little ridiculous and although it's not enough to detract from the rest of the game, it does bring it down a notch.

The game is still plenty of fun and with the extra halloween content that was brought in (some of which is quite difficult) it is a hard title to skip. It blends together turn based and action, beautiful graphics with great animation, silliness with an interesting (though clichéd) plot and really brings out a winner 9/10.