Freedom Fall review (iOS / Universal)

10 word description: Retro platformer. Downward scrolling levels. Traps, obstacles, collectibles, dark humour . 

10 word review: Proper game with no IAPS. And it’s very good. Rejoice!

You will like this if you enjoy: Platform games. A darkly amusing story that unfolds via the (rather demented) ramblings scrawled on the wall by your tormentor – a princess who doesn’t need saving.

The good news: Graphics and overall presentation – very nice (it has been ported from a PC game and appear to have retained all of its beauty). A choice of controls – both systems work very well and one option should suit you, depending on your preference. Level design, while not staggeringly original, takes the downward progression and does plenty with it, without it feeling gimmicky or unnecessary. Level ratings (based on number of deaths, cogs collected and time) do not impede progress but also give you a reason to go back and try to improve, if you feel like it. The story unfolds nicely via the wall writing and the humour actually works, which is nice. Plentiful checkpoints.  

The bad news: As usual, the experience is slightly less wonderful on the smaller screen (iPhone / iPod Touch), with some of the wall writing being very hard to read. No cloud sync between devices. Also, I would have called the game Go Down For The Princess.

Arcadelife verdict: First of all, this is NOT one of those disposable, generic iOS games where you are constantly falling and you have to avoid hazards and collect items. This is a proper platform game where the general direction of your progression is downwards… and you have to avoid avoid hazards and collect items. It isn’t a native iOS game, it has been ported from the PC/Mac original, and it has all the feel of being a premium touch-screen title without any of the usual downers such as purely existing as an excuse for IAPs. There are no IAPs.

The game is fun, a lot of fun. Deaths can be frequent in certain areas but there always seems to be a checkpoint exactly where you need one and reload/restart times are barely noticeable. Levels are mostly linear, with occasional choices between two routes, advertised as “Easy” or “Hard” by the wall scribblings of your captor, so don’t put too much faith in the accuracy of the warnings. The linearity, while sounding like a bad point, works in the game’s favour as you never get lost or have to waste time trying to figure out where you need to go next.

Overall, this is a great game and I bet you haven’t got it. If you have got it, well done and I hope you’re having lots of fun with it or, if you completed it a couple of months ago, sorry it took me this long to review it.

Arcadelife rating

Presentation – 9.5/10
Visuals – 9/10
Controls – 9/10
Content – 8.5/10
Fun – 9/10
Final rating – 9/10

GREAT

Rating categories explained here.

Version reviewed by Arcadelife is 1.10

Freedom Fall website link

Arcadelife played and reviewed this game on:
5th gen iPod Touch (iOS 7.0.4)
4th gen iPad (iOS 7.0.4)

This review was typed on a Das Keyboard Model S mechanical keyboard – check them out, they’re really rather groovy.