Name: Aquasapiens H20 Polo iPhone Game
Platform: iPhone and iPod Touch
Price: $1.99
Rating: 7.5/10
We've all seen football games played on the iPhone and the iPod touch, PES 2011 and FIFA 11 to name a few. However, what I have with me here today is a game on Water Polo. Available on the Apple App Store for $1.99, the game seeks to serve as a virtual extension of the actual sport. Check it out here.
The objective of the game is simple: To score as many goals as possible while preventing your opponent from scoring.
Below you can see a video of me demonstrating game play. Please pardon the lack of skills. I was randomly hitting buttons to demonstrate what happens when you get a foul.
Pathetic gamesmanship aside, lets look at the game in-depth.
This game could possibly serve as a breakthrough, in a market dominated by soccer and basketball games. Just like there are two sides to a coin, I have my likes and gripes about this game too.
These can basically be summarized as:
Likes:
- The pop up referee with the appropriate hand signals.
- The rendition of the pool, along with the lane ropes and goal posts
- The sound effects, such as the referee's whistles and the splashes when the ball hits the water.
- The ability to pick out formations for you teams.
- The choice of teams with differing attributes for each of them.
- The difficulty in distinguishing between players.
- Goals scored are not announced.
- Different teams and formations do not really make much of a difference.
- The switching of players.
- Inability to control the goalkeeper.
In this game, players control an entire Water Polo team, much like in the FIFA and PES games, except you can't touch the goalkeeper. You start off with the opening sprint, with every field player rushing for the ball, located in the middle of the pool. This is a sprint for possession, but there does not seem to be a way to increase the players' speed - Be it through a slight boost, or through some other unorthodox method. Aquasapiens have to be applauded for the creation of this game. A simple Google check will review that every other Water Polo video game in existence are, well, pretty crappy. Aquasapiens managed to bring a feel of the sport that previous games could not. Previous games looked basically like they took soccer games and swapped the field for a pool. Here, we can see minute details like players having to tread water throughout the match, how each match is divided into four quarters, and also the hand signals referees make whenever they come to a decision.
Three buttons are available for the players in addition to the joystick. These are the Ball, the Hand, and the Swap button. While attacking, the Ball button allows for the players to shoot. Holding the button down longer will generate a more powerful shot. However, what I do not like about it is that there is no indicator of how long you have held on to the button, and thus you cannot judge how powerful your shot will be. The Hand button allows for the player to make a pass to a teammate. Do note that this is to be followed with a tap of the Swap button, for the game does not feature auto-switching. The Swap button works the same regardless of attacking or defending. It allows you to switch players. While defending, the Ball button allows for players who are close enough to the opposing player to go for a steal. Be careful, for this may result in a foul. The Hand button allows for players to rise up above the water and make a block.
That said, the tutorial offers a basic guide to game play. People who do not play the sport may have difficulty understanding the penalties issued by the referee, as well as the terms used by the game. It is also sad to see that the goalkeeper cannot be controlled. The player switching system is rather confusing, as the game will not automatically switch players for you when the ball is passed from one to the other. Players with the ball that you are not controlling will swim forwards by default, and you will have to tap the Swap button to gain control of them.
The game could do well with some minor visual improvements. The splashing of water as players move, if you look close the water comes out of their asses? The splashing is generated from the kicking of the players, so should it not come from the feet? The difficulty in distinguishing between players can be worked on as well, for their caps can currently only be differentiated after much intense scrutiny. Player intelligence is something else worth working on, for it is not uncommon to see players clumping together, swarming towards the ball.
Despite the few hiccups in the game, I would still recommend that you buy it. For $1.99 this is a game that is worth the purchase. $1.99 will perhaps get you a couple of chilled drinks, so why not use it and give this game a go instead? It may not be near perfect, but it is definitely a breakthrough. A virtual extension of the sport indeed. I look forward to seeing updates from Aquasapiens in the near future. This game has the potential to go a long way.
Thank you for reading my review. Do feel free to leave a tag on the tag board before you leave. Thank you for your time.