This inventive, indie, physics based puzzler comes from Radiation Games. You’re goal is to destroy monsters in a range of creative ways before they make their way to you and eat you. Why shoot a monster in the face when you can tie a fax machine to a string of rope and swing it into the monsters face instead? Much more classy!
You are given an inventory of random tools such as rope, elastic, bolders etc as well as a great variety of pre-placed items on the level you are playing. You are simply asked to be as inventive as you can be, combining these to make traps to squish, impale or blow up the monsters.
Sounds fun? Sure is! I admit it was hard to get into as the tutorial doesn’t give you that much guidance on how to use things. It really is a case of trial and error throughout most of the early part of the game, but once I got my brain into the trap-making mode I even impressed myself. I’d make a great Evil Scientist!
The controls are straighforward. You drag and drop the items where you want them on the level. Tapping can cut ropes, push items and various other things. Green areas are marked on the levels to hint where to place items, though you are not restricted to only put items in these places. You can throw lightbulbs around and though I’m still not entirely sure what this does but it’s fun to do anyway. You really do just have to experiment in order to get things going in the game.
The banter between the two scientists kept things humorous between levels. Lots of science puns / jokes if you like that kind of thing. Newton Vs The Horde is linked with OpenFeint so you can share your scores, check out leaderboards and achievements, though there is no direct multiplayer. A Co-Op mode would be pretty great in a game like this, or even a Vs mode where you get to be the monster breaking through the traps etc. The mind boggles at the possibilities!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNnHnXc0H_8
Normally if I don’t “get” a game I’ll give up on playing it. I would have given up on this but since I had to review it I had to force myself to play it more. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I did now. I think this game has great potenital and if they just made the tutorial a bit more beefy in helping the user understand how they can use items it might just stop someone from getting confused and putting this game down. You can’t argue with the price though and if you’re up for a brain tickling puzzle then you’ll get your moneys worth!
7 out of 10