rComplex iPad Review

We prefer to view rComplex as a giant slab of marble, and eventually, the developers at Interwave Studios will use their virtual tools to chisel a great iPhone and iPad game from it.

For now, it's a woefully average runner squashed under the weight of sloppy and borderline unfair play mechanics.

In it, the hero attempts to escape the clutches of the darkness, a bizarre tentacle creature that constantly gives chase and apparently cannot die from conventional weapons, AKA the poor guy's shotgun and scythe.

Levels task you with reaching the end without getting caught, and you do this by leaping over green obstacles and sliding underneath blue ones, which are in stark contrast to the mostly black and red environments.

There are two ways to do this. The first involves swiping up and down to perform those respective actions, while the second places up and down arrows onto the screen. The latter was added via update to please the shouting masses, and we think it's more confusing than the alternative. Call us fools for not knowing which way's up, but swiping works.

The problem is this: those green and blue obstructions appear out of nowhere, and the designers simply don't give players enough time to make decisions. As a result, the protagonist stumbles as the creature moves closer.

Thankfully, Interwave somewhat alleviates the frustration with those aforementioned weapons. Using the shotgun puts some well-needed distance between the hero and his adversary and bullets are plentiful. The scythe, meanwhile, comes into play whenever the beast catches the dude, where rapidly tapping the screen instructs him to lop off a tentacle and continue running, but you lose the weapon.

Meanwhile, the game comes with over an hour of narration, giving you a chance to learn more about the protagonist and his unfortunate situation. At least on the positive side, there's a story.

rComplex as a whole, sadly, misses the mark. We like the unique art style and attention paid to the narrative, but the actual game is too unforgiving to enjoy, especially compared to the best titles in the "running" sub genre. There's still hope this could turn out OK, but for now, you should spend your money elsewhere.

Review code provided by Interwave Studios