Review: Enigmo 2
by Staff Writer
September 15, 2009
Overview
Enigmo was part of the initial launch of iPhone games in the App Store, and is one of the best selling apps. It made perfect sense for Pangea to bring the sequel to the iPhone as well. Enigmo 2 is a deluxe puzzle/brain teasing game where you have to guide different substances to the right container. The substances include water drops, lasers, and plasma.
In every level you’re given certain puzzle pieces, and with those you have to make a path for the substance to reach the end container. Each level also provides unique devices to interact with. The ability to toggle switches and deactivate force fields is back from the original, but now you also have to use teleporters, gravity inverters, and gravetoids.
Enigmo 2 reinvents the game by providing a 3D environment in space. Now you have to move the substances across the x, y, and z-axis. If you thought the first was tough, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Features
50 intricate levels are included for your puzzling pleasure. The most important feature is the control scheme since you will need to manipulate multiple pieces in 3D. You drag the pieces from the bottom bar into the gameplay area. You drag with one finger to pan across the current view, and pinch to zoom.
Then the most complex aspect is dragging with two fingers to change the camera view in 3D. In most levels you will have to switch the camera angle to move and tilt the pieces on the x, y, or z axis. An extremely detailed tutorial is included to explain it way better than I ever could.
Your score is based upon the time taken to complete each level. Every level counts down from a certain score, and each level adds to you cumulative score. There really is no point of having a scoring system though. You get through all 50 levels with a certain score, so what?
The Good
Enigmo 2 is super challenging, but still solvable, and not impossible. This is one of the best puzzle games in the App Store, and even surpasses the original. Having to manipulate objects in 3D is an amazing spectacle, and Pangea has done a great job of implementing controls to do so. Not many, if any, of the 50 levels will you get through in one try especially in the time given. It's great looking at a puzzle with multiple laser and water flows, but first having to trigger switches with the water to start the laser. Every single level provides a brand new challenge. Not only is this game challenging, but still fun, it’s also great to look at too. The entire game is set in space, and each level has different background with varying planets. All of the objects, devices, and substances are nicely rendered in 3D. It doesn’t skip a beat as you rotate in 3D, and then zoom in or out, everything still flows nicely.
Every single level has its own background music. The entire soundtrack is simple, mellow, and relaxing, but at the same time has a slight space age tilt to it. The sound effects are done nicely from the pitter patter of the water drops to the whizz of the lasers.
The best aspect may be the intrinsic reward from completing these levels. Just trying to complete all fifty levels in this game, will definitely give you your money’s worth. As you progress, you save your progress after every completed level, and there are multiple save slots.
The Bad
Some people may be turned off by the shear difficulty of this game. 50 levels of increasing difficulty is only a great feature if you can get through the levels. This game is even tougher than the original, so if you had trouble with that one, then don’t get your hopes up for this one.
I found that every single level can be solved as long as you give it time to try to figure it out. The most fun from this title is the extreme challenge, that isn’t too extreme to just be stuck completely.
Another problem related to difficulty is that you have to play all 50 levels in order, and can only play the next one if you beat the previous one. There is no skipping around, so if you’re stuck on one level, you’re done with the game. Also you can’t go back, and play any level you want.
