Contre Jour HD Captures Eeriness, Beauty, and Ingenuity
Contre Jour HD ($2.99) by Chillingo Ltd entertains the mind and the eye with stunningly beautiful graphics.
The title refers to a photography style where the camera is pointed straight into a bright source of light to create silhouettes and stark contrasts of light and dark. This style becomes readily apparent as you move an inky, one-eyed creature named Petit across shadowy landscapes.
Aside from little pointers whenever you encounter a new item, there is little direction, which really adds to this game’s ingenuity. You’re a stranger dumped into an eerie world, but figuring your way around is not hard at all. Petit won’t move on his own, so you’ll mainly have to “smudge” the land around him to get him rolling.
Your goal is to collect three blue wisps of light for each level before ending at a larger bluish light. If you get all three lights, you move closer to unlocking further levels. Didn’t get any lights? No worries. Move on to the next level and come back to it if you need to.
In addition to the smudging ability, there are also bungee-like tentacles, slingshots, air geysers, and portals to move you across the levels. There isn’t necessarily one right way to clear a level, and there’s no pressure from racing against time or losing lives and continues.
The music completes the whole package. Melodic and haunting, it helps you to connect with Petit. He’s lonely and trying to get somewhere. You don’t know where, but you at least know how to get him there.
This game exemplifies how iOS games can push the boundaries of familiarity to create unique, new experiences.
