Rapid Review: Hako - Made In Only 24 Hours
Hako ($0.99) by Animeeple Hako is a relatively simplistic game where you try to travel as far as you can dodging various rectangular prisms. What makes the game noteworthy is that is was developed in only 24 hours. The game is similar to Cube Runner, but in 3D space rather than having a fixed axis. The app is universal for all iOS devices.
You tilt to move as you fly automatically forward, and the tilt controls are very smooth. There are two power-ups along the way which are essential for a long flight with one slowing down everything, and the other making the controls super precise. The longer you last the faster you go, so this is one of the first games where going slow is such a good thing.
The avoidable objects come at you quickly and randomly, and they don't appear very far ahead so you need to react quickly. You don't get to see the layout extend out in front of you for very long like most games in this genre. Again that's why it's essential to collect the power-up to slow everything down, or at least have very fine precision for rapid movement.
The game is definitely immersive as you get into the gliding through space feel. As you’re picking up speed you’ll put your whole body into it to move out of the way of the space cubes. There are plenty of tight squeezes with an overload of boxes on screen at once, and you’ll cringe when you do end up crashing.
The game includes Game Center for online high scores and achievements for some replayability. Each game doesn't last very long with death right around the corner at all times. The whole app doesn't last very long as it become repetitively quickly, and is very shallow. Sometimes you think you've collected a power-up, but you miss it despite it looking as though you run right into it.
It's quite an accomplishment for being made in only 24 hours, but when compared to other apps it simply falls short. Hako feels like very similar to the free app Cube Runner which even has more variability.
