Avoid The Gaze Of Vicious Dogs In This Game Of Stealth
by Lory Gil
February 16, 2012
Mailmen ($1.99) by Ayopa Games LLC is an iPad-only stealth game of dog versus mailman that has you hiding in trees and tying up pups. Get the mail delivered, rain or shine, but watch out for Chihuahuas on the loose.
Players are tasked with delivering mail under difficult circumstances. Biting dogs are everywhere and will do anything to keep you from you job. The goal is to pick up stamps, deliver mail to all locations and head back to the delivery truck without being spotted by the crazy canines.
There are three different mailmen with different abilities, which the player controls. One mailman can run fast with special speed boots while another is strong enough to pick up and move objects to help block the dogs’ views. The third mailman has the ability to climb trees to avoid getting spotted.
The hounds patrol the neighborhoods with their eyes peeled. A yellow cone represents the dog’s line of sight. Players must avoid walking into the cone or they will be caught by the pooch. If caught, the mailman’s movement slows down and the dog will chase and bite him. Players can avoid being injured too much from the bites by blowing an air horn, which will incapacitate the animal for a short time. This will give the mailman enough time to either tie up the pup, or run out of sight.
The game is high quality and well designed. However, there is a very annoying glitch on the third level. On the iPad 2, if you tap on the dog while the wrong mailman is selected, the game will instantly crash. The key to avoiding this crash is to select Johnny before you tap the dog. Don’t touch the dog while you are in control of Charlie. This can't be stressed enough. Hopefully, the developers will fix this glitch soon.
Mailmen is an entertaining and challenging game for the iPad that players of all ages can enjoy. The graphics are cute and the dialog is clever. If you are looking for a good stealth game, pick this up in the App Store for $1.99.
