Fade Brings Out Your Inner Sleuth, Plus A Chance To Win!
Fade: Case of the Stolen Diamonds ($0.99) by Tree Top Games is a fantastic strategy puzzle game that may remind you of the hit Beat Sneak Bandit, but without the whole rhythm thing.
Even though it seems that the visuals aren’t optimized for the Retina display of the new iPad yet, I found the visuals to be pretty great, since it’s film-noire style. It is simple, yet charming, and the animations are fluid. I appreciated the main title screen, since it is the front page of a newspaper, and not just another boring title screen (that you see in most games nowadays). Also, the soundtrack in this is simply amazing. It sounds like it is from a classic detective film, which can really appeal to fans of the genre.
There’s some story in the game, but not much. You get to play as Pete, the overconfident mouse detective, as who must solve the case of the stolen diamonds of Fade Haven and catch the thief. Simple, right? Of course, but it’s trickier than that.
The unique thing about Fade is the game mechanic. Pete can actually walk through walls and the floor, but only with your help. He will walk by himself, but when it comes to sleuthing around, you’ll have to guide him to make sure he reaches the end of the level (represented by the door).
Controls are as easy as they come – just touch the screen to guide Pete. When you hold your finger above a white area, it “fades,” which allows Pete to go through it. The dark areas can’t be faded, so watch out for those. Since Pete moves by himself, you just have to get him on the right path. This means that the player will have to look ahead and see what dangers await, and plan accordingly. You’ll have to make sure that Pete can avoid spikes and other obstacles, as well as even lifting him to safety, making him turn around, and more. The gameplay seems simple, but it’s so much more than that.
Throughout the levels, you will see identical diamonds to collect. Having a certain amount of these diamonds can unlock bonus levels, so make sure you grab them. Oh, and keep following that diamond thief! You’ll be on their tail.
The game itself does not feature points, leaderboards, or even achievements. It is purely a get-from-point-A-to-point-B game. So you can even take as long as you want playing each level; there’s no rush, and sometimes that’s a great thing. There are over 70 levels to keep you busy for a while.
If you’re looking for a real treat for your iPad, then I highly recommend picking this one up. It’s a steal with that $0.99 price tag!
GIVEAWAY: Fortunately, I have three copies of Fade: Case of the Stolen Diamonds to give away to some lucky AppAdvice readers! For your chance of winning a copy, just leave a comment on this post (with a valid email so that I may contact the winners) by Thursday, April 12 at 8 p.m. PDT. I will choose the winners randomly. Good luck!
