Save Souls From Eternal Damnation In Hasta La Muerte
Hasta la Muerte ($0.99) by Bulkypix is a universal platformer that’s a bit different from your typical iOS game. In this title, you’ll take on the role of an emissary of Death, saving souls before they’re cast into an eternity of pain and suffering.
Though the storyline is a bit dark, the art style is not. It’s hand drawn and entirely unique. As a reviewer, I see a lot of iOS games, and I’m always immediately attracted to the games that stand out. Hasta La Muerte is definitely one of those games.
This is a platformer, but it’s more like Pac-Man than Mario Brothers. It uses an open level design and you will use the movement stick on the left and the accelerate button on the right to zoom around saving souls.
Not all souls can be saved, and souls that can be redeemed must be grabbed within a short timeframe. Savable souls turn white, and you must run to them before the timer expires. You don’t need to do anything but run into them - just a single touch will send them towards the light.
Running into a soul that is black will turn it into a lost soul, and these evil souls will chase you around. Getting touched by a lost soul will cost you a life, and you’ve only got three.
The game utilizes Soulpets to give your character special abilities. One Soulpet will allow you to walk faster (hold this down to get to souls quicker) while another will allow you to sneak. You’ll often need to sneak past lost souls in red zones, because they move much faster than you do.
There are also secret passages where souls cannot go, and it’s important to utilize these shortcuts and safe zones appropriately. Your main goal is to save the specified number of souls and then reach the level exit to move on.
You’re graded on each level that you complete, based on how many souls you rescued, how many times you got hit, and how long it took you to complete a level.
Hasta La Muerte has 30 levels in total, which may sound short, but you’re able to revisit levels to discover new things as you get new Soulpet abilities. There are also boss fights to finish and plenty of Game Center achievements to earn.
I did experience a few crashes while playing, but other than that, I had no complaints about Hasta La Muerte. It’s a great little platformer, and I’d highly recommend it to those of you who are looking for a unique game this week.
If you’ve played Hasta La Muerte and you’re looking for even more platforming goodness, make sure to take a look at our app guide that features non-traditional platform games.
