Glasgow’s Mental Universe has released it’s first title, M0B1US. The company designed, developed and released the game inonly three weeks – just to prove to themselves it could be done.
M0B1US is a unique twist on the enormously popular endless runner genre. Rather than the landscape scrolling as the player moves, M0B1US uses all four sides of the screen as the track.
Players must jump over and duck under barriers on a dimly lit track. Obstacles only become illuminated as the runner approaches, meaning the game relies on lightning fast reflexes and decision making. It’s tough. Perhaps not as unforgiving as Impossible Road or Super Hexagon, but it’s a game which clearly rewards practice. Thankfully Mental Universe has managed to capture that compelling ‘just one more go’ feeling and the game’s restart button allows players to duck straight back into the game.
We’ve seen from several games in the recent past, including the afore-mentioned Impossible Road (and arguably Flappy Bird), that simple, fast and immediate games can be incredibly popular on smartphones and tablets.
M0B1US manages to distill the endless runner genre down into a single screen, with very simple and intuitive controls. Tap to jump, swipe to slide.
One notable feature is that the main character continues to run around the screen once the player has died. This makes the process of restarting a matter of judgement as the player can be about to run face first into an obstacle.
In terms of design and implementation, Mental Universe doesn’t seem like a game which was created in only three weeks. It’s an addictive and polished little gem, which deserves love from fans of the endless runner and the ‘oh-for-god’s-sake-teeth-grindingly-difficult-twitch-reaction-obsessive-compulsion’ genres.
It’s an impressive debut from Mental Universe and one which bodes well for the company’s future releases.
M0B1US is available NOW for Apple devices (iOS) and costs a mere £0.69/£0.99. Get it now.
M0B1US (iOS) – OUT NOW