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Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Panem Run

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Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Panem Run

There's a significant parallel between The Hunger Games books and this Panem Run iOS and Android spin-off game.

During the Hunger Games tournaments in Suzanne Collins's novels, you see, protagonist Katniss Everdeen faces insurmountable odds.

Game developer Reliance, meanwhile, has to overcome insurmountable odds of its own here with Panem Run. Yes, the overwhelming stigma of the movie tie-in game.

The main difference, however, is that Katniss goes on to prosper in the Collins trilogy, whereas Reliance only serves to reinforce why there's a stigma attached to these tie-ins in the first place.

The odds are not in your favour

Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Panem Run is a by-the-numbers endless-runner. You charge forward while sliding under electric fences or jumping over crates. All the while, you're collecting materials to build new types of arrows (called "sparks") and picking up power-ups.

Oh, and you can fire a bow. Because, well, it's the The Hunger Games and Katniss loves a bow. Should you hit an obstacle, a horde of Tracker Jackers (genetically modified hornets) swarm over you and buzz belligerently, thus ending your run.

At the end of each section, you choose which District to continue running though via a left or right swipe. Before too long, though, the levels all start to blend into one. Still, it's nice to have options, even if they're uninspired ones.

Of course, this overall description more or less fits any number of Temple Run-esque endless-runners, including yet another movie spin-off Temple Run: Oz.

May the odds forever be in some other game

The problem is that Panem Run is just a bit uneventful. Levels look nice enough, but they lack any real sense of depth or substance. The power-ups are useful, albeit bland and predictable.

Then, there's the running element, which works (with the exception of a couple of glitchy invisible walls) but feels awkwardly slow, as though the character model can't be arsed. Which is kind of ironic, given that's how YOU will likely feel after a few runs.

Put simply, if you want a Hunger Games experience, play Tomb Raider while squinting. If you want an endless-runner, play Temple Run.

Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Panem Run

A flimsy endless-running movie tie-in with nothing to set it aside from all the other games in this densely populated genre
Score
Wesley Copeland
Wesley Copeland
Wesley Copeland loves video games. Probably more than he should. In fact, while you're reading this, he's probably Googling how to find a specific piece of armour or beat a certain boss. It's a disease.