Hollywood Hustle

While most mobile games easily slip into the 'good' or 'not-so-good' category, there are also quite a few that can't be so easily defined. Those that are good but still a complete rip-off of another game, for instance. Or those that aren't particularly good games, but are still very likeable for some reason.

That latter category is where Hollywood Hustle fits.

Being a text adventure, there are those who'd criticise it for not being much of a game solely because of that fact. But Hollywood Hustle is more of a game than most of its genre in one way: because it offers an addictive and neat little Zoo Keeper style mini-game in between each level, which gives you something to play.

In another way, though, it's not so much of a game because – as it explains at the beginning – there is no right or wrong, or any way of failing. All that the decisions you make throughout the game determine is which ending you get. You might think some skill is needed if you want to unlock all the endings (which the game encourages you to do) but, in fact, to do that you just need to pay attention.

To explain Hollywood Hustle's story, you play through the game as an aspiring actress called Lucy Starling. The story begins when she's nominated for an award, finds herself with a self-appointed pushy agent and the press turn up at her apartment door in their droves. This is your initiation into the game – as the press pesters you with questions, you make the decision whether to tell the boring truth, make up a load of stuff, or turn their questions on them.

From then on in, the game follows the same formula throughout its various chapters, with you helping Lucy talk her way out of a variety of tricky situations – such as telling her boyfriend why she's taking a famous actor to the award ceremony instead of him, and filming a love scene when her dad's just turned up on set.

As there's no way of failing these chapters, likewise there's no real way of succeeding, unless you're trying to get a particular ending. During your first play-through, it's likely you'll just want to enjoy the story, so it doesn't really matter which options you choose. But as it's possible to get up to nine endings for the 11 characters in the game, in subsequent ones you'll want to progress in a certain way. So if you want to lie your way through the story, you'll need to make sure you select the correct response from the available three every time you say something to stay on that path.

It's in the most important component of any text adventure – the story – that Hollywood Hustle really shines. It's well-written, often funny and bang up-to-date with plenty of film and actor references to raise a smile.

So when you lie to the press and tell them Russell Crowe is your date to the Orsons, a wry-faced reporter replies, "Just keep him away from hotel phones… and people."

Similar witty, dry one-liners are abundant throughout the game. Its script avoids the cheese and isn't overtly aimed at a particular audience. In fact, I'd be willing to bet anyone will enjoy playing it through at least once.

Likewise with the game's characters. Clichés from the world of Hollywood are aplenty here with everyone from the egotistical director and the neurotic film star in rehab to the bitchy chat show hostess and Lucy's fussy, embarrassing mother with the dodgy perm. Not only are they mildly loveable with plenty of well observed personality traits, but the game's vibrant visual style means their looks are as spot-on as their scripts.

It all makes for a very likeable game. The only drawback really comes when you consider whether you'd want to play it through a second time. Or the multiple times demanded to get the various endings. We'd hazard a guess that some will manage a few times to read the changing dialogue, and the unlockables on offer are another incentive. But, more than that would be tiresome. Still, it's a few hours of fun even without finishing it in its entirety.