Gleamer

Gleamer is a demanding little game. Not only do you need the dexterity of a platforming champion, but you need the sturdy grey matter of a logician, and the steely patience of an iOS gaming saint. The constant belittling of your achievements demands mental fortitude as well.

Unfortunately, slightly sloppy controls and a repetitive nature mean that the game never quite manages to repay you for your devotion.

The game is all about collecting glowing stars. There are five of them on each level, and it's up to you to grab them in the quickest time possible. Your cube avatar automatically moves across the screen, speeding up and turning around if it hits an obstacle.

You tap on the screen to make the little block jump. Holding your finger down makes the jump last a little longer. You can touch blue platforms without a problem, but red platforms will kill you instantly.

The aim is to beat a time set by the game's creator. To begin with you're going to die a lot, finishing levels in minutes when the target time is a handful of seconds. It makes for a pretty frustrating experience.

And that frustration is doubled by occasionally unresponsive controls. You'll work out the quickest route only for the game not to register your taps, leaving you careening headlong into a red platform with no chance of turning round.

Still, there's an elegant masochism to the game. It's unashamedly difficult, and happy to chew you up and spit you out repeatedly.

The visuals leave a little to be desired, and while each level is unique, there's a lack of variety that means after a while you'll grow tired of the neon lights and tragic cube deaths.

If you're looking for a razor-edged challenge that does away with any frippery or niceties then you'll probably find something worth digging your claws into in Gleamer. For everyone else it's a pain in the neck that you're probably better off without.