Game Reviews

Labyrinth 2 HD

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| Labyrinth 2 HD
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Labyrinth 2 HD
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| Labyrinth 2 HD

There's nothing to fear from getting lost in Labyrinth 2 HD.

A bullish update to the iPhone original, it's a fine-tuned production that is sure to have you blissfully lost in hundreds of levels of accelerometer action without any thought of finding a way out.

Labyrinth 2 HD a beast of a game, boasting extraordinary value and a score of enhancements that make it a worthwhile iPad game even if a serious technical issue mars the experience.

In each level the goal is to tilt your iPad so as to roll a metal ball past a variety of obstacles into the finishing hole. From bumpers to lasers, you need steady hands and patience to make it to the goal.

No bull, just a ball

Joining the 150 levels featured in the original iPhone game are an additional 150 levels designed specifically for iPad. The new 150 are more of the same, which is a good thing considering the superb level design. There's the occasional bit of frustrating backtracking, of course, but that's to be expected.

It's worth noting that the iPhone levels haven't merely been up-scaled to fit the screen, but re-rendered to look just as wonderful as the new content. Each of the mazes has a creator time to beat, along with the option to race your own ghost ball. A whole host of achievements are ripe for the picking, too.

Unfortunately, Labyrinth 2 HD also carries a unique technical issue. The calibration setting is completely broken and using it results in levels being warped to the point of being unplayable.

Even when exiting and restarting the game, the error remains. Only by deleting the app and reinstalling is it cleared, providing you don't fiddle with the calibration. This forces you to play the game at the default setting, which is okay but not ideal.

Level editor with purchase*

As with the original iPhone version, there's also the option to create your own level. An online editor can be accessed on your PC, with levels sent to your iPad. Make a bundle of five levels and you can post your creations online for others to curse your evil genius.

The fact that it hasn't been built into the iPad version is a disappointment, particularly since its absence on iPhone and iPod touch was a point of criticism. Still, the value is undeniable given that you're able to extend an already impressive slate of 300 levels with user-created content.

What ultimately impresses is the feel of the game. iPhone and iPod touch were a good fit for the series, but it feels even better on the larger iPad. The device's size and weight are ideal for the game, giving you the sense of manipulating a real wooden labyrinth (without the splinters, of course).

It helps that the game looks glorious in high resolution and the physics are spot-on. This glossy presentation is but an outward expression of polished gameplay. While the incorporation of the level editor holds it back from perfection, by all other accounts Labyrinth 2 HD is a game that deserves to be found anew on iPad.

Labyrinth 2 HD

A polished update on the iPhone original that offers twice as much content, but fails to improve accessibility to its level editor
Score
Mike Rose
Mike Rose
An expert in the indie games scene, Mike comes to Pocket Gamer as our handheld gaming correspondent. He is the author of 250 Indie Games You Must Play.