Battle Blasters

The recent rise of gruesome contact sports like cage fighting and mixed martial arts may have the more conservative members of society shaking their heads in despair, but Battle Blasters offers a vision of the future even more deplorable.

Set in the year 3042, the game features the ultimate one-on-one combat sport, where fists are replaced with machine guns and victory for one entrant means untimely death for other.

While it might not be a future we’re particularly keen on seeing, there’s no denying that Battle Blasters is a total blast.

Taking control of a futuristic cyber-soldier, you’re expected to utterly destroy your adversary with a range of hard-hitting projectile attacks. You have two main types of shot - fast and slow - and aside from the obvious difference in speed, they each have tactical uses.

For example, fast shots will naturally reach your target quicker than slow ones and are handy for getting a few sneaky hits in when your foe least expects it.

However, slow shots are more powerful and are able to absorb fast shots. Not only does this make them great for knocking off huge portions of your enemy’s life, but it also means they can be used defensively, throwing up a screen of covering fire which grants more time for you to react.

In addition to these basic attacks each of the six featured characters possesses a unique ability. These skills include deadly throwing knives, powerful double-shots and even protective barriers which can transform into lethal projectiles.

Landing successive shots activates a combo bonus which results in additional damage, so it pays to string together as many uninterrupted shots as possible.

Controlling the action couldn’t be easier. You move your character by tapping or dragging on your half of the screen. Returning fire is a case of flicking up toward your foe. A swift movement initiates the fast shot while a slower one hurls a stronger, more leisurely blast.

Tapping your character activates his special skill. All these offensive manoeuvres are limited by your attack meter, though, which is depleted with each shot and takes a shot time to recharge.

Adding another level of tactical depth, the game lets you deflect incoming fire by dragging down the screen, away from your fighter. This causes a repulsive barrier to briefly appear which will send enemy fire back in the direction it came from, but it requires expert timing.

The addictive nature of the gameplay ensures Battle Blasters quite literally packs a punch: thankfully, this is reinforced by some truly sumptuous 2D visuals which are bursting with character.

The single player potion of the game is a real challenge. While completing the game on the default Easy setting won’t take you long, finishing it on Hard is no mean feat.

That doesn’t mean the gratification offered by Battle Blasters is over - the multiplayer is practically worth the price of admission alone. In fact, the game comes alive when you’re trading blows with a friend.

Curiously, no Bluetooth, wi-fi, or online multiplayer options are offered. It's a shame, given how ideal the game is as a multiplayer experience. Furthermore, expanding the six character roster would be a good thing given the light number.

Still, the simple controls and depth of gameplay conspire to make this one of the best two-player games on iPhone. Add in Facebook connectivity - which includes high score leaderboards - and you have an explosive gaming experience. Miss it at your peril.