ExZeus

Robots will either usher in humanity's salvation or its untimely extinction. Whether you're a member of the Cylon church worshipping the prospect of robotic cooperation or fearing the tyrannical reign of the terminators, the fate of our squishy organic lives are tied to the machinations of metal. ExZeus is a lightning rod in this enduring debate, optimistically drafting toasters to save us. Unfortunately, it ends up singeing good intention with poor design.

In the year 2102, an alien force known as the Diadora assaults Earth prompting the construction of three robotic weapons. These mechanised defenders are tasked with pacifying Earth's threat as part of Operation ExZeus. Choosing among the three mechs – Sophia, Dynamus, and Calista – you guide them in a desperate effort to destroy Diadora. Cue the J-pop theme song.

ExZeus takes an on-rails approach to its action, although it affords some freedom of movement. Tilting your handset enables you to move up and down, left and right while facing forwards. Since you're always pushed forwards along a set course, movement only pertains to evading enemy fire and stationary objects within each level.

Evasion is just the first component in surviving the alien onslaught; shooting them dead is the second. Tapping the right side of the screen fires your weapon. You also have mega-bombs dropped with a diagonal swipe starting from the upper-right corner and powerful lasers unleashed by holding a finger down on the right side of the screen.

The lack of discrete buttons for weapons fire is questionable, even if it is manageable. Relegating these attacks to a range of gestures is hardly an ideal set-up. When the screen overflows with enemies, the last thing you want to do is cover your line of sight by swiping your finger across the screen. Situating buttons along the bottom of the screen would have been a superior alternative.

While you would be forgiven in thinking that tapping on an enemy would be enough to attack it, ExZeus actually demands more precise targeting. A tap on the left side of the screen activates your robot's lock-on targeting system, which automatically hones in on the nearest enemy. You're not allowed to target ad infinitum, restricted instead to a green lock-on gauge that limits how often you can target foes.

Placing a premium on targeting – a necessary function in combat – makes no sense, though. To force you into situations where you're unable to target enemies is completely unfair. Dozens of enemies crowd the screen and being left without an effective means of destroying them is frustrating. At least you're rewarded for toughing it, earning gold for purchasing upgrades.

There's a distinct sense that you're against overwhelming odds in ExZeus, which is only exacerbated by the needless complexity of its controls and poor targeting system. Enemies and gunfire fill every inch of the screen, inciting more frenzy than challenge. The option to adjust the difficulty helps, but doesn't change the frantic nature of the game. Boss battles at the end of each level bring combat to a focus, pitting you against monstrous creatures that are actually easier to deal with than the flurry of foes leading up to them.

That boss battles are easier than the levels that precede them is emblematic of the overall imbalances in ExZeus. The potential for hard-hitting action is squandered on silly mistakes: controls that employ too many gestures, a dreadfully deficient targeting system, and poorly tuned combat. The result is a brilliant-looking game ported without much of a mind to work well on this machine.