Dark Lands is a marvelous Windows Phone game that has you racing across the countryside battling monsters and avoiding deadly obstacles. The developers have recently released a sequel of sorts, Dark Lands Smasher.
While the game shares the originals dark graphics and mood, the game play is vastly different. Your hero will take a break from running. Instead, the enemy will come to him. You have one shot at slaying the enemy and if your timing is off by just the slightest, the game will end brutally for your hero.
Dark Lands Smasher is a challenging, wonderfully animated Windows Phone game. Be warned, the game is addictive and frustratingly difficult at the same time. It is a fun Windows Phone gaming title when you have a few minutes to spare.
Dark Lands Smasher has a very minimal layout. The opening menu keeps things simple with an option to:
- Play the game
- An option to rate the game in the Windows Phone Store
- An option to opt out of the ad-support ($1.99 in-app purchase)
The opening menu will also display your last score and best score.
Game play is simple. Your hero is armed with a massive battle axe and is positioned to the left of the gaming screen. From the right, an endless parade of monsters will march towards your hero. When these monsters come within striking distance, tap the screen to have your hero smash the monsters with his battle axe.
Timing is key. Swing too soon and miss, and then you will not be able to recover to swing again. Swing too late and the monster walks past your attack and skewers your hero, beheads your hero, snaps your hero in half or a number of other fates that ends the game.
Do not be shocked if it takes you several attempts to get the timing down just right. And even after you slay your first monster, it may take you several attempts to establish a rhythm to slay multiple monsters.
The game has outstanding illustrations and I like how the background art will shift as you progress through game play. I would not mind seeing options to change weapons where you can swap out that clunky battle axe with a more agile saber. It is not a melee type combat game though. Success relies on timing and timing alone. It adds to the challenge of the game but also adds to the frustration.
Overall Impression
Overall, I like where this sequel of sorts is headed. If the gaming concept is well received, knowing the development group behind the Dark Lands games, I can see this game evolving as feedback and new ideas come to mind. It is a fun game as is and definitely one to keep your eyes on.
Dark Lands Smasher is a free, ad-supported game that is available for both Windows Phone and Windows devices. You can remove the ads with a $1.99 in-app purchase and the game is available for low-memory Windows Phones. If you give Dark Lands Smasher a try, let us know what you think of the game in the comments below and don't forget to rate the game in the Stores. It is the easiest way to send feedback to the developer.
