Darius Wey
05-12-2008, 01:00 PM
<img border="1" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1210361839.usr2.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br /><strong>Product Category:</strong> Games<br /><strong>Manufacturer:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="http://www.astraware.com/all/hexic/">Astraware</a><br /><strong>Where to Buy:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="http://software.pocketpcthoughts.com/product.asp?id=19166">MobiHand</a> [Affiliate]<br /><strong>Price:</strong> $9.95<br /><strong>System Requirements:</strong> Windows Mobile Classic/Professional (Pocket PC) or Standard (Smartphone) device<br /><br /><strong>Pros:</strong><br /><ul> <li>Addictive;</li> <li>Multiple game modes;</li> <li>Looks and feels just like the MSN Games and Xbox 360 versions.</li></ul><strong>Cons:</strong><br /><ul> <li>Lacks online leaderboards.</li></ul><p><strong>Summary:</strong><br />Alexey Pajitnov knows how to turn any shape into an addictive puzzle game. Tetris, which needs no introduction, is a testament to that. So too is Hexic, which MSN Games and Xbox 360 gamers should be familiar with. For years, I searched high and low for a Windows Mobile version, but to no avail. Now, that search is over. Thanks to the combined efforts of Astraware and Carbonated Games, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.astraware.com/all/hexic/">Hexic</a> is available for all flavours of Windows Mobile, and it does not disappoint.<br /><br />Read on for the full review! <MORE /><br /></p><div style="page-break-after: always;"><br /><pagebreak></pagebreak><font size="4"><strong>Bejeweled, Meet Hexic. Hexic, Meet Bejewled.</strong></font><br />If you've never played Hexic, but have played Bejeweled, then Hexic's gameplay should be second nature. In Bejeweled, you slide and match three or more coloured jewels into rows or columns, which then disappear, prompting more to tumble down from the top of the screen. In Hexic, it's similar, except you're not just limited to a bidirectional playing field. Each hexagon is able to interact with all six surrounding hexagons. By rotating them in clusters of three, you can create clusters of matching colours, which then disappear, prompting more to tumble down from the top of the screen. Only this time, all that tumbling down has the capacity to set off advantageous or cataclysmic chain reactions, and that uncertainty contributes to the excitement that this puzzle game offers.<br /><br /><img border="1" alt="" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1210361854.usr2.jpg" /><br /><em>Figure 1: The playing board. Let's get started!</em><br /><br /><font size="4"><strong>Beyond the Humble Hexagon</strong></font><br />Hexic doesn't just stop at clusters of matching colours, though. As you progress through the levels of the game, you are introduced to special pieces. Level 2 introduces bonus star pieces, which when included in clusters, add extra points and occasionally clear portions of the playing board. Level 3 introduces bombs that can work to your advantage or disadvantage. If you fail to defuse bombs in time by letting their timer count down to zero, it's game over; but if you include a bomb and a bonus star piece in a cluster of matching colours, you clear all same-coloured hexagons from the playing board. This is a boon in Levels 4 and beyond, which introduce new colours that make clusters potentially more difficult to form.<br /><br /><img border="1" alt="" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1210361882.usr2.jpg" /><br /><em>Figure 2: A little starflower power.</em><br /><br /><PAGE /><br /><br />There's more, of course. Flower arrangements of standard pieces can be created to yield starflower pieces that rotate all six surrounding pieces clockwise or counter-clockwise. And that idea can be extended by creating flowers of starflower pieces to yield black pearls that rotate three surrounding pieces in a triangular pattern. It all sounds a little confusing, but it's not. Collectively, these give Hexic incredible depth relative to other puzzle games, and that's what makes it an absolute gem to play (apologies to Bejeweled - no pun intended).<br /><br /><img border="1" alt="" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1210361863.usr2.jpg" /><br /><em>Figure 3: Better watch out for that bomb!</em><br /><br /></div><div style="page-break-after: always;"><font size="4"><strong>Hexic for Windows Mobile: Cutdown or the Full Monty?</strong></font><br />If you've played Hexic on other platforms before, then you'll appreciate the fact that the Windows Mobile version does not skimp on features. All the animations are present, from the shaking bombs to the pulsating starflowers. So too are the sound effects, along with the eerie electronic background music that Xbox 360 owners should be familiar with. And then there are the game modes. Marathon mode is the standard game mode that lets you play freely without time restrictions. The aim is to achieve the highest score possible, while also working toward a cluster of three or more black pearls to help win the game in style. Timed mode is essentially the same, except it's you against the clock. Creating clusters adds time, but if you take too long or make a wrong move, time is taken away. Considering Hexic is generally a fast-paced game, timed mode can add a real rush - in a fun sort of way, of course. Finally, there's survival mode. This one's a little more unique in that cleared pieces aren't replaced with new ones. The objective is to remove all the pieces from the playing board. Any that aren't removed in one level are locked into place for the next level. They can't be rotated, but they can be cleared as part of a cluster. This mode also lacks the starflower and black pearl pieces, but that doesn't exclude you from creating flower arrangements with the standard hexagonal pieces and receiving a special bonus as a result.<br /><br /><img border="1" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1210361894.usr2.jpg" alt="" /><br /><em>Figure 4: Working toward three black pearls.</em><br /><br />Hexic includes a high score chart as well as a game saving feature that saves your game progress right up to the last move. Its touchscreen support delivers an intuitive playing experience, which is why I believe that the game is best played on a Classic/Professional (Pocket PC) device. However, the Standard (Smartphone) version, which only supports hardware buttons, is still very playable. On another note, if your device is blessed with a high-resolution display, you're in for a real treat because Hexic runs natively on it and looks nothing short of stunning.<br /><br /><font size="4"><strong>Conclusion</strong></font><br />Astraware and Carbonated Games set out to deliver a mobile version of Hexic and they executed it almost flawlessly. It lacks online leaderboards, which would have made a killer feature, but it doesn't detract attention from the all-important fact that one of Pajitnov's best works can now be pocketed. This is the kind of game that you can pick up and play for a few minutes or stay hooked on for hours, and in my opinion, is worth every cent of its mere $9.95 price tag. If you're a Hexic addict, pick it up. If you're not or you've never tried it, give it a whirl. I doubt you'll be disappointed. Both trial and full versions are available from our <a href="http://software.pocketpcthoughts.com/product.asp?id=19166" target="_blank">affiliate software store</a>.<br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.dariuswey.com/"><br /></a> <em><a target="_blank" href="http://www.dariuswey.com/">Darius Wey</a> is the News Editor at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.thoughtsmedia.com/">Thoughts Media Inc.</a> He is also a developer, designer, photographer, and avid gamer, and currently lives in Perth, Australia.</em></div>