LostWinds Review

£2.49Jan 2012 iOS

Stuff says 3

LostWinds captures the spirit of the original, but keeping a grip on Toku is an uphill struggle

lostwinds review

Ported from a WiiWare game from 2008, the charm and ingenuity of LostWinds should make it a real gem of a game. However, the iOS version loses something in translation.

You play Toku, a boy who's woken up by a friendly wind spirit on a quest to defeat evil spirit Balasar. You guide Toku around the gorgeous world of Mistralis by tapping where you want him to go, and swiping gusts of wind to float him over obstacles.

lostwinds review

Along the way you'll uncover shrines to power up your wind spirit friend, giving Toku new wind-based abilities like "slipstream" which lets you guide objects by drawing a long line, and "vortex" which allows you to pinch objects to float them in mid air, ready to fling at barriers.

The puzzle element increases as LostWinds progresses, though it isn't ever too taxing, and a fair amount of time is spent wandering back and forth through the game world. Innovative game mechanics like crystal barriers that must be shattered by a whistling ball (vortex required) are a great example of the ingenuity of the game.

lostwinds review

The WiiWare original was brilliant, but also featured something that the iOS version doesn't. While manipulating the wind the game – and Toku – would momentarily pause. In the iOS version of LostWinds, there is no such respite from the action, meaning that when trying to blow away enemies (literally), you'll often find Toku sprinting towards them instead.

This control inaccuracy makes what should be thoroughly slick and satisfying actions scream-out-loud-impossible at times.

lostwinds review

We tested LostWinds on an iPhone and it all got more than a little frustrating, though we can imagine it might be a little better on the larger control area of the iPad. We'd love to be able to give LostWinds a higher score, but its wonky controls just cause too much teeth-grinding to ignore.

Comments

  1. abualk

    4 weeks ago

    Easy option to get useful information as well as share good stuff with good ideas and concepts
    order cigs | marlboro cigs

  2. chezguerilla

    4 weeks ago

    With ”>Pendaflex File folders your papers won’t get lost. If you want to protect your paper work, you can use a Heat Laminating Machine. For the best marking on your paper, use Pilot Razor Pens.

  3. Apple_Freebies

    5 weeks ago

    Looks great

Add your comment

You must be logged in to comment

Latest Apps and Games reviews

  • Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

    Bright colours and sharp combat help Kingdoms of Amalur stand out from the RPG crowd, but is that enough to put down Skyrim?

  • F1 2011

    Last year’s F1 2011 game was one of the best ever made, but how has it translated to the small screen?

  • Reckless Racing 2

    Reckless Racing 2 keeps RR1's top-down view and power-sliding driving style, takes away the redneck theme, adds more tracks and a big bucket of polish. Any good?

  • Uncharted: Golden Abyss

    The PlayStation poster-boy goes portable, but is Golden Abyss a Vita(l) purchase?

  • Catherine

    A tale of 30-something male angst and horrific bipedal sheep – is Catherine as crazy as it sounds?

  • Action Movie FX

    Be Michael Bay for a day with this big bag of blockbuster bangs

Apps and Games news