Decisions, decisions.
We love the latest and greatest gear, but we’re suckers for old ideas brought to life with new technology, too. Enter Battle of Waterloo, a choose your own adventure story for the iPhone or iPod touch.
In Battle of Waterloo you’re a young British officer serving under the Duke of Wellington at the climactic 1815 battle. Your information about a French attack has earned you Wellington’s respect and a choice of assignment: to join the infantry, cavalry, or defend one of two positions. Once you decide where you’ll make your stand, the story begins in earnest. Battle of Waterloo is steeped in historical detail, but still manages to squeeze in some drama and twists. You’ll run for your life, meet unusual characters, and even make some very unexpected discoveries in an old book. Make the right choices, and you may help defeat Napoleon and his army.
You choose your course with a tap at the bottom of each page, while a swipe across the screen flips back a page. Tapping a small fingerprint icon adds a bookmark so you can explore branching paths in the story easily. Exploring those paths, we found Battle of Waterloo is pretty short, and most of the twenty-seven possible endings can be found in about an hour or more.
Battle of Waterloo’s writing doesn’t disappoint, though. The story is aimed at younger readers, and it’s written in a style that’s easy to grasp but never simplistic. Charming pencil illustrations of varying quality pepper the book, as do historical maps and artwork. The images are welcome breaks from pages of text, but they lack the consistency that would make the game a more cohesive and engaging experience.
Battle of Waterloo is an entertaining diversion while it lasts, but those seeking a sophisticated text adventure should look elsewhere.
Nicely written adventure story for all ages. 
Brief and unpolished for the price. 
