It's always a rare treat when I stumble upon a portable game that delivers a console quality experience I can take with me on-the-go. Unassuming name aside, Horn is a stunning feat of techno-wizardry and easily one of the most impressive iOS games of 2012. Created by Phosphor Games, the same studio responsible for the eerie Dark Meadow, this absorbing iOS action adventure looks and feels like it would be right at home in your living room.
When a young blacksmith's apprentice wakes up to find every person and creature in the realm has mysteriously been turned into giant robotic beings, he sets out to restore the land and its citizens back to normal. An interesting story hook and the often humorous interactions between the young hero and his reluctant sidekick -- a severed robot head who begrudgingly offers assistance -- do a great job of drawing you deeper into the gorgeous fantasy world.
What's great about Horn is that it lets you freely explore and interact with the detailed landscape from its third-person perspective. While stages are broken down into smaller areas connected to a central hub region, the strong atmosphere and stark visual design make the world feel big and full of life. Moving around and adjusting the camera to soak in the environments is handled with simple touch controls, and swiping the screen to deliver blows and dodge attacks during the frenetic Infinity Blade-inspired combat sequences is equally intuitive.
Collecting resources to forge powerful new weapons and upgrade your gear at the smithy makes trekking along each stretch of terrain multiple times worth the effort. The heavy emphasis on exploration and environmental puzzle solving does yield some repetitive stretches, but delving into the beautiful terrain is a largely captivating endeavor.
The bottom line. Horn is a well-rounded, console-quality adventure dripping in lovely atmosphere. You'd be remiss to overlook this beauty.
iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running iOS 4.0 or later
Stunningly detailed environments. Dynamic mix of action and exploration. Charming settings with entertaining characters.
Some recycling and repetition amongst a few stretches of the game.
