Podz is a great new game from Ace Pocket that brings a whole new idea into the PDA gaming market. Great graphics and fun audio combine to make this a game that can be enjoyed by all!
<review>
<author>Tyler Reber</author>
<promoimage>podz.png</promoimage>
<keyword>podz</keyword>
<type>1</type>
<title>Podz 1.0</title>
<developer>Ace Pocket</developer>
<website>http://acepocket.com</website>
<purchaselink>http://acepocket.com/Purchase.html</purchaselink>
<date>March 7, 2005</date>
<rating>9</rating>
<description>Podz is a great new game from Ace Pocket that brings a whole new idea into the PDA gaming market. Great graphics and fun audio combine to make this a game that can be enjoyed by all!</description>
<section name="Introduction"><content>Puzzle games for Pocket PC are pretty much an overabundance. When they are released, they usually don't cause too much of a stir. This is due to the many dull clones of Tetris, Pac-Man, etc. that are constantly released into the market. As I played through Podz, I got the feeling that many will find this puzzle game to be a lot better than the norm. It is a new game developed by Ace Pocket and their first handheld game. I must say they did a very nice job. Everything from the gameplay to the graphics and audio are very professional. The main idea behind Podz is that a stream of said podz are heading towards the "inner core". Your job is to stop them using whatever means available to you. In this case, the only thing available is the pod cannon and the power-ups that may come along. The gameplay section will explain how the game is played in a little more detail. </content></section>
<section name="Graphics"><content>The graphics in Podz are no less then stellar and are very appealing to the eye. Not only do the backgrounds look very professional, but also everything from the explosions to the podz themselves scream high-quality! This is pretty apparent by just looking at the screenshots of the game. Podz also has a different background screen for practically every level. While these backgrounds follow somewhat of a general theme throughout each stage, they still differ somewhat from one another. By that I mean that in Stage 1 most of the backgrounds have an earth theme, while Stage 5 is a snow theme. At the end of each stage though (after 4 levels) you are taken back into space to battle it out!
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As I mentioned before, the game also includes some nifty effects such as trails following the flying podz, cartoon-like smoke effects when you blow up a group of podz, and even shadows of the podz themselves. This keeps it interesting by offering a diversity of game related graphics. On the whole, the graphics in Podz are just plain great, and that's pretty much all that can be said about them! </content><content align="center"><br><img img3.jpg></content></section>
<section name="Audio"><content>From the start of Podz, the background music and other audio effects really get you hyped up and ready to go. Most of the music that I have encountered in the game has had a nice techno beat to it; this really fits quite nicely with the theme of the entire game. The levels also have the same type of techno/adventurous background music as the rest of the game. Like any well designed game, there are also many sound effects that can be heard while playing. Some examples include when you blow up sets of podz or even when you fire a pod from the cannon. Even minor things like the menu buttons flying onto the main game screen have a nice swoosh sound effect. Overall, these just help to make the game more enjoyable. I also compliment the developer on making the background tunes fairly lengthy; you don't hear the same thing constantly repeating. That can sometimes get a little old, but in Podz I haven't experienced that problem too often. </content><content align="center"><br><img img4.jpg></content></section>
<section name="Controls"><content>While this type of a game could have used the directional pad as a means of control, it pleases me that it doesn't. The game instead uses a mix of the stylus and the application buttons on the PDA. The stylus is used to control the pod cannon, and the application buttons are used to fire podz and switch between pod colors. The developer also included an option to change the button configuration and screen orientation (which I was very happy to see). Pocket PC's with odd control schemes, like my Axim, can be set up to control the game however you desire. Since the game runs in landscape, I use the last two application buttons. This seems to work out pretty well, but it is up to you. My only suggestion is that if you don't use a screen protector, you may want to get some before you start playing this game! There could be some potential screen scratching because of the amount of stylus movement needed to play the game. Overall, Podz has a very efficient control system.</content><content align="center"><br><img img5.jpg></content></section>
<section name="Gameplay" newpage="1"><content>So now, an imperative gaming question: is it even any good? Well, to that I can honestly answer YES! Podz is probably one of the most addicting games that I have played in a while, and it doesn't take long before you're sucked in and don't want to stop. Now, bare with me. While I have heard there is a game similar to Podz, I have never played it or any game like it. I will try to explain the main idea of Podz and how you play it to the best of my ability, but this can be tough without much to compare it.
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The gameplay of Podz in some ways reminds me of games similar to Snood. The difference is that the target podz are moving around a specified track at variable speeds. When you start playing, the speed stays pretty slow, and the game seems pretty easy. What you may not notice though is that at the bottom of the screen there is a small timer bar that is counting down. Once the counter hits the end, the Podz start to speed up. Your job is to aim the cannon using the stylus and to fire podz of the same color at each other. Once you have made a group of three or more of the same color, they will explode and clear out the track a bit. But don't fret, more podz are on there way! In arcade mode, the onslaught of podz will eventually end allowing you to finish the level. In survival mode though, the podz will just keep coming until you are ready to give up. This mode is more for trying to get a high score than anything else and can really provide a good challenge once you really get into it. One feature I do like is that in order to play levels in survival mode, you have to beat them and unlock them in arcade mode. This should keep people playing and continually trying to completely beat the game. There is also a challenge mode. While at the time of writing I have not unlocked any of these levels, it seems as though you can play against others in this mode.
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Within the game you will also find some helpful power-ups and some not so helpful power-downs. These include things like flying stars that if hit will give you extra time/lives and unhelpful things that cause you to fire podz that curve away from the intended target. One power-up that I find especially useful is the nuke. It allows you to pick a color pod, and it will eliminate all of that color on the board. This can be a big help when you're getting down to the wire, and the Podz are closing in! These features give the game a little extra spin and can really help or hurt your efforts of trying to beat the game. Overall, this game will keep you playing. While there are some dull moments, they are few and far between. There is almost always something happening or something to watch for. In a way it's like driving. If you take your eyes off the road, something bad is bound to happen! </content><content align="center"><br><img img8.jpg></content></section>
<section name="Conclusion"><content>To conclude this review, I would just like to make note of a few things to keep in mind when you try out this game. While the price of the game ($19.99) may seem a little on the high side for a puzzle game, you have to remember all the great aspects of this game. For that price, you will get a game that not only has amazing graphic and audio effects, but also offers you a pretty good amount of replayability and the capability to post scores online. This way even if you beat all the levels, you can always try to beat the high scores of others. Podz will offer a great gaming experience for anyone of almost any age because of its simple yet extremely fun nature. If you have not yet, I recommend that you at least try the demo found at http://www.acepocket.com.
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<pro>Excellent graphics and exhilarating audio effects.</pro>
<pro>Extremely Addictive (will keep you playing)</pro>
<pro>Pretty good replayability</pro>
<pro>A new game idea for the PPC market</pro>
<pro>25 Levels to keep you playing</pro>
<pro>Levels get progressively harder</pro>
<con>Priced a bit too high</con>
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