Knights of the Round Cable Proves That a Good Game Can Come from a Pun - Preview
by VGChartz Staff , posted on 07 June 2012 / 2,888 Views
Well, I feel like a jerk. Last month I wrote a review for a PlayStation Vita game called Stardrone Extreme, which I enjoyed because at the time I had never played a game quite like it before. But as it turns out one of the first games I played at this year’s E3, an IOS title called Knights of the Round Cable, is built around a similar circling tether mechanic. This leads me to believe that these are both just entries into a subgenre I was utterly unaware of. Nevertheless, Knights of the Round Cable feels unique in its own right thanks to its colorful visuals, unique setting, and distinctive gameplay mechanics.
You control the game by pressing two digital buttons on the touchscreen. The right button will latch onto the nearest available node and the left is used to change direction (something I really wish Stardrone Extreme had included). In the demo I played, my goal was never merely to reach the end of the level. Instead I did what every knight must do: save a damsel in distress. Each level I played had one or two princesses locked in cages that I had to smash through in order to set them free. The longer you stay tethered to one node to closer you will eventually be wound into the center like a yo-yo. If you want to change your momentum it helps to smash into the castle walls on either side of the level.
Scattered throughout the levels are gems that you can collect. You have hearts to represent the amount of health for your knight. Once all four hearts are gone you die. You can pick up hearts to heal yourself. Other powerups include a magnet that causes gems to automatically gravitate towards your knight. Of course, enemies will also try to thwart your progress; in this case the enemies being large yellow birds that angrily flap around your airspace. You can defeat them, though, by smashing into them one after another. If you manage to defeat all of them you earn a bonus, though that is easier said than done thanks to an elusively small bird among them.
Once you’ve fulfilled all the necessary objectives in a given level a bird swoops in and carries your knight away to the next level. The levels are concise, so they shouldn’t take more than a minute to complete. The game gets progressively harder though. Try as I might I was never able to get pass castle seven thanks to some particularly difficult foes. The final game will have 16 knights to choose from, with names such as King Arthurion and Sir Dujardin, each with their own unique abilities. My knight had power over gravity that allowed him to levitate for a few extra seconds. You are able to purchase items such as extra hearts and other special abilities through the in-game store using either real or in-game currency.
Knights of the Round Cable seems charming and energetic. The game should be released on IOS devices by the end of this month so keep your eyes open for your potential knight in shining armor.
