Isoball X1 is a level pack for the Isoball game series created by Candyflame Games. Isoball X1, like the others in its series is a puzzle game where the player is required to build the solution from the available blocks that will allow the ball to arrive at and enter the goal.
Summary of analysis
Hopefully unnecessary tutorial elements, very challenging gameplay experience, easily-understandable interface primarily mouse-driven control scheme, simple and effective graphics scheme, decent music and sound.
Tutorial/New player experience
The game demonstrates new blocks in an animation around the point that those blocks first come into play. There's also a similar tutorial animation for the game's basic concept. While the animations can be replayed when they first occur, there appears to be no way to review them later (or at all if the player skips them).
Gameplay experience
There's appears to be a quick escalation of challenge in Isoball X1, whether this was the intention of the game's design or a result of the assumption that players will have experience with the other Isoball games is difficult to determine. In either case, the number of levels combined with the difficulty curve is most likely to result in a hardcore style of play.
An achievement system exists to aid in motivation or rewards of players inclined towards such pursuits.
Interface & Controls
The game's interface consists of the play area, a few menu options, and the tile selection frame. While there are keyboard shortcuts for the tile selections, most players will probably opt for mouse-only controls as the keyboard shortcuts have no notation on the tile selection frame.
Graphics
Yet another game that shows more emphasis on the gameplay design and challenge than on flashy graphics covering up flaws. Isoball X1's graphic scheme gets the point across quite well using basic shapes in an isometric environment.
Music & Sound
There's plenty of sound effects, mostly interface-related, that aid a player in knowing that an action has been performed in addition to level start and finish effects. In addition, the game features a catchy, easy-listening background music (which may require the player to toggle music off then back on to start it).
Commentary
As a primarily casual style player with abundant time constraints, Isoball X1 was a significant investment of time just to play enough to be able to blog about. Thankfully, it managed to remember level progress so I could see more than the first six levels over the course of two days time. There other three Isoball games featured a level scoring system that I'm honestly glad to see removed from this particular title in the series, but I'm certain would be of great appeal to many differently-minded players.
