Admit it. Part of the reason you bought a Tegra 3 powered Android device is because of the gaming. We're all friends here, and I'll be the first to stand up and say that I get into some gaming on my Transformer Prime. It's easy to do when Tegra optimized games kick enough ass to fill a wheelbarrow, and here's one that does. I'm talking about Phosphor Games new title Dark Meadow: The Pact, and it's arguably the best Unreal Engine 3 game ever made.
Those are big words, especially with a little something called Infinity Blade on iOS. But Android has a secret weapon -- NVIDIA's Tegra 3 and their special relation with developers in the TegraZone. When combined with the great story, excellent voice acting, and random acts of humor Phosphor brings to the table you have the fixings of a real winner. Dark Meadows: The Pact delivers.
You wake up in an abandoned hospital. Right away you'll notice the beautiful game textures, together with smooth animations, high frame rates and poly counts which makes for a sense of being in the game world. Play this one in the dark with headphones and you're in for an experience mobile just hasn't seen yet. Above all the great game graphics, you're hearing a tale from your aged benefactor, telling you how to go about your escape. Pay attention to him, and between his moments of wisdom and bouts of insanity you'll hear some hilarious dialog. Spoiler alert: he likes bacon bits. It's over the top in a way that fits an old fellow trapped in a decrepit Insane asylum. He'll warn you of the creatures that stand in your way, which you'll soon meet. They're incredibly detailed, and grotesquely beautiful in their own right.
Of course you'll have to fight your way past them, which leads us to the game mechanics. It's an open style map, meaning you can see where you are as well as everywhere you may need to explore, and character movement is a breeze. Tap a glowing ring and you move to it, and you can look around a full 360-degrees to search for treasure, secret compartments, and bits of documents that will help you on your way. It's perfectly suited for touch-based gameplay, as is the combat system.
One of the disfigured minions will appear in a puff of dark smoke, and your trusty crossbow appears in your hands. By pulling back the string you get to see the arc the bolt will fly and use it to aim. Maneuver it so it crosses paths with your foe and let go. Once the creatures get close, your ranged weapon is replaced with a melee weapon and you have a tap and hold blocking function or a swiping attack function. The whole time you're also able to tuck and dodge left or right by tapping an on-screen arrow. There are no confusing controls to learn, and you'll be proficient in just a few minutes -- leaving more time to enjoy the exceptional look and depth of the game. As you progress you'll level up and assign points into skills, as well as find gold to trade at the store for better items. You'll need both, because "the witch" does not fool around. You have been warned.
This is how mobile gaming was meant to be. If you have a Tegra 3-powered device, it's simply a must-have game. Hit the break for some gameplay footage and screenshots, as well as the all-important download link.
More: NVIDIA; Phosphor Games
