AFTERPAD

Review: Oceanhorn

Oceanhorn was designed, in many ways, to translate the formula set by Zelda into a mobile game. In that goal, it succeeded excellently. Like the Zelda games, Oceanhorn features an engrossing storyline, beautiful graphics, top quality sound and music, tons of content, and well polished and fun gameplay.

This is no mere Zelda clone, though. Whereas the Zelda games usually revolve on saving the titular figure from some sort of harm, or performing some sort of quests at her behest, Oceanhorn tells a more insular story about a boy’s quest to solve the mystery of his parents disappearance and learn the story of the Oceanhorn monster that stalks his world. It’s a well told, adequately compelling story, and it supplies enough of a motivation to drive further through the story.

Augmenting the main story is a decently sized world filled with optional islands, difficult dungeons, the occasional side quest, and an optional gem collection activity that has you searching the world for some fiendishly cleverly hidden red crystals. It’s enough to keep a completionist busy for quite some time, while at the same time never feeling like too much of a grind

As an iOS app, Oceanhorn serves as a shining example of the correct way to make a premium game. The price may be high, but the quality of the experience is right up there with it. Universal compatibility, MFi controller support, achievements, smooth framerates, retina resolution – almost everything you’d want out of a top-tier iOS app. The only thing missing is iCloud storage – a shame, but by no means a deal killer.

Controller support is adequate and universal, with compatibility for Standard and Extended layouts on both iPhone and iPad. Oceanhorn features perfectly serviceable touch controls, but playing with physical controls absolutely improves the experience. I wish a little bit more had been done to optimize the experience for hardware controls – it would be nice to assign special moves to specific buttons for quick access, instead of having most of the buttons remain blank and a submenu still being required to switch special moves – but this is a minor nit-pick. The controls here are very well implemented.

Oceanhorn manages well the difficult task of being inspired by a great thing, while at the same time carving out an identity of it’s own. Fans of Zelda will find a lot to love here, and that is equally true for people who’ve never played a Nintendo game in their lives. Oceanhorn isn’t just a great mobile game – it’s a great game, period.