IOS Spotlight #80: QB1-0

Title: QB1-0
Developer: Can Factory
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $0.99
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QB1-0 released in 2012. It received a Universal update in May, a new trailer in June. I just discovered the game today. Searching online, I couldn't find a single review and that's a damn shame. If you're a fan of arcade shooters, I recommend giving OB1-0 a try.

At first, I wasn't feeling the game, mainly due to the controls. They're relative touch, but not your usual v-stick style. Instead, your ship is perpetually moving and firing and dragging your finger rotates your ship. It's definitely a different movement style that takes some getting used to, but the controls work well, revealing themselves to be very maneuverable and responsive, allowing you to spin on a dime. That level of maneuverability is key to survival here; within a wave or two, you're dealing with more than simple asteroids. Dangerous enemies begin emerging: quick homing rocket-spewing ships, slow ships that leave bullets in their wake, ships that unleash blasts of lightning that streak across the screen. The frantic action ramps up fast and power-ups that provide extra lives, upgrade your firepower, and more only add to the chaos.

QB1-0 isn't just a fun game, but a stylish one as well. There are some Geometry Wars influences, from the area backdrop warping beneath you and the geometric shapes, but in the midst of battle, with particles and projectiles and ships and asteroid debris flying everywhere, QB1-0 stands out as a visual spectacle. Adding to that spectacle is the fact that the arena is "open", with you, your enemies, projectiles all warping around the screen.

Compared to other games in the genre, QB1-0 is very bare bones. You won't find any extra modes, or upgrades, or different ships to unlock. You won't even find an options menu. But you will find a stylish frenetic arcade shooter with responsive controls, that fills the screen with particles and enemies and bullets, and for that reason, I think QB1-0 is worth checking out if you enjoy these kinds of games. You can purchase QB1-0 for $0.99