Volcano Escape (99 cents) is an arcade platformer type of game where your challenge is to see how high you can climb as you escape the rising lava of a volcano. The control system includes onscreen joysticks for movement and firing your weapon, and you have a jump button in the upper right for jumping ever higher, away from the rising lava. As you climb, you'll encounter bad guys you need to shoot so they can't take away from your health (you get three hearts to start off). You'll also be able to collect boxes that give you power-ups like shields and jet packs. Collecting boxes also lets you unlock new characters to play. If you can manage to stay away from the rising lava and clear your path of baddies, you'll be on your way to new high scores.
Volcano Escape is a game that I really want to like, but it definitely has a few problems. The gameplay is a bit choppy; at one point, I even force-quit all my apps and rebooted my iPod Touch, which still didn't work. It's also difficult to tell where the level of the lava is on your first several games, making it a surprise sometimes when you die. The jump button is also problematic because it's above the shooting controls, and I'd often end up pressing the wrong button. If they fix these issues, it would be easy to recommend this game, but you may want to wait before paying any money.
Overall, Volcano Escape is a pretty fun game in spite of its problems. It's a shame that the good-looking graphics and game concept seem to be undermined by a few minor problems. Once they fix a few of the issues or allow for more control customization, this game will be great for anyone who wants an easy-to-pick-up time waster.
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