Stunt Game "Hill Bill" More Of A One-Trick Pony
To be a king stuntman one must be able to pull off amazing tricks whist throwing fear out of the way. The game Hill Bill features a character who works his way from pulling off smaller jumps in his own backyard to reaching the big-time under the big top and speedways of the world. Does it manage to amaze onlookers, or does this iOS game misjudge its ramp distances?
Hill Bill takes you through sixty levels of stunt-bike coordination and thrills. You start out each by judging how far you should be back from the ramp before you rev up your bike to make the jump. Once in the position you want to be, you take off by holding down on the gas, performing road stunts like wheelies, before trying your hand at the flying ones. Your goal then is to perform the flying tricks before you hit the ramp on the other side. Land too early (or even over-jump the ramp), and you'll crash at the bottom. Make the jump and you'll be awarded 1-3 stars at the end, depending on how many stunts you manage to pull.
Because the level layouts are somewhat the same each time Hill Bill lacks in the variety department. Even stuff like fiery hoops and hazards seem to be there all just for show, rather than as part of a bigger challenge. The only time a hazard got in my way was when I didn't jump high enough to avoid tall plateaus. Once you figure out where to position yourself in the level then the game becomes too much of a breeze.
Touchscreen controls can be a pain at times. On many an occasion I maneuvered my finger around the screen to perform some of the more tougher stunts, but for some reason it would only read the last couple swipes and perform one of the weaker tricks. When it works the game can be fun, but for the most part the outcome can be quite frustrating.
Hill Bill's sixty levels can be completed in an hour or so, and for a $1.99 game that's all right. That being said the Joe Danger iOS port has more levels and variety for half that price. You can probably guess which of the two I'd recommend over the other.
PROS:
- Good combos, tricks
- Judging level lengths can be a good challenge
- Loads of levels...
CONS:
- ...but lasts only over an hour
- Touchscreen sometimes unresponsive
- Lacks variety
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Hill Bill is an all right game to kill an hour of your time, but at the same time it's not the type that you'll find yourself going back to play. Balloon 27 did a decent job for their first game, and I'm looking forward to seeing what their next couple titles will be bringing. That said, for your portable stuntman needs it's best to stick with Joe Danger.
FINAL GRADE: 5.8 (out of ten)
iOS review code provided by Reverb Communications Inc.
