So many years. So many years since everything was… alive. Broken structures, lands, and homes. So many people transformed into these… things. Why am I here? What awoke me? I think to myself and look around. A horn? A sword? I don’t know quite where I am, but everything is so familiar. Taking the items I shake off the stiffness like I’ve been frozen, fetal, for so, so long…
This is the start of Horn. A young man’s quest to break the Pygon Curse. People and animals have all been transformed into rather hideous looking steam golems, and it’s your job to save them all.
While I instantly was nostalgic for a game with a certain blue hedgehog every time I beat a golem (robot) and a little animal popped out and ran away, I am enjoying this game a lot. I’m a hysterical 25% done with this game, not my usual goal before I review but there’s… just a lot of content. Too much for me to burn through in a week and give you all a quality review on top of it. So hold on to your rusted rumps, it’s time for Horn.
So earlier this week the game was free, and sadly it’s back up to a whopping $6.99. Is it worth it ladies and gents? Totally. This is a long game, and will keep you going for hours. But before we go any farther, I have to say its another unreal engine game. The SAME FREAKIN’ unreal combat that’s been in my other unreal reviews. I don’t know if you just get this combat system for free when you buy rights to the engine, or what. It just seems like every time the unreal logo comes up on my iPad the phrase “OH BOY, LOOKS LIKE WE’RE DODGING IN CIRCLES BOYS” plays in my head in the voice of Christopher Walken. Why? I really have no idea. But that’s what happens.
The combat system is getting old now. It was cool, sure; but this is what, game 3 I’ve reviewed with this system? Ugh. But, even knowing this, I’m happily playing the game. But…why? The plot, voice acting, characters and the rest of the game is incredibly engrossing, even though the puzzle difficulty is like a watered down Zelda level (no, not the water temple that thing took, ugh, forever).
I really do have to admit that the game is a little repetitive, but still truthfully a gem, a diamond in the rough, if you will. On top of that the game is just GORGEOUS. Minor texture glitches aside, the game really draws you in. I’m not sure I really dig the character design for the enemies, as they are all basically rusted tin cans with arms and legs and a glowing blue ball hidden somewhere (don’t ask, just play it). While part of me really wishes this game were an open world title, I will happily settle for it’s creative use of controls, and allowing me full movement in a game using this engine. Most other games allowed me to move the camera around, or pan a bit. Horn? No, no, no, that simply wouldn’t do. Full movement. Though at times I feel like I’m playing the original Resident Evil, and I’m about to become a Jill Sandwich, due to me getting caught on stupid edges of things, but that’s really just user error. For those of you who have not played Resident Evil, go play it by any means you can, and just enjoy the voice acting. It’s the worst I have ever, ever experienced, and because of that, the game is hysterically awesome.
So what’s the draw back, what’s the catch? I don’t know, truthfully. With an awesome story mode voiced over flawlessly, and then if I get bored, a never ending dungeon mode with all sorts of crazy upgrades, weapon/ armor crafting, and all around good monster smashing action, I really cant complain about this game.
Graphics: 
Good golly this game is pretty, even on my iPad 2. No visual stuttering, no glitch movement or loss of frames. The textures are all very seamless and the overall art direction is fantastic. My only issue is incredibly mild as there was some z-fighting on some of the textures in certain areas, an issue that is easily corrected with some polygon adjustment.
Gameplay: 
It’s OK. But it’s the story that does well, and since I don’t have a category for story, I’m lumping that in here and giving what would have been a 3, a 4. The plot and characters are very believable and any game where one of the characters is a disembodied head of a monster you defeated, I’m down.
Audio:
The voice acting in Horn is superb. The sword clashes are great, and while the sounds of the monsters attacking are not… awesome, they very much fit the theme and are not a hindrance to this title.
Innovation: 
Ugh. THIS ENGINE. AGAIN. STOP IT. JUST STOP IT. You hear me game developers? Knock it off, make something original and stop using this combat system. I’m going to burst a blood vessel if I see another one of these. Sure it works, I don’t care, I’ve already played “this game” twice already, I didn’t need it a third time. So lucky that everything else was top notch….
Overall: 
If they had taken, oh I don’t know.. another… few weeks or so, and made their own combat system I would have given them a 5. A FIVE! You know how many games I give 5s to? Me either, but it’s VERY FEW. I’ve been at this a year now folks, I wrote my first gaming review May 3 last year and I’ve had a lot of fun writing for you all. This year I hope to kick these up a notch and provide you guys with some amazing content, reviews and groundbreaking news. Until next time, have a great weekend folks!
