iPhone App Video Review: The Infinity Project 2

The Infinity Project was a fairly well-made first person shooter that hit the App Store at the end of 2009. Despite its dated visuals and lack of polish, many regard it as an iOS classic. Now, that game finally gets a sequel, simply titled The Infinity Project 2, and it's a far more ambitious title that makes several improvements, even if it still seems dated.

The game continues the war against the alien menace known as the Talon, who used a time machine to conquer earth in our present time. As you try to locate and take down the Talon, you learn that many human groups have sided with them, including a crazy cult that worships the Talon way of life.

The level design is very retro, and while the controls can be stiff or clunky and the enemy AI is the exact opposite of intelligent, there are many things that make this game stand out. Levels are very non-linear, with several wide open areas connected by linear tunnels. The game is more DOOM or Half-Life than Halo, with health packs and special consumable power-ups scattered across the world, waiting to be picked up by those with a vigilant eye. There is a lot of dialogue with NPCs, and a lot of it is surprisingly well-written.

But as I said, the gunplay is very unpolished. Even after you get used to the controls, they aren't always responsive. Although enemies just line up to die for you, so it's still pretty easy. They can also kill you fairly easily with grenades, since the only real indicator that one is nearby is a beeping sound which can be hard for your ears to track. There are lots of other little gripes I have with the game. Sometimes the compass is rather hard to read as you try to locate a certain item, or find your way out of an apartment complex.

The visuals and sound are greatly improved over the first game, but still look dated, especially when compared to other iOS shooters like N.O.V.A. 3. The voice acting clips are also bad, but  in a funny way. The game can be played through a story mode, survival mode, and even multiplayer. Despite all of the game’s many shortcomings, I really enjoyed it, but I know not everyone will feel the same way. If you don't mind playing something that looks and feels like it belongs in the late 90s and you can deal with the controls, you may just enjoy this game too. If you're looking for more nuanced gunplay and flashier levels, you should probably look elsewhere. Although, this game is quite impressive considering the very small size of the dev team. Game Center achievements are supported. The Infinity Project 2 is iOS Universal and available for three dollars at the time of this review. Shoot away.

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