Last year, Mohamed Elzankaly brought the iTunes community something different with the introduction of Tears of the Machine. Confusing on the surface, this game captured players’ curiosity and ensnared gamers from all over.
At the time, the game was divided into four different chapters or episodes that were unhinged.
Today, we have Tears of the Machine Extended. Elzankaly has soldered the saga into one app that you work your way through, so game play is continuous and the experience, whole.
The scene? It’s year 2085 and you are slowly awakening to sounds of battle all around you. The enemy? The Global Order Coalition.
They have banded together a force to take over and take out anyone who opposes them.
As you slowly come to your senses, you find that there are images of a young girl that flash in your mind, or is it your memory? You can’t quite make out if those are memories or a dream. But you persevere to find out, all the while trying to stay alive – because you know the Coalition is in the wrong, and it must be defeated.
Chock full of interesting challenges and obstacles, Tears of the Machine tests your defender gaming abilities. You start playing in the Prologue and make your way through, with increasing levels of difficulty.
Each win brings you better weaponry and improved skill sets. As you pass through, you open up more doorways out of the Prologue and into the next chapter, Episode 1.
The Extended version of Tears of the Machine has a Prologue, Episode 1, and Episode 2. Episodes 3 and 4 are slated for release at least one year out, but they will come.
What I really liked about the game is that you can play it in different ways. If you are not up for a huge challenge and you want to experience the storyline, then choose Story Mode. If you are less passive and want a more immersed experience, then you must definitely choose the Survival Mode.
As an addition to the previous version of the app, there are Extras, which allows you to explore the gaming world and listen to audio clips throughout, giving you more context and clues as to how you may have gotten there and what your past is about.
There is no shortage of entertainment in this app. There are so many activities and battles to fight, backed by the ongoing storyline that keeps you questioning more and more to uncover where you came from and who you are.
I did find some of the controls to be a bit slow, and had to keep my patience as I moved along through the game, but it may have been caused by other things besides the app. I will have to try it out some more to see if there are any changes.
Other than that, this game is addictive because it collides a world of mystery and unknown identity with a conflict that you must work your way out of. I have not seen too many app with so much action and meaning all wrapped up in one place. Try out Tears of the Machine soon!