Blown Away: Secret of the Wind
Just as you finish building your house and brush back your lovely locks to take it all in, a strong wind blows and carries every last piece of your house away. Kicking you when you're down it also steals all your beautiful hair except for one last strand. Thankfully, you've been gifted teleportation shoes and your quest to take your house back has just begun! Blown Away: Secret of the Wind, a platformer for iOS and Android (Android users have 30 free levels to try before they buy!) by Black Pants Studio. You help Hendrik as he walks steadfastly forward, by tapping on the screen where you want him to teleport. At first you only have one charge for one jump and letting him walk forward slowly builds it back up, but as your adventure continues you gain more and more upgrades as you transverse this windswept world. Keep Hindrik from falling into the abyss and have him gather up all the pieces of his house as he goes to find the source of this odd wind.
There are four worlds for Hendrik to go through and each one is composed of 30 levels. The last 30 levels are always in a panic mode as Hendrik runs through to beat the oncoming storm as well as from the left side of the screen that is always advancing and has no mercy for those who venture too close. These fast-paced levels are great for getting your heart racing, but the other levels that are done at a slower pace will still have you having to think through every step and every teleport. There are plenty of enemies to dodge and even one grandmotherly ally who gives you extra batteries. While always advancing to the right it's never clear what path you should take and some that seem safe are actually quite the opposite. Just remember that teleporting Hendrik will take him a bit to get back on his feet and that can be a dangerous time if you're playing too risky. But this game is all about the risk if you want to get all the pieces of your house and that 3 star rating.
While some may be dissuaded by the price tag, namely that there is one, Blown Away: Secret of the Wind is really worth every penny. The art through all of it is gorgeous. The soft tones make it feels as if you're playing through a children's book. It is also just as creative as one, as just as you even start to think it might start feeling repetitive they throw any twist into their gameplay. It's a very easy game to get lost in and if you settle down you could probably finish it within a few hours without even noticing the time flying by. It's really good at keeping you on your toes and you'll be so absorbed it will be hard not to finish it all in one long sitting. While the ending may be a little disappointing to some, mainly because no matter how long a game like this is it will always feel as if it ended too soon, it still gives some hope as it leaves it a little open for more. While nothing has been said officially this is one you'll keep your fingers tightly crossed as you hope for an update for new levels and new challenges. So don't let the fact that there is no Free label here scare you away or you'll miss out on one fabulous adventure.
Not sure why, but the Android version is titled:
"Blown Away: First Try"
I almost thought I found the wrong game, but there are no others.
Update