Game Review: Temple Run

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Temple Run by Imangi Studios, LLC has top reviews on iTunes, including ‘Best endless running game in the App Store’ (AppleNApps) and ‘Most thrilling and fun running game in a while, possibly ever’ (TheAppera). And literally hundreds of thousands of Temple Run players have given this app a 5 star rating on iTunes. And so does TheAppleClan. As soon as you get the game on your iPhone, you won’t wonder why! Graphics & Sound (5/5) The graphics in Temple Run are amazing. Smooth 3D effects. Vivid colors. Detailed characters. Creepy temple guardians. Boggling temple landscape. This game has it all with the graphics! The temple is set in a man-eating alligator-infested swamp. The temple paths start out lined with sturdy stones, but quickly give way to sprawling tree roots, crumbled pathways, rickety wood, and slippery stones. Trees and rocks, covered in moss, eerily loom in the green swamp waters. The characters each come with their own personality and appearance, detailed out as they run from the temple fiends. Drums beat in the background as your character runs, both motivating you and keeping you on the edge of your seat. The temple guardians squawk. Your character breathes heavily, feet beating on the ground, and swishes around corners and over obstacles. In the main menu under options, you can adjust the sound and music volume. It’s almost a tossup what category of Temple Run outranks the other, but Graphics & Sounds certainly rivals for the top. Fantastic graphics! With no crashes and freezes. This category definitely deserves a 5/5. Gameplay (5/5) Gameplay is extremely easy to learn in Temple Run. Your first run is a tutorial, with arrows directing you how to play. Swipe your finger across the screen to left or right to make your character turn. Swipe up to jump and down to slide. Lean your iPhone to right or left to make your character run to either side of the pathway in order to collect coins. As you run, attempt to collect as many coins in the pathway as possible. These add up to enable you to redeem upgrades in the store, including various valuable powerups, different characters, special utilities, and even wallpapers for your iPhone. Take advantage of powerups such as the coin magnet, invisibility, and an increased boost to help you score more points and traverse the treacherous temple paths. The rest is up to your skill to maneuver your character throughout the temple. It’s a maze, with unexpected turns, jumps, and slides required. And the fiends are right behind you, trying to catch you the entire way. Incredibly addicting gameplay, easily giving this app a 5/5. Storyline (5/5) Your character has made it inside the temple and stolen the coveted temple god. But now he must run for his life, with the temple guardians at his heels. The entire game is your character’s run through the temple pathways. It’s a perilous one, with dangers at every twist. Are you up to the challenge? Or are you going to be eaten alive by the fiends? With a storyline like that, how could Temple Run get anything else than a 5/5? Value for money (5/5) Temple Run is completely free to download on iTunes! In-app purchases can be made, but they are not necessary. You can buy packs of coins in order to advance in powerups, utilities, characters, or wallpapers more quickly. Because you collect coins each time you play, though, your coin supply can easily grow without any purchases. It just takes longer to get the upgrades. But they are won through sweat and talent running through the temple, making the upgrades that much more valuable to you once you achieve them. Plus, it’s fun trying to get as many coins as possible in order to get the next upgrade you have been eying greedily. Purchasing the coins takes away from that challenge. However, buying the coins is cheap, and if you want to advance faster in the game, that is the way to go. A 2,500 coin pack is $0.99. Because Temple Run is free and in-app purchases are not required (and affordable if you choose to buy them), this app gets yet another 5/5. Summary The predominant comment received on Temple Run is ‘addicting.’ Be prepared to spending your lunch breaks playing Temple Run. Hey, it could be the start of a new diet plan! Warning: Consult a sleep therapist if you haven’t slept for a week, due to playing Temple Run.