Self Aware iPhone Game Review
Price: $0.99 Score: 10/10 Category: Games
What if your iPhone pulled a SkyNet, and decided to ruin your digital life? That’s the basic premise behind Self Aware, developed by Dingle LLC. And while the concept might not be the most original idea, Self Aware is intensely enjoyable and worth way more than the 99 cents they’re currently charging.
You start the game by downloading a standard update, but things quickly turn sour when the code takes on a life of its own. Calling itself STU (and calling you STU-pid), this AI has it out for humanity in general and you in particular. But with a little ingenuity, you can start to outsmart the AI and take back your phone.
The variety of puzzles you have to solve is really diverse, which keeps Self Aware from ever feeling static. You’ll have to undertake everything from brain teasers to arcade games to choose-your-own-adventure epics. There are 27 different games in all, and each is challenging in its own way.
You also get graded on a star-based system: the better you do at solving the puzzles, the more stars you gather (and the sooner you can unlock more hints.)
The attention to detail really enhances the creep factor: one puzzle forces you to go through your actual contacts, making the stakes seem very real indeed. And the way certain puzzles force you to leave the game and tweak various settings on your phone ups the difficulty.
Part game, part meta conversation on the very nature of mobile gaming, this addictive adventure is totally enjoyable, utterly unnerving, and an absolute must-play. If you’ve been looking for a challenging new iPhone game, your search is over.
Self Aware is compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 4.0 or later.