App review: Zen Bound

The appearance of Zen Bound Lite allows us to make up for neglecting to review the full game when it appeared back in February.

So, if you haven’t tried it already, Zen Bound is a completely unique experience that will have your friends rubber-necking you at every turn.

The first thing you notice, apart from the gorgeously distinctive graphics, is the absence of time limits or tension – you can take as long as you like to complete each of the 51 levels, indeed it’s easy not to get lulled into a trance-like state by the soundtrack (good enough to justify making use of the free MP3 download).

The gameplay involves wrapping geometric shapes in rope, rotating them with your finger and manipulating the rope by tilting the device. The more completely you cover the object, the more points you get; it’s as wonderfully simple as that.

There are two modes, Tree of Reflection and Tree of Challenge; the first producing animals and the second revealing more geometric shapes, and by the time you read this a further 25 levels (Tree of Nostalgia)  will be available free of charge.

So essentially Zen Bound is one of those physics games like Marble Madness or Thrust that is certain to become a cult hit and deserves conversion to other formats., With subtle lighting and shadows that shift as the perspective does, you’ll be grateful it gives you so much time to enjoy it.

Not that it isn’t fiendish to master;  touch the end nail before your wrapping’s done and it’s game over – although some users will prefer to tackle the end part first in order to get a higher score.

Whichever way you play it, with the free Lite version now available, there’s no excuse not to free your mind and give it a try.

Verdict: 8/10
Arguably the best looking (and sounding game) on the iPhone

OS: iPhone
Price: £2.99
Web: iTunes/App Store

Written by Mike Anderiesz.

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