Torture Bunny
Score: 80% ESRB: 12+ Publisher: Chillingo Developer: Kaxan Games Media: Download/1 Players: 1 Genre: Puzzle
Graphics & Sound: You know exactly what you are getting when you download Torture Bunny. There is a bunny and your job is to torture the heck out of him for points. It sounds cruel, but developer Kaxan did a lot to make sure there is nothing cruel about the game. You're not torturing a cute, fluffy bunny; instead, you are presented with a gangly, quivering bunny doll and a toy box full of comical torture devices. Torture Bunny has an odd, gloomy feel. Music is, well, it is hard to describe. It is sort of an ethereal, out-of-tune jazz you might expect to hear when someone is trying to make fun of beatnik music. However you choose to describe the sound coming from your speaker, it works for the mood the game is trying for. The feeling carries through to other visual elements. The game has slightly disturbed sense of humor. You'll see comical contraptions like retractable boxing gloves, but also see oddball items like a box of raccoons. Each device looks fun - again, distancing the game from any sort of actual animal cruelty - and is big enough that you can manipulate and place them easily. Probably the most disturbingly fun element is the option to replace the bunny's face with a photograph. How much fun you'll have with this option is up to personal preference, though I can already see a bunch of ex-boyfriends taking a tumble down the torturous shaft.
Gameplay: Torture Bunny is an ragdoll physics game, a concept that makes for incredibly fun puzzle mechanics, though only if you can cope with the unpredictable nature of tweaked physics. The game is split into five themed dungeons sporting their own backdrop and set of torture devices. Each level is a vertical shaft with a bunny dangling from a cage at the top. Your job is to use the assorted objects to create an elaborate Rube Goldberg-like chain of devices. You're awarded points based on how much damage you do to the bunny on his way down, so the idea is to develop a setup that keeps him bouncing around for a few minutes. Points equal carrots, which act as the game's "Star" rankings system. You need to earn at least one carrot to unlock the next level, though you'll need to snag a few more to unlock each dungeon's "Boss Stage." These are exactly the same as normal stages only the bunny is wearing armor that you need to destroy before you can inflict any damage. The setup is fun, with just enough of a cathartic edge needed after a rough day at work. I do not encourage putting someone's picture on the bunny's body, but let's face it... it is a better option than kicking the dog. Besides, it might just save you from doing something rash. Though a great stress reliever, Torture Bunny has a few problems as a game. Levels are heavy trial-and-error play, which may be frustrating for some players, especially when the physics decide to go haywire. Stressed out players will find more relief in Arcade Mode. It runs on the same concept, though you're given access to all torture devices rather than a handful.
Difficulty: There isn't a whole lot to the underlying concept, yet there's a lot of strategy involved in making sure you hit the right point total for each level. Or, at least that's the idea, though it doesn't always feel that way. The biggest problem with Torture Bunny is the unpredictable physics model. On the positive side, you'll never get to the point where the rabbit will get stuck. However, it is hard to tell exactly where he'll go. Even the most intricately laid out setups can be rendered useless if the bunny suddenly falls another way. Though some chaos is expected, there at least needs to be some sort of logical order for the game mechanics to work correctly. I designed a setup meant to channel the rabbit one way, only to have him somehow slip between the cracks opposite the way everything else was going. There's already a big trial-and-error nature present in the game, so when things go too awry, it can be frustrating.
Game Mechanics: Each level offers a different set of devices to string together in your daisy chain of pain. You begin with "simple" devices like a swinging chained mace, torture racks and boxing gloves, but soon move on to more elaborate devices. There's a set of giant cigarette lighters, a spiked variation of the torture rack and crashing cymbals. Then there are the more "out there" pieces like TNT bundles, cannons and the previously mentioned box of raccoons. Each device causes the bunny to flip, flop or otherwise bounce, which is where the physics comes into play. It is tempting to randomly drop objects, but you'll need to spend time figuring out where the bunny's descent will lead him. The goal is to create something that will keep the bunny in motion for a little longer than usual, though the physics issues make this tricky. Even the best planned torture regimens are subject to some odd hiccup. Sometimes I stumbled upon an bunch of points while other times the bunny fell through what looked like a sure-fire point generator. Placing objects is easy. You drag objects from a menu at the bottom of the screen and can place them anywhere on the screen as long as the spot is clear. Tapping the object changes the object's orientation, offering more versatility in setting up traps. Torture Bunny is an acquired taste. Even with the comedic take, some players will have a hard time getting over the concept. If you can move past that, there's the gameplay. It's a strong concept and should appeal to puzzle fanatics with a dark streak, though the often unpredictable, almost luck-based mechanics will be a bit of a turn-off.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
Related Links: Torture Bunny || iTunes Page
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