Software Review (Windows Phone 7): The Harvest

One of the premier features of Windows Phone 7 is the integration of Xbox Live. Without a incertitude, the quality of games offered past such a popular platform as well as the social aspects that Xbox alive offers are light-years alee of where we were with Windows Mobile 6.5. One of the first Xbox live games that we saw demonstrated (remember MIX?) was The Harvest from Microsoft Game Studios.

Though I'm sure many people are a piddling disappointed that we haven't seen much from the HALO franchise on Windows Telephone 7 withal, The Harvest could easily exist mistaken for an episode from the Bungee masterpiece. Even aside from the stunning graphics with maps littered with ruins and hostile aliens, the story of a cybernetically enhanced homo protecting the rest of us from these extra-terrestrial invaders isn't an exact mimic of HALO, but it's pretty close.

The Harvest

Game-Play

The premise of The Harvest is that y'all control a single soldier who is outfitted with a suit that provides you with the additional strengths and abilities needed to rescue humanity from the Harvesters. Story aside, there is a lot to like about The Harvest. The intent of this game is to be an epic, and equally hard as that is on the iv inch screen of my Samsung Focus, Microsoft has pulled information technology off.

The Harvest

The all-time matter about The Harvest is that in that location are a number of ways to experience the game. Between the three characters you can play the game with and the various abilities and upgrade options y'all choose, the game allows you to be yourself; guns blazing or cold and calculated. Too, pay attention to the tips that bear witness up at the lesser of the screen as there are some additional ways to maximize your characters effectiveness that aren't obvious.

The Harvest

Quality

The graphics are superlative notch, and the sound is simple and immersive. Apparently in that location are some restrictions on the quality of the experience considering we are dealing with mobile hardware, but I would pit The Harvest against anything that yous could detect on a competing phone platform.

The controls for The Harvest are simplicity itself. Movement is handled by touching the ground where you lot want your unit to move. Targeting an enemy unit of measurement is washed by but tapping on them. Activating special abilities (each unit has three singled-out abilities) is achieved past double tapping on your unit of measurement. There are some bad-mannered moments where your finger obscures your screen in just the wrong style, but this doesn't take away from the flow of the game.

The Harvest

The diverseness in upgrade options are really where the force of the game lie. Some of the upgrades are permanent, while some last for a curt menstruation of time. There are besides some upgrades that tin can be applied to your suit and upgraded independently, this allows for some very interesting choices as to which upgrades are most price-constructive.

Nigh of the in game options can be accessed by pressing the back button on your device. This gives y'all quick access to a Map of the current level likewise as whatever bachelor upgrades and current mission objectives.

The Harvest

There are some minor performance issues with The Harvest, but Microsoft has managed to go along these outside of the bodily game-play for the most office. Loading the game does take quite some time, with the game essentially buffering itself into memory. I did notice an occasional glitch when running through the levels, but this is minimal and doesn't really take away from the feel. 1 more word of alert, keep your fingers clear of the capacitive hardware buttons. I found myself at a Bing search a number of times while strolling through the world of The Harvest.

The Harvest

Conclusion

For my money, The Harvest is hands the highest quality game on the Marketplace correct at present. Personally, I would've liked to encounter a loftier quality game from a known series like HALO or Splinter Cell (Splinter Cell Conviction was announced as being bachelor at launch, but it hasn't hit the Marketplace at this betoken). If you're skeptical, go alee and download the trial version and run across what you retrieve. The Harvest is available from the Marketplace for $6.99.

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