Avatar Runner was introduced with a healthy dash of samba and sun as a game that was perfect for slobbing on a lazy Sunday afternoon. However not all runs have a relaxed feel-good factor to them. The later, faster levels will have you gripping the controller tight as you find yourself nearer to the edge and more prone to mistakes.
Not only will there be differences in speed and the gaps between items, but the environment and music will have its differences. One run might be an easy going plod through the desert or down a beach with flutes playing and the next will pick up tempo as you head through a more fiendish setting.The custom game mode will give players the freedom to set their own difficulty whilst running to their favourite songs on their Xbox. If you want to listen to some tunes and keep yourself busy at the same time then stick it on an easier difficulty and go for a run. Want to have a go at playing the game to a heavy metal song? Crank the difficulty up all the way and see if you can cope!
I’m still working on the balance and spread of levels (how many easy? how many hard?). For the speed nuts and hardcore gamers, mainly the more intense levels will appeal but there’s certainly a place for the slower, more relaxed levels. They provide a good entry for people who maybe aren’t as nimble with the controller and I also enjoy them when just wanting something to do when my mind is too numb to focus on more difficult gameplay.
Perhaps the biggest challenge here is providing access to these levels. I don’t want to force a very skilled player to play through all of the easy levels first, but then do I limit the amount of easier gameplay, or bury away. Equally that first level should be the easiest right? But it needs some pace to hook in those looking for at least the promise of a tough challenge.
I will explore this in my next blog… but for now enjoy this new video.
