Fun to play with a simple concept, Dive for Life ($0.99 in the App Store) is an excellent game for both adult and adolescent gamers, providing ample challenge and engagement for players.
Overview
Upon launching Dive for Life for the first time, users are provided with instructions on how to play the game, trouble is, instructions only seem to be available once. Most games have a menu option where the tutorial is available, whether it be for gamers who didn’t full read the instructions, or if multiple people are using the same device and want to learn how to play the game. I happen to be one of those gamers with the mindset of nah, I got this, quickly navigating past the instructions and on to the first level, sometimes to discover I really have no clue what I am doing. Moral of the story, pay attention to the instructions on the launch screen, or, simply read on.
The Dive for Life game character is decked out in a classic cartoon scuba suit, the character drifts up and down in the water when not being controlled by the gamer. In the first wave (level) there are 2 different fish that swim in from the left side of the screen, tap the fish to earn points and be sure they do not hit your scuba diver, or its game over. Also in the first level, gamers will encounter a black hole/whirlpool of sorts, which will suck the scuba diver in, also ending the game. Getting past the first wave was somewhat challenging the first few tries, but once onto the next wave the levels seemed to move a little bit quicker.
As the waves in Dive for Life go on, more fish are added, which also have higher point values, which is ultimately what contributes to levels moving a little faster. Don’t get used to hanging out on the right side of the screen to avoid the fish entering from the left, because the fish begin entering from both the left and right sides of the screen. In addition to new fish, there are bonus items that drop from the top of the screen. There is a blue P shield, which creates a bubble around the diver, protecting the player from fish for a short period of time. There is also a purple D bomb, which shrinks the diver, making it easier to avoid fish. Rounding out the bonuses is a B flail shaped icon, which turns the screen red and floats all of the fish to the top, avoiding the scuba diver, making it easy to gain fast points.
Dive for Life offers two game modes, regular and hardcore. The hardcore mode must be unlocked by advancing in the regular play mode. Mastering regular play requires loads of hand-eye coordination, especially when the fish start to enter the play area from the right side. The bonuses help make play a little bit easier, helping players regroup. Dive for Life offers fun, cartoon style graphics and entertaining music, which ultimately makes the game that much more enjoyable. Note that Dive for Life requires iOS 6.0 or later and is optimized for iPhone 5.
Verdict [rating: 4.5]
Overall, Dive for Life is a fun game, which could be enjoyed by adults and children alike. The game provides a good challenge for players, offers multiple levels and a hardcore game mode for advanced gamers.
Download Dive for Life in the App Store for only $0.99!
Pros:
- Fun graphics and music
- Challenging
- Easy to understand/operate
Cons:
- No description of bonus items or fish types
- Can’t review tutorial
*The above review was commissioned by the developer in accordance with our app review policy, and has been written in an objective, unbiased fashion.
