Temple'n Zombies Runner

Summary

When I first came across Grave Digger on the Android Market, I thought it was some sort of ghost’n'goblins adaptation. I turned out to be wrong, but the atmosphere is still very reminiscent of ghost'n'goblins. Grave Digger is also all about fighting monsters and evil. As you'll find out in our test report, the game's fun factor depends on the model of your Android phone.

The idea and story behind Grave Digger are very simple. By collecting a certain number of keys, you unlock new levels. A door to the next level opens as soon as you've got all the right keys. Throughout the entire game, you'll find yourself in hell, a place you're desperately trying to escape. The reason for your imprisonment in hell remains a mystery.

In each two-dimensional level, your goal is to collect the precious keys located on different platforms. You can also collect bonus points in the shape of diamond as well as power ups that turn you invisible, extend your time, or make you immune to enemy attacks.

To get around your zombie-looking enemies, you have to try to get out of their way. You can also dig graves for them to fall into. Digging holes can help you reach hidden diamonds or allow you to jump through to other parts of the level. There are also smaller enemies that you can only avoid, including green hands that pop up through the ground to try and catch you. These creeps can't kill you like the zombie creatures, but they can definitely cause a lot of harm. Bats can attack you from the sky and slow you down significantly.

You control your movement with either the touchscreen or the D-pad (see Controls for more)

Grave Digger spans over 25 levels divided into 8 worlds. Getting through this game can take a long time, especially if you try to collect all the diamonds in addition to the keys.

Grave Digger is pleasant to play due to its appealing graphics and sound as well as the game's general concept. Nevertheless, this game is a lot more fun to play on a Motorola Milestone than on a Nexus One (more on that in Screen & Controls)

On Grave Digger's main menu you have the following options:

• Start
• Settings
• Highscore
• Exit

Options in settings:

• Play with (D-pad or touchscreen)
• Sounds (On/Off)
• Vibrations (On/Off)

Obviously, playing with the D-pad is only possible on an Android device with a D-pad (duh!) like the Motorola Milestone. The D-pad works great with Grave Digger. By pressing the button in the middle of your D-pad, you can dig out holes, as mentioned before. This only works on grassy ground; otherwise you're stuck with banging on sold rock. For devices lacking a D-pad, you'll find a virtual joypad on your left and a button for digging on your right. Although this control type can work well with a little practice, it pales in comparison with the D-pad. The main problem is that you constantly have to keep an eye on the left side of your screen to make sure you're pressing the correct button.

In order to able to upload and store your highscores, you have to download ScoreNinja from the Market. You can do so by clicking on "Install Now" directly from the Grave Digger menu.

Through a couple of illustrations, the game's basic principle is explained to you at start-up. As I said before, it's all very simple and self-explanatory. As soon as the game begins, you have to defend yourself against enemies and start collecting keys. At the top of your screen, the current level and world are displayed. In addition, you are also shown how much time you have remaining to complete the level, how many keys need to be collected, and how many points you already have.

Before starting the game, you come up with your own player name. You easily start from where you left off by selecting your player name in the menu.

Bottom Line:

Grave Digger is a sweet game, especially for those that like this gruesome game genre. The graphics aren't going to blow your mind away, but they're not too shabby either. Playing without the D-pad controller isn't the game's forte, but it can still be a lot of fun.

Grave Digger runs well on the Milestone and Nexus One with the occasional small lag. The game's performance on the G1 was, however, abominable. It was almost impossible to play. No crashes experienced.

Grave Digger can be downloaded for €2,99 from the Android Market.