Wild Dive Review

Wild Dive Review

Set on an island in the middle of the ocean, the birds that have made this land their home are honoring their time-honored tradition of sending their kin out. However, its feathery flock has an imposter among them; the weasel Weasley. Decked out in feathers and leaves, he must take a wild dive (hence the name) through three different levels rife with danger.

And what a wild dive it is. With movement primarily relegated to the mouse, players must contend with a number of hazards and bottomless puts that stand between him and certain doom. While it’s nice that he can take three hits and has some checkpoints he can take a breather at, this can be a challenging title for those looking to come out on top.

Controls are somewhat suited for the mach-1 speeds of this title. While it’s nice that sensitivity is intentionally on the loose side, it also means that it takes some getting used to. Finding a method through the madness, especially during the initial run, certainly takes some getting used to. However, the game is merciful with its difficulty settings and does not punish failure with too much of a penalty.

If anything, Wild Ride gradually introduces concepts as players trudge on. The ability to duck down over hazards, wall run, sidestep and dash to pink fruit all change things up. While it can be a bit much to keep track of when the camera is going all willy-nilly, the game does an admirable attempt at giving players the tools they need for victory.

Each run allows players to pick up fruit and artifacts along the way. Depending on how well one does, one can also earn themselves a feather that ranges from bronze to platinum. This game is a bit on the short side, with the three levels averaging at around 20 minutes. However, much like the Sonic Adventure line of games, getting that high score from a perfect run will encourage players to log on much more time than that.

Outside of its ranking system are a number of achievements as well. One can add these accomplishments to their profile by collecting the artifacts in each level, collecting fruits, completing levels in a set amount of time, or completing a deathless run. Nothing out of the ordinary, but still welcome nonetheless.

Wild Dive’s first person running action channels the kinetic energy that make Sonic’s early 3D outings so great. Although the loose controls take some getting used to, this short but sweet score chaser is well worth the time of any speed freak.

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