Review

Gameplay 85%

Burn it Down is a 2D puzzle platformer where you must find the exit of 50 rooms in a misterious mansion filled with deadly traps and the ghost of a woman haunting you.   The controls are simple, you only touch the left or right side of the screen to walk in that direction, and after a few steps, you gain more speed and start running, being able to jump from one platform to the other once you get to the end of a surface. If you fall into a spike trap or get caught by the ghost, you die and must start over from the entrance of the level. Being quick with your fingers doesn’t really help, the challenge is actually figuring out when you should walk, get close to a trap to activate it and jump over it, if it’s better to leap over a pit or jump down the floor below, or running at the right time to avoid blocks falling down from the ceiling. If you’re having trouble, in the top left corner of the screen there’s a “?” icon you can press to activate a “shadow example”, which will show you how to beat the level. You only have 3 chances to use it in the whole game, at least for free, so try to beat each level by your own.

Graphics 71%

Burn it Down features 2D low resolution pixel art graphics in black and white. You can make out what the elements in the levels are supposed to be, but they do look kinda “blocky”.   Besides things that kill you, you can see furniture in the rooms, and a few other elements that are there only to make the experience a little more creepy, like a telephone that rings when you get close and you hear an eerie female voice, or the pipes leaking acid in certain levels. The background is just a checkers pattern wall that looks like it’s being displayed in an old tv. Given the kind of game, it doesn’t really need complex parallax scrolling or anything, but at least seeing a few rooms with a different design on the wall would’ve been good for variety.

Production Quality 70%

Burn it Down doesn’t have much going on to really distinguish itself from other similar games. Sure, this mix of 2D puzzle platforming and a scary theme is not that common, but avoiding traps with planning and the right timing has been made a thousand times before, and in games with much better music and graphics.   For those looking for a challenge, this game offers very hard levels, and a pretty unique scary atmosphere, but similar titles change places and show different worls after playing 10 levels or so, not a mansion where every room looks pretty much the same. To spice things up, there’s a “Horror Mode” you can play, that makes red blood splash on the screen when you die. It’s a good detailed to be added and can really get into your nerves after you failed to reach the exit a few times, but you can only try it for a while and then you have to buy the premium version to activate it.

Value for your Money 87%

Burn it Down is free on Google Play and the Apple App Store. You have 3 shadow examples to see how to beat a level in the free version, but you can use it once per level in the paid app. Also, you will see advertising after losing a few times, and since you can fall into a trap too soon after the start of a level, it may be a little annoying.

Launch Video

Summary

Burn it Down is not very original gameplay wise, or even in its visual presentation, but the overall experience it’s a mix that you won’t see in many games if you’re used to colorful 2D mascot titles, and after exploring a few rooms, you will find that it won’t be so easy to exit the 50 rooms in this title. Check it out if you enjoy puzzle platformers and are looking for something a little different. Pros

• Simple controls, challenging gameplay
• Fans of thrillers will find something interesting here

Cons

• Graphics may seem too “blocky” for the average user
• Little variety in music and backgrounds
• “Horror Mode” only on paid app

Game Help Guru Rating 77%