Review: Underline PlayStation Mobile

Underline is a fast paced word finding game on the PlayStation Mobile games platform. Its a perfect fit for both casual gamers and mobile gamers alike. The game has a lot to offer despite the low price point. Boasting 4 different modes of play and in game achievements, the game has a lot going for it.

On the surface the game is very addictive, seeing you try to spot words as soon as you can to rack up the points. Controls are all touch screen based and to spell out words its a case of running your finger over the letters to make the word in any direction just as long as the letters are connected. For the most part it works but every now and then it wont pick up my swipe. Maybe its because I have massive fingers? or maybe my screen is dirty? who knows but its annoying as hell when it happens.

4 game modes are available from the off and each one offers something different:

• Classic mode: your basic game type, here you look to make as many words as you can before your letters hit the top of the screen. Letters hitting the top cause a red warning light to appear around the game surface and warn you that one more drop will cause game over.
• Time Attack: same as classic mode but yep you guessed it, your on a time limit.
• Word Search: here you get a full screen of letters, your goal is to find as many words as you can in a 2 minute period. Making a word causes the letters used to be destroyed but fear not as new random letters take their place.
• Pass and Play:This is time attack but with a pass the game around mentality, can be fun but really its a nice to have than a must have.

The game does have leader-boards but at the time of writing they are just local. Achievements will extend the game life as it has some quite devilish ones such as score a ten letter word or get a 20wpm average and one is for playing the game for 20 hours! The game like I say is basic in principle but clever in its execution. Yes its a case of finding words but to be racking up the top scores its the longer words you need. You cannot do two letter words so your no,at,on etc will not get you anything here. Earning points will unlock extra lives should you get a game over. Points are also used to enable game helping bonuses such as shuffle,vowel drop or timer freeze. I should clarify that the points merely rent the bonus for that particular game so playing a new game will require more points again if you use them. The game bonuses are really handy to have and simple to activate, they sit on the right hand of the screen and you just tap the one you want to use and bosh its activated.

As with all word games it does struggle to recognise some simple words but yet give you points for words you’ve never heard of. This can make things frustrating as your first instinct is to make words that you know, actually exist! As a test I just ran my fingers all over the screen and was amazed at how many words I found. Knowing this I now use it as a last ditch attempt before death or when I feel lucky. The modes are varied enough to warrant trying out and due to the nature of the game its a perfect mobile game. With minimal menus and actions needed, its very much turn on and go.

In summary its an alright game and for the price point you will never feel ripped off. Yes it has a few annoying moments and it does struggle with words, but underneath it all its still a good time waster and Ive played games for 3 times the cost have more problems. S o if your after a quick word game then you cant really go wrong with this game, its a good start to the genre on PlayStation Mobile any way you look at it.