Lego has seen a major renaissance in recent years, with the long-running Bionicle line playing no small part in that. So, why couldn’t Bionicle prove a force in iOS gaming, too? Alas, the free-to-download Mask of Control is a decent stab, but we can’t see it becoming nearly as popular as the toys.
The game is marketed as suitable for gamers in the 9-11 age bracket – and, surely enough, the battles involve a lot of button-bashing that wouldn’t overly frustrate the young ‘uns. And, as the game progresses, players are gently introduced to extra moves and challenges to keep things interesting.
Well, interesting to a point. Ultimately, it’s the strong, intriguing narrative that underpins the essential appeal of the Bionicle franchise as a whole – and that kind of engrossing storytelling is sorely lacking in a game that largely just consists of fight after fight.
Still, the crucial question remains: will the kids like it? Quite possibly. But we’re sure that it won’t be too long before their interest wanes and they return their attentions to their Bionicle toys and comic books instead.
