DeNA Mobile and Mobage, the team that brought us the slick first-person shooter The Drowning earlier this year, have returned with a new arcade-style action game called Lawless. In it, you take charge of a criminal busting their way through dangerous missions, from battling police forces, to hunting down rival gang lords.
The Good
Lawless pays its respects to the classic arcade shooters of old, with pinpoint accuracy that makes it really fun to play. Being able to level up weapons and allies is a nice touch, and you'll need both for the tougher missions. The graphics are slick too, with plenty of explosions and gunfire to light up the screen. The multiplayer is also a nice touch, as you can recruit friends online via the Mobage network, and go to war with an awesome arsenal of unlockable weapons from pistols to RPGs.
The Bad
As fun as Lawless is, the gameplay doesn't really evolve much as the game goes on. It never really shies away from its run-and-gun roots, and the audio gets quite repetitive after a while - particularly from your main character who constantly shouts "GO! GO! GO!"...even after you already went! Finally, the most powerful allies and weapons can only be acquired via in-app purchases.
The Verdict
Even with a slightly flawed freemium purchase system, and a rigid adherence to its primitive shooter roots, Lawless is a great-looking game that'll suck you right in, especially if you have fellow Mobage players to team up with. A life of crime has never been so rewarding...
The Good
Lawless pays its respects to the classic arcade shooters of old, with pinpoint accuracy that makes it really fun to play. Being able to level up weapons and allies is a nice touch, and you'll need both for the tougher missions. The graphics are slick too, with plenty of explosions and gunfire to light up the screen. The multiplayer is also a nice touch, as you can recruit friends online via the Mobage network, and go to war with an awesome arsenal of unlockable weapons from pistols to RPGs.
The Bad
As fun as Lawless is, the gameplay doesn't really evolve much as the game goes on. It never really shies away from its run-and-gun roots, and the audio gets quite repetitive after a while - particularly from your main character who constantly shouts "GO! GO! GO!"...even after you already went! Finally, the most powerful allies and weapons can only be acquired via in-app purchases.
The Verdict
Even with a slightly flawed freemium purchase system, and a rigid adherence to its primitive shooter roots, Lawless is a great-looking game that'll suck you right in, especially if you have fellow Mobage players to team up with. A life of crime has never been so rewarding...
