IOS Spotlight #3: Penumbear

Title: Penumbear
Developer: Taco Graveyard/ Bulkypix
Platform: IOS Universal
Price: $1.99
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Don't be fooled by the images of a teddy bear and his firefly companions; Penumbear is not a platformer for casual gamers. It's a challenging puzzle platformer that requires precision and quick thinking.

You awaken in the basement of a dark monster-filled castle. Over 100 levels stand between you and freedom. And these levels are not the usual thirty second duration of some other IOS platformers; they're large, filled with different routes, hidden collectibles, traps, and enemies. Your primary goal in each is to find the keys that unlock the exit (which also act as checkpoints) and then locate the exit itself. A task easier said than done.

Your bear is fragile. One missed jump, one fall into spikes, one encounter with an enemy, and you're done. You only have one ability to aid and guide you: turning lights one and off. You can walk along the area where light and shadow meet (known as a penumbra) and the developers wring that mechanic for all it's worth in countless intensive ways. The light can act as a bridge or a ramp or an elevator, can be a projective barrier against enemies or an impenetrable wall blocking your path, or it can reveal hidden platforms and traps. The complexity only increases when flashing lights, switches, objects that only appear in shadow and vice versa, and more are added.

Penumbear has enough content to last for many hours and I haven't even mentioned the boss battles, the well hidden bears and golden bears that require extra platforming to collect, the video recording feature, the finely tuned touch controls, or the Game Center achievements. If you're looking for a quality game that emphasizes exploration ad challenging platforming, then Penumbear deserves a spot on your device.