Rolando is a quirky combination of platforming and puzzle solving, as you attempt to lead the Rolandos and their royalty, the prince and rather gluttonous king, to safety.
Rolando has been described as a physics game and sounds as if one has to use a lot of gray cells to win the game. This misconception has scared many gamers away. However, this game is no different than a traditional platforming game. In this game, you will find yourself applying your attacking, defending and guarding skills to make your way through the game to the final destination. There are a lot of blasts, teleporters and catapults involved in the process.
To master Rolando, you have to master not just the environment but also the numerous spooky enemies present in all levels. The game is played over different small levels. The gamers have to stop and think to exercise the best possible success move. The Rolando soldiers are slow and methodical and do not move on their own. However, the prince often will find himself in trouble and danger due to his impulsive movements. To protect him from taking unnecessary risks, ensure that he is erected by Rolando soldiers around him.
The small levels are very complex. There are many tasks that have to be completed and many puzzles to be solved in every level. Of course, crossing the level is not dependent on these additional tasks. Make sure a certain number of Rolandos reach the end of the level and you are through. Many players complete the game first and then proceed to check out the additional features. This ensures the game has good replay value. Or you could do a bit of both to ensure the game does not become monotonous.
Rolando can be played by touch-screen mode as well as by tilting your iPhone. The player can either touch the screen to select a single Rolando soldier to get him to move. You can select multiple soldiers by dragging your finger over them all. One can make the soldiers jump ledges by flicking the finger up and get them to roll around by tilting the iPhone. Remember, the prince is a bit of a hazard and has to be handled with care. It takes skill to protect the prince. Further, the giant King can be moved only with help of numerous Rolandos.
Where does Rolando drag? Well, the graphics certainly could use some improvement. It can not be called bad. However, it is as if the developers simply got tired of working on the game and decided to market the incomplete finish as a surreal one. The background is not sharply designed. Rather, single color schemes have been used to fill up the background. This minimalist approach does not match the game and leaves the player disappointed. Further, the background is barren with no objects or design in the background. Thankfully, the Rolandos have been designed with a bit more effort. They are very colorful and animated. This adds a bit more excitement to the game and also enhances its pace.
Rolando has a perfect difficulty curve, beginning nice and simple, and slowly introducing more and more puzzles until it really gets down to business with levels that can prove quite tricky. Trying to unlock all the achievements could keep you busy for months, but even a single playthrough will take a good 6-10 hours, depending on your pace. Rolando is a great game that fans of quirky games and platformers / puzzlers should absolutely pick up.
Final Score: 9/10