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Brad Cummings
United States
Connecticut
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The Stats:
Compatibility: iPad(2x), iPhone, and iPod Touch.
Current Price: Free (two $.99 expansions)
Developer/Publisher: Dmitry Shulga and Andrey Matveev/Nestor Games/Clever Mojo Games
Version: 1.01
Size: 5.2 MB
Multiplayer: Pass and play (with expansion)
AI: Yes.
Itunes link:http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/taiji-by-nestor-romeral-andre...
The Good:
Quick abstract challenge.
Free-mium model allows you to try before you buy.
The Bad:
The graphic design and interface could use refinement.
Gameplay:
It seems that recently a lot of the games I have been reviewing are new to me in any form. In the case of Taiji, spoiler alert, the app has inspired me to seek out the physical version.
In Taiji two players compete to have the most of their colored pieces grouped together at game end. They take turns placing rectangular pieces that are half their color and half the opponents color on a 7x7 grid. Once no more tiles can be place, the player with the largest group of their color pieces wins. On the larger expansion boards you can score based on your 2 or 3 largest groups. It requires a great level of strategic foresight to place your pieces in places they will be beneficial for you and detrimental to the opponent. The expansions also offer different art on the tiles that include tigers, astronauts, aliens and many more. I personally prefer the initial dark and light colored wood looking pieces, but the ability to customize is there.
Taiji is a great little abstract game. It reminds me of one of my favorites, Othello, where each move you make has repercussions for both players.
Implementation:
Much like Tricky Chicken, which I have previously reviewed, Taiji does not wow with visuals, but delivers a concise game that is perfect for portable play.
Games move smoothly and swiftly in Taiji. A small board game against the AI can be played in a less than three minutes. This makes Taiji an ideal game for play while waiting for a bus or subway. Taiji does not pull me in with its story or visuals but it still hangs around on my iphone because it is a perfect filler. The AI is not extremely challenging and it does feel like a player could “solve” the game, but with the larger boards you can add an extra challenge.
The interface itself is pretty clear once you get into the game. You tap a tile to change its facing and then you drag and place it on the grid. Once it is properly place you hit the confirm button. There is a text tutorial that explains this included with the game, but something visual would have been even clearer (Neuroshima Hex Puzzle did this well). Other parts of the interface are not as clear. When starting the game there are several screens of options to go through (what kind of tile art to use, what size board, and other game settings). Each of these screens has two identical yellow arrows at the bottom. At first this was confusing, it would be clearer if they were marked “next/previous” or perhaps the back arrow could be read and the forward arrow green. There are a myriad of game options provided from a timer to deciding the start player, however, there is not a random start player option.
The gameplay is what takes focus in this app. The app itself has a very do-it-yourself design to it. It lacks the finesse and consistency of something like Carcassonne. In the very least the matte background could be changed to something less Windows 95 desktop. But overall the graphical quaintness does not hinder the excellent gameplay.
Conclusion:
Taiji is a great little abstract game, and it reminds me of my love for classics like Othello. It is perfect for short bursts of play and takes very little real estate on your phone. It will not stun you visually. And, yes, it has inspired me to purchase the physical game.
Rating:  3/4 Good
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