If you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch (and if you don’t, why not?), you will be familiar with the quality of the display and the sound, and with the very clever user interface using finger controls and the orientation of the device.
And along comes Zen Bound which takes full advantage of all these features to provide a beautiful and immersive game.
When the game loads you are presented with a tree lit by Chinese lanterns. The lanterns sway as you move your device and the light plays over the branches and the flowers; very pretty. There is a chill out soundtrack playing (use headphones to really appreciate this).
You select one of the objects hanging from the tree and are taken to a screen where the object is floating in space. There is a piece of rope nailed to the object. You wrap the rope around the object and, as you do so, the rope paints the surface. With the limited length of rope available, wrap the object so as to paint all the surface areas. There are no weapons, no aliens, no time limits; just the soothing soundtrack, the roughly carved object and the creaking rope.
What impresses is the ease with which you manipulate the object and rope with your fingers, you really feel like you are moving an object in 3D space. The objects are simple, but they are beautifully rendered and lit, the music fits the relaxed mood.
Zen Bound is a great showcase for the iPhone or Touch and a relaxing and challenging game, ideal for playing while waiting for a root canal job at the dentists; or shopping with she who must be obeyed.