We all live in fear, waiting for our robots, phones, and various machines to become “Self Aware.” After installing Self Aware (0.99, App Store link), your iPhone becomes “self aware” as it is infected with an artificially intelligent virus. A jumbled concoction of assorted mini-games, Self Aware keeps the user at-bay while repeatedly pressing the human for information and challenges.
Design and Gameplay
The game interface mimics the native iOS home screen and icon layout, but with a virus controlled red background and green accents. The apps appear to be missing, but a message from the security administrator helps unlock the the first app. The player slowly regains control of the iPhone by unlocking individual apps through quizzes and challenges.
Each virus controlled app has a challenge relevant to the native app that is being manipulated. For example, the answer to the calculator trial is a number and the clock app utilizes a timer based challenge.The game boasts over 25 unique mini-games, riddles, and mind puzzles. Without wanting to give away too many of the answers, I digress.
The premise and “storyline” are cheeky but intriguing enough to drive the gameplay. It is a simplistic app, but includes an assorted array of individual challenges, which are enumerated in the embedded video below. The clip gives a quick glance at the various mini-games buried within the infected iPhone.
Conclusion [rating: 4/5]
I enjoyed slowly regaining control of my “Self Aware” ($.99, App Store) iPhone while conquering the various mini-games. At a small price, Self Aware is a certain buy for people who like a good puzzle challenge. In contrast to other games that market themselves as 100-in-1 apps, Self Aware is a cohesive amalgamation of fun and twisted Terminator humor. Viewing the screenshots I was skeptical, but after spending time with the game, I particularly enjoy it.
Pros
- An interesting premise for a series of challenging mini-games
- Challenging enough to break out a Google search, but not so hard you struggle tirelessly for an answer
Cons
- If you do not prefer a myriad of small challenges, this is not a good game for you. This app does not fit one particular genre or style.
