Publisher: Valcon Games
Developer: Eiconic Games
Genre: Puzzle
Release date: Available now

Just a few days ago, as I was perusing the massive backlog of games that I have downloaded from the Xbox Live Marketplace, I was struck by a thought. The XBL Arcade has really blossomed dramatically from its humble beginnings on the original Xbox. Gone are the days when you simply popped in for a spell to give yourself a nostalgic kick with a round or two of Ms. Pac-Man. The Marketplace, and other digital distribution streams, has become a great arena for smaller-market developers to shill their wares and offer players new twists on a variety of gameplay concepts, giving us a reason to look forward to each Wednesday, when Microsoft unveils the latest attractions. While the puzzle genre is well represented, there’s always room for a new twist, which is what developer Eiconic Games offers in their latest release, Polar Panic.

Polar Panic bears a strong visual resemblance to the classic Bomberman. You are given a top-down, isometric view of a grid. Your task is to guide a polar bear through a series of challenging mazes. The game’s primary Story Mode presents a series of escalating levels that gradually increase the number of enemies to defeat (or avoid), while decreasing the available time on the clock. This race-against-time mechanic to the puzzle solving forces you to exercise your fingers as swiftly as you work your brain.

The mazes are constructed of ice, and you need to utilize your environment and special ice blocks (including those containing dynamite) to take down the trappers that mercilessly track you through the levels. Successful completion of each level in a timely fashion provides rewards in the form of higher rankings, which is the key to unlocking achievements. Completion of the Story Mode is only half the battle, as the developers have also offered an extensive Puzzle Mode, which adds an additional 50 brain teasers to tackle.

While Polar Panic provides a nice, engaging challenge in its well crafted puzzles, that ticking clock robs you of some of the enjoyment derived from constructing a strategy and making it through the boards unscathed. Early levels allow you to take your time, but later in the game the clock is too demanding, leading to many frustrating moments when you barely make it to the end. I can appreciate a healthy challenge, but I think the puzzle design provides that already; the addition of the clock just seems cheap and unfair. It might have been used better in an unlockable challenge mode for those looking to add to their fix.

That’s one area that the Puzzle Mode remedies, as the challenges are ramped up and the enemies and time limit are removed. I had the most fun in this mode, even though the trials can be fiendish in their design. That said, those looking for a good bout of brain expansion are encouraged to torment themselves in Puzzle Mode, which ultimately becomes the most rewarding aspect of the game.

Polar Panic is a decent downloadable title that scratches that inquisitive itch. Puzzle junkies will groove on this latest way to feed their jones, but they are encouraged to skip Story Mode and progress directly to Puzzle Mode. In addition, the multiplayer Survival Mode, which focuses on taking out a progressive stream of baddies in tandem with your buddies, makes for a nice cap to the package. I could have done without that ticking timer, but there is plenty of value here to make this a decent diversion for those looking to grease the grey matter.

Our Score:
Our Recommendation: