Famous rapper Snoop Dogg, aka Snoop Lion, is branching out from music these days. He recently takes the role of a battle guru in a video game titled Way of the Dogg. Made by developer Echo Peak and published by 505 Games, Way of the Dogg is a cross-platform rhythm-action combat game. The game was first released on multiple video platforms, and lately, a mobile version is available on Android and iOS platforms.
At first glance, it is a bizarre game. It features graffiti style graphics and gangster themed background story. According to the plot, which is presented by static pictures and voice-over, you will be America Jones, a fighter aiming to seek revenge and bring peace to his city. In the game, you will train AJ with guru Snoop Dogg and by joining in battles and winning, you may progress in the game and watch the following plot scenes.
The controls in Way of the Dogg are QTE-based and the game plays like many similar music video games. When a fight starts, lines of buttons will show on the screen. The basic gestures you need to perform are neither complex nor difficult. Tap on the button as you see halo reaches the edge of a button or marker approaches the button. Drag your finger between both buttons as you see a hold button appears. Swipe through a string of buttons as you see the arrows. Perform all the controls in the correct time and you can fill the hit meter and launch an attack. The better you do it, the more fierce attacks AJ can deliver to the opponent.
As you progress, things are mixed up, you might need to perform several controls simultaneously, and it could get challenging. Quick reflexes, as well as a sense of rhythm are what it requires to play the game. But still, it is by no means a fighting game. As you don’t get to control your character to make the actual move. How well your character takes on his opponent merely suggests how good you are doing on those QTE buttons. After a while, the QTEs will be so challenging that you can’t even spare a glance to enjoy the fighting scenes.
While a QTE-based combat game may sound like a real mood killer, the game may just be a way to give expression to Snoop Dogg’s gangster themed music, and what really matters is that you get to listen to some of Snoop Dogg’s best selling songs. For example, when you successfully beat all your opponents, it will play Drives the Beat of Combat. According to the man himself:“Way of the Dogg is the first true gamification of my music. This game shows how we evolve as individuals and incorporated the journey of my own personal reincarnation as Snoop Lion into my character, the environments and the path that players have to follow.”
Way of the Dogg combines elements of combat and music. The game itself, in terms of gameplay and graphics, is not that attractive. The bottom line is that not everyone likes Hip-Hop, whether it is from the award-winning Snoop Dogg or not.
iTunes link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id635451623
Discussion forum: http://forums.appsgoer.com/forumdisplay.php?277-Way-of-the-Dogg
