Minigore promised a lot, but the initial, rushed out release ended up a bit shallow. The 1.1 update adds missing features, providing solid groundwork for lots more content that’s already being developed. If you feel like blasting some furries, check out this amusing survival shooter.

I previewed an early work-in-progress Minigore for iPhone three months ago. The initial 1.0 version had been rushed out and lacked depth and features that would make for a compelling purchasing argument, so I waited for the updated version before reviewing the game. Having played the golden master of the 1.1 version, due within days, I’m much more satisfied, although there’s still work to be done here before I can safely recommend Minigore to the survival shooter fans.

A shooter with furries

Enter John Gore, a little fellow lost in an eerie place inhabited by hairy creatures with sharp teeth that are swarming from all sides to bite you. The twist: Furries come in four sizes and come apart like Russian Nesting Dolls when you blast them, meaning you need to prioritize your shooting accordingly. Besides the default machine gun with unlimited ammo, you can pick up a shotgun power-up that does more damage, and an exploding booby trap. Collecting three four-leafed clovers found when you kill a certain amount of furries will temporarily transform you into the agile Beast on fire.

While in this mode, you can do clover-combos to maintain the Beast for as long as possible. Make sure you prioritize the clover collection according to your current status. For example, if you can handle furries and you’ve already collected two clovers, try not to collect the third clover until furries overwhelm you. Don’t wait too long, though, because if too many furries surround you, you won’t get the third clover in time.

Simple controls will try to break your concentration

The left and right virtual analog sticks enable pretty accurate and simultaneous moving and shooting in all directions. The controls work best when you’re relaxed, moving your thumbs gently. That’s easier said than done, however. Your heart rate will go up as more and more furries amass on the screen. When the cartoonish creatures tighten their grip, you’ll panic. But don’t squeeze your device, that’s exactly what these critters want you to do. Maintain your concentration, aim accurately, and find a safer place. Don’t rest for too long, though, as the furries you left behind quickly work out a new route.

The settings interface lets you flip between left and right landscape (so that iPhone’s headphone jack doesn’t get in the way) and show or hide semi-transparent sticks and mini radar so nothing obscures your view. You can also play your own music and turn off music, sound effects, and voice samples separately, although I’d prefer separate volume settings for each. Minigore is OpenFeint-enabled so your score is uploaded to the social gaming network’s global leaderboard.

Nice to look at

Graphics-wise, Minigore sports a distinctive look and feel, a cross between cartoons and storybooks, all rendered in isometric 3D with nicely shaded bushes, trees, and other props. The whole game is a single giant map scrolling smoothly in all directions as you move about, with objects skewing slightly in 3D as they come in and out of the screen. A pretty environment is an integral part of the gameplay: Little furries jump out of bushes, trees slow down furries, while large trees provide you with brief cover – but they may also be a summer camp for furries in there. You’ll also appreciate the cool John Gore voice-over, courtesy of Arin Hanson, creator of the popular Metal Gear Awesome.

Conclusion: A solid groundwork for future versions

Minigore is being developed by the Finnish developer Mountain Sheep and put forth by the U.K.-based publisher Chillingo. If you’ve played casual shooters like iDracula, you’ll feel right at home with Minigore. The 1.1 version is worth the asking price, but versions 1.2 and beyond will be real steals due to lots more enhancements and content. The developers have told me that you can expect the insane mode, the mysterious mushroom, and new bosses. Co-operative play over WiFi and Bluetooth is also in the works: Whenever either one of the players has full health, it doesn’t matter if the other one dies – he will come back to life; but if both are down to one health, the next death ends the game for that player.

Finally, the Enviro Bear and Lizzi characters from the Sway game will make an appearance in future updates as playable characters – as will Evan Hsu, the real person who won Chillingo’s contest. Pitty there’s no free version to try before you buy. Minigore appeared on the App Store Thursday so you can pick it up now. The game works on all iPhone and iPod touch models and requires the iPhone OS 2.2.1 or later.

App Store link - Minigore ($0.99)

Minigore 1.1 in bullets:

• John Gore voice-over: The Egoraptor, Arin Hanson, creator of the popular Metal Gear Awesome and other videos in the Awesome-series, stars as the voice of John Gore.
• One large world: The game environment and characters are rendered in a distinctively-styled isometric 3D graphics.
• Treacherous environment: 3D bushes, trees, and props provide you with a brief cover – unless furries are lurking in there.
• Multiple furry types: The small Minifurry, the Furry, and the lamentable Giant Furry hidden inside one another like Russian Nesting Dolls. There is also the normal Firefurry and the Giant Firefurry.
• Three lives: No energy bar, enemies can touch you three times. When a third health (a headband) goes away – buckle your seatbelt, Dorothy, ’cause Kansas is going bye-bye.
• Furry Sense: Designates the furries’ whereabouts with icons alongside screen boundaries so you can hunt furries before they surround you.
• Three weapons: the machine gun comes with an unlimited ammo, a double-barreled shotgun gives you extra boost, and an exploding booby trap catches unsuspecting furries with.
• The Beast mode: Collect three four-leafed clovers to transform briefly into the Beast. Run furries over, eat them alive, and even do clover-combos to maintain the Beast for as long as possible.
• Soundtrack: Fully orchestrated original soundtrack with a taste of the Monkey Island atmosphere.
• iPod support: Play own music directly in the game (requires the iPhone OS 3.0).
• Flip screen: The game supports both left and right landscape orientations for the screen.
• Automatic save/restore: When you quit the game to pick up a call, it saves the state so you can continue playing right where you left off.
• Two achievements: Expert and insane mode.
• OpenFeint 2.1 support: Save your score to the global leaderboards.