The possibilities of crossover between comics and games have often been talked about, but Imaginary Range, now available in English, French and Japanese, seems to pursue it further.
As you read on the comic, games reflecting the events of the story will pop up at various points. It is necessary to beat each game to move ahead.
To read the comic, all you need to do is flick the screen. And by double-tapping the screen, you can intuitively and easily switch between "panel mode" and "page mode". The former will let you fully enjoy the impressive graphics, while the latter offers the readability similar to printed materials. It is an inviting feature for the ones who are not familiar with digital books.
It must be noted, however, that you should not read it through too quickly, or you will miss the items hidden within the panels. Never forget that it is both a comic and a GAME! And don't be too entranced by the charm of the heroine, Ciera, if you want to advance (I know how you feel, though). The items are hidden in places like the background of the panels, so keep your eyes wide peeled. When you find one, circle it with your finger.
As you may have guessed, the item hunting is not the sole game element. You are to play several other genres, including shooters and puzzles. The quality of each game are so high that you would not be surprised if they were separately released.
After the ending, "Omega Assault," "Puzzle Attack" and "Omega Blast" become available as individual games. Plus, "Game Mode Ranking" is open on the official site now. You can compete with other players there. These features compensate for the rather short length of the story.
At their official site, Square Enix announced that they are now working on a sequel, saying "it will be coming soon." Now there is no reason to wait to install the first episode. It is worth reading and playing. And last but not least, it is free!
Device used for review: EVO WiMAX(ISW11HT)
OS: 2.2.1
Version: 1.0.1
---------------------
Publisher: SQUARE ENIX Co.,Ltd.
Last Updated: 7/5/2011
Price: Free
Compatibility: Android 1.5 or higher
Translated by Ryota Kasai