Game: Guns of Boom
Genre: PvP Action Shooting
Game Platforms: Android, iOS

Counter Strike is possibly the most widely known first person shooter game. It used to be the best online FPS multiplayer game out there. Ever since smartphones have become affordable, I have been looking for a multiplayer shooting game that will give me the same experience as Counter Strike. There have been many games in the past but none quite like Guns of Boom, published by Game Insight in May this year.

Guns of Boom gets many things right for a mobile shooting game. One of the toughest things to get right for this genre are the controls. A mobile device cannot have the complex control systems that a PC game has. This game gets those controls just right. Movement is smooth and effortless. You use one thumb for movement and the other for looking around. The genius of this control system lies in the auto-fire system where your gun will automatically fire if an enemy is in the crosshairs. This ease of use is a welcome change for a mobile device and makes for a very fun experience. However this simplicity does not mean that there is no challenge in the game. It does require a good amount of practice and skill to progress in the game.

There is basically one game mode and that is the 5 versus 5 match wherein you are put in random maps with random players. The game has a robust clan system. You can also team up with your clan members and fight in matches together. Each match lasts for close to four minutes which is perfect for short sessions while travelling, at home, office or at college. The objective is to get as many points as possible before the timer ends. The team with the highest points wins the match. If you are part of the winning team then you get trophies that help you level up. If you lose the match, you lose some trophies. This system calls for teamwork and most of the matches end up being a very close chase.

Like any other free game, Guns of Boom also suffers from high prices for upgrading and buying guns. It is easy at first but as you progress through levels, it gets harder to upgrade your weapons and it feels like you have to buy gold to progress in the ranks. Also, since this is a team based online multiplayer game, there will be a lag even if one of the players has bad Internet connectivity.