Infinity Runner

It doesn't matter how far technology advances or what newfangled device Apple comes up with next, running is one thing that will never go out of style. This is especially true when you're being chased through corridors by a giant space werewolf. Thankfully our naked hero has enough endurance to survive the perils of Infinity Runner, the brand new action game for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Wii U.

Set on the largest spaceship built by mankind, this is a simple game about running through hallways and dodging obstacles. You take control of a prisoner who is desperately trying to escape this hostile ship. He's befriended by a mysterious woman, who will spend most of the game guiding the runner through corridors and helping fill in the story. But things are not what they appear, and it won't take long for the game to reveal that the nameless protagonist is hiding a major secret.

Infinity Runner may look like a first-person shooter, but the action is significantly simpler than that. Like many games in the endless runner genre, this sees players on what amounts to a set track full of obstacles to slide under, jump over and side step. At its most complicated, the game has players fighting guards, running on walls and zipping down lines to safety. Each stage ends with a mad dash to the elevator, which takes you to another area full of unique challenges.

If all this sounds like a shallow experience, it's because it is. Racing through corridors is exhilarating at first, but the effect wears off once you realize how limited the gameplay is. The biggest choice we're given is whether to turn left or right, and even that doesn't lead to any substantial differences. You'll know exactly what you think of this game from the very first level.

Infinity Runner does attempt to spice things up with a compelling story set in space. The big twist is that a simple injection can transform our clothing-challenged hero into a dangerous werewolf. This not only speeds the game up, but makes fighting guards effortless. Best of all, the wolf form is capable of busting through walls to uncover hidden areas. But don't get too used to your hairy exterior, because this wolf form will last for only a short amount of time. Once your wolf meter runs out, it's back to fighting guards the old-fashioned way -- using quick time events.

The game is spread out across seven unique stages, each with two levels to complete. While the environments may look different, the goal remains the same. You'll race through similarly shaped corridors while dodging the same kinds of obstacles. Every time the game introduces a cool new element, it's all but guaranteed to be repeated several more times before the credits roll.

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Perhaps it's because of the short length or the fast-paced action, but I found myself overlooking some of these faults. The gameplay feels like a stripped-down Mirror's Edge, which helped to aid in my enjoyment of Infinity Runner. This seems like the kind of game that would be better in short bursts, or perhaps on a handheld console.

But even if you can get beyond the shallow gameplay mechanics and repetition, Infinity Runner is done in by an aggressively frustrating boss fight. What should have been the epic showdown we've all been waiting for is marred by an endless string of quick time event prompts. And just when you think it's finally over, the game throws in a pattern that left me wanting to quick gaming once and for all. It took me dozens of tries to finally knock out the boss, which only leads to a disappointing ending scene. The final battle killed the momentum and left a bad taste in my mouth.

Even without the painfully difficult boss battle, Infinity Runner is simply too shallow to recommend in good conscience. The graphics look good and the action is fast, but there's not enough gameplay to keep the player's attention for long. As silly as it is, I enjoyed the werewolf story and wished there were more twists and turns to keep things interesting. Infinity Runner left me winded for all the wrong reasons.