Squids for Windows Phone 8, an underwater adventure of tentacle proportions

Squids is a relatively new Windows Phone 8 game that has you playing the role of various squids in an under sea action adventure.

The story line has your team of squids in danger of an infectious black ooze that is corrupting the sea. Naturally, it's your job to build a team of squids to defeat the enemies and save the day.

Squids is a fun game that does grow on you and is a nice addition to the Windows Phone gaming library.

The main menu for Squids has options to jump into the game, access the game's settings and view the About Page. Settings cover sound and music levels plus a help section that will replay the tutorials that are offered up throughout the game.

While Squids is an adventure game, it is played one level at a time. Each level is scored the number of secrets discovered, how many squids survive, the number of turns it takes to complete a level and how many pearls you collect. Each level can be replayed to improve your score.

Game play is fairly simple. You have a number of squids to your team that varies from level to level. To move your squid just tap on the squid and slide your finger to extend their tentacles. Pivot your screen hold in the direction you want the squid to travel and release your finger when everything is lined up just right. The further you extend the tentacles the further the squid travels.

A circle of bubbles surrounds your squid to represent that squid's stamina per turn. When playing a level with multiple squids, when your stamina is depleted you shift to the next squid for movement.

Gaming levels have goals ranging from defeating enemies to finding treasure or both. Battles are conducted by simply ramming your enemy with your squids. Some squids have special attacks that can be used in battle and some enemies also have the special attacks. There's also a bit of strategy involved in that you need to stay away from ledges on your final move (enemies can knock you into the abyss) and sometimes it's best to use your last bit of stamina to move out of the enemies reach.

Along the way you can slam into closed clams to collect pearls and fallen enemies dump pearls to collect as well. Just tap on the items to collect them. You also have various dangers to avoid like the puffer fish that can ruin your day if you make contact.

Strong currents are also present that can be tricky to navigate through. While some can just be over powered by a good solid fling of the squid, others have sunken anchors along the current that squids can use... well... as anchor points.

In between levels you can visit the game's base camp where you can level up your squids, adjust your team for the next level and/or visit the store to buy upgrades with the pearls you collect.

Squids is a decent game that does grow on you. There are a lot of transition screens with bits of the story line and tutorials that does give the game a little cumbersome feel. Luckily, you can tap the screen to scroll through them and get into the action quicker.

Animations and graphics are nice, game play challenging and overall Squids isn't a bad choice for your Windows Phone 8 gaming library. The biggest hurdle the game has to overcome is the lack of a trial version. It only takes one or two levels to decide if Squids is for you and it would have been nice to see a trial version along those lines.

As is, Squids is currently running $1.49 and you can find it here in the Windows Phone Store.