This review was originally written in 2021. It is reproduced here with no edits.

PROS:

• Provides a smooth augmented reality experience
• Use your phone or tablet’s camera and location tracking features in-game!
• Polished action with just enough depth for longer term play
• PVE and PVP gameplay modes
• English, Ukraine, and Russian language options

CONS:

• You need a lot of room to play to get the most of the game
• You sometimes have to contort your phone or tablet in unusual positions to locate an enemy

iTunes (review platform) | Google Play

Although Black Snow AR: Shooting Game’s concept of aliens invading earth is hardly original, the introduction of augmented reality, or AR, helps keep this well-worn trope fresh. And thanks to its use of Geo-based location tracking, what better way to fight off an alien invasion than from the viewpoint of your present real-world location?

The basic concept is simple. You get a front row view of the action from your battle mech as the virtual world’s enemies are overlaid on top of the real-world environments that your Apple iPhone or iPad’s camera points to.

Shooting aliens is similarly straightforward. Find your target by moving your phone around your room or other location, lock on, and tap to shoot. Selecting different weapon types helps you take on more difficult enemies and allows you to vary your combat strategy.

Besides making use of the different weapons in your growing arsenal, you can also command support ships to provide additional firepower in your ongoing battles. You can activate these support ships on the tactical map by tilting your phone down – even in the heat of battle – which provides an additional layer of strategy and back-and-forth intensity.

With the ability to engage in both the standard Player Versus Environment (PVE) single player or Player Versus Player (PVP) multiplayer modes, you can easily select the type of experience you want to engage in at any one time. There’s even a surprising option to play with virtual joystick controls if space or movement is limited, although that does remove the best aspects of playing this type of game.

While nothing about Black Snow AR: Shooting Game is revolutionary, it takes some proven, classic concepts and does an excellent job of making them smoothly playable in augmented reality. It’s the type of game that makes you want to battle the enemies in all types of indoor and outdoor locations. Want to blast aliens in your basement? Go for it. How about blasting aliens at the local park? Absolutely, and that will teach those pesky invaders to mess with your leisure time!

If you’re looking for an easy to pick up game that has just enough depth to keep you engaged longer term, then Black Snow AR: Shooting Game makes for a great choice. The fact that it provides an augmented reality experience that makes full in-game use of the often-underutilized camera and location-tracking capabilities of your iPhone or iPad is the topper for this well-polished experience.

Score: 5 (out of 5)