

In fact, as gorgeous as Zen Bound 2 is on an iPhone or iPad, it looks even slicker on a sharp PC monitor. Though some of coolness of manipulating the ornaments may be missing, every pixel of Zen Bound 2's style is intact.

It's not the same as swiping and flicking an iPhone screen, but it works better than a mouse. However, if you play Zen Bound 2 on a Mac (the download works on either platform) you can use Apple's multitouch trackpad to replicate the touchscreen controls. I grew frustrated, but to be fair, I suspect a player without experience playing Zen Bound 2 on an iPad may not have the same issues. There is an odd disconnect between manipulating the ornaments and the mouse controls on a PC it's as if there's an added layer of mental processing to move the ornament exactly how you want instead of the natural spinning with the iDevice touchscreen. You moved the figurines with your fingers exactly how you might if they were in your hands. Though you couldn't actually "feel" the ornaments, the touchscreen at least gave you some semblance of tactile controls. On the iPhone and iPad, these nooks and crannies were a fun test. But over time, the figurines grow more complex with curves and crevices that are tricky to slide the rope into while you rotate and spin. The first series of ornaments are pretty simple. Sure, Zen Bound 2 may not beat you over the head with stringent requirements – you don't have to solve every puzzle with 100-percent of the ornament covered to move on to the next one – but that doesn't mean there's no challenge here. Don't let Zen Bound 2's slower pace lull you into a false sense of superiority.
