By blending the strategy and action genres (and tossing in a dash of role playing), Squids is a unique creature in the App Store. Though it presents itself as a mix of Final Fantasy and Angry Birds, there’s really nothing like it. That’s commendable — and the game is a technical marvel, with jaunty music and nice graphics. It also has an ideal difficulty ramp — not too tough, but sufficient to still leave you with a sense of achievement.

But with every new genre, there’s a learning curve — on the behalf of both players and developers. Squids feels like a game that, while fun for a while, doesn’t entirely live up to its potential. Moving around the levels doesn’t feel natural, and it’s hard to connect with the characters onscreen (and not just because they’re squids). You certainly won’t regret this purchase — and many may love the game — but others will wonder why the smiles on their faces aren’t as wide as they should be.

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