Temple Run is a game developed by Imangi Studios that is played on mobile device such as iOS and Android operating systems. The gameplay is rather straight forward, keep the character, which is you, running without falling off, banging into obstacles or caught up by the monster chasing after you.

ANALYSIS
Lens 3: The Lens of Fun

Overall I do find Temple Run fun as it gives me the thrill when encountering obstacles as it require fast reaction as well as the excitement when the tempo increases.

After playing the game for about a month or so, the objective of the game seems to be based on the time spent playing, which is less appealing to my taste, and it would be more fun if there are more new running paths and obstacles appearing as the gameplay progresses.

Lens 4: The Lens of Curiosity

What questions does Temple Run put into the player’s mind?

What will obstacles will I encounter next?
Shall I turn left or right, jump or slide, tilt left or right? Shall I use my special skill now or shall I wait for later? Which skill shall I level up first to improve my score?

What is Temple Run doing to make them care about these questions?

Death penalty if failed to react correctly.
Placement of coins and obstacles.
Sound indicated whenever special skill can be triggered. Number indicated whenever skills leveling is able.

What can Temple Run do to make them invent even more questions? By adding more obstacles and maps.

Lens 5: The Lens of Endogenous Value

What is valuable to the players in Temple Run? Coins and distance travelled.

How can Temple Run make it more valuable to them? For skills’ leveling and complete objective.

What is the relationship between value in Temple Run and the player’s motivations? Increase overall score for ranking.

Lens 7: The Lens of Elemental Tetrad

Mechanics: The gameplay mechanic are the jumping, sliding, turning left or right and moving left, right or center when encountered with obstacles. Since there is no end to this game until you die, the tempo increase gradually as you play.

Story: A simple story of an explorer who stole an idol running away and being chased by a monster.

Technology: Using mobile devices touchscreen and gyroscope to maneuver in the game.

Aesthetics: 3D graphics are used to project the obstacles.

I feel that overall Temple Run’s elements are well balance.

Since the story does not really affect the gameplay as it is used more for the setup of the environment.

Lens 14: The Lens of Risk Mitigation

What could keep this game from being great?
The lack of additional obstacles and maps and the never ending run.

How can we stop that from happening?

Using stages of different temples to run away from could add different of obstacles within each maps and each maps can only be enabled by passing a certain objective within the previous.