If you like to play poker and have a mac it can be kinda frustrating when
Having created more than 500 board games, I can assume that Reiner Knizia has no issues with breaking the ice at parties. In the iTunes store, his games have made quite the impression with a gaming audience looking for a heavy dose of intelligent strategy.
Real Time Strategy games have been attempted on the iDevice, but nothing is nearly as good as LASW. Build and command huge armies to dominate the map and opposing countries using your own wit and warfare intelligence. This game is not just the best RTS I’ve ever played on my iPod, it’s the best game I’ve ever played on my iPod period.
Your goal in LASW is to destroy the opposing countries’ headquarters. Do this by researching different technologies, building factories, generators, and units for the land, air and sea, assembling mega units, upgrading your units and headquarters, and commanding and moving your units to seek and destroy the enemies while defending your own headquarters. Simply put: this game is massive. There’s literally so much you can do it’s almost overwhelming; there’s so many units, buildings, etc. and so many different ways to upgrade and utilize what you have that luck is not a factor here, your strategy and intelligence will decide the outcome of each battle.
Not just the gameplay is huge and feature filled. There are also all kinds of options and ways to customize each game. You can choose out of the tons of countries which you want to be, you can choose if you want to be on a team with a computer, how advanced you want to be when you start the game, how large you want the map, how many players you want, what the landscape and climate will be, etc. Plus the game generates a new map layout for each battle, so you will never have the same experience twice with all the customization you have the ability to make.
LASW also doesn’t slack on the look and feel of the game. The graphics of the game are nice but pretty traditional for RTS landscapes, which certainly isn’t a bad thing. The sounds of battle like the planes whizzing by definitely add to the effect of battle, but the troops talking and yelling can get kind of annoying. Overall all the fighting in the game looks chaotic and fast paced, which is what a battle is supposed to look like. The menus of the game look professional and nice, even though the in game menus take up a lot of screen real estate, but their size is a necessity.
I don’t have many complaints for this one, it’s got a great tutorial to get you started and you’ll be able to start out slow to get your head wrapped around things. The buttons along the top of the screen aren’t very responsive and I often have to tap them several times. But my biggest complaint is the lack of online multiplayer, since this game would work perfectly with it
Overall LASW is more than worth the money at five dollars. It’s hard to explain the shear number of features and options you have to make your army the way you feel is best suited for battle in such a short review. To beat a really difficult computer, you’ll have to utilize all kinds of units and upgrades and technology. Everything has its pros and cons, and you’ll have to be the judge of what works best. LASW is filled to the brim with content and replayability, so your five dollars will be well spent. I’ll admit that this type of game isn’t really suited for the casual, pick up and play demographic the iDevice was made for, but if you like RTS games whatsoever, it would just be wrong not to pick this one up.
Simply mentioning the name Bruce Lee is sure to conjure up fear and awe to anyone who hasn’t been anyone who hasn’t been hiding under a rock for the past few decades. Not only did he conquer the martial arts world, as well as TV and movies his legacy is now attempting to tackle the gaming world in Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior for both the iPhone and iPad devices.
With successful launches of major IP franchises such as Bejeweled 2, Bookworm, and Peggle it’s no wonder why PopCap Games has been successful in creating such a large and loyal fan base on the iPhone and iTouch platforms. With their newest release of Plants vs Zombies it’s safe to say their reputation is well deserved.
While Plants vs Zombies at it’s heart a tower defense game a genre which has flooded the app-store of late, I can assure you that this game isn’t your typical clone. It has a unique charm and cuteness to it to please even the most staunched hater of the genre .
The Game puts you in the role of a simple homeowner who’s lawn is being invaded by hordes of zombies. Being an actually homeowner I can really relate to this game in so many ways. Imagine the money and time spent grooming and maintaining the perfect lawn only to have zombies (the neighborhood kids & dogs in my case) attempt to destroy all your hard work on a daily basis and you will understand why it’s vital to protect your lawn regardless of the costs!
Be ready for anything as zombies will attack from above and below.
To help you defend your home you are eventually presented with upwards of 50 different types of offensive and defensive plant seeds that can be deployed. The game allows you to only to have a limited amount of seed types per round (eight in total) forcing you to mix and match offensive and defensive pairings to each specific level.
To utilize these seeds in the game you will need to collect the proper amount of sun fragments for each seed before they can be placed on the lawn. There are two ways to aid you in collecting sun fragments with the first being natural.
As you play sun will fall from the sky and land on the lawn. You simply tap these to collect them, however relying on natural sunlight alone is a sure fire way to lose. The second method for collecting sunlight is by planting sunflower seeds which in return will produce additional sunlight but will take up one of your defensive positions on the lawn.
Once you have collected enough sun fragments you can place your seed anywhere on the exposed lawn. Placement of these seeds is crucial to your success as the incoming zombies will attempt to destroy everything in their path. Oh and speaking of zombies the game has over 25 different types to contend with and each will require a slightly different strategy to defeat, The game also includes 13 different unlockable achievements.
If the zombies are able to pass your defenses your lawnmower will mow down anyone on that particular row as a last ditch effort to save your property. However if the zombies manage to get past your defenses again the game will end.
PopCap are the masters at keeping the gameplay fresh and compelling with their games, and Plants vs Zombies is no different. The game mixes things up by tossing in some in between level mini games and forcing you to alter your strategies you built up by introducing different types of playing conditions where collecting sun fragments become a real challenge.
Night and fog missions will challenge your strategies for collecting sun.
Graphically the game is clean sharp while the animations and character models are fantastic. Each type of zombie has their own personalities, and animations which add to the games charm. The musical score while calm and whimsical to begin with slowly changes to a more frantic and ominous tune as more zombies enter the playing field.
The Controls are based squarely around touch and actually give you a better feeling when designing a defense than using a mouse would. It’s something hard to explain and has to be felt to understand.
One area of letdown some of you might feel is the fact that the iPhone and iTouch versions of the game currently only offer adventure and (an unlockable) quick play mode compared to the five different modes available on the PC. Im not sure why the entire game wasn’t implemented but I believe that the developers are going to be adding additional content in the coming months.
Seeing that the game is priced at $2.99 at release indicates that they will be micro transactions required to get the additional content. I don’t see it as a real problem as the entire 50 levels of the Adventure mode is well worth the asking price of $2.99 compared to it’s PC counterparts.
Plants vs Zombies is another example of a developer putting time and resources into maximizing a game around the iPhone interface without compromising anything from the original. The game is a testament to PopCap’s philosophy of creating fun, addictive and excellent casual games and we can’t recommend this enough to anyone with a passing interest in the genre. In fact I would go so far as to say it’s the type of game that should be on everyone’s device. Even though the game does not change the basic principals of the genre or offer anything new we are still rewarding this with an Editors Choice Award because it simply does everything in the genre to perfection.
Peanut butter and jelly, sweet and sour chicken, pretzels and ice cream. These are just a few of the combination’s that on paper sound like they would be a complete disaster, but once they are experienced you will never be able to go back to one without the other. The app-store has seen its fair share of mix and matching of genre’s as well, but I can not recall many applications that stick out in my mind as pure creative genius like the masterpiece developer GAIA has created for the iPhone and iTouch devices.
Tumbledrop is cute. In fact it’s so cute that it may cost developer Starfruit games some sales if gamers were to just look at the screenshots alone. I mean I can see why some gamers might instantly categorize this game as a children’s game and move on. However those who do are missing out on one of the best physics based puzzle games on the iPhone.
Tumbledrop is both addictive and sometimes borders on the maddening. The basic object of the game is to remove the shapes of the puzzle pieces to safely land the pink star on the solid surface below, but watch out! One wrong move could send it tumbling into the waters below.
It all begins with the first piece just make sure you think it through
The Game currently consists of 60 single player levels between three difficulty levels (20 each) as well as over 100 unlockable medals to keep you coming back for better scores. The game also has a quickplay mode which allows you to compete for high scores in random levels and share your scores over twitter and or Facebook.
As far as the controls go it could not be simpler as the game is completely controllable with just one finger. The game consists of a sweet and charming musical melody that resonates thoughts of a baby’s crib carousel, once again reinforcing the cuteness of the game.
Cuteness aside Tumbledrop can be a very challenging game once you see past the animated cartoon stars and blocks. As you begin the game your Star will be located at the top of a pile of randomly shaped blocks. Your job is to remove the blocks one by one as quickly as you can to land the Star on solid ground. As you can click on multiple blocks in a row, but only one block at a time will be removed ever few seconds.
Keep your star from falling in the water at all costs!
As these pieces disappear the structure will shift and everything will start to fall. If you star hits the water you will have to restart the level again. For each level you do clear an additional level will open up so if you find it hard to complete one level you can skip it and come back to it later providing you completed enough levels previously.
As you complete levels your moves (points) will be tallied and posted on the level. If you complete the level in less moves than the level requires you are awarded star medals while heart medals are awarded for removing the most pieces. As you progress the dynamics, and complexity of the levels grows and earning those awards won’t come easy.
Tumbledrop is a great way to kill some time. Both children and adults will find a very cute, deep and compelling puzzle game that is sure to their attention for many hours. the developer is promising additional content in a free update sometime in the future as well.
Overall Tumbledrop is a fantastic addition to your iPhone and iTouch collection and it;s something that every gamer should experience without a doubt.
Think of Crazy Taxi, but instead of delivering people to destinations, your delivering packages to destinations. It’s a whole island with winding slopes, steep terrain, in various weather conditions – all rendered in high definition, 3D quality visuals.
Your job is to deliver parcels on the island called, Tapiti, but there’s a catch: you only have a limited time in completing your mission. Coming into the game, I sort of had no idea what the game is about and thankfully, upon booting the app up for the first time, it sends you straight to an in-depth, hands-on tutorial to help ease gamers in.
Speed and control both elements you will wan't to master
In the world of Parcel Panic, there’s a lot of things the game developers, Mad Processor, did right. First off, the controls are top-notch and controlling your vehicle is a cinch. The roads get windy, and the paths sometime are pretty difficult, but with a few runs around the level, the controlling of your truck becomes an absolute blast because of the overall control you have over it’s movement. Secondly, the graphics are beautifully rendered in 3D and it really sets the game apart when it comes to racing games. While it doesn’t have the stylish flare of Need for Speed, that wasn’t it’s aim as the game is suppose to be taken a little lighter than a hardcore racing game like Asphalt 5.
The feel of the game fits perfectly with the overall presentation and their target audience. The game isn’t meant to be taken as a hardcore racing game, it’s light-hearted and fun for any kind of gamer. It’s not a game that’s loaded on content but it’s a basic pick-up-and-have-a-blast-playing racing game.
Via road or air it's your choice just get the packages there on time
But that’s a slight downfall, unfortunately in some respects. For one, the game only has you in one single location, Tapiti island, for the whole game. That’s probably going to change with some updates but still the environment, while it is magnificent, still is just one location. It boasts 396 “levels” but it’s just another part of the island. And as I mentioned, the game is a simple pick-up-and-play, there are no achievements, leaderboards, or multiplayer of any sort. So that kind of hurts its overall replay value.
Parcel Panic – Post Car Racer 3D is a racing game for any kind of gamer. It’s a fun, lighthearted, pick-up-and-play app that not only runs beautifully on the handheld device but looks beautiful as well. With some more updates that include more locations, achievements, and or global leaderboards will propel this game to the elite section of racers but it’s still a top-notch racing app. As it’s still priced at $0.99 for it’s weekend sale, I can safely say that it’s one of the best racing apps available.
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What’s Word Scramble, mixed with a bit of Vegas-style slot machine gambling, and a dash of Textropolis? A little lost? Allow me to explain in a little bit of detail. Tripletters is a word-making puzzle game where there’s no timer, or time limit, and the object of the game is to put together words with the three letters (a la triple letters) that are given to you. The longer your words the more points you score and the higher your score, the better your overall rank.
Where the gambling kicks in the wagering a certain amount of “diamonds”, which serves as your game credits. Each “spin” of the slot machine costs at least 10 diamonds, and the spin determines which three letters you will have to mix and match words with. A nice bonus added to the gambling fun is the “Lucky” letters that flash gold and are worth double the diamonds. You can wager up to 50 diamonds on a spin and that will make the words you create worth a lot more, but beware; if you wager 50, you might just get a horrible combination of letters and be sorry. The game ends when you have less than 10 diamonds.
There’s a lot to like in this fun little word app. The first thing that I liked was the mixture of gambling and casino style wagering, with word combining fun. It doesn’t sound like a marriage that would last, but it works extremely well here.
What the game developers did so well was bring a very sleek, Vegas-style gambling feel to the game, including those slot machine noises you hear in Vegas when you crack that lever and get that slot machine rolling. The gameplay is extremely addicting and immensely entertaining, and I have no doubt will have the fans of Word Scramble, Boggle, Textropolis etc. hooting and hollering when there diamonds come rolling in. Thanks to the bonuses, and awards and achievements, the game has some replay value and helps the gamer feel rewarded for their efforts. And that’s important.
Another great and essential feature was the “Pause” and “Resume Game” function upon exiting the app. I was afraid that my score would be trashed after I exited the app, but to my surprise, it was still there, right where I left it. The most frustrating element about this game, however, was the keyboard as it was just too darn tiny and many times had me fumbling trying to get the right letter. Luckily, there’s no timer or time limit penalizing you but it still is frustrating.
I’m really digging this game, and every if word games are your thing then you must check this game out. It’s sale introductory price is $0.99, so you better act quick and grab this amazing app. Try your luck, it might just be your day.
Deep sea diving games aren’t the rage in the App Store, but 3G Studio just might change that trend with their newest app, “The Deep”. Not to be confused with the pinball game, The Deep Pinball.
The Deep is an old school arcade adventure where you’ll experience the zaniest deep sea diving, treasure hunting action you ever played on your handheld device. Search for lost treasure while avoiding great whites, jellyfish, toxic mutated fish, deadly pirate ghosts, and even Mayan temple gods. Collecting lost objects at the bottom of the ocean floor for locals get you rewards and new quests to take on.
Many a treasure awaits those brave enough to explore the depths of The Deep.
The object of the game is to collect treasure from the depths of the sea, recover lost objects that locals around the island have lost and return it to them, and explore new areas and encounter all kinds of people, places, and things. There are over 40 unique underwater levels filled with all kinds of wacky marine life with big buggy eyes with a crazed smile on their face you’d think they had just had just saw a beautiful woman and they had no idea what to do or say.
The main part of the game is you going down underwater and discovering all sorts of goodies. Using the joystick on your left and action button your right setup, the controls work out pretty well and maneuvering around the fishes, and sharks etc. is a breeze.
Collecting treasure has it's downfalls. Avoid marine life or pay the consequences.
Altogether, with the animation, engaging storyline, colorful characters, the soundtrack, and the deep sea diving gameplay, the game is as entertaining to the eyes as it is to the ears and your fingers will be having a good time as well.
Altogether, the game just is overflowing with polish, and the gameplay is a blast to play for all you adventure nuts out there. Not only that, as the title claims, the game is deep. It has enormous depth, going from 40 different levels, upgrading and purchasing different equipment to better defend yourself in the Deep. The Deep is highly recommended, although it’s a little pricey ($3.99), it’s worth it because of the amount and quality of the content. The water is fine down by the Deep so it’s time we all took a dip.
Chances are somewhere in the past you have run across the game BATTLESHIP. For those of you who haven’t the object of the game is to defeat your opponent by finding and sinking their fleet of ships before they find and sink yours.
The Classic board game has been around for what seems like forever, and while many people have tried to tweak and modify the game some to bring it up to date none have managed to expand upon the original. In fact this happens all the time where classic games are “updated” and mange to lose something in the transition. Well I’m here to say that BATTLESHIP by Electronic Arts hasn’t only managed to “update” the game, but they have managed to improve upon the game so much that I honestly don’t see a way I could ever play the original again.
BATTLESHIP doesn’t simply incorporate updated graphics, sound and controls and call it a day. The developers have also included multiple gameplay modes as well. There is a “Classic” mode where you play by traditional rules (Line up your ships and take turns firing a single round at each other). “Salvo” mode where each player starts with 5 missiles and loses one with each ship of theirs that the enemy sinks. My personal favorite is “SUPERWEAPONS” mode which lets the user select 4 different weapon types from a list of unlocked weapons. Last but not least is “Multiplayer” mode which includes WI-FI, Bluetooth, or Pass and Play modes of any game mode.
What makes this game so unique and addicting is the fact that the developers have included a career based ranking system that unlocks additional weapon sets based on the number of ships you sink throughout your career across all the gameplay modes. As you cross these thresholds your ranking will improve and additional weapons will be available to use in SUPERWEAPONS mode.
Imagine the changes in strategy involved with the ability to deploy shields, fragmentation bombs that fire over 5 squares at once, or launching an orbiting Energy based weapon that obliterates 13 squares at once, or just being able to call in reinforcements when your down to your last ship.
The interface is vibrant, clean and simple to control. The addition of animated cut-scenes after each fire, hit or miss is just icing on the top as it really manages to bring the game to a new level. I can not tell you how many times I caught myself clutching my fist and saying YES once I found the enemies ship. For those who grow tired of the animations the game allows you to bypass these scenes by tapping the screen if you wish, or by disabling them in the options screen as well as multiple other gameplay options.
Sometimes you just have to give credit where credit is do, and the team that developed BATTLESHIP have done more than justice to a classic game, they have improved the game in ways unimaginable to those of us who grew up playing the board games. It’s an instant classic and a must have for anyone remotely interested in strategy games. BATTLESHIP: The Tactical Combat Game is the definitive version of the game.
Ah, labyrinth. Simple but addicting. Basic concept, but it kept people coming back for more. Bringing it onto our iDevice’s was a no-brainer however, there are many wannabes out there claiming their app to be the labyrinth app. But do not be fooled by these imposters for Illusion Labs brings us the true and real form of labyrinth gameplay. Lets get this ball rolling and dive right in.
I didn’t play the first one, and charging $4.99 for a labyrinth game seems a bit crazy considering there is only one object of the game and it’s putting a silver ball in a hole. But in Labyrinth 2, you are definitely getting your moneys worth. 
Not only are there countless game elements like cannons, bumpers, multiple balls, magnets, fans, resizers, merry-go-rounds, duplicators, lasers, but you can also create your own level and share them with the world, and also download and rate levels created by other users.
You can also play up to 4 player multiplayer over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth or complete against your own best time with a ghost ball showing your best run. With all the contraptions and game elements that you will have to come face to face with during each level, the game presents intensity in labyrinth like you’ve never experienced. Having canons firing at you, magnets pulling your ball the opposite direction, and lasers being fired at you from all directions, you’ve just entered a whole new realm of labyrinth.
When it come to controlling that silver ball, it can be quite tricky. That’s why Labyrinth 2 gives you full customization for your sensitivity and tilt so that you find your perfect fit. Unfortunately, the minor gripe I had was that even with the sensitivity down, the ball speed was a tad drastic for my taste. That didn’t take away from the game at all but at times it seemed it was flying, but it’s just something you got to get used to and it’s too difficult to do. Don’t let my little gripes get in the way of what is an excellent, well polished app.
What We Liked:
+ The most depth you’ll ever find in a labyrinth app + Downloadable content + Labyrinth 2 user community + Stellar 3D-like visuals + Countless game elements + Multiplayer mode via WiFi or Bluetooth + Ghost ball + Awards and achievements + Create your own level (outside the game) + iPod music friendly + Good sound effects + Amazing replay value + Calibration of sensitivity
What We Disliked:
- No soundtrack – Inability to create levels on your iDevice – Ball movement a tad fast – “Tilt” a tad too sensitive
Labyrinth 2 is an absolute masterpiece and the showmanship of the game puts other apps to shame. The amount of time and effort that went into this game truly shines and the presentation is absolutely stunning. With more game elements than you can handle, downloadable content up the wazoo, the ability to create your own level, and multiplayer capability, you’ll be playing this game for hours on end. Five dollars is a lot of money but it’s money well spent when it comes to Illusion Labs finest app to date, Labyrinth 2.
With titles like NBA Live, Madden, and Tiger Woods PGA Tour, EA is at the pinnacle of the sports gaming world for handheld devices. However, sometimes the game developers give us an app that just shows off their versatility in gaming. Welcome to Auditorium where you enter a black lifeless screen accompanied by arrows and a stream of colors. What you have to do is use those arrows to direct the colors into it’s corresponding box. This puzzle app is the first of it’s kind and is sure to challenge you to think with your eyes, ears, and mind.
Darkness fills the screen as you open the app. There are no instructions or tutorials. The game assumes that you are smart enough to know what you are suppose to do so I’d advice every gamer to check out the Help section. It states that it’s really all about the experience, both visually and aurally…so take a deep breath, relax, and start playing.
The flow is a masterful stream of many tiny audio-visual particles. THey can be controlled and manipulated separately. Your goal is to guide them using arrows to an Audio Container that matches their color in order to proceed to the next level. The game starts you off with manipulating just one arrow and one color coordination. As you progress, the game throws different variety of challenges your way. For instance, there will be a various amount of colors or “flow”, that you will have to deal with and obstacles you will have to avoid in order to reach your goal. Why this game is so aesthetically pleasing is that as you direct the “colors” to their corresponding Audio Containers, music plays, and it’s wonderful symphonies sweetly playing through your speakers.
In some levels, or “Acts”, there will be up multiple boxes, each representing an instrument in the symphony you must complete. As you fill up more and more boxes in the level, the more complete the symphony will sound. Once you’ve filled every single box to the top with it’s corresponding color, the symphony is complete and you proceed to the next level.
As confusing as the game sounds, it’s really not that complicated. Each act contains puzzles and all you need to do is direct the “flow” to the corresponding audio containers with the arrows.
Manipulating the arrows is a little more complicated however. The arrows are your way of manipulating the flow, both the speed and direction of any particle they encounter. There are two ways to operate the controls. First, touch and drag the control icon to move the arrow around. Second, pinch or expand the radius of the arrow to change it’s area of influence.
Literally the only gripe I had with the controls is that sometimes you want to move your arrow a pinch to the right. But your finger is a little on the thicker side and one little slide of your finger and that arrow can go flying across the screen. Slight movements are difficult because sometimes the arrow moves more than you would like it to. It’s a minor annoyance that the sensitivity at times is a little shaky but besides that the controls are solid.
What We Liked:
+ Innovative and ingenious premise + + Additional purchasable content + Excellent sound quality + Aesthetically beautiful + Learning curve not too steep + Many alternative ways to solve puzzles + Obstacles and effects help give the game variety
What We Disliked:
- A tad short – Some of the symphony ballads sound a little too similar – Control sensitivity a little shaky at times
EA’s Auditorium is as aesthetically pleasing as it is incredibly entertaining and addicting. The app premise of the game is basic yet innovative, the gameplay is challenging yet exhilarating. It’s an all around treat for the eyes, the ears, and your fingers. With a free Lite version available in the App Store there’s no reason for anyone to not at least give it a shot. Auditorium deserves to take a bow for delivering such a magnificent symphony for all of us gamers to enjoy. Bravo!
“The land was a peaceful one. There is no war or hunger here, but strange and evil creatures stalk the night…” Enter the world of Ravensword where you will encounter Orcs, Trolls, Orgres, and Demons. Epic battles and vast lands to explore are here for the taking. Ravensword: The Fallen King is one of the most anticipated titles hitting the App Store and we got our hands on it. With a $6.99 price tag, can you afford yet another epic action adventure app on your handheld device? Is Ravensword such an experience that it simply cannot be passed up? Let us dive into this massive RPG app and see if we can find some answers.
The first mission that the game gives you is collecting five rats for the “dinner rush” for Rat Donald’s stand. He arms you to the teeth with a club and then sends you on your way to the forest to bash the giant sized rats.
A nice feature that I found both unique and refreshing was the first and third person view capability. As you may see through the screenshots, the game plays in the third person view but there’s a magnifying glass icon in the upper left hand corner that allows you to explore in the first person. And exploring is a key element in the game. You are set in a expansive 3D open world that features rich and interactive environments that is there for you to explore. The land is your oyster and you are the master of your domain.
Of course, games like Ravensword must have a quality combat system to lure gamers in and keep them interested. Some may find the pounding of the five rats a blast but to most the game will start off a tad slow as do most RPGs. But stick with it. It won’t be long till you will be hopping from quest to quest, leveling your character up, collecting items and equipment and discovering more about your mysterious identity.
If you’ve played Dungeon Hunter or Underworlds, you are familiar to the scurrying through your inventory of items and equipments, trying on pieces and pieces of armor and weapons to see what fits your hero best. The weapons, treasure, and equipment was dropped from enemies and foes like candy falls from piñatas. But in Ravensword, there are no piñatas and the loot that usually flows like wine is not present and the gamer will have a lot less to scurry through. This can be either a good thing or a bad thing, it just depends on what kind of gamer you are and if you like having lots of options.
The graphics as one can tell from the screenshots are incredible and the soundtrack and sound effects are just as good. Believe me, you wouldn’t be paying such a hefty price if the game developers slacked on two of the most important aspects of a action adventure game.
For me, frustration usually stems from shoddy control schemes. Nothing makes me want to fling my iPod touch out the window more than not being able to get my supposedly lean, mean, fighting machine, out of the castle door. In Ravensword, you control your hero with the dual stick but instead of the camera following behind you, you’re in complete control. A virtual joystick on the left side of the screen controls your hero’s movement, and swiping anywhere on the screen with your other finger allows you to look around. Swiping two fingers changes your view to a faster degree and is very useful for sneaky enemies that try to attack from your rear.
Moving my character around was just fine but when it came to swinging the character around with my other finger, sometimes the camera wouldn’t move to my finger. I even changed the sensitivity but even that didn’t help matters. While you explore, you must constantly move the camera around because your character doesn’t turn around, you just strafes left and right and forward and back. This was the biggest issue for me but I’m sure that a future update will easily fix this nuisance.
Combat uses a lock-on system that is very responsive. You simply tap an enemy to target him, and you can double tap him to see his statistics. Again, not to beat a dead horse but having to swing the camera around to actually make contact with my enemy was troublesome and awkward at times, but it wasn’t’ a regular occurrence so it didn’t warrant the “dealbreaker” label. I would be wary, but all in all, it’s a minor annoyance that might hinder your gameplay a tad but don’t let it be the sole reason you don’t check this game out.
What We Liked:
+ Impressive graphics + 3D action with RPG elements + Colorful animation + Textures of environment are excellent + As you level up, your character’s physical outward appearance changes correspondingly + A dash of humor to a dead-serious RPG + Abundance of side quests + Liberty to explore vast lands (open-world) + First and third person view + Epic soundtrack truly adds to the feel of the game + Auto-save
What We Disliked:
– Controls aren’t up to par with other elite apps (future update can easily fix this) – Lack of character customization – Physics and movement slightly lacking – Somewhat awkward fighting mechanism – Not a lot of spells or magic
Ravensword: The Fallen King has everything that a elite action adventure RPG app should have: Immense environments to explore, a vast number of side-quests, fantastic graphics, and a compelling storyline. Some may find the controls a bit quirky and the lack of customization for your hero a bit loathsome, but all in all the game is great RPG and a contender for game of the year that you will have a blast playing.
Who took physics in high school? Raise your hand. Hated it, didn’t you? Well, game developers have taken the greatest of aspects of the wonderful subject of physics and have applied it to games and to everyone’s surprise, they are a smash hit. Finger Physics wants to introduce give your fingers the perfect finger fun complete with maneuvering magnetized blocks, explosive shapes, under water puzzles, low gravity environments, and speedy play levels. It’s one of those hidden gems that not enough people know about so we’re here to shed a little light on this app and see if it’s worthy of our “Hidden Gem of the Week”.
Gameplay:
Finger Physics has only one mode, but in each of the 9 stages, your goals will be very different from level to level. Guide the egg into the basket, construct a stable building, or build up to the line are the three types that you will encounter in each stage.
In guiding the egg into the basket, or egg mode, the egg will be perched somewhere around the level. There are breakable blocks, magnetized blocks, and just regular blocks that can be manipulated. Breaking the breakable glass blocks in a certain chronological order is essential in getting that golden egg into the basket.
Constructing a stable building is a mode that definitely physic app lovers will be familiar with. The goal is to use all the different shaped blocks, one at a time, to build a stable construction. If one or more blocks fall at anytime then you must try again from the beginning. Once you’ve put every block in place, the 5 second timer starts and the construction must hold for those 5 seconds. If the pieces are falling, you can move your finger to reconstruct your blocks if you like and the timer will simply restart whenever you place them in a stable position and your finger is no longer touching a block.
Building up to the line is exactly like the popular app Topple, where you are given blocks in a variety of shapes and sizes and you must stack them on top of each other to reach the designated goal line and your blocks must stay there at the line for 5 seconds. 
This was my favorite mode because the game throws all kinds of different elements at you when as you progress. There’s underwater mode where some blocks sink to the bottom of the screen and some float, which really plays games on your brain.
The game scores you on your diligence and speed in completing the task. There’s the bronze, silver and gold star and the disparity and difficulty between the rewards is very well balanced. Along with the stars are the achievements that are kept track via OpenFeint which I found was the cherry on top of a solid physics app.
Controls:
Your fingers will have a blast with this one with little to no hassle. Whether your breaking glass to guide the egg into the designated area, or stacking blocks to reach the limit, the controls are very smooth and work great. I experience no issues in every level of physics. Although it would’ve been nice to have dual touch, being able to hold one block with one finger and drag a second block with another finger.
What We Liked:
+ Amazing graphics + Incredible presentation and execution of physics + OpenFeint enabled + iPod music friendly + Three variation of physics in one (Guide the egg into the basket, construct a stable building, and build up to the line) + Different gravity environments (underwater) + Variety of block types (Magnetized, explosive etc.) + Great sound effects + Achievements and awards + Controls are responsive in every type of level + Unlockable “Free mode”
What We Disliked:
- Painfully long bootup time – Could use more levels – Not a huge fan of the soundtrack – Occasional imbalanced difficulty for certain stages
Final Verdict:
Finger Physics is one of those games that flies under the radar and not many people know about this excellent physics app. What’s fantastic about this game is that it has 3 different variations of a physic app all combined into one. In other terms, it’s combining “Topple” with “Touch Physics” without all the drawing all in one addicting, entertaining and visually stunning app. All that for a dollar? C’mon now. They have a Lite version of this game so definitely check it out. You owe it to your fingers, I mean, they want to have fun too. Fingers and gentlemen, say hello to your “Hidden Gem of the Week”.
Overview:
If there’s any genre that has the toughest competition it would have to be the line-drawing apps. However, it seems everything fresh and innovative idea has been done before as updates have come and gone for games like Harbor Master and Flight Control. Well, the guys at Backflip Studios have something special for you gamers that have gotten a little bored with your current line-drawing apps. Harbor Havoc 3D takes line drawing games to the next level through multi-level gameplay, striking 3D graphics and wonderful animations.
Gameplay:
Your task in this Harbor Havor is to “route boats, submarines, and helicopters to their respective ports without running into other vehicles of the same kind”. Because it’s three dimensional, different kinds of vehicles can’t collide into each other for instance, obviously a boat can’t crash into a helicopter.
This leads to an unusual amount of criss-crossing which can be very arduous and strenuous yet somewhat entertainingly challenging. It’s a amazing intelligent game that takes games like Harbor Master and Flight Control to a whole new level. It separates itself from the pack by having superb graphics, a new style of gameplay, and diverse levels with different vehicles according to environment.
What makes Harbor Havoc 3D so uncommonly unique is that it’s a typical solid pick-up-and-play app yet has incredible depth with wide variety of vehicles and levels that will keep you coming back for more. If that doesn’t get you, then the Plus+ integration and global leaderboards will keep the gamer constantly trying to get their highest score to crack the top 50.
Controls:
Manipulating each vehicle whether it be a helicopter or a submarine is a breeze due to the responsiveness of the touching mechanism. A great aspect about this game is the fact that your manipulated vehicle doesn’t have to be docked in to a specific point. Instead, you can drag your finger to a general area where the corresponding dock is located and it the vehicle will be successfully docked, awarding you a point.
As games such as “Fare City” have as a feature, you can touch the certain ships on specific levels in order to “drop the anchor” or bring them to a halt amidst all the chaos. This is an absolute must because having three dimensions of waves and waves of vehicles.
The only gripe I had was that they included no fast forward button like other line-drawing apps have. It’s not a huge setback and might not even be necessary later in the game but it’s still a nice feature to use once in a while.
What We Liked:
+ A new intuitive and innovative line-drawing app + Wonderful graphics + Environmental effects + Soundtrack and sound effects + “Plus+”
integration + Direct challenges using push notifications + Global leaderboards + Awards and achievements + One of the best pick-up-and-play apps + Route the ship/helicopter/submarine to a general area instead of specific point + Diverse levels and themes
What We Disliked:
- No save or resume game function upon exiting the app – Can get quite confusing with 3 dimensions of vehicles – No “fast forward” option – Definitely one of the most challenging line-drawing apps
Final Verdict:
As you may have read our previous reviews, a lot of our gripes come from the game not adding anything new to the genre. Enter “Harbor Havoc 3D”. The game not only brings a whole new ingenious style of gameplay, but it blends all those great apps like Harbor Master and Flight Control all into one game; in three dimensions! Harbor Havoc 3D is so revolutionary it almost makes those other apps obsolete, I mean, why be constrained to manipulating only one kind of transportation vehicle in one dimension? That ship has sailed Why do that to yourself when can grab this game for only a dollar more? I highly recommend this game to any gamer that finds pleasure in line drawing apps.
What is essential for a racer app to have in order for it to be a great game? Sleek graphics? Slick and responsive controls? Diversity and variety? A grand sense of speed? What would it need to have? What does Gameloft’s Asphalt 5 bring to the table that the hundreds of other racing games fail to? Asphalt 5 is all about speed and stimulation; does it execute it’s game plan? Is the game good enough to be the new “racing king” of the App Store? The game has the stiffest of competition so let’s see who ends up at the finish line victorious.
Gameplay:
Asphalt 5 is famous for blending intense racing around various settings and at the same time encouraging “urban havoc”, which basically is crashing into lamps, telephone polls etc. The concept of the game is pretty straightforward. You race to gain cash in order to upgrade your car to become the number 1 racer in the world.
With my seatbelt buckled, I tried out my first race just to see how it the game feels. My first impression was that the game was incredible, and incredibly fast to say the least. The game gives you such a great sense of speed that you feel like you’re literally in the car blowing past cars, pedestrians and buildings at lightning speed. Not only is the racing aspect fantastic, but Gameloft throws in 8 different unlockable racing events to keep things fresh.
There’s Drift Contest, Cop Chase, Time Attack, Duel Mode, Last Man Standing, and Escape. Without spoiling anything, I will say that each mode adds a different kind of racing aspect. Some will be racing against time, against a car, or merely just evading the cops. Just when you think the game couldn’t get any sweeter, you can go and check out any of these other modes and slap on a few more hours of Asphalt 5 to your daily agenda.
Whichever mode you are playing, the game always awards you for certain achievements. For example, as I mentioned previously “Urban Havoc” or for a well-timed “Drift”, you are awarded cash that help contribute to upgrading your car. I always found this to be a great addition to a racer game because it gives the gamer some more variety than just simply racing and it’s always nice to awarded for doing something cool, right?
With those cash rewards, you are to upgrade or “soup” up your car to give you an edge over the competition. It’s used to upgrade the vehicles in three different areas: engine, boost, and handling. Not only that but you can also change the color, decals, and all kinds of aspects of the car that will please hardcore racing gamers. The customization for vehicles is so incredibly deep and the possibilities seem endless.
The graphics rival that of the visuals in an arcade; they’re that good. The backgrounds are smooth and colorful, adding to the overall feel whether it be a glacier mountain or skyscrapers lighting up the sky. Your vehicle looks absolutely marvelous racing along on each track. Compared to elite racing apps such as “Real Racing” and “Need for Speed”, Asphalt 5′s are arguably the best and look the smoothest during the race. Just the look and the feel of the game gives you the sense of immense speed and velocity like no other game does.
Controls:
On my first race, I was skeptical because as you may have read my previous racing review for “BMW F1 Team Racing”, I’m a terrible racing gamer. I am just horrendous at “tilting” in order to steer and using the accelerometer, somehow always running right into a wall and getting stuck. But Asphalt 5 was my savior.
I found that it wasn’t very difficult to steer at all. The steering and control of the car even in the crappiest car without any upgrade of any kind was still solid and responsive. You have your old friend “Nos” on your right to help kick it up a notch speedwise and the brake on your left.
What’s also a great feature, but some may not think so, is the “Auto Acceleration”. This way you don’t have to have your thumb on the screen blocking your view or getting in your way. I found this feature helpful and very convenient but some racing purists might say that it takes away from the game. No worry, because you can toggle the feature on and off so everyone can be happy.
What We Liked:
+ Exhilarating racing gameplay + Superb sound effects and soundtrack + Best graphics in a racer to date + Fluid and responsive controls + A large variety of cars (Over 30) + Enough depth to keep car enthusiasts pleased + Amazing attention to detail + Hidden shortcuts and ramps + 8 different racing events + Multiplayer capability + iPod music playable during race + Multiple control options + Tons of customization for your vehicle + Online leaderboards + Balanced A.IWhat We Disliked:
- Starts off pretty challenging – Acceptable but could be better framerate
Final Verdict:
Asphalt 5 is simply the most beautiful polished racing experience. It’s got it all. The game is just an absolutely exhilarating thrill ride that will get your blood pumping and your heart pounding until you reach that black and white checkered finish line. No other racing app has the appeal that Asphalt 5 does; it caters to all kinds of gamers with it’s 8 different modes and online multiplayer. The amazing look and feel of this game bests all the other elite racing apps to date. No other game injects speed and adrenaline right to your handheld device like Asphalt 5 does. Say “hello” to the new racing king.
