Android – Iphone – Applications

Aww, would you look at that, the iPhone’s trying to play big boy games! Following in the well received footsteps of Rage HD, today marks the debut of Infinity Blade, the second in what’s hopefully a wave of gorgeous-looking iOS games boasting advanced 3D graphics, if not 3D gameplay. Epic Games has put aside the chainsaw-equipped projectile weaponry of its wildly successful Gears of War console series to deliver the first mobile game built around its Unreal Engine 3. You won’t be surprised to hear that it’s utterly delicious to look at, and the visuals certainly helped transport us to this alien realm of swords, axes, shields, and magical rings — where body armor is optional, but helmets apparently are not. Jump past the break to see this visual feast in motion and to soak up some more of our impressions.

Continue reading App review: Infinity Blade (iPhone)

App review: Infinity Blade (iPhone) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 17:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

written by djandleo \\ tags: action game, action rpg, app store, appstore, chainsaw, console-series, Game, Games, Iphone, unreal engine 3

Wispin is the sort of game that tries to trick you with its cutey-pie graphics and doe-eyed main character into thinking it’s some sort of simple children’s game. Once you fire it up though you realize you’re in for a challenging, fast-paced affair that will tax both your brain and your reflexes. The game delivers some quick-hitting fun, and only the overly loose controls keep it from being an absolute classic.

In order to succeed in Wispin you must take out colorful blob enemies by smashing into them with the main character. The trick is the blobs come in three different colors; hit them when your Wispin matches the color of the blob and you’ll dispatch it, but run into it when you’re a different hue and you’ll take damage. The ability to change Wispin’s color on the fly means that you’ll be constantly shifting colors to clean up stages, so be ready to work those thumbs. Furthermore, players are rewarded for taking out multiple baddies of the same color in a row, so you may want to weave past some foes in order to snag that last blue or red enemy to keep your streak intact.

The game manages to up the ante by adding in varying enemy types and power-ups as you go. The enemies are especially fun to watch as each sort of forms himself up out of nothing using some cool animations. This is one of those games where it’s easy to lose your focus because you’re so busy admiring the surprisingly sharp and crisp visuals.

The only notable flaw in Wispin is the floaty controls that never seem to match up with the amount of precision needed. The game can be controlled either via tilt or onscreen joystiq, but neither is all that reliable. The major problem is that the enemies exist in a 3D space on a 2D plane, so positioning Wispin in just the right spot can be pretty tough. Furthermore, our hero moves around fairly quickly in the stage, so if you miss a foe it’s easy to drift off course and either miss again coming back around or accidentally hit another enemy. Those expecting precision from the game are going to be sorely disappointed.

Aside from that complaint, Wispin is a fun, beautiful game that offers a good amount of entertainment. It’s not a mind-blowing experience, but it is entertaining and very well-made. Just keep in mind that the blobs are only cute until they try and kill you with fire; then things start getting real.

[ Wispin Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by tanloc2t \\ tags: Application, arcade, Game, Games, iphone apps and games, overall-rating, rating, review

Infinity Blade has been like a great striptease of iOS gaming. We first were treated to some leaked screenshots. Then we saw a glorious demo played on stage as if to hand us a taste of goodness, only to be told to hold off. Compounding this was the tech demo that is Epic Citadel. Well, the time has finally arrived. The clothing is off and Infinity Blade is finally showing all its goods. Was that long agonizing wait worth it?

First order of business, Infinity Blade is not some super spectacular open world RPG. Yes, there are RPG elements like leveling, but you will not be free roaming around. This is a linear path with very few branches to try out. Now that we got that out of the way, let’s proceed by tapping on the glowing blue circle…wait, not playing the game.

Infinity Blade starts you out with a bit of a story. A badass has some super sweet sword that sucks the souls from the people it impales. Your father found out this soul sucking power first hand. Like a good son bent on revenge, you set out to lay waste to this evil prick. That about sums up any and all story.

Where the game starts to rock you six ways from Sunday is in the gameplay. Like mentioned earlier, you stroll down a set path. At the end of each little segment lies a fight with a monster. You are free to look around before and after each battle to collect coins, treasures, and health potions. While your path options are limited, there are a few branches you can take to help vary replays.

Combat makes use of the touch controls Fruit Ninja style. By this, I mean you just swipe to swing your currently equipped weapon. You can parry attacks by swiping the direction the attack comes from. You may also choose to dodge or use your shield. How you tackle the fight is up to you. Parrying or dodge at the right times will yield you a few moments that you may unleash a flurry of attacks on your enemy. This can lead to some devastating combos that will leave you feeling badass. Magic also plays into the mix with a symbol-drawing mechanic. It is easy, and the symbols are readily available for your studying pleasures.

At the end of each battle, you are awarded gold and experience. Not only does your character gain experience, but all your gear does as well. This means that if you master your sword level, you gain points to spend tweaking your character how you like. Points can be spent on attack, life, magic, and defense. See, role-playing elements, but not much. The money you acquire can be used to buy new equipment and weapons. Each item carries a unique look and stats. You may buy an axe that has an ice effect, while a sword maybe slightly weaker but gains you more experience. It is a nice touch and there are many items to buy.

Replay value comes in with your impending death at the hands of the final boss. Apparently, you procreate like no tomorrow. When you die, you start back at the beginning of the game with a new son who somehow sports all your old gear. Each play through will net you newer and tougher enemies.

So, the big question is, how does this game look and run? Well, screenshots will not do this game justice. It is just flat out effing gorgeous. There are points in this game you may think your playing a current gen console or midrange computer game. Textures are rich, animations are solid and fluid, and the world is just a stunning marvel of castle badassery. Sweetening the deal is a decent amount of monster models to keep things unique on every replay. Armor and weapons all share their own models as well. The music is just as great. Weapons click and clank against your foes armor or corresponding parried weapon. Music is thunderous and engaging. Even the weird voice work keeps the fantasy going. This just might end up being the new standard to which games on the iOS platform will be judged.

As completely great as the overall game is, there are still a few issues that can detract from this surreal experience. The pause button is at the middle top of the screen. I hit this on more than one occasion in my furry of attack swipes. The dodge buttons reside towards the bottom of the screen and don’t always respond to your tapping. Lastly, there are a few places that the textures are overly stretched and pull the visuals down a notch when you do notice them.

Is Infinity Blade worth your money? Damn right it is. Despite the control flaws and the repeating levels, there is a world of good fun here. You can easily pick this up, fight a foe in a few minutes, and go back to work and still feel like you accomplished something. This is a solid purchase if you own the hardware capable of playing it (read this as you MUST own a 3GS or newer hardware).

[ Infinity Blade Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by popol842 \\ tags: Application

Sometimes I really wish I could have been alive during the Dark Ages. Sure, there was sort of a plague thing going around and the average life expectancy was something like 12, but if the world was anything like what’s depicted in Braveheart then you got to spend all day twirling in a circle swinging a mace at anyone who got within 10 feet of you. I don’t know about you, but that’s a life I can get behind. Though the game is the farthest thing in the world from mentally taxing, Braveheart can still be an entertaining lesson in rampant skull bashing.

Gameplay in Braveheart is simplicity personified, with players making circular motions to send their hero spinning like a top as he wipes out baddies. Moving around the field is as simple as tapping where you want to go, and there are even a few multitouch commands for things like firing off a volley of arrows. This is definitely one of those games just about anyone can pick up and play instantly.

The trouble with such a simple scheme is that it also erodes any lasting appeal the game may have. Braveheart tries to keep players interested with a weapon and skill upgrade system as well as mid-level perks that grant temporary status boosts, but these are little more than distractions which try and make you forget that what you’re actually doing isn’t all that fun. The only objective in each stage is to kill all the enemies who come running toward you, so there’s very little call for skill or strategy. Simplicity can be refreshing, but overly-simplistic games just aren’t that much fun.

Though the gameplay’s nothing to write home about, Braveheart’s presentation manages to be top-notch, with crisp visuals and nicely detailed environments. Though the frame rate may chug every once in a while, overall the app does a nice job of keeping up with all the onscreen action, as mass murder is always a bit more palatable when it looks this nice.

Braveheart manages to entertain for a short while but then it quickly starts to wear thin. Though there are a number of nice bells and whistles, the core mechanics just don’t quite hold up over the long haul. Feel free to check out the lite version and get a taste, but there’s a good chance that a taste is all you will need.

[ Braveheart Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by jkpra999 \\ tags: appeal-the-game, device-reviewed, Game, gameplay, Games, iphone apps and games, nicely-detailed, overall-rating, overall-the-app, price, review, simple

Whilst it wouldn’t be fair to label Space Wolves as a clone of Angry Birds, it is pretty clear that the two games are very similar. After all, that title from Rovio Mobile has garnered huge sales and a lot of attention from App Store gamers; that winning formula is one that developer Griffilms can take inspiration from to produce a similar type of game, one that has players flinging silver balls at Space Wolves.

So, what happens when a silver ball comes into contact with a Space Wolf? The wolf turns into a blinking pile of ash, naturally! There are always three of the wolves on a level and players earn stars based on the number of balls used; after three attempts the level will be restarted. These restarts and level loads can be a little painful as the title is built using GameSalad, an engine built for easy game development but not renowned for its speed.

We’re safe here, boys!

Space Wolves is a little limiting in its gameplay too – each level takes place on a single screen which doesn’t allow for complicated, intricate designs and one shot set-pieces that similar games can pull off with ease simply given more room. The game flirts with some complexity later on through the use of electromagnetic fields that can make the silver balls float upward, but other obstacles are standard fare, including moving blockades, springs and vortexes. However, the absence of point scoring is refreshing; it makes sense that to get three stars requires a perfect single shot, rather than some arbitrary tally.

The game isn’t very difficult but is hindered by the firing system as the slingshot length is often obscured by one’s thumb. Like Angry Birds the game is completely linear too, however the difficulty is not as much of a problem and it’s unlikely that players will be stuck on any particular level for very long.

Some effort has gone into the presentation of the game, which looks great in those muted pastel colours; the jazz music is especially welcome as it fits very well, especially as finishing a level will yield a different tune depending one the amount of stars earned. There’s no new presentational ground being covered here but it is in fact one of the best GameSalad games that I’ve played in this regard.

Fans of Angry Birds probably won’t find anything new in here, but it is a different title in its own right and not simply a clone. Enjoyable whilst it lasts, Space Wolves is good fun; it doesn’t really do anything new but it is a pleasant experience slightly blemished by noticeable loading screens. If you can’t wait for more from Rovio Mobile you might want to choose this one as a fun change of pace.

[ Space Wolves Review is a post from 148Apps ]

written by tmunzke \\ tags: $0.99, angry birds, Application, Game, make-the-silver, overall-rating, rovio-mobile, space wolves, wolves