It’s genuinely hard to find new ideas in the world of puzzle games these days, which is what makes apps like Rogo really stand out. While the title may borrow some ideas from other puzzle genres, it combines them all together to make something which is truly new and different. This clever little puzzler is definitely an app worth looking into if you’re a fan of teasing your brain in whole new ways.

Rogo is a sort of odd mash-up of Sudoku, mazes and word finds, all rolled into a delightful little ball. Each stage has a variety of numbers sprinkled around the screen, and players must draw a loop through the numbers which they think will yield the highest score. The trick is there is a very specific limitation on how many squares you can connect, and players aren’t allowed to come in above or below this number. The result is come clever lateral thinking which requires you to approach each stage in unique ways in the hopes of victory. It’s a lot of trial and error, but it’s still very fun.

The game tries its best to be helpful to players, but sometimes this results in some annoying screen clutter and general ugliness. Every loop you draw stays onscreen in a sort of ghosted form, ostensibly so you can see what combinations you’ve already tried. The problem is, if you constantly start in the same part of the game board or use some of the same numbers multiple times it starts to get ugly. Users can shake to clear the screen, but then you lose all your reference points and have to start over. It’s a sort of “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” mechanic, but it would be nice to see a more elegant solution in a future update if such a think exists.

Aside from these minor issues Rogo is a fun new puzzle experience that will surely be a hit with both math nuts and those who just genuinely enjoy trying new genres. The sheer number of levels and depth of challenge will keep you busy for quite a while, and we fully expect to see more stages added down the line. The game also features a very nice, mellow soundtrack that does a great job of setting the perfect mood. Despite the fact that this may not be the most polished game ever, it’s still pretty darn good.

[ Rogo Review is a post from 148Apps ]

Bullet hell… meet accelerometer controls. Welcome to Super Blast 2.

Space shooter games are typically judged by how pretty the light show is in the middle of combat. Sure, being able to avoid incoming waves of enemy fire is great, but you really just want to get weapon upgrades that look cool and seem powerful. Forgoing all machismo, Super Blast 2 scraps all space shooter conventions by packing in accelerometer controls with autofire and keeps the weapon upgrades/parade of lights to a minimum.

I would honestly be a bit happier if there were more whiz-bang effects, but I guess that beggars can’t be choosers. In Super Blast 2, the object is to go through space without letting even one enemy pass you, because if you do it is game over. Using your accelerometer based controls, you must tilt your ship right and left to kill absolutely everything on the map while collecting limited time power ups to make your ship temporarily stronger. As much as it pains me, upgrades are not permanent, so don’t expect crazy weapon effects or glitzy weapon sprays.

Because of the strict objective (kill everything or lose), there aren’t many enemy units on screen at any given time and very few of the units actually shoot at you. You do have a health bar, but the only real threats to kill you are the smattering of “bosses” that come at certain intervals. The bosses do provide a bit more of a traditional bullet hell shooter challenge, but again, there are no glitzy light shows to make the experience grand.

What I would like to see in Super Blast 2 is more action. The threat of losing when a single enemy passes does add a good deal of excitement, but to really take it over the top the weapons need to get bigger (and maybe more permanent… heck, throw some RPG-esque weapon upgrades in after bosses), the enemies should fly in more intricate patterns, and the screen should be zoomed out a bit to fit more on-screen action. I love the graphics, I love the sound (the sound really is amazing), I just want more.

[ Super Blast 2 Review is a post from 148Apps ]

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 ]

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 ]

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 ]