Search Results for: label/240.99

Number of Results: 67

‘Paper Monsters Review’ – Bringing Mario Style Gameplay to iOS

Paper Monsters is a highly polished platformer in the vein of classic games like Super Mario Bros.  The graphics are spectacular and are reminiscent of Little Big Planet.

Gameplay: 5/5
As is typical of platformers your objective is to go from the left side of the stage to the finish line at the far right of the level.  Foreground and background objects are worked into the equation, allowing for a sense of immersion. As you move across the level you run into enemies and natural occurrences that can harm you.  To transfer to another part of the level all you have to do is jump into a pipe which is obviously a throwback to the Mario Bros.  Through these pipes you can travel to the platforms in the background making it a little more complex when trying to get to a specific spot.  You will usually be rewarded for your exploration by a golden paperclip, one of three that can be found in random places around the level.  Also found around the level are gold coins and treasures. Gold coins can be found in present boxes and can be redeemed in the in-game shop. Treasures, are also found in present boxes and if found give you an achievement from Gamecenter.  Another nifty feature is the ability of your hero to change into a specific vehicle once he enters a gold pipe. For example, later in the game you can use a small yellow submarine to navigate the underwater portions of the level.  This vehicle is not allowed to be brought outside of these specific stages. There is also a small endless runner mini game found in the main menu that allows you to collect coins without having to go through a full level. 

Controls: 4/5
You can choose one out of two types of control: Virtual Joystick or Classic Touchpad. Virtual Joystick is a 4 direction joystick that is fairly versatile and tight.  Whenever you touch the left side of the screen it reappears if you happened to lift up your thumb.  This can be fairly annoying if trying to get a jump exactly right, but works wonderful for everything else. Classic Touchpad is my personal favorite because of the fact that it is immovable and to walk you just slide your finger across it in the direction you want to go.  To jump you just tap the left side of the screen and to double jump you tap twice.  

Length: 3.5/5
The game spans a total of 4 chapters which each have four levels making for a total of 16 levels overall.  I have reached Chapter 3 and gained three golden paperclips for each level. So far it has been a breeze to pass through the levels and have never really needed to restart a level due to error. The difficulty never really feels like it ramps up.  A new Valentines Day themed level pack is scheduled to be released sometime in February. 

Overall: 4/5
Overall, Paper Monsters is a great platformer with throwbacks to both Super Mario Bros. and Little Big Planet.  The music and the art direction are superb and really bring together the whole experience. Though it may be a little content light the developers seem adamant to push out new updates constantly. Definitely a steal at $0.99.



‘Star Warfare: Alien Invasion Review’ – $0.99 [Universal]

Star Warfare: Alien Invasion is a dual-stick, first person shooter game where you are matched up against hordes of vicious aliens through a 30 stage campaign.  You can also play these levels in co-op with your friends through GameCenter.
Gameplay: 4.5/5
The object of the game revolves around one fairly simple objective: Kill as many aliens as possible. In singleplayer you are treated to 5 different arenas that each have 5 levels of difficulty to play through. After you complete a level you gain some virtual currency which you can use towards buying new weapons or pieces of armor.  You can also choose to select survival mode for each the arenas allowing you to test how long you can stay alive. This is a great way to earn a large sum of money.  In co-op you can play through these arenas with your friends or choose to attempt to beat one of the three bosses. These bosses are very tough and only experienced players with decent armor and good weapons should even attempt these missions.  There is a max of three players that can join your game.  If they die they are booted from the game if they do not have a revive potion.  Then the remaining players are allowed to keep on playing until they die since all co-op missions are survival.

Controls: 4/5
The controls are two control sticks, one for moving and one for aiming.  You tap the right stick to fire and are allowed to aim while firing which is extremely useful in intense situations.  To change the direction that you are looking in, swipe the screen above the dual sticks.  I have not had any issues with the controls on the iPad but have not had a chance to test it with my iPod yet. They definitely serve their purpose well.

Graphics: 4/5
Nothing to complain about here. The graphics look very professional and are quite good.  They fit in well with the mood the game is setting.

iAP: 3/5
This is where the game loses some of its selling points as it does have a rather large collection of iAP’s. You can choose to buy a material called mythril which can be redeemed for more in-game money or for exclusive weapons.  Though there are a fairly good amount of weapons ripe for picking the really kick ass ones cost a small fortune in mythril.  With packages of Mythril up to $99.99 dollars in price it is rather clear that they hope to make a lot of money off of these iAP’s.  Luckily you don’t necessarily need mythril to complete the game and are really only used for cosmetic purchases and unique weapons.  I wouldn’t put off buying the game just because of the in app purchases as the core game experience is really good.

Overall: 4.5/5
Overall this is an awesome FPS shooter with intense alien action and a co-op mode that lets you join forces with your friends. This is definitely a worthwhile purchase at the small price of $0.99.








Telltale Media starts New Year’s sale a little late

Telltale Media joins the price slashing celebration a little bit too late as all of the other games previously on sale are no longer available for the lower price.  In my opinion this is a smart move because there is no other competition and it will be easier for the game to rise up in the ranks.  Here is the list of the price drops:

     

  • Telltale Favorites

o      
 Sam
& Max: The Penal Zone Episode 1
(iPad)


o      
 Wallace
& Gromit: The Last Resort
(iPad)


iPad (HD) &
iPhone


·       
Hector: Badge of Carnage


o        Episode 2: Senseless Acts
of Justice
(iPad)


o        Episode 3: Beyond
Reasonable Doom
(iPad)


o        Episode 2: Senseless Acts
of Justice
(iPhone)


o        Episode 3: Beyond
Reasonable Doom
(iPhone)

·       
Puzzle Agent Series

o      
 Puzzle Agent  (iPad)


o      
 Puzzle
Agent 2
 
(iPad)


o        Puzzle Agent
(iPhone)


o        Puzzle Agent
2
(iPhone)


Lunar Racer – [0.99] (Noodlecake Studios)

Coming off the success of Super Stickman Golf, everyone had high expectations of Lunar Racer. I think those expectations were met, but it didn’t go much farther than meet them, unforunately. Those who are not fans of racing will still enjoy this, much like the non-fans of golf (me) enjoyed Super Stickman Golf.

You, the racer, start off in a transport ship, along with three opponents. When the light turns green, you are all dropped out of the ship and onto a planet, to which you are pulled by gravity. The difficulty of the opponent racers is just right for what it should be, and even on your first race you don’t feel left behind. Each race lasts about 60-90 seconds and is hectic all the way through. There are powerups to be had throughout the track, which randomly give the player or opponent more nitro, a space car seeking rocket, a spike that can be dropped behind you, a bubble shield, or a space car seeking rocket that hits everyone in front of the shooter. Each time a victim is hit, it gets stopped, whether it be mid air or on ground, and resumes after 1-2 seconds.

The controls are extremely simple and easy to pick up. Nitro is used by tapping the right side of the screen, and to be pulled back to the planet faster, when in the air, tap the left side of the screen. Any game focused on tilt controls isn’t generally asked for, or wanted on an iPad because of the size; but the devs have made the default sensitivity just right. The tilting sensitivity is high, but perfectly done, I had no want to adjust them, whatsoever. Which is a good thing, because, unforunately, there are no customization options, spare the ability to mute the sound and/or music.

Lunar Racer has a total of twelve tracks to unlock, all spread out into different planets/environments. To unlock said tracks you must get a certain total amount of stars. Stars are earned by gettings first (three stars) second (two stars) or third (one star) on any given track. Sadly, two of the tracks can only be unlocked by gettting five or ten wins in multiplayer, which is only local at the moment. So if you don’t have a friend who would help you out, or another device, you’re out of luck. Each track varies greatly by terrain and environment, and gives the racer a whole new experience each race.

If you’re good enough to get three stars on a track in Amateur Tour, you unlock Pro Tour which has much smarter and seemingly faster opponents. The challenge presented in Pro Tour is highly welcomed since the opponents in Amateur Tour get easy to beat after playing for a couple of hours.

Multiplayer is included in the game, but unfortunately its only local multiplayer at the moment. The developers have said, on twitter, that they are working on global, online multiplayer; however. If done right, much like Super Stickman Golf, online multiplayer would make this game just so much more fun, not that it even needs it.

At the start of every race you are given a set amount of nitro, this nitro is a key element to winning a race so you, as the racer, must put it to good use to earn more nitro by doing flips, or by doing perfect landings.

One of the many things that make this game good, is the insanely extensive garage. From what I’ve seen so far, there are at least ten body types, five different colors, and ten different wheels. Comsetic upgrades are bought with coins and go up in price for each successive one you buy. Here is a list of things that you can change with your space car – all cosmetic.

– Body Type
– Body Color
– Canopy Color
– Wheel Type
– Nitro Animation

In order to buy things from this garage, you collect coins which float around in the track, in each race there are 50-200 coins, depending on the track. If you complete at least one of three unique challenges in each track, you get a multiplier which can potentially give you 4X the coins you collected. 2X for completing one challenge, 3X for completing two, and 4X for completing all three. The first time you manage to complete all three challenges, whether it be in seperate races or all in one race, you are rewarded with a bonus round. Bonus rounds put you on a planet with stars all round, and unlimited nitro. An average bonus round can get you around 600 stars. The game also features (although some may not call it a feature) an in-app purchase store with which you can buy more cosmetic stuff, although obviously not needed.

Achievements and leaderboards are done through both GameCenter and OpenFeint, a feature most devs today are putting in their games. Leaderboards show who have the fastest time for each level. Lunar Racer has a total of 22 achievements which can be obtained by doing a specific number of spins, firing a number of rockets, and other feats that can be accomplished by simply playing the game normally.

Varying tracks, a crazy amount of cosmetic stuff to do to your car, and gameplay that will have you wanting for more, are very good reasons to pick Lunar Racer up – now!

Buy Lunar Racer

**Guest Post by Raptor from TouchArcade**


Definitely Over 9000 – SCB iOS

So, I’m sure all of you guys and girls are having a lovely time with the brand new Super Crate Box for iOS.  As you know, Vlambeer said that a content update would be on its way if the global crate count broke 5 million. Well, it has been a mere 2 days since the launch of Super Crate Box on the App Store, and despite the fact that SCB missed the Game of the Week feature, over 7 million crates have already been collected. Yes, over 7 MILLION. You don’t even need to know calculus, or math for that matter, to figure out that that is a LOT of crates. (And yes, it is over 9,000).
A picture is worth a thousand words. Don’t be ashamed if your asplodes when you see the number.


‘Super Crate Box Preview’ – Releasing on the 5th of January

Super Crate Box for iOS is the lovechild of indie gaming studios Vlambeer and Halfbot.  Vlambeer, being new to the iOS crowd decided to collaborate with Halfbot, a studio that has already published their first game.  Though Super Crate Box or SCB for short was originally a PC game by Vlambeer, it translates well onto the smaller screen of iDevices.  The two studios spent countless hours perfecting the controls and cleaning up the code of the game.  The game was originally planned to be released in late December, but rather than rushing through the rest of their work they decided to postpone the launch and make it even better than it was before.
The new release date is five days from now on January 5th.

SCB is a game about speed, maneuverability and firepower. Your main goal is to collect as many crates as you can while dealing with the torrent of enemies flung at you over the course of your play session.  Every time you run over a crate you exchange your current weapon for another weapon you have already earned. This is both a blessing and a curse as you might get stuck in a situation with a gun that wont help you get out of it alive.  Crates are also important because they unlock new characters, weapons, levels and gameplay modes.
 The controls are as tight as possible and I have not had any problems with them excluding human error.  The music is retro themed and gets your blood pumping. SCB is also Universal so it can work on your iPad and iPhone and has iCade support.
Overall this is a brilliant port and full of insane jaw dropping action that will keep you on the edge of your seat. At a launch price of $0.99 you wont want to miss this bad boy. Plus if a overall total of 5 million crates are collected by iOS gamers all over the world the developers promise to add iOS exclusive content in a update.

Here are some screenshots of the game in action:
(rather hard to catch good screenshots since this is such
a fast paced game)


Don’t Run With A Plasma Sword – PREVIEW/REVIEW

We’ve all experienced the thrill of endless games on the App Store.  Looking way back at games like Cube Runner, it’s easy to see that we have come a long way. Xperimentalz Games’ newest creation, Don’t Run With A Plasma Sword, boasts some unique features for an endless runner.
The first thing you will notice when you load up DRWPS is its awesome, retro style.  Artwork is very crisp, and the story of the game is told in a “comic-book” fashion.  There is a good sense of humor as well with some funny lines on loading screens.  In terms of music, the soundtrack and the sound effects are a perfect mix of a spooky superhero theme and retro.  The upbeat tunes match perfectly with the genre and create an addicting experience.
One of the most important aspects of platformer style games is the controls. After playing for a while, it’s apparent that Xperimentalz put some good thought into it because they nailed the controls. The left side of the screen is reserved for jumping (top half of screen) and sliding (bottom half), while the right side is reserved for attacks. This layout is perfectly comfortable for me and hasn’t cost me any deaths. (that’s a GOOD thing)

Moving deeper into the game, there are a total of 28 story levels spread across 4 chapters. Levels are randomly generated, meaning enemies, platforms, obstacles and power-ups are different each time. Your goal in each level is to run a certain distance while jumping, stabbing, and sliding your way through anything that gets in your way.  Each chapter features its own boss battle which proved to be pretty challenging. Bosses ranged from giant UFOs to evil robot-stilt-wearing mastermind. Basically, to beat a boss you have to dodge all of his attacks and wait until you have an opening to attack. It sounds simple but timing and reactions are crucial to these levels especially.  There is also an endless level to go along with each of the 4 chapters. These are randomly generated like the story levels, but your goal is to run as far as you can.

Character Upgrades Rock!

DRWPS sports a slick RPG-upgrade system as well. Character upgrades like additional attacks, extra health, and double jumping are available, as well as cosmetic stuff like different colored swords or clothes. There are some IAPs included, but I can’t stress enough that they are completely optional. Don’t shy away when you hear “IAP”. They are simple point packages that speed up the upgrade process. Honestly, if you play the game enough to enjoy it, then there won’t be any need to buy extra points.
To add to the replay value, Xperimentalz has integrated GameCenter and Openfeint Leaderboards and Achievements. There are leaderboards for every level along with a total of 36 achievements.
Xperimentalz Games has created what I believe is a unique breed of endless running game. How often do you get to play a game that isn’t called “Star Wars” where you run around with a light saber? I can assure you that Don’t Run With a Plasma Sword will be worth every penny that it costs. Grab your sword and save the world! Don’t Run With A Plasma Sword will be launching on November 30th for $0.99.