Category: Games (Page 3 of 9)

Wii U: First Impressions (SPOILER ALERT: It’s a pain in the ass, but fun to play)

December 11, 2012 / Jared Cash

The majority of this post was written as part of a survey for Nintendo about my first impressions of the system (some parts were edited or added later). Since writing it, I’ve finally been able to play the device and it’s quite fun. But, I’m still furious about the transition of purchased content from the Wii to the Wii U and will unlikely ever be happy unless Nintendo provides a way to restore lost functionality to particular games and/or allows for the re-transfer of content back to a Wii (highly unlikely). I look forward to seeing new games for the system, but will rarely, if ever, purchase digital content from Nintendo again due to their poor legacy support.

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I have rather mixed feelings about the Wii U. I love the GamePad and am really excited about the potential for new gameplay elements (as I always loved the GameBoy to GameCube connectivity of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures and Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles), but am a little disappointed in a number of execution missteps with a new system and legacy support.

First, having to download an update that takes over two hours just so that you can have full access to all the features of the Wii U when you take it out of the box is ridiculous. If a product isn’t ready, don’t ship it. Forcing someone to essentially download an entirely new software/firmware to their system before they can even begin using all of its features is ludicrous. Especially when that update loses connection repeatedly during the download. Thankfully, it picks up where it leaves off in the download rather than starting over or I would have simply returned the system.

Second, the transfer of content from the original Wii to the Wii U is clunky, slow, and treats original Wii owners like criminals. On top of that, it’s dangerously simple to lose all of your content that you paid money for during the transfer process. Since transferring the content to the SD card removes it from the original Wii and disables it from being used on that Wii entirely, if something happens to the SD card after, or if the Wii U crashes during import, all of your content is not only lost, but completely inaccessible. I was fortunate that, during my import of content, my Wii U only froze up while it was downloading a WiiWare title, which appears to be the final step in transferring content. Thankfully, my purchase history and save data had already been copied and I didn’t lose anything. But that doesn’t change the fact that this is a horrible way to transfer content when companies like Microsoft can simply access your online purchase history tied to a specific account and allow you to specify a new console as yours and begin downloading your games to it. While this does allow the old console to continue playing games that were on it, it still prevents them from being redownloaded if they are deleted, thus ensuring that a person can’t simply purchase a new console and reliably sell their old one with all of their content intact, essentially “pirating” their content (which is, I’m sure, the primary reason why the Wii U’s transfer is so ridiculous).

Further, I’m a longtime Nintendo fan and I’ve always likened Nintendo to my other favorite company, Apple. However, the Wii to Wii U transfer is decidedly un-Apple and worse, it’s anti-consumer. Ignoring the fact that Apple lets you use purchased content on multiple devices for free, Nintendo has made the entire process such a hassle that it is easier for most users to simply repurchase the content they most want on their Wii U. Especially as they can continue to use the original Wii afterward. As it stands now, my Wii is completely unnecessary, since I can’t do anything with it except play Wii and GameCube games. Which means, it will only ever be used to play GameCube games, which is a huge waste of its awesome potential. On top of that, I’m not even sure I want to play any of my WiiWare and Virtual Console games on my Wii U as my only controller options are the Wii Remote and Classic Controller, which limits my gameplay options and restricts me to 4 players rather than 5 for TurboGrafx-16 titles and 8 for some WiiWare titles. This is beyond ridiculous and just highlights how poorly legacy support was implemented. Rather than forcing me to load an entire Wii emulator (or is it virtualized? not that it matters from a usability standpoint), legacy content should have simply been accessible from the Wii U menu and without all this painful jumping through hoops that leaves your original Wii a shell of what it used to be.

I truly hope that Nintendo has learned a valuable lesson from this system launch and recognizes that they are no longer playing in a world where they set the example and the rest of the industry follows. Microsoft is a terribly managed company that makes boneheaded decision after boneheaded decision, yet they have handled their console upgrade/transfer business significantly better than Nintendo has. Apple doesn’t even make consoles, yet they are consistently outselling and outperforming the competition because they know that what is most important is making life easier for their customers and treating them like responsible individuals. I have never pirated content for my iPhone or iPad, despite how easy it is to do so. Nor have I done so for my Xbox, even though it’s only slightly less difficult to transfer content to a new Xbox and sell the old one with a bunch of games still installed. I am not a criminal. Don’t treat me like one.

Third, the very day after installing a several gigabyte update just so I could use the damned thing, a new system update was required before I could play disc-based games. This one was a little over 2 gigabytes in size, so it only took a little over an hour to download and never disconnected during the process. But it didn’t change the fact that the system I purchased was unplayable for 2 straight days because I had to wait for system updates each time I sat down to play it.

I am a longtime, and loyal, Nintendo customer. Unfortunately, due to the current state of affairs for a Wii to Wii U owner, I may not be able to say that for much longer. As it stands now, IÂ highly recommend that anyone purchasing a Wii U leave their Wii content intact so that it remains a useful piece of hardware and simply ignore the Wii Menu channel on the Wii U except to play Wii games. You can always transfer your content in the future if you so desire.

The Opera House at the End of the Universe

October 23, 2012 / Jared Cash

I’ve been a fan of Japanese roleplaying games since I was a young child, when I first played Dragon Warrior (originally, Dragon Quest, in Japan) and Final Fantasy on the NES. That love did not fade throughout the years, and I still love to play a good, old-fashioned melodrama now and then. The Final Fantasy series is probably the most famous RPG in the Americas, so it’s no surprise that they hold an extra special place in my heart.

About a year-and-a-half ago, I finished playing Chaos RingsÂ (also for iPad), the first in a new RPG series published by Square-Enix but developed by Media.Vision exclusively for the iPhone and iPod touch. Soon, it was released for the iPad and even recently was made available for Android. I loved the game and had many glowing praises to sing of it to friends and family. Unfortunately, despite how much fun it was, it still didn’t feel as epic or robust as many other RPGs available for consoles. There was a definite level of polish to the graphics and animation, sound effects and music, and combat system that was missing from other RPGs available for iOS, but it certainly wasn’t up to the same level as a Final Fantasy title.

When I finished Chaos Rings, I took a break from the series for a while. Even though I had Chaos Rings Î© (also for iPad) already installed on my iPhone, the game felt more like an expansion than a new game. It used the same tile sets, enemy models, skills, and even music of the first game. The story was the biggest change, however. The game follows the lives of two characters from the original Chaos Rings. As a prequel, it dealt with how those two characters won the previous Ark Arena combat. What really made the story stand out was how instead of simply playing through the same game concept as before, several serious issues occurred that completely derailed the traditional Ark Arena tournament.Â Unfortunately, after having spent hours and hours grinding my characters in the original Chaos Rings to max level, I couldn’t bring myself to play Omega right away.

Thankfully, after taking some time off, playing Omega started to feel more like a whole new game. I recently finished it and felt that it was a better game than the original and that the story was a lot better, as well. I still feel that the overall plot of the original is a much better tale, but the storytelling in that game is not as good as in Omega. That may have something to do with the original being 4 different stories, each told by a different protagonist couple. The best feature of the original Chaos Rings was the quantum nature of the story. Each time you played as a different couple, various elements of the story were significantly different. This was most notable when playing as Olgar and Ayuta. In fact, Ayuta’s story was my favorite of them all, because it reveals so much about the Ark and how it came to be. Olgar’s story is also better than the others because of the way the Ayuta in his timeline has become twisted and evil.

Omega, instead of having multiple scenarios to play through, has an Extra mode that can be entered after finishing the primary story. In this mode, there is an entirely new story that is a parody of the series as a whole. Everyone lives and is happy, despite the original storyline. Plus, it marks the return of two characters that get killed at the beginning of Chaos Rings (in every scenario you get to watch them die before they even have personalities). They’re actually quite charming in that cluelessly insane way that so many foils are in Japanese RPGs.

Now that I’ve finished Omega, I’ve begun to play Chaos Rings II (also for iPad). Simply put, the game is beautiful. I purchased this one on the iPad because I wanted to see what kind of difference it made. The visuals are incredible, despite the fact that they aren’t Retina-display quality. This is a true sequel, in every sense of the word. New characters, new conflicts, an entirely new story to unfold. One of the biggest changes to the game is the skill system. In Chaos Rings and Omega characters unlocked Gene Plates that they could equip to use new skills. These Plates would fill up with new skills as they fought enemies, eventually giving them a whole bevy of skills to use that would heavily influence combat. In Chaos Rings II, characters can now equip Sopia (or souls) of the monsters that they defeat. They fill up in the same way as before, except once a specific Sopia is equipped on a character, it must be removed before being equipped by another. Further, the protagonist of the story can equip the Sopia of fallen comrades to get their unique skills and summon them into battle, similar to the Eidolons of Final Fantasy IV and the Espers of Final Fantasy VI.

Every character also starts combat with a specific element already attached to them, making them strong or weak against specific elemental attacks. This results in a lot more strategy to the combat, as it can sometimes be impossible to damage an enemy at all without Pairing attacks (both party members attackâ€”and take hitsâ€”together) or changing your element. As Sopia skills are unlocked, characters can equip Sopia to change their starting element. This can be a life saver if you are traveling through an area filled with Blaze (fire) monsters and you start every fight with the Gale (wind) element.

The story certainly has a similar tone to the rest of the series. There’s a very fatalistic feeling to every Chaos Rings game. The world is at an end and your characters must kill innocent people to prevent a more tragic event. However, Chaos Rings II provides you with some incredible characters to lead you through this story. I will definitely play the game more than once to make different choices to see how the story plays out.

Another significant change to the game is the way you are no longer tied to a single party throughout the game. While Omega did have you switching between two supporting characters throughout the story, it was scripted and your primary hero always remained in the party. In Chaos Rings II, you can often leave different characters behind to go grind some monsters with whichever characters you choose (so long as they’re still alive, of course). While I haven’t finished the game yet, I am greatly impressed by the improvements and consider it to be a console quality combat system and storyline. I look forward to seeing the series continue for many years, as I think it’s a solid hit for Square-Enix and Media.Vision.

Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing for iOS is free for a limited time!

June 5, 2012 / Jared Cash

There is no shortage of racing games for iOS. This isn’t really surprising, considering how well accelerometer and gyroscopic controls can be tuned to make racing games more fun (unless the controls are really, really bad). When the App Store was first revealed, there were no kart racers available. Soon, though, Pangea Software ported Cro-Mag Rally from the Mac to the iPhone and iPod touch. But Cro-Mag Rally was never quite as fun to play as Mario Kart due to wonky physics and a brutally difficult A.I.

Just a couple years ago, SEGA announced the availability of Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing for nearly every platform on the planet. It was hard to justify purchasing it, though, when Mario Kart Wii was still fun to play for the whole family. When SEGA brought the title to iOS, however, I had to pick it up. Since then, my family has had quite a bit of mobile kart-racing fun thanks to its beautiful graphics and instantly familiar gameplay.

As the title says above, today (and for a limited time) SEGA made this excellent title available for free. It’s a Universal app that works on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad quite well. I definitely recommend picking it up while this great deal lasts!

Infinity Blade II – ClashMobs, Facebook, and Angerâ€¦Â OH MY!

April 17, 2012 / Jared Cash

I was a huge fan of Infinity Blade and when Infinity Blade II arrived, it brought a number of amazing enhancements to the game that greatly improved on the formula. I really loved the enhanced story, especially after having read the Infinity Blade: Awakening ebook which bridged the two games.

I was even more excited for the teased ClashMob feature. When it finally arrived last week, a lot of people complained about the fact that Facebook was required to play (rather than, say, Game Center). However, it made sense to me for a number of reasons:

Facebook was already a part of the first Infinity Blade, which allowed others to view your character on Facebook
Requiring users to sign up for accounts specific to Epic Games or Chair Entertainment would have been cumbersome and required additional infrastructure
Most Facebook users also have a significantly larger pool of friends than Game Center, Open Feint, Plus+, etc.
Game Center likely has missing functionality in its API that ClashMob required

My only concern about using Facebook for ClashMob is the restrictions Facebook has on child accounts. Children under 13 that quite enjoy the Infinity Blade series can’t participate unless they lie about their age to create an account. Further, privacy is always a concern with a company that exists solely to mine data for ad sales. Privacy concerns and age restrictions aside, Facebook is a very robust platform for this specific feature. It didn’t take long for my Facebook friends to start appearing in my ClashMob. Those that are truly concerned could easily create a false profile specifically as a gaming network and use it to find people to play with while keeping their personal information off the service altogether.

All in all, I’m quite happy to have the ClashMob arrive and can’t wait to see what other features are coming in the future.

Diary of a Light Warrior – Final Fantasy for iPhone

April 3, 2012 / Jared Cash

More than a year ago, I began playing the original Final Fantasy for iPhone and during the course of the game, I made a series of posts to GetGlue as I accomplished various milestones. I had always intended to flesh them out into a journal of sorts from the point of view of the Light Warriors, but I could never quite get the right inspiration. So, instead, I’ll just leave them here. Enjoy!

March 28, 2011 – 20:32Z
The music for this game just gets better and better with age.

March 29, 2011 – 14:37Z
Knocked down Garland. Pilfered the pirate ship. Now searching for the Dark Elf.

March 29, 2011 – 23:07Z
Dark Elf slain. Revived the Elf Prince. Restored Matoya’s sight. Helped a crazy dwarf explode a small part of the continent. Exploring the far side of the world.

March 30, 2011 – 18:35Z
Dusted a vampire. Met Sadda the Sage. Buried Lich, the Earth Fiend. Entered the Earthgift Shrine.

March 30, 2011 – 19:43Z
Reached the bottom of the Earthgift Shrine. Decimated by Two-Headed Dragon. Seeking easier prey.

March 31, 2011 – 15:38Z
Found the circle of Sages at Crescent Lake. Extinguished Marilith, the Fiend of Fire. Found a Levistone in the Cavern of Ice. Checking want ads for used airship.

March 31, 2011 – 20:43Z
Stole an ancient airship. Quested for a rather disgusting token of courage. Blessed by the Dragon King. Ran a number of errands. Going mermaid fishingâ€”I mean, huntiâ€¦ err, HELPing.

April 4, 2011 – 19:15Z
Fileted Kraken, the Fiend of Water. Bought Level 8 magic spells. Leveled everything. Cleared the Earthgift Shrine of a Two-Headed Dragon, Ahriman, Cerberus, and Echidna. Found an ancient tower in the desert. Checking it out.

April 2, 2011 – 21:20Z
Stilled Tiamat, the Fiend of Air. Did the “I Restore Light to the Crystals” dance. Checked out the Chaos Shrine. Decided to let the world suffer a bit longer. Journeyed to the bottom of Lifespring Grotto. Died. Going back to saving the world.

April 3, 2011 – 16:06Z
Knocked down Chaos. Saved the world. Restored the Light. Loading old game to finish bonus dungeons.

April 6, 2011 – 22:54Z
Delving deeper and deeper into Whisperwind Cove. Death Manticores flee from battle. Twenty floors to go.

April 7, 2011 – 15:46Z
Served Orthros up as sushi. Ten more floors to go.

April 7, 2011 – 18:08Z
Reached the bottom of Whisperwind Cove. Finally. Found the Ultima weapon. Accidentally broke it pulling it from the chest. Returning to Lifespring Grotto, grumbling all the way.

April 7, 2011 – 20:09Z
Returned to Lifespring Grotto. Again. Pulled the power core from Omega. Back to the surface. Shinryu is next.

Infinity Blade and clones showdown

March 15, 2012 / Jared Cash

When Infinity Blade was released for iOS, iPhone and iPad gamers all over the world became very, very excited. Here was a game with incredible graphics, marvelous gameplay, and an exciting (albeit threadbare) story. And, as can always be expected when a genre-defining hit is born, the clones slowly began to surface. It took some time, as Infinity Blade was quite unlike any other game that had come before. While games that required you to swing your character’s sword in a specific direction at a specific angle had existed on the Nintendo Wii already, they were nowhere near as engaging as this. And, unlike those that had come before, Infinity Blade was a graphical marvel that you could carry around in your pocket.

Thankfully, Infinity Blade was a massive success, because some of my favorite iOS games exist simply by virtue of Infinity Blade’s inspirational combat. I’ve included a list of the games I’ve played in this swipe-fighter genre, as well as my thoughts on each, below:

Infinity Blade ($2.99) – The granddaddy of them all, Infinity Blade vaulted Epic Games and Chair Entertainment into the forefront of the iOS community. I was already quite impressed with some of Chair’s other work, specifically Shadow Complex for the Xbox Live Arcade. Infinity Blade’s portability, interesting take on death and rebirth, and emphasis on collecting and mastering all of the weapons and items in the game really appealed to the RPG gamer in me. The combat was one of skill, however, which meant that the more I played, the better I got, so that I could take out The God King (the game’s villain) using the weakest of all weapons, if I was willing to put in the work. I did, by the way, and earned an achievement for it in Game Center. Infinity Blade may not be the best game on this list, but it’s certainly the most important. And, if you haven’t played it, then you should definitely pick it up before you do play the best game on this list.

Infinity Blade II ($6.99) – This is the best game on this list. The story in the original was, like the best undergarments, barely there. The creators of the series did their best to rectify that situation this time around. They even released a novella (Infinity Blade: Awakening) to bridge the gap between the two stories and pre-introduce you to characters that would make an appearance in the sequel. In fact, the end of the novella and the beginning of the game overlap. I recommend the book simply because it makes the rules of the game world much clearer than the game does itself. Plus, it’s a fun read. As for the game, it takes the initial formula and builds on top of it, giving players the opportunity to use two-handed weapons or wield a weapon in each hand. Your weapon choice also determines your fighting style, changing the way battles play out rather immensely. Plus, instead of traveling on an endless loop through the same castle, players can choose varying paths to arrive at different destinations, each of which must be completed to truly move forward. I won’t spoil any of the story, but let’s just say that it reveals a lot about the character of the original game and really is a compelling tale.

Dark Meadow ($5.99) – Almost a year after Infinity Blade was released, Dark Meadow hit the scene as the first true clone. While the sword combat was less complex, Dark Meadow added a crossbow that could be used to attack enemies from a distance as they slowly lumbered (or sometimes sprinted) into melee distance. Instead of armor and helmets to choose from, players wear amulets to increase health and also add stat boosts. Instead of a linear progression from start to finish, players are tasked with exploring an abandoned hospital full of grotesque, twisted creatures. While the game is clearly inspired by Infinity Blade (with special thanks to Chair included in the game’s credits), it stands on its own thanks to its excellent storytelling and incredibly creepy visuals. Plus, if you are already a fan of Infinity Blade, this game is just different enough to scratch that itch without making it feel as though you’re playing the same game over again. If you are looking forward to giving this game a go, but aren’t sure that the $5.99 is worth it, the developers will be releasing a free version of the game that has a few ads and supports in-app purchasing for gold (something that is already available in the original). I was quite happy with the game as a paid version, however, and highly recommend it.

Batman Arkham City Lockdown ($5.99) – I’ll admit that when I first bought this game, I was a little disappointed in it. It seemed at first that the gameplay was lacking and the developer was hoping that the Batman license itself would carry sales. After playing through the entire campaign in a rather short period, I felt like the gameplay left a lot to be desired. Then I realized just how much was left to upgrade for my character and as I began the upgrade process, the gameplay started to come alive. Suddenly, in combat, I could throw smoke grenades to choke enemies, giving me a free attack. Or if I were so inclined, I could send a swarm of bats into the face of my opponent damaging him and interrupting his attack. As I leveled up Batman’s gear, I found myself drawn further and further into the game. The real kicker came with the most recent update, however, which added an additional level with a new boss. I had stomped Two-Face, Solomon Grundy, Deathstroke, and The Joker into the dirt so many times that I was rarely having trouble with them. Thankfully, the update added Harley Quinn as an additional boss. The biggest difference between Lockdown and the other Infinity Blade clones is the way combat is a fairly unique affair. Instead of tapping dodge buttons or shield buttons, players simply tap or swipe down on the screen at the right time to turn the tables in Batman’s favor. Once a thug is stunned, Batman can proceed to deliver skull-cracking blows in rapid succession, with combos adding to the damage that can be delivered. While the game may not have the same staying power as Infinity Blade II, fans of Batman will certainly enjoy seeing the characters come to life on their iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.

RobotGladi8or ($2.99) – I’m still on the fence with this game. It’s different enough from Infinity Blade that I give the developer credit, but the combat doesn’t feel as fluid or intuitive as any of the other games on this list. You play as a former soldier abandoned on a space station full of robot gladiators fighting for your life and the amusement of the galaxy. I’m still only a little bit into the game, but a key difference in this game is the way you can explore the world by walking around like a traditional first-person shooter. However, there isn’t a great deal to find and can actually lead to frustration, as you try to find your way around some of the more cluttered areas of the game. I’ll stick with it, but I suggest waiting for a $0.99 sale. The developer is the same as the iOS game dream:scape, which is an adventure game with a pretty cool story and some creepy, though sometimes frustrating, gameplay.

Blood & Glory (Free, with a heavy emphasis on in-app purchases) – This is the absolute worst cash grab I have ever personally played on the iPhone. This is a free-to-play clone that is set in ancient Rome. You play as a gladiator just trying to make his way through daily combat. Unfortunately, this game is bogged down by either an excessive amount of grinding to afford new weapons and armor, or by spending real money to speed the process. One nice advantage of Blood & Glory, however, is that it’s available for the Mac, as well. If you have either a Magic Trackpad or a MacBook with a Multi-Touch trackpad, you can simply slide your fingers across its surface to perform attacks. However, unless you have nothing but free time, I suggest buying one of the paid apps above so that you can make progress without feeling like you’re wasting your day with nothing to show for it.

Happy Chaos Rings II Day! — Also, The Ides of March

March 15, 2012 / Jared Cash

It’s the Ides of March, and you know what that means! It’s time to open our Ides of March presents! Hey, waitâ€¦ why did you get me a sharp, stabby thing? Ow! That really hurts!

Wait, I get it. You’re trying to draw a parallel to the most important Ides of March gift of all: SQUARE-ENIX releasing CHAOS RINGS II ($17.99 for iPhone/$19.99 for iPad)!

CHAOS RINGS is a series of JRPGs (that’s a role-playing game in the Japaneseâ€“rather than Westernâ€“style, such as FINAL FANTASY or CHRONO TRIGGER) exclusively available on iOS. While the original was not as robust as most traditional SQUARE-ENIX RPGs, it had an engaging story, beautiful graphics, incredible music, and a rather intelligent combat system the focuses on pairs of heroes taking on monsters individually or as a duo, inflicting (and receiving) damage based on if they were paired up or not. It is actually a very fun system that requires players to decide if they wish to do one action on their turn with significant performance gains (at the risk of taking more damage, as attacks will hit both characters), or take two separate, but weaker, actions and potentially split the attacks between the two characters.

Since CHAOS RINGS was initially released, SQUARE-ENIX has followed it up with a prequel that delivered much of the same gameplay as the original, but with (mostly) new characters and a larger campaign that was added to over time via regular updates. CHAOS RINGS Î© ($11.99 for iPhone/$14.99 for iPad) was an excellent little taster to hold over fans of the series while they waited for a true sequel. Well, that time has arrived. Late last night, CHAOS RINGS II was released into the App Store. I haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but considering how excellent the first two games in the series were, I’m expecting great things. I highly recommend fans of the series scoop this up quickly.

Also, to celebrate the death of Julius Caesar (and probably the release of CHAOS RINGS II), SQUARE-ENIX has also put the original CHAOS RINGS on sale for the day. Pick it up for the iPhone for $3.99 and the iPad for $4.99.

iPhone apps worth a look — Spring Break edition

March 9, 2012 / Jared Cash

Yesterday, I mentioned how excited I was about the new iPhoto and updated GarageBand for iOS. But, those aren’t the only new apps I’ve been spending some time with or have been excited about. Some were updated to be Universal, giving me the opportunity to use them on my iPhone, others were new or just became free, giving me a chance to check them out that I might not have taken otherwise. I’ve listed them below with a brief description and links to iTunes.

GroupShotÂ (Currently Free) – This is an app designed to help you fix all those group photos in which someone blinks, looks away, or forgets to smile. It lets you take two or more flawed photos, take elements from each, and merge them into one fixed image. Honestly, it feels like magic when it works and it’s currently free to celebrate SXSW. I highly recommend it to everyone.

Assassin’s Creed: RecollectionÂ (Free) – I’ve never played any of the mainstream Assassin’s Creed titles. However, there have been several iPhone titles in the past. One of them was a multiplayer only game that was truly terrible and has since been reborn as Assassin’s Creed Rearmed. I haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but judging from the reviews, a lot of the issues with the title have been resolved. AC:Â Recollection, however, is a new breed of game for the Assassin’s Creed universe. The game is based on the premise of traditional trading-card games, but is played in real time, rather than being a turn-based affair. Players start with a basic deck and use in-game currency to purchase card packs to improve their deck. Players can also use in-app purchases to gain additional credits, if they feel they are earning them too slowly. I love it so far, and I believe it’s the best card game currently available for the iOS platform.

The Bard’s TaleÂ ($4.99)Â – I picked up a used copy of this game for the original Xbox a while back and quite liked what little of it I had time to play. I picked up this title so I could have the opportunity to play it anywhere and to also get the original The Bard’s Tale games from the ’80s. Honestly, it’s an incredible package, and well worth the five bucks it costs. The new game is a top-down hack-and-slash similar in style to Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance and X-Men Legends. It also has a rather healthy sense of humor that is refreshing. The original titles from the ’80s are traditional Western RPGs. Played from a first-person perspective and controlling a party of adventurers as they delve into dungeons and face off against mystical beasts, they are robust and entertaining titles.

RobotGladi8or ($2.99) – Infinity BladeÂ and it’s sequel have had a few clones since its release, but most have been haphazard and rushed by comparison. RobotGladi8or isn’t quite at the same level as Infinity Blade, but it’s still a great way to get your fix. Plus, it offers some additional gameplay elements beyond simply slashing and stabbing at your foes that may appeal to gamers that feel the genre already growing stale.

There are plenty of other games that I could take the time to tell you about, but then we’d both be here all day. Instead, I suggest checking these out for now and reading through my older posts for more apps to explore.

Dungeon Hunter: Alliance

February 13, 2012 / Jared Cash

Anyone that knows me well knows that I have a very sincere love for the hack n’ slash genre. Perhaps love is not a strong enough word. I have a rabid obsession with the genre. From Diablo to Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance to X-Men Legends to Torchlight (also available on Steam). I’ve spent many, many hours in the genre, which has both bolstered and been bolstered by my love of dungeon crawler board games (Warhammer Quest and HeroQuest being the two biggest culprits).

So when the iPhone first got the ability to run 3rd-party applications, I waited impatiently for a Diablo clone to appear. Eventually, several did. Unfortunately, in the beginning, they were severely lacking in both controls and visual appeal. Then, along came Gameloft’s Xerox process, bringing the very best of the genre to the iPhone. The controls left a bit to be desired at first, but were improved soon after release. Once I got used to the idea of using a virtual joystick on the iPhone, I flew through the campaign.

Soon, a sequel followed, and brought with it multiplayer features. My oldest son and I played it quite a bit and loved it. When it was announced that the original Dungeon Hunter was coming to PS3 as a downloadable title, with 4-player coop, I got a little jealous of my PS3-owning brethren. But, thankfully, the game made its way to the Mac App Store.

And now, to the meat of the article: it’s currently on sale for $0.99. If you love the hack n’ slash genre at all, or even if you just want a fun Mac game to pass the time, you should definitely use that $1.08 (tax will, of course, vary) that’s been burning a hole in your digital wallet and pick it up.

UPDATE 2/13 (11:16 am CST): It would appear that the pricing on this may have been in error. I’m already receiving reports that others are getting an error when attempting to download the game. Perhaps Gameloft priced it at $0.99 in error. Anyway, if you managed to pick it up while it was on sale, congrats. If not, keep trying until the price officially reverts.

UPDATE 2/13 (3:16 pm CST):The first person to inform me of issues with purchasing has confirmed that he was able to download it just moments ago. So, the sale is apparently still available.

Mole Kart: an iOS review

January 15, 2012 / Jared Cash

I recently downloaded Mole Kart on the App Store (I am not linking to the app, as I’m not endorsing this product and don’t want anyone to buy it on accident.

It is a testament to how desperate people are for Mario Kart on the iPhone that anyone has bothered giving this game a 5-star rating. The controls are decent, but the physics are inconsistent and unintuitive.

I could forgive this game if it had been “heavily-inspired” by Mario Kart. But it is a direct rip-off. Every level is a poorly cloned copy of a level straight out of Mario Kart. All of the items are simply new graphics with the same functionality as those of Mario Kart.

Everything about this game screams “rush job”. There are simply too many reasons not to waste your money on this.

I want a solid kart racer on iOS, too, but this isn’t the way to get it. Thankfully, Sonic Racing is actually pretty fun. Not the best, but better than the rest.