Tag: Xbox

Today in iOS: Wit, rhythm, and fantasy

December 13, 2012 / Jared Cash

Three things:

One, The Bard’s Tale for iOS is free for a limited time. It’s a birds-eye view dungeon crawler similar in style to the Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, X-Men Legends, Champions of Norrath, and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. While the originalÂ The Bard’s Tale series was a western-RPG in the vein of Might & Magic and Eye of the Beholder, the 2004 release for consoles and PC had nothing in common with its namesake due to licensing rights. However, the iOS version was released as a sort of “collector’s edition” and comes with the ability to download the original Interplay classics for free inside the app. Plus, it includes 60beat support if you feel like you simply must play this game with a controller.

Two, Square-Enix released Theatrhythm Final Fantasy for iOS late last night. It’s a rhythm game that was originally released for the Nintendo DS. However, it seems that Squeenix’s recent-ish release ofÂ Symphonica, another rhythm game with a rather verbose story and beautiful hand-drawn anime artwork.Â Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is a free download, but that will only get you two songs and a handful of characters with which to play the game. In order to unlock more content, you’ll have to pay for it. Unsurprisingly, unlocking all of the content that the game has to offer will set you back $88.11 plus taxes. But, if you just can’t live without your Final Fantasy fix, or you’ve got $100 burning a hole in your pocket, check it out.

Lastly, Google Maps for iOS is now available, if you’re the type of person that cares. Personally, I’ve never had any issues with Apple’s Maps that were more serious than the issues I had with Google’s, so I won’t be using it. Especially because I had forgotten how ugly Google’s map tiles were. However, if you need transit directions on your iPhone, Google’s app is the way to go.

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.

“Ughâ€¦Â my eWallet is empty again. Guess I won’t buy that.”

October 27, 2011 / Jared Cash

The number of times that Microsoft and Nintendo have lost out on “impulse buys” from me on their respective game stores due to the fact that they use virtual currency is mind-boggling. I’ve probably spent several hundred dollars on the iTunes App Store simply by virtue of being able to hit a button marked “Buy” and having my card get charged. I don’t have to think about it. I don’t have to premeditate. I simply push “Buy”, enter my password, and press Return. There are a number of times that I’ve been interested in picking something up on Xbox Live Arcade and decided against it because I would’ve had to put points into my account first. The act of pulling my card out of my wallet, typing it into the computer, waiting for the points to be added you my account, and then going back to purchase the game acts as an actual barrier to purchase in many situations. Plus, then there are points just wasted and sitting there when I can’t use them all. I’m sure that Microsoft and Nintendo love holding on to my “money” for me, but I would have easily given over much more money if I didn’t have to think about it so much.

I probably spent around $250 on Wii virtual console and WiiWare games during the first yearâ€“maybe year and a halfâ€“that I had the system, but that was mostly due to the number of free points cards I received as gifts. I currently have around 1800 apps for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad on my computer. Most of them were free when I got them, but I’m sure a couple hundred cost $1, and more than 20 or 30 cost several dollars. Now, of course, Microsoft and Nintendo are terrified to “undervalue” games at $1 (and I understand that), which is one of the reasons I’ve spent as much money on the App Store as I have, but even at $1, pulling my wallet out to add “points” to an imaginary online wallet would still prohibit me from spending as much money on the App Store as I have.

Halo: Reach beta – My screenshots

May 5, 2010 / Jared Cash

So far I’ve managed to clock just under 11 hours of play time (8 hours of Standard matchmaking and 2.75 hours in the Arena) with the Halo: Reach beta and I must say, it’s the most entertaining competitive multiplayer experience I’ve ever played.

Last night, I got the opportunity to play around with the Theater for the beta. It is a significant improvement over the Halo 3 Theater, which suffered from a number of usability problems. In the middle of a Team SWAT match last night, I managed to pull off a pretty lucky shot on Sword Base. Using the Theater, I created a film clip that might be entertaining for those of you in the beta that can watch it (I don’t have a Bungie Pro account, so I can’t render it to playable video).

But, I was able to snap a few choice screenshots that I found entertaining. I’ve also included them below in case I pull them out of my File Share later.

Halo: Reach beta

May 4, 2010 / Jared Cash

So anyone that follows me on Twitter or is friends with me on Facebook already knows that I’ve been excited about the Halo: Reach beta that just went live for everyone that bought ODST yesterday. I’d still rather be playing the game than actually sitting down to write about it, so I’m going to be brief.

It’s awesome.

It’s like they took all the things I loved about Halo 1, added in a few of the things I loved about Halo 2, stripped out all of the things I didn’t like about Halo 2 and 3, and wrapped it up in a gorgeous engine with a dash of class-based warfare and shoved it right into my brain with a hydraulic piston.

Others have said it much better than me. As a result, I’ve decided to post an excerpt and a link for you.

From Tied the Leader:

“This ainâ€™t no real-world military shooter. This is Halo â€“ true to its roots. This is heavy tech. This is dented steel and sex appeal. This is ballistic boxing in the middle of rush hour traffic with your hair on fire. This is rarely a one-shot/one-kill affair. SPARTANS just arenâ€™t made that flimsy. You want to get some? You are going to have to earn it again. Your opponent is wearing a tank.”