The App Shelf for iPhone and iPod touch

Quick Review: N.O.V.A. Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance HD (iPad)

posted on April 12, 2010 by Matt Rome in Reviews, Games, Action Games, Adventure Games, iPad

Price: $9.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it
Replay Value: Very High

Pros:
Stunning graphics; fully customizable UI; great gameplay; local and online multiplayer deathmatch.

Cons:
Default UI is awkward (customize it!); nothing new over iPhone version.

Bottom Line: 
N.O.V.A. HD is a stunning FPS (first person shooter) for iPad.  While the default controls make playing the app on iPad seem incredibly unwieldy, customizing the layout in the options menu makes all the difference.  If you enjoy the genre, are a fan of X-Box’s Halo series, or just love multiplayer deathmatching, N.O.V.A. HD is highly recommended.

Repurchase if you own the iPhone Version? 
Only if you play a lot of multiplayer; the larger screen makes the experience much more enjoyable.

Review: Grand Theft Auto - Chinatown Wars

posted on January 22, 2010 by Matt Rome in Reviews, Video Reviews, Games, Action Games, Adventure Games, Racing Games

Price: $9.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it!
Replay Value: Very High

Pros: Authentic GTA gameplay experience; Tons of content; impressive implementation; the same GTA game seen on DS and PSP; Half the price of DS and PSP version.
Cons:  Eagle-eye view sometimes awkward.  Virtual control-pad not as precise as other portable systems.
Bottom Line:  Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is one of the first major portable titles—if not the first—to arrive on DS, PSP, and iPhone without being watered down.  If you’re a fan of GTA-style games or simply looking for a game with lots of content GTA: Chinatown Wars is a great deal.  And for those of you not familiar with the series, it’s primarily meant for mature audiences. Don't say I didn't warn you!

The Grand Theft Auto series doesn’t need much of an introduction.  It’s notoriously one of the crudest, most violent, profane, crime-filled video games series of all time, and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is no exception.  This game goes out of its way to earn its explicit 17+ rating and is definitely not meant for the squeamish.

First appearing for the Nintendo DS in early 2009 and later the Sony PSP, Chinatown Wars has made its way to iPhone less than a year after its initial release.  And amazingly, this full-fledged version of the game hasn’t been dumbed down.  In fact, the iPhone version manages to combine the touch screen elements taken from the DS with the single screen version from the PSP, creating for a great gameplay experience.

Just like one would expect from a GTA game, players take on the role of a criminal antihero caught in the downward whirlpool of the events surrounding him.  Players will find themselves protecting turf, stealing cars, selling drugs, killing thugs, and dodging cops with the option to follow a compelling storyline or just sadistically rampage through the city.

The app uses a virtual on screen controller with analog stick and buttons that’s become standard on many iPhone games.  The controls work reasonably well.  That said, they’re probably the biggest drawback to the iPhone adaptation, lacking the same kind of precision control one would expect on a more conventional portable gaming system.  This, however, is only a small setback in an otherwise awesome game.

Players will have many of the standard gadgets they’re used to from recent GTA games, including a slue of menu options accessible from your in-game PDA.  The PDA allows players to read incoming emails (usually missions), access the Liberty City map, complete with GPS functionality and points of interest, view game stats such as “people killed,” review mission briefings, select radio stations, and so on.

Overall, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is a major step forward for iPhone gaming.  This app helps the iPhone to stand side-by-side the other big boys in portable gaming.  In fact, the iPhone version holds a few advantages over its competitors.  The most obvious is the price point.  At $9.99 Chinatown Wars is half the price of the DS version or one-third the price of the PSP version.  Next, the iPhone version is debatably the most portable version of the game, always there to play anywhere you might take your cell phone.  But in the end, I think one of my favorite features of the iPhone version is the option to use a specified music playlist from your iPhone library as a radio station.  There’s nothing like boosting cars, collecting on contracts, and dodging the fuzz along to your own custom soundtrack.

Video Review: OMG Pirates! - Get Your Ninja On!

posted on December 07, 2009 by Matt Rome in Reviews, Video Reviews, Games, Action Games, Adventure Games

Price: $1.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it!
Replay Value: Very High

Pros:  Fun artwork; great gameplay, controls and combo system; high replay value.
Cons: Campaign mode is somewhat short and the plot line is lacking.
Bottom Line:  OMG Pirates! is a highly enjoyable, fast-action, survival hack’n’slash.  The fun cartoonish animation and simple controls give this app very unique appeal.  If you’re a fan of Zombieville USA, this is a must!

OMG Pirates! If this exclamation sounds familiar, then you just might be a ninja.  Or playing the newest app from the makers of Zombieville USA.

OMG Pirates! uses the same unique artwork style and simple gameplay mechanics that helped make Zombieville so popular.  And yet despite the few similarities, OMG Pirates! manages to feel like its own game, and not just a cookie cutter clone of Zombieville.

At its core, OMG Pirates! is a slice and dice survival game that manages to effectively integrate some elements of classic sidescroller and RPG gameplay.  If you haven't guessed by now, you play the role of a lone ninja battling an endless army of... OMG... pirates!

On first launch, there is only one gameplay mode available, campaign; however beating campaign mode unlocks survival mode as well as the “hard” difficulty setting for campaign mode.  The control scheme is well laid out and simple to use, primarily consisting of a virtual d-pad, attack button, and jump button.  But don’t be fooled by the simplicity; a variety of special moves and combo chains can be unleashed once a player masters the timing of the game.  Additionally, there’s also a super-move button that gradually charges to unleash devastating super attacks.

In campaign mode, players will battle through nine missions, each with about three sub-stages of play.  At the end of specific missions, players will have to fight fun and unique boss battles to progress.  There’s a very loose storyline that connects the various stages together, but it seems little more than a perfunctory addition.  As players slay pirates, they gradually fill the ninja’s experience bar, increasing his skill level, and each new level brings the ninja specific new moves, power-ups, or abilities.

Survival mode is fairly straightforward and self-explanatory.  The goal is to kill as many pirates as possible before they kill you.  A tally is kept at the top of the screen.   One major improvement OMG Pirates! has over Zombieville is the inclusion of multiple types of enemies, each with their own unique look, including all of the bosses.

Overall, I found OMG Pirates! extremely fun and enjoyable with tons of replay value.  In fact, this pick up and play app offers a surprisingly large amount of depth.  My biggest gripe about the app is that I’d like to see a much larger campaign; it took me less than 2 hours to push through the entire campaign on the normal difficulty setting.  That said, with the inclusion of a survival mode, the game has plenty of replay value to keep me coming back for more and to make me feel like I got my money’s worth.

Things I’d personally like to see in future updates include new stages, villains, storyline, and ninja levels (even if only through downloadable content).  I’d also love to see a multiplayer option for both co-op and versus play.

If you’ve been looking for a good action game, OMG Pirates! is sure to entertain, especially if you’re a fan of Zombieville USA.

Wolfenstein Goes RPG

posted on August 27, 2009 by Matt Rome in Video Reviews, Games, Action Games, Adventure Games, Role Playing Games

Price: $2.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it
Replay Value: High

Pros: Lots of gameplay; fun story; great graphics and controls.

Cons: Not a true first person shooter (though this does have its benefits).

Bottom Line: If you’re expecting the gameplay of this app to be very similar to Wolfenstein 3D Classic or expect tons of non-stop action, you might be let down, but if you can get yourself out of that mindset, Wolfenstein RPG is an exciting and enjoyable game.

Wolfenstein makes its second appearance on the iPhone OS in the form of Wolfenstein RPG—an interesting mix of first person shooter and turn-based RPG.  Originally developed to accommodate the mobile phone platforms, which weren’t ideal for fast paced gameplay, Wolfenstein RPG’s transition to iPhone OS, where expectations are significantly higher, is surprisingly successful.

You play as Sergeant B.J. Balzkowicz, a captured Special Ops agent who has managed to escape from his cell in order to carry out his mission and survive long enough to escape the infamous Castle Wolfenstein.   Throughout the game’s nine levels and supposed 8+ hours of gameplay, you’ll find yourself gathering intelligence, collecting lost treasure, and of course, gunning down Nazis.

Just like other first person shooters, you’ll have access to a large arsenal of weaponry, including your feet and fists.  However, in addition to endless shootouts, you’ll also spend time reading documents and on-screen conversations with other characters.  Thses elements help to create a much more in-depth story line than you’ll find in Wolf 3D Classic and similar FPS.

The biggest difference between Wolfenstien RPG and other FPSs is that the game is completely turn-based.  The way this mechanic works is fairly simple.  Any single action you take, whether it’s walking, shooting, using a health pack, and so on, counts as one game action.  Once you take an action, all enemies around you take a single action before play returns to you.  While this kind of gameplay might not be as fast-paced as typical FPSs, it still manages to get fairly intense, and outside of combat situations, you don’t notice the turn-based play since you’re the only one taking turns.  Instead, all of your actions become consecutive.

The controls are well done.  Movement is controlled with a translucent on-screen d-pad.  The app’s menu system also makes good use of touch controls.  You can use taps to scroll through weapons, or simply tap and hold to bring up a pop-up menu and make an instant selection.  Tapping your health meter offers the option to use a health pack, and two side toggles allow quick access to the map and your inventory.  The only real flaw with the control scheme is the tap-to-shoot system. 

Tapping center screen fires your weapon.  This same action also allows you to interact with objects if they’re usable, such as pushing walls to check for a secret passage.  Unfortunately, this can lead to a lot of wasted ammo because if you’re unable to interact with such an object, your weapon fires instead.  This is particularly bad if you like to meticulously search for secrets.  Switching to a melee weapon before you begin searching can prevent the loss of ammo, however.

Wolf RPG graphics are much improved over Wolf 3D Classic.  They are colorful, detailed and slightly cartoonish, which is perfect for the light-hearted tone of this app.  Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing these graphics reappear in a true Wolfenstein FPS.

All in all, Wolfenstein RPG is a very enjoyable app with plenty of action/adventure goodness packed inside a turn-based, candy shell.  It might not be the same type of gunslingin’ fun you’re used to from FPSs, but it’s definitely hard to call this Nazi fighting, mutant bashing, zombie killing adventure boring.  If you’re a fan of Wolfenstein or similar titles, and don’t mind trading a little bit of non-stop action for some extra storyline, Wolfenstein RPG is probably a safe bet.

Chillingo’s Inkvaders Arrives in the App Store

posted on August 20, 2009 by Matt Rome in Video Reviews, Games, Action Games, Adventure Games

Price: $0.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it
Replay Value: High

Inkvaders is a highly polished Zombieville U.S.A.-like, side scrolling survival shooter.  The game builds on many mechanics already in place for the genre.  If you enjoyed Zombieville U.S.A. and wouldn’t mind playing a game that’s strikingly similar, download Inkvaders while it’s only 99¢.

Inkvaders by Chillingo is the latest side scrolling, survival shooter app to poach its concept and gameplay mechanics from the very successful, Zombieville U.S.A., but at least it did so with style.  In fact, the two apps share such similar gameplay, controls, and weapon systems that odds are if you’re a fan of one, you’ll be a fan of the other.

Inkvaders’ side scrolling, shoot’em up action takes place against 3 different backdrops, the Moon, a military base, and a city street.  Except this time, instead of killing zombies, soldiers, or mummies, you’ll be slaughtering alien invaders.  The game offers three difficulty levels and two modes of play, Story and Endurance, neither of which offers much distinction over the other.

When it comes to gameplay, it’s almost impossible not to compare the game to Zombieville U.S.A., though I’ll try to avoid it the best I can.  The controls are simple, almost NES-like in style.  Your character, a lone astronaut, can move left or right on the screen and blast aliens with the attack button.  Also, as long as your boost gauge isn’t depleted, your astronaut can make extended jumps to grab meteors (i.e. cash) and avoid aliens.

Players can collect additional various power-ups throughout the levels by tapping on them, such as ammo, health or boost.  Every level also has a “Rush” power-up, which, if triggered, sends a horde of speedy, but easy-to-kill aliens your way.  This is great for cash, but bad for ammo and health.

Players get the chance to manage their ammo and health and purchase weapon upgrades about twice per level by stopping at a vending machine.  There are only three weapons to upgrade as opposed to Zombieville’s six (oops! No more Zombieville comparisons).  All of Inkvaders’ weapons can be upgraded several times; in fact, I couldn’t find an end to the upgrades during my time with the app.

Unfortunately, the game has many of the same flaws as Zombieville U.S.A. (I can’t seem to stop the comparisons).  There’s really only one enemy graphic, albeit sometimes garbed with different equipment.  The levels can start to feel long and repetitive, and after a bit of time with the app, gameplay might start to feel boring or tedious.

Overall, Inkvaders is very well put together.  The animations are unique and gory, the soundtrack is exciting, and gameplay is smooth and fun.  It’s probably the second best app of its kind next to Zombieville U.S.A. (and in some ways, it’s even better).  My biggest complaint about Inkvaders is that I feel like it didn’t realize its full potential.  To me personally, the app seems like a clear attempt to improve upon the concepts of an already existing title, and while Inkvaders accomplishes this to some degree, I feel that with the level of professionalism displayed in its development, the app could have been so much more, such as one of the first unique side-scrolling platformers for the iPhone OS, right along side of Bounce On and Castle of Magic.

If you’ve played Zombieville and quickly tired of it, or if you find yourself thinking that “after you’ve played one of these games, you’ve played them all,” then Inkvaders probably isn’t the app for you.  However, if you’re a huge fan of Zombieville U.S.A., Sparta, or Mummys Revenge and want a similar app with a new twist, I can highly recommend Inkvaders, especially at its introductory price of 99¢.

Video Review: Isotope: A Must Buy Space Shooter!

posted on August 11, 2009 by Matt Rome in Video Reviews, Games, Action Games, Adventure Games, Arcade Games

Price: $1.99
App Store Link: Full / Lite
Verdict: Love it!
Replay Value: Very High

Isotope: A Space Shooter is perhaps one of the most complete and well-designed games on the app store.  Graphics are elegantly simple and gameplay is surprisingly deep thanks impart to Isotope’s detailed ship customization options.  If you don’t try Isotope, you’re missing out, so at least give the free lite version a shot.

At first glance, Isotope might seem like just another simple survival app, but after you spend a little time with the game you’ll realize it’s much, much more.  In fact, Isotope is possibly one of the most detailed games on the App Store.

Isotope is a retro space shooter with simple, yet spectacular neon-glowing graphics and addicting gameplay.  In campaign mode, players fight through waves of enemies over the course of 30 missions—ranging in difficulty level from very easy to insanely impossible, leveling up skill points and earning money to unlock additional levels, ships, and abilities.

Once players have enough cash, they’ll want to click into the store where there are 40 different ships available for purchase, all with varying stats and designs.  The stats and design affect which and exactly how many upgrades the ship can be equipped with.  Power-up come in the form of abilities, modules, and satellites.

Abilities are special activated powers for your ship.  Some abilities include time stop, proximity bombs, and the “Mega Laser.”  Modules help boost your ships stats, and satellites provide you with a mini “satellite” ship with its own special ability—such as shooting approaching enemies—that follows your ship around.

Eventually, once players have their ship built up enough, they can also try out survival mode.  Like most survival games, the goal of this mode is to keep your ship alive as long as possible against an endless onslaught of enemy ships.  One nice feature of Isotope is that it allows you to choose your starting wave, eliminating the need to repeat unnecessary waves.

Overall, Isotope or by its full name, Isotope: A Space Shooter, is an exceptional iPhone app definitely worth the purchase.  Controls are perfect, graphics are explosive, and gameplay is addicting.  My only gripe with the game is that it doesn’t offer a multiplayer deathmatch mode; personally, I’d love to see this in a future update.  Unless you absolutely hate survival or space shooters, Isotope is a must buy.  And for those that aren’t convinced, at least give the free lite version a try.

Video Review: Resident Evil 4 Mobile Edition for iPhone—Yay or Nay?

posted on August 02, 2009 by Matt Rome in Video Reviews, Games, Action Games, Adventure Games

Price: $7.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: A Hesitant Love It
Replay Value: High

Debatably one of the most famous titles in the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil 4 is known for its breathtaking cinematics, rich story line, and innovative gameplay.  Of course the question that every fan is wondering is how does the game hold up as an iPhone app? Unfortunately, the answer is somewhat of a mixed bag.

The chainsaw wielding zombies and mysterious cast of Resident Evil 4 have seen their way to many different gaming platforms, including Gamecube, Playstation 2, the Nintendo Wii, and now, perhaps most surprisingly, the iPhone OS.

Debatably one of the most famous titles in the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil 4 is known for its breathtaking cinematics, rich story line, and innovative gameplay.  Of course the question that every fan is wondering is how does the game hold up as an iPhone app? Unfortunately, the answer is somewhat of a mixed bag.

There are two very different ways to view Resident Evil 4 Mobile Edition.  The first and most positive approach is to look at the game as homage to the original, which--while not coming close to the caliber of its console counterparts—is, in its own right, a deep and impressive iPhone action-adventure shooter. 

The second and far more critical viewpoint is to look at the game as a weak and somewhat unfinished port that doesn't come close to utilizing the full potential of the iPhone platform.  In this reviewer's opinion, both views hold merit, and I think you'll see why.

Straight from the first level, players will notice major differences from the original RE4.  Instead of cinematics, the story is delivered via unvoiced text and still images.  This is one of the major problems of the app for me, because we're essentially playing the game on a device meant to deliver great quality video.  Why not just include the actual cut scenes from the originals?  I have a particularly hard time overlooking this oversight as I might for iPhone specific titles, such as DOOM Resurrection.  After all, It's not as if they'd have to make the cut scenes for RE4 from scratch.

The next thing veterans will notice is that the controls, while allowing for an unprecedented amount of depth for an iPhone title, seem unnecessarily clunky.  The console version controls are kept mostly intact; players can walk, run, aim, shoot, slash, reload, and quickly access inventory.  The problem is that with the current set-up, players must lock themselves in place to aim, shoot, and slash, then awkwardly click to unlock movement controls in order to escape zombies or score a tech hit, and back again; this makes the transition from aiming stance to free movement very awkward.  While I was eventually able to adjust to these controls, it seems a simpler alternative should have been found.

My final grievance, which is really comes more in the form of an observation, is that the stages have been dramatically downsized.  While I don't think this is a deal breaker by any means, especially considering the game still contains plenty of content, I feel its worth mentioning in a true comparison against the platform versions.

Most of these issues wouldn’t be a problem if I didn't firmly believe that Capcom could have made a truer translation from the console to iPhone version with relative ease, especially considering the game weights in at a mere 37 MBs.  Many other premium apps weigh in at well over 100 MBs.  Even MYST's whopping half-a-gig download didn't stop it from making the App Store’s top ten list.  Personally, I think if Capcom was willing to put forth the effort, Resident Evil 4 Mobile Edition could have been a groundbreaking title for the iPhone OS, and at the very least, they could have given us the cinematics or voiceovers.

Now that the griping is out of the way, let's look at the other side of Resident Evil 4 Mobile Edition—the side that is a truly remarkable iPhone app that pushes the boundaries of iPhone shooters, with tons of depth and content. 

Players take on the role of Leon Kennedy, a special agent working for the President and charged with returning his kidnapped daughter.  There are two game modes to play through, Story mode and Mercenary mode.  In Story mode, players progress through 12 missions that uncover the main plotline of Resident Evil 4.  (Though for some unknown reason, Capcom becomes less concerned with relaying the story line towards the end of the app.)  Players will find themselves facing familiar enemies, bosses, and challenges straight from the console versions.

Gameplay, while noticeably watered down from its counterparts, is still phenomenal for the iPhone, surpassing many similar apps of the same genre.  Leon can still pick-up and knock down ladders, climb on rooftops, shatter crates, and hunt for treasure.  You won't, however, find him exploring the insides of any shacks or houses; all the doors are mysteriously locked and windows boarded.  Leon has his retained his usual offensive skills: gun, knife, and a quick kick if proximity allows.

The weapons, items, and inventory systems all remain in tact.  Players can still combine different colored herbs for varying effects.  The weapons arsenal consists of a knife, pistol, shotgun, rifle, TMP, as well as flash and hand grenades.  Between levels, players can still visit the mysterious weapons dealer to purchase new items and upgrades, and the weapon upgrade system remains just as detailed as in the full game.

At first, players might find the app’s difficulty level to be somewhat intense, especially with the learning curve on the new controls.  After a little play time, everything starts to feel a bit simpler.  In later levels, when players find themselves short on ammo, supplies, or necessary weaponry, Mercenary Mode becomes particularly relevant.

Mercenary Mode is a series of timed, single-stage, survival missions.  The goal of these levels, which are unlocked one-by-one as you play through story mode, is to kill the largest number of enemies and obtain the highest score possible in the allotted time before your extraction team arrives.  While these missions can be quite entertaining on their own, they also synergize with story mode by letting you retain the cash you earned during each repeatable Mercenary mission for use at the weapon dealer's shop.  Utilizing this knowledge can have a major impact on game difficulty.

All these elements combine to make Resident Evil 4 Mobile Edition a deep and ambitious action-adventure shooter app for iPhone, especially when set apart from the high standards of its console-based counterparts.

Overall, I have a hard time recommending this app to individuals that have never experienced Resident Evil 4 on a console system, because in its current form, the iPhone version can't do justice to the original.  In its full version, Resident Evil 4 is dark and twisted horror, suspense, action thriller with a near movie quality experience.  The iPhone version manages to remove the cinematics, abridge the story line, and short change the intricacies of overall gameplay, which honestly risks trivializing the RE4 experience for first timers.  That said, if you've already played the original or never intend to play the original, Resident Evil 4 Mobile Edition is definitely a must buy.

Review: Rise of Lost Empires Delivers Warcraft 3 Style Fun to iPhone

posted on July 27, 2009 by Matt Rome in Reviews, Games, Action Games, Adventure Games, Simulation Games, Strategy Games

Price: $4.99
App Store Link: Full / Lite
Verdict: Love it
Replay Value: Medium High

Before it was best known as an MMORPG, the Warcraft series delivered some of the most memorable real-time strategy gameplay in the genre.  Gameloft's Rise of Lost Empires, an obvious but respectable imitation, might temporarily satisfy your Warcraft craving but seems more likely to wet your lips at future possibilities (and I mean that in a good way).

Of course the app isn't perfect.  Despite gameloft's impressive mobile interpretation of the genre, It definitely feels like a toned down version of similar PC games.  There are some smaller components missing, such as the ability to set patrols and waypoints.  The game lacks any freeplay modes vs. the computer, nor does it offer any multiplayer modes.  That said, the game does offer hours of gameplay within its twenty campaign missions.

Overall, Lost Empires is a great game for those looking for a mobile version of Warcraft.  While the app might seem watered down from similar PC games, it's still a very impressive mobile title.  If nothing else, Lost Empires speaks volumes about what might be possible for the future of the genre on the iPhone OS.  Personally, I think this app is worth the price, but if you're feelings skeptical, give the free version a test drive.

What'd I'd like to see in future updates:  More missions; freeplay mode; multiplayer mode.

Review: DOOM Resurrection Brings the BFG to iPhone

posted on July 16, 2009 by Matt Rome in Reviews, Games, Action Games, Adventure Games, Arcade Games

Price: $9.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it!
Replay Value: Medium High

If Wolfenstein 3D is the grandfather of all FPS (First Person Shooters), than DOOM must be the father.  DOOM Resurrection makes it clear id had lofty ambitions for DOOM's debut on the App Store, and fans of the series won't be disappointed.

While the gameplay and graphics are absolutely stunning, the in game story leaves somethings to be desired.  Summed up, you're the last remaining marine in an overrun space station, trying to escape to the evacuation ship with the help of a remote controlled robot named Sam and the trapped scientist that's controlling it.  It actually doesn't get much more complicated than that.  The game contains story scenes (I hesitate to call them cinematics) with on-screen text dialogue.  Some real cinematics would have been nice, or at least to have the dialogue voice acted, especially considering DOOM Resurrection's premium $9.99 price point.  The end of the game also felt a bit weak, with the final boss being no different than (or at least very similar to) a boss from earlier levels.

The game offers several hours of once-through gameplay.  Yet even though the app allows players to replay completed levels to compete for higher scores, the game lacks high replay value.  It would be nice to see the inclusion of survival mode that included an infinite level or two with enemy randomization and online leader boards.  The levels, despite the lack of movement control, could potentially loop (and/or randomize) to create a near endless experience.

As made known by John Carmack, id has plans to release many additional iPhone titles, including DOOM Classic, DOOM RPG, Wolfenstein RPG, and possibly some of the Quake series, as well.

Overall, DOOM Resurrection delivers the heart-pounding, bullet-flying action one would expect from a DOOM title, and as long you can get past the on-rails movement style (which isn't difficult to do), you'll find yourself completely immersed in this delightfully malevolent game.

Rolando 2 Review: The Second Look

posted on July 06, 2009 by Matt Rome in Reviews, Games, Adventure Games, Puzzle Games

Price: $9.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Still Love it!
Replay Value: Very High

Ngmoco's Rolando 2 appeared in the the App Store last Thursday afternoon just in time to make a big splash for the holiday weekend.

The first issue I'd like to address is the slightly apparent reduction of overall difficulty when compared to the original Rolando.  While this seemingly innocuous move was, according to Touch Arcade,  possibly  ngmoco's way "to make [the app] more accessible to casual players," it will most likely serve to disappoint some dire Rolando fanatics hoping for a new and harder challenge to work through.  In fact, I found the mid-levels of the original to be more difficult then the final levels of the sequel, meaning that accomplished Rolondo players will find themselves playing this app more for the experience than the challenge.

Another issue I found troubling in light of the new push challenge system is the end of stage scoring mechanics.  Completing a stage's time challenge is worth far less points than acquiring all (or any) of the gems.  This seems problematic because, typically, its far more difficult to beat a stage's time challenge than to acquire all the gems, which--if unconcerned about the time limit--can be done very slowly, carefully, and methodically.  This means in a side by side comparison, a player that can speedily and masterfully maneuver all Rolandos to the exit (without worrying about gems) will lose every time to a potentially lesser competitor that is unable to complete the time challenge, but slowly and methodically collects even just a few more gems than his opponent.  Scoring could easily be adjusted by giving a pre-defined point bonus for completing the time challenge in addition to points for each individual second left.

My final criticism extends outside of the game itself and to the social network that encompasses it.  During my significant stint with Rolando 2, I spend a lot of time experimenting with Plus+ and its push notification challenge system.  While I find the Plus+ social network to be generally well-implemented, graphically pleasing, and wrought with possibility, I definitely find it lacking in its current state, especially when it comes to its direct integration into Rolando 2.  Putting aside Plus+'s lack of chat or messaging functionality (which can be found in its rival, OpenFeint), neither Plus+ nor Rolando 2 adequately handle the push notification challenges allowed by Plus+; neither has any kind of system in place for receiving, managing, tracking, or logging push challenges or their results. 

What does this mean for competitive Rolando 2 enthusiasts?  It means that when a push notification alert is received--whether in or out of game--it must be accepted immediately via the alert window, or--if dismissed--lost forever until a new challenge is issued.  This is particularly frustrating if one receives a challenge in the midst of another important event on their device, such as writing an email, reading a news article, or using another app--especially considering the challenges aren't played against live opponents.  Worse yet, because the challenges are not tracked or logged, the challenger is never informed about the results of a challenge, meaning as the challenger, you never get to find out if you win or lose the challenge.

This dilemma seems simple enough to solve, however.  Either within the app or preferably the Plus+ network, there needs to be a tab for challenge management that allows for the issuing, accepting/declining, tracking, and logging of challenges.  A challenge, when received, could be stored in this tab, allowing for challenges to be dismissed via alert window, but returned to and completed on one's own time, and the challenger would theoretically be able to view the status of the challenge along with its eventual results.

In the end, Rolando 2 is still an exceptional and wonderfully polished game, deserving of every bit of praise its seen since launch, despite the few nit-picky criticisms mentioned above.  This installment, in what will hopefully be an ever-growing series or Rolando apps, helps cement Rolando as a bound-to-be-classic franchise title unique to the iPhone OS.

If for some reason you're left wondering whether the game is worth the $9.99 price tag, this app more content and replay value available than in most other iPhone app, boasting 46 levels, and 3 challenge-specific medals for each.  And for players that still haven't had their fill, owner's of the app are slated to receive up to 20 more levels via free update, much like with the "secret levels" of the original, according to ngmoco.

What we'd like to see in future updates:  A highly improved push notification management system; re-evaluated challenge scoring; potentially some "expert" levels.