The App Shelf for iPhone and iPod touch
Top Shelf Apps for week of May 15, 2012New apps added every Tuesday! |
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Reviews
Review: Grand Theft Auto - Chinatown Wars
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.
DrawRace Review
Price: $0.99
App Store Link: Full / No Lite Version
Verdict: Love it (Exceptional)
Replay Value: Very High
RedLynx's DrawRace is a new racing game with a surprisingly fun twist! Draw your way around the track to race the AI or your friends. With such entertaining single and multiplayer action on one device, it's safe to say RedLynx Ltd comes in first place with DrawRace! It'll be shocking if DrawRace doesn't steal the #1 Paid App slot on iTunes. And at 99¢, it's a must buy!
DrawRace, RedLynx's follow-up to the popular Monster Trucks Nitro, is a racing game like you've never played before. Think closer to Flight Control than Need For Speed. Gameplay is simple; you're shown the overhead view of a track and asked to plot your car's path via tracing before the race ever begins. The app pays attention to speed, route, and turns as you draw your path. Once you've completed drawing your laps, the race begins. In single player mode, you race against an AI opponent; in multiplayer you compete with up to 2 other friends on the same device (take turn drawing your laps before the race starts). As you watch the race unfold within seconds, you'll realize just how accurate and precise the trace-line is. You'll quickly learn you need to account for drifting, sharp turns, and obstacles. Before you know it, you'll find yourself sucked in by the complexity of this "seemingly simple" app, and the best part is: It's a heck of a lot of fun!
RedLynx has packed a lot of content into this app. There are 20 tracks that grow progressively more challenging and several gameplay modes. Single player mode has three sub-modes: Time Trials, Against Personal Bests (vs. your ghost), and Against Network Opponents (vs. other peoples ghosts). As previously mentioned, you can also play multiplayer with one or two other friends (all sharing the same device). You all take turn drawing your laps before the race begins, and then your off to see the results
The only criticism for the app is that on occasion, my car would veer WAY off the path I drew, and I'm unclear if this occurred because of a "collision" with another car, or because of a bug? If it's a bug, it needs to be fixed ASAP (predominately occurred during the multiplayer mode), if it's a car collision, this needs to be made clearer on screen through graphics and sound (and the draw prompt arrow should have friends start drawing in different "lanes" instead of in the same exact spot). However this was only a small nuisance when compared to how much enjoyment the app delivered.
Overall, RedLynx has developed a winner with DrawRace. The game is beautifully simple, but laps and laps of fun. Single player mode is addictively gripping, and multiplayer mode is an absolute blast. Don't get passed on this one, make the 99¢ pit stop and you'll come out in first place!
What we'd like to see in future updates: Support for a forth player; single player races against multiple AI cars; more tracks; veering/colition bug fix or clarification.