Azkend -- Review

Category: adventure puzzle games
Price: 2.99 (introductory)
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite

Review: Love it!
Replay Value: High
Recommendation: Azkend is an exceptional puzzler, breathing new life into the world of match-3 games. It incorporates a fun premise with great touch controls, unique power-ups, and hours of gameplay. If you're anything like us, you'll find this one hard to put down. I'd recommend this game to every match-3 fan (and just about anyone else)!

In adventure mode, Azkend begins with an intriguing story in an attempt to add some purpose to the game. Players take on the role of an Archaeologist on a journey to return an ancient artifact to the temple of time. The artifact, recently removed from its home has unleashed a terrible curse, and the only way to lift the curse is to make the long journey back to the temple on your own. Along the way, players reassemble broken talisman that, once unlocked, serve as helpful and devastating power-ups.

At the most basic level, gameplay consists of trying to solve a puzzle-board before time runs out... but there's so much more to it than that. To solve a board, players must activate every tile of the backdrop of the board. Tiles are activated when a match is made using an item resting on that tile. To make a match, players must make a chain of 3 or more items using touch controls; the selected items then disappear, the tiles activate, and new items slide down to take their place. To make the game more interesting, tiles can have special attributes such as being covered in tar, encased in ice, being locked, or requiring double activation. Once every tile has been activated, an artifact piece appears at the top of the game board, and players have to move it to the bottom by making matches below it (so it slides down). Onces players have retrieved the artifact piece, it's time to move to the next level.

In addition to these basics, there are several elements that aid layers of strategy to the game. Making smart moves can help players charge a lightening meter, which, when unleashed, activates random tiles (eventually, using this can be critical to activating hard to reach tiles). Players also unlock various talisman power-ups throughout their journey. At the beginning of each level, players can choose a talisman to help aid them in their quest, including the bomb, light, and avalanche talisman just to name a few . Different talisman can be useful on different levels depending on the shape of the game board.

In addition to the adventure mode, there's a fun survival mode thats fun for quick and casual play.

Overall the graphics, controls, gameplay and overall experience are superb. Anyone who thought match-based puzzle games were finished will be pleasantly surprised by Azkend. Once you pick up this app, you'll find it hard to put down--literally. Personally, I always found myself playing "Just one more level" until that "one more level" was 5 or 6 levels ago. I highly recommend this app to just about everyone! If you're interested, get it while it's at its introductory price of $2.99!

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Gameplay Video:

~M@

RO® -- Review

Category: puzzle games
Price: 1.99
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Review: Like it
Replay Value: Medium
Recommendation: RO® is a unique rotating puzzle game ideal for quick play. The game starts simple, but quickly becomes frustratingly fun. Definitely try the lite version first; if it wets your appetite for some more difficult puzzle, upgrade to the full.


RO® is a new style of puzzler for iPhone that relays on a series of rotating rings layered inside one another to re-align an image on screen. Players solve each puzzle by re-aligning the puzzle to its original position. As the puzzles progress, there are a few elements that make for increasingly difficult puzzles: First and most importantly, is the relationship between rings. Moving one ring may have an affect on several other ring-layers of the puzzle. These relationships become more complicated as the difficulty levels increase. Second is the number of rings; the more rings a puzzle has, the harder it is to solve. Finally, the background image can also affect difficulty level. Certain images are harder than other to visually align.

RO® is intended to be a quick play puzzler with simple touch controls (it can be easily controlled with one hand, using the thumb to rotate). The app definitely succeeds at this goal, making it ideal for on-the-fly play, such as while waiting in line at the supermarket. The inclusion of its auto save feature makes it simple to stop and start playing instantaneously.

Replay value is somewhat determined by the number of puzzles and will be the most fun on its first play through (though even I haven't made it through all the levels yet). That said, the developer added a bit of replay value by tracking time and number of moves used to complete a level, so you can always try to beat your own personal best.

Overall, RO® delivers what it promises. While the game itself isn't overly complex, it's great for a simple pick up and play puzzler. In addition, the game is visually appealing and fun--if not frustrating--to play. Give the lite version a go to get a taste for the app, and if you enjoy this unique, new style of puzzle, download the full version (which adds significant play time to the game).

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~M@

Hysteria Project

Category: games, horror, choose your own adventure
Price: $1.99
App Store Link: [Full] / No lite version

Review: Adequate (with lots of potential)
Replay Value: Very Low
Recommendation: If you're interested in this app, I'd recommend trying it, despite the adequate review; just be sure you know what you're getting (see below).

Hysteria Project is the evolution of the classic "choose your own adventure" books. Of course, instead of books, we're now dealing with "an entirely filmed adventure." This particular app is the first in a series of episodes planned to be released (with no specified schedule), which means Hysteria Project, by itself, does not provide a complete story. In this reviewer's opinion, Hysteria Projects, in many respects, is both a failure and success (hence the adequate rating).

Before getting in to the pros and cons of the app, let's take a look at storyline and gameplay: Players are put behind the eyes of a kidnap victim (assumingly abducted by the mysterious and frightening serial killer that becomes the antagonist of the first episode). When the story begins, you awake finding yourself tied up, trapped within a wooden shack in the middle of a forest with only two things on your mind: escape and survival. Once you manage to spring yourself from the shed, you find yourself racing through the forest chased by a frightening and mysterious hooded figure brandishing an axe. What happens next is up to the player.

Much like players might expect from a choose your own adventure game, gameplay isn't anything overly complicated. Essentially, it consists of watching a video clip then making a choice (such as "try to run" or "find a hiding spot") from a selection menu. Occasionally during a video, the game will also ask players to touch a target on the screen to complete an action, such as moving a branch (failing to do so typically results in death). Should a choice result in death, players are not forced to start from the beginning, but rather, gameplay picks up from the video prior to the choice resulting in death.

Now that we've established that the premise and control system are fairly well designed, we can take a look at the pros and cons.

The Pros:
Hysteria Project sets out to create unique and frightening gameplay experience and does an excellent job of doing so. The foggy and shaky video, suspenseful storyline, and terrifying characters create a horrific atmosphere (and we mean that in a good way). Additionally, the soundtrack is exceptionally well made and playing Hysteria Project in the dark with headphones definitely adds to the experience. In fact, if your into suspense thrillers or horror films, playing this app for the experience alone is almost worth it.

The Cons:
Unfortunately, Hysteria Project has its share of setbacks. The game play lasts for only about 20-40 minutes (about 30 on average) and has very little replay value. The majority of this episode seems to be a lengthy forest chase, creating a very repetitive play experience; Honestly I could have been seeing the same video over and over for all I know. Additionally, more than anything else, it felt like the majority of my choices were based on which direction I should run (not the type of choices one typically looks for in choose your own adventure games).

I would have definitely like to had more strategical choices than "turn left or continue straight," the overall importance of these decisions seems rather arbitrary. In a choose your own adventure game, players should make important decisions based mostly on strategy, intuition, and a little bit of luck; in Hysteria Project, it felt like a lot of pointless decisions with a lot of luck and little strategy. Further, a good choose your own adventure game should have several paths and several outcomes, not all leading to death, and (though it's hard to be certain), I felt like my decisions were strongly forced in a specific direction.

While the overarching story seems strong, actual plot development is very slow, by the end of the game, players will know little more than what they started with. Rather than a 20 minute long chase, I would have much rather gotten more into the main plot. And even though the atmosphere of the game was creepy and scary, I very rarely (if ever) found myself jumping or startled. In a game like this, the developers need to make better use of the suspense they create. They should make better use of cheep tactics; for example: when you think you've safely hidden behind a tree, something should burst out and run across the screen (like a deer).

Overall, Hysteria Project does a great job setting up the horror movie environment, but is very much lacking in plot, depth, overall excitement (i.e. too much run, hide, run, hide), and storyline choices (they seem to force players down a specific path). Among other problems, gameplay feels very repetitive. If you like horror movies, the game might be worth trying just for the experience it creates, but if you're looking for an engaging plot with gameplay and strategic decision making depth, you'll probably be let down. All that said, the game and series both have a lot of future potential and we're not ready to give up on it yet.

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Developer Video:

What we'd like to see in future updates (or episodes): Skip button for video clips you've already played; bigger focus on storyline; multiple correct paths; more important/strategical choices as opposed to direction making decisions; A visual storyline map accessible at the main menu to show which paths you've chosen and missed (that allows you to explore alternate decisions after completing the game)--doing so would greatly increase replay value.

~M@

Monster Trucks Nitro -- Review

Category: racing games
Price: $1:99 (introductory price)
App Store Link: [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it (with potential)
Replay Value: Medium-Low
Recommendation: A fun, racing sidescroller game with unique controls, but too few levels. Unless you can't help yourself, wait for more levels.

Monster trucks nitro has met with some mixed impressions among downloaders, but the general consensus seems to be that it's a fun game with too few levels. The game offers 8 off-road stages with no changes of scenery and no unlockable stages. Players can eventually choose between 4 monster trucks; initially it's only 2, but more become available after earning some gold metals (first unlock at 4 golds, second at 8). While the new trucks are fun, its unfortunate that players only earn both after mastering every level of the game (you can't do better than 8 golds). It would be nice to get both trucks while they're still worth using.

First, I think it's important to note that the first 2 levels aren't very fun and don't make the best use of controls (basically training levels), so players shouldn't base their impressions of the game off solely the first two levels or risk missing out on the much more interesting later levels, such as "the loop."

Game play is very fun and unique, but not without its problems. Tilting the device controls the suspension of the trucks, allowing players to get the most out of their jumps and landings. Honestly, this seems to be the heart of the game. Players are also given acceleration, breaks, and cruise control, but I was able to gold all 8 levels without using the acceleration or breaks (just turned on cruise control). The developers should probably try to make better use of the break and acceleration controls or just remove them entirely (personally, I'd lean towards the latter choice).

As far as replay value goes, Monster Trucks Nitro offers some, but not much. Only about 6 of the 8 level offer any challenge or replay value, and most of those players would probably only play until they've achieved their gold metal. Basically, once you've golded all 8 levels, it's game over.

Overall, I think this game is a lot of fun and offers a unique perspective on the driving controls of the device. If your a monster truck fanatic, you'll want to purchase this app (though there should probably be more smashing involved somewhere), otherwise--though I think you'd get a large kick out of about 6 of the 8 levels--I'd recommend waiting to see if more levels come out.
That said, if you're pockets are lined, money's not an issue, and you're simply looking for enjoyable games, this one's meets and exceeds the criteria.

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Developer Video:

~M@

Crystal Defenders UPDATED! -- Review

Category: tower defense games
Price: $7.99
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Review: Love it
Replay Value: High
Recommendation: 2.0 Update makes this a great game! Play through the Lite; then upgrade to the full.

Square Enix has finally released the long awaited 2.0 update to their Crystal Defenders TD game. Crystal Defender's was one of the first premium tower defense games, designed by the makers of the popular Final Fantasy series and priced at a steep--at least for the app store--$7.99). If $7.99 sounds out of your price range, don't stop reading yet; the free lite version of the game will give you a good taste of the game and still provide a lot of fun.

The 2.0 Update has been long anticipated by fans and prospective buyers of the game and addresses many of the initial complaints, including the largest complaint: the game was ported and not at all designed to utilize the controls of the iPhone. In fact, the original version of the game only utilized half of the iPhone's screen; the other half was used as an over sized directional pad (i.e. joystick controller). I'm very happy to say that problem has been corrected. Squire Enix May have taken their time with the 2.0 update, but it was well worth the wait. The game has been completely redesigned to make excellent use of the full iPhone screen and touch controls. Additional improvements include slightly revamped graphics to enhance the overall feel and quality of the game, a new touch menu system to make navigation of the app simpler and faster, and a easy to use 4x fast forward button to speed up downtime. And finally, if for some reason you're a fan of the original set-up (though I'm not sure why anyone would be), you can choose to use the old control scheme.

Like most tower defense games, Crystal Defenders consists of strategically positioning specialized units, each with a different function, around a map in attempt to prevent ways of enemies from reaching your base (i.e the other side of the map). Crystal Defenders, however, is superior to many of its competitors in design, number/use of units, and specially abilities that can be purchased/used. I won't go as far as to say this is the best Tower Defense game available on the iPhone platform--I'm sure gamers would largely disagree about which TD app should have that title, but Crystal Defenders is definitely one of the best and in the running for that title.

Overall, this is a great game with lots of strategy, depth and replay value. Match that with the newly improved graphics and interface and this one is a definite winner! My recommendation is to start with the lite version and play through that. Then, if you want more and are willing to fork over $7.99, upgrade to the full version that includes additional, maps, units, and strategies! In my personal opinion, after playing through the Lite Version, you'll be persuaded to buy the full.

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What we'd like to see in future updates: More maps to keep the action coming. Endless Mode. Great work.

~M@

Frankenface

Category: entertainment photography
Price: $1.99
App Store Link [Full] / No Lite Version

Review: Like it.
Replay Value: Medium
Recommendation: This app might be a little high priced for the current market; That said, Frankenface can be a lot of fun to play with friends and family; more than I initially expected it to be. But be warned, it currently only works with iPhone.

Frankenface is an entertaining app that allows users to mix 'n' match faces using photos taken from the iPhone built-in camera. The app divides photos into there segments: hair & forehead, eyes & nose, and mouth & chin. Users can then swipe to slide segments back and forth to create "Frankenfaces" of their friends and family.

On a side note: while I was intending to review this app today anyway, I found it to be a very fitting time after last night's American Idol Ford Music Video release, entitled "Top 9: Mixed Up" (Click here for the video). This video perfectly demonstrates the concept of "Frankenface." In fact, After watching the video, I think that developers might want incorporate a full body "mask" for this app.

Honestly, this app will provide you with lots of laughs in large groups of friends or family. Imagine, mom's hair with dad's nose and mustache! Or your buddy's face with his girlfriend's hair! Or if you wanna get really creative, your pet's eyes & nose on your face (not that I'll ever admit to trying that)... in any case, the app definitely got a rise in a large group of people, and with the ability to shake the phone to create a random face combination, you never have to strain to hard to be creative. Finally, while the app is a lot of fun, and I think developers should be able to charge higher prices for their hard work, It's probably a fair assessment that in the given market, this app is about a dollar more expensive than it should be.

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Developer Video

What we'd like to see in future updates: Allow users to import photos from their photo library. Yes, I see the complications with profile angling and sizing, but giving the option couldn't hurt (and as an added bonus, it could open the app up for iPod Touch users as well!); Add a body switcher into the mix (head & neck, shoulders and torso, hips & legs). Stick with the swipe and get rid of the tap (I can't tell you how many times I accidentally changed a section I didn't mean to because of the tap control--very frustrating).

~M@

Photo Spot -- Review

Category: Picture Games
Price: $0.99 (sale) $1.99 (regular)
App Store Link: [Full] / [Free Lite Version]

Review: Like it
Replay Value: Variable
Recommendation: Photo Spot is a fun "spot the difference" game with over 100 pairs of photos.

Photo Spot is a polished spot the difference game, plain and simple. Players race against the clock to find all four difference between two images before time runs out and the game is over. The touch control is very precise, but accurate; this helps eliminate cheating (along with a time penalty for a wrong guess). If players get stuck on an image, they are allowed 3 hints per game. Differences come in many different types, including missing pieces, color changes, size differences, just to name a few. The game keeps track of high scores so you can compete with your personal bests.

Additionally, the developer has notified us of a soon to be current update already submitted to the App Store with an expected release during the first week of April. This new update includes global high score charts and 25+ new images (with an additional 50 promised to follow within two weeks).

The replay value of the game might easily depend on how much you play it. If you spend hours playing, you may find yourself becoming too familiar with images for high replay value. However, if you have substantial periods of downtime between play, even with recurring images you might just find yourself frustrated trying to find that fourth difference (in a good way)!

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What we'd like to see in future updates: More and more image sets, of course!

~M@