This particular golf game does not offer big names, or a PGA affiliation, but what it does offer is excellent gameplay and lots of replay value! When you first open this app you will be taken to the main menu screen which has five different options. You can do “Instant Play” where it will select a few holes to play at random, do “muultiplayer” either wirelessly with another device or on the same device. The game offers four different courses and a variety of ways to play through them. You can play just the Front 9, the bakc 9, all 18 or even 9 random holes. The different courses offer quite a bit of variety and the “Random” holes feature is a lot of fun. It also forces you to be good at all of the holes if you want to compete at the higher levels.
As you progress through the tournament mode you will start out only being able to play the courses on the “Easy” difficulty” setting and you will unlock the different difficulties as you win tournaments. This part of the game alone offers hours and hours of replay value and was my favourite part of hte game.
The graphics and physics in this game are fairly impressive, although it would be nice if some of your shots rolled more, like your drives. All in all, Let’s Golf HD is an extremely good value app, so if you are a golf lover, or even if you have just always liked golf games like this is an app that you should not pass up.
]]>With the release of Chair Entertainment Group – an internal studio of the Epic Games brand – many are claiming the iPad has finally received the most allusive of products, it’s killer app. A piece of software that showcases not only the hardware itself but also the user interaction the hardware exclusively allows. For eample with the launch of the PSone it wasn’t simply gamers who were blown away by Psygnosis’ Wipeout, Nintendo’s Wii Sports turned heads across the entire mainstream. These titles and a short list of others including GTA Vice City, Gran Turismo 2, Nintendogs have earned the accolade of “Killer App” as they attracted the non-gaming mainstream to purchase not simply their first game but their first gaming console. Of course many will argue otherwise yet for me as impressive Infinity Blade is, and impressive doesn’t come close to conveying the quality of this application, this is far from the mainstream bait that will cause a huge spike in iPad sales in all new consumer demographics.
Unlike the mass appeal of games like Angry Birds and it’s kin, Infinity Blade is a gamer’s game, so if you classify yourself as an epic pro and not a noob, I would advise you to put down this publication and head to the App Store right away. Although if you finds yourself sat somewhere in the middle of the above ranks, there are countless reasons to download. First of said reasons and most insantly striking being the stunning visuals, using the Unreal Engine generation of games consoles, the developers have produced a genuinely breath taking visual experience which smashes any preconceptions of graphical power of the iPad and iPhone 4. And thank goodness the developers have placed as much effort on the honing the control method to hte iPad platform as they did squeezing every drop of graphic power from the Apple’s device. Removing the expected and generally horrible virtual joystick style control, that has damaged the potentital of countelss iPad and particularly iPhone/iPod touch games, in favour of blend of screen wipes for combat and a point and click inspired interface for navigation. By adopting/developing a control method that capitalises upon the hardware’s touch screen interface, instead of attempting to use the time honoured and utterly unsuitable console control playing Infinity Blade is both highly fluid and rewarding.
The gameplay core focus finds the player engaging in a series of increasing challenging one on one weapons based battle with the unfriendly inhabbitants of the “Castle of God”. Confrontations which would be limited and ultimately arduous with a lesser control interface are elevated to instinctive battles, where your touch screen movements are perfectly replicated by your own screen guise. Defensive abilities are also well seved with the dodge move accessed by a simple tap to the relative edge of the screen, albeit after much practice to hone your essential timing. To parry you must quickly counter your enemies attack by sliding across the screen in the opposite direction they are swinging their weapon. This sounds hard and is, but provides results worthy of much effort to master. Alternately tap the lower middle are of the screen to raise your shield, which will completely absorb an enemy attack, although only for a limited number of times
In a pleasing nod to the RPG genre, you can enhance and upgrade both your skills and your inventory, yet in a novel twist you gain experience points from the items themselves. A specific item will contain a total XP value, this can be absorbed by your chracter by using the items successfully in battle. Once you have collected the total XP from the item, it is “maxed out” rewarding you with additional character development points and dramatically increases the resell value of the items in the in-game store.
The appeal of the following factors combat, character development, control method and visuals are clear but sadly the remaining features that complete the package aren’t as appealing. The narrative is weak at best, for undisclosed reasons you find yourself battling the God Kind and his minions throughout the generations. Fail to defeat him and your son will take up your quest and your weaponry and begin again, defeat the God King and he will rise up and your son will be called upon to battle him once again. This generational loop causes further issues as the each replay finds you battling the same enemies albeit in tougher incarnations. Their tactics may evolve but their appearance remains unchanged which is disappointing to the extreme, rendering early battles little more than basic “grinding” to allow you to enhance your XP, balace your inventory and skill set in preparation of battle with the latter foes. A factor that soon becomes very tiresome.
It’s extremely hard not to fall for the obvious charms of Infinity Blade, the developers have not only redefined how we epect and iPad game to look but laso how we should play it. Alas the graphics and control method cnanot hide the limitaions of the core game, the looping battles and the lack of exploration and freedom of movement combine to leave you not completely basking in the wonders of the game but pondering on what could have been. With a little more focus on exploration and wider world to explore and a large array of characters to interact with, the inevitable Infinity Blade 2 will surely be judged as the game your iPad was made for?
- App Name: Infinity Blade
- Version Reviewed:1.4.1
- Category:Games
- Developer:Chair Entertainment Group, LLC
- Price:$5.99
- Score:
Everyone knows that the real star of the “Ice Age” movies has always been the nut-loving squirrel Scrat. In this game you take control of Scrat in an effort to gather all of acorns and find the end of each level. If you are a fan of the movies, or even if you just like puzzle games that make you think this game is definitely worth a look!
The graphics in this game are top notch. The in-game interface is extremely simple Basically the way it works is you just have to touch where you want Scrat to go. The game is set up from a “side-scroller” perspective. As you work you way through the levels you will find obstacles like spikes, dinosaurs and various other types of enemies. It is upto you to help Scrat safely navigate through all of the chaos to find the end of the level!
Along the way you will see acorns stashed in various places. Some of them are easyto get to while others can be quite challenging. One of the good things about this game is the fact that it starts out ssimple enough for pretty much anyone to enjoy, but it gets much more difficult as you make your way through several of the levels. As you play you will see signs that will help teach you how various enemies and items work in the game. I was pleasantly surprised at how many little twists are in here. They are introduced at a fast enough rate to keep you glued to this game for literally hours on end. And in addition to the gameplay you will also see several other well known characters from Ice Age along the way!
- App Name: Ice Age Deluxe: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs
- Version Reviewed:1.2.1
- Category:Games
- Developer:Chillingo Ltd
- Price:$2.99
- Score:
Several generations of home consoles ago, almost every licensed game would be an action platformer from The Simpsons to The X-Men no-one was safe from this overused sub-genre. Thankfully the cast of Family Guy not only survive the retro stylings of this game but somehow manage to restore a little faith in it! From the lush visuals to the fiendish level design, developers Glu have taken everything that makes both the TV show and this style of game so enjoyable and mixed into one excellent app.
A licensed game that captures the feel and most importantly the humour of th show and warps it up in a well designed and even more importantly a fun to play shell. Recommended to fans and non-fans alike.
- App Name: HEAVY GUNNER 3D for iPad
- Version Reviewed:1.1.0
- Category:Games
- Developer:Glu Games Inc
- Price:$0.99
- Score:
Alot of developers have created unique verisons of their existing iPhone apps that utilise the extra power and space that the iPad has and this has resulted in some extraordinary games being developed. However, Heavy Gunner 3D is unfortunately nothing more than a slightly tweaked version of the app that is also available for the iPhone and iPod touch. There has been no additonal levels added to the game, the only thing that seems to have been updated is the graphics, which have been made to look slightly better, basically al lthat has been done is they have been made bigger in size.
Having said this, there is one area that has definitely improved with this iPad version, this is the controls. You control your weapons with two virtual pads that are located at the bottom left and right hand corners of the iPad’s screen and you control them using both thumbs. In this new iPad version of the app, each of the weapons is independent of the other and it is therefore a lot easier to use them independently. This leads to a much more enjoyable playing experience than in the previous iPhone and iPod touch version of the app.
However, as with the previous version of the app, the wave after wave of the enemies is just as ferocious as ever and they look ever better on the iPad’s extra large screen. The sound is also now even better, even when you don’t use earphones, which lead to an even more immersive feel to the game. There is also still the option to upgrade your weapons, which you will definitely need to do if you plan to complete all 25 + of hte missions in the game.
Despite there being only a few changes between the new iPad version the game and the previous iPhone and iPod touch version, the game is still priced a staggering amount higher than the original version in the app store. The game is still as fantastic as ever, although we feel that the price should have stayed the same as the original really due to there being hardly any new features at all.
- App Name: HEAVY GUNNER 3D for iPad
- Version Reviewed:1.01
- Category:Games
- Developer:Com2uS Inc
- Price:$2.99
- Score:
Using some very clever touch screen functions, including two custom control settings depending on your preference, this port has taken an already stunning game and made it better. With enhanced graphics, lighting and explosion effects that have been modified specifically for the iPad screen. Which certainly is evident, visually Chinatown Wars this incarnation of Rockstar’s portable GTA game is the best looking around.
A nice feature they added into this version is the ability to pick from five different radio stations combining 100+ minutes of in-game music. Alternatively you can listen to your own music library from within the game by using iTunes to create a playlist andcalling it “GTA”, then sync your device to upload them. When they are uploaded, start the game and select the Independence FM radio station to listen to your own tunes. You control Huang Lee and start off with a simple mission: deliver a sword to his Uncle Kenny as part of a Triad legacy for control. But all does not go well. It’s time to regain your honour and get revenge for what happened to you, by using all the usual methods found in the GTA titles.
If you haven’t played this GTA before I would suggest you try it on the iPad instead of any other handheld. If you are planning a long trip I can’t think of a better game to pass the time, or if you are simply a big gamer, this need to be on your iPad.
- App Name: Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars HD
- Version Reviewed:1.01
- Category:Games
- Developer:Rockstar Games
- Price:$9.99
- Score:
With releases of such quality as Gameloft’s second instalment in their Gangster series, Gangstar: Miami Vindication it is easy to see why the iDevices are overtaking traditional hand-held consoles as the first choice for gamers. This game is amazing and without question the nearest any release outside of the Grand Theft Auto franchise has come to reaching the same level of immersion, quality narrative and general fun of playing on the wrong side of the law. Clearly taking their inspiration from the GTA series zenith, Vice City, the developers have crammed a huge array of missions, a great plot, a variety of vehicles and stunning visuals into a well thought and instinctive game engine to craft a must have release for mature gamers. Parents take note this game is not for children! The free roaming mission structure allows you to skips between gun batlles, car chases, helicopter rides, jet ski races to name buta few as you see fit. Alternatively you can simply explore this massive city and take in the sights.
To find a game that takes on such huge scope without finding any glaring flaws, is certainly much more than just a pleasant surprise! Whilst the answer to the question on every GTA fan’s lips “Is this as good as Vice City” is sadly no, the answer to your second question “Is it better than Chinatown Wars?” is a resounding yes! Gameloft have given us another must own iPad game and for that we are extremely grateful.
- App Name: Gangstar: Miami Vindication
- Version Reviewed:1.1.5
- Category:Games
- Developer:Gameloft
- Price:$6.99
- Score:
The most noticeable difference between this new iPad version of the app and the original iPhone/iPod touch versions is that there are now four new maps. There are also high definition video versions of the maps but these have already been seen previously on the iPhone model of the app. Three of the new maps are a lot larger and offer lots of room to manipulate the airplanes, making the experience more enjoyable and easier to play. Another new feature is the ability to be able to play one of the maps in 3D, although this will only be possible if you have a pair of red/cyan 3D glasses, which are not supplied with the app unfortunately. The 3D aspect of the game is fantastic and gives the 2D graphics some real depth – you will find that the words appear to pop out of the screen.
With the iPad version of this game, it is possible to play against a friend on the same device. There are two different modes of multiplayer game play. There is the Co-op mode, in which you and the other player will have to work together in a team, helping your friend by giving them planes that match their colour runway and vice versa. The next mode being the Vs mode – this is perfect if you are feeling a little more competitive; it is basically a duel of survival, in which the object of the game is to keep things in order for longer than you opponent can.
As we said at the very start of this review we were extremely excited for the release of this game and it seems we haven’t been disappointed. Flight Control HD is just about everything we could have wanted in the iPad remake and we commend Firemint for reigniting a genre that seemed out of ideas a months ago. This is definitely a game that was made fro the iPad only!
- App Name: Flight Control HD
- Version Reviewed:1.07
- Category:Games
- Developer:Firemint Pty Ltd
- Price:$4.99
- Score:
The gameplay starts by you selecting how many players and filling in their names. As the rules state, the youngest player goes first. They go ahead and spin, whomever it lands on has the choice. Truth or Dare: While this game has cute graphics, don’t let that fool you – the Truth’s are things like “Who in the group is the best kisser”. Once you’ve completed (as judged by the other participants) you select “Yes” and you get 10 points. While not answering will deduct you 10 points. This does provide some leeway though, as every now and again you’ll get the option to ask another player a Truth that you make up.
The ‘Dares’ are just as racy. ‘Flashing’ your friends through the window etc. A bit of clever marketing on the Developers part, one of the ‘Dares’ is to update your Facebook status to say you’re playing the game. I found this funny and hopefully some people will actually do it!
Don’t think that you’ll get off easy by always selecting Truth, either. You can only select it three times in a row befoer you’ll have to do a Dare.
How d you win at Doodle Dare HD? Simple, be the first player to successfully complete 10 Truths or Dares (meaning your points will reach 100!) and you win. Of course, it’s not about winning, really it’s about having a fun time with your friends.
While the App is simple, it’s definitely priced right – and works great on the iPad. The only improvement I could think of is if you could add a list of custom Truth’s and Dare’s that would get randomly mixed in the pre-set ones.
- App Name: Doodle Dare HD
- Version Reviewed:1.0
- Category:Games
- Developer:Azer, Inc.
- Price:$0.99
- Score:
For any veteran of console first person shooters the Call of Duty series is hard to ignore. One of my favorite gameplay modes of all time in Call of Duty was the “Nazi Zombies” mode that was added as an extra to All of Duty World at War! Needless to say my jaw dropped as I drooled over the prospect of a direct port of that mode to the iPad platform. If you have thought about downloading this game in the past but have not because of the price, you really need to download it now! Why? Well where to start! For starters whilst iPhone owners had to pay for each separately, this version features the two infamous maps “Nacht der Untoten” (Night of the Undead) and “Verruckt” (Zombie Asylum) for a lower price!
The graphics of this game just blew me away, even considering this is the iPad version. From the opening splash movie directly from the console version, to all of the details on the weapons, zombies and environment! What is really impressive is all of the stuff that is going on at same time and yet the frame rate always manages to stay steady. The sound effects and music are also top notch and definitely add to the experience as they do in the console version of the game.
What really sets this game above other games of this genre though is the replay factor. I don’t even know how many hours I spent playing this game on Xbox 360 but I know that experience that you get with this game is every bit as addicting. And, true to the console versions, this game also supports multi-player with up to four people total over Wi-Fi!
When playing a first person game like this the control scheme(s) is going to be extremely important! Thankfully the developer included three different control scheems, and plenty of customization for each of them! I tried each of the three configurations and I liked the traditional “dual stick” scheme. The Accelerometer is a creative way to work controls but I found it to be a little frustrating. Honestly if you practiced with it though it would probably be the most effective scheme once you amstered it, the increased screen size helps massively over the iPHone counterpart but even the iPad controls do take a little work.
In case you are unfamiliar with the “zombies” game the basic idea is that you are trapped in a building and the zombies are trying to get inside to eat you. YOu start out with just a pistol and you earn points for each zombie you kill as well as for repairing the blockades on the entrances to the building. The zombies come in “waves” and each round they get stronger, faster and more numerous. Along the way you get to buy new weapons and unlock new areas with the points that you are earning, yet the game simply goes on until you can no longer hold the zombies off and you die.
I can honestly say that I have played very few iPad games that are as polished as this one is. If you’ve been waiting for a solid FPS on this platform then you should definitely check this game out! I contend that once you see how amazing this game looks and plays that you will find that there is not another game in the App Store tha tdelivers an experience of this quality.
- App Name: Call of Duty: Zombies HD
- Version Reviewed:1.3.3
- Category:Games
- Developer:Activision Publishing, Inc
- Price:$4.99
- Score: