Tag Archives: iPad

Jun 5 2014

Now Playing: Battleheart Legacy for iPhone and iPad

Ever played a game where you wanted to be the character who had a little bit of everything? Say, a spellcasting ninja master? Or a knight able to summon the undead? Or perhaps, a humble bard, purveyor of tale and song, yet able to take down long range enemies with a handy bow and arrow? Or do you want to have it all? Hero classes such as barbarian, knight, rogue, ranger, monk, witch, wizard, etc. are farmiliar archetypes in RPGs (role playing games) and are easily defined by the strengths and limitations of their powers and abilities… but in Battleheart Legacy, you can have it all.

battleheart on appSIZED

the original Battleheart

If you played the original Battleheart back in 2011, it was groundbreaking and original. What made it unique was that you could control four (4) of them at once simply by drawing lines from point A to point B, and activating a set of special powers and skills for each one. In Battleheart, you can freely experiment with with the party type system and develop your heroes’ skills, boost their stats with weapons and equipment to get these guys to work seamlessly together. Battleheart, in its own way, changed how we should design and play games on a touchscreen device. While there are many copycats, Battleheart remains unparalleled.

Now, in Battleheart Legacy, you are now a solo player and party-based combat is not used in this game. With Legacy employing a gameplay mechanic different from Battleheart, does it live up to the awesomeness of the original?

Continue reading →

May 31 2014

App Review: Goodreader 4 for iPhone and iPad

If there is one app out there that is the best toolbox that you’ll find for your iPad/iPhone, then Goodreader for iPad (Goodreader, for short) would be it. As a long time user (since 2010), I have come to rely on Goodreader for the tasks needed for my iPad that are usually only possible using a computer.

Goodreader 4 is said to be an even better version of an already great app. It’s currently available as a standalone app or as in-app purchase from one’s existing Goodreader app.

Need a toolbox of an app for your needs? Read on to find out!

 

Continue reading →

May 28 2014

Out Now: Go Get Battleheart Legacy for iPhone and iPad

After being in more than two years of development, Mika Mobile’s hotly anticipated spiritual successor to Battleheart – one of the best games ever on an iDevice, Battleheart Legacy has finally arrived! I just started playing it and here are some screenshots.
 
Battleheart Legacy is an action RPG (role playing game) that takes place in a open world that you can explore and have fun with. You can interact with various characters, wander into taverns and deserted areas, and just make your way around your new world.

 

Continue reading →

May 25 2014

Now Playing: Farmscapes HD (Premium) for iPad

Welcome to Farmscapes! In time for summer, there is a bored kid who is sent off to ‘farm camp’ with his grandpa after his parents notice that he plays too many video games during his free time. Armed with a sense of humr, an eye for business and a desire to keep things neat and clean, you accompany Tom to his grandpa Joe’s farm to make something out of the charming but poorly maintained place.

Playrix is one of my aboslute favorite publishers/developers when it comes to casual games. Their games are beautifully designed and highly polished, offering more than your usual time management or hiddn object title. Farmscapes HD (Premium), which was free for a limited time, is no exception. In this game, you help a kid and his grandpa restore his rundown farm into a beautiful and financially productive entreprise.

How, pray tell? Farmscapes HD (Premium) combines match three with hidden object gameplay in order for you to buy the necessary equipment and decorations to improve your farm.

Matching at least three of a kind is used to sell your wares to the local townfolk. Your wares form the ‘units’ that you have to mix and match – ultimately, you have to eliminate golden tiles scattered across the board in typical match three fashion. Later on, when you unlock new equipment/animals such as bees and livestock, you add units to the board. Each match three level is equivalent to a day at the market, and as a nice touch, people walk past and make all sorts of comments while buying.
Continue reading →
May 13 2014

Now Playing: Hearthstone (Heroes of Warcraft) for iPad

IMG_6207

It took me longer than it should to share my thoughts about this amazing new game, Hearthstone (Heroes of Warcraft) from Blizzard, best known for their incredible and genre-defining games, Starcraft, Warcraft and Diablo. While these games are serious affairs, Hearthstone takes on a lighter note as its ordinarily fearsome and powerful characters are reduced to gorgeous, animated cards in a deck.

Hearthstone is a card game. If you’re not a big fan of these games (like I am) or if you’re new to them, then Hearthstone is by far the best introductory game you’ll find. Basically, you have a hero with his/her own respective skills and strengths, represented by specific cards. To boost your hero, you also have ‘neutral’ cards or cards that can be used for all classes of heroes. You have a deck of 30 cards and starting health of 30. Each turn gives you a specific number of mana corresponding to the mana required by the cards to be played. The goal is to defeat your enemy who may be AI (in practice mode) or a fellow player who is online (play mode, ranked mode or arena mode).

Continue reading →

May 3 2014

Now Playing: The Cursed Ship, Collector’s Edition HD for iPad

appSIZED the cursed ship
Dark, disturbing horror tales are a favorite subject of many hidden object games (HOGs). The Cursed Ship, Collector’s Edition HD by G5 Games is no exception. The story about Ondine, a Titanic-like luxury cruise ship, disappears in the late 1970’s and you step in on an assignment to search for the missing ship.
As the name implies, the ship Ondine is indeed cursed, and you have to navigate a treacherous and downright creepy environment searching for clues and a way out alive.
appSIZED the cursed ship 2
Continue reading →
Apr 2 2014

Now Playing: Man At Arms TD for iPad

 

man at arms TD It has taken me a month before sitting down to write this review largely because I’ve been doing nothing with my free time except play Man At Arms TD for iPad ($4.99). After many hours logged in making maps, playing online, replaying levels and combining cards, I have finally finished the lengthy campaign mode and am left wanting even more!

IMG_5766

At first glance, Man At Arms TD is not as slickly designed as its tower defense (TD) counterparts. In a genre where games are getting more attractive by the day, Man At Arms TD is rather plainly designed with some awkwardness in the animation. Gameplay wise,  Man At Arms TD does not reinvent the wheel with its gameplay.

Continue reading →

Feb 27 2014

Now Playing: Bug Heroes 2 for iPhone and iPad

Did you play the original Bug Heroes game? I did. Years later, Bug Heroes 2 ($0.99/Universal) is Foursaken media’s latest addition to their lineup, following Bug Heroes Quest.

I must admit that while I played the first game extensively, the unlockable characters via in-app purchase threw me off. It didn’t help that I sucked at the game and it seemed that no matter how hard I tried, I just didn’t have powerful enough characters to use.

As for Bug Heroes 2, there are significant improvements and more problems compared to the original. It’s still the same game as the original – you control an arsenal of fighting bugs (spiders, ants, etc.) and use them to fend of waves of aggressive enemies who are out to steal your food stash (a.k.a. your base). This time, however, you have two (2) heroes to control. These heroes are obtained randomly (slot machine style), and more heroes require a certain number of stars to unlock further.

Continue reading →

Feb 19 2014

Now Playing: Forces of Nature for iPad and iPhone

Forces of Nature (on sale at $0.99) by Mean Bean Games is a game that will catch your eye immediately because of the art. There’s something fairy-tale like and compelling about the hand drawn art that reminds me of an animated film I saw when I was a kid, The Iron Giant. Another thing common between Forces of Nature and The Iron Giant is the fact that they’re both sending a strong environmentalist message.
Mother Nature’s champion is Sprout, a feisty little seedling who plants various defenders to fend off heartless robots that have taken over his world. Sprout’s mission is to protect the giant tree from land and air units. Water is his main currency for planting seedlings which can be fixed (tower defense type) or moving. Sprout does damage on his own, and strategically dashing behind enemies can even score combo points.
At the heart of Forces of Nature is a side-scrolling castle defense dressed up rather beautifully and quirkily.

Continue reading →

Feb 8 2014

Bardbarian Now Out With Endless Mode

The guys at Tree Fortress were busy rolling out updates for Bardbarian. Last week, we saw important bug fixes and earlier today, Endless Mode came out.

Endless Mode is more about running and dodging enemy projectiles. Distance covered is key. I haven’t gotten very far; Brad is a bit slow when it comes to running,

20140209-023540.jpg

p.s. Finally unlocked all but one unit, and the newer units are just awesome and make this game even more unique!