App of the Week: RipTide GP2 for Android

It's been a while, but in attempt to get the ball rolling again; we are back with a new 'App of the Week' and this week that app is 'RipTide GP2' for Android mobile devices.  First off, let me say that this game is simply amazing.  It is more of the same but with new tracks, a much larger career mode, upgradable 'Hydro Jets'; if you played it's predecessor you will have a general idea about what the sequel will have in store for you.  However, this time around VectorUnit has given us Online Multiplayer.  Let's cover what this game is all about.

The Deal:

As this game is about pure speed and thrilling tricks, there is no story.  The premise is you are a Hydro Jet racer in futuristic Hydro Jet Races.  Think of a Hydro Jet as a futuristic Jet Ski.  As you progress through the race circuits you will encounter not just standard 8 man races, but you will be faced with 'Hot Lap' and 'FreeStyle' races as well.  More on those below.  Regardless what mode or race type you play, I promise you it will become addictive fun that will be hard to put down.

Ready... Set... Go!

Race Types You Will Encounter:

You will of course play through the standard race that includes 8 NPC's all racing each other to the finish line.  The amount of laps and duration of the race will depend on what circuit you are playing.  The end goal is of course to be the first to cross the finish line.

Elimination mode will pit you against 8 NPC's and every few seconds (determined by the circuit you are playing) a player will be eliminated without prejudice.  The goal is to stay ahead of the pack and let everyone else get eliminated.  The only way to ensure victory is to be the race leader and outlast everyone else.

Hot Lap is basically a time-trial race.  Each time trial has set times that you need to complete the lap under in order to win.  Some tracks it's 1:07, some tracks it's 00:59 or a little less.  You will need to upgrade your Hydro Jet and make sure you have a speed demon to ensure victory in these races.

The level's are absolutely stunning!

Finally, you will bump into 'Free Style' races.  These races feature only your racer on a track filled with Ramps to trick off of.  Each 'Free Style' race will have a set score you have to hit to place in the top 3.  Earn points by popping tricks off of large waves of water and ramps.  You will have to unlock higher tier tricks to place high in the more advanced circuits.  More on that below.

Controls:

Controlling your Hydro Jet is as simple as tilting your mobile device in the direction you'd like to navigate.  Popping tricks is handled by swiping your thumbs in a particular order on the screen while your racer is airborne.  Each trick has a unique swipe, with the more advanced tricks requiring a slightly more difficult swipe pattern.  Sounds a little strange, but trust me... It works great.

Skills and Upgrades:

There are several different Hydro Jets that you can unlock with cash earned from your races.  Along with purchasing new Hydro Jets, you can also purchase upgrades to your Hydro Jet's abilities.  These abilities are split into several categories: 

- Acceleration

- Top Speed

- Handling

- Boost

Busting a Move!

Each category does exactly what it's name applies.  As you upgrade, the next upgrade level becomes more expensive requiring you to play more to earn more in-game cash to upgrade your ride.  You can also change the color-scheme (or 'paint job') of your Hydro Jet and your racer's uniform.

It doesn't stop there either.  As you play and race you will earn XP that will help you level up.  As you level up you get extra in-game cash and SP points that you will redeem for things like new tricks and increased agility and increased boost time.  Later in the game you will discover some future tricks are compounding.  So they require a trick from a lower skill level before they can be unlocked.  All in all the leveling system is pretty deep for a mobile racing game.

Music:

The soundtrack is pretty similar to the first RipTide GP.  Mixing techno beats with what sounds like spots of dub-step in spots.  All in all, it's pretty catchy and helps keep the energy moving during gameplay.

Online Mulitplayer

The online multiplayer is what I like to play.  I have ran several online matches against others and I have had a lot of fun.  Basically you pick 'Quick Match' and let the game match you up.  If you have signed in with your Google+ account, you can send invites and play with your friends as well.

Circuit Listing

Final Comments:

All in all, RipTide GP2 is an amazing game.  We are finally at the point where the division between mobile games and console quality games is started to fade.  The effects and overall experience are simply amazing.  In my opinion this game is well worth the $2.99 price tag.  Per their website, the game is also on it's way to the Apple iTunes App Store as well.

To Checkout RipTide GP2 visit the Google Play Store: http://bit.ly/15CFQxm

App Cost: $2.99

Rating: 5/5 Stars

read more

Big Happenings in Techie's World!

Sorry for the lack of posts everyone!  (Although it feels I write this a lot here).  Things have been a bit wild and crazy in my world for the last while.  Staying busy and enjoying life has been a primary goal.  Unfortunately, I haven't been around Linux much as of late.  But I have managed to:
-Become madly addicted to "Call of Duty: Black Ops 2"
-Get my Wife madly addicted to "Call of Duty: Black Ops 2"
-Work a lot

-And another HUGE announcement that hopefully should be coming soon.

So stay tuned!


-----
And don't forget to watch Doctor Who tonight!

read more

App of The Week: Shadowgun Deadzone

Our App of the Week for the week of March 1nd, 2013 is: Shadowgun: Deadzone.  As always, we always try to highlight apps that are cheap and/or free in most cases.  There are exceptions where an app is just so awesome, that paying more than $4 or $5 dollars shouldn't be a problem.  But keeping true to our idea that most of us are on a budget (and or just cheapskates like me), ShadowGun: Deadzone is a FREE app.  And unlike our usual App of Week pick, this game is cross platform on both iOS device and Android devices.  So let's jump into what really makes this game standout.

What is it?

Shadowgun: Deadzone is an online multiplayer, third person shooter title.  It follows the release of the original Shadowgun game for iOS and Android created by MadFinger Games.  This game is absolutely gorgeous.

The Story

As mentioned above, Shadowgun: Deadzone is an online multiplayer game that throws the player into either a deathmatch style game or a capture point style game.  There is very little by way of story for this app.  It ideally picks up after the events of the original Shadowgun title.  If you missed the original, a "Shadowgun" is basically a professional bounty hunter.  In the original game, you played as John Slade and your mission was to stop a mad scientist from making a mutated army.  So in Deadzone, your character is either a mutant soldier or one of several Shadowgun skins.

Gameplay

The game plays pretty much just like the original Shadowgun title.  It is basically a covered based shooter much like the Gears of War franchise on the Xbox 360.  Meaning, you run and gun and use objects that are scattered around the map to hide behind when you need to get out of the line of fire.  When hiding behind a barrier or your back is pressed against a corner wall, the camera shifts a little providing a view of the action in front of you.  You can then fire from behind cover, which is really handy in a heavy firefight.

The controls are fairly straight forward as well.  On the left side of the screen is a virtual joystick which controls movement.  You aim by sliding your right thumb around the screen.  In the bottom right we have several icons that include aiming/firing, reloading, and sprinting.  In the upper right corner of the screen we have your weapon selection icon, your sprinting meter, and a couple empty inventory spots for certain perks or power ups that you unlock as you play.  These perks can include the ability to drop ammo or health recharge packs, use motion radars, and grenades to name just a few.  Unlike a lot of games that utilize a touch based, onscreen button layout; this one works extremely well with a very low learning curve.

Other Features

What would a game that only offers online multiplayer be without a system for leveling your character?  And Shadowgun: Deadzone offers exactly that.  As you play matches you gain experience points and cash.  Both of these add up over time.  Your cash is used to upgrade weapons and unlock new power up.  Meanwhile, you're experience points builds up your character's level as you play as well.  Here is the important thing, a higher level doesn't necessarily mean a "stronger" character.  It does mean, that someone with a higher level than you, has access to different weapons which in turn may be stronger than those who run lower level characters.  But this is a fair trade off.  As I have been in matches with people who are much higher levels, and still been able to more than hold my own against them.

Character Loadout Screen

There is also a "Casino" feature built into the games main menu.  Each day your account will be given a token (or 2 or 3 depending) and you can use these tokens to take a spin on the Slot Machine.  The reward for playing the Slot Machine is in game gold.  This gold can be used to buy cosmetic items such as skins, hats, etc. for your character.  As the tokens are given to your account, you do not have to pay "real-world" money for these.

There is also a buddy list, you can log in with your Facebook account, and you can chat (and voicechat if you have a premium account).

Game Modes

Currently there are only two game modes: Deathmatch and Zone Control.  Deathmatch is your traditional free-for-all game mode.  Where every player loads out into the map and spends the matches time limit trying to frag each other.  He who has the highest killscore wins the match.  Meanwhile, Zone Control is a little more tactical.  Each map is contains a series of "Control Points" which also acts as spawn points.  Two teams (red and blue) each fight for the duration of the match to gain control of more points than the other team.  Eventually this leads to some pretty epic battles over points in the middle of a map.  I spend a lot of time playing Zone Control as the strategy aspect of this game mode is a lot of fun.

Premium Features?

So at this point you may be saying, "Wait a minute? A game with these features, and it's free?".  That's right, it is free to download and free to play.  There are a couple ad screens you will see while playing, but the ads are for Shadowgun: Deadzone itself.  Players have the option to upgrade to a "Premium Account" if they choose.

Premium accounts get the following:

-50% more Money and Gold for Playing Matches

-Increased Experience Points for Matches Played

-Access to Premium Servers

-Voice Chat

Premium features can be purchased using your in-game gold or you can drop some "real-world" money for it as a microtransaction.  Premium accounts can be:

-1 day 

-3 days ($00.99)

-1 week ($00.99 USD)

-1 month ($2.99 USD)

-3 months ($9.99 USD)

For example, I ran the month of January as a premium account.  And the immediate advantage is being able to change between more than just the original 2 character skins.  For me the cost is very little and if it counts towards helping the developers build updates for the game; then I am happy to support it.  The Premium cost is a one time charge and no recurring.  So when it runs out, you are dropped back down to a "Free Play" account status.  Which means you receive less money and experience points.

Overall

This game should be considered a AAA title.  It offers gameplay that I have yet to find in any other mobile game.  And it feels like a big-console experience that you can hold in your hand.  With great controls and graphics and an online experience like no other on a mobile device.  I highly recommend this game.  With a limited selection of maps and only two game modes, I would love to see this game grow to offer more as time goes on.  But even with those limitations, I still give this game 5 Stars.

To play it, you will need a device that has at least 512MB of RAM.  For iOS device users this includes: iPhone 4 (and newer), iPod Touch 5th Generation, and iPad 2 (and newer).  For Android users a modern device with at least 512MB of RAM and running Android Honeycomb and newer.

I have been playing this on both my Samsung Galaxy S2 and my Google Nexus 7 and it plays smooth and fluidly on both devices.

Check it out:

Madfinger Games 

Google Play Store- Shadowgun: Deazone  (FREE)

Apple's App Store- Shadowgun: Deadzone (FREE)

read more

App of The Week: Temple Run 2 for Android

As the title mentions, our App of The Week for the Week of February 23rd, 2013 is Temple Run 2.  Let's be honest, if you have a Android or an iPhone, then you have probably at least heard of or even seen the original Temple Run.  The original Temple Run became somewhat of a staple of mobile gaming.  Along with the likes of Angry Birds, Jetpack Joyride, and numerous others.  Either way, the original was an awesome game (albeit, rather frustrating at times; but still awesome).

If you happened to have played the original Temple Run then you pretty much know the ropes of the gameplay.  Basic controls involve swiping the screen in order to make your runner avoid obstacles or make turns all while you are running from the likes of a crazed monkey.  As the game opens, you see a nice 3D fly in of the ornate opening of a cave where an idol hovers in the cave's opening.  You tap the screen to play, and that is when we are introduced to our runner.  Who comes running out of the cave's opening and picks up the idol and starts running.  You catch a shot of the giant monkey that is pursuing your runner.  From there the game's camera positions itself behind your runner and you start out on your high speed adventure.

What's new in Temple Run 2?

Temple Run 2 brings several new elements to the game.  All of which makes the game much more involved and in my opinion, brings a welcomed new environment to the Temple Run series.  The environments from the original game were somewhat dark and gloomy looking; which, don't get me wrong served, to set the mood of the game.  But still the newer, brighter environments just look awesome.

The environments aren't the only improvements that Imangi Studios brought to the table though.  Where the original game succeeded in guiding players through a running, jumping, and sliding crazed run while collecting coins and power-ups; the sequel also throws in zip-lines, mine cart rides, and a much larger monkey.

I have been playing the game on my Nexus 7 tablet and my Samsung Galaxy S2 phone.  And it runs so smooth it's almost ridiculous.  I have experienced virtually no lag while running this game on either of my devices.

What is the point of the game?

Run fast, and run far.  All the while, collecting coins and various power-ups that grant your runner abilites like being invincible, attracting all of the nearby coins as you run past them, or a green bubble of protection.  And at the end of the run, try to beat your high score.  There are also achievements built into the game that change as you level up

Is it worth the download?

Most certainly.  And the price is perfect: FREE.  That's right.  It doesn't cost you a dime to pick up this awesome game.  You can spend your real world cash for jewels in-game.  But spending real world money doesn't help you progress through the game.  As each level starts fresh, and each run is different.  So forget about trying to memorize the pattern as you run through the level.  But overall, this game is lush and beautiful, and is a lot of stylized fun.

Sure, the game can be downright frustrating at times.  But if there has ever been a game that makes it fun to be frustrated; then this is it.  So in short, if you are looking for a fun (and free) game to pick up then this is the app for you.

Rating: 

Visit the Google Play Store: Temple Run 2

read more

Retro Game Curator on YouTube is Now Live!

Well, you can tell we got snow here in my area today.  Why?  Because I was finally able to get some time to sit down and do some recording!  As mentioned in a previous post, we have a welcome addition to the TechieSmarts network of websites/YouTube Channels!  It goes by the name of: Retro Game Curator.

There is also an associated blog as well.  Check out: http://retrogamecurator.blogspot.com where we have a growing selection of posts covering topics concerning old school gaming, reviews, news, and yes; links to all of our video content (which will be growing soon).

If you follow me on Twitter, keep an eye out for posts with the hashtag:
#RetroGameCurator as that tag will designate everything concerning that site.

So be sure you drop by and show us some love guys!

Happy surfing!

read more

A Week in Guild Wars 2

As I mentioned a week ago, I finally made the leap from Guild Wars to Guild Wars 2.  I have also been able to log in to the game and play some almost everyday (with the exception of Monday, that day sucked).  And I have some initial thoughts on my time spent in the game thus far.  My stats as of this writing is a level 16 Necromancer with a focus on minions (build 1) and a focus on AoE attacks (build2).  Let me say first hand, I absolutely love this game. Now read on and find out why.

Probably my first half hour to forty-five minutes of playtime were a little familiar yet a little confusing for me as well. The character creation portion of the game is pretty awesome. The character is pretty much customizable from head to toe. You pick from a set of preconfigured parts and can tweak them from there. For example, you pick from a set of faces for your toon. Then you can make adjustments to things like the chin size and angle of the eyebrows, etc. This system allows for a greater range of design than Guild Wars offered.

The confusing thing for me had to be the way the skill system works. In Guild Wars, you would unlock skills by gaining experience points (like a traditional RPG). Then you would visit NPC characters and purchase more skills. Elite skills were often captured from instanced bosses during your adventures using a Signet of Capture right after the battle. Not in Guild Wars 2.

Here is the just, you do unlock Utility Skills using Skill Points earned during play. You gain skill points by completing Skill Challenges and from leveling up. Your Combat skills are directly tied to your weapon set. Meaning if you happen to pickup and equip a new Ax or Mace, they new weapon will equip your character with a different set of skills for combat. And without equipping a particular weapon, you never know what skills you will get.

If the skills have not been used yet on a particular weapon, only one skill for that weapon will be available. As you use that skill, the second skill in the set will slowly unlock. This unlocking happens across three of the four combat skills. It's not a bad system, but it takes a little getting used too. I am used to picking what skills I want in my builds. Instead of "micro-managing" skills you will mange your inventory. Because obviously, if you had a nice skill set that you liked; you'd not want to discard or sell that weapon.

You Utility Skills cover things like buffs, healing skills, and in my case summoning minions and other Necrosis based monsters. These skills can be swapped on the fly as long as you aren't engaged in combat. Remember in Guild Wars, to make any skill or weapon changes you would have to map travel back to a city and make the necessary changes and swaps. Not both gear and skills can be swapped any time other than when in combat.

Speaking of gear, we can now swap between weapon sets. We three sets of weapons (2 slots for land based and three slots a piece for water based). This covers a primary and off hand weapon in each set. Which gives you additional options when trying out new skills. I like to use new weapons on one skill bar that I am unlocking. And my primary bar has a full, working set of skills. That way I am never stuck with just one skill on each bar.

The majority of the game world is no longer instanced. Meaning you take part in dynamic events that happen in real-time with other players. Kind of like Warhammer Online has. These events often become daily tasks as they pop up frequently and are a lot of fun to play.

Let's chat about loot. In the first Guild Wars, it seemed that I didn't come by crafting materials in loot drops from combat quite like it does in GW2. From my first fight, I have been collecting things like leather squares and Iron Cores. Which is nice, because crafting feels much more fleshed out in GW2. Forgive my ignorance on crafting, as I have only been at it for about two days now. Essentially you get the crafting recipe and the crafting materials and craft away. Unlike my brief time Aion where you could special d forever trying to successfully craft a single, simple item. So far I have bee  crafting in the leather working g profession to  make my 8 slot bags. And it has been a blast.

The Trading Post is another endeavor I have just started playing with. I have purchased some crafting materials with in-game gold with much success. And I have sold probably 50 or 60 silver worth of the items with success. And I love it. It's like a virtual eBay for your unwanted items and loot and craft materials. Included as part of the Trading Post is the Gem Store. Admittedly, I was concerned when I first heard about this. But it seems to be a nice complement to the core game. Essentially the Gem Store is for the much dreaded microtransactions we have seen in other games. But this one reminds me of "Lord of The Rings Online" and "Runes of Magic" in that you don't have to use real world money for the microtransactions. In LoTRO you could gain Turbine Points to make purchases by doing tasks in the game or buying the Turbine Cards and using those.

In GW2, if you decide you don't want to use your hard earned, real world cash. You can convert your in-game silver and gold into Gems to use instead. So what is for sale in the Gem Store? Mostly things like extra character slots, XP boosts, locked chests, and mini pets. You can also upgrade your copy of the game to the deluxe version and get the special skills and Rytlock mini too. There are also armor skins and cosmetic items up for grabs too. But who needs those right? lol

I have heard some complaints about leveling so far. I haven't had any complaints myself as the leveling feels pretty balanced to me. Not really having to grind much helps this out a lot too. Here is my progress so far:
-Levels 1 - 10: Flew by quick and painlessly.
-Levels 11 - 14: Took a little while longer than the first 10. And a little grind was necessary.
-Currently a Level 16 Necro and should hit level 17 pretty quick at this rate.

Overall, I have no complaints about the game. Is it perfect? No, it's not. Does it feel entirely original? Not 100%, as you can definitely find inspirations gleaned from the likes of WoW, LoTRO, and even Warhammer Online. But it feels seamless and they manage to keep it very interesting. One complaint t I have been following on their forums and in-game is balance within some of the classes (like the Necromancer) where people are complaining that the class feels to weak and unbalanced. Personally, this hasn't been an issue for me. But I'm sure AreaNet will address it in due time. On my second day in the game I had already been invited (and joined) a nice, active guild that is a little shy of 400 people strong as of this writing. It took me months to find a decent guild in Guild Wars. The inclusions of Points of Interest, Skill Challenges, and Vista's are awesome as well.

It looks like AreanNet has done it again. And with sales for Guild Wars 2 breaking the 2 million units sold mark. Looks like the rest of the world likes it too.

read more

New Web Project!

Hey everybody, I'm sorry for the lack of posts as of late.  But I have been very busy trying to get our latest web project off the ground which is being included into our growing network of online resources.  And it looks like it is ready to roll!  Be sure to checkout SlimTechie!  Over at SlimTechie we will try to bring fitness tips, progress reports, encouragement, help from social media (like YouTube), and reviews for apps and web services that you can use to help get into shape (or even just a healthier lifestyle).  And to top it off, I will be practicing what I am preaching.

That's right, you can keep up with me as I work towards my fitness goals and keep track of my achievements or shortcomings as I will update with progress reports on how I am doing in hopes that others may be inspired. So if you want to see how you can use technology to bridge the gap between being a geek (like me) and getting fit then swing by and pay us a visit.  The best thing about it, since I am a rather cheap individual just about everything we will cover will be either free or so cheap it might as well be free.

So come by and hang out with us!
http://slimtechie.blogspot.com

read more

Is there a Siri for Android? Part 2: Skyvi

Skyvi was the second app I tried out during my quest for a 'Siri-like' app for Android devices.  You can read my post below about my hands-on with Iris incase you missed it (click here: my hands-on with Iris).  I have to say I kind of like Skyvi a little better.  The interface is a little more cluttered and not quite as slick looking as Iris.  However, it is very clear from the get-go what you can do with Skyvi.  When you launch the app, the initial screen you are taken to has a series of categories or buttons you can use to explore assorted questions and tasks you can have Skyvi do for you.

In a similar test to my use of Iris, I started off by asking some simple questions pertaining to things like the weather, my location, etc.  And all seemed to work much like Iris.  But where I really started having fun was letting Skyvi post status updates on Facebook and Twitter for me.  After pairing your Facebook and Twitter accounts with Skyvi it is literally as simple as tapping the microphone icon and saying "Update my Facebook Status".

You will get a voice prompt from Skyvi asking what you want your status to say and a voice box will pop up.  Simply tell it what you want and it will automagically send your status update to Facebook (it will read it back to you once it's posted, so be careful what you say first time around).  The Twitter update works the same way.  Out of the four updates I posted through Skyvi only one of them seemed to be misinterpreted.  Pretty much the same rule of thumb applies to Skyvi as with Iris.  Speak somewhat slow and very clear to get the proper results the first time.

You can even have Skyvi read your Facebook and Twitter updates from friends and you can use it to write a comment on a Facebook friend's wall.  Pretty awesome!  Skyvi is free and is a lot of fun to play with.

To check out Skyvi for yourself, swing by the Android Market at: Skyvi for Android

read more

Is there a Siri for Android? Part 1: Iris

One of Apple's biggest advertised features of their new iPhone 4S is Siri.  If you have been living under a rock and not sure what Siri is, I'll fill you in.  Siri is basically a virtual personal assistant that recognizes your voice.  Basically you queue up Siri and tell it what to do.  It can do web searches for you, answer questions, give you information (like what your weather is), schedule calendar events, set alarms, etc.  In short, it's pretty freakin' cool.  And I'm not a huge iPhone fan; but Siri is pretty sweet.

So naturally I set out to see if the Android Market had anything similar to Siri available (knowing I wouldn't find much).  Right off the bat I was surprised to find two apps that claim some of the features that Siri includes.  Both allow for speech in and speech out controlling.  In short, you can chat with the app and it can physically talk back to you.  Fun and yes, a little creepy.  I'll be splitting both apps into two articles.  This is the first.

The first I tried was 'Iris'.  Iris is still in Alpha Development as of this writing but it is fun to play with.  As far as being a productive tool, I can't quite call it that yet.  But it is a blast to screw around with.  The first few minutes spent with Iris was full of laughs and learning.  You can ask Iris to tell you what your local weather forecast is and it will return in voice results with your local temperature, etc.  If you ask it a question about a movie or song it will return information about the source material in question.

The app is somewhat slick looking with a solid, black background and only a blue orb on the screen.  You simply press the orb and when the speech box pops up on screen fire a question or comment at Iris.  Your searches and results will build a list down the screen keeping track of your discussion with Iris.  Within the first few minutes Iris has correctly returned search results about several songs and television characters.  My next question was asking it for the phone number for a local pizza restaurant, which should have been simple enough via a quick web search.

Instead Iris informed me that she "wasn't going to give me her phone number..."  Which was hilarious since I have never tried to "pick up" and electronic device before.  I have noticed with Iris that the correct searches are driven from very clear spoken word.  You also have to go slow sometimes for Iris to understand you.  But the fact that this works as well as it does is crazy.  It's almost like having Jarvis (Tony Stark's AI voice from Iron Man) in your pocket. 

But considering the story behind Iris, it is amazing that the app is already this far along in progress.  Simply put the initial app was developed in around 8 hours by the folks at Dexetra.com.  I look forward to seeing how development on this app progresses.

And if you haven't noticed yet, Iris = Siri spelled backwards. Clever!  It also works on both phones and tablets.

Anyways, if you'd like to check out Iris then swing by the Android Market:
Iris (alpha) on Android Market

Click here: to see my hands-on with Skyvi (another Siri-like app for Android)

read more

Star Legends Chrome Store

A while back I did a review of an awesome MMO for Android and iOS devices.  The app reviewed was that of 'Star Legends: The BlackStar Chronicles' link.  It is an awesome game and it's free in the Android Market.

It was announced this past week that this game will be making it's way to the Chrome App Store.  Meaning, if you run Google's Chrome Web Browser; then you're in for a treat.  This is a great game for the casual gamer.  And yet it is still an MMO.  As MMO titles typically have the stigma that they have the ability to take over your life.  All the while, if you are one who likes to completely get sucked into a game, you'll find hours of fun to be had in Star Legends.

So what is such a big deal with this game hitting the Chrome App Store?  Easily put, the game allows cross platform play.  Meaning you can play against people using mobile devices running the game (Android or iOS) as well as other gamer's using the Chrome App version.  This in itself is a huge step and if successful maybe other mobile developers will start thinking along the same lines as SpaceTime Studios.

And this is what you can look forward to:


To read how the app played via my review, visit:Star Legends Review

read more

Android Review: 'Cordy' by SilverTreeMedia

As promised this is the first of hopefully many Android reviews.  Today we are looking at 'Cordy' by SilverTreeMedia.  I first played this game at  our local Best Buy a few months ago.  It was loaded onto the Xoom that was on demo in the store.  Immediately, I wanted this game.  I recently picked up a Acer Iconia a500 tablet running Honeycomb, and this was the first game I downloaded.

It is free from the Google Android Market.  After downloading you can enjoy the first 4 levels for free. Once you hit the 4th level you'll be prompted to buy the rest of the levels from within the game.  It is only a few dollars (somewhere around $3 or $4 dollars).  But it is money well spent.

'Cordy' is an extremely well put together game.  I found it fun to replay levels; unlike many platformer games where you feel kind of forced to replay a previous level.  I didn't experience that with this game.  It was just as fun to run through a previous level as it was to discover a new one.  The game is built on the Unity game engine, and can run on Android devices with at least the following hardware:
-Android 2.2 (Froyo)
-ARMv7 CPU
-OpenGL ES 2.0


If you're device is rocking at least the above specs you are good to go.  


The graphics are simply amazing, especially when you consider it is running on a mobile device.  As mentioned above I run this game on my Acer Iconia a500 tablet and it runs perfect.  My wife runs it on her HTC Evo 4G and it runs well.  Very well infact.  The only issue I've noticed when running it on the Evo is a slight lag which can catch you at a bad time when playing (usually when running around a corner when the whole game world has to rotate).  Otherwise, it's great.

The controls are simple and for the most part they stay out of the way.  On the Evo it feels a little more cramped, mostly due to the screen size.  On the tablet, the buttons are large, but they aren't in the way while you're playing.  You basically have one button to run left, and one button to run to the right.  On the right side of the screen you have a jump button and an action button that allows you to charge up the exit hubs, swing, or grab depending on what the situation demands.  Meanwhile, you'll run around the level collecting glowing orbs and gears.  Once you collect enough of the glowing orbs to build up your battery meter, you can plug Cordy into an exit hub which will charge it up and activate the exit door.  Then you can run to the next level.  In later levels you actually get to swing around objects and even jump onto a springboard that will launch Cordy into the foreground or background to continue his adventure.


'Cordy' is a platformer/puzzler game at it's heart.  All the while it dresses itself up with beautiful graphics and snappy gameplay.  As you play you also unlock hats for Cordy to wear during his adventure.  This game is a blast to play and doesn't cost a dime (at least for the first 4 levels).  If you are a fan of simple, but fun games than 'Cordy' is a must have.  'Cordy' has been named as one of the 'Best Games on Android Market' and has been picked as an Editor's Choice title from the market as well.


Checkout the promo video from SilverTree Media's Youtube channel.
And a Link to Cordy in the Android Marketplace.









*Cordy and all respective properties therein are owned by SilverTree Media.

read more

iPhone Game Review: Street Fighter IV

  As a long time fan of fighting games on the consoles such as: Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and of course Street Fighter. I was somewhat hesitant to try out the iPhone/iPod Touch port of 'Street Fighter IV'. And to be fair, I have yet ton play this game on the console as well. Literally, the iPhone verism is my first hands-on experience with this title. And let me say up format, it does not disappoint.

I have a hard time purchasing apps from the App Store that cost more than $3 or $4 dollars. But after reading good things about this app, I couldn't hold out any longer. Even at $9.99 from the App Store, I knew I'd have to check it out.  After starting up the app I was immediately blown away by the awesome intro scene. The artistic flare it showcases is simply amazing. The sound is great, and I am loving the "stylized" type of graphics the devs went with for this title.

Ok, first things first. The sound is spectacular, the themes are catchy and the fighting sound effects are dead on with the actions. The in-game graphics are definitely impressive. The gameplay graphics carry over the "stylized", cartoon type graphics that the opening scene shows off. Personally, a lot of games are going for a realistic look; however, games like Street Fighter need to keep the originality by staying unrealistic. And they have definitely pulled that off here.

Second item to cover is controls. The game is played via an onscreen game pad. The buttons are semi-transparent by default and can be adjusted even more in the options menu. The controls can hang some, but that is to be expected. Controls aren't always air tight on console fighters either. Some of that may be my iPod Touch, it is a little behind on updates or possibly the fact that it is a 2nd generation model. Anyways, it plays just fine. And the game is currently optimized for iOS 4.

With plenty of game modes and characters to play as, I don't for see this title getting old anytime soon. A lot of games for the iPhone/iPod Touch have limited replay quality. But I have found myself jamming away at this title and having fun that is reminiscent of the good old days playing my friend's Sega Genesis during a Street Fighter 2 marathon.

The fighters returning to this title are your maim staples of the Street Fighter ga,es over the years. Including Ken, Ryu, Chun Li, Cammy, Blanka, M. Bison and several more. The game features a practice mode, single player campaign, and even Bluetooth multiplayer. It would have been nice to have the capability to play against other people via a wifi network connection, but hey; beggars can't be choosers, right? :)

Overall, this is a great title from the App Store. A little pricier than my usual app purchases, but I'm definitely happy with it. If you own an iDevice and love a good fighting title, check this one out!

App Store Link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/street-fighter-iv/id354655665?mt=8
Cost: $9.99
Rating: 5 out of 5.

 *Screen captures taken during play on my 2nd Generation iPod Touch.

read more