"If there is an app for that"

Thimbleweed Park is a Point-and-Click Adventure Full of Mystery and Humor

September 21, 2017 by RSS Feed

Thimbleweed Park ($9.99) by Terrible Toybox is the mobile port of the recently released point-and-click adventure game on Steam, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. If you enjoyed games like Layton's Mystery Journey and Samorost 3, then you'll like Thimbleweed Park.

When it comes to mobile games, one probably thinks of casual puzzles or high score chasers first. However, in recent years, plenty of point-and-click adventure games have originated on iOS, or even get ported over to mobile, proving that the platform is an excellent choice for many gamers who want to get their gaming fix on-the-go. I usually don't play too many point-and-click adventure games, but when I saw Thimbleweed Park has made its way onto iOS, I had to check it out for myself. As someone who hasn't played the game previously, I'm definitely not disappointed.

$15.99

Layton’s Mystery Journey

Level-5 Inc.

$4.99

Samorost 3

Amanita Design s.r.o

Visually, Thimbleweed Park is beautiful with a retro pixel art style that serves as a nice homage to the classic games of yesteryear. If you grew up with the 16-bit games on SNES and SEGA Genesis, then you'll feel right at home. Despite the pixelation, the game is packed with plenty of fine textures and details, and even has a pseudo-3d effect with the shadows and lighting. Animations are smooth and fluid, with no lag on my iPhone 7. There's an atmospheric soundtrack that is rather eerie, fitting in well with the tone and theme of the game. Thimbleweed Park also breaks the fourth dimension, as it pokes fun at itself through character dialogue. So if you love humor, there's plenty of that in Thimbleweed Park.

Since Thimbleweed Park is a point-and=click adventure game, that means players must go through the story in its entirety from start to finish. There are no levels to go through, and everything transitions seamlessly into each other. The story is linear, so you can't go out exploring until you've completed whatever needs to be done at that moment in time in the game. Fortunately, the story itself is rather interesting, and the characters are all unique and humorous in their own special ways.

Controls in Thimbleweed Park are simple and intuitive. To move your characters, just tap on the spot you want them to go to. Another option is to double-tap-and-hold to have them follow your thumb until you release the screen. The game also lets you control multiple characters, and you can easily switch between characters by tapping on the character portrait in the upper right corner and then choosing who you want to swap with.

The thing that sets Thimbleweed Park apart from other point-and-click adventure games is its distinctive interaction system. In the bottom left corner is a box with all of the different interactions you can do with the environment and objects: Open, Close, Give, Pick Up, Look At, Talk To, Push, Pull, and Use. To the right of this area is the stash of the character you're controlling at the moment. To do actions in this game, you'll have to select the verb, the subject, and then an object that receives the action.

For example, you may need to give Polaroid film to another character so that they can use their camera. Then you may want to give this Polaroid photo to someone else to see if they know anything about the case you're working on. You'll also want to push or pull doors to open or close them, pick up suspicious objects, use objects to solve puzzles, and much more.

Talking to your partners or other NPCs brings up several dialogue options on the screen where the actions were. Just tap on the one you want to pick, and listen to the characters talk or explain something to you. Again, the humor is rich in this game, so I recommend not skipping cutscenes.

Thimbleweed Park's story is an interesting one, because it starts off with a character who ends up getting murdered. But then you eventually control five other characters who mostly seem to have nothing to do with each other, except they're all deeply connected and being watched by a mysterious entity. Oh, and no one actually cares about the dead body, which you think is the central plot point as Agent Ray and Junior Agent Reyes are assigned on the case.

Like other point-and-click adventures, Thimbleweed Park is packed full of mystery and secrets that you'll end up discovering on your own. However, the control system means many more possible actions that you can do and the comedy is spot-on.

Thimbleweed Park is a point-and-click adventure game that's dark, mysterious, and packed full of humor.

The Good

There's a lot of good about Thimbleweed Park that should appeal to many people. The pixel art style is top notch and doesn't skimp out on important details. The music is immersive and captivating, while sound effects are fairly realistic (try using a water fountain). Controls seem a bit complex at first, but it's pretty simple and intuitive once you get the hang of things.

The best part about the game is the story, which hooks you right from the get-go, and the fourth dimension breaking humor will no doubt bring a smile to anyone's face. The game has multiple save slots and auto-saves after important parts of the story, so you never lose your progress.

The Bad

Even though Thimbleweed Park is an excellent title, it's still not for everyone. If you just don't usually get into point-and-click adventure games, then this may still not entice you. And again, the controls work, but it seems rather complicated from first glance, so it takes time to get used to. And even though the story is interesting, it does start off slow, like most point-and-click games, so it's not something you'll want if you prefer fast-paced titles.

The verdict

While I've tried out many point-and-click adventure games in the past, not many of them clicked with me. However, Thimbleweed Park seems different, which is probably due to the comedy involved with the characters, dialogue, and story. I also am a sucker for pixel art style games, so of course I had to check this one out when I saw it on the App Store. The interaction system is different and opens up many more possibilities on how you can interact with the world around you, which I love.

I recommend giving Thimbleweed Park a try if you're a fan of point-and-click adventures. You can find Thimbleweed Park on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for $9.99. It's also available on Steam, PS4, and Xbox One for $19.99.

9.1

OVERALL

Graphics 10

Sound/Music 10

Gameplay 9

Replayability 8

Game Controls 8.5

$9.99

Thimbleweed Park

Terrible Toybox, Inc.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 09/21/2017

September 21, 2017 by RSS Feed

NodeBeat - Playful Music for All , Cheerleader - Stay Productive , miniSynth 2 and more

iPhone:

miniSynth 2 ( $0.99 → Free ) Yonac Inc. You're able to mash away on the scrollable keyboard to create and record tunes whenever the moment strikes. The app features a 32-bit professional quality digital signal processor, allowing you to hear your tunes just as they were intended. The app also includes dual analog modeling oscillators, Audiobus input, MIDI-in, SoundCloud support, and 30 factory presets.

Universal:

NodeBeat - Playful Music for All ( $2.99 → Free ) AffinityBlue Drag different nodes all around the screen and connect them to each other to create pulsing sounds. There’s no wrong way to go about it, so just have fun. The app includes a variety of customization options like the ability to add gravity to nodes, adjustable pulse rate and beat sync, and echo volume. It also includes 20 musical scales, a seven octave range, all 12 musical key signatures, and the ability to record and send your tunes via email.

Cheerleader - Stay Productive ( $1.99 → Free ) Monkey Taps Cheerleader will get the positivity flowing. You’ll first be asked to set up when your daily reminders begin and end, and how many times you want them to be sent throughout the day. Then select your favorites from a wide variety of cheerful messages and they’ll help perk you up when needed. The app includes more than 30 themes to choose from, and the ability to share the messages.

InstaWeb: Web to PDF Converter ( $0.99 → Free ) DIGISET LLC InstaWeb allows you to convert any webpage into a PDF for later use. Point the built-in browser at any webpage and tap the PDF button to capture it. The captured webpage must be named before it's converted. InstaWeb also features a nifty option that allows you to remove the clutter and just save the text from the web page. The app includes the ability to organize PDF documents within folders, share them via AirDrop or email, or store them in Dropbox, Evernote, SkyDrive, Box, or Google Drive.

Color Accent ( $0.99 → Free ) 205L Studio Color Accent allows you to apply color splash effects in seconds. Drag your finger over the color you want to highlight using the magnification tool. You’re able to select multiple colors and adjust their intensities. Color Accent will do the rest by isolating all of the colors for you. You’re also able to manually add or remove color with a paintbrush. Color Accent also includes a variety of filters to choose from, and the ability to add stickers, drawings, or text over the top of your photos.

Pointillisted - Photo Artwork ( $0.99 → Free ) Eugene Liu Pointillisted allows you to create abstract art with ease. You’re able to choose from four different shapes: rectangle, circle, triangle, and hexagon. The complexity and scale of each point can be adjusted via sliders. Pointillisted even allows you to vary the size by color and isolate by hue, saturation, and brightness.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/apps-gone-free

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 09/20/2017

September 20, 2017 by RSS Feed

MyBrushes Pro – Paint, Draw and Sketch , Cross Training - Fit Workouts , After3D Prism - Craft 3D Art, Create 3D Models Pro and more

iPad:

MyBrushes Pro – Paint, Draw and Sketch ( $2.99 → Free ) effectmatrix What sets MyBrushes Pro apart from other art creation apps is its powerful drawing and painting engine. Every stroke is fast and silky smooth, no matter if you’re looking for precision or filling in large sections of the canvas. By the way, the canvas is infinite as are the layers, allowing you to create quite complex pieces of art. MyBrushes Pro also includes more than 100 preset brushes to choose from.

After3D Prism - Craft 3D Art, Create 3D Models Pro ( $3.99 → Free ) Guyverson Junior Vernous With After3D, anyone can create a 3-D design thanks to its unique interface. The screen is divided into two parts, with a preview of your model to the left and the drawing area to the right. The drawing area provides a simple 2-D view of your 3-D object. All you need to do is draw lines. The lines can be contorted and attached to each other to create the 3-D model. It’s surprisingly simple and effective. You’re able to share your creations as images or as files that 3-D printers can read.

Universal:

Cross Training - Fit Workouts ( $1.99 → Free ) MyTraining Servicos em Tecnologia da Informacao Ltda. Cross Training is one of the more straightforward fitness apps you’ll find. It includes 11 categories to choose from, with more than 50 workouts in total. The workouts in question are perfect for all fitness levels. Workouts feature a simple checklist system, allowing you to focus on your training. The app also contains definitions for workout types.

Farm Games Animal Games for Kids Puzzles for Kids ( $3.99 → Free ) Eggroll Games LLC You’re able to choose from nine farm-themed puzzles. Each puzzle can be broken up into as few as four pieces and as many as 24. Puzzles can include a background, and you’re able to overlay outlines in order to make fitting in the pieces a little easier. Completed puzzles can be interacted with, creating a fun environment to play in. An option is available to completely skip putting together the puzzles and jump straight to the interactive scenes.

Dino Rush ( $0.99 → Free ) Nemoid Studio Tap on the screen to cause Dundy to jump and fly over obstacles. You must continue to eat fruit to keep his energy levels and his speed up. Fail to do so and poor little Dundy will run out of energy and pass out. The game includes five worlds to explore, multiple characters to unlock, power-ups, and achievements and leaderboards via Game Center.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/apps-gone-free

Put the Links Together in the Puzzling Lynk

September 19, 2017 by RSS Feed

Lynk. ($0.99) by Michael Le is a new puzzle game that features a unique line drawing mechanic. If you enjoyed games like Linelight and Splitter Critters, then you'll get a kick out of Lynk.

When I'm under stress (and there's been a lot of that for me lately), I like to escape from reality with video games. My go-to genre of games are typically puzzles, because they keep my mind busy and stimulated while also helping me relax after a long day. Though it feels like I've been through all of the puzzle games on the App Store, I'm always looking out for something new and refreshing. When I saw Lynk on the App Store, it looked distinctive enough that I knew I had to check it out for myself.

$1.99

Linelight

Brett Taylor

$2.99

Splitter Critters

RAC7 Games

In terms of visuals, Lynk is as barebones as it gets. It's super minimal with just basic lines and geometric shapes set against a black background. If you're into simple and clean designs, then Lynk should be appealing in terms of graphics. Everything is rendered in 2D, so there's nothing too fancy. However, despite the simplicity, there's mesmerizing particle effects that are fun to watch as you successfully solve the puzzles. Since everything's set against a black background, the vibrant colors provide nice contrast. Animations are smooth and fluid, so there was no lag on my iPhone 7. While the game does not have a background soundtrack, there are soothing sound effects as you draw and make the links. Even though the game's audio and visual design is fairly basic, it works out well for what it is.

Like other puzzle games, Lynk is level-based. Players must go through each stage one-by-one in chronological order. The game does not provide you with a tutorial or hints, so it's all up to the player to discover the rules and mechanics of Lynk on their own.

The goal is pretty straightforward: connect the blue circles together, while getting all of the other objects and avoiding obstacles in the process. Oh, and your line can't cross over itself, so you'll have to be careful! Fortunately, the game doesn't penalize you for messing up, so it's rather relaxing. Lynk evolves over the 130 levels it provides in the initial download, so you learn the objectives as you go.

Controls in Lynk are simple and intuitive. To connect the blue circles, just draw a line with your finger from one to the other. Things start off easy enough, but then you'll have walls and mazes to maneuver through, green squares to collect, and more. Eventually, you'll also get red circles, but the only way to connect them is to connect the blue ones first, as the red ones mimic the blue line. This is trickier than it seems, because walls and other obstacles stand in the way, but it's entirely possible to have multiple solutions to a puzzle.

A path drawing puzzle game with a variety of mechanics.

The Good

Lynk is an incredibly relaxing puzzle game with a fresh premise that's nice to see in a marketplace oversaturated with puzzles. The minimalistic design should appeal to those who don't like a lot of fancy and flashy graphics, and the sound effects are whimsical. Controls are intuitive and friendly enough for anyone to pick the game up and play. Even without handholding and guidance, figuring out how to do things in Lynk is not hard, so this is a great game for anyone.

The Bad

For the most part, Lynk is a fantastic little puzzle game for everyone. But if you prefer a challenge and want something that makes the game harder, such as a time limit or move restrictions, then you won't find it here. And if you aren't a big fan of minimal design, then Lynk may not be for you. But if you can put these aside, Lynk is rather enjoyable.

The verdict

As a fan of puzzles and someone who feels like there's nothing new or interesting on the market, Lynk is like a breath of fresh air. I love the simple and clean aesthetic, and the sounds are delightful. Even though I usually like at least a little guidance when starting a game, I found Lynk to be straightforward enough without losing the player, which is nice. The puzzles themselves are challenging but not frustrating, and sometimes even make you think outside the box to solve.

I recommend giving Lynk a try if you're in search of a tranquil puzzle game this week. You can find Lynk on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $0.99. There are no in-app purchases.

8.4

OVERALL

Game Controls 9

Replayability 8

Graphics 8

Sound/Music 8.5

Gameplay 8.5

$0.99

Lynk.

Michael Le

Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 09/19/2017

September 19, 2017 by RSS Feed

Haze ~ Weather Forecasts , Planett: Simple daily & weekly todo list / planner , Fall Down | Endless and Level Game, Highscore Game and more

iPhone:

Haze ~ Weather Forecasts ( $0.99 → Free ) Franz Bruckhoff Haze puts some color into your forecast. The app boldly displays the current temperature in the middle of the screen. Tap on the temperature to get the forecasted high and low, feels like temperature, wind speed, and wind direction. A downward swipe will reveal a five-day forecast. The colorful background animations will reveal whether the high for tomorrow will be warmer, cooler, or stay the same based on the direction of the flow of the waves. Haze also includes sunshine hours, UV, cloud coverage, sunrise and sunset times, precipitation chances, humidity levels, atmospheric pressure, and loads of themes to choose from.

Planett: Simple daily & weekly todo list / planner ( $1.99 → Free ) Qi Meng Planett provides simplicity in a complex world. When adding a plan or a task, you’re asked to enter a description, location, date, and time. Your item will then be placed in a scrollable list on the main screen, where you can check it off, delete it, or move it to another day with just a swipe. Across the top of the screen you’ll see your entire week at a glance. As an added bonus, you can swap out the photo within the planner to either inspire or reflect your day.

Universal:

Fall Down | Endless and Level Game, Highscore Game ( $0.99 → Free ) Think Simple Pub. Fall Down requires patience and a steady hand. The object of the game is to navigate a ball around treacherous obstacles by bouncing it left and right with taps. One collision with an obstacle and it’s game over. Fall Down’s level mode includes five worlds with 10 levels in each. Its endless mode will have you competing for high scores.

Classroom Checkout ( $4.99 → Free ) FikesFarm, LLC Classroom Checkout makes it a breeze to keep track of books. As a teacher, you’re able to create an account and add books to the digital library via barcode scans. Then your students can create their own accounts using unique numeric login codes. Every time a book needs to be checked out, they can simply login to their account and scan the barcode.

SomaFM Radio Player ( $7.99 → Free ) SomaFM SomaFM doesn’t require any registration or additional purchases. Just launch the app, pick a station, and enjoy! Stations can be filtered by popularity or genre, and they can be marked as favorites for quick access. SomaFM offers high and low bandwidth streaming to help avoid data overages. It also includes background streaming support, the ability to share what you’re listening to, and Apple TV and AirPlay support.

Source link: http://appadvice.com/apps-gone-free