Athenion: Tactical CCG Review
November 20, 2020 by RSS Feed
Athenion might not have the pedigree of some other deck-building card games available for mobile, but that shouldn't put you off. This is a game that's packed full of bright ideas, fresh new gameplay modes and enough content that you can lose hours of your life to.
Battles take place on a 4x4 grid, and see you taking it in turns with your opponent to lay down cards. You draw up to five cards from your deck of forty at the start of every turn.
These are the units you're playing in the fight, and they range from hulking monsters to flighty fairies, from magical trees to fearsome undead dragons.
Your cards have arrows on them that you show you which direction they can attack. You'll also notice a bunch of other numbers on the cards. These let you know the hit points a card has, how powerful its attack is and how many soul points it grants you.
Those soul points let you attack your opponent and they're the key to victory. The first player to lose all of their own hit points is the loser.
There's a lot more going on than that though. For one thing you need to pick from one of six different factions before you even get to the fights.
These factions have different strengths and weaknesses and figuring out which of them best suits the way you want to play is the first step of a pretty long journey.
Different factions have different special moves as well. Some let you link together cards to make them more powerful, others are all about sacrificing weaker units to create pockets of dark magical energy. One lets you build giant rock walls that you can use to protect some of your units or power up others.
There are single-player challenges, regular events and much, much more as well. You're never short of something to do in Athenion, and the pace of the matches lets you get a lot of them in in a single setting.
The Good
There's a staggering amount of depth to Athenion. It's going to take you a good while to get to grips with the basics and once you've done that there are layers and layers to peel back. Every time you win you'll figure out a new strategy and every time you lose you'll be trying to find a way to right that wrong.
The game looks amazing too. The cards all sport a brilliant anime art-style and you'll want to collect all of them just so you can check them out. The speed of the fights is a massive plus too - they deliver huge chunks of tactical action in the sort of short-blast sessions that are perfect for mobile play.
On top of that there's a brilliant community to the game, and you never have to wait long to find an online battle. There are a number of different modes that let you practice with different decks, take part in intriguing events and fight it out in ranked and casual multiplayer matches.
The Bad
There's a pretty steep learning curve here, so if you're not in for the long haul then you might be better finding your card-based fun somewhere else. Even when you've got the basics down you've still got a lot to learn and it can be punishing to come up against an opponent who knows more than you do.
There are also a lot of currencies, crafting materials and other rewards to figure out. The game does tell you what they do, but the tutorials are pretty brief and you're left on your own for a lot of the time to try and get to the bottom of things.
Overall
Athenion might not be the easiest game to understand, but once things start clicking it becomes something really rather special. There are some brilliant ideas here and they're woven into a bright tapestry of gorgeous visuals and wonderfully paced mobile play.
It won't be to everyone's taste, and it's fair to say that some players are going to put it down before they've even got to the good bits, but this is one CCG that it's well worth sticking with.
8.2
OVERALL
Replayability 8.1
Game Controls 8.2
Graphics 8.7
Sound/Music 8.2
Gameplay 7.8
Athenion: Tactical CCG
ZERO-bit Company Limited
Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews
credit : appadvice
Live Out Your Wizarding Dreams in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
November 20, 2020 by RSS Feed
Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery (Free) by Jam City is the hot new mobile Harry Potter RPG that many of us Potterheads have been waiting for. Even though the main Harry Potter series of books and movies is long over, there's the new Fantastic Beasts series of films coming up, but in the meantime, we still need our Potter fix. That's where Hogwarts Mystery comes in.
Throughout my middle and high school years, I was a huge Harry Potter fan. I remember waiting eagerly for each new book release, and then reading the entire thing in a day because that's all I would do. However, I never quite got through the last book, I'm honestly not sure why, and I still haven't finished it to this day. I also only saw the first part of the Deathly Hallows movie, and I'm quite proud of myself for not having the ending of the original Harry Potter series ruined for me to this day. I'll get around to it one of these days (been saying that for years). Still, I'm a big fan of the series as a whole, and get merchandise and other stuff when I can. I've been awaiting a good Harry Potter game to play on-the-go, and Hogwarts Mystery is a good contender, though I'm not big on the freemium aspect.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Jam City, Inc.
Visually, Hogwarts Mystery is pretty decent. Everything is rendered in 3D, but it's more like last-gen graphics, similar to what you'd expect from PlayStation 3. The character model renderings look alright with their aesthetics and texture details, but they're a tad more blocky than I'd like. The world of Hogwarts and Diagon Alley are pretty true-to-life with the movies, and overall a nice representation of the Harry Potter world. There is quite a bit of dialogue and text to read through, as you'll be making choices, but the typefaces are easily legible. Animations are smooth and fluid, so there isn't any issue with lag or choppy frame rates on my iPhone 8 Plus. The music is whimsical (as expected) and the sound is pretty spot-on. If you're a Harry Potter fan, then this game does a good job in terms of visual and sound design.
Since Hogwarts Mystery is a role-playing game that takes place before Harry Potter attends Hogwarts, there's a standalone story to go along with the adventure. You are a young witch or wizard who's received their Hogwarts letter to attend the famous school of witchcraft and wizardry. You start out as just any other kid, then you're whisked away to Diagon Alley to get your materials for the school year, and then finally Hogwarts Castle.
Even though this is a role-playing game, it's fairly on-rails. What I mean is the fact that you're guided through a lot of the scenarios, and there's not much free-range exploration to do, as you can quickly jump to where you need to go to advance the story. As you interact with other characters, you'll be asked to make decisions that affect your character's attributes, friendships and rivalries, and the ending. You'll need to be careful about who you build relationships with, since you'll want to work together with your House to earn points for the House Cup.
Speaking of houses, I was a little disappointed with how the Sorting Hat worked here. I was expecting the Hat to ask you questions and then judge your house sorting based on the answers you provide. Instead, the Sorting Hat merely asks you what house you hope for and then you pick the one you want. That's it — the Sorting Hat throws you in to the house you picked and calls it a day. Even though I like that it gives you the freedom to choose your favorite house (Slytherin is best), I thought the process could have been more personalized and true. So I was a tad disappointed with the Sorting Hat.
As you embark on your journey as a student at Hogwarts, you'll go into scenarios that have timers attached to them. These include things like taking classes, learning spells and potions, and getting out of hairy situations. To clear these scenes, you need to earn two stars on them. Each scene features objects in the environment that you can interact with through taps, and it fills up the gauge. However, sometimes these activities require energy for each tap, which I thought was dumb and annoying. You only start out with so much energy, and if you're out, you must purchase more with the purple crystals (premium currency).
Because of this, I'm stuck in a room trapped with Devil's Snare for eight hours because I'm out of energy to perform taps and don't have enough crystals to get more. This is the first paywall and I'm surprised that it came so early on. It's rather annoying, to say the least.
I did enjoy other activities, such as learning spells and making potions. These usually consist of mini-games, like tapping the screen at the right time, or tracing out lines and shapes for spell casting.
In the beginning of the game, you're able to customize the look of your character. If you made a mistake, you can change anything at any time, but you'll also unlock more items as you progress in the game and level up from completing chapters. However, you'll need coins and purple gems to buy the "cooler" looking hairstyles, clothing, and accessories, and they're pretty pricey.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery lets anyone play out their wizarding dreams on-the-go.
The Good
Hogwarts Mystery is a decent addition for Harry Potter fans. The graphics look a tad dated, but are fine for a mobile game. Music and sound is well done, and falls in line with expectations. There's a lot of activities to do during your time at Hogwarts, and the interactions with other characters is an important part of the game. The mini-games are not too difficult, and being able to cast spells and partake in duels is what every Potter fan has dreamed of for years.
The Bad
While I want to like Hogwarts Mystery, there are some aspects of it that leave a sour taste in my mouth. For one, the energy system and timers are pretty dumb. I get that it's a free game, but really, a tap costs one energy in certain situations? It's the fastest energy burning time sink I've seen so far, and having to wait to complete a scenario is just annoying. Plus, you can't leave until it's done, so you're stuck waiting around. Another thing that bothered me a bit was how expensive the character customization can be. It's more like nickel-and-diming you for every little thing. Plus, I'm a bit disappointed that I can't just freely roam and explore Hogwarts to my heart's content.
The verdict
As a big Harry Potter fan, I'm still enjoying the fact that Hogwarts Mystery lets me live out my Hogwarts dreams. The visuals are okay, and the sound is great. The on-rails experience means you aren't going to get lost or confused, and always know where to go or what to do next. I like the mini-games for casting spells, making potions, and dueling since they have intuitive controls. Tough choices are going to be made, and I like that it affects the dynamic storyline. I just wish that the timers and energy system weren't the way they are, and that customization options were a bit cheaper.
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is available on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for free. There are in-app purchases.
7.9
OVERALL
Replayability 8
Sound/Music 8.5
Gameplay 8
Game Controls 7.5
Graphics 7.5
Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Jam City, Inc.
Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews
credit : midatlanticconsulting
Supertype Focuses on the Weight and Sound of Letters
November 20, 2020 by RSS Feed
Supertype ($0.99) by Philipp Stollenmayer is a new word puzzle game that changes how you think about words. If you enjoyed games like Spelltower, Alphabear, and TypeShift, then Supertype is another fine addition to your word game collection.
As a writer, I have a thing for word games. They're relaxing for me and rather stimulating. Plus, I love words much more than numbers — it's kind of my thing, after all. While word games aren't filling up the App Store as they did a few years ago, I'm still always looking out for new ones, especially if they aren't just another Scrabble clone. I heard about Supertype a few months ago, and it was something so different that I couldn't wait for its release. Now it's finally here, and I must say, this is a completely fresh approach to word games in general, and it shouldn't be missed.
SpellTower
Zach Gage
Alphabear: Word Puzzle Game
Spry Fox LLC
Typeshift
Zach Gage
Visually, Supertype has a unique and textured aesthetic style that makes it stand out from the crowd. The game is rendered completely in 2D, but features a textured background like canvases and wallpapers. The lines, shapes, and letters in each stage appear as if they're inked on the paper, which I love. There's nothing quite as satisfying as watching ink get absorbed into quality paper, and Supertype brings back those memories for me. Each stage is distinctive, and the sans serif typeface that the game uses is beautiful. Sans serif fonts with straight edges is my preferred kind of typography, so seeing it everywhere in Supertype made me happy. There's no base soundtrack to the game, but the sound effects as letters move around and hit other objects generates a one-of-a-kind soundtrack that'll be different for everyone. Supertype proves that sometimes, less is more.
Like many other puzzle games, Supertype is level-based. The game launches and places a puzzle in front of you, and gives you another once you solve it — rinse and repeat. The goal of Supertype is straightforward: have the letters touch all of the small squares together. You can tap on the "Home" button in the bottom left corner to reset a puzzle or go back to the level select screen.
While this sounds easy enough, it gets pretty tricky. You have to think about how certain letters fall, how much they weigh, and even how they sound. On every level, there are different shapes and objects laid out, and the squares you want are scattered about.
Controls in Supertype are intuitive and friendly enough for everyone. Tap on the screen to bring up the keyboard, and then type in some letters — it doesn't even have to be a real word, and you don't need to take up all of the indicated spaces. Just tap on the checkmark button on the keyboard and watch gravity do its thing. Other times, there are already letters put on the screen, and you must draw a line with your finger (not over the letters) to guide them to the squares. Sometimes there are fans that push letters up, and other objects that can affect where your letters go, so think about your letter choice and make use of them.
When you go back to the level selection screen, you can view completed stages with the letters you used, and you can also attempt the next few stages ahead of you, as a few get unlocked at a time. The game has over 100 puzzles, so there's some good bang for your buck here.
A letter based puzzler that isn't your traditional word game.
The Good
Supertype is a refreshing new word puzzle game that will appeal to many. The visuals are a nice mix of old timey and modern, especially those little buttons of various printed paper that splash onto the screen once you solve a puzzle. And while there's no static soundtrack, the sounds that each letter generates creates a nice dynamic track that's unique and fresh. The controls are easy to learn, and the gameplay itself is different, challenging, and fun. This is a word game that is unlike anything you've played before, and it's a refreshing addition for word game aficionados.
The Bad
Supertype is packed with a lot of good stuff, but I did notice that it's a bit glitchy with the button to go to the level select screen. I noticed that sometimes it would appear in the bottom left corner, but sometimes it wouldn't be there, and only show up on the keyboard itself. It's a minor detail, but left me a bit puzzled at first.
The verdict
As a lover of word games, Supertype is one that did not disappoint. The gameplay is interesting and makes me think about letters from a different perspective now, and it's just downright fun to watch and hear them get juggled around. The graphics are gorgeous, and everything runs pretty smoothly, aside from the glitch with the menu button. I'd recommend giving Supertype a try if you're in search of a word and puzzle game.
Supertype is on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad.
8.9
OVERALL
Gameplay 10
Game Controls 9
Graphics 9
Replayability 8.5
Sound/Music 8
supertype
Philipp Stollenmayer
Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews
credit : appadvice
Be More Productive With Google Tasks
November 20, 2020 by RSS Feed
Google Tasks: Get Things Done (Free) by Google is the official app for managing your tasks and to-dos associated with your Google account. The app came out earlier in the week, which should be appealing to users of the service, which was previously only available through the web.
Ever since I got my first iPhone back in 2008 and then joined the lovely AppAdvice team, I've grown into a kind of productivity nut. I never really kept track of a digital calendar until I got an iPhone, at which point I started to just use Google Calendar for everything. I also went through many different task managers, writing apps, and other miscellaneous things to up my productivity levels. Even though I've come to settle down on a workflow that works for me (Things 3 is what I currently use), I can't help but check out other to-do apps as they come along. So when I saw Google Tasks hit the App Store this week, I had to give it a go, especially considering the fact that most of my stuff is on Google anyways.
Google Photos
Google, Inc.
Google Calendar
Google, Inc.
Things 3
Cultured Code GmbH & Co. KG
OmniFocus 2
The Omni Group
Visually, Google Tasks is simple and clean. If you've used other Google apps and services before, then Tasks will look familiar to you right away. It's definitely not the prettiest thing to look at, but no one uses Google services because they're pretty, it's more about functionality. Tasks features plenty of whitespace and bold headers so you know exactly where you are in your lists. The app is fast and responsive, with smooth transition animations as you navigate through the app and edit items. And since this uses Google's cloud, syncing data is fast and seamless across multiple devices, such as between your iPhone and the web (this version needs some work).
When you launch Tasks, you'll need to sign in to your Google account, obviously. Most of us should already have a Google account by now, but you can also make one if you don't use Google's productivity suite yet.
Once you sign in, your default screen is "My Tasks." This is like the inbox for your items, and where they go to by default if you don't add to a specific list. Speaking of, Tasks only has support for lists, so if you wanted to create projects, such as "Work" with multiple jobs, then you're out of luck. You can switch lists at any time by tapping on the hamburger button in the bottom left corner and then selecting the list you want to view. You can also create a new list from here as well.
Creating a new list is fairly barebones — just give it a name, and then hit "Done." It gets saved and you have an empty list, ready to get to work. When you want to add a new task, just tap on the large button in the center, and it brings up the prompt. Type in your task, and then tap on the "+" button for additional details like notes and a due date.
Unfortunately, Google Tasks does not support due times, which is something I prefer, with deadlines to meet. Maybe it's something that Google could consider in the future, but it may or may not be a deal breaker for some.
If you decide you need a task to be in a different list, it's easy to move. Just view the item in question, and then tap on the list in the upper left corner, then pick where you want to move it to. Or you can trash it with the button in the top right.
Google Tasks does come with support for subtasks straight out of the box, though, so at least there's that. You can add subtasks to any existing task in a list, and there's no limit on the number of subtasks you can have. You can check off each subtask off as you complete them, but checking off the main task also marks any subtasks as done in one go.
A nice thing about Google Tasks is that it has the ability to create tasks for you from emails. When you use Gmail to directly add a task, you can check out your tasks in the sidebar of Gmail. Tasks even let you trace it back to the source, in case you forget where it came from.
Previously only available on the web, Google Tasks is now a standalone app.
The Good
Google Tasks is a great choice to consider for tasks if you are already using Google's other G Suite apps, such as Gmail and Calendar. The mobile app looks a lot nicer than the web version, and it's fast and simple. It's not a complicated app, so those who are usually scared off by complex task managers like OmniFocus should definitely take a look at Google Tasks.
The Bad
I can see Google Tasks being good enough for those who don't want anything too complicated. However, I'm not a fan of the lack of due times with dates, and I wish I could organize lists together in a collection or project. Perhaps it's something that can be considered in the future.
The verdict
While I use Google for a lot of things (Calendar, Gmail, Contacts, and Photos), I don't think I'll be sticking with Tasks. While I like the simplicity of the design, it's just too barebones for me. However, if you don't need a complicated task manager and just need something that handles basic lists with subtasks or integrates with Gmail, then Tasks is a good fit. But if you need more powerful features, then I recommend looking elsewhere.
Google Tasks is available on the iPhone App Store for free.
7.8
OVERALL
iPhone Integration 8
User Interface 8
Is engaging 8
Lasting appeal 7.5
Does it well 7.5
Google Tasks: Get Things Done
Google LLC
Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews
credit : appadvice
Throw Axes and Slay Your Foes in AXE.IO
November 20, 2020 by RSS Feed
AXE.IO (Free) by Crescent Moon Games is a brutal battleground arena game. If you enjoy games like Fortnite and PUBG Mobile, but want something a bit less serious and more comical, then AXE.IO is a good choice.
When I need to take my mind off of things for a bit, I turn to video games. Whether it's puzzles or some arcade action, it usually helps ease my mind. But lately, I've been needing something a bit more action-packed, something that lets me take my anger out in a non-harmful way. So when I saw AXE.IO on the App Store, I knew it was going to be a good fit.
Fortnite
Epic Games, Inc.
PUBG MOBILE
Tencent Mobile International Limited
Visually, AXE.IO has a distinctive, low-poly art style that seems popular these days, especially since Horizon Chase. It reminds me a tiny bit of Fortnite, since it's rather cartoony, but the characters are modeled after fantasy and medieval designs, rather than modern young adults. The arenas are not vast and huge as PUBG and Fortnite, but there's still plenty of space to move around as you try to survive. The colors are bright and colorful, with some muted earthy tones thrown in to the mix. Animations are smooth and fluid on my iPhone 8 Plus, though I get some lag and frame rate issues when a lot is going on. The soundtrack is rather exhilarating and action-packed too.
There's four game modes in AXE.IO: Arena, Deathmatch, Battleground, and Dragon Hunter. Arena is the default mode, and lets you partake in small 6-player arenas, where you fight for as long as you can. Deathmatch puts you up against players in real-time, and you can keep reviving and trying again until time's up. Battleground puts 50 players on a map and you fight to be the lone survivor. Dragon Hunter is more of a co-op mode, where you team up with others (instead of fighting them) to defeat huge dragons.
No matter which mode you choose, AXE.IO is just brutal multiplayer fun with throwing axes and other melee weapons. The controls are easy to pick up as well. To move around in the arena, just use the virtual joystick in the bottom left corner. Opposite of that, in the right corner, you have buttons for throwing your axe, rolling to evade, and even a sword attack if you have a sword equipped.
AXE.IO, as the name implies, involves throwing axes to kill your enemies. To do this, you'll want to make sure that green arrow in front of your character is aimed towards your target, and then you just tap on that axe button to throw, hopefully hitting them. Those axes land in their skulls for some nice, brutal kills, which is exactly what the game was going for. But since you just threw your axe, you'll become vulnerable until you pick up another axe laying around, ready to strike your next target.
As you get kills in the arenas, you'll earn experience points, represented by the gold coin drops from fallen foes. The higher your level is, the more advantages you'll have in battle. That's because there are tons of items just laying around, such as multiple axes, swords, and shields, but they require a higher level to use. Having such items protect you from more hits, and let you dish out more hits without having to find another axe laying around.
You have the opportunity to earn crystals as you play, which can be spent on new character unlocks. Each character has their own unique trait. There are also skills that get unlocked, and if you use them with the right character, their abilities get boosted. It's important to match the right skill with the proper character for maximum efficiency.
If you die, you can spend some gems to revive with all of your existing items and level, or watch an ad for the same purpose. Otherwise, if you revive, you start back at level one and all items are lost. Be careful though — you only get one continue, so use it wisely.
AXE.IO is an intense and brutal multiplayer battlegrounds arena game that is perfect for bite-size mobile gaming sessions.
The Good
AXE.IO is a fun and entertaining pocket battleground game that's sure to keep you busy for some time. The graphics are nice, the music is fun, and the gameplay is challenging, considering that it's against other real players from all over the world. The controls work out nicely, and it's hard to stop once you get used to the system, even if you end up dying a lot.
The Bad
Like other battleground games, you're going to die a lot in AXE.IO. If you get frustrated because of a lot of deaths, then perhaps AXE.IO is not the type of game for you. However, it's all really in good fun, so you shouldn't be too serious about it. Plus even if you don't usually play these types of games, AXE.IO is a lot easier than games like Fortnite and PUBG, so it gives everyone a more fair chance of playing and rising in the ranks quickly.
The verdict
I've never played any .IO games before, but AXE.IO is a pretty fun one, I must admit. I enjoy low-poly graphics, so the visuals appeal to me, and the cartoonish style works considering the nature of the game. The music is fun and delightful, along with the sound effects. Controls are intuitive and not too complicated, considering the battlegrounds theme, so it's friendly enough for everyone. I just wish that there wasn't so much lag when the action gets pretty intense, as that has screwed me up a few times in the middle of combat. Not that big of a deal though, since it's so fast-paced, but some optimizations would be nice.
AXE.IO is available on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for free. There are in-app purchases for characters and gems.
8.4
OVERALL
Game Controls 9
Replayability 8.7
Graphics 8
Sound/Music 8
Gameplay 8.5
AXE.IO
Crescent Moon Games
Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews
credit : appadvice
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