"If there is an app for that"

Save Ninjas from Experimentation in Mr Future Ninja

June 20, 2017 by RSS Feed

Mr Future Ninja ($3.99) by Appsolute Games and Huijaus Studios is a stealth-based puzzle platformer game that is set in a futuristic world. If you enjoyed games such as Slayaway Camp and Red’s Kingdom, then the chances are high that you’ll like what Mr Future Ninja has to offer.

When life is stressful (and it has been recently), I like to escape with some video games. No matter what the genre, I find games to be a great way for me to take my mind off of things in reality and just forget about what’s going on for a few minutes or several hours. While I love a large variety of genres, one of my favorites will always be the puzzle and platformer game, even if there’s a bit of stealth (I’m not so strong in a lot of stealth titles). When I heard of Mr Future Ninja, I was intrigued because of the style and concept, and after spending some time with it, I can say that it’s definitely worth a look, though it isn’t without its own flaws.

App Feels Like

$1.99

Slayaway Camp

Blue Wizard Digital Inc

$2.99

Red's Kingdom

Cobra Mobile Limited

$3.99

Monument Valley

ustwo Games Ltd

$4.99

Monument Valley 2

ustwo Games Ltd

Visually, Mr Future Ninja is stunningly gorgeous and is what I would consider some appealing eye candy. With the game taking place in a futuristic world, it clearly shows with the architecture of each stage, which consists of isometric-like grids, similar to what you would find in Monument Valley. Mr Future Ninja packs in a lot of pizazz with the bold and vibrant neon lights, and some levels feature slightly blurry dreamscapes and softer hues that are pleasant on the eyes. Animations are smooth and fluid on my iPhone 7, so there was no issue with lag or choppy frame rates. The ambient soundtrack is delightful to listen to, and the sound effects are a fun touch. Huijaus Studios did a great job with the visual and audio design of Mr Future Ninja, which shows how much thought and care they put into it during the two-and-a-half years of development.

Like other games of the genre, Mr Future Ninja is level-based, and players must clear the current stage before they are able to move on to the next one. At the moment, the game can be considered fairly short, because there are only 19 levels total, which is a bit of a letdown. Maybe more levels can be added in the future, but who knows. Regardless, Mr Future Ninja has a basic plot going on, which involves a ninja clan that’s been captured by an evil corporation that wants to conduct experiments on all clan members. This experiment involves cloning the ninjas and sell them as mindless servants in a service called Mr Future Ninja. One lonely ninja manages to escape, and then it’s up to him (and the player) to free the rest of the ninjas. The goal in each stage is to help the ninja(s) get from the starting point to the glowing portal at the end, all while avoiding dangerous obstacles and dispatching your foes. Mr Future Ninja starts off simple enough, but things get a bit more tricky as you rescue other ninjas and they join you on your quest.

Controls in Mr Future Ninja are simple enough, though it does take time to get used to and master. To move around, there’s a virtual joystick in the bottom left corner of the screen. This joystick is not permanently affixed in the corner, so you can place your thumb somewhere else and the joystick will follow. If you need visual confirmation of the joystick, there’s an option to have it displayed whenever it’s active.

In the bottom right corner will be action joysticks for your ninjas. You first start off with the purple ninja, who is able to throw shurikens to attack guards and activate switches on the walls. Moving your thumb around on this joystick lets you slow down time while you aim your shuriken, and releasing your thumb will throw it. The green ninja can dash, and the functionality works similarly with the purple ninja. Eventually you will get a third ninja as well. You can have all of the ninjas group together by running by them, and if you want to separate them, just drag their button away from the cluster. Switching to a different ninja is done by tapping on their button.

Again, the game starts out easy but as you add ninjas to your group, things get more complicated. You’ll have to solve puzzles by working together as a team, which means thinking about each ninja’s abilities and using them all together to get past tricky obstacles and enemies.

Though the control layout is decent, I found the controls to be a bit clunky when it came time to quickly switch characters, separate them, and aim their unique abilities. Sometimes I ended up doing an action that I did not intend to do, and it would mess up my flow. I would like to see better control optimization in a future update.

Mr Future Ninja was in development for a long time, and it shows in the final product. The game itself is beautiful with exquisite graphics, and the sounds are satisfying. The gameplay proves to be rather challenging, despite the short nature of the game, and it’s actually hard to stop once you get going. It’s a fantastic mashup of three different genres, and I like how each ninja has it’s own contribution to the group.

While Mr Future Ninja is a good game, that’s not to say that it doesn’t have its own set of flaws. The controls work decently enough, but can feel clunky at times, which lead to mishaps during the game. Hopefully the developers can better streamline the controls in a future update so that it isn’t so easy to make mistakes. Also, it would be nice to see more levels, because for the price, there should be more than 19 stages.

Overall, Mr Future Ninja is a good game for those who like stealth, puzzle, and platforming games all combined into one title. I fell in love with this game as soon as I saw the unique visual style, and I’m not disappointed in that area. The gameplay is fun too, and rather challenging as you get further along in the game. I just wish that the controls were better, and it wasn’t so short. I’d recommend this game if you don’t mind the shorter length, and also enjoy stealthy puzzle games with a dash of platforming mechanics. But if you prefer to get games that give you the most bang for your buck, then I’d look elsewhere.

Mr Future Ninja can be found on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for $3.99. There are no in-app purchases.

8.0

OVERALL

Graphics 9

Gameplay 9

Sound/Music 8

Replayability 7

Game Controls 7

$3.99

Mr Future Ninja

Appsolute Games LLC

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

Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow for iPhone and iPad Launches on June 29th

June 20, 2017 by RSS Feed

Get ready for a new Futurama fix because Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow is coming to the App Store on June 29th. The iPhone and iPad game teams up the TV show’s voice actors, writers, and animators for what they’re calling new episodes rolled into a video game. The developer, Tinyco, has a teaser video out featuring the heads of Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Bill Nye, Stephen Hawking, and George Takei that also shows off a little of the game play. Like we said when we first heard about the game, shut up and take my money.

Check It Out: Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow for iPhone and iPad Launches on June 29th

Source link: https://www.macobserver.com/cool-stuff-found/futurama-worlds-of-tomorrow-june-29th/

FRAMED 2 Brings More Noir Style Puzzle Goodness

June 19, 2017 by RSS Feed

FRAMED 2 ($4.99) by Loveshack is the sequel to the critically-acclaimed Framed, which came out during the end of 2014. If you’ve never played the original FRAMED, it’s a noir-styled puzzle game where you rearrange animated comic book panels to determine the final outcome. At the time, FRAMED was certainly a unique puzzle game, and the sequel is proving to be just as delightful.

Over the years, I’ve gone through a lot of iOS games on my iPhones, especially puzzles, and most titles take the same cookie cutter concept and run with it, just adding their own aesthetics to make it seem different. So in the crowded puzzle game marketplace, it’s hard to find games that really stand out from the rest of them, but there have been a few real gems through the years, and FRAMED was certainly one of those special gems. I fell in love with the original FRAMED when it was released (I reviewed it), so when I heard that Loveshack was releasing a sequel, I was ecstatic for its release. Now that it’s out, I can confirm that it was well worth the wait.

App Feels Like

$3.99

FRAMED

Loveshack Entertainment Pty Ltd

Visually, FRAMED 2 hasn’t changed too much from it’s predecessor. The game still features noir style graphic novel artwork that looks fantastic. Since it’s like a comic book, everything is rendered in 2-D, but at times it feels like 3-D because of how the panels are angled and then transition into each other. FRAMED 2 has plenty of different environments that you’ll come across, and all of the settings are incredibly detailed and even realistically textured, so it really comes to life and provides excellent contrast with the black silhouettes of the characters. Animations are buttery smooth and fluid, so watching the panels flow seamlessly into each other is never an issue and makes it feel like you’re watching a movie. To top things off, FRAMED 2 has a rather atmospheric jazz soundtrack that is fairly immersive. Unfortunately, if you aren’t a big fan of the jazzy soundtrack, there is no way to turn it off at the moment (even if your device is set to silent), so you’ll have to tolerate it for now. Once again though, Loveshack has done an excellent job in terms of the visual aesthetic of the game, as well as the music.

Like the original game, FRAMED 2 features a set of levels that blend together seamlessly, so players have to solve each puzzle before they can advance in the story. Speaking of story, the events in FRAMED 2 take place before FRAMED, so essentially, FRAMED 2 is a prequel. So if you have yet to experience FRAMED, then it might be a good idea to play FRAMED 2 first, and then jump into FRAMED to see how the complete story plays out. If you feel like going back to a previous stage to either replay it for fun or even try to find all of the collectible Polaroids, then you can access the game’s menu at any time and jump back to the level select screen. The objective of FRAMED 2 is simple: rearrange the panels in the correct order so that the characters can get from the starting panel to the ending panel safely in order to move on to the next area. It sounds easy enough, but don’t be fooled — some puzzles are trickier than others, and you will probably end up solving a few of them just through trial-and-error.

Controls in FRAMED 2 are easy enough for anyone to pick up, and it’s all done rather intuitively. The main control mechanism is the rearranging of panels, so keep your eye on the panels with slightly thicker outlines — these are the ones that you are able to move. Otherwise, if they have a super thin outline, especially the start and end panels, that means that they cannot be moved. As you start each new scene, it plays out automatically, but you can still rearrange the panels if you’re quick enough. But if the first time is a failure, the scene just stops and you can rearrange freely, and once you’re satisfied with your combination, just tap on the “Play” button to watch it unfold. If a panel can be reused and swapped again, it won't gray out. Otherwise, you're stuck and have to watch how it plays out first before trying again.

While the majority of the puzzles involve moving the panels around to find the correct sequence of events, some puzzles require extra elements to solve. For example, sometimes a panel must be rotated for you to find the proper path, or you may need to rearrange the hands on a clock. Other times you’ll want to look for patterns in the background to find hidden input codes that you need to gain access to rooms, and much more. These additional game mechanics are an interesting addition to the game, and help keep you on your toes because you’ll never know what’s going to be coming next as you unravel the story.

Much like the original, FRAMED 2 is an excellent addition to anyone’s puzzle game collection. This follow-up contains the same amazing visual style as the first game, but with even more polish. The way that each scene plays out and transitions into the next is beautiful, and fully immersive. The distinctive controls and gameplay make this title a captivating experience for anyone, and there are even fun collectible Polaroids that you can find as you play, which add to the replay value, especially if you consider yourself a completionist.

While the music in the game is done well, it can be considered a flaw since it will play, regardless if you have your device on silent or not. There should be a way to turn the music off if needed, and it should respect your decision if you need silent mode on. Though some puzzles will take several tries before you figure out the solution, overall, the game is considered fairly short if you play through it all in one sitting.

I had been awaiting FRAMED 2 for a while now, and as a big fan of the first game, I must say that this follow-up does not disappoint. Even if you have not played the first game before (though now is a perfect time to), FRAMED 2 is still enjoyable because it’s a standalone story in its own right. Plus, who can resist these stylish visual effects and jazzy soundtrack? And FRAMED has always been a great mobile game since rearranging the panels is a snap with touch controls, so everything is rather responsive and easy to learn. The collectible Polaroid images extend the longevity of the game a bit, though it is still considered short by many. Still, FRAMED 2 is a nice addition to puzzle game collections.

I recommend FRAMED 2 if you were a fan of the original game or just love a unique puzzle game with a storyline that follows the “show, don’t tell” technique. You can find FRAMED 2 on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV for $4.99. There are no in-app purchases.

9.0

OVERALL

Game Controls 10

Graphics 10

Gameplay 9

Replayability 8

Sound/Music 8

$4.99

FRAMED 2

Loveshack

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

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 06/19/2017

June 19, 2017 by RSS Feed

Simple Habit Tracker , Radio Live! deluxe , LightEaters! and more

iPhone:

Radio Live! deluxe ( $0.99 → Free ) Eric MILLET Radio Live puts your favorite stations at your fingertips. You’re able to browse stations by genre or region of the world. Local stations are automatically displayed for you, but you can reorder and edit the list however you wish. As long as the station supports it, the title of the song, artist name, and album cover art will be displayed. The app also includes support for landscape orientation and AirPlay.

Universal:

Simple Habit Tracker ( $1.99 → Free ) HighDream Simple Habit Tracker isn’t just simple, it’s also beautiful. It includes a collection of 200 ways to improve your life, which can be browsed with a swipe. You’re able to filter habit ideas by category: Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual. If you already know what you want to focus on, you can create your own custom habit. Reminders will help you stay on track, and you can track your progress with detailed stats.

LightEaters! ( $3.99 → Free ) BrightLocker, Inc. In LightEaters, it’s up to you to explore the darkness. Every level has a key to be found and an exit to be reached. You’re able to move your character around the pitch black environments with taps and swipes. If you come across a LightEater, you must disable your flashlight to avoid confrontation. Passing by LightEaters will eat way at your nerve meter, and if it gives out, you’ll have to start all over. The game includes 35 levels, power-ups, and a variety of secrets to discover.

Magnifier Flash - A magnifying glass with light ( $0.99 → Free ) Tekton Technologies (P) Ltd. Sometimes the simplest apps can be the best. Magnifier Flash proves that point. It allows you to zoom in on your subject at up to 6x magnification, and you can light it up with your iDevice’s LED flash. You can even snap a photo of what you’re looking at while zoomed in to save it for later.

Princess Fairy Tale Coloring Wonderland for Kids and Family Preschool Ultimate Edition ( $2.99 → Free ) Eggroll Games LLC We’re recommending Princess Fairly Tale Coloring Wonderland today because it does a great job of guiding your child along the way. They get to color in 11 difference scenes with just a tap. As your child works their way through each scene, new interactive characters and items will appear out of nowhere. The app also includes helpful hints, so even young children can join in on the fun.

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

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 06/18/2017

June 18, 2017 by RSS Feed

Word Seek HD , Mechanical Box , Drawing Grid & Outline Tracing by Myvinchy and more

iPhone:

Drawing Grid & Outline Tracing by Myvinchy ( $1.99 → Free ) Julian Praest Myvinchy allows you to draw like you’re using tracing paper. Take a photo of your subject or utilize one of the built-in templates, and customize the outline to meet your specific needs. Then place your iDevice above your sheet of paper, and you’ll be able to see the outlines laid over the top. The assistance mode allows for maximum precision by reducing shaking and having the stencil follow your drawing.

Universal:

Word Seek HD ( $0.99 → Free ) Idealix, Inc. Word Seek HD provides you with letter grids of either 4x4 or 5x5. Your job is to find as many valid words as possible within the grid before time runs out. Just drag your finger over letters and release when a word has been completed. At the end of the game you’ll be able to see your score, the percentage of words found, total words possible, and all possible words within the grid.

Mechanical Box ( $0.99 → Free ) Andrey Sklyarov The Mechanical Box will tease your brain. No rules. No instructions. Just break into the box using all of your problem solving skills. You’ll have to hunt for passwords, find secret switches, and even use brute force to crack the codes. Only 10 percent of players will find be able to find out what’s inside. Will you be one of them?

Digits, the calculator for humans ( $3.99 → Free ) Shift Digits is great for quick calculations yet powerful enough to handle pages of them. Its editable tape ensures you’ll never lose track of what you’ve entered. Simply tap on any tape entry to bring up a pop-up menu that allows you to delete, edit, insert, total, save, copy, use, or comment. Digits also allows you to share or print your tape.

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