"If there is an app for that"

Parallyzed is a Challenging Platform Runner About Sisterly Love

November 08, 2016 by macjeff

Parallyzed: Surreal Platform Runner ($2.99) by Double Coconut LLC is a challenging runner game that tests your platforming and reflexive skills. If you enjoyed titles like Duet Game, Entwined Challenge, and Almost Impossible, then you will like what Parallyzed brings to the table.

While I may not always show my emotions clearly when it comes to various forms of entertainment like movies and television (with a few exceptions), I think it’s different when it comes to games. That’s because games let me take part in the story, and I feel a bit closer to the characters because of this. I experienced this with some games before, such as Stay, Mum, because who doesn’t relate to stories that involve close ties with family? Earlier this week I reviewed Roofbot, but I wasn’t aware that the same developers also had another game on the App Store — Parallyzed. I was intrigued to this title because of the sisterly bond thing, which I have in real life, so I had to give it a shot myself. Needless to say, while it comes from the same developer as Roofbot, it’s an entirely different game experience.

Visually, Parallyzed is gorgeous, as the game features an enchanting dreamscape setting that is full of both wonder and darkness. The character models for the sisters are drawn in a simplistic style but the design still stands out nicely, and the colors in the backdrops are vibrant and lush. But while the colored parts of the game look beautiful, there are plenty of dark elements as well, such as the Limbo-like silhouettes of the platforms and obstacles that you’ll come across. The light particle effects are done nicely, and the animations overall are smooth and fluid. The atmospheric soundtrack behind the game carries a rather spooky and eerie tone to it, which is fitting given the grim nature of the game. Again, Double Coconut has done another fantastic job in terms of visuals and audio.

While Parallyzed is a runner at the core, it is not an infinite runner, so it is level-based. The game starts you off with two tutorial stages that explain the core game mechanics before you are left to your own vices. In Parallyzed, you’ll find the story of two twin sisters who are deeply connected to each other, though they both have their own personalities, abilities, and attributes. But one day, the older sister, Red, goes into a jealous moment and pushes her younger sister, Blue, off of a swing, which resulted in her paralysis. With Red’s unique ability to enter Blue’s mind, she hopes to work with her to help bring her back from her coma and into the real world. The goal in each stage is to help both Red and Blue reach the endpoint in one piece, but it’s much harder than it seems, since you have to match them to their proper glowing light orbs and avoid dangers spikes and other hazards along the way.

In Parallyzed, players control both sisters at the same time as they run alongside each other in parallel platforms. If you tap on the left side of the screen, the sisters will jump. A tap on the right side of the screen lets them swap places with one another. The game starts out simple enough, but as you get further along, the levels pick up the pace, throw more hazards at you, and need you to switch sisters much faster. It’s also important to note the sister’s differences in size, because it can be used to your advantage. A good example is the fact that the smaller sister, Blue, can jump quicker than Red, but may not be high enough for larger spikes. Making sure to have the right sister in place to jump over spikes but also having them in their correct position for the light orbs can be a difficult test, but it’s great for those who want a challenge. There are other items that can also alter gravity, adding another twist to the gameplay.

While the levels can go quickly, things get hard fast. The game keeps track of how many attempts you try on each stage, and each failure tells you your progress percentage. What it comes down to in this game is memorization of the spots where you need to switch places and jump, because otherwise, you’ll be dying at the same spot numerous times before you’ll advance.

Even though the game only has a total of 14 levels, the difficulty level of the game is fairly high, so it will take some time to get through all of the stages. In fact, you will die a lot, hence why the game tracks the number of attempts you’ve done, though it’s just for good fun — the game doesn’t penalize you for more attempts, as the goal is to just reach the end. Parallyzed also has the ability to share your replays through ReplayKit, and a recent update gives you the option for an animated GIF to share, rather than full video.

I’ve only started with Parallyzed so I’m still early on in the game, and I’m trying to make my way through the first level still. As I mentioned, it’s a challenging game that requires good memory, patience, and stamina, because you will end up failing a lot. Even though it may be frustrating, I am still enjoying the game because of the exquisite aesthetics and music that send chills down my spine. The two-touch controls are intuitive and feel natural, which is always a good thing. And while the game does not appear to have a lot of levels, time and practice are required to get through them all (especially since it just gets more difficult), so I believe you get your money’s worth in Parallyzed. Just a fair warning to the casuals out there: this gloomy game is not for the faint of heart.

I recommend giving Parallyzed a go if you want a challenging platformer and reflex game and don’t mind a bit of darkness in the story. You can find Parallyzed on the App Store as a universal download for the iPhone and iPad for just $2.99. There are no in-app purchases.

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

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from : Mid Atlantic Consulting, Inc.

Line It Up and Get the Perfect Shot in Cue[D]

November 08, 2016 by macjeff

Cue [D] ($1.99) by Spiel Studios is a fresh new take on the traditional game of billiards. Rather than going the classic cue sports game route, Cue[D] combines puzzles with pool for a welcome challenge, especially to fans of the genres.

While many people out there go to billiards clubs at least once a week, it’s not something that I do too often. But when I do hit up a local billiards place, I do enjoy a game of pool here and there with others, despite not being a pro at it (but the point is to have fun). There’s just something so satisfying about hitting the ball with the cue stick and hearing the clack of the white ball hitting another ball and then chaining off from that, and then watching them drop into the pocket holes of the table. Since I don’t go to the billiards clubs often, I take joy in playing various pool games on my phone, though I haven’t played any in a while. So when I saw Cue[D] on the App Store this week, I was intrigued and had to give it a shot, especially since it took pool and combined it with puzzle elements. Needless to say, it’s a fun and addicting distraction to have around.

Like standard puzzle games, Cue[D] is level-based and has 100 stages for you to go through from the get-go. There aren’t any different level packs or chapters — it’s all just one giant pack of puzzles, and you’ll have to go through them in order, though there is a bit of leniency here. Since the game unlocks around two stages after the one you are currently on, you can skip a stage if you’re stuck and (maybe) come back to it later. You only get five complete skips with the initial download, and more will have to be bought through in-app purchases, so use them wisely.

The levels are fairly linear but still give you a bit of leg room if you are super stuck and just need a breather. The goal of each stage is simple: strike all the lighted pegs on the table and then pot the ball. But watch out — you only have a limited number of moves available, which is shown on the hole that you need to get your ball into before you’re out of moves.

The controls in Cue[D] are simple and intuitive. Just use your finger and drag anywhere on the screen to bring up the light blue cue stick and aim your shot. The longer the stick is, the more power will be behind it. To strike the ball, just release your finger from the screen. While it’s probably best to wait until your ball stops moving for your next shot, the game does let you aim the ball even while it’s still in motion, so if you’re a super pro, then you can try to complete the level faster. You earn bronze, silver, or gold medals on each stage depending on how fast you are and how many shots you took, so less is more here.

I’ve only been playing Cue[D] since this morning while enjoying my coffee, and I must say that it’s hard to put down once you get into it. The graphics are simple enough and look alright, the music is quirky, and the controls are super easy for anyone to learn, even allowing one-handed play. I hope that more levels are added in the future, because this is a game that I’ll keep coming back to when I need my fill of pool and puzzles. I just wish that it didn’t have in-app purchases for more level skips, since the game is already a paid game in the first place, but I suppose I’m just being nit-picky there.

I recommend checking out Cue[D] if you are a fan of puzzles and pool. It’s a unique mix that works out well in the end. You can find Cue[D] on the App Store as a universal download for just $1.99. There are in-app purchases for more level skip if you need more.

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

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from : Mid Atlantic Consulting, Inc.

Infiltrate Mice Dungeons and Recover the Stars as Nekosan

November 08, 2016 by macjeff

Nekosan (Free) by 1Button SARL is a twitchy reflex platformer that is both challenging and cute. If you enjoy a good ol’ game of cat and mouse, and like to test your reflexes, then Nekosan is a fun little time waster. It is from the same guys who brought you other great gems, such as Bicolor and Mr Jump, so expectations are a bit high, considering their previous work.

These days, I don’t have a lot of time for full console games in my downtime, but thankfully I still have my iPhone games to play and enjoy when I have a few spare moments. For these quick chunks of downtime, I like to have a game that I can pick-up-and-play in short bursts throughout the day, rather than having to invest hours into in order to feel like I’m making any progress. This is one of the biggest reasons why I like puzzles on my iPhone, and even some quick platformer games. So naturally, when I heard of Nekosan from 1Button, I had to check it out — plus, how can I resist a game with cute cats and mice?

Visually speaking, Nekosan carries a minimalistic aesthetic that is delightful to the eyes. The game features solid background colors for each stage, but the layout of the level is essentially a cutout in the center of the background, with nice contrast due to the patterned backdrops in the cutouts. The cat and mice are fairly simple looking but still adorable, and there are nice, small details such as snow and grass that are layered on top of the platforms, floors, and spikes. The colors range from soft pastels to richer and bolder hues, but everything meshes together nicely. Animations in Nekosan are buttery smooth and fluid, so I had no issues with lag on my iPhone 7. The game soundtrack is rather upbeat and quirky, making it rather charming to listen to and fits the eccentric nature of the game well. To top things off, the sound effects are cute, and will bring a smile to your face, even if you’re failing at the levels.

Nekosan is a level-based platformer game, so players need to advance through it one stage at a time. At the moment, there are eight level packs to go through in Chapter A, and they consist of about 10 parts each. So while it may only seem like there are eight “levels,” you have to get through 10 challenging tests to complete it, so there is more than meets the eye here. You also only have a limited number of lives to start out with (nine lives to be exact), but you get refilled with some extra if you can get through all of the sections. The goal in each stage is to collect and recover all of the stars that the mice stole. Once all stars are in your possession, that means you can move on to the next stage. There are also secret fish that you can try to acquire as well, though it is not necessary in order to complete the stage. In fact, the fish are used to purchase other playable felines, but this is purely cosmetic. Your score on each level is determined by the amount of time that it took you to complete all of the stages in the level, so think of it like a speedrunner.

The controls are pretty simple and allow the game to be played with one hand, but it does take some time to get used to and master. With one tap, your cat will start moving forward in the direction it is facing. The cat stops once it hits a wall, and you can tap the screen again to have it go back the other way. If you tap on the screen while it is already in motion, you’ll have it jump. To reach high places, you will have to do continuous wall jumps, so once you’re on a wall, just tap again to jump in the opposite direction, and keep doing that until you get where you need to be. Eventually you will come across mice, and the trick to these critters are to avoid them, but if you need to, you can also jump on top of them and “squash” them for a few seconds, a la Mario-style. Again, the controls do take some time to get used to, and they are far from perfect, but I did find them to be rather responsive for the most part. It’s just the timing that has to be right on harder stages.

My only complaint about the controls is that the game does not include any guidance on how to play in the beginning, so players are left trying to figure things out on their own. I was confused at first, and only after tapping the screen did I manage to find out how to play. Usually I am not for handholding in video games and like to figure out stuff on my own, but this can’t be said for everyone. That’s why I think there should at least be some basic tutorial, even optional, that shows the ropes to all players, because otherwise, the controls are a bit confusing.

The game starts off pretty easy, but things get a bit more complicated as you get further along, since new obstacles and challenges are introduced at a gradual pace. For example, spikes are thrown at you early on, but like any good gamer knows, spikes are bad, so you have to avoid them or you will lose a life. Eventually, you’ll also stumble across floating switches to toggle walls, swarms of mice, moving platforms, crushing pillars, and much more. If you have had any experience with platformer games in general, then you know the drill. If not, well, it’s pretty straightforward.

Nekosan can be fairly difficult if you don’t take the time to practice, so be prepared to run out of lives a lot. If you run out of lives, you’ll have the opportunity to continue, but at a cost. Otherwise, if you opt to not continue, you’ll have to try the level again from the beginning, and hope you do better the next time.

One thing that bothered me about Nekosan is the abundance of ads. It seems like an ad pops up after every other stage you complete, and it interrupts your game flow, as they are rather abrupt. Fortunately, they aren’t video ads and you can dismiss them immediately, but they are still annoying. There is an in-app purchase to remove all ads for $2.99 though, so that is an option if you cannot stand them. Other in-app purchases include a pack of nine lives, keys to unlock levels you haven’t reached yet (if you’re stuck), and Maurice the pig, and these all cost you $0.99 a pop.

I’ve only had time to check out Nekosan this morning, but I’m enjoying it so far, aside from the overabundance of ads and unique control scheme. The minimalistic design is pleasing, the character are adorable, the music is fun to listen to, and the gameplay is rather challenging, as it combines reflexes, platformers, and a dash of puzzle (you still need to figure out how to clear a stage). I just hope to see ads to be less obnoxious in the future, and some kind of guide on the controls for new players. Otherwise, 1Button has done it again with a fun game to pass the time with.

I recommend giving Nekosan a try if you are into platformer puzzles with a dash of reflex testing. You can find Nekosan on the App Store as a universal download for the iPhone and iPad for free . There are in-app purchases, as well as an iMessage sticker pack included.

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

credit : appadvice

from : Mid Atlantic Consulting, Inc.

Free Apps to Download TODAY ONLY 11/07/2016

November 07, 2016 by macjeff

Mooncast - The Phases of the Moon , Lost in Harmony , YoWindow Weather and more

Universal:

Mooncast - The Phases of the Moon ( $0.99 → 1 ) Mathieu Routhier Mooncast does only a few things, but it does them extremely all well. You can swipe through each screen to see the moon illumination for that day, or you can jump to a specific day by activating the calendar view and spinning the wheels. Mooncast can remind you when a full moon is approaching, and even display phases of the moon on the lock screen.

Lost in Harmony ( $3.99 → 1 ) Digixart Entertainment Lost in Harmony allows you to experience music in a whole new way. Guide Kaito and Aya on their adventure through 30 painted environments with taps and swipes. Stars will appear on the screen to the beat of the music, and you must tap at just the right moment to earn a perfect rating while dodging obstacles with swipes. The game also includes the ability to create and share your own levels, and all kinds of character customization options.

YoWindow Weather ( $2.99 → 1 ) Pavel Repkin YoWindow is all about watching the weather. You’re presented with a quick look at the current time, temperature, and conditions. Slide your finger from left to right across the screen to scroll time forward and watch as the scene changes to reflect what it’ll be like later on in the day. YoWindow also includes a seven-day forecast and six scenes to choose from.

Windy ~ Sleep Relax Meditate with natural white noise sounds to calm your mind and focus ( $2.99 → 1 ) Franz Bruckhoff Windy combines natural wind recordings with stunning artwork to help you sleep, relax, study, or meditate. It utilizes stereoscopic 3-D audio that’s optimized for headphones, so you can drift off into your own little world. The six natural wind recordings can be mixed with rain, river sounds, birds, and crickets. There’s also a whimsical story embedded within the app, allowing you to follow Windy on her journey to breathtaking locations.

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

Bear, Workfrom, 60dB and other apps to check out this weekend

November 05, 2016 by macjeff

It’s been a long week so let’s just get right to it with our latest round of Apps of the Week selections. We have the hot new note-taking/writing app Bear, a new app for finding cool places to work from, and an app for listening to personalized, short-form news and entertainment audio clips from ex-Netflix employees. And as usual, we have two cool new games for you to check out.

Bear

Bear is a beautiful, flexible writing app for crafting notes or really whatever you feel like writing. It’s essentially a complex, feature-packed writing app disguised as a pretty, minimal notes app. Features include rich previews, in-line image support, advanced Markup editor that supports 20+ programming languages, cross-note links and hashtags, interactive todo buttons and so much more. You’ll have to pay $1.50 per month (or $15 per year) to access some of the more advanced features, but the app itself is definitely worth checking out. Bear is available for free.

Workfrom

Tired of working in your cubicle? Or in your cold, dark home office? Switch it up with Workfrom. This new app/community allows you to discover places around you where you can work remotely. This includes cafes, coworking spots, coffee shops and other alternative spaces. Over 26K members have scouted more than 1,200 cities to find the best locations. Good Wi-Fi? Check. Dogs allowed? Check. I feel like we featured a similar app a few months ago but Workfrom has a wider scope and a seemingly more active community, thus making it worth checking out. This app is available for free.

60dB

60dB offers personalized, short-form audio covering a wide array of topics such as news, sports, business and entertainment, from a variety of publishers. The goal is to combine the best of what people like about listening to the radio with the personalization of digital content, with a focus on brevity. Tap the Quick Feeds link to get a playlist of short-form audio clips you’ll learn from and enjoy—side note, some of the 60dB team members are former Netflix engineers who helped build its personalization engine, so yea. If you’re looking for entertainment this weekend, this is a must-try. 60dB is available for free.

The Trail

Looking for a cool new game to pass the time this weekend? Check out The Trail. You’ll join pioneers on a vast journey across country unknown to explore, craft, collect, trade, discover and eventually settle and build. Yes this is a free-to-play title with some annoying IAPs, but it’s worth noting that it was built by the legendary God Game genre designer and creator Peter Molyneux. The graphics are gorgeous and the gameplay is expansive and addictive. Whether you’re a fan of the RPG/explorer genre or not, this game is worth checking out. The trail is available for free.

Nekosan

For those looking for the exact opposite of the above game, allow me to introduce Nekosan. Developed by the makers of the hit Mr. Jump, Nekosan is a simple platformer/runner in which you must help a cat and his friends get the stars back from the mice who stole them. To do this, you must run, slide, wall-jump and fly through dozens of levels of an evil dungeon. Are you up for the challenge? There’s only one way to find out. This game is available for free.

More apps to check out

• Review: PDF Viewer does not stand out from the pack, but delivers on its promise
• Surenix releases Power 2, an iPhone battery life companion app for Apple Watch
• Apple’s free app of the week: Lost in Harmony

Apps updated this week

• Password manager LastPass makes multi-device sync a free option for all users

Source link: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2016/11/05/apps-of-the-week-november-5/