It’s Time to Get Hooked on the Zelda-esque Legend of the Skyfish
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Legend of the Skyfish ($3.99) by Crescent Moon Games and MGaia is a gorgeous action adventure puzzle game that is akin to the likes of The Legend of Zelda franchise. If you are a fan of other Crescent Moon titles like The Deer God and Almightree: The Last Dreamer, or just enjoy Zelda games, then you’ll get a kick out of Legend of the Skyfish.
For as long as I can remember, the Zelda games have always been around for me as I grew up, though I did not play all of them when I was younger. In fact, I believe I jumped into the Zelda series with Twilight Princess on the original Nintendo Wii and Phantom Hourglass on the Nintendo DS. I picked up a few more Zelda games after that, such as the Ocarina of Time 3DS remake, though I don’t think I’ve beat them yet. Regardless, despite my later start with the Zelda games, I have found them to be enjoyable games (even if it takes me forever), and I always like to see Zelda-inspired titles on iOS, since it’s unlikely we will ever see a real Zelda game on mobile devices. Fortunately, Legend of the Skyfish does not disappoint.
Visually, LotS is beautiful to behold on your Retina screens. The game features hand-painted art so it has a unique style to it, and it shows that the developers put a lot of care into creating the game. Each environment you’ll be coming across with have its own distinctive appearance and tone, and you can see all of the fine textures and small details painted in. Your character, Little Red Hook, and all of the other creatures that you’ll be encountering, have fantastic character models that are bursting with their own special personalities and movements. Plus, with each equipment upgrade, you’ll see the changes reflected on your character model. The colors in LotS are stunning, ranging from the soft and light tones to rich and vibrant hues. Animations are smooth and fluid with no lag on my iPhone 6s Plus, and the sound effects are fun to hear. On top of it all, LotS has an amazing adventurous musical score by Sean Beeson that is atmospheric and fun to listen to, and it truly immerses you in the world of Skyfish. The developers did an excellent job in terms of the audio and visual depeartment with LotS, that’s for sure.
Unlike Zelda games, though, LotS is not an open-world adventure. Instead, players will watch the opening cinematic that kicks off the story, and then you have to go from area-to-area, conquering all of the stages in chronological order. The formula is pretty straightforward: explore the environment, beat up some baddies, solve tricky puzzles, and then face off against a boss at the end before moving on to the next level and doing it all over again. As you make progress, you’ll also find chests that contain powerful upgrades for your hood, fishing rod, and grappling hook that will be permanently unlocked, even if you decide to go back to certain levels. In addition to completing each stage, you can find hidden items scattered around if you look hard enough. This keeps things fresh and interesting, and adds to the replay value if you’re a perfectionist.
The controls in LotS are simple enough: use the virtual joystick in the bottom left (can be changed to a D-Pad) to move Little Red Hook around on the top-down level map. When you go into the next zone of the stage, the screen will scroll to go along with you. Since your weapon of choice will be a fishing rod, you can use it as a grappling hook to get from island-to-island. Just use the button on the right side of the screen to aim your hook, connect it with something that works (like the yellow squares), and then release your finger — your rod connects to the block and you’ll get pulled over to that section of the map. You’ll also use your fishing rod to attack enemies, and that’s done by giving the attack button a tap. You can also push objects around just by walking into them and pushing, which is useful when you need to place a heavy object to hold a switch down. If you have a MFi controller, good news: the game fully supports them for an even better experience.
The game pretty much holds your hands throughout the beginning, since you have a fairy-like creature that gives you hints on what to do. The first part of the game is also a bit slow, because it is teaching the player the basics of the game. The puzzles seem easy at first, but things will pick up quickly as you go, so don’t be fooled. It’s truly Zelda-esque in terms of difficulty.
I’m still pretty early on in the game, but so far I’m enjoying it a lot. LotS looks beautiful, has a delightful and whimsical soundtrack, has great controls and MFi support, and the challenging puzzles will make you think and keep you occupied. It’s a great Zelda-style game for iOS, and one that you shouldn’t miss.
I highly recommend giving Legend of the Skyfish a go if you enjoy action adventure puzzle games like The Legend of Zelda franchise. You can find Legend of the Skyfish on the App Store as a universal app for your iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV for just $3.99. There are no in-app purchases.
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Solitaire and Roguelike RPG Come Together in the Amazing Solitairica
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Solitairica ($3.99) by Righteous Hammer Games Inc. is an insanely fun mashup of roguelike RPG and solitaire. If you are a big fan of RPG combat, roguelike progression, and traditional card games, then you are truly in for a treat with Solitairica.
Solitaire is a game that everyone has played numerous times at some point in their life, whether you were just killing time before leaving work or school, or just to give your brain a bit of stimulation. I’ve played solitaire on old PCs whenever I had a chance as a kid, and I just found it satisfying. In recent years, I’ve also developed a fond appreciation of roguelike games because they’re mostly RPGs, which I spent most of my high school years on. So when I first heard of Solitairica about a year ago, I was excited and eager to play it. The game launched on Steam earlier this year, and now it has arrived on iOS. I’ve spent time with the Steam version, as well as an iOS beta for a few weeks, and let me tell you — this is one of my favorite games so far this year, and one you should not miss.
The graphics in Solitairica are beautiful and unique, as everything is done in a rather humorous and cartoonish style. The backgrounds for each environment appear hand drawn and have a nice canvas-like texture, which make the enemy monster avatars and cards look crisper on your Retina screen. All of the enemies have their own distinctive appearance and little details that make them stand out. The colors in the game are bright and vivid, and the dark, gloomy hues on the main map give nice contrast with the card backs and upcoming monsters. The animations are smooth and fluid with no lag on my iPhone 6s Plus. The soundtrack has a rather eerie tone to it, and the sound effects of the cards and monsters are comedic and fun.
In Solitairica, you take on the role of a warrior who is the last chance that the land of Myrroid has to defeat the evil Emperor Stuck and his dark forces and recover all of the stolen hearts. To do this, you’ll have to reach the castle, but there will be a lot of enemies who will make sure that doesn’t happen. You’ll have to engage in turn-based battles through solitaire and collect the four energies (attack, defense, agility, and willpower) to overcome your foes and continue forth to the Castle of Stuck. There are different areas that are represented by the color on the back of the face-down card on the map screen, and you’ll encounter many different types of foes. Each one has their own speciality that you’ll have to strategize and plan ahead for. Each run you go on in Solitairica will be different, and when you die, you’ll have to start over on your journey. But the real fun with roguelikes is watching your progression get better over time and with practice.
So how exactly do you battle in Solitairica? As I mentioned, you and the enemy take turns. On your turns, you will check the current card drawn and then tap on the card stacks that show cards that are one higher or one lower than the drawn card, just as you would in solitaire. Once all cards are eliminated from the board, then you win. If you can no longer make any matches for the card sequence, then you’ll have to draw another one, and then the enemy draws a card from their own stack. But if you look closely at each card, they are each colored differently: orange for attack, blue for defense, green for agility, and purple for willpower. As you successfully stack cards, you’ll collect energy for that attribute, which is shown in the bottom right. When you have enough energy of a certain kind, your equipped spells along the bottom will be available for use, and a tap activates it.
These spells help you get rid of unwanted cards, set up shields to prevent taking damage to your health (once it reaches zero you lose), check the next card, and even heal yourself. After you clear a stage, you’ll earn coins depending on how you did. The coins can be spent in the shop between battles to buy new spells and equippable items (increase energy gained or maximize your health points, for example) that help you in fights. It’s important to read what each spell or item does as well, so you can use it to your full advantage. If you can’t afford a spell or item in the shop, you can also spend 10 coins to hold it for the next visit, since the shop will rotate spells and items after each round. Your character can have up to four items equipped, and have a maximum of six spells in battle. If you have bought more than the allotted amount, you’ll have to pick-and-choose what to take with you before each level.
As you get further in the game and closer to Castle Stuck, you will find tougher enemies, more cards in battle, and much better loot in the shop, though it ends up being more expensive too. You also earn Wildstone after each journey that can be spent to upgrade cards (Ace, King, and Queen boosts) and even purchase new decks that change your play style. Along with the procedurally generated run each time you play and achievements to earn, Solitairica has high replay value.
I’ve been playing Solitairica for a while on Steam, but I’m super happy to see that it’s finally on iOS. The graphics are stunning, sounds and music are delightful, the humor is spot-on, and the mashup gameplay works incredibly well. There is high replay value due to the different decks, card upgrades, spells, items, and randomly generated levels, so it’s a game that one should be spending a long time with. In fact, you will have a very hard time putting this one down. I just wish that it weren’t so expensive to upgrade cards and get new decks, but that adds to the longevity of the game overall.
I highly recommend Solitairica for anyone who enjoys solitaire, roguelikes, and RPGs. Or if you just want an interesting new game that’s unlike anything you’ve tried before, this is it. Solitairica can be found on the App Store as a universal app for your iPhone and iPad for $3.99. There are no in-app purchases. The Steam version is available for Windows, Mac OS X, and SteamPlay for $11.99.
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Think Outside the Box in Outfolded
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Outfolded (Free) by 3 Sprockets is an infinite, minimalistic puzzle game that is all about unfolding shapes to get to your goal. If you enjoyed titles like Blyss and Flipominos, then you will like what Outfolded offers.
While I’ve been playing video games for over a decade now, having gone through many genres during my time as a gamer and reviewer here at AppAdvice, there’s always one genre that I just keep coming back to: puzzles. While it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, it’s definitely mine, because I love keeping my mind stimulated and puzzle games do a great job of that while being relaxing at the same time. For me, it’s the best way to unwind after a long day. I feel like I’ve gone through pretty much all of the puzzle games on the App Store, but that doesn’t stop me from keeping my eyes peeled for new ones, especially the games that have fresh new concepts involved. When I saw Outfolded on the App Store, I was intrigued and had to check it out myself.
Visually, Outfolded is beautiful with the minimalistic, isometric aesthetic. The game is rendered in 3-D with an angled, top-down perspective that is similar to Monument Valley and other inspired games. The color themes in the game are gorgeous, as they range from softer pastels to more vibrant hues, and the more subtle backgrounds match the foreground colors nicely. Animations in Outfolded are smooth and fluid with no lag on my iPhone 6s Plus, and the ambient, tranquil soundtrack is a joy to listen to as you play. Overall, 3 Sprockets has done an excellent job with Outfolded’s graphics and music, since you’ll feel immersed in the puzzles when you play the game.
While Outfolded is an infinite game, it does have “levels” for you to go through one-at-a-time, and the stages transition seamlessly into each other. The goal is to unfold the shapes to reach the end point, which is the flashing space on the grid. Even though it sounds pretty easy, things get tricky as there are holes in the layout that you have to navigate around, and you must think about the logical direction that each shape will go in as you unfold it. Fortunately, the game does have an unlimited amount of undos for you in case you make a mistake (they will happen frequently), and you can long-press the undo button to clear out all shapes and start that level over. If you’re stuck, the game has a hint system that guides you to the goal, but you start out with a handful — once they’re out, you’ll need to purchase more.
The controls in Outfolded are easy. In the bottom left will be a ribbon that holds all of the shapes that you’ll be using for the level. Just tap-and-drag a shape onto the board. The starting point will be where the last goal was, but in the beginning, you go through a tutorial that shows you what to do. Once the shape is on the board, just swipe your finger in the direction that you want to unfold the shape towards. When the shape runs out of sides, you’ll see a flashing square on the surface — this is where you put your next shape on, and repeat the process until you reach the goal point.
As you get more intricate grids and more shapes, you’ll have to think and plan ahead about how to reach the objective. Still, thanks to unlimited undos, you’re able to take your time and figure out the solution at your own pace. And if you end up using a hint (the game gives you about six to start with), the grid subtly shows you the path you need to take in the correct shape order.
Additionally, after you get past level six, you’ll unlock the Daily Challenges. The daily puzzles will always be something different for the day, and they’re much trickier than the standard stages. If you can successfully solve them, you’ll be awarded more hints to use, which is nice to have. The game also has Game Center support for leaderboards, and you can compete with friends to see who has completed more levels in the game.
I’m still in the early stages of Outfolded, but I’m thoroughly enjoying the experience so far. The game looks stunning with the minimalist isometric perspective and fantastic color palette, the music soothes the soul, and the controls are easy enough for anyone to understand. The levels start out simple, but don’t be fooled — things pick up at a nice, gradual pace and you’ll need to start thinking ahead, but you’ll never be rushed.
I recommend checking out Outfolded if you enjoy puzzle games, or just want something challenging and different from your typical puzzle game. Outfolded is available on the App Store as a universal app for your iPhone and iPad for free. There are in-app purchases for more or unlimited hints.
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You Need to Know Your Colors to Solve the Puzzles of Spectrum 6
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Spectrum 6 ($1.99) by Marc Joel Jamero is a puzzle game that’s all about mixing up colors and getting them to their right place. If you enjoyed games like Threes! and Blyss, but don’t mind getting a little messy with the color spectrum, then you will enjoy Spectrum 6, as it’s a puzzle game that offers up a refreshing new gameplay mechanic.
I’ve played plenty of games during my time around here, but one thing continues to hold true: my favorites continue to be puzzle games. Because after a long, busy day, I just need to unwind with a game that doesn’t stress me out too much while still providing a challenge to keep my mind busy. A lot of puzzle games have come and gone, but I’m still down to check out anything that seems interesting, and Spectrum 6 passed the bill as I was browsing the App Store. I’m no artist, but I love color, so the gameplay mechanic caught my attention immediately. Needless to say, if you’re looking for a challenging puzzle game, then you shouldn’t miss this one.
Visually, Spectrum 6 has a nice and clean aesthetic that is rather pleasing to the eyes. The backdrops feature tranquil color gradients that help with putting your mind at ease, and the tiles are nice and crisp, even featuring a bit of depth to them. In fact, it is definitely reminiscent of Threes!, but that’s not an entirely bad thing, especially considering how the gameplay is so different. The game features bright and vibrant colors (which is only fitting), the typography is easy-to-read, and the icons are easily recognizable. The animations in the game are smooth and fluid, and it’s always fun to watch the colors get mixed together and transition into a new shade. Unfortunately, the game’s ambient soundtrack only plays while you’re browsing the level select screen, but doesn’t play as you are solving the puzzles. This may satisfy some who prefer to listen to their own music as they play games, but I believe it should be made an option. At least the sound effects during gameplay are bubbly and fun.
At the moment, Spectrum 6 contains 63 levels that are spread out across nine different chapters, and there are tutorial stages that show you the ropes. The goal of each stage is to mix the colors properly and assign colors to specific spots on the grid, as you can tell by the dot color on the spaces. While it sounds easy enough, you’ll have to know which primary colors (red, yellow, and blue) are needed to make secondary colors (orange, green, and violet), and get them to their correct spots without tainting other colors along the way. For those who are a bit lost with primary and secondary colors, there is a handy reference bar at the bottom of the screen.
Controls in Spectrum 6 are easy enough to understand, but mastering them is the tricky part. Just tap on a color square to have it split up and fill the four adjacent spaces around it (unless it’s on the edge). To mix two primary colors, just have them both land in the same square. Once a secondary color has been made, you can move it around just as if it were a primary color as well. If you mix all of the primary colors together, you’ll end up with black. When all of the required colors are in their proper spot, you’ll have cleared the level and can move on to the next. The number in the top left corner of the screen tells you how many moves you’ve taken, as well as the fewest moves in which the puzzle can be solved in.
You’ll get a “perfect” and three stars if you solve it in the fewest moves possible, but if you end up with more moves, you’ll lose a star or two, depending on how you do. While the game sounds easy from the start, it requires a lot of strategy and planning ahead to master. And because you have to understand what colors combine into what, Spectrum 6 is a true brain teaser at times. If you make a mistake, you can easily restart the stage with the button at the top. However, I did find the lack of an “undo” button rather annoying, because sometimes I just needed to go back one move to fix my mistake, rather than start over entirely. Hopefully the developer can add an “undo” option in a future update.
If you get stuck, the game does provide you with hints. It will cost you some hint coins to activate a hint, but you’ll earn more coins as you successfully solve the puzzles. And if you’re good at the game, then you’ll rack up those coins pretty easily, and you may not even need to use hints. The best thing about Spectrum 6’s hint system is the fact that there are no in-app purchases for more hints, and it is pretty easy to get them back when you use them, if you’re good at the game, anyway. And don’t forget about the stars that you can earn for nabbing the “perfect” solutions — you need a certain amount of stars to unlock later chapters, so always strive for perfects.
I just started Spectrum 6, so I’m still in the early levels of the game. But I’m finding them to be rather challenging, and definitely a good way to pass the time when I need to unwind after a long day of Pokémon hunting. Plus, Spectrum 6 looks great with the minimalistic design, the music and sounds are delightful, and the controls are simple enough for anyone to pick-up-and-play. The game can be improved by having the music play during the puzzles, and there should definitely be an undo option, rather than having to restart the entire level from the beginning. Still, the game is solid and a good addition for puzzle fans.
I highly recommend giving Spectrum 6 a try if you’re in the mood for a colorful and challenging workout for your brain. Spectrum 6 is available on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $1.99. There are no in-app purchases.
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Navigate Through a Digital and Futuristic World in Nightgate
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Nightgate ($2.99) by Semidome Inc. is a challenging reflex arcade game where a network of intelligent computers is the last remaining life form on Earth. If you’re a fan of the amazing abstract-style games from Semidome, which include Kotoro and Last Voyage, and have been craving more, then Nightgate will sate your hunger.
As a gamer, I love a challenging game that puts my skills to the test. While the experience can be a bit frustrating, I love to watch myself get better over time with practice and persistence. It ends up being a rewarding experience, and I always feel rather accomplished once I get past a level that I’ve been stuck on for a while. Lately, though, I haven’t found any good reflex arcade games, so when news of Nightgate hit my inbox, I was intrigued. I’ve been a fan of Semidome’s previous work, so I was eager to get my hands on Nightgate. Needless to say, like their other games, Nightgate does not disappoint.
The visuals in Nightgate are beautiful and minimalistic. The game features a ton of intricate geometric shapes and lines that move around seamlessly and flow right into each other in a pseudo 3-D setting. The colors of the shapes and lines are bright and vibrant, which contrast nicely with the pitch-black background. As you get further in the game, there will be some fantastic particle effects as things get more intricate and complex. Animations are buttery smooth and fluid in the game, and there is a great techno soundtrack (over 40 minutes of tunes) that goes along with the overall game theme.
The plot of Nightgate is simple, and adds a bit of a story to the surface. The year is 2398, and a network of intelligent computers are the only remaining life form left on Earth. You’ll be taken to a digital world that is dark and futuristic, and it won’t be easy to explore what lies beyond the digital landscape. Nightgate features a total of 50 handcrafted levels that you will have to get through one-by-one. The goal of each stage is to guide the white flicker of light to the colored dots, and eventually follow another sentient dot to the gate that leads to the next level. While that sounds easy, you’ll eventually come across red bullets and bars that will kill you if you run into them, so avoid them at all costs.
Controls in Nightgate are simple and intuitive. Just move your finger anywhere on the screen to access the floating virtual joystick. The white dot will go in the direction that your finger is pointing towards without any friction. I found that the controls are super responsive as well, so the dot would turn on a dime when instructed. It’s important that the controls are sensitive and fast, since you need to use your reflexes to dodge obstacles and bullets.
Since there is no time limit in Nightgate, the game can be played at your own pace, and you can take your time reaching the next area. You also can float to pretty much anywhere on the screen, even if it appears to be out-of-bounds, without dying, because the only way to die is to hit the red. Even then, the level just restarts so you don’t have to worry about anything. There are achievements that you can acquire as you play, so it keeps you coming back.
As you play, you may encounter some beautiful designs due to the complex geometries on the stage. If you want to save the image as a screenshot on your device, just pause the game by tapping the square in the corner and then choose the “Snapshot” option. You can then pan the viewfinder around until you’re satisfied and take a picture and use it as your wallpaper.
I’m fairly early on in Nightgate, but the experience has been enjoyable so far. The minimal design is a treat for the eyes (especially as the levels get more difficult), the musical score is immersive and captivating, and the controls are incredibly responsive and intuitive. The game starts out easy enough, but I like how it gradually picks up, and the levels themselves become lengthier and trickier. You will die a lot in this game, but you only learn from your mistakes, since there are noticeable movement patterns for all of the obstacles. If you like to test your reflexes, this game will be right up your alley.
I recommend giving Nightgate a try if you enjoy reflex arcade games, or are just fans of Semidome. You can find Nightgate on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV for just $2.99. There are no in-app purchases.
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