Explore the Psyche of Bruce Wayne in Batman - The Telltale Series
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Batman - The Telltale Series ($4.99) by Telltale Inc is the mobile port of the game that was released just last month. If you are a fan of the episodic point-and-click graphic adventures from Telltale, and love the iconic Batman, then this game is a must-have. It is similar to Telltale’s The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones – A Telltale Game Series.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a fan of Batman ever since I was a child growing up. I always enjoyed “Batman: The Animated Series”, read whatever comics my brother passed down to me, and I even watched the movies, including the terrible “Batman and Robin,” which was at least entertaining for a child back in the day (now I see it as super cheesy). In recent years, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy (The Dark Knight being my absolute favorite of the three), and even checking out “Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad” over the summer. I enjoy the Batman universe a lot, though I’m far from an expert like others. So when I heard that Telltale was releasing an episodic Batman game on iOS, I was pretty ecstatic, considering you can’t get the full Arkham Asylum games on mobile. So now that Batman – The Telltale Series is available on iOS, I bought it without hesitation and am rather happy that I can play it on-the-go.
Visually, Batman is rather impressive, though I did notice that it is not as up-to-par as the PC and console versions of the game (I saw an Xbox One demo at E3 this year). While it may be good enough for many, I did notice that some parts of the game appeared a bit blurrier than I’d like, or they were a bit rough around the edges. I also experienced a few jumps in frame rate, where I seriously thought my game froze for a second on my new iPhone 7 (the visuals were stuck but voice dialogue kept going). It’s far from perfect at the moment, so I hope that Telltale Games is already aware and working on fixing these graphical issues on mobile.
When the game does run smoothly, I found the experience to be like watching a movie, which is not necessarily a bad thing (it’s an episodic game, after all). The colors are dark and gloomy, with the bright glowing hues from your Bat-tech contrasting nicely. There are a lot of fine details packed in as well, from the dynamic lighting to the textures of costumes. The soundtrack is atmospheric and makes you feel as if you’re there, and the sound effects are realistic. I also thought that the voice acting for the game was incredibly well done.
Since this is an episodic game, you’ll be watching many scenes unfold as you play. If you’ve never played these types of games before, think of it as an interactive movie, where you’re in charge of what happens by the end of the story. Even though a lot of the gameplay requires you just watching how a scene plays out, the game is about making decisions. Every so often, you will play as Bruce Wayne (not Batman) and will have to make decisions as you interact with other characters. There will be three different choices that you can select, along with a standard “…” answer. You only have a few seconds to decide on which one to select, so you have to be quick but also make good decisions, because you’ll be alerted when another character notices your answer, or will even remember it in the future. Your choices as Bruce Wayne or Batman affect the outcome of the story, so choose wisely.
Combat as Batman is fun and tests your reflexes. Unlike other Batman games, it’s not free-roaming combat. Instead, as fight scenes play out, you’ll see prompts on the screen that direct you to swipe up, down, left, or right, or even press the screen with two thumbs at once for a finishing blow. Other times, you’ll see circles on the screen — tap on them to initiate the action, and these can be during combat or other important parts of the game. The combat system made me think of quick time events (QTE) like in Kingdom Hearts II, but it’s much more intense here. While I would have loved a free-roaming combat system for Batman on mobile, I think that this is still well done, and it keeps you on your toes as you watch the story unravel.
I’m still early in the game, but I’m enjoying it so far. The story is rather gripping, the voice dialogue is done well, and the controls are simple enough for anyone to learn without much trouble. I love that whatever decisions you make will affect the fate of Batman and Bruce Wayne by the end of the game, so the replay value is high because you can get different results. I just hope that the graphics are improved, because it does not look great on my iPhone 7, which is disappointing. I also had a bit of trouble with creating a Telltale account for cloud saves, which was annoying. Despite that, I like the story so far and will continue to play, despite the flaws of the mobile port.
I recommend checking out Batman – The Telltale Series if you’re a Batman fan and like the episodic games that Telltale delivers. You can find Batman – The Telltale Series on the App Store as a universal download for just $4.99. The initial download includes Episode One, and you can get a discount for future episodes 2–5 by purchasing the multi-pack in-app purchase for $14.99.
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Glide Through the Cracks and Test Your Reflexes in Slip Away Mystify
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Slip Away Mystify ($1.99) by Nanovation is an arcade puzzle game that will truly put your reflexes to the test. For those times when you’ve wondered what it would be like to be at the bottom of the ocean and make your way up, this game helps you get a feeling of how difficult that is. If you enjoyed other games like SHREDD (formerly dEXTRIS), then you’ll like what Slip Away Mystify brings to the App Store.
As someone who loves the ocean, it still terrifies me to think of what lies at the very bottom of the sea, because it’s a big unknown for me. I’ve seen what people think it is like in movies and television shows, or even documentaries, but still, it’s a different feeling than being there yourself. But that feeling is something I have always wondered about myself, and fortunately, it can be simulated in video games. I don’t think my reflexes in games are as good as other people, but hey, I’m always willing to give it a shot. So when I saw Slip Away Mystify on the App Store, I was definitely intrigued.
Visually speaking, Slip Away Mystify is beautiful. The game puts you in a world that represents the bottom of the ocean, and you’re a bright and vibrant jellyfish-like creature. The aquatic environment around you is filled with dangerous spikes, pitfalls, lasers, weird contraptions, and other oceanic predators, and everything is full of amazing detail and textures. The colors are incredibly well done as well, as it ranges from dark settings that are lit up from the various glowing objects and other life forms, including yourself. It’s a great use of contrast in color, and it’s very eye-catching. The music in Slip Away Mystify is another fantastic element, as it is atmospheric and adds a layer of tension and suspense to the game as you try and keep your focus. Overall, Nanovation did a great job in terms of visuals and audio for the game.
In Slip Away Mystify, players will have to make their way through 50 challenging levels split up between two worlds (Mysterious and Obscure) that will test the reflexes of even the most skilled players. You’ll have to go through all of the stages one-by-one, unless you manage to collect enough of the yellow gems to skip harder levels or unlock new playable characters. The goal in each stage is to get from the starting point to the key at the end of the level that allows you to open the gate and move forward. However, it’s much harder than it looks, so when you manage to get past a level you’ve been stuck on, it’s pretty rewarding.
The controls in Slip Away Mystify are simple and intuitive enough for anyone to pick up, but it’s difficult to master. Just tap on the left or right side of the screen to have your jellyfish propel themselves upwards towards that direction. When you don’t tap, you’ll start to sink swiftly, but you don’t want to tap too fast because you’ll die if you hit the spikes or other obstacles along the way. The game is about being patient, precise, and dextrous, so all of these will be put up to the trial. And don’t think that the level is done once you just grab the key — you’ll need to make it through the actual gate itself to be done.
As I mentioned earlier, there are yellow gems that you can collect as you swim. The gems are optional, but the more you collect, the more character skins you’ll unlock and you can get the option to skip the insanely difficult levels if you have enough gems. While the game does not have a time limit or other restrictions and lets you play at your own pace, it is still rather difficult.
I just started playing Slip Away Mystify, and despite the overall difficulty level of the game, I’m enjoying it. The art in here is gorgeous, the music is engaging and immersive, and the controls are simple (but hard to master). It’s a challenging game, but once your overcome a stage that you’ve been stuck on, it’s immensely rewarding.
I recommend Slip Away Mystify if you’re into reflex arcade games that feature gorgeous visuals and music. You can find Slip Away Mystify on the App Store as a universal download for just $1.99. There are no in-app purchases.
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It’s a Disco Party in This Charming Puzzle Platformer
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Disco Party ($1.99) by Appsolute Games LLC is a puzzle platformer that will get you into the groove with old-school jams. If you enjoyed games like Mimpi Dreams and Super Phantom Cat, then you will like what Disco Party has to offer.
When life gets tough, I like to retreat into my own little escape with video games. For me, it’s the best way for me to relax and forget about all of my troubles for a few minutes or even an hour. As someone who grew up with platformer games as a child (like Super Mario Bros.), I can’t help but be drawn to the genre even after all those years. And another genre that I love are puzzles, because they help keep my mind stimulated as I take a break from reality, so I’m not completely vegging out. Naturally, when I see a game that combines both of these elements, I can’t resist. I managed to try out an early build of Disco Party at GDC earlier this year, and I fell in love with it from the start. I’ve been eager to get my hands on the game, and now that it’s finally available to the public, I am not disappointed.
In terms of visuals, Disco Party has a fairly cartoonish style overall, but it’s rather cute and charming. And since it has a disco theme going on, it’s only natural that everything is a bit flashy and over-the-top when it comes to the lights and glamour. Character models are well done with their realistic movements and unique outfits that fit the disco era, and the stage layouts have a good amount of detail when it comes to the texture and objects. The animations in the game are buttery smooth on my iPhone 7, so I experienced no lag while playing. And since the theme of the game is disco, you can expect a groovy soundtrack in the background as you play. If you’re a fan of the genre, then you’ll love it, but if you’re not, well, you can always just turn the sound off.
In typical puzzle platformer style, Disco Party is level-based, with four different worlds that contain 15 stages each. The goal in each level is to get your character to their love interest and avoid the rival security guards, all while collecting the golden discs along the way. In order to do this, players will have to manipulate certain tiles on the ground to do different functions, and new game mechanics are introduced in each chapter at a gradual pace. While you can complete the stages by getting to the love interest without collecting all of the discs, you’ll need the discs in order to unlock access to other chapters.
The controls in Disco Party are simple and intuitive enough for anyone to pick up the game and play. As you’ll see on the stage, there will be special tiles (light gray with flickering lights) on the ground that you can manipulate with a tap. The first tap will turn the tile blue with a straight arrow, which causes your character to turn around once they step on the tile. The second tap makes it become red with a curved arrow, indicating your character will jump forward from that tile. The third and last tap changes it to a yellow tile with two vertical arrows, and this inverts the gravity for your character.
As you make progress, you’ll encounter various new obstacles, such as multiple rival security guards, spikes, spinning blades, lasers, and much more. As I mentioned earlier, the game does a pretty good job of introducing everything at a gradual pace, so it’s not overwhelming. But be warned — your character will automatically move forward after you tap on the screen regardless, so you’ll have to plan out your moves quickly or else you’ll fall or hit a hazard and have to restart.
As you pass through stages, you will earn coins. These coins can be spent in the game’s shop to unlock new characters (player, goal, and rival) and costumes for each. There’s plenty of customization in Disco Party, though they’re all cosmetic and don’t affect the gameplay in any way. Another cool thing about Disco Party is the fact that it is LGBT-friendly, since you can have same-sex goals. Even though the game is fairly generous with giving you coins for completing levels, it does offer in-app purchases if you want to buy a character or costume and are short on coins.
I’ve been playing Disco Party over the weekend as I’m between Pokémon Go sessions and studying, and it’s been enjoyable so far. I love the delightful cartoon-style graphics and flashy disco theme, and the controls are simple enough for anyone. The puzzles start off easy enough, but they definitely get trickier as you power through. The customization adds an extra incentive for players, though I’m not too fond of the fact that the game is a paid download but still offers in-app purchases for coins. Fortunately, they’re only used for cosmetic things and nothing that changes the gameplay itself, which makes it less of a problem I suppose. Bonus points for making the game LGBT-friendly, though.
I recommend checking out Disco Party if you enjoy a good puzzle platformer that will tickle your brain, and if you like disco and LGBT-friendly themes. You can get Disco Party on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $1.99. There are optional in-app purchases for more coins to spend for characters and costumes.
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Embark on New Adventures as the Burly Men at Sea
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Burly Men at Sea ($4.99) by Brain&Brain is an adventure game that puts you in the shoes of a storyteller as well as a wayfinder. If you love titles that play more like experiences and stories rather than just another game, such as Monument Valley, then you will enjoy Burly Men at Sea.
I’ve been fairly busy these days, balancing a life of work and school and personal things, but I’ve been managing so far. Whenever I have some downtime, I like to sit down and play a game to ease my mind and even enjoy a good story. I know that some people like to unwind by reading a book, but I prefer to relax with a story that also lets me interact with it, perhaps affecting the outcome in some way (or not). When I first heard of Burly Men at Sea, I was intrigued because of the art and the story seemed interesting. Needless to say, I’m not disappointed now that the game is available to the masses.
Visually, Burly Men at Sea features a minimalist aesthetic that will definitely appeal to anyone who likes simple but elegant graphics. I feel like the game runs on vector graphics, and the colors are a nice mix of soft pastels and more rich and vibrant hues. Since the game involves a bit of reading in order to reveal the story and dialogue, it makes use of an easy to read serif typeface that is legible against the colored backgrounds. Animations in Burly Men at Sea are smooth and fluid with no lag on my iPhone 7. The atmospheric soundtrack is rather ambient and soothing, which sets the perfect mood for telling a folklore tale that is set in early 20th-century Scandinavia. Overall, I would say that Brain&Brain knocked it out of the park with Burly Men at Sea in terms of the visual and audio department, which is amazing considering that Brain&Brain is a studio consisting of just a husband and wife. They also have another title, Doggins, that is worth checking out as well.
Since Burly Men at Sea is a point-and-click adventure game, there are no levels and you’ll go through the story from start-to-finish. The game does bring you back to where you last left off if you need to take a break, so you can safely leave the game without worrying. Even though you can just sit down and go through the entire game in one sitting, there are multiple paths that you can take at certain points, which mean brand new adventures that will certainly be worth your time. As I mentioned, there is a lot of reading involved with this game, so get ready for that — at least you can tap on the screen to skip the animation of text showing up on the screen.
The controls in Burly Men at Sea are simple and intuitive, though it will take a bit of time to get used to since it’s a bit different from the norm. The game uses a unique, interactive vignette that you drag around in order to pan the camera and reveal settings and other characters around you. As you move the vignette around, the three bearded fisherman brothers will walk in that direction, and you can tap on other NPCs in order to talk to them. When a dialogue begins, the rest of the environment drops off and you get solid colored backgrounds with just the characters (and key objects) on them, which is a nice focal point. Text will show up, you read it, and you’ll uncover more of the story and get a general direction of what you need to do next, or even who to speak to.
I’ve just started Burly Men at Sea, but so far I’m loving it a lot. The visuals are gorgeous and emit a distinctive style among the world of minimalistic games, and the original soundtrack is just perfect. While there may not have many gameplay elements to it, I don’t care too much, because I feel like this is an immersive, interactive storybook and I’m hooked on the folklore tale. Each of the brothers has their own distinguishing appearance and personality, and there are definitely some interesting characters that you’re going to meet along the journey. To me, the game is like one of those gripping novels where you just can’t stop turning the pages, and you keep telling yourself “just one more chapter” before you’ve realized that you just finished the book.
I highly recommend giving Burly Men at Sea a try if you’re into engaging stories and folklore. Burly Men at Sea is available on the App Store as a universal download on your iPhone and iPad for just $4.99.
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Become a Professional Dogsledder in Dog Sled Saga
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Dog Sled Saga ($3.99) by Dan FitzGerald is a dogsledding simulation game that will appeal to all dog lovers out there. If you liked games like Punch Club but wish you had something a bit colder and filled with more dogs, then Dog Sled Saga will be right up your alley.
As a person who lives in Southern California, I honestly don’t know what having a real winter is like, though I wish I did, because I can’t stand being in the heat. I yearn for rain and snow, or at least some overcast, but my only salvation these days has been places with precious air conditioning. I did manage to experience snow in the mountains as a kid, though, thanks to my brother taking me out on skiing trips when I was younger. Even though I have no experience with the dogsledding sport, that isn’t going to stop me from trying Dog Sled Saga, as it at least gives me some peace of mind with the cold setting — one can dream, right?
In terms of visuals, Dog Sled Saga is beautiful, as it features a retro pixelated aesthetic that is incredibly detailed for what it’s worth. If you grew up in the golden age of gaming with all of the classic 8-bit and 16-bit titles on home consoles, then you’ll feel right at home with Dog Sled Saga. The color palette in the game ranges from softer, slightly washed-out hues to simulate the cold wintery setting, but there are some vibrant bits that stand out more thanks to the contrast with the snowy environment. Animations are smooth and fluid, and each dog is filled with their own unique personality and charm that shows through their sprite’s movements. There is also a quirky chiptune soundtrack that goes well with the game, and realistic sound effects, especially for the dogs, that make it feel more real. The text is rather easy-to-read as well, though it feels a bit small at times. Overall, the developers have done a good job in terms of how the game looks and sounds.
Since Dog Sled Saga is a simulation game, there’s only one game mode that’s available, and that’s Career. You begin as a rookie dogsledder who is just starting out, and you can have up to two game saves at a time. As you start, you’ll be asked to pick between one of two different dogsledder character models, and then you can pick your first three dogs. In order to make money, you’ll have to participate in dogsled races and finish in a ranked position to get some cash, which you need to pay your league dues and other expenses in order to make a living. In the beginning of the game, things are pretty basic — race with your dogs, make some money, train and care for your dog team, and pay your dues. But as you advance in the game, you’ll be able to hire employees for multitasking purposes for your team, get sponsorships for your dog’s fame, breed puppies, hire more skilled dogs, and more. While the game looks like it’s just dogsled racing on the surface, there is a surprising amount of depth, strategy, and micromanagement behind Dog Sled Saga, so it should appeal to any simulation fan.
While the micromanaging part of the game is easy to control (just simple taps through menus), the dogsled racing part requires a bit more involvement. As your dogs run, you’ll have to pay attention to when they start panting — this means they’re exhausted and need a biscuit for some energy. To lob a biscuit, just do a long-press on the screen and you’ll see a trajectory line appear from your dogsledder that will move back and forth. Just let go when the line is aligned with the panting dog’s head so that they can catch the treat. Your food supply is limited, but you’ll come across a few refill stations during the race, so make sure to lob those biscuits carefully. You can make your dogs jump and avoid large rocks by tapping anywhere three times in quick succession (not always successful for me). If a dog gets tangled in the harness, just tap repeatedly on them to fix it, and if the dogs are too close to each other, you can swipe on a dog to make them drift further ahead.
The controls work for the most part, though I did have trouble with the jumping part often. It seemed that the game was not as responsive during real races instead of the tutorial, as my team crashed into rocks a few times. I also had some problems with the text in the tutorial, as part of the text got covered up by the dog card when you’re rearranging the positions before a race. The game also doesn’t seem to use confirmation boxes before you make decisions, which can lead to disasters like accidentally losing game save data. I hope that the developers can optimize the controls and menus in a future update, as it would definitely help out with my minor annoyances so far.
I just started my career as a dogsledder, and despite the quirks with the controls at the moment, I’m enjoying the game. I love dogs, so how can I resist a team of cute and fluffy pixelated dogs? The graphics are gorgeous and detailed, the music is fun to listen to, sound effects are delightful and charming, and the simulation aspect can get in-depth. The racing aspect is fun as well, making it feel like an arcade mini-game in the simulation. I just hope to see better optimization in the future for controls and game menus, as well as some minor text fixes.
I recommend giving Dog Sled Saga a try if you enjoy micromanagement simulation games with a bit of arcade racing action. It’s also a fantastic game if you just love dogs in general. Dog Sled Saga is available on the App Store as a universal download on your iPhone and iPad for just $3.99. There are no in-app purchases.
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