June 07, 2016 by macjeff
We have some great apps for you today that are discounted for a short duration in the App Store, including Gods Wars II, Eddy Cloud Music Player and others. Some deals may expire quickly — even on the same day of this post. If there is a discounted app that you like, grab it while it is still on sale.
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June 07, 2016 by macjeff
Flipominos ($2.99) by Ultramegatronic is a procedurally generated puzzle game that contains an infinite amount of levels. If you love a good brain teaser-like puzzle game, then Flipominos is a match made in heaven.
I’ve said it many times before but I’ll say it again: I love mobile games, but the genre that fits in perfectly with the platform are puzzles. And honestly, who doesn’t like a good, challenging puzzle every now and then? I’ve gone through my fair share of puzzle games on iOS over the years, but let me tell you — I can’t get enough of them. They’re perfect gems to kill some time with, and they’re stimulating for your mind, which is always a good thing (don’t let that brain go to waste). So when I saw Flipominos on the App Store, I was intrigued by the minimalist concept and the procedurally generated levels with infinite possibilities, so I had to check it out for myself.
Visually, Flipominos has a super minimalistic aesthetic, as it features a bland light gray background and monotone checkered grid layouts for each stage. The only sign of color lies within the blue cube structures and the matching squares on the grid. The 3-D rendering of Flipominos is decent enough, but I wish that it had some shadowing to give it a bit more depth and soul. Still, for a minimal aesthetic, the game looks fine. Animations are smooth and fluid, and while there is no background music, the sound effects are a fun touch.
In Flipominos, every level is procedurally generated, though the main piece that you must match to the proper spot will be the same — it’s the layout that will vary. The game claims that there is an infinite number of levels, but states in the App Store description that there are currently 4.3 billion, which is a lot of puzzles. Flipominos has players go through the levels one-by-one, though you can also go back and replay stages through the “Level Select” menu option. Some stages will be fairly easy, but others will be more tricky. There are no stars to earn or points to rack up, but you can get a “perfect” if you make no mistakes on a puzzle. Other than that, the game is essentially just solving it at your own pace.
So what is Flipominos, exactly? Each grid features a different layout, but you have some blue squares shown on the grid. On top of the board will be a blue cube structure, and your job is to get that structure to match up with the marked base area. To move your object, just swipe anywhere on the screen in the direction you want it to move. If the structure can’t be moved that way, you’ll know with flashing red squares and your object unable to advance. Once the structure matches up with the base, you’ve completed that stage and will move on to the next.
While the stages start out pretty easy at first, there will eventually be obstacles, such as lasers and spikes that you must avoid and maneuver the cube structure around. These additions make the levels trickier than they appear, but it’s a good challenge that is always welcome.
Plus, if you get stuck, there is a unique hint system. Instead of just providing you with a hint in the game, you’ll use an automated Twitter-based hint system, where you can send a tweet to @flipominos. If you follow them, you’ll get a direct message that shows you the complete solution. If you don’t follow them, then you’ll only get to see what the first few moves should be before you have to figure out the rest on your own. For full details on this distinctive hint system, check out this link.
I only downloaded Flipominos yesterday but I’m finding that it is pretty difficult to put down once you get going. I think the graphics could have used a bit more “oomph” with some shadow detail, but the current style is still going to appeal to the minimalists out there. Controls are intuitive and easy to learn, and the puzzles do get challenging the further you get in the game. Plus, with over a billion levels in the initial download, there is going to be plenty of content to keep you busy for a long time. What’s not to like about Flipominos?
I think the only drawback is the fact that the hint system requires a Twitter account, and I know that there are some people out there who don’t understand what the point of Twitter is and don’t care for it. Perhaps the developer should consider an alternative hint system for those who do not use Twitter and don’t plan to just for one game.
I recommend giving Flipominos a try if you enjoy stimulating puzzle games. Flipominos is available on the App Store as a universal download for $2.99. There are no in-app purchases.
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June 07, 2016 by macjeff
Elemelons is a diverting game that challenges your fast thinking and swiping skills. Offered for free, Elemelons by Andrea Probst features a quirky storyline and simple to understand gameplay.
Features:
Elemelons challenges players who “think they’re good at swiping” to think quickly. In this unique game of color matching fun, games start out with stationary “melons” that need to be swiped to match their correct color wall.
The game quickly speeds up to include moving melons and redirecting these melons to their correctly colored sides gets pretty challenging. Even more moving pieces are added the further into the game you get.
In-app instructions guide you in basic gameplay, and they teach you how to use some of the special power-ups offered in the app. High scores are kept as well.
Overall, the concept of Elemelons was well translated into this fun, fast-paced game. I did experience some lag with swiping melons on occasion, which was a bit frustrating particularly since quick actions are necessary to succeed in Elemelons.
Appearance and Layout:
Matching colors is the main concept in this game and because of that, there is not much need for detailed graphics. Still, the creators of Elemelons made effort to make the characters detailed enough to add a certain charm to the game.
Instructions are provided for first time players, making it very easy to understand the goal of this game. The homepage is simple as well leading to effortless in-app navigation.
While the graphics of Elemelons are somewhat elementary, they are still fun, quirky and match well with the overall feeling of the game.
Value:
As mentioned previously, Elemelons is a free app. In-app purchases for additional lives can be made if desired, but I felt that the difficulty of Elemelons was not so great as to tempt me to make such purchases.
The graphics are quirky and simple, and gameplay in Elemelons is very easy to get the hang of. The issue with occasional in-game lag, however, is definitely a setback for the value of this app; there’s nothing more frustrating than a lagging game preventing you from achieving high scores. If this issue is corrected in a later app update, players of Elemelons would find little to complain about.
Elemelons iPhone app requires iOS 6.0 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.
The iPhone App Review’s rating:
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June 07, 2016 by macjeff
Aerium provides real life weather descriptions instead of dull details. The visuals will change based on the temperature and conditions. You’re also able to choose between Celsius and Fahrenheit, and you can choose to receive rain alerts the day before it precipitates.
Eddy allows you to tap into all of your favorite online storage services at once. You can then stream any MP3, AAC, M4A, WAV, AIFF, or M4R files located within. Your files can be copied, moved between cloud services, renamed, and even downloaded for offline play. The app also includes search, AirPlay support, and the ability to create playlists.
Pointillisted allows you to create abstract art with ease. You’re able to choose from four different shapes: rectangle, circle, triangle, and hexagon. The complexity and scale of each point can be adjusted via sliders. Pointillisted even allows you to vary the size by color and isolate by hue, saturation, and brightness.
A lack of water can leave you feeling lethargic, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Primo Water will help you stay on track with your water intake with customizable reminders. Every cup you drink can be recorded with a tap. A badge icon will indicate how close you are to your goal, or you can monitor your intake via Apple Watch or a Today widget. The app also includes a variety of unit types to choose from, stat tracking, and 16 different color themes.
Skycatch Commander doesn’t require any professional experience. It does most of the work for you. All you need to do is outline the area that you would like mapped, and then upload the mission to your drone. Skycatch Commander will automatically launch your drone for you, control it while it’s in the air, capture all of the necessary images, and land safely. Skycatch Commander also includes a live video feed, a summary of flight stats, automated map processing, and the ability to save multiple missions.
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June 06, 2016 by macjeff
Never Alone: Ki Edition ($4.99) by E-Line Media is the mobile port of the critically acclaimed game for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. If you enjoy puzzle platformer games, then this one is definitely worth taking a look, especially if you’ve never played it before.
When people think of mobile games, I know that one of the first few games that come to mind are endless runners or match-three puzzle games. In fact, I know several people who think that mobile games still don’t live up to the offerings of what you can find on PC and consoles, and for the most part, it’s true (lots of exceptions though). However, there are times when games that are on those “superior” platforms come to mobile, and Never Alone is one of them. While I never had a chance to play Never Alone on Steam or PlayStation 4 (I don’t have an Xbox One), I saw that it arrived on iOS last week (branded as Ki Edition) and I had to check it out for myself to see what all the hype was about. I’m glad I did, because I’m not disappointed.
Visually, Never Alone: Ki Edition is stunningly beautiful, especially on Retina screens. The game features a gorgeous art style that looks like hand-drawn paintings that have just come to life on your device. And while the game looks like a 2-D platformer, there are subtle details that give it a bit of depth, so it almost feels like a 3-D game, especially when you see the backgrounds coming alive. The colors are rich and vibrant where they need to be, and soft and gloomy in other parts as well. Animations are buttery smooth when you play the game, though I did encounter some frame rate issues at some points, but I’m not sure if that is due to having a lot of other apps running in the background. The music is calm and soothing too, and everything is topped off with whimsical and somewhat realistic sound effects.
Since Never Alone: Ki Edition is a puzzle-platformer at its core, the game is split up into various chapters and levels that have you guiding Nuna and her Fox companion through a treacherous arctic blizzard. The levels are rather lengthy though, which is always a good thing, so you will want to make sure that you reach key checkpoints before stopping your play session. There are no stars or points to earn in Never Alone, so you can take as much time as you need to solve the puzzles and reach the next part of the story.
Speaking of story, that’s the best part about Never Alone: Ki Edition. This is because the game was developed in collaboration with the Iñupiat, which is the Alaska Native people, telling a story that has been shared across generations of Iñupiat. The main plot involves an Iñupiat girl named Nuna who finds a Fox companion on her journey back home, only to find that her village has been destroyed by a dangerous man. You have to set out on a quest to find this man and the reason why he burned down your village, as well as finding the source of the eternal blizzard that is plaguing all life in the Arctic. As you play, you’ll also unlock videos that feature actual members of the Alaskan Native community who share their own stories and bits of wisdom regarding their culture, values, and the Arctic in general. There is fascinating insight to be revealed here, and the game itself is just a bonus, in my opinion.
The gameplay of Never Alone: Ki Edition involves controlling two characters: Nuna and Fox. In the bottom left corner is a virtual joystick to move your characters left and right, and it is not sticky, so it will follow wherever your thumb goes. You’ll have to switch between the two constantly to tackle various obstacles and challenges, and Fox is key to guiding Nuna through more difficult parts, since he can communicate with the spirits. It’s easy to change the character you want to control with the “Switch” button, and as you make progress through the game, there will be more action buttons accessible to you. The main large button will be to jump, and there is another button to crouch down and brace yourself against harsh blizzard winds. The button with the hand symbol indicates that you can have Nuna grab and move objects, or Fox can nudge a rope down for Nuna to climb upwards. Eventually, you’ll get a pair of bolas for Nuna, which is her signature weapon, and an action button for attacking appears. As new mechanics are introduced in the game, new buttons appear, or more actions can be performed with old ones.
While the controls work for the most part, since it’s been designed and optimized for touch screens, I did get a bit frustrated at times when you have to deal with smaller platforms. The virtual joystick wasn’t too precise when you just want to move a step over on a small platform, so I found myself often falling off. Another thing I noticed was the fact that it’s impossible to just continually run and jump quickly, because Nuna seems to stumble at the edge of a platform unless you let go of the joystick briefly as soon as she lands and then make her run again. This was a bit frustrating, and caused me to attempt the same challenge several times before I understood how to overcome it. Maybe it’s designed that way, but I don’t understand why it would be a problem to just keep the joystick tilted in a direction if you want to run and jump over several gaps at a time, as that feels more streamlined.
I am still in the early stages of the game so far, but I’m enjoying Never Alone: Ki Edition a lot. The game is not only full of exquisite artwork and soothing music, but I’m completely immersed in the story due to the native Iñupiat narrator and unique lore and story. The controls are decent for the first version of the mobile game, but I hope to see better optimizations for it in the future. I think it would also be great to be able to manually save during the game so you can come back right where you left off if you have to stop playing and do something else at the moment. Hopefully the developers can consider adding these improvements in a future update. But overall, Never Alone: Ki Edition is an excellent addition to anyone’s gaming collection.
I highly recommend giving Never Alone: Ki Edition a try if you’re a fan of amazing storytelling, like learning about different cultures, and just want a great puzzle-platformer game. Never Alone: Ki Edition is on the App Store as a universal download for $4.99.
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