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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It’s Time to Lay Down the Law in Space Marshals 2
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Space Marshals 2 ($5.99) by Pixelbite is the sequel to the original Space Marshals that came out a year ago. If you’re into quality, console-like tactical top-down shooters, then Space Marshals 2 is one that you should not miss. It’s a nice blend of tactical combat and stealth in a dual-stick shooter format.
I consider myself an avid gamer, though I believe I tend to stick to certain genres the most. However, I love a good dual-stick shooter, because who doesn’t like to go around shooting stuff and laying waste to their foes? Plus, it’s a great stress reliever if you think about it. While I did not play the first Space Marshals, I have heard good things about it so I was intrigued when I saw the sequel hit the App Store last week. Fortunately, even if you have not played the original, you can just jump right in to Space Marshals 2 without a care in the world and still have a jolly good time. This is also what one would consider to be a console-quality game, and it’s rather lengthy, so one won’t be disappointed with this purchase.
Visually, Space Marshals 2 is gorgeous. The game’s 3-D graphics are downright stunning, and look like something you would find on home consoles, which is due to the fact that everything is rendered in high definition with Metal. The different environments that you’ll play through are beautiful and packed with an immense amount of detail, including dynamic lighting effects. The spaceships have sharp designs, and character models are rendered nicely with realistic movements. Cutscenes are engaging and captivating as they reveal bigger plots behind the story, and the animations are buttery smooth with no lag on my iPhone 6s Plus. The game also has an ambient, atmospheric soundtrack that is immersive, and the sound effects definitely make the game feel more real.
Space Marshals 2 is a level-based tactical combat stealth game, and players have to advance through the story by going through and clearing each stage one-by-one. While the game starts out easy enough, the difficulty does pick up after a few levels, and you’ll find yourself on bigger maps that will take more time to complete. But if you’re a fan of lengthy and challenging tactical games, then this will satisfy your cravings. On each stage, players will have an objective, such as rescuing hostages, capturing a “big bad” for interrogation, burning enemy ammo stashes, and more. On top of that, there will be a smaller, secondary objectives that you can complete for even more medals (up to five on each level), and these include goals like getting rid of all enemies or high-value targets (marked with a skull on the radar). Since there’s a story behind everything, there will be boss battles that you’ll have to overcome too, so the variety of objectives and bosses keeps the entire game fresh and interesting on each new mission.
The controls in Space Marshals 2 are simple enough, though it will take a few moments to get used to things. In the bottom left will be the virtual joystick to move your character around. It’s floating by default, but you can toggle the setting to have it static and stay in the corner, though you still move if your thumb is not precisely on it. The joystick in the bottom right lets your character aim and shoot the equipped gun or throw a projectile, depending on what you have equipped in the load-out before starting the mission. To make it feel even more realistic, there is recoil from your weapon, so it takes a few seconds before you can fire again — make it count. Tapping anywhere on the screen lets you switch between Offensive and Stealth mode, and you’ll want to use Stealth mode to avoid being detected by enemies as well as sneaking up on them from behind to take them out quietly.
When you’re in Stealth, you can see the enemy’s line of sight as the red area in front of them, so avoid being seen by taking cover behind walls and boxes. To get through the game, you’ll have to know when to use Offensive mode and when to switch to Stealth, and vice versa — both are necessary in Space Marshals 2 in order to get far. To interact with objects in the environment, just tap on the button that appears on the object itself. Honestly, I would have preferred a button in the bottom right corner that lets you interact with things, because I feel I have to go out of my way to reach the button for object interaction.
For what it’s worth, the touch controls are decent enough for most. It can certainly be optimized better, in my opinion, but it works. If you aren’t satisfied with the controls but have a MFi controller around, you can use that as well, since the game fully supports MFi controllers, but you’ll need to have the extended layout on.
As you make progress in the game, you will earn rewards depending on how well you do in quests. The rewards will be random loot, which includes new long-range and short-range weaponry, armor pieces, and hats. Before setting out for each level, you’ll be at camp with the option to change your character’s gear. Take advantage of this time, because it will better prepare you for what’s ahead.
As someone who didn’t play the first game, I am enjoying Space Marshals 2 a lot. The HD graphics mean no detail is left out, the music and sounds are amazing to listen to, the controls work reasonably well, and the objectives and maps themselves are challenging. I’m not too far into the story yet, but it’s proving to be rather interesting so far, and it’s downright a ton of fun to play. I just wish that the controls were better optimized for interacting with objects, since it’s a bit of a hassle to reach out to the middle of the screen to tap something. Other than that, the game is well worth the money, especially if you’re into stealth and tactical combat games.
I highly recommend grabbing Space Marshals 2 if you haven’t already. You can find Space Marshals 2 on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for $5.99. There are no in-app purchases.
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Gemini - A Journey of Two Stars is a Game About Life Itself
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
Gemini - A Journey of Two Stars ($2.99) by Echostone Games LLC is a breathtaking experience with a much deeper meaning about life itself. If you liked other games like Never Alone: Ki Edition and Nanuleu, as they have deeper meanings than what appears on the surface, then chances are that you’ll enjoy what Gemini has to offer as well.
It seems that after Monument Valley hit the market, there’s been an uptick in the number of games that are considered more like works of art, rather than full-on games, and they have hidden meanings when you reach the end. Not to mention that these games are the ones that look beautiful, unlike anything you’ve ever seen before on mobile, and they’re rather immersive. Gemini is another one of those games, so if you’re looking for a full-on challenging game, then you’ll want to stop reading now. But if you’re up for experiencing a game that is more about the journey rather than the destination, and enjoy life lessons represented in an abstract way, then Gemini will be right up your alley.
In terms of visuals, Gemini is one of the most gorgeous games I’ve played as of late. In Gemini, you’ll discover a stunning universe that is rendered with incredible detail, and then it pans out to reveal exquisite architecture, mystical bouts of natural spaces, dreamy skies, and other fantastic dreamscapes. The two stars (one of which you control) move fluidly and the particle effects of their trails and lighting up other stars is just a sight to behold. Colors in the game range, depending on what environment you’re in. They’ll be bright and vibrant to soft pastels to dark and machine-like tones. Animations are buttery smooth, and the ambient, atmospheric soundtrack is a delight to listen to, since it is immersive and reacts to your actions.
Since the graphics in Gemini are downright stunning, the chances are high that you will want to save a moment as an image to your device, without any obstructions like buttons. If you pause the game with the button in the top right corner and then tap on the camera button, you’ll get the option to save directly to your device or share it through the Share Sheet. I wish you could at least pan it around to get the “perfect” shot, but I suppose that could lead to spoilers for the area too.
There are two modes in Gemini: Single and Two-Player, though the latter is locked until you beat Single first. The campaign features several different areas for you to journey through, and there is no level select screen. However, once you start the journey and then return to the main menu, the game does save your progress so you can just pick up in the environment where you last left off. In order to get to the new domains, you’ll have to clear the previous one first, as everything flows seamlessly into each other. The goal is to join with the other star, which happens to be one of the few remaining, and light up the other stars and objects as you fly towards heaven. Be warned, though — while I have not finished the single player yet, I am reading in the iTunes reviews that the game is overall pretty short if you rush through it.
Controls in Gemini are simple and intuitive. You take control of one of the stars (the bigger one), and move it left and right by tapping on the buttons in the bottom corners. However, you’ll realize that you can’t really get anywhere just by yourself, as the other stars and objects will be high above, as well as heaven itself. This is where the other smaller star comes into play. You’ll have to move in tandem with the other star, which will elevate you to new heights. You’ll have to follow along with the smaller star, moving and surfing in tandem with each other, and share the joy of overcoming obstacles together.
I’ll be honest: at first I did not understand what was happening. The game does not give you a clear guide on what to do, and you just feel a bit lost when you start the game. But that’s just like life — you don’t get a manual on how to live life. As I noticed the smaller star giving me boosts as I was near, it made me think of the people in my life who have always been there for me, helping elevate me when I am feeling down, and getting me to reach new heights. Reaching the next area with my support star is like when I reach a new chapter in my life because of the encouragement from others. And when you stray from your support, you’ll fall, but they’ll just come right back for you to help you out again. I did notice that the support star did some rather annoying and stupid things, like constantly go up to the dark clouds in the sky in the second area only to be blocked with thunder and lightning. But they can’t all be perfect, right?
I haven’t completed the Single Player mode yet, but I’m taking my time with the game. Gemini is about the journey to the destination, much like life, so I’m not in a big rush to complete it just yet. However, the Two-Player mode is interesting, as you and a friend each control a star, so you’ll see the analogy to life come into effect even more.
After getting over my initial confusion with the game, I’m enjoying the experience overall. It’s one of the most ravishing games so far this week, the music and sounds are wonderful, and the controls are easy enough for everyone. I love the metaphor to life that the game represents, but I know that this won’t be for everyone, so there could at least be a little bit of guidance in the very beginning. I also wish that the small star didn’t do as many annoying things when you’re trying to solve puzzles, but alas, that’s life I suppose. Hopefully more content is added in the future as well, because it would be amazing to see what other dreamscapes the developer team can come up with, and it would add to the longevity.
If you’re into the games-as-art movement, then I recommend checking out Gemini. But if you aren’t, and prefer a more straightforward challenge, then this game is not for you.
Gemini – A Journey of Two Stars is available on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for just $2.99. There are no in-app purchases.
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Match Tiles to the Beat in Lumines Puzzle & Music
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
LUMINES PUZZLE & MUSIC ($2.99) by mobcast inc. is the new mobile version of the classic PSP title, and it’s been rebuilt from the ground up. If you were a fan of the original Lumines games, or just enjoy Tetris-like puzzle games, then this new Lumines title is a perfect fit for you.
As I was going through high school, I remember scrounging up whatever extra money I could spare from my retail job to save up for handheld video game systems, such as the Nintendo Game Boy Advance and Sony PlayStation Portable. I’ve been exposed to video games as a young kid, but my love for games bloomed after I met my boyfriend in high school, so I began to buy the games I’ve wanted to play since then. I remember getting my very first PSP in the early 2000s, not too long after the PSP originally came out. I’ve heard of Lumines back then but I don’t believe I picked up a copy since I got my PSP after the launch, but I remember playing Lumines Mobile (original release in 2006) back when I went through many different kinds of cell phones. I was definitely not the best at Lumines, but I always had a blast playing it because it reminds me of Tetris, except it’s much prettier and has fantastic music. Now, about 10 years later, Lumines is back on mobile as Lumines Puzzle & Music, and it’s better than ever before.
Visually speaking, Lumines Puzzle & Music is stunningly gorgeous. If you’ve played Lumines before, then you’ll feel right at home with the bright and vivid puzzle pieces (that change depending on skins), avatars, beautiful backdrops, crazy artwork for songs, and explosive, dynamic light effects that are hypnotic to watch. And if you’ve never played a Lumines title before, it may feel a little overwhelming at first, but you’ll instantly get hooked after a few rounds and watch the magic happen.
Not only does Lumines Puzzle & Music look great, it also has a great soundtrack to play to. Lumines has always been about the music, as well as the puzzle aspect, so you’ll find this title to be jam-packed with amazing dance tracks that are immersive and engaging. As you put the game pieces in their place and make matches, you’ll watch a mesmerizing harmony happen between the visuals and music, and every match plays a sound that goes along with the beat. The key behind being good at Lumines is to play along in a rhythm, so this will take some time and practice if you’ve never played before. Regardless, if you’re a fan of dance music, you’ll find yourself in heaven with Lumines Puzzle & Music.
The puzzles in Lumines are spread out across several different albums, and each album has three game modes: Easy, Normal, and Hard. However, as you start each album, only Easy is available — Normal and Hard must be unlocked by completing Easy first, and then Normal. While it doesn’t sound too difficult, each album is broken up into about three sections with two different skins each. After you complete or fail an album, you’ll see your completion percentage, which will be either 33, 66, or 100 percent. Because of this, it will take multiple attempts on a single album to complete it, so the longevity of the game does last a while. Depending on how you do in points, you can also earn up to five stars on an album. The game also has objectives that you’ll want to complete, because you’ll be rewarded with skins and even new avatars. The skins are essentially the sections and themes of an album that you can play separately by themselves, in case you don’t have the time to sit down and get through an entire album.
Controls in Lumines are pretty simple and intuitive. For each stage, you’ll have an empty grid. At the top of the screen, you’ll see a square that consists of four smaller tiles that are a mix of two colors in different patterns. Tap on the screen to rotate the block to position the tiles as you see fit, and drag your finger around to move the block horizontally. The column that the block would drop in will be highlighted, and you drag downwards to have it fall in place. In order to clear out the pieces, you’ll have to make matches of the same color in blocks of at least four. As the “scanner” line comes in from left-to-right, it checks for these matched blocks and will clear them out, causing the tiles on top of them to fall down, resulting in either a chain of combos or new possibilities for you.
While it sounds easy, the game mechanic has always been fairly challenging. The blocks will start to build up on the screen if you aren’t careful, and as you get further in the game, the pace speeds up, so things get more hectic and it’s harder to clear albums. But that’s part of the charm with the Lumines franchise, and it’s one of the biggest hooks that will keep you coming back — the challenge of beating your own scores, time and time again. And with the ability to unlock specific game boards, music, and even avatars for fun, the replay value of Lumines Puzzle & Music is indeed high.
I’ve only just started Puzzle & Music, but I’ve been waiting for this mobile version of the game for a long time now, and I’m not disappointed. The game has the usual flash and charm of the franchise, the dance tunes are catchy and delightful, and the controls are nicely optimized for touch screens. The albums are challenging, and with different game modes for all of them, there is a lot of reason to keep coming back to the same song — things just get harder but much more rewarding. It’s been a long wait for Lumines Puzzle & Music, but this game was worth the wait.
I highly recommend checking out Lumines Puzzle & Music if you’re a fan of the Lumines franchise or just want a fun, bubbly music puzzle game. Lumines Puzzle & Music is on the App Store as a universal download for $2.99. There are no in-app purchases.
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Bash and Grapple Your Way to Legendary Artifacts in ENYO
November 08, 2016 by macjeff
ENYO (Free) by Arnold Rauers is a tactical turn-based roguelike game that’s all about hook and shield combat with a Greek theme. If you enjoyed titles like Sproggiwood and The Nightmare Cooperative, then you may like what ENYO brings to the table. It’s not a perfect game, but there’s a lot of potential with this one.
If you’ve paid any attention to the gaming industry in the past several years, then you will have noticed that roguelike games have enjoyed a big uptick in popularity. I’m not sure why others love them, but I enjoy roguelikes because they’re usually RPGs, have interesting game mechanics, and are just downright challenging — it’s fun to watch your progress in the game over time as you try and improve with each attempt. So no matter how many roguelikes there are in the App Store now, I just have to check them out for myself. And when the news of ENYO hit my inbox, I was intrigued, as this game is from the same developer behind Card Crawl, an excellent roguelike dungeon-crawling card game hybrid, which I truly loved. While ENYO doesn’t exactly match up to the great Card Crawl, it’s still a fun little time waster.
Visually, ENYO looks fantastic due to the unique Greek-style art. If you’ve ever delved into the world of Greek mythology, then these flat, black-silhouette-like figures that represent Enyo (Goddess of War) and her enemies will look familiar to you. The character sprites give nice contrast as they stand out against the light beige floor and dark brown walls. Spiked walls and lava are easily distinguishable from the safe zones, and the chosen typography gives the game a legend-in-the-making feel. While the layout of the floors don’t seem to have too much detail, I did like how Enyo and the various enemy types have plenty of finer details packed into their models, such as their eyes, weapons, and different stances. The animations are pretty fluid, though I felt that movement was a bit choppy because of the rigidness of the characters. The soundtrack is fun to listen to, especially if you’re into rhythmic drum beats, and the sound effects are a nice finishing touch.
Since ENYO is a roguelike game, there is only one main game mode, but two levels of difficulty that you can choose from, depending on your skill level. There’s also a Daily Challenge each day if you want to see how high of a score you can get on the set stage before it changes the next day, but this is only available through the upgrade in-app purchase. Regardless, before you are able to fully dive in to the game, there will be a tutorial that shows you how to play. It’s necessary to pay attention to it, because this is not like most other roguelike RPGs that you’ve tried.
In ENYO, you’ll have to help guide Enyo through a morphing labyrinth (procedurally generated) in order to find three legendary artifacts. The goal is to clear each floor of enemies through indirect combat. What this means is that enemies can only be defeated by pushing or pulling them into the lava pits and spiked walls, and if you’re next to them taking hits, you can’t do much about it. You’ll see your hearts in the top left corner, which indicate how many hits you can take before you die. The skulls underneath your hearts represent the number of enemies you’ve killed (white is a point), and that is tallied up after every three moves for your score. When you run out of hearts, the run ends and you’ll have to try again.
The controls in ENYO are a bit different and take time to get used to, since it is indirect tactical combat. Enyo can do four different actions, as shown by the buttons along the bottom: Shield Bash, Hook, Throw, and Stun Leap. In order to move, you’ll have to have Shield Bash selected, and then drag your finger from Enyo to the direction you want to go. You can move multiple spaces at once, but only one direction at a time. This is also the way you’ll bash into enemies and push them into lava pits or spiked walls. The Hook will pull enemies towards you, and it’s best to use this when there’s a lava pit at some point between you and the enemy. Throw lets you throw your shield to push foes, and Stun Leap lets you perform a leap that will stun adjacent enemies. After you perform some kind of action, the enemies move one square at a time.
The key to victory are clever maneuvers that can help you get great chain combos, but it’s harder than it looks. It’s important to take note on how each enemy moves and what they’re capable of. By noticing how they tend to move, you can strategize a plan to outsmart them and get them in the lava or spikes without getting hit yourself. And some foes are able to avoid certain obstacles, like the flying bird-like creatures, so you’ll have to use the hook or throw your shield at them to get them into spikes.
After you die, you’ll see a screen that shows you how you lost, as well as a board of the other ways you’ve died in the past and how many times it happened. It’s a fun thing to look back on, and you can tweet your run results if you want to share your progress. But I was a bit disappointed that there is no super quick way to just restart in the selected difficulty, as you’ll have to exit out of that results screen, go back to the main menu, and select the difficulty again. I think there should just be an instant restart button after a game ends so less time is wasted.
Since ENYO is a free game, there are occasional video ads that pop up between rounds and it will even prompt you before you start a game at times. The daily challenge mode is also available only after you unlock the full game and remove ads, which will cost $1.99.
As a fan of roguelike games, I’m enjoying ENYO so far, but I do think that it is lacking in variety at the moment. While each level of the dungeon is procedurally generated, there just doesn’t feel like there are enough different enemy types and hazards to deal with, so gameplay can get a bit repetitive. The controls also felt a bit clunky to me, as you have to have your finger on Enyo and trace the path you want to take, rather than just swiping anywhere on the screen to initiate movement or action with a weapon. While the graphics and sound are pleasing, the rest of the game is more like a diamond-in-the-rough.
Even though I’m a big fan of Card Crawl, I found ENYO to be slightly disappointing in terms of content and controls. If you don’t mind ads and less-than-optimal controls, then ENYO is worth a look, especially since it’s free. But I think holding off until it’s more polished is a better choice.
ENYO is available on the App Store as a universal download for your iPhone and iPad for free. There is an in-app purchase of $1.99 to “unlock” ENYO’s Daily Mode and remove ads.
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