Agricola [Playdek + Look Out Games] - $6.99

If you’re a fan of board or card games, there’s really nothing like playing them on the touch screen. Having everything organized perfectly, wonderful interface, no mess to set up or clean up and, sometimes, even some enhancements to the original games. There are a couple of fantastic development teams creating some wonderful card game experiences on the iOS, but one of our favorites here at The App Shack is Playdek. Their previous titles; Nightfall, Summoner Wars, Fluxx and others are games that will never leave our iDevices. Most recently, working with Look Out Games, they’ve expanded on the card game formula to bring us an interesting and addictive new game; Agricola. 

The background for the gameplay is this: Europe is trying to recover from hard times and you’re placed in the middle of a farming community with your wife. You’ve got to try and build up your land to make a productive farm by growing and harvesting crops, breeding livestock and helping your family to grow. You’re given 14 stages to build up your house, crops, livestock and family as much as you can, earning points for each. While the game sounds pretty simple, there is quite a bit of depth in the gameplay. Starting off with the incredibly well done tutorial is highly recommended. 

First off, the number of actions you’re given in each round is dependant on how many family members you have, so it’s always a good idea to try and grow your family right off the bat. To do this, you’ll need to collect the materials required to build another room onto your farmhouse. To acquiring wood, you’ll need to assign one family member to pick up wood from in town. You’ll also need reed to build your room, so using another family member to pick that up from town, you’ll have enough resources to build a room by the end of your second turn. To finally build the room, you’ll need to use a family member to select the ‘Build Room’ option in town. From here, you can get that room build and ready for another family member. However, you should keep in mind that the more family members you have, the more food you’ll need to feed them, but the resources in town also stack upon one another, so say you don’t select an extra food option for a couple of rounds, you’ll be able to select it and receive 2, 3, or more rounds worth of extra food to help you out. 

Also, more food can be cooked/produced by upgrading your fireplaces and stoves, as well as other features in your house. The same goes for other aspects of your home, which you’ll get into while going through the tutorial and just experimenting while playing the game. While it all might sound a bit confusing, the tutorial being split up into different sections makes it very easy to go back and revisit some of the more complicated mechanics in the game, and once you play a couple games you’ll have a pretty decent handle on what’s going on. 

The user interface for Agricola is very easy to use and is surprisingly accurate, even on the smaller iPhone/iPod screens. While it can be kind of hard to see exactly what you’re hovering over in town when trying to place a family member on a resource, you can always use the question mark in the top left corner to show you what each resource is, making the selection process a whole lot easier. Graphically, Agricola is pretty basic, though with a card/resource game like this being able to clearly see what you’re doing and what different stats and cards do is of utmost importance, and Playdek has nailed it here. Graphics are crisp, clean and clear and text is very easy to read. 

As for gameplay modes, you can either play a single player game or play on one device with up to 5 players. You are able to change each of the other 4 players to either an actual person or the game’s AI. Alongside this, you’re also able to play online, through Playdek’s servers, choosing either a Quick Match, where you can select the gameplay settings you’d like and be notified when another player joins, Create Game, where you can invite a friend to play or join up in one of the already created games on the server. This expanded amount of gameplay options gives players quite a bit to explore and will hopefully keep the online gameplay active for some time. 

With Agricola priced at $6.99, it might be a bit steep for the casual iOS gamer, but those who know the depth of mechanics and great support that comes along with any Playdek title or know how much an online component can add to a card/resource game like Agricola, know that the price is beyond justified. GameCenter is also supported with 11 achievements helping to push the gameplay along and give players more than just points to aim for. And while some gamers might not see it, we here at The App Shack can’t help but love this game so much that the chances of it winding up on our end of the year GOTY list are fairly high. We really can not recommend this one enough. 

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Cracking Sands [Polarbit] - $4.99

Racing games, like just about every other genre, have taken off in the AppStore. There’s no lack of them, that’s for sure, and weeding through everything trying to find one or two that will leave you completely satisfied can be quite the task. However, there have been a few studios that have completely nailed the formula and Polarbit is definitely one of those studios. The first Polarbit title I ever got my hands on was Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 2, and since, their Reckless titles (Racing 1+2 and Getaway) have pretty much secured their place in racer fans hearts. With that, it’s no excuse that fans of the racing genre were ecstatic when their newest racer, Cracking Sands, hit the AppStore a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, it was riddled with issues, which didn’t do much to help push sales. Last night, an update for Cracking Sands went live, and we felt now would be the best time to write up our review for the game. 

Set in a post global warfare environment where civilization has been reduced to a tribal state and the only thing that matters are death races, Cracking Sands is another battle-focused post-apocalyptic kart racer. There were some issues that a lot of players encountered when the game first came out; The controls were tilt only, so players who are more accustomed to virtual buttons in racers were pretty bummed. Also, the drifting was a real pain, making you jerk your iPad left or right, to the point where you might let go of your iPad, and removing the screen from your direct line of sight, resulting in some very uncomfortable moments. There were also a few people who encountered a bug where tilting left made your kart go right and tilting right made your kart go left. This could be fixed by turning your device up-side-down, which just resulted in more comfort issues. There were also some issues with the sound effects being way too loud, drowning out the music and becoming pretty annoying. 

With the update that hit last night though, most of these issues have been fixed. Virtual buttons for steering have been added, and the jerk to drift has been replaced with the same mechanics from Crash Bandicoot; by pressing and holding your jump button while turning, drifting is now a piece of cake. There are still some players who are having the reverse tilt control issues, but with virtual control buttons now available, it’s not that big of a deal. Along with the new controls, the sounds have been adjusted and although not perfect, it is a lot better than it was. 

Now, onto the content. Cracking Sands is overflowing with it. The single player campaign is packed with 9 Cups and with the exception of the first, they each have 6 tracks (the first cup has 5), for a total of 53 tracks. Even though some of the tracks repeat, they each have different objectives. For instance, there’s your typical ‘finish in the highest place you can’, elimination races where last place is taken out every 15 seconds and head of the pack, where you get 1 point for every 5 seconds that you’re in first place, first racer to 10 points wins. Not only is there loads of content in the campaign, but there are also 5 additional gameplay modes which can be unlocked; Time Trial, Race, Elimination, Head Of The Pack and Multiplayer, each with 28 tracks to choose from. Multiplayer is handled through Polarbit’s servers which, unfortunately, are pretty dead at the moment. After trying multiple times to find someone to play with online, I wound up giving up. Hopefully in the future this mode will be more lively, but I can’t help wonder if it might have been better through Game Center. 

Along with the crazy amount of gameplay content, there are also a whole heap of upgrades and items to outfit and soup up your kart with. There are 20 karts available for purchase with each one having upgrades for top speed, acceleration, control and weight. On top of that, you’re able to outfit it with 4 items. These can either be offensive, defensive or extra utilities. Weapons like a rocket launcher, plasma gun, machine gun and quite a few more can all be upgraded up to 5 times. Items like boost, spikes, flash bang, shield and cloaking device can all be upgraded up to 5 times as well, each having a different impact on the gameplay, finding out what fits with your style of play and maxing it out can be incredibly entertaining. 

The level design is also an area worthy of high praise. With some great twists and turns, shortcuts and holes, there are also spots where the track crosses over itself with the possibility of falling back to another section of the track. If that weren’t enough, while racing, the 5 AI racers will be battling it out, all trying to get in that #1 spot, and going from first to last is something that can, and will, happen on a pretty regular basis. Once you’re shot with an enemy racer’s weapon, it slows you down quite a bit. There are also special items which will hold you back, blind you and generally just try to screw you up. 

Like most other kart racers, there are items that litter each of the tracks. The items here in Cracking Sands charge up your special meter. Once you have energy in your special meter, you can use any of the 4 items that you might have equipped. Here’s the kicker; there are some weapons which can drain your meter and transfer it to other racers, and some that if you’re hit with their projectiles, will just straight up drain it. There are pads that can be found on the tracks that will charge up your special gauge along with the pick-up items, but there’s a certain risk/reward aspect when deciding when and where to use your equipped items which helps to make Cracking Sands not just another mindless kart racer. 

Graphically, the game looks great. The environments and animations are all very well crafted and professionally done, as you might expect coming from a studio that’s pretty much mastered the racing genre. The explosions an other graphical effects for weapons all look great as well, adding to the atmosphere and general feel of the game. The UI is great, even on the larger iPad screen. With two options for the buttons, static and floating, this also helps to make gameplay on the iPad as comfortable as possible. 

Being Universal and with the insane amount of content, the price point of $4.99 seems perfect. There are 19 GameCenter achievements and a full 25 leaderboards helping to add to the replay value and challenge of the game. As it is now, Cracking Sands ranks right up there with SEGA & Sonic All-Stars as one of my favorite kart racers for the iDevice. Hopefully the online gameplay mode will pick up in the near future, because as it is now, that’s really my only complaint. If you’re a fan of racers, especially kart racers, this is one title that should definitely be in your collection. 

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Blue Libra 2 [Orator Games] - $2.99

Back when I was trying to get into the 4X genre, after purchasing Starbase Orion, I went through a nice little list of games that I picked out in order to try and help me understand the genre a bit better, and there are a couple that played a huge part in that; Vincere Totus Astrum, 9 Colonies and Blue Libra. All 3 of these titles are still on my iPod, and I wound up double dipping, getting both the SD and HD builds of Blue Libra after getting my iPad. It quickly turned into one of my favorite RTS titles on the platform, and when its sequel, Blue Libra 2, showed up in the AppStore, I was ecstatic. 

Now, like most sequels, Blue Libra 2 picks up where the original left off. This time, you’ll take command of the Libra II, the next step in technological engineering, and set off to exact revenge on the Alien Invaders that took over your homeworld in the last game. 

Blue Libra 2, also like most sequels, is basically, at it’s core, the same thing as Blue Libra, just with a couple more mechanics available to the player. For instance, you’re given more crafts, more objects to capture and a couple of cool new nifty mechanics including the ability to level up your ship, planets, and everything else you’re able to capture, making it harder for them to be taken away and captured by the opposing force as well as speeding up ship production, and mineral extraction. Which brings us to the second new mechanic, resources. Each object that you’re able to capture will contain minerals which you’ll need in order to produce ships. If an area runs out of minerals, you’ll be unable to build anything until more materials are synthetically produced or found. 

There is also a new researching aspect. Unlocking research is done in the same way as the previous Blue Libra, with credits given after completing levels, and then letting players use those credits to unlock research upgrades. The new research system lets you unlock these upgrades, but makes you choose to research them within each level in order for them to become active. I’m not too sure how I feel about the new research mechanics, but it definitely does add some more action to the gameplay, needing to focus on one more aspect of the game while conquering planets, bases and engaging in fleet combat.

Not only are there new gameplay mechanics, but there’s also an all new game mode. Online Multiplayer. That’s right, one of the most user requested features from Blue Libra has been added to this sequel, letting up to 4 players take part in Skirmish battles online. At the moment, there are not many online players, which makes finding a match pretty hard, but hopefully this will change in the near future. Don’t let that distract you from making a purchase though, because Blue Libra 2 contains a 32 stage single player campaign with 3 separate difficulties offering up hours and hours of gameplay to keep players busy until more gamers either pick up the game, or decide to move on to the online features. 

The graphics and animations are, like the original, nicely done, with loads of polish. You’re able to zoom in and out of the gameplay area, as well as scroll around with 2 fingers. With the game being retina enabled, the graphics look great, even zoomed in up close. Even with literally hundreds of ships on the screen at once, there’s no slowdown, even while playing on a 4th Generation Touch, which is becoming more and more rare these days. The music is fantastic and fits the mood of the game perfectly. 

The GameCenter integration, but unfortunately it does not include anything other than Multiplayer support. This means no leaderboards, and no achievements. For all of you achievement junkies out there, this might be a pretty big blow to the game, but considering the original did not include GameCenter support, it’s not really a big surprise. There’s also no real scoring system, so the lack of leaderboards isn’t really something to worry about, and although some added achievements would be nice, that’s nothing that’s required in a Real-Time Strategy title in order to drive the gameplay. 

Priced at $2.99, and being Universal, Blue Libra 2 is one game that fans of the RTS genre should definitely check out. It is strange that the game is priced at $2.99, considering the original Blue Libra HD is priced at $3.99, is not Universal, and does not contain Online Multiplayer, but I don’t think too many people will be upset about that, unless they want to experience the full story, and pick up the original as well. Though, priced together, it’s about $5 on the iPhone/iPod and $7 on the iPad, looking at it this way and considering all of the content you would get with both titles, Orator Games has priced them perfectly for the AppStore. Blue Libra and Blue Libra 2 are also available for the PC (the original is available for MAC, and BL2 is coming to MAC soon), and both have demos (available on the Orator Games Official Site) as well as lite versions if you’re interested in checking out the game before laying down the cash. But I’ve got to put Blue Libra 2 up there  with my other favorite RTS titles, especially now that there’s online skirmish battles included. If you’re a fan of the genre, it’s one game that’ll fit very nicely on your device. 

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Lost Cities [The Coding Monkeys] - $3.99

There are certain genres of video games that fit in perfectly with the touch screen of the iDevice. Strategy, 4X, Puzzlers… but none of them have really felt as matched up with the interface as board and card games do. Carcassonne set a benchmark for the genre, being the gold standard, showing exactly how to port a board game, perfectly, to the iOS. The Coding Monkeys did an amazing job with it, and still, to this day, more than 2 years after it’s iOS inception, it’s still one of the best, if not the best, example of a perfect touch screen board game. Well now, The Coding Monkeys are back, this time porting over the card game, Lost Cities, designed in 1999 by the highly prolific Reiner Knizia. 

One surprising thing about Lost Cities right off the bat is that it’s an iPhone/iPod Touch only build. With so many iOS gamers seeking out Universal games, or just playing card/board games exclusively on their iPads, it’s pretty strange that Coding Monkeys decided to go this route, and even though Carcassonne was released as an iPhone/iPod only build, and was later updated to be Universal, that doesn’t seem to be the case here with Lost Cities. On the official site for the app, Coding Monkeys has stated that Lost Cities is not Universal because they feel that the speed and purity of the game fit the smaller screen perfectly. They will be looking into releasing an iPad only version, but have no plans on doing so in the near future. They also feel that Lost Cities is the perfect game to be played on the go, and with the simplicity of Lost Cities, and the asynchronous Multiplayer Mode do well to back up those statements. Though, these days, not making your game Universal can cause you to loose sales. 

Now that we got that out of the way, Lost Cities. If you’ve never had the pleasure of playing it, it’s one of the more simple Reiner Knizia games. There are two different gameplay modes, Single Player, and Online Multiplayer. In the Single Player Mode, you’re able to pick one of four different AI opponents. Online Multiplayer is handled through GameCenter, and your opponents can either be chosen randomly, or from your friends list.

You and your opponent are each given 8 cards to start out with, and will always have 8 cards in your hand. There is a discard area and the rest of the cards are the deck. On the board, there are 5 rows, each having their own colors; Yellow, Blue, White, Green and Red. These are the 5 colors that the deck is made up of, with each color having the cards 2-10, along with 3 coin cards for each color as well. 

When it’s your turn, you’re able to pick one card from your hand, and place it into the board under the corresponding color. However, each card you place in that same row afterwards needs to be of a higher value. So it’s a very good idea to start out with your lowest numbered card. Once you play a card, you’re able to either pick up a card from the discard pile, or from the deck, and then it’s your opponents turn. Coin Cards are like multipliers, and can only be played as the first card in a row. You’re able to stack the Coin Cards as well, with one card doubling that row’s score, two cards tripling it, and three cards giving that row a 4X multiplier. However, you’ll need to be careful, as doing this also drops your score right off the bat.

Each row starts off with a score of -20, so if you use coin cards, you could wind up dropping your score down -40, -60, or even -80. But as you add cards to the rows, the score rises based on the number on the cards. For instance, if you place a number 2 card into a row, the rows score changes to -18, a number 3 card, it goes to -17, ect. Rows that you don’t place cards in do not have any effect on your score, so it’s a good idea to only open up rows that you know you can score from. Placing 8 or more cards of one color in a row gives you a 20 point bonus. I know it does sound a little confusing on paper, but really, it’s a very simple game. 

There are 3 different tutorial options which you‘ll be able to go through when you start up your first game, as well as a set of Rules on the main menu. The three tutorial options let you either read or listen to the instructions as you play your first game, or you can watch a game be played. Either way is very easy to understand and learn, and after that first game, I felt like I understood the game well enough to jump right into online play, which hardly ever happens for me with online games. I always want to feel like I have a very good understanding of the gameplay before I challenge another human opponent, but with Lost Cities, that understanding was had right after completing the tutorial. 

The graphics, and user interface are typical of other card/board games on the device. Not too flashy, and fairly minimal, but perfect for the genre. I didn’t really care for the background music, but was able to switch it off, and still have the sound effects on from within the settings menu. GameCenter integration includes a whopping 98 achievements, and 6 leaderboards; Oneline Points, Online Best Skill, Online Games Won, Points Vs. Computer, Best Skill Vs. Computer and Games Won Vs. Computer. 

Lost Cities price of $3.99 feels perfect for the game, with other card games ranging from $4.99 to $9.99 or more, it’s a great buy, especially if you’re looking for something simple enough to jump right in to, but also good enough to be able to play a year down the road without being fed up with it. The Coding Monkeys have ported another fantastic card game to the iOS, and it’s definitely one that fans of the genre, as well as newcomers, should consider picking up. Hopefully we’ll be able to see an iPad version in the future, as well as a two player/single device mode, as that seems to be all that this game is missing.

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N.O.V.A. 3 [Gameloft] - $6.99

One of the most successful development studios to ever hit the AppStore is, without a doubt, Gameloft. With over 100 iOS titles, and a $164 MILLION revenue, it’s hard to dispute that. Whether you hate or love em, they know what they’re doing, and have created some amazing titles. One of their most well-known and loved series has to be N.O.V.A. (Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance), releasing the 3rd title in the series earlier this year, this ‘Halo-Clone’ is one of the most popular games in the AppStore. The first N.O.V.A. won IGN’s Best Action Game of the Year, won Pocket Gamer’s Gold Award, and was praised by just about every review site known to the iOS gaming community. A year later, N.O.V.A. 2 - The Hero Rises Again, again won Pocket Gamer’s Gold Award, and was praised even more than the first. A year and a half after N.O.V.A. 2 hit, it was again time for Kal Warden to battle it out, this time, on Earth, in N.O.V.A. 3. 

Like the previous N.O.V.A. titles, N.O.V.A. 3 has both a single player campaign mode, as well as a multiplayer mode (both online and local wi-fi). The single player story mode contains 10 huge levels with about 6-8 hours of gameplay. Like the previous titles, the difficulty ramps up as you progress through the game at a pretty constant and manageable rate. Unfortunately, there are no separate difficulty settings like the previous 2 titles, though some might prefer this; you either can or can not beat the single player campaign, and beating it gives more a sense of completion, because you’ve gone through the exact same thing as everyone else. 

So, you might be asking yourself; ‘That’s nice and all, but is there anything in the way of rewards if I completely kick the games butt?’ Gameloft has thought of that too. N.O.V.A. 3 contains an in-game store, where you’re able to spend currency to procure some pretty unique weapons. At the end of each level, you’re rewarded with this currency depending on how well you preformed throughout the stage. This is a great addition, even though you’re also able to purchase the currency through IAPs, the reward for doing good is there. 

Now, what will really suck away most of your time is the online Multiplayer Mode. This time around, you’re able to have up to 12 players, which, for the iOS, is pretty impressive. Unfortunately, there are only 6 maps, but hopefully, like N.O.V.A. 2, more maps will be added in future updates. You are able to choose between 6 different gameplay modes; Free-For-All, Team Deathmatch, Freeze Tag, Capture The Flag, Capture The Point and InstaGib. You’re also able to set time and kill limits as well. Another aspect that makes the Multiplayer Mode great is that, for the first time, multiple players can jump into the same vehicle, allowing for loads of destruction. 

Not into Online gameplay? Not to worry. N.O.V.A. 3, carrying on with the N.O.V.A. story, has got to be the best title in the series. The graphics have had a pretty big step up from the last two, and the game plays more like an actual console game. I was very impressed on several occasions while making my way through the game, and was even reminded of F.E.A.R. 3 more than once (maybe this had to do with the slow-motion sections, I’m not sure). It’s definitely one of the very few First-Person-Shooters on the iOS that’s going to be a blast playing through a second, or even third time. The animations are also a huge step up from the last two, with fantastic explosions, smooth movement, and nice death scenes. 

Chances are, if you’re a fan of the genre, you’ve already picked this up. But on the off chance that you haven’t, you need to. N.O.V.A. 3 could very well be the best FPS available for the iDevice. Even though there are some issues, a lot of the Multiplayer problems have been fixed via the latest update (Version 1.0.1). There are pretty long loading times, though this is very understandable once you see what the game was loading, and there is some occasional slowdown during hectic gameplay, though nothing game-breaking, it’s worth noting. The online features do have some occasional lag, which results in players jumping around on screen, and some pretty nasty hit detection, but again, this is only occasional, and is not game-breaking. Like most online multiplayer games, there are issues to be worked out, as not every iDevice with every OS can be tested on, and things like how old your device is, how used it is, how much space you have, and your internet connection can all play parts in how a game runs on your device. But even with all of this being said; N.O.V.A. 3 is a blast, will only get better, and is highly recommended. Gameloft has once again provided a very well rounded FPS adventure. One that’s definitely worth experiencing. 

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Super Mole Escape [Grumpyface + Adult Swim] - $0.99

Grumpyface Studios is easily one of my favorite dev teams working on iOS games today. Their previous games, Robot Unicorn Attack, Wispin and Bring Me Sandwiches! are some of the most unique and original titles within their respective genres, and are 3 games that I will NEVER delete from my iDevice. Well, last night, Grumpyface released another title, again, published by Adult Swim, who really can’t seem to do any wrong these days, called Super Mole Escape, an Endless Digger game that has you controlling a mole digging through layers and layers of the earth, trying to escape the fuzz. 

Super Mole Escape  has two separate modes; Single Player and Versus. In Single Player Mode, you’re able to choose between two different moles when you start out, a male and a female, both with different stats; The male has equal Speed, Acceleration and Strength, while the female has less Strength and boosted Acceleration. There are also 5 other moles which you’ll be able to unlock as you gain gems while playing the game. In Verses Mode, you’re able to match up either randomly, or with select friends through GameCenter to play side by side. Both modes are essentially the same; control your mole while trying to reach the furthest distance you can before being caught by the police. Once you are caught by the police, you’re given an option to bribe the judge for 1,000 gems, or take your chance and spin the wheel, where you can either earn extra gems, get a second chance, or get boosters for your next game. In Verses Mode, whoever is caught first looses. There are no second chances given in Verses Mode. 

Aside from the Versus Mode, where the game really shines is in it’s gameplay mechanics. Endless diving games are certainly nothing new within the AppStore, but Super Mole Escape happens to very gracefully out-shine all of them. As you make your way through various environments of the ground below, you’ll be able to collect gems and power-ups. The gems play two rolls in the game; One, collect them to unlock more moles, upgrade your mole’s stats and purchase one-time-use boosters in the shop. Two, to boost. Every time you collect a whole string of gems, your mole will get a speed boost. The more strings you collect, the faster your mole will go, each string giving them an even stronger boost of speed. You’re also able to plow through rocks, enemies and some hazards, which would normally severely slow you down, in the blink of an eye, opening up more power-ups, gems, and special gems to collect. Special Gems are scattered throughout the game. Big and shiny, they’re very hard to miss, but are usually placed in spots that require quick thinking, or a boost of speed in order to collect. But once you collect 3 of them, you’ll get a special Super Boost, which will throw you far ahead of the cop, or your opponent, if you’re playing in Versus Mode. 

There are multiple power-ups to collect as you make your way through the ground; Hammers, which can smash through rocks, as well as smash enemies that have a mission to slow you down, Diggers, which you can ride for a very nice speed boost, plowing through most everything in your path, Rockets, which you can shoot at your enemies, blast through walls with, or shoot at your opponent if playing Versus Mode, Shields, which allow you to take 2 hits without slowing you down, and a Magnet, which draws gems to you. These power-ups are scattered throughout the world in crates. To break them open, you simply need to dig through them. Once you do, an icon with the power-up you’ve collected will sit at either the bottom or the side of the screen (depending on your control scheme), able for use whenever you’re ready. 

Other than rocks, loads of hazards will try and slow you down as you try and escape. Mushrooms which bounce you back a bit, dinosaur skeletons which will chomp down on you, worms, Eskimos, hot lava, spikes, flash freeze devices, and more, will all try and throw a wrench in your escape plans. As you progress, and get deeper and deeper, the hazards become more abundant, and packed together, making the game more and more challenging the further you dig. The separate environments each house their own hazards, and this variety really keeps the game fresh, as you never know which environment is going to come next, or what is around the next set of rocks. 

There are two control schemes; Tilt and Touch. Tilt is pretty self-explanatory, while the Touch Controls let you drag your finger anywhere on the screen to move your mole. Both control options have sensitivity settings, which really helps out, especially when using the Touch Controls on an iPad. It’s great being able to pick your choice of controls, and set it to be as tight or loose as you like so that you can play the game to the best of your abilities. 

Priced at $0.99, being Universal, containing GameCenter leaderboards for Furthest Distance, Total Distance, and most Verses Games Won, as well as having 22 hard to unlock achievements, and 35 in-game objectives which you can do to earn extra gems. There are IAPs, but you can unlock and upgrade everything without purchasing any additional gems, but they are there if you would like to unlock everything right away, or show some extra support to the developers. Grumpyface has made an extremely solid Endless Diving game, one that definitely leaves the rest of the genre in the dust, and sets a new standard for future Endless Diving games to follow. 

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Blade of Darkness [Zealm] - $1.99

With the recent release of Pocket Heroes re-igniting my love for D&D parties, and bringing back memories of playing Diablo back in the late 90’s, I’ve been on a sort of quest of my own. To find all the Diabloesque and Fantasy Card games for the iOS that I can. Low and behold, one of the first titles I came across, and just can’t get enough of; Blade of Darkness - an open-world 3D RPG/hack-n-slash game developed by Zealm (developers of Monster Fight, Zombies Runner and Angry Zombie Ninja Vs. Vegetables). 

Blade of Darkness starts out with a pretty impressive cutscene giving you a bit of backstory; seems darkness overtook the land after a meteor shower rained down from the skies. Zombies and other undead creatures started to appear everywhere, and the darkness slowly spread. This land is appropriately named ‘Shadowland’. On the edge of Shadowland lies ‘Sanctuary‘; a campsite set up where a small patch of sunlight hit’s the ground. It’s here that you’ll begin your journey. 

Actually, I guess I should say ‘it’s here where you’ll figure out what you’re supposed to be doing throughout the rest of the game.’ The tutorial is made up of 3 pop-ups. One telling you that the joystick in the lower left corner is for movement, another saying that the icon to the right is for jumping, and that to talk to people, you walk up to them and tap on them. Trust me, you won’t forget. Every time you come back to Sanctuary, you’ll need to go through the ‘tutorial’ before you get started again. From here on out, you’re on your own.

After figuring out that people in town with a “!” above their heads have a quest to send you on, you can try and figure out how to get out of Sanctuary. Turns out there’s a pathway right behind where you start from that leads out to two different warp areas, and from here, now you can start your journey. Your first task requires that you go to the East to find the wife of a wizard at camp. It seems they were separated, and he needs you to find her. Unfortunately, leaving the campsite will only take you South, through cemeteries, dungeons, and other dark lands which are full of undead creatures. Directions aren’t really accurate, and there will be quite a bit of exploring involved. 

The battle system is in real time, and is kind of reminiscent of CrimsonHeart. If you just run into a pack of enemies slinging your sword around, you’ll find yourself in trouble fairly quickly. Standing back and luring a couple of enemies towards you, and watching how they attack and block will be a valuable asset to learn early on in the game. Running around to the back of enemies helps you avoid their shields, and can give you some massive hits. Of course, not all of the enemies require this tactic. There are some that will just stand there while you walk right up to them and bash their heads in. It’s all part of the combat system dance. I guess. Once you start killing enemies, they’ll start dropping gold and other items, and you can get your loot on. Figuring out how to pick items up is another task that you’ll need to figure out on your own. I’ll help you out; Tapping on the item inside the window that pops up will put it in your equipment pack.

Don’t get me wrong. Once you figure everything in Blade of Darkness out, it’s really a fun game. But sticking with it through all of the figuring it out will be taxing, and currently priced at $0.99, there are going to be some people who just give up, and delete the game. But if you’re willing to stick it out, and not afraid to learn basically the whole UI on your own, the hack-n-slash, loot driven, Diablo reminiscent gameplay can be very rewarding. Finding those rare items, and beating the hell out of hundreds of enemies is great fun. You’re also able to play in CO-OP mode, which has the game controlling another hero along side you, Multiplayer Mode, where you can host or join another game, as well as an Arena Mode where you can battle other players online. Lets just hope that Zealm sells enough copies to be driven to keep the updates coming, because if they do, Blade of Darkness could turn into one hell of a Diabloesque title, and maybe even one of the top loot driven games on the iOS. 

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