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[More_Badass]

Also worth noting that they've done incredible job translating controls to touch screen. Better than literally any other action game that was ported from consoles to phones.

Yeah, Limbo controls effortlessly on touch screen.

Oh, and playing KoDP and Out There back to back makes me realize how much I'd love to see a game with the depth and style of KoDP but with a hard sci fi setting. Generation ships, weird alien races, terraforming, galactic conquest....ugh, I want that

 

[chris121580]

While there is a lot (and for a very apparent reason, the market prefers them), I feel there has just been so many game in the past few weeks releasing, that you could probably coast a month off them alone, and you have more great stuff lined up this week and down the road. So even if you hate freemium games, I think there's enough releasing to keep you happy, unless you have very specific tastes.

There are definitely some great games out there. It just bothers me that it seems as though the future for iOS is free to play and I hate to see that happen. I understand the freemium model(one of my co-workers has spent so much money on Clash of Clans) but I just wish there was a way I could purchase the game outright instead of having to wait 30 minutes before I can start playing again. The other thing that bothers me about freemium is that there isn't really an end to those types of games. It's completely pointless. I prefer games that have an ending and some sort of objective.

So...I think Out There is growing on me. While I still feel the actual mechanics are kind of boring, the real strength (besides the art style) is the element of discovery. It's very compelling to discover a new ship or new race, new tech, a new event. I just wish there was more variety in the planet art


I've come to accept F2P. There are games that do it well (Retry, Space Wolf, Puzzle to the Center of the Earth) and then you have the Clash of Clan ripoffs, Trials Frontier, and the rest. Luckily there are still many great paid games and free games that aren't F2P ripoff. You just have to look.

But fuck timers. You want me to play your game...so you stop me from playing your game. Makes perfect sense

Timers are one of the worst ideas to ever be implemented in gaming, period.

 

[Tunesmith]

I hope the market gets over it's fascination of combining "X" with "Match-3" soon. I can't personally stand these games, no matter how they sugar coat it, it's still a damn match-3 game! I have Bejeweled, or Threes! for that already.

Originality is dead.

 

[Double D]

I hope the market gets over it's fascination of combining "X" with "Match-3" soon. I can't personally stand these games, no matter how they sugar coat it, it's still a damn match-3 game! I have Bejeweled, or Threes! for that already.

Originality is dead.

This right here. So many games I just pass over because it is, yet again, just another match 3 game.

 

[awp69]

Its freemium so I expect the worst. I havent downloaded it yet. Maybe I will never will. Have plenty of awesome premium endless runners with me, no need for a cash grab.

In relation to Vektor, it appears to be ad-supported, but I haven't seen any ads (probably because I use Webblock). I've read that they are unobtrusive nonetheless and there does not seem to be an IAP to get rid of them.

The game itself is pretty slick. Love the graphical style. The gameplay is fun but not sure of it will hold my interest long. You basically swerve between cars and take down other motorcycles using a melee-ish attack.I have't gotten to what appeared to be shmup-like baddies in a screenshot so maybe things get more exciting.

 

[Minsc]

I hope the market gets over it's fascination of combining "X" with "Match-3" soon. I can't personally stand these games, no matter how they sugar coat it, it's still a damn match-3 game! I have Bejeweled, or Threes! for that already.

Originality is dead.

The enjoyment usually comes from the more difficult ones that require strategy to play. Have you played the original Puzzle Quest, that's probably one of the best examples of the genre in its finest form. You have some really crazy stuff going on in the alternate game modes of Puzzle Quest where you have to craft things, and the later fights get very interesting with the abilities that can instantly level the board against you, or for you.

What Puzzle Quest does that most Match-3 doesn't is require you to plan out moves ahead of time, since your opponent plays on the same board, and you taking one match may lead to them getting an even better one, so you have to weigh in taking a crappier move to prevent lining up the tiles for them to score a really strong play or free turns. All the while you are watching what colors you are leaving them to match, to make sure they aren't getting their spells charged as well. It's a very good game that has few equals in the Match-3 genre imo.

 

[tmdorsey]

Any recent recommendations for good word games or combination word/puzzle games that would help me increase my vocabulary and spelling maybe? I was thinking about checking out that Ruzzle quest game that made the Editor's Choice.

 

[Matt Frost]

This right here. So many games I just pass over because it is, yet again, just another match 3 game.

Try Puzzle to the Center of the Earth, its a match-3 game that does something new.

In relation to Vektor, it appears to be ad-supported, but I haven't seen any ads (probably because I use Webblock). I've read that they are unobtrusive nonetheless and there does not seem to be an IAP to get rid of them.

The game itself is pretty slick. Love the graphical style. The gameplay is fun but not sure of it will hold my interest long. You basically swerve between cars and take down other motorcycles using a melee-ish attack.I have't gotten to what appeared to be shmup-like baddies in a screenshot so maybe things get more exciting.

Will install it just to see how it is.

 

[wetflame]

Puzzle to the Centre of the Earth isn't really a match-3 game though, it's more of a drag-a-line-over-up-to-six-similarly-coloured-blocks game. I can't think of another example right now. Similar to Triple Town maybe, except you're just removing blocks to make a path rather than combining things to make new stuff.

 

[Tunesmith]

The enjoyment usually comes from the more difficult ones that require strategy to play. Have you played the original Puzzle Quest, that's probably one of the best examples of the genre in its finest form. You have some really crazy stuff going on in the alternate game modes of Puzzle Quest where you have to craft things, and the later fights get very interesting with the abilities that can instantly level the board against you, or for you.

What Puzzle Quest does that most Match-3 doesn't is require you to plan out moves ahead of time, since your opponent plays on the same board, and you taking one match may lead to them getting an even better one, so you have to weigh in taking a crappier move to prevent lining up the tiles for them to score a really strong play or free turns. All the while you are watching what colors you are leaving them to match, to make sure they aren't getting their spells charged as well. It's a very good game that has few equals in the Match-3 genre imo.

I did, years and years ago.

Puzzle to the Centre of the Earth isn't really a match-3 game though, it's more of a drag-a-line-over-up-to-six-similarly-coloured-blocks game. I can't think of another example right now. Similar to Triple Town maybe, except you're just removing blocks to make a path rather than combining things to make new stuff.

Puzzle to the Centre of the Earth is definitely a "Match-3" game, you need to match 3 or more things to do anything in that game.

 

[awp69]

OK. The following question is shameful for an iOS gamer, but I was thinking of picking up either 80 Days, Year Walk, Device 6 or King of Dragon Pass this week.

Which of them would be at the top of your list?

 

[Tunesmith]

OK. The following question is shameful for an iOS gamer, but I was thinking of picking up either 80 Days, Year Walk, Device 6 or King of Dragon Pass this week.

Which of them would be at the top of your list?

Haven't tried 80 days, but I've gotten miles more out of KoDP than Year Walk and Device 6.

 

[heringer]

OK. The following question is shameful for an iOS gamer, but I was thinking of picking up either 80 Days, Year Walk, Device 6 or King of Dragon Pass this week.

Which of them would be at the top of your list?

KoDP is on sale, get that. It's amazing.

 

[More_Badass]

OK. The following question is shameful for an iOS gamer, but I was thinking of picking up either 80 Days, Year Walk, Device 6 or King of Dragon Pass this week.

Which of them would be at the top of your list?

I would have put 80 Days at the top of the list a few days ago, but now that I'm into KoDP:

1) King of Dragon Pass
2) 80 Days
3) Device 6
4) Year Walk

King of Dragon Pass is by far the deepest and most complex game I've ever played on IOS. It's a PC port, so that's kind of to be expected, but wow, it just blows any other mobile RPG I've played away. Layers and layers of depth here

80 Days is also incredible. My favorite IOS game of 2014. Such an engrossing intriguing world to explore and discover. Inkle's best yet

Device 6 is hard as hell. Pencil and paper are a must. The way it uses text to visually tell its narrative is brilliant. You will feel like a genius when you solve its puzzles and brain teasers

Year Walk is just haunting and eerie and just as enigmatic and tricky as Device 6

 

[wetflame]

Puzzle to the Centre of the Earth is definitely a "Match-3" game, you need to match 3 or more things to do anything in that game.

Yeah, I guess so. And thinking about it, Triple Town is completely different than what I was thinking of. I just associate "Match-3" more with something like Bejeweled or Adventure Xpress, where you're swapping tiles to create a group of 3 or more, which this isn't.

 

[Matt Frost]

I also have to say that I never got into Simogo at all. Year Walk went by and Device 6 as well but never peaked my interest. But I really like 80 Days and Out There. Maybe I need to have a second look...

Also, The Banner Saga vs King of Dragon Pass, who would win? (since I haven't bought TBS yet and they seem inspired in the nordic old times)

 

[wetflame]

I'd probably put Year Walk and Device 6 high in my list of absolute must-plays for iOS. Really enjoyed both of those, 80 Days too.

 

[PFD]

I hope the market gets over it's fascination of combining "X" with "Match-3" soon. I can't personally stand these games, no matter how they sugar coat it, it's still a damn match-3 game! I have Bejeweled, or Threes! for that already.

Originality is dead.

I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome 10000000 is

 

[no angel]

The enjoyment usually comes from the more difficult ones that require strategy to play. Have you played the original Puzzle Quest, that's probably one of the best examples of the genre in its finest form. You have some really crazy stuff going on in the alternate game modes of Puzzle Quest where you have to craft things, and the later fights get very interesting with the abilities that can instantly level the board against you, or for you.

What Puzzle Quest does that most Match-3 doesn't is require you to plan out moves ahead of time, since your opponent plays on the same board, and you taking one match may lead to them getting an even better one, so you have to weigh in taking a crappier move to prevent lining up the tiles for them to score a really strong play or free turns. All the while you are watching what colors you are leaving them to match, to make sure they aren't getting their spells charged as well. It's a very good game that has few equals in the Match-3 genre imo.

Puzzle quest is so good. Or a least it would be if it was updated to work on ios8.

 

[awp69]

Thanks for the replies. I know they're all considered must-haves.

And I'm sure I'll end up getting all four at one point or another, but sounds like KoDP has the most meat and the sale certainly doesn't hurt so think I'll bite on that. Guess with The Banner Saga that keeps me on a little Nordic binge.

 

[Minsc]

I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome 10000000 is

Good call, 10000000 showed up on a surprisingly high number of GOTY lists, including people who don't even normally play iOS games that much.

 

[Corgi]

1000000 was also just updated for iphone 6/6+ and minor graphics changes!

 

[Matt Frost]

I'd probably put Year Walk and Device 6 high in my list of absolute must-plays for iOS. Really enjoyed both of those, 80 Days too.

I am leaning towards Year Walk more than Device 6. Another one to add for tonights list. Lucky me its the 29th and I got paid today xD

1000000... ok... Going in now...

 

[More_Badass]

I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome 10000000 is

I should probably play that

 

[foomfoom415]

OK. The following question is shameful for an iOS gamer, but I was thinking of picking up either 80 Days, Year Walk, Device 6 or King of Dragon Pass this week.

Which of them would be at the top of your list?

You can't go wrong with any of these but I would rank them:

1. Year Walk
2. Device 6
3. 80-Days
4. KoDP

 

[pronk420]

I think king of dragon pass is on sale starting today as well incase anyone didn't know

http://www.pockettactics.com/news/i...ss-king-dragon-pass-celebrates-15-years-sale/

i was waiting for today to pick it up

 

[CronoShot]

Apollo justice is on the App Store?

Unfortunately no. I wish it was, then the whole series (sans the Edgeworth games and PLvsAA) would be on iOS.

 

[PittaGAF]

I also have to say that I never got into Simogo at all. Year Walk went by and Device 6 as well but never peaked my interest. But I really like 80 Days and Out There. Maybe I need to have a second look...

Also, The Banner Saga vs King of Dragon Pass, who would win? (since I haven't bought TBS yet and they seem inspired in the nordic old times)

Personally I prefer Banner Saga over KoDP by a long shot.
I do not like at all the 'management' part in KoDP.
But you don't like TBS (which isn't in KoDP) so...

 

[hooligan]

Any word on release dates for ultimate Gettysburg and buzz aldrin space program?

 

[awp69]

Personally I prefer Banner Saga over KoDP by a long shot.
I do not like at all the 'management' part in KoDP.
But you don't like TBS (which isn't in KoDP) so...

Hmmm.. Makes me wonder if I'd like the "management" part of KoPD.

 

[More_Badass]

Hmmm.. Makes me wonder if I'd like the "management" part of KoPD.

This article does a good job of talking about why KoDP is good
http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/28220/15-years-and-worlds-apart-autumn-dynasty-warlords
If it sounds intriguing, I'd say you'd probably enjoy the game

Also, the RPS review of the PC version is a good read as well
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/10/17/king-of-dragon-pass-retro/

Crusader Kings 2 is perhaps a distant cousin, but The Banner Saga is the only game that can really claim descendance, with both its Viking-esque theme and event chains sparked off by your decisions. It deserves a better legacy. It’s an RPG without the potions and sidequests and goddamn rats. It’s a management game without the build orders or arms races. It’s about people. People and consequences. That’s life, that is.

 

[tmdorsey]

Any recent recommendations for good word games or combination word/puzzle games that would help me increase my vocabulary and spelling maybe? I was thinking about checking out that Ruzzle quest game that made the Editor's Choice.

No thoughts I guess?

 

[More_Badass]

No thoughts I guess?

Uh, some good word games I'd recommend:
- Word Mage
- LEXX
- Lumicon
- Letter Quest

 

[Bebpo]

I am leaning towards Year Walk more than Device 6. Another one to add for tonights list. Lucky me its the 29th and I got paid today xD

1000000... ok... Going in now...

I greatly preferred Device 6 to Year Walk. Device 6 is one of the top5 best mobile games I've played, Year Walk...I dunno. Nice presentation and a lot of people like it, but it felt like a fairly mediocre short adventure game if you play a lot of point and click stuff.

 

[More_Badass]

I greatly preferred Device 6 to Year Walk. Device 6 is one of the top5 best mobile games I've played, Year Walk...I dunno. Nice presentation and a lot of people like it, but it felt like a fairly mediocre short adventure game if you play a lot of point and click stuff.

I'd have to agree with this. As much as I enjoyed Year Walk, Device 6 was such an engrossing, captivating, and rewarding experience. Not only is it an immersive text adventure, immersive in every sense of the word, that really draws you into the environment through its brilliant use of text, but the puzzles make you feel like a genius and are just so intelligently designed.

You feel like you're traversing a place rather than just reading text. It really is brilliant and an experience that could only work on touch screen

 

[datamage]

I've been gone from iOS for quite some time, it's been fun catching up.

How is the phone version of Year Walk (particularly on an iPhone 6?) I played it back on an iPad when it first came out, but have since then sold it.

 

[More_Badass]

Actually now that I recommended Word Mage above, got me playing again. If you're looking for a tough challenging word game RPG, Word Mage is great. Take the frenetic countdown of LEXX and add enemies to fight (some which can magically affect your letter grid), a skill tree, magic abilities, crafting, a word map, pixel art. It's a fun game. I'd call it premium, even though there is one IAP, mainly because you also unlock that IAP with in-game currency (There aren't currency packs either)

I've been gone from iOS for quite some time, it's been fun catching up.

How is the phone version of Year Walk (particularly on an iPhone 6?) I played it back on an iPad when it first came out, but have since then sold it.

I'll have a huge thread up by this weekend, with a ton of IOS recommendations, so you'll have a lot of catching up to do

 

[awp69]

This article does a good job of talking about why KoDP is good
http://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/28220/15-years-and-worlds-apart-autumn-dynasty-warlords
If it sounds intriguing, I'd say you'd probably enjoy the game

Also, the RPS review of the PC version is a good read as well
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2014/10/17/king-of-dragon-pass-retro/

Thanks for the links. I'm a little weary about it from that management standpoint but I still might give it a shot. I've always had a hard time getting into any game where you have to "manage" things. Never like Karosoft games. Clash of Clans type things. Keeping track of resources, building things, etc. And, even though it's different and probably should give it more of a chance, Out There.

In fact, that one article resonated with me with it's picture of Autumn Dynasty: Warlords. I liked the first game but hated the second one. Too much on the management side of things.

Guess when I play games where I'm managing people, towns, food, resources, etc.,
I almost feel like I'm doing work. Games are something to escape menial tasks -- not do more.

 

[Corgi]

now that i think about it. ideal iphone games for me, are solid gameplay, neat mechanics that work with the touch screen, but most importantly. not a battery killer.

impulse bought San Andreas, and while i dig having this whole ps2 game on my phone. the battery drain, and the heat generated. not worth it.

 

[tmdorsey]

Uh, some good word games I'd recommend:
- Word Mage
- LEXX
- Lumicon
- Letter Quest

Thanks!

 

[Heel]

No thoughts I guess?

SpellTower and Puzzlejuice are my two favorites, though they aren't recent.

 

[PittaGAF]

Hmmm.. Makes me wonder if I'd like the "management" part of KoPD.

I do not want to give the wrong impression about an objectively great game, I always had controversial feelings about KoDP anyway...it's that elusive game you want to love but you can't for me.
As many other said, KoDP a is a fantastic game.
I just do not like the management part, but I do not like that kind of gameplay in any game.
The adventure part, the lore, the consistency...I love them.
And the game is just mechanically too difficult for me.
I own it since ages, but I completed it just once on iOS, and it was the short game.
It's not difficult per se, but I just don't grasp well the mechanics...but ehi, it's just me.
For comparison, I find Out There MUCH easier.

Banner Saga in many ways is a straightforward more modern version of KoDP, without the 'civilization' part (which I hate) plus TBS fights (which I love).

 

[PFD]

No thoughts I guess?

Try The Grading Game (there's also a free version)

 

[awp69]

I do not want to give the wrong impression about an objectively great game, I always had controversial feelings about KoDP anyway...it's that elusive game you want to love but you can't for me.
As many other said, KoDP a is a fantastic game.
I just do not like the management part, but I do not like that kind of gameplay in any game.
The adventure part, the lore, the consistency...I love them.
And the game is just mechanically too difficult for me.
I own it since ages, but I completed it just once on iOS, and it was the short game.
It's not difficult per se, but I just don't grasp well the mechanics...but ehi, it's just me.
For comparison, I find Out There MUCH easier.

Banner Saga in many ways is a straightforward more modern version of KoDP, without the 'civilization' part (which I hate) plus TBS fights (which I love).

It sounds like you and I have similar tastes. If you read my post above, you'll see that I really don't care for management or civilization building type games. And if I'm not a huge fan of even Out There, I imagine I probably would dislike that piece of KoDP as well.

I also like the TBS battles in Banner Saga as well as the story line. Guess I was thinking KoDP was kind of like an interactive gamebook with just a little management and some RPG aspects.

It's sounding more and more like the management/society building component is a bigger piece of the game than I thought.

So not so sure about it now.

 

[Hoggy110]

Yeah, Limbo controls effortlessly on touch screen.

I seriously must have been the only person in the entire world who did not like Limbo's touch controls...I get that they were done well for the platform, and it doesn't clog up the screen with the UI, and blah blah blah, but I still has trouble when it came to doing a number of things because my character would jump at completely wrong times, or not jump at all

Some people may have loved it, I just found it fustrating quite a lot.

---

Anyway, the new releases tonight look absolutely barren. However, I downloaded The Banner Saga so I can just play that now

I look forward to all of the load screens from playing on an iPad 2

 

[awp69]

So is Woah Dave! another Super Crate Box type game? I like the Bit Trip games but I'm kind of burnt out on single screen platformers in the vein of SCB.

 

[Tunesmith]

I'm addicted to Sky Force, why I didn't try this out when it first came out beats me.

 

[putermcgee]

Now I am looking at Super Glyph Quest... anyone can vouch for it? Its good?

I had started typing a reply right after this post, but then got caught up with things that took me away from my computer all day. Anyway, Super Glyph Quest is easy to recommend. If you've played the first one, it's very much the same (as many "super" games are) but with a ton more content. If you haven't played the first one, it's one of my favorite games this year... though, I guess it could be replaced by the new one.

The problem I have with SGQ is that it feels really grindy at the moment. Early on, before you get to the depth that makes the game shine, the story quests are unbalanced, and you'll die unfairly a lot. What makes it more frustrating is that the levels you can repeat to grind out exp give you only a little bit each round.

The developer has been active on the TA forums, and said they were looking into some rebalancing. I have a feeling that if getting to the real meat, where you are matching different elemental glyphs in the same turn, becomes a bit easier, it could be on my GotY list.

Uggghhh that place, a site that supports and promotes freemium and clones... no thanks but I will buy it tonight along with Woah Dave! and The Banner Saga.I will buy it tonight along with Woah Dave! and The Banner Saga.

I don't really get the TA hate here. I've always thought they put an honest effort into covering both games they are personally excited about, and games their readers want to know about. I mean, a lot of their coverage is driven by buzz on their forums.

I also think there's too much writing off of F2P games going on, despite the fact that there's a huge range of how gross the model can be. I understand it's not everyone, but looking at even just the last couple pages in this thread shows that many people are willing to lump them all together.

I'd probably put Year Walk and Device 6 high in my list of absolute must-plays for iOS. Really enjoyed both of those, 80 Days too.

What surprises me the most is that Simogo put out both Year Walk and Device 6 in the same year. They do hire outside help, but they're really only two people at their core.

If anyone is worried about playing just one of them, or in which order, just know that you can finish either one in a few hours. I played through Year Walk three times the day it came out. With Device 6, I took a couple breaks throughout the game to think about the puzzles, but I think the total play time was quite short. I ended up playing through again right after I finished the first round.

 

[Jedeye Sniv]

I just finished up Broken Age chapter 1 and it was wonderful, can't recommend it enough. A perfect adventure game in that it's silly and complicated but not too obscure, the dual narrative works really well (omg that ending!) and it really is one of the most beautiful games I've ever played.

I also played through the first episode of the Silent Age (both of the age games in one night, aw yeah) and it was ok but pretty dry I thought. The puzzle solving was pretty simple and often just ended up swapping items for other things. I'm not sure if I'll play the next episode.

Will be getting the Banner Saga and Wolf Among Us at the weekend when I get paid, might see if I can pick up anything else significant I've missed lately too.

 

[More_Badass]

I don't really get the TA hate here. I've always thought they put an honest effort into covering both games they are personally excited about, and games their readers want to know about. I mean, a lot of their coverage is driven by buzz on their forums.

I also think there's too much writing off of F2P games going on, despite the fact that there's a huge range of how gross the model can be. I understand it's not everyone, but looking at even just the last couple pages in this thread shows that many people are willing to lump them all together.

Let's just say that some people in the thread have certain feeling towards TA for reasons other than the site's coverage. But that's not a discussion for this thread

What surprises me the most is that Simogo put out both Year Walk and Device 6 in the same year. They do hire outside help, but they're really only two people at their core.

If anyone is worried about playing just one of them, or in which order, just know that you can finish either one in a few hours. I played through Year Walk three times the day it came out. With Device 6, I took a couple breaks throughout the game to think about the puzzles, but I think the total play time was quite short. I ended up playing through again right after I finished the first round.

Yeah, their output is very impressive. And with Sailor's Dream coming out next week too!

Personally I prefer quality over quantity. Would rather have a short well-crafted concise experince over a padded-out game with filler