heringer said:

Wayward Souls is pretty great.

Mage Gauntlet got controls and visuals right, but it was a bit boring overall. Wayward Souls rectifies this. There are more ways to fight and it's way harder. This is no button masher, and you have to think, get the timing and moves right. The comparison with the Souls games were obviously overblown, but it's a good challenge (only played one hour so far). It does feel like Secret of Mana mets Dark Souls a little bit.

Visually it's a delight if you are into this retro style. The lightning is pretty impressive.

The tone of the story is more serious too, which I like.

No IAP whatsoever. It's simply a great game that costs $5. No catch. It's the kind of stuff you would see on Steam.

Click to expand...

Saucycarpdog said:

Yep, Wayward souls is kinda addicting (and difficult)

This game would be great for medium play sessions where you have a little more than 10 minutes to kill. Perfect for playing in between classes while on campus.

Click to expand...

SteveWD40 said:

Wayward Souls is fucking awesome.

Controls: Feel great, as good as touchscreen can, better than the previous high point of Mage Gauntlet

Sound: Amazing, atmospheric and moody

Look: Pixel graphics with charm but also great lighting and effects, no horrible sticks or overlay

Gameplay: Feels great, combat is nice and tight, controls work like a dream and it's got re-playability out the arse (think Spelunky)

In summary, another top level April release which has put this month firmly in the "best ever" for iOS. Oh and it's got NO IAP at all, it's a decent price and about 60mb installed.

Buy it or forever shut the fuck up about the decline of iOS gaming because stuff like this, FTL and Hearthstone (with it's true f2p nature) are our salvation against the tidal wave of f2p garbage or bloated / terrible ports.

Click to expand...

More_Badass said:

As an avid fan of the series, seeing the gameplay I loved reduced to this...let's just say my impressions of screenshots and gameplay weren't positive

But the forum impressions and reviews convinced me to give the game a chance and I'm glad I did. Hitman Go may not be the kind of Hitman I would have preferred on IOS but it's far from the abomination I had been anticipating. Rather than being a strike against the franchise, Hitman Go somehow is able to remain true to the series' core mechanics while distilling those elements to a mobile-friendly package with a fantastic presentation.

Compared to other stealth series like Splinter Cell and Thief, the Hitman franchise was always best enjoyed as stealth puzzle games IMO. Methodically setting up your assassination, putting pieces in motion, the right disguise in the right place at the right time. Hitman Go takes that foundation and strips the gameplay down to its purest stealth puzzle form. The series' key elements still remain - distractions, disguises, guards and targets - but are presented in a wonderfully realized board-game aesthetic. The gameplay is as methodical as ever, perhaps even more so here than in its console/PC brethren, since enemies move when you move and without planning ahead, the wrong move will find you cornered or dead. Different guard behaviors and various objectives for missions that require different routes add replay value and challenge

But any impressions of Hitman Go would be lacking without praising its presentation. This game probably has one of the slickest, stylish aesthetics I've seen in a mobile game, down to the wooden tabletop, figurines, and Level # label on the side.

If there was one thing I'd like to see added, it would be a turn counter so I could track my moves while attempting objectives. But other than that, Hitman Go is an excellent game that remains true to the series while presenting the gameplay through an interesting unique aesthetic. I definitely recommend Hitman Go.

Click to expand...

killercow said:

The iPad version of Hearthstone is amazing. That is all

Click to expand...

Minsc said:

Hearthstone is the sort of F2P with real gameplay and lots of polish I wish more iOS games would aim for. It's the kind of game you could spend countless hours on, and still go back to and try new things. Once they outline their post-release support, it will really shine. Even in it's current incomplete state (lacks adventure mode, small card pool could use a few real expansions, and could use some more gameplay modes), it's probably the best F2P game on iOS in the sense it's a real game and not just some shallow experience.

Click to expand...

Minsc said:

You're matched up with people who are comparable in normal casual play, so even if you pay up and buy the best cards, you're just skipping ahead to having to play everyone else with them too, so you'll find yourself losing just as often once you've acquired enough wins from having better cards that you're facing more challenging players.

If you don't have good cards and lose a lot, your MMR will be low, and you'll be playing other people with low MMRs.

In ranked mode though, you don't play by MMR (win/loss rating), you play by winning stars. The opponents you face are based on rank (stars won), so you aren't matched by decks. There as you gain rank you'll run across much stronger players more frequently. However ranks 25-20 are usually filled with beginners since you can't lose stars to below rank 20, so once you hit 20, you'll never go above it, back towards 25, where you start. Prizes are awarded for hitting rank 20, so it's not too hard to get to, since you can't ever lose points until after you've hit 20 and earned the prize.

Arena is random and fair, everyone on the same ground (your card collection doesn't come in to play, everyone makes a random deck from all cards in the game), and you pay 150g as mentioned. You are guaranteed a 100g pack no matter what, so you're really only gambling away 50 gold. If you can win ~4 games before you lose 3, you tend to get around 50g back (or the 50g worth in dust). If you can win 7, you'll get 150 gold back. Anything more can have you getting up to 500 gold back.

Adventure mode is coming up next, and that is PvE content (play vs AI), and will reward special cards, so that also will not be too hard most likely, as there's no risk of running in to people who own every card or whatever.

Click to expand...

glaringradio said:

Played this on Android and was absolutely hooked. It feels like having a proper Diablo-lite on your phone, doesn't take itself seriously, and unlike the awful Dungeon Hunter games, is actually fun to play and doesn't faff about with any Freemium bollocks if you want to go from start to finish with no hassle.

Download it, play it with a controller ideally (has native controller support) and enjoy. Been waiting for this for ages

Click to expand...

Flunkie said:

OMG, yes. I played this for WAY too long last night and have been tired all day today because of it. But I couldn't stop playing.

Click to expand...

toddhunter said:

FTL Port Impressions

• Has all the familiar menus and sounds, feels like a "full" version
• In general the interface is responsive, but some icons are a little hard to touch like the box buttons [1. continue]. It is nothing too bad, but I found myself having to "retouch" here and there.
• Compromises to the new interface including needing to touch the door controls before you can open or close a door. For an experienced player, this is a little fiddly under pressure but not too bad and in general shows everything is well thought out.
• The weapon controls need to be expanded to fire as well and this doesn't work quite as well. Again we are only talking about fractions of a second slower than the PC version, but it is noticeable.
• One of my main concerns was how to select people (without constant touching) but you can swipe to select multiples (not drawing boxes) and it works very well.
• The save to stations button and then later a recall is very handy and improves on the base game.
• The included tutorial is short and effective

The one big negative is no mod support, which added a lot to the PC version. Things like the infinite space mode especially will be missed and hopefully something like that is added at a later date.

Overall it takes some getting used to and can feel a little fiddly at times. However the pause button is always there and I can see myself getting used to it all very quickly (helped by the repetitive nature of the game).

The price is a bit of a downer (see my previous $13 comment for Australia!) but basically it seems like a must buy.

Click to expand...

Heel said:

Ran through the FTL tutorial and checked out all the options in the hangar.

Spend your $10. Right now.

Click to expand...

PittaGAF said:

Spent some quality time with FTL on iPad at last.

The porting is GLORIOUS (no more crashes).

Also, nice to see the game is in the top grossing higher part of the charts.
I want to see FTL2 native on iPad, I hope they will be rich by the end of the month.

Click to expand...

Vire said:

Hey all, I just made an OT for Monument Valley, please stop by and check it out! This game deserves attention.

Click to expand...

More_Badass said:

If I may be so bold, I'm going to go ahead and say Monument Valley is the epitome of what IOS gaming should be. At a time when "86% of gamers prefer free games with advertisments", where clones and clones of clones flood the charts and tear the spotlight away from the games that deserve it, where IAP and abusive freemium practices are rampant and only seem to grow more and more ubiquitous, we get a game like this, an original IOS exclusive, a premium game devoid of ads or in-app purchases, an experience that puts visual artistry and atmosphere first, that uses the tactile tangible nature of the touchscreen to its fullest potential, that is simple yet engaging and compelling. Monument Valley is not just a great IOS game, it's a great game regardless of system or platform.

Click to expand...

PittaGAF said:

Just completed Monument Valley.

Clever, essential, tactile, touching.

Amazing.

An experience not to be missed.

(I want more, of course).

In my book, Ustwo got what I call the Simogo factor: I will buy their next product no question asked.

Click to expand...

Pray For Death said:

I've just finished Monument Valley, and while it was a nice experience, I found it far too easy and short. The gameplay is really similar to Tengami, but I think I prefer Tengami over this one. The puzzles in that game are much more involved, and the game is also beautiful in its own way. It is also much longer.

Just my 2 cents

Click to expand...

Tony Rocky Horror said:

Just played (and finished) Monument Valley. Holy shit. Play this game while you on your own, with headphones. Such a great experience. While it only took just over an hour to finish I'd say it was well worth the money. If you want to support independent developers, just get this instead of buying a F2P game. So good.

It's really laid-back which helps you enjoy all the beautiful environments. It just feel right. All the details make sense and when you complete the final puzzles you kinda feel like a magician. I can't even image how a game like this gets developed, bravo to them! I like their approach of making a game you will actually finish. It has made it so much more worth it.

If you're going to play one game this month let it be this.

Click to expand...

Pray For Death said:

This website keeps track of all the controller enabled games. It gets updated regularly.

Click to expand...

MOGA Ace Power Controller reviews said:

A better, yet more cumbersome iOS 7 gamepad: hands-on with the MOGA Ace Power - Engadget
MOGA Ace Power Gamepad Review - 148Apps
Hands-on with the MOGA Ace Power - the first MFi iPhone controller for iOS 7 - Pocket Gamer

Click to expand...

iCade Hardware / Games reviews said:

Here are a few video reviews of iCade supported titles (thanks Alextended!)

iCade hardware

Blazing Star
Shogun: Rise of the Renegade
Gridrunner
ElectroMaster
Enborn-X
Midway Arcade
Vectrex Regeneration
Temple Run

Click to expand...

iOS Membership said:

Rules

• Send Dash Kappei or Tunesmith a PM if you want to be added or taken off the list, following this text formatting:
  
  GAF Name = Game Center Name / iOS Device(s)

• When adding someone, add From GAF to the friend request and your NeoGAF name as to easily tell who's who.
• Send Dash Kappei or Tunesmith a PM if you are already on the list but want to update your profile with more info like iOS devices(s) owned, or to just change your existing GC profile.
• We are on the list and, if you are too, it's OK to add us even if we're not best buddies; don't be shy: we enjoy having more GAFers challenging us on the friends leaderboards.
• Don't just wait for others to add you first you should at least add some of the profiles posted above yours if you want to get the ball rolling... It's really up to you. Ideally the last member of the list will be the one to add the profiles above his, and so on and on with each new member. Or maybe just add whoever you like, that's also an option.
• Remember: Your real name will be visible to your GC friends.
• You can add everyone on the list at once; click the second sheet on the iOS Membership list and read the instructions, works on iOS and Macs

Click to expand...

How do I back up my game saves for games that do not support iCloud save games?

Click to expand...

• Click the iFunBox Classic tab
• Connect your iOS device, via WiFi or USB, it should then appear in the Connected Devices list on the left side of the UI.
• Under User Applications, navigate to the game you want to back up save games for.
• Select the Documents and Library folders and copy them one at a time to your PC/Mac - this will copy the folders and all their contents. They contains your save files and settings for the game. Some games only use Documents, some use both.

• Under User Applications, navigate to the game you want to restore save games for.
• Select the Documents and/or Library folders and choose to copy from PC/Mac.
• Navigate to where you saved the backed up Documents and/or Library folders on your PC/Mac, open them and select all the files within it and open them. This will copy the folder contents back onto your iOS device.
• Restart/fully close the game itself and your saves should be back!

How do I hide my Real Name on Game Center?

Click to expand...

• Go to http://appleid.apple.com and log in with your Apple ID details via "Manage your Apple ID".
• In the "Name, ID and Email Addresses" section, click Edit on the Your Name field at the top.
• Change you First and Last name (you must enter both) to whatever you like (e.g. First Name: Tunesmith, Last Name: GAF)

Should I buy this new high-priced game or wait for a sale?

Click to expand...

I just got an iPhone/iPad. What are the best games?

Click to expand...

For gaming, should I get the iPad Mini 2, or iPad Air?

Click to expand...

I'm a new iOS user, what non-gaming apps should I get ASAP?

Click to expand...

I was lucky enough to get into the Testflight beta for Monument Valley and after playing through the current beta, I have to say that no game I've played has offered such satisfying and fun perspective-twisting mechanics since Fez. Set in an abstract world of a long lost civilization, you traverse these isometric environments, solving puzzles and slowly unraveling the mysterious fate of those who resided there before. While the minimalist art and Escher-esque environments are always pleasing to explore. what truly makes Monument Valley shine are its mechanics. Each chapter offers a new twist of the perspective-shifting and spatial manipulation, from levels where you can rotate the entire level and transition from floors to walking across walls to the Box, a nesting doll-style environment where you flip open different sides of the box to reveal different puzzles and areas. Some levels you need to manipulate enemies to activate switches, other levels you're moving a pillar to bridge impossible gaps.

While the developers hope to eventually bring Monument Valley to Android and PC, currently it's only set to release on IOS and honestly I feel Monument Valley without a touchscreen would diminish the experience. There's something quite satisfying and tactile in moving portions of the level around, dragging sections to complete illusions, and other functions that could only be accomplished with a touchscreen.

Click to expand...

I'm really enjoying my time with 15 Coins. I think the most apt comparison would be the twitch game Catch-22 turned up to 11. Your simple goal is to collect the titular 15 coins as they appear on the screen across three difficulty modes. The screen is your arena and the edges loop you around to the other side. Your little arrow moves forward automatically, while you turn left or right. I felt the tilt controls were much too loose and pretty unwieldy but the touch controls are very responsive.

So while collecting coins may be simple in theory, 15 Coins' gameplay mechanic quickly proves that the task is easier said than done. Every few seconds, a clone appears, mirroring your movements over those last seconds. One or two may be easy to evade, but the screen quickly becomes a moving minefield as your past selves begin to fill the screen. However you're not totally defenseless; by collecting a power-up, the clones freeze and you can smash through them. But actually reaching those power-ups and then destroying clones without leaving yourself cornered when they start moving again is a challenge

Click to expand...

Orenhy said:

The month of all months, FTL today, and Hearthstone probably this month, my PC will probably start collecting dust.

Click to expand...

Tunesmith said:

The OP is a bit bare as April gets under way.

Here's the rest of today's potentially OP worthy games, courtesy of TA

Warhammer 40K : Storm of Vengeance - (by Eutechnyx Limited)
Evolution: Battle for Utopia (By My.com)
Millie (by Forever Entertainment S.A.)
MonsterCrafter Pro (by Naquatic LLC)
15 Coins (by Engaging Games)
Chilie (by Yves MESNARD)
Lightbringers: Saviors of Raia (by Frima)

Click to expand...

Orenhy said:

The month of all months, FTL today, and Hearthstone probably this month, my PC will probably start collecting dust.

Click to expand...

StarCreator said:

No DJMAX Technika Q love T_T

Still wondering exactly what drove me to buy $59.99 worth of Q points, but at least I'll get a lot of time out of this game now.

Click to expand...

chickdigger802 said:

are there any starting guides for those style of games? I just get a brain fart at anything higher than normal... like im not sure which fingers/hand to use for what.

Click to expand...

Tony Rocky Horror said:

So many games.. Is it that normal for games to 'soft-launch' in NZ? Seeing it more and more these days.

Click to expand...

Tunesmith said:

The OP is a bit bare as April gets under way.

Here's the rest of today's potentially OP worthy games, courtesy of TA

Warhammer 40K : Storm of Vengeance - (by Eutechnyx Limited)
Evolution: Battle for Utopia (By My.com)
Millie (by Forever Entertainment S.A.)
MonsterCrafter Pro (by Naquatic LLC)
15 Coins (by Engaging Games)
Chilie (by Yves MESNARD)
Lightbringers: Saviors of Raia (by Frima)

Click to expand...

Digital Limit said:

Is FTL out there on iPad yet? Is the update available on Steam? I'm at work, someone bring me in on this!

Click to expand...

PittaGAF said:

I would rule out the WH40K: Storm of Vengance...I've heard is utter garbage ((

Spymaster (soft launched in NZ) is incredibly slick and polished....must play it more but next days will be a bit intense.

Click to expand...

Digital Limit said:

Is FTL out there on iPad yet? Is the update available on Steam? I'm at work, someone bring me in on this!

Click to expand...

The Lamonster said:

I was excited about FTL until I heard it was a roguelike with permadeath. It's what has completely turned me off from the otherwise excellent Out There.

I prefer investing in my ship and crew, upgrading over time, learning from mistakes, connecting with the characters and story...cannot do that with these 15-60 minute sessions starting over and over. *yawn*

Click to expand...

Digital Limit said:

Is FTL out there on iPad yet? Is the update available on Steam? I'm at work, someone bring me in on this!

Click to expand...

nhlducks35 said:

Depends on your time zone, it usually comes out at 9 PST on the West Coast.

Click to expand...

Minsc said:

FTL is like literally a million times better than Out There though, it's like comparing a fancy dinner to road kill.

Click to expand...

The Lamonster said:

I prefer investing in my ship and crew, upgrading over time, learning from mistakes, connecting with the characters and story...cannot do that with these 15-60 minute sessions starting over and over. *yawn*

Click to expand...

The Lamonster said:

I was excited about FTL until I heard it was a roguelike with permadeath. It's what has completely turned me off from the otherwise excellent Out There.

I prefer investing in my ship and crew, upgrading over time, learning from mistakes, connecting with the characters and story...cannot do that with these 15-60 minute sessions starting over and over. *yawn*

Click to expand...

Snuggles said:

The sessions may only be 15-60 minutes long, but there are some epic tales contained within them. Trust me. The unpredictable, rougelike nature allows you to create your own story with every run, and I found that the permadeath aspect only made me grow more attached to my crew, knowing I was always one bad decision away from the heartbreak of losing them.

Click to expand...

Tunesmith said:

FTL also has New Game+ of sorts, where you can start off in other ships depending on your success in your previous run.

Click to expand...

The Lamonster said:

Well, at least in my experience with Out There, "bad decision" was really more like "bad guess" so if FTL is more about making educated decisions over random guesses I'm totally on board.

Click to expand...

The Lamonster said:

Well, at least in my experience with Out There, "bad decision" was really more like "bad guess" so if FTL is more about making educated decisions over random guesses I'm totally on board.


hmmm I guess I'll give it a shot then, depending on the price. I am all about dat sci-fi after all.

Click to expand...

Tunesmith said:

Yeah WH40K looks janky.

Spymaster is out in the US too I think? https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/spymaster/id726845738

Click to expand...

killercow said:

Hearthstone is out in Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/hearthstone-heroes-warcraft/id625257520?mt=8

Click to expand...

killercow said:

Hearthstone is out in Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/hearthstone-heroes-warcraft/id625257520?mt=8

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

• Has all the familiar menus and sounds, feels like a "full" version
• In general the interface is responsive, but some icons are a little hard to touch like the box buttons [1. continue]. It is nothing too bad, but I found myself having to "retouch" here and there.
• Compromises to the new interface including needing to touch the door controls before you can open or close a door. For an experienced player, this is a little fiddly under pressure but not too bad and in general shows everything is well thought out.
• The weapon controls need to be expanded to fire as well and this doesn't work quite as well. Again we are only talking about fractions of a second slower than the PC version, but it is noticeable.
• One of my main concerns was how to select people (without constant touching) but you can swipe to select multiples (not drawing boxes) and it works very well.
• The save to stations button and then later a recall is very handy and improves on the base game.
• The included tutorial is short and effective

colinp said:

It's all happening!!

Hmmmm, does that mean it's soft launching there and won't be coming to US yet?

Click to expand...

killercow said:

Hearthstone is out in Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
https://itunes.apple.com/nz/app/hearthstone-heroes-warcraft/id625257520?mt=8

Click to expand...

The Lamonster said:

I was excited about FTL until I heard it was a roguelike with permadeath. It's what has completely turned me off from the otherwise excellent Out There.

I prefer investing in my ship and crew, upgrading over time, learning from mistakes, connecting with the characters and story...cannot do that with these 15-60 minute sessions starting over and over. *yawn*

Click to expand...

RustyO said:

Woot! Australia just got a 30% price increase across the board on Apps...

Click to expand...

RustyO said:

Woot! Australia just got a 30% price increase across the board on Apps...

Click to expand...

Digital Limit said:

Is FTL out there on iPad yet? Is the update available on Steam?

Click to expand...