Home » Articles and Reviews by 'James Gilmour'
News Wrap-Up | 6th September 2013
It's a little under two weeks until Angry Birds Star Wars II lands on iOS. To whet our appetites for yet more bird-flinging fun, Rovio has given us a glimpse of its new physical docks in action. Like the Skylanders portals, these telepods will allow you to transport the accompanying Star Wars figures directly into the game. As this sequel actually covers the movie prequels, expect to get your hands on a mini plastic Qui-Gon, a feathery Padme, and Jar Jar Binks. The launch date is set for September 19th. Many bothans die to bring you this information So we got a bit of a surprise when we signed into the App Store this morning. Rather than the usual landslide of free-to-play endless-runner…
Call of Duty: Strike Team | Hands-On
So we got a bit of a surprise when we signed into the App Store this morning. Rather than the usual landslide of free-to-play endless-runners, what should pop up on our screens but a brand new - and hitherto unannounced - Call of Duty game. I know right. It's called Call of Duty: Strike Team, and it's a CoD game with a difference. Rather than plumping for another 15 levels of military-themed first-person mayhem, Leeds-based studio Blast Furnace has created a game which is part FPS, part third-person strategy game. What does such a game look like, you ask? Well, just check out the video below to see me talk you through the first 15 minutes of Call of Duty: Strike Team. It's Call of Duty,…
Mikey Hooks Review
Speed-run platformer Mikey Shorts, which appeared on the App Store last year, did a great job of demonstrating how precision platforming can be successfully achieved on a touchscreen. For the sequel, Mikey Hooks, Beavertap Games has upped the number of onscreen hazards, and given Mikey the ability to swing across chasms like a big-headed Tarzan. Things are a little more dangerous for Mikey this time out. Though the familiar flat-topped robo enemies return, they are now decked out…
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Asphalt 8: Airborne Review
Ashpalt 8: Airborne plays like a greatest hits compilation of arcade racers. Perhaps you enjoyed the powerslide from Outrun and Ridge Racer? Or the nitro boosts and takedown challenges from Burnout? Well, you'll find them all in Asphalt 8. The good news is that rather than Gameloft simply ripping off aspects of other games and mashing them randomly together, the dev has managed create a polished, adrenaline-infused racer which is way more fun than it has any right to be. One thing's…
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News Wrap-Up | 30th August 2013
It's been a long time coming, but the first trailer for Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas has washed up onto the shores of the internet. This RPG adventure has had a lot of iOS fans frothing in anticipation for ages, largely thanks to its delightful visuals and Zelda-esque sensibilities. Thankfully, the island hopping gameplay shown in the trailer looks to fulfil the promise of those early teasers, even if it all looks a bit too Wind Waker for its own good. It's due to dock with the App Store this autumn, so keep your eyes on the horizon for more news. Angry Birds announcements are coming thick and fast at the moment. Hot on the heel of Rovio's Angry Birds Star Wars II reveal, the Fin…
Preview | Anomaly 2
There were some fans of 11 bit studios' tower-offense hit Anomaly Warzone Earth who were a little disappointed that last year's follow-up, Anomaly Korea, wasn't a fully-fledged sequel. Well, dry those eyes, strategy lovers, for we bring you tidings of great joy. The custodians of the series have comfirmed to us (face-to-face, no less) that Anomaly 2 is due to hit the App Store later this year. What's more, we got to go hands-on with the latest build of the game at Gamescom 2013 last week. Don't believe us? Just peep out the video below to see the game in action.…
Preview | Galaxy on Fire: Alliances
The Galaxy on Fire franchise is known for delivering two things: entertaining ship-to-ship combat, and searingly beautiful visuals. However, rather than trot out another arcade space shooter, developer Fishlabs has decided to take the series in a different direction for its third iteration. Due to arrive on iOS later this year, Galaxy on Fire: Alliances is the team's first pass at a strategy MMO. To find out exactly what we can expect from this free-to-play spin-off, we caught up with Fishlabs CEO Michael Schade at Gamescom 2013, who was on hand to show off the game and walk us through the basics.…
News Wrap-Up | 16th August 2013
New mutants, jobs, and building in Pixel People update Freemium world-builder Pixel People has been updated yet again. Having cultivated your own blocky Utopia, the new update lets you take a day trip to visit and explore your friends' cities.There's a laundry list of content additions, too, including 12 new buildings, 20 new mutants, and 30 new job types. It's free to download right now. The Room: Epilogue to debut on August 29th Creepy box-puzzler The Room scooped numerous awards when it arrived on iOS last year. Though developer Fireproof has already confirmed the sequel, which will appear later this year, fans of first game will be able to explore The Room further on August 29th via…
News Wrap-Up | 9th August 2013
Cut the Rope: Time Travel gets Disco Era update Om Nom is taking yet another step back in time this week, courtesy of Cut the Rope: Time Travel's Disco Era Update. In addition to meeting Om Nom's groovy ancestor, you have to wrap your perm around the new disco ball mechanic, which requires you to use the shiny spheres to keep the spotlight away from those all important candies. It's free to download, so fill your cuban-heeled boots. Pirate Legends TD sails onto the App Store next week We love a bit of tower defence here on AppSpy, It's one of those genres that feels like it's been designed exclusively for the App Store. With that in mind, you might want to keep an eye out for Pirate Leg…
Kid Tripp Review
Freddie Mercury once sang that, "Pain is so close to pleasure". Though we suspect he wasn't singing about tough-as-nails pixel-art auto-runners like Kid Tripp, he might as well have been. Like the 8-bit platformers of old, Kid Tripp is designed to test your both your memory and your reflexes to breaking point, in the hope of delivering the ultimate gaming reward: the thrill of a victory snatched from the jaws of defeat. And, for the most part, Kid Tripp fulfils its brutal ambitions.…
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News Wrap-Up | 2nd August 2013
Kingdom Rush: Frontiers expanded its horizons on iOS this week, following the arrival of the Rising Tides update. Download it, and you'll get access to three new beach-based levels, plus a handful of new enemy types, including the scaley Greenfin Manhunters. To help you tackle these saltwater scourges, you can now call upon two new heroes: a great big crab / turtle thing called Karkinos, and a shape-shifting, Last Airbender-looking monk by the name of Kutsao. You'll also want to keep your eye out for the Leviathan. Those tentacles mean business. You have been warned. It's no secret that we loved slick, smooth platforming of Mikey Shorts. Because of this, we've had our eye on the hookshot-…
Tiny Thief Review
In the often humourless, frequently bullet-riddled world of gaming, a little charm goes a long way. Tiny Thief, the genre-straddling adventure puzzle mash-up from 5 Ants Games has enough charm to rescue an entire battalion of macho, grey cover shooters from their gravel-voiced funk, and still have a bit left over to make a funnel web spider look cute. As the title suggests, you take control of a pint-sized pickpocket whom you must guide to an exit without being spotted. To do this, yo…
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Get Pocket Gamer's Doodle Jump Companion Guide on iPad now
Mobile games are often perceived as throwaway experiences - games which can be picked-up, played for five minutes, and then discarded. Some games, however, stand the test of time. Lima Sky's Doodle Jump is one of these games. And now, you can dive deeper into the world of Doodle Jump than ever before with The Official Pocket Gamer Companion Guide to Doodle Jump. Produced by AppSpy's sister site Pocket Gamer (in conjunction with Lima Sky), the Companion Guide to Doodle Jump is packed with history, trivia, interviews, and strategies relating to the squiggly platforming classic. Download the app, and you'll gain access to tips from a record-breaking Doodle Jump champion. You'll even find an e…
Prince of Persia® The Shadow and the Flame Review
Prince of Persia: The Shadow and the Flame certainly looks the part. The ancient dungeons and booby-trapped palaces from the 1993 original have been handsomely fleshed out with an extra dimension for this iOS remake. Our gymnastic hero has apparently been hanging out with the Forgotten Sands-era prince, and has learned a few of the youngster’s acrobatic moves, including a natty backflip. He also engages in swordplay, which echoes the wait-and-parry system found in the Ubisoft&rsq…
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Riptide GP2 iPad Review
Riptide GP2 makes you work for your win. And when we say work, we don't just mean learning track layouts and honing your jetski riding skills. You see, this water-based racer throws you in at the deep end, presenting you with challenges that are initially beyond the capabilities of your jetski. If you want to get first place, you're going to need to upgrade your vehicle. And, if you want to get the cash to upgrade your vehicle, you're going to have to get your grind on. It's lucky, th…
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