Home » Articles and Reviews by 'Andrew Nesvadba'
Junk Jack Review
There's a sort of epiphany, a miniature moment of enlightenment if you will, that comes from a lifetime of playing video games. It can come even earlier than this, but you start to see the vast reams of games you've played as a rainbow of genres, each one blurring seamlessly in to the next with some becoming the strongest example of a specific moment. If you've not played the free-form exploration title Minecraft you've done yourself a disservice; while I personally dipped in and out…
Watch The Video Review
challengeHands-On Preview of Evertales from Crescent Moon Games
If you've been wondering what Crescent Moon Games and Thunder Game Works (the boffins behind the Trenches series) have been up to lately, then I present to you their latest collaboration of Evertales. Set for release later this week, the game takes a stab at the action/puzzle platforming formula with a Trine-like twist. Check out the video for initial impressions and details!…
Oh! Edo Towns Review
I guess this was sort of inevitable - no I don't mean Kairosoft releasing a new game, but rather a game from Kairosoft that touches (if only tangentially) on actual city management games like Sim City. Any real similarity between the classic Sim game and Oh! Edo Towns is only minor, so what does the latest game from the Japanese powerhouse developer have to offer? If you've delved in to their previous games of Hot Springs Story and High School Story you'll get a good sense of deja vu…
Watch The Video Review
Wizardry Labyrinth of Lost Souls Review
I'm prepared to be lynched by the mob, but first hear me out: While I was never a personal fan of the first-person RPG while growing up (even despite some amazing examples of the genre on the Commodore Amiga, I get what makes them so appealing - I love the challenge of overcoming my ignorance and mastering an otherwise puzzling system of gameplay. Unfortunately for Wizardry Labyrinth of Lost Souls this is 2011 and we have better ways to remove 'hand holding' without making a player fee…
Watch The Video Review
Friday News Wrap-Up 4 November 2011
Additional LinksFlick Golf Extreme - http://itunes.apple.com/app/flick-golf-extreme!-hd/id443136023?mt=8Flick Soccer - http://itunes.apple.com/app/flick-soccer!-hd/id454484314?mt=8Hotspot Football - http://itunes.apple.com/app/hotspot-football-hd/id415906348?mt=8Coin Drop - http://itunes.apple.com/app/coin-drop!/id396119687?mt=8Flick Golf - http://itunes.apple.com/app/flick-golf-hd/id400492358?mt=8Age of Defenders trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2VlBWdrxcMSuper Stickman Golf review - http://www.appspy.com/super-stick-golf-reviewZombieville USA 2 review - http://www.appspy.com/zombieville-usa-2-review…
Q&A With Massive Joe Studios
To promote the recent release of Age of Monsters - Rock Paper Scissors by Massive Joe Studios, one of the creative minds behind the project, Jeff Matsuda, recently jumped on social site Reddit to perform an AMA ('Ask Me Anything'). Not only was it a huge success from the viewpoint of Matsuda's fans as they got to request some amazing artwork, it provided a unique way to get the word out there about their iOS title. Not to miss a beat, AppSpy has managed to grab hold of Mike Su and Jeff Matsuda from Massive Joe Studios to ask them a few questions. Introductions Massive Joe is founded by Mike Su and Jeff Matsuda. Mike (me, speaking in third person) was previously VP of Games and VP of Produ…
SpinTrip Review
Most platformers are content with assigning players a handful of 'powers', be it through tokens they earn that give them temporary special abilities or by using button combinations to add a level of skill to the gameplay. SpinTrip takes a slightly different approach, breaking down the gameplay in to moving left/right and jumping while only being able to activate one power at a time; the catch is, you need to 'find' the power in question first. It's an intriguing idea and where most ga…
Watch The Video Review
Zombie Samurai Review
Jumping in to Zombie Samurai by Eye Interactive and Alawar Entertainment almost immediately took me back - not to some distant childhood memory of gaming, but rather to the beginning of my iOS gaming when castle defense titles roamed the landscape like large lumbering behemoths that you couldn't escape. Sure, we see shadows of this rarefied beast now and then in other titles, but this game brings back the genre lock, stock and barrel, perhaps as a reminder of why we've moved on. The p…
Watch The Video Review
Zombieville USA 2 Review
For those who have been iOS gaming for a while now, Zombieville USA is somewhat of a classic icon of the platform - while it wasn't terribly complicated, trying to survive as long as possible while having limited resources made for a fun distraction, if not actually compelling gameplay for some. Times have changed though and what was refreshing compared to the limited amount of titles available back then isn't quite so fresh any more, so how does Mika Mobile's sequel, Zombieville USA 2…
Watch The Video Review
Top 3 iOS Games for October 2011
I won't lie, I like months like this - the burden of sifting through the games you've played and trying to judge each one on an individual merit to see whether it JUST pips out one game out for another can be at best tiresome, and at worst a frustrating chore as you struggle with some hair-splitting decisions. So when I get a month like this past October with its huge highlights, the only problem I have left is stopping myself from gushing too much about these titles. So, if you've got a budget or if you're just looking for the best of the best, here's the Top 3 iPhone Games for October 2011. 3. Mage Gauntlet (Rocketcat Games) $2.99 To be sure, any developer worth their salt sho…
Wonton 51 Review
The popularity of abstract shooters and endless titles was eventually bound to result in a developer marrying the two, with games like Phoenix by Firi Games capturing the spirit of a bullet hell shoot'em-up while still having the hook of hitting 'replay' over and over. Wonton 51 by Quarter Circle Punch takes another stab at the formula, opting for a self-aware style that adds some humor in to the mix. As with any self-respecting game invoking the early days of the arcade (as this retr…
Watch The Video Review
Russian Dancing Men Review
In 1999 Japanese developer and musician Masay Matsuura, along with his company NanaOn-Sha, released Vib-Ribbon upon the world. While not garnering nearly the same attention as previous releases PaRappa the Rapper and UmJammer Lammy, it carved a niche for itself thanks to its unique approach to rhythm gaming - giving players obstacles timed to music to navigate via a semi-intuitive control scheme. Its lukewarm reception was followed up with relative silence in the rhythm game sphere as…
Watch The Video Review
Friday News Wrap-Up 28 October 2011
Additional Links:Snoopy's Street Fair Preview - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB2aGhC-clMNAMCO BANDAI on iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/artist/namco-networks-america-inc./id281656478?mt=8Ocarbot iTunes Link - http://itunes.apple.com/app/ocarbot/id468638546?mt=8Modern Combat 3 Review - http://www.appspy.com/modern-combat-3-fallen-nation-review…
Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation Review
If I could digress for a moment before stepping in to this review, there are times at which I wonder if parroting what already exists on larger consoles is really the way forward for iOS. While I agree that in many cases we'd otherwise not see games like this on an iDevice, at times it's hard not to feel like being a hyena tearing at the shreds of a carcass. In this way a game can feel disappointing even despite being, relatively speaking, amazing for the platform it's on. With that s…
Watch The Video Review
Galactic Phantasy Review
When you first look at a game like Galaxy Pirate Adventure by Sunfish Studio Limited, it's hard not to be misled and think you're in for a Privateer-like experience set in a pirate-infested universe. The first hint is in the game's description as it clearly calls itself a 'full 3D RPG', which is literally exactly what it is. You play as the Prince of Pirates, however you've been cast out in to the 'waters' by your father (the 'King' of Pirates if you're wondering) to adventure and gro…
Watch The Video Review
