Home » Articles and Reviews by 'Dave Flodine'
Parcel Panic 2 looks to ramp up the thrills
We reviewed the original Parcel Panic back in early 2010, and while it was great to see a game following the spirit of Crazy Taxi, it just did not deliver the engaging speedy gameplay it should have. All these years later Mad Processor have created a sequel, and at least according to the trailer, it looks to be more of a high octane parcel delivery experience than its predecessor. Now the game is free, and you would have noticed the large amount of coins littering the game world in the trailer. We hope that the flow of coin collection and whatever upgrades or aesthetic changes available are well balanced to not intrude on what might be a fast paced race around town. The game is…
Solar Flux shows that the universe is indeed a beautiful place
Slingshotting around orbiting bodies, using propulsion to make it safely through hazards - it's all in a day's work for an astronaut. Although contrary to what the trailer for Solar Flux tells us, we doubt those space pioneers would want to relive the experiences via a mobile game. However, for those of us who will never get the chance to drift in the void of space, this physics puzzler might scratch our adventuring itch. Watch the trailer and see for yourselves. We have to say, we're loving the way asteroids and planets cast shadows from the game's various suns. Solar Flux has been available on iPad for some time now, but this is the first time the IP has appeared on iPhone. This new m…
Tilt to Live 2: Redonkulous Review
Tilt to Live 2 is subtitled 'Redonkulous'. This is quite a boast, especially considering the first Tilt to Live became pretty crazy over the years thanks to a series of bar-raising updates. So, given the twitch-based insanity of the original, could this sequel be that much crazier? The answer is a resounding 'yes'. Those who have played the original should feel right at home with Tilt to Live 2. As before, you must tilt your iDevice to move a tiny arrow around the screen, avoidin…
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Hot Mess Review
Hot Mess caused a bit of controversy when it was banned from the App Store not once but twice. You see, Hot Mess is a game about burning passion. More specifically, it's a game about locating burning passion, and then dousing those white hot with flames with a jet of cold water. You take control of a fire-fighting robot, who has been sent into a hotel to save the residents from a series of blazes. After an unexpected electric shock, the robot's targeting systems go haywire, causing hi…
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Core is a game of connections
We have to admit that when we first fired up the trailer for Core, we weren't convinced. For whatever reason, simple art style and warpy music didn't really grab us. Keep watching however, and a rather intriguing puzzler starts to emerge, one which involves connecting and layering wires so that orbs can transfer energy to a corresponding square. Have a look for yourselves. Each puzzle seemingly has a few options, but the goal is to have the orb reach the square as quickly as possible. The game is free to download, so if it looks like you'd enjoy making a few new connections, you might as well give it a try. [App Store Link]…
Furiosity is the latest game by Bart Bonte
Bart Bonte certainly makes unique iOS games. From Sugar Sugar to Factory Balls (which we covered on the old App Wrap-Up column), these games an interesting puzzle ideas, and then make the player work very hard for their solutions. Furiosity looks to be no different. The aim is to fill each screen with a single colour by tapping tiles. However, each set of tiles uses a different set of rules to determine how colours cycle. The examples in the trailer are simple enough to understand, but we can already tell that the later levels are going to be mindbending. The game was apparently created in response to Peter Molyneux's Curiosity, with the aim of turning mindless tappi…
Pathogen Review
Ah... the carefree life of the virus: only interested in the act of self-replication and the consumption of every other organism on the planet. Fittingly, the disease-themed Pathogen is a competitive game between two players (either another human or an AI) in which the goal is to infect and consume the board until nothing but your counters remain. While the developer wishes to give the game an 'easy to learn, hard to master' tagline, we're not quite sure it applies here. To be honest,…
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Tilt to Live 2 out this Thursday!
Just a quick update on Tilt to Live 2. It has come to our attention that this long awaited sequel will be out on the App Store this Thursday. If you're unfamiliar with the series, check out our review of the first game here, or if you wish to watch the trailer for the sequel again, go check out our news post from two weeks ago that featured it here. Just don't expose yourself to the game too much before Thursday. You don't want to go on tilt (yes, that was a poker joke).…
We don't exactly know what Luxuria Superbia is, but colour us intrigued
Luxuria Superbia does not exactly roll off the tongue when spoken, but it looks to deliver a marriage of sight and sound that intensifies the longer it is played. That's what the press release says at least. The trailer sort of explains, but not to the degree we'd like it to. Have a watch yourselves... The game is out right now for the iPad and will set you back $2.99 (at least in the Australian store). It looks like a lot of fun despite my lack of understanding. Perhaps an iPhone version will be out in the not-too-distant future. [App Store Link]…
Meltdown© Review
Sometimes, you need a break from the puzzles, the physics contraptions - even a good narrative. Sometimes, you just want to shoot things. Meltdown certainly excels in this area. It harbours thirty missions of randomly generated terrain and enemies, which give you access to a whole host of class and weapon upgrades. Plus - and here's the real draw - up to four players can jump in on the carnage at any given time. As a result, Meltdown is as pure a cooperative shooting experience as one…
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Morphopolis certainly creates a beautiful world to visit...
Hidden object games often get dismissed by players. They seem to be repetitive, and don't offer much action. In a way, a lot of the criticisms levelled at them are similar to the problems a lot of players have towards adventure games, which is a genre I have quite a fondness for. Morphopolis is a bit of a different experience, even in the hidden object genre. It's a tale about a bunch of insects in a garden, and the combination of those lush visuals and relaxing melodies create a space I would be very happy to visit. Have a look at the trailer and see for yourselves... Speaking of adventure games, it sort of gives off a Botanicula vibe, but without the humour and strange bug cr…
Adventure Time teaming up with Ski Safari
Adult Swim is already a force on the App Store, with many popular games under its belt. It looks like Cartoon Network wants to follow suit with games based on its popular cartoon brands. Well what's more popular than Adventure Time? What game can Adventure Time team up with? Why Ski Safari of course! Now the gameplay is going to have to change to accomodate Finn and Jake sledding down a hill, but Defiant has let slip that Jake's ability to grow and shrink will come into play. Other characters are going to have their own powers and influences on the action, but for now, the studio is keeping tight lipped. Pendleton Ward, creator of Adventure Time has given Defiant full access to his pr…
Octagon - A Minimal Arcade Game with Maximum Challenge Review
Octagon is a game of borrowed ideas. It obviously takes its inspiration from titles such as Super Hexagon and Boson X, putting the player a punishing set of reaction-testing trials. Each stage consists of a tubular maze. You take control of a small octagon, which you must guide through the maze by swiping left and right. If you need to transfer to a platform directly above, then you swipe up to trigger a leap to the ceiling. If you can survive sixty seconds, you will cross the finish…
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Dwice - new puzzle arcade game from Tetris inventor Review
Dwice is the latest game from Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov. As the city sleeps, the populace is unaware that the only thing that stands between them and utter destruction is a quick finger, and an even faster thinker The game itself is deceptively simple. Geometric shapes are descending upon the city. Tap on a shape and drag it through a matching shape, and both will disappear. The aim is to drag your finger through as many matching shapes as possible in a single swipe, thereby buil…
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CAVE working on new shmup titled Don Paccin
Now normally, the shmup is a genre that we would advise staying away from on iOS. The frenetic action and need for tight, responsive controls that comes with the shooter genre seems antithetical to a touch screen. But, time and time again, developer Cave have shown its expertise in bringing superb shump experiences to the App Store. Though the team has been a little quiet recently, this video has surfaced for the new game they're working on, Don Paccin: While it looks a bit cutesy for a Cave title, the trailer is packed with all the bullet dodging and crazy weaponry which fans expect in their shoot-'em-ups. Plus, the music is pretty badass. No details regarding price, release date,…
