Home » Articles and Reviews by 'Dave Flodine'
The Answer
Hey there loyal Appspy readers! It was quite a question this week right? It can be hard to answer just what kind of game you wish to make when no boundaries are set on the question. Jastootie, Darkscience, and Taekon all dreamed big to create a magnum opus, and they all agreed on no IAPs and a higher price point to accommodate it. While their pitches lacked specifics, they obviously see the strength and potential of the iOS platform and would be interested in creating significant gaming experiences for it. To be honest, I went the completely opposite path. One thing I enjoy is to look at a classic game or a modern game with simple mechanics and then to think of how to use what they did as…
Rolling Coins looks to satisfy that Rube Goldberg itch
Physics puzzlers are a dime a dozen, so it's quite appropriate that we have one that focuses around rolling coins. Through manipulation of the environment and travelling through these crazy contraptions, the coin eventually will reach its destination, with a lot of candy tagging along for the ride. Check out the trailer for further edification. Rolling Coins is $0.99 and is available on the App Store now. [App Store Link]…
10 is for those who like math in their puzzle games
Despite 10's humourous GLaDOS inspired trailer, we here at Appspy can already see that as simple and intriguing as this puzzler might be, it is only going to appeal to those who enjoy the process of iterative arithmetic as they slide numbers around a game board. Have a look at the trailer for a greater understanding. While the uniqueness of the game speaks to me, maths was always one of my worst subjects at school, so I might have to give this one a miss. It's a shame though. If I had a head for numbers, I think i'd really enjoy it, and I think our readers who are mathematically inclined will agree. 10 is out now on the App Store as a free download. [App Store Link]…
Project '88 Review
Project '88 is apparently inspired by the intros and demos of old Amiga games. It does have a certain 'screen saver' quality to it that is hypnotic, if a little nauseating if you just focus on the pulsating background. This is a game of high scores and long journeys. Your goal is to stay on the track long enough to fill up your experience bar, and constantly try to travel further. Once you hit level ten you earn an achievement (and achieving this for all three modes will unlock the el…
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The Cave Review
The Cave is a funny game about horrible people. You take control of three out of a possible seven playable characters who enter the cave in search of what they desire most. The Cave itself is the game's main character, providing narration and offering insights to the adventurers as they descend further down, and engage in morally questionable actions in search of their goal. At its core it's an adventure game by way of puzzle-platformer. The ultimate question, of course, is how this P…
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Simogo's DEVICE 6 due out October 17th
Simogo always seems to have something unique when it comes to their game releases, and the upcoming DEVICE 6 is no exception. What looks to be a text adventure (with hopefully a little more meat on its gameplay bones) tells the story of Anna, who wakes up in a castle with no idea how she got there. Not the most original start for a game to be sure, but we're confident that Simogo will deliver through both narrative and gameplay (just look at Year Walk for confirmation). There's a new trailer out. Watch it below! The game is due out next week on October 17th. I think this may be one of those games that we don't know much about until we play it, so there's definitely that to…
Duet
Upon watching the trailer for Duet, the upcoming game by Australian developer Kumobius, I was instantly reminded of Pivvot. We're starting to see a lot of arcade based skill testers now, and the developers themselves refer to the game as "a mesmerizing mobile arcade game about radial awareness and acute dexterity". Have a look at the trailer and see for yourself. It looks positively mind bending, and also, a really good time. Duet is out now in the App Store. [App Store Link]…
Lost Echo Review
Imagine if you will that an encounter with your partner at an ice cream shop could lead you to question the very fabric of reality. Sound unlikely? Well, that's what happens to Greg, the protagonist of Lost Echo. A casual meeting and a flash of white light later, and suddenly he is the only person who can remember his girlfriend. That's just the start of the mystery, of course. We'll refrain from discussing further as the plot is one of the main things the game has going for it. The i…
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Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary Edition
The Gabriel Knight series is one of the more beloved franchises in the adventure genre, introducing players to a wonderfully rich blend of horror and investigative gameplay. The series creator Jane Jensen has teamed up with Pheonix (the studio behind the Cognition games on which Jensen was a story consultant) to bring a remastered version of Gabriel's first adventure to PC, Mac, and IPad sometime in 2014. According the the FAQ on the game's site, the main changes are in the art assets, remastered music by the original composer, and a whole new voice cast. The original recordings are lost, and the original actors (which included Tim Curry and Mark Hamill) would sound different than they woul…
Neurokult
The developers of upcoming iOS game Neurokult describe is as a child of REZ, Polara, and Bejeweled that constantly challenges the player's ability to stay focused, and to improve their reactions to survive. The teaser doesn't show you enough gameplay to fully understand this comparison, but it does show off the game's unique qualities. My thoughts are that you have to link together orbs of the same colour for greater bonuses, but cannot allow these chains to be broken by the obstacles that litter the screen. Music seems to play a part as well (we are told that the soundtrack is composed by Mekoor). The game is released on October 17th. Until then, let your imagina…
Carmachia
The full title of this competitive single-device multiplayer game is Carmachia: High-Octane Gladiators of 2075, but to keep things simple, we'll just refer to it as Carmachia. Due out on October 10th, this looks like a fun time if you have an iPad and a friend handy. While the iPad has flourished with digital representations of board games, I don't think its potential as a single-device multiplayer platform has been explored. Games like Carmachia are showing its strength in that area. Have a look at the trailer. At the price of $1.99, it's certainly a steal if the gameplay is half as fun as it looks in the trailer. I guess we'll find out when the game is finally released.…
Buddy & Me Review
Some people make the case that if a game world is inviting and spectacular enough, other deficiencies can be overlooked. Now, that's not to say that the gameplay of Buddy & Me is all bad, but it's probably fair to say the its visuals are its strongest feature. You play as a young boy whose dreams take place a magical realm full of lush forests, serene lakes, and picturesque backdrops of mountains and clouds. The world has a ethereal quality, and some of the vistas as the forest gi…
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The Question
Hello there loyal Appspy readers! I want to thank everyone’s contributions to last week’s question. The consensus seemed to be that Djrella659 hit the nail right on the head with his suggestion. It’s a bit of a game design question, but I think since this is an iOS site, framing it in relation to the strengths of the iOS platform will yield interesting results. The question is: What kind of game would you create for iOS if you had the knowledge and resources to do so? I’ll be giving my answer on Friday. As someone who has plenty of game ideas and has been teaching myself to program to make them a reality, I’m confident in providing an interesting answer. I&r…
Through the Hoop
A lot of the games we review are based on using a physics engine to solve puzzles. It's amazing that this is the first time I've seen the concept based around the sport of basketball. Through the Hoop - Basketball Trick Shots HD has you bouncing the basketball off of planks to create trick shots, and even reverse spinning the ball. The trailer will show you more. The game is only availble in the US store at the moment, but releases worldwide on October 9th. It will be a free purchase with 25 levels playable, and a one time in-game unlock fee of $2.99 to access the rest. We wonder if the control scheme will provide precise manipulation of power and spin, and look forward to findi…
Massteroid
On October 17th, a wild Massteroid gets released upon an unsuspecting App Store. It's a high score game where you have to grow your asteroid by hitting debris, while avoiding missiles and mines. If there's one thing we hate about space, it's all those missiles and mines scattered about! With a couple modes to keep the player busy, and a choice of control systems, it looks like a fun little time waster. Have a watch of the trailer, and see for yourselves.…
