Sorry Angry Birders, but there’s a new king in town. Okay, that might be a bit dramatic, but Infinity Blade’s debut and subsequent meteoric rise to the top of the App Store’s top paid game list is a refreshing and welcome sight to many.
So it’s only natural that it tops this edition of Games of the Week, despite a number of quality contenders. As for who those contenders are, you’ll have to read on to find out.
1. Infinity Blade
Earlier this year Epic Games showed iOS users what they could do graphically with Epic Citadel, and this week they (along with ChAIR Entertainment) are showing what they can do with a full game. Like Epic Citadel, Infinity Blade ($5.99) is a wonderful looking app, but also one with the gameplay and a story to match. The game uses entirely touch-screen controls, from moving characters to swinging your weapon to performing defense tactics such as dodging and blocking. As for the story, in the game you are inevitably killed by a boss (the God King), only to have your son return in hopes of avenging your death. It gets even better when you consider the features that being advertised as coming soon, including new areas, more weapons and multiplayer options. While six dollars can be a steep price in the App Store, Infinity Blade has the goods to back up the price and is strongly recommended to any and all gamers.
2. ROCK BAND Reloaded
For those looking for the shortest of reviews, ROCK BAND Reloaded ($4.99) – the second iPhone version of EA’s rhythm music game – is a general improvement of the series debut. The game comes with 15 songs that offer an eclectic rock mix, varying from Vampire Weekend to Megadeath, and of course the option to download more. The addictive World Tour mode also returns, with six cities and 36 events. But I’m sure you want to hear about the new stuff – the big addition this year is vocals, and by that I mean actually singing into your iPhone and not simply tapping a screen. There’s also a landscape mode now that makes a lot more sense given the device’s design. In general the game will feel familiar to anyone who’s played a game from the series, and should appeal to most rhythm game fans. Now whether it’s better than the competition, namely Tap Tap Revenge and Guitar Hero, is another discussion for another time.
3. Kosmo Spin
Shocking, it’s another game with cute graphics, a quirky storyline and basic gameplay. Of course the reason we see so many games that match this exact description in the App Store is because they often fit best on iOS devices; look no further than Kosmo Spin ($0.99) as evidence. Players move cute little dude around a planet, protecting breakfast from a flying saucer in this game. While the controls simply have you drag the screen to rotate your character, the Quest mode has a surprising amount of variety. There’s also an endless high score mode and online leaderboards, making this – for lack of a better term – your typical casual iPhone game. There are currently 36 quests and more advertised as being on the way, so replay value won’t be a huge issue here. Nothing about the game strikes me as great, but it’s perfectly acceptable and the kind of app I can see appealing to a ton of people.
4. Braveheart
No, it’s not based on the movie, but after Mel Gibson’s recent behavior would you even be interested in it if it was? Gaijin Entertainment’s Braveheart ($0.99 launch sale) is an RPG that’s a little different. Your character, the brave knight Richard, will spend much of the game spinning wildly with sword in hand, though gratefully there are multiple control schemes. There are also long range weapons at your disposal, as you attempt to get the Holy Grail from the Great Dragon. It uses an overhead view, though the graphics are little sharper and of higher quality than many games that adopt this camera angle. It’s sort of unfortunate Braveheart was released the same week as Infinity Blade, as it’s a great addition to the RPG genre, though one that is unfortunately being overshadowed by the bigger release.
5. Dino Rush
Nemoid Studio’s Dino Rush ($0.99 launch price) is an appropriately named app that, good thing for us, has more going for it than just its name. The endless runner challenges you to guide a cartoon dinosaur named Dundy through three worlds, with just enough power-ups and achievements to keep things interesting. Simply tapping the screen controls the loveable dino, though there’s actually a good variety of ‘moves’, including the option to fly. That takes energy, though, and you’ll have to eat as much as possible to keep Dundy’s up. Like Kosmo Spin this game definitely goes under the ‘cute’ category, though it’s an interesting enough take on the endless runner game to satisfy more than just those looking for an adorable hero.
