TouchArcade.ru

City simulation games on iOS devices generally haven't been that amazing, with very few developers creating a small handful of worthwhile games in the genre. Virtual City [$2.99] by G5 Entertainment is an attempt by one developer to buck that trend, strongly drawing from the earlier SimCity games by Maxis.

Each level in Virtual City sets you up with an impending crisis, supply-line hiccup or urban restoration to resolve (to name but a few scenarios), giving you the tools as chief transport contractor (and budding city planner) to address them directly. The central hub for each of your cities is therefore your garage, from where you can deploy a range of vehicles to transport goods, transport civilians or collect garbage– all vital instruments to achieving a happy, productive city.

Initially, Virtual City starts you off slow, holding your hand through some of the basic functions, such as earning income by shuttling civilians to malls, or creating a simple clothing supply line. Supply lines are comprised of different production centers which require a number of inputs to function. Transport therefore plays a pivitol role in fuelling your economy. Eventually you'll be introduced to how environmental concerns have an impact on happiness (and thus population) and how a healthy city is a clean city. Yes, you'll be taught to take out the garbage.

Moving on, subsequent levels will open up trade with neighboring towns and more difficult, interconnected supply lines. Eventually factors like sickness, fires, disrepair and income concerns will emerge to boost the difficulty of levels encountered. If there's one thing that Virtual City gets right, it's that it has an excellent sense of progression and learning curve; only dropping you in the deep end when it has provided you with the tools to stay afloat.

The following levels, of which there are a total of 50 spread across 5 different states, are given an interesting context selected from a possible 18 scenarios. With only the help of a hint or two, you are sent on your merry way to make things right. These scenarios can get quite complex, so it is fortunate that Virtual City features an easy to understand interface that clearly delineates end goals and interim goals to work towards to complete each level. Menus are easily navigated, and holding down on each item will reveal a tooltip detailing its cost and other information (something that may not be apparent while playing).

Virtual City's difficulty is further compounded when demands on supply ramp up; forcing you to upgrade your production structures and vehicles to boost their output and carrying capacity. This places an enormous toll on your finances, and often you'll spend much of your time devising ways to first fill your coffers. If your scenario dictates the construction of a complex landmark such as a Space Shuttle launch pad, then the entire process needs to operate as a well-oiled machine. Virtual City is no walk in the park, demanding considerable efforts in both attention and organisation of your city and structures.

For this reason alone, Virtual City takes a hefty swing at the best city simulators currently out there on the App Store. But G5 Entertainment have not rested on their laurels in creating Virtual City– from the ground-up it is a fantastic looking, smartly designed simulator host to an enormous amount of content. From research and development upgrades, public events, the construction of transit systems and even urban landscaping, the many gameplay nuances of Virtual City keep it constantly engaging, often surprising but relentlessly demanding of your attention.

Virtual City currently has a blanked out Sandbox mode on the main menu, a feature meant to be arriving in the next update. We'll let you know when this goes live. In the meantime if you're looking for help or reader reviews, check out the thread in our forums.

[source]

DeceasedPixel just released an update to their people-chomping action game Super Mega Worm [App Store] that makes the title a universal application, adding native support for the iPad. It's an update I was pleased to note, as I've lately been somewhat addicted to the iPhone version, and this update make all those blocky pixels that much bigger and sharper.

Super Mega Worm opens with an 8-bit retro cutscene explaining how humans have consumed the earth, and how mother nature now has a bone to pick with us. She tasks her favorite pest exterminator, Wojira the Death Worm, with wiping humans from the earth and restoring balance to the force…you get the idea. It's a nice little setup for the mayhem that is the hallmark of the giant worm game, and an introduction to the glorious mario-like pixel art.

Wojira the subterranean worm is controlled by a slider, a tilting mechanic, or a D-pad control, the last being a new feature brought with this update. Additional buttons appear on your screen as you unlock your spitting attack, EMPs, fireballs, slam attacks and other abilities as you work your way through the worm's 24 levels. Another new feature is Game Center support, a most welcome addition.

Super Mega Worm, based on Death Worm, is a an exercise in basic gameplay that's a whole lot of fun. The golden moment in the game for me is when you see two people walking innocently across the countryside and you erupt from the ground to devour one of the pair, filling the remaining human with panic and dread. (That's got to be a surprise.)

Super Mega Worm is currently on sale for 66% off, at $0.99.

[source]

Developer Rocketcat Games, who have previously brought the swinging adventure games Hook Champ [$2.99/Lite] and Super QuickHook [$2.99] to the App Store, have just announced they have a new hooking game in the works titled Hook Swing Worlds (tentative title). According to the Rocketcat blog, Hook Swing Worlds will be a collection of three different style endless hooking games, which sounds similar to the Avalanche/Eruption modes from Super QuickHook. The developer has given some details about each of the three game styles to be featured in Hook Swing Worlds:

Game World #1: Curse of the Death God

Play as adventuring family patriarch Theodore "Gramps" Hooker as you swing through jungles, caves, and volcanoes while clutching stolen treasure. Beware the guardian spirit of the idol!

Features: Chaser Survival, Quick Recharge Rocketboots Ability

Game World #2: Dungeon Gunner

Zelle finds herself trapped in a huge dungeon filled with precious, ancient gold coins. Also monsters, spikes. Luckily she brought her revolver, armor, and her coat with the really big ammo pockets.

Features: Looting and Shooting, HP Meter, Revolver Ability

Game World #3: CyberGnome 202X (Early content patch)

In the grim dystopian world of the future, the Gnome Police rule with an iron fist. One rebel Gnome stands alone against the totalitarian rule. Can *YOU* help Gnomey escape the grim future?

Features: Obstacle Survival, Gravity Flip Ability

Rocketcat notes that they are aiming to make Hook Swing Worlds more accessible to brand new players of their particular brand of swinging gameplay, while still bringing new challenges to test veteran hookers. Also, despite Hook Swing Worlds being a collection of endless survival type games, there will still be story elements as well as unlockable hooks, hats, dialog, and exclusive content for early buyers. Rocketcat will be releasing more information in the coming weeks on Hook Swing Worlds which they are shooting to have released by late October for 99¢.

[source]

Last month, Handmark released the 3D object manipulation puzzler Blaze: Fire Puzzle for both the iPhone [link] and the iPad [link]. We didn't cover the title at the time, but I've spent a good bit of time with the title this weekend and have had a pretty good time of it.

The first thing you might notice upon seeing our gameplay video or trying your hand at the title is its similarity to Zen Bound. Indeed, the game is basically Zen Bound, but with fire and candles instead of a paint-soaked rope (and classical tunes instead of ambient audioscapes accentuated with plucks of the koto). It's a definite derivative title, but given the ridiculous amount of time I've played the Zen Bounds, it's an interesting variation on what's undisputedly Secret Exit's formula.

Blaze takes you through 45 different candle-adorned 3D objects with the objective of lighting every single candle — and fast. This is done by way of touch controls — one finger to twist, two fingers to rotate — just like Zen Bound or, in the case of the iPhone 4, using the integrated gyroscope if you choose. (I recommend not choosing, though — it's a far inferior method of manipulation as compared to straight-up touch.) You start off with but one of the many candles on your object lit. From there, the goal is to manipulate the object such that all candles become lit, with a gold medal achieved for completing the task in a stated (and short) number of seconds. The physics of fire-lights-what's-above is an interesting twist (ugh…) on the Zen Bound formula.

The iPhone version of Blaze utilizes the Retina display for high resolution rendering, while the iPad version takes full advantage of its screen real estate. Both versions feature social networking integration with OpenFeint, Twitter, and Facebook.

So, if you're a seasoned Zen Bound veteran, is this game for you? I consider myself a member of that camp and have had a great time with Blaze. If you're all wet behind the ears and have clocked zero time behind either title…and have to choose just one, I would probably urge you towards Zen Bound, as it feels a bit more polished, more refined — but the enjoyability of both titles is quite similar.

Anyone on the fence can try out the limited, free version of the game for both devices:

[source]

Happily for the sports fans out there, there's no lack of full-featured football / soccer titles in the App Store. And, that list grew by one this morning when Gameloft released Real Soccer 2011 [App Store], the latest iteration in their mobile soccer series, featuring revamped graphics targeting the iPhone 4's Retina display.

The game features 350 teams across 14 leagues (compared to 245 teams and 8 leagues in RS 2010), with the licensed names of nearly all real-life players. A History Mode sets up notable games of the past for the player to jump in and play and, like Real Soccer 2010 before it, the game features WiFi and Bluetooth multiplayer play modes, as well. The ability to upload memorable replays directly to YouTube from within the app has also been maintained in this release.

While I've only spent a very brief time with the game as yet, the detail afforded the playfield by the iPhone 4's high resolution display is impressive. While Real Soccer 2010 received Retina display support in a recent update, this latest from Gameloft features reworked graphics created using motion capture technology for enhanced realism, the studio indicates.

[source]

According to a tipster that contacted Kotaku, an official line of Angry Birds [99¢ / Free / HD] swag is coming next year. They provide the following spy shots of prototype plush birds spotted on the streets of Manhattan:

Angry Birds has been sitting comfortably at the top of the App Store sales charts for quite some time now, and seems to have nearly universal appeal both to gamers and non-gamers alike. We loved the game in our review, and if you haven't yet, you really should at least try the lite version of the game. We've heard rumblings for a while that Angry Birds developer Rovio was looking to turn the game in to something bigger than an iPhone game, and it looks like plush toys are part of whatever that master plan might be.

Either way, I'm not ashamed to admit that I'd totally buy a plush set of birds.

[source]

In the wake of how much fun I've been having with MovieCat!, I've been on the hunt for other trivia games to add to my arenal. It was at this point that I stumbled across Go Native! [99¢], which offers an oddly amusing untraditional take on trivia. In Go Native! you play the role of a native trying to, well, fit in with the natives. Fitting in involves answering an onslaught of questions, but instead of needing to answer questions correctly, you're trying to guess the answer that the majority of other players picked.

This involves a silly thought process that forces you to decide whether the players you're playing with are going to answer questions seriously or just pick whatever the silliest response is to the question asked. You can play with up to 30 players at once, and questions range from multiple choice, simple yes/no, or even filling in the blank where you're able to type whatever answer you'd like.

The goal of answering questions correctly is to advance from island to island, collect coconuts, and eventually meet up with the legendary Princess Mango. Different islands have different risks associated to them such as islands with quicksand and questions that need to be answered quickly. There's also an island where instead of answering the most popular answer, you need to choose the least popular as well as islands that cause you to lose all your coconuts with a wrong answer among others.

It's a cool premise for a game, and I like the idea of playing in a pool of 30 players online racing to the finish in a crazy popularity-based trivia contest. Unfortunately, there's no one to play with yet. I've only ever seen a few players online, and when I originally thought the game I was in was filling up with active players, I was incredibly disappointed to just see the player list filled with generic bot names.

The developers of Go Native! seem to have fallen in to a similar situation that quite a few games dependent on online players have found themselves in. In order for the game to be fun, there needs to be a large number of people playing online, but without a large number of players playing online, the game isn't captivating enough to play against bots waiting for other people to show up.

If Go Native! takes off and you can actually participate in 30 player games without issue, I could see it being a really great time. Unfortunately, with so few active players, all that Go Native! seems to have is a whole heap of unrealized potential.

[source]

We've been following Gameloft's upcoming Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus very closely, as the original Modern Combat: Sandstorm [$4.99 / Free / HD] was a game that we enjoyed in our review and served to further raise the bar for first person shooters on the platform. Gameloft released a launch trailer today, which shows quite a bit of gameplay including a glimpse at what appears to be ten player online multiplayer– Complete with an experience system.

Normally I'd groan at such blatant "inspiration" from Modern Warfare 2's online multiplayer system (right down to how it pops up in the middle of your screen) …But, I played Modern Warfare 2 online like a maniac, and I'm not sure what it will mean for my social life if Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus allows you to prestige. I guess we'll see when the game is finally released early next month.

[source]

The dual-stick shooter is an overcrowded genre on the App Store, but every once in a while one of them stands out from the pack. Developer Facet Studios is working on a new dual-stick shooter called Etolis: Arena, and based on their preview video it looks like it may just have a chance of standing out. Etolis: Arena is a space-themed game that almost has a Halo-like look to it, with metallic ship chambers and bright neon highlights. Rather than just one big open map like most dual-stick shooters, the levels in Etolis: Arena have a lot more structure, and are made up of different corridors and rooms.

You'll play as a soldier of the United Front Alliance who has been captured during an invasion of the planet Etolis by an army known as the Kraven. The Queen of the Kraven, Natus, has requested that you fight for your life in what is known as the Arena for her amusement. Battles consist of 3 waves of attackers per round, with an endless amount of rounds across 5 different maps. As you defeat each wave, the Queen will give you honor points which can be used to upgrade your weapons to take on the increasingly difficult enemies. The developer details some of the features of Etolis: Arena:

- Battle for survival on 5 different maps
- Use 7 different weapons and 3 grenade types to destroy your enemies
- Battle against 11 different enemy types
- Use 1 of 4 temporary special abilities for those emergency moments (invisibility, invincibility, self explosion, and endless ammo)
- Unlock secret information about the invasion as you play in different locations
- Leader boards and Achievements
- Compelling Music

Etolis: Arena is still one to two months off from release, but is looking pretty nice in the teaser trailer. The structured arenas seem like a fun place to do battle, and the game has a cool style and impressive graphics to complement this aspect. There's also a fairly fleshed-out storyline to accompany all the action, which can be rare in games of this type. More information and screens can be found in the upcoming game thread in our forums, and we'll bring you more news on Etolis: Arena as it becomes available.

[source]

It was just about this time last year that Apple introduced the 3.1 firmware update to the iPhone that allowed developers to access the built-in camera for games and apps. What followed was an avalanche of “Augmented Reality” games, or in other words games that utilized real-time images from the iPhone camera and added digital graphical effects over those images to create gameplay out of the environments in front of you. Unfortunately, nothing too spectacular ever emerged from this technology, and most games consisted of shallow gameplay with Space Invaders-type graphics slapped over the camera's view. There have been some interesting uses of Augmented Reality on the iPhone just to be clear, but as far as gaming was concerned it never amounted to more than just a gimmick.

Now it seems that developer Int13 is trying something a bit different to bring a more authentic Augmented Reality experience to the iPhone (and camera-enabled iPod touches) with their upcoming game ARDefender. The way ARDefender works is that you'll print out an image from a PDF file available on their website, and this special image will be read by the camera and create a tower where the image is placed. The goal of the game is to defend that tower from waves of enemies by moving your device around the fixed position of the tower to take aim and blast away at them. It may sound a little simplistic gameplay-wise, but what I really like is how convincingly the tower and enemies seem to actually be on the table, which can be seen in the video below.

We previewed a technology very similar to that used in ARDefender way back in March of last year at GDC, but at that time use of the iPhone camera APIs was off limits to developers. The technology has also been used in the Playstation 3 game Eye of Judgment, and even in this incredible Augmented Reality tattoo. Ideas like this are obviously possible on the iPhone as well, and it seems like ARDefender is a step in the right direction. All I've ever really wanted from an Augmented Reality game is for it to make me actually feel like something is being created in the real life space around me, and by the looks of things ARDefender does just that.

It shouldn't be too long before we can get our hands on the game either, as ARDefender has already been submitted to Apple. Interestingly, the game has been available for over a month on the Samsung Wave, and impressions from those gamers have been positive. They've even come up with some clever ideas on how to use the technology, like printing out a huge version of the PDF image to create a gigantic tower and playing the game from an elevated area like a balcony, or pulling up the PDF on their computer at work and pointing their phone at it to play the game directly on the screen. We'll be sure to take a closer look at ARDefender when it gets released in the near future.

[source]