Apologies to our regular viewers - the holiday season is still catching up to me and with any luck we're back on track for consistent Friday features. Sadly I'm not going to cover the entire month I've missed, but there's more than enough news in just the last seven days, so lets jump right in.
This is the Friday News Wrap-Up for the 13th of January, 2012.
Nyrthos In Development for iOS
Kicking off the week is some surprising news as Nyrthos, a simply stunningly rendered 2D Action-RPG, takes its project to mobile devices. Not only will players be able to follow the journey of their character on a browser, they'll also be able to load up on their iOS device of choice too. The game is slated to sport unique ways to unlock content including world changing events dictated by the player along with the ability to set up your own village.
Bye Bye Brain: App-ocalypse Infects iOS/Android
What do you get when you combine a shooter with tower defense and zombies? Insert a joke about the exploitation of the zombie concept in gaming. But in all seriousness, Bye Bye Brain: App-ocalypse by Weekend Game Studio and Plain Concepts is making the journey to iOS and Android devices and is slated to be free with in-app purchases. We'll see how things are going closer to the release date.
Blutrol Adds Wider Support For iControlPad Device
It's common to complain about the iOS's lack of inherent physical controls for video games - as a reviewer it's my obligation to point out that developers should think more creatively with what IS on offer, but then again sometimes you just want a fast, simple arcade title to waste your time. iControlPad, much like iCade, provides physical controls to the iPhone, albeit with limited support. However, those with jailbroken devices can pick up Blutrol, a 'touch' emulator for your device that adds support for basic controls (analogue not yet supported) so you can now play Super Crate Box the way it was almost always intended.
Shadowgun: Deadzone On Its Way
One thing that didn't feel like it was missing from Madfinger's shooter Shadowgun was a multiplayer mode. The game was much better for its focus on a story driven experience, even if it stumbled along the way. However, multiplayer is finally coming to the Shadowgun universe, though fans of the game will need to pick up a separate App and gameplay is currently slated to be restricted to 8 player Deathmatch combat. Given the limited appeal of combat in the original game I'm not sure how well this will hold up.
Cthulhu Saves The World For iOS?
In retrospect, it almost seems like the addition of Cthulhu to a JRPG game was always meant to be and thankfully Cthulhu Saves The World on Xbox Live's Indie store was ready and able to fill that niche. Things haven't stopped for this well received retro-tastic title and iOS gamers can hopefully expect a port of the title some time in the future. More details when they're available.
Galaxy On Fire 2 Full HD - Q1 2012
Those who have dipped their toes in to Galaxy On Fire 2 by Fishlabs will likely agree that it is, by and large, a pretty game. That said, iDevices have come a long way since its original SD release and so Fishlabs have kicked things up a notch and are releasing a 'HD' version for iPhone 4S and iPad 2's later this quarter. Those who already own the game need not fear their pennies being pinched as the upgrade will be free to SD owners and progress can be transferred.
Mini Review - Azarashi (Studio Pixel) $0.99
When you think of Studio Pixel, you think of Cave Story. And when you think Cave Story you think of solid metroidvania-like platforming with a heart of gold and beautifully designed pixel-art graphics. So when you hear about Studio Pixel on the App Store, you expect more than well... a mini-game. In fact their recent paid-for App, Azarashi, is barely even that - if you saw this game in Wario Ware you'd think nothing more of it compared to the dozens of other similar limited 'experiences'. The game itself is a skill-tester, rewarding points for catching keyrings as they fall and unlocking new keyrings to add to the set. There's a charm to its graphics, but unless you're a die-hard fan of the company this is more cash-grab than fun and substantial gameplay.
Game of the Week - Super Crate Box (Vlambeer Halfbot) $0.99
See here's the thing - when I had an opportunity to talk to Vlambeer way back when Muffin Knight was first released, the thing that struck me most about the situation was just how calm they were and how much they believed in their product being (ultimately) superior. While Muffin Knight had had a head start, SCB is quickly catching up, with updates already rolling in thick and fast. In fact as of right now the second update not that far off (that's 40 MILLION crates collected worldwide!). Super Crate Box is fast, fun, hard and only getting better with time - at this rate we'll have to reassess our review sooner than later!
Once again a big thanks to our viewers in 2011 - despite a rough patch at the start of the year where I found myself suddenly unemployed, we've jumped back in the saddle and all of us at AppSpy are hoping to give you our best in 2012. Don't forget to jump on Twitter, Facebook and our website for more news and info (including upcoming competitions). Have a great weekend!
Additional Links:
Nyrthos Website - https://www.nyrthos.com/game.html
Bye Bye Brain App-ocalypse Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIMKU3BbvsQ
More Info On Blutrol - https://www.icontrolpad.com/blutrol/
Shadowgun: Deadzone Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rps486OuySg
Cthulhu Saves The World Walkthrough - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8GYyfCo10I
Galaxy On Fire 2 Full HD Beta - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQFRkqMWfmI
