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Strike a light: Primal Flame is setting fire to the App Store now
When you are trapped in the dark, keeping what little light you have alive quickly becomes your top priority. It is this fear that Pierre Aclement's Primal Flame capitalises on. To begin the game, you strike a match with a swipe of the screen. This single flame is all you have to light the stylish, silhouetted world. Unfortunately for you and your peace of mind, it seems everything in this eerie forest is determined to snuff it out. Flowers are constantly reaching out to smother your light. The only way to stop the advancing plant life is to dodge past their clawing appendages, and kill them by slicing at their stalks. Collecting seeds from the darkened world increases the strength of y…
Touch controlRTS sequel Autumn Dynasty: Warlords invades the App Store a day early
After nearly a three-month delay that has had us sharpening our swords in anticipation, we thought we were prepared for the scheduled appearance of Autumn Dynasty: Warlords on the App Store tomorrow. However, in an unexpected sneak attack, Touch Dimensions has decided to release the RTS sequel a day early. Set in feudal China, the massive 4x (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate) strategy game puts you on the path of the Autumn Emperor. Destined to unite the country under a single banner, you will have to build cities, conduct espionage, and raise armies to 'convince' the other provinces that you should indeed be their ruler. Featuring real-time battles, a non-linear camp…
Hijack military drones in upcoming hacking sim Stratolith
Whether it's Obama's foreign policy or the new RoboCop movie, talk of military drones is croppping up everywhere. I guess it was only a matter of time, then, before someone made a mobile game which lets you order your very own drone strikes. That game is Stratolith, a "hardcore" hacking sim from Ambi-On creator Winning Blimp which is coming to tablets this year. Though still pre-production, Stratolith has already captured our imagination. The team has published some preview screenshots show retro-looking radio equipment, and nautical scanners. From the look of things, the game involves hacking into drones remotely by hijacking the radio signals controlling them. By twiddling knobs and m…
Dual Survivor Review
Playing Dual Survivor is the gaming equivalent of being punched in the stomach by someone who claims to be your friend. And, like the assualted party in that metaphor, it will leave you wondering if you somehow deserved it. But, even as your find yourself asking the question, you will realise that it's really the game which is to blame. This oddly schizophrenic sensation is deliberate. The game demands an equal split of your mental energies. You have to navigate two seperate…
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See first images and trailer for Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Vengeance
Some new images from Eutechnyx's upcoming defence game Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Vengeance have just surfaces online. One of the new piccies in question gets up-close and personal with one of the game's hero units, a Dark Angels tactical marine. Another features a gun-toting gretchin, a member of the Ork army which the Dark Angels will be squaring-off against. There are also some shots of space marine hardware, including an airborne Stormraven, and a Rhino tank. Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Vengeance will put you in the heavy metal boots of the space marines, and task you with fending off ork attacks by defending four horizontal lanes. We don't have an exact release date, but the ga…
Create your own robot - and your own games - in new build-'em-up Principia
After a spell of exclusivity on Android, impossible contraption game Principia has built itself a home on the App Store. At it's core, Principia is about using your noggin to create weird and wonderful structures. Sometimes, these structures will let you direct a small robot from one side of the screen to the other. However, with a little bit of graft and a basic understanding of mechanical engineering, you'll be able to knock up a fully functioning tank, complete with meaty tracks and working cannon. As you can see from the trailer below, your creations are limited only by your imagination. If you fancy testing those limits, you can download Principia for £2.49 / $3.99 from the App…
Oquonie Review
Oquonie offers no introduction or explanation. It's developer has created a striking and unusual world filled with strange rules and bizarre creatures - but he has left it entirely up to you to make sense of them. You are dropped into a beautifully-drawn isometric environment. Your character looks like a strange, long-necked bird in smart trousers. With no clues as to how to proceed, you must tap and swipe the screen to explore the monochrome landscape. After you've run into a couple…
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Classic Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy game coming to iPhone and iPad next month
If you feel the need to keep a towel with you at all times, notice the number 42 popping up with unnerving frequency, and enjoy the taste of Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters, then we have some good news for you. BBC 4 Extra is about to release an iOS-friendly version of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Game - 30th Anniversary Edition. Written by Douglas Adams himself, in collaboration with Steve Meretzky from Infocom, the original text adventure was released in 1984. Now, some 30 years later, it will go live on BBC 4 Extra's website on March 8th. Though it'll be hosted on the BBC site, this visually updated version will be playable on iPad or iPhone. It'll also let you share in-game ach…
See a rhino doing the robot in funky new Nimblebit game Disco Zoo
When we were young there were only two things we liked about school: trips to the zoo, and the end of term disco. It seems Nimblebit and Milkbag Games have similarly fond memories, as they have forced both these events together for their new collaboration Disco Zoo. Despite the fact Disco Zoo will hit the App Store tomorrow, we are still a little short on details as to what the game will actually be. From what we can gather , you have to travel the world to collect exotic animals – including dinosaurs. Once back at your at the zoo you must expand the tourist attraction to bring in extra cash, before throwing disco parties to get you animal and visitors strutting their funky stuff.…
Conquer the Frosthald in fantasy boardgame UHR-Warlord on iPad
Turn-based boardgame UHR-Warlords is out now in iPad. Set against a fantasy backdrop, the game takes place on a grid housing two warring armies. Assuming command of one of these armies, it's up to you to manoeuvre your forces into advantageous positions, and then unleash steely hell upon your foes. You can enlist a variety of warriors to wage your battles for you. There are sword swinging warriors, spell-casting mages, and stealthy assassins waiting to do your bidding. More creatures can be summoned using Uhrkraft, UHR-Warlords's active resource. In fact, all movements, spells, and actions are dependant on this regenerating currency. As you can see from the trailer above, the game's 3D…
Play with fire at midnight tonight in sparky arcade game Primal Flame
Firey dodge-'em-up Primal Flame will sputter to life on the App Store at midnight tonight. A gesture-based twitch game from developer Irrelevant Fish, Primal Flame is the digital embodiment of everything your mother told you not to do. You see, this is a game about playing with matches. To start, you strike your match by swiping the touchscreen. Once the match is lit, it's up to you to keep the flame burning. This isn't as easy as it sounds, however. You'll have to avoid raindrops, snowflakes, and falling leaves, all of which will extinguish your flame in a moment if they make contact. What's more, sentient plants will snake towards the light, ready to snuff out the flame-retardant in…
Pirate-themed puzzler The Voyage to weigh anchor on the App Store this Thursday
Developer Mojo Bones is preparing to launch The Voyage, its pirate-themed follow-up to puzzler The Curse, onto the App Store. The Voyage pits you against the swindling seadog Captain Bodnar Bucklebeard. Over the course of game he'll throw no less than 100 different puzzles at you, ranging from number problems and pattern recognition tests, to mazes and sandwich preperation. Yes: sandwich preperation. A pirate's got to eat, you know. Tallking to sister site Pocket Gamer, Mojo Bones co-founder Stuart Ryall revealed that the dev team are "huge fans of the Monkey Island series - especially the humour - and this is pretty much our nod to the original series." This seabound brain-teaser is t…
Bug Heroes 2 Review
While marshalling an army of insects may not be the Pentagon's idea of a winning combat strategy, it proves surprisingly effective - and entertaining - in the third-person multiplayer battler Bug Heroes 2. The premise of the game is straightforward: lead a two-man squad of tiny gun-toting insects into battle against approaching hordes of equally insectoid enemies. Before starting your first game, you randomly select a squad of two from the roster of 25 bugs, each of which have unique…
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Adventure classic Another World on sale for 69p / 99c
There are few games as aptly named as Delphine Software's Another World. This slice of gaming history may be 23 years old, but remains an fondly remembered classic - one which you can now pick up for 69p / 99c on your iPhone or iPad. When it was first released on Amiga and Atari ST in 1991, Another World transported early gamers to a polygonal world beyond their imagination. Looking at the original now this seems laughable, but the cinematic story remains a fantastic tale of friendship and adventure. Bulkypix's 2011 iOS port adds a new coat of paint to the alien worlds. This brings texture and depth to the old polygons, breathing new life into the classic game. The port shows…
Dual Survivor | Hands-On
It's not easy to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time. It's not easy learning how to juggle. However, if you want a real challenge of co-ordination, try guiding two silver balls simultaneously along two twisting paths filled with obstacles, pitfalls, and other hazards. If you want to see what that feat looks like, check out our hands-on video of Dual Survivor. Watch in detached amusement as I tear my hair out trying to progress past level six of this insanely challenging game of skill.…
