Latest Articles
Assassin's Creed Pirates | Hands-On
Ubisoft has just announced that Assassin's Creed Pirates, its seafaring iOS tie-in to console release Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, will drop anchor in App Store waters on December 5th. However, it just so happens that we've got our hooked hands on a preview build of the privateering sim, and have been putting it through its peg-legged paces. Cast as salty scoundrel Alonzo Batilla, you must sail the seas of the Caribbean blowing up other ships, looting treasure, and generally being a bit piratey. If you want to see what all of that looks like, then cast your eyes over our hands-on video below, in which I guide you through the first 15 minutes of the game.…
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas coming to iOS next month
It was inevitable, we suppose. After the critical and commercial success of the iOS versions of GTA III and GTA: Vice City, it was only a matter of time before Rockstar got around to porting its first Los Angeles-inspired epic to iPhone and iPad. Well, it turns out that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is set to tear up the App Store in December. That's THIS December. Next month. Within four weeks. Just like the other iOS ports in the crime sim series, GTA: San Andreas will feature contextual touchscreen controls. According to a press release from Rockstar, there will be no less than three different control variations for steering vehicles, and support for those new iOS controllers we'…
Catch your breath in surreal adventure The Inner World, out on iOS tomorrow
Surreal point-and-click adventure The Inner World is set to appear on the App Store tomorrow. This unusual story charts the exploits of Robert, a court musician with a flute for a nose. When his monastery's air supply is cut off, Robert must team up with roguish accomplice Laura to reactivate the wind fountains, and save the land from suffocation. As you can see from the trailer (below), the developer has opted to set simple, hand-drawn character designs against more detailed backdrops. The Inner World received fair reviews when it landed on PC, with players heaping praise upon the game's unique and bizarre environments. We've yet to see how the puzzle mechanics will translate ont…
Final Fantasy IV: The After Years | Hands-On
As we reported yesterday, Square Enix has just released its 3D revamp of pseudo sequel Final Fantasy IV: The After Years. Picking up some 17 years after the events of Final Fantasy IV, the game lets you revisit old characters, and explore new storylines over several self-contained chapters. This is a Square Enix game, so the barrier for entry is pretty high - £10.99 / $15.99 to be exact. While we will be reviewing The After Years, these RPGs take a little time to complete. To tide you over in the meantime, we've gone hands-on with the game and posted to the results for your perusal. [App Store link]…
Games Workshop classic Space Hulk coming to iPad on December 5th
The iOS version of Games Workshop's tabletop classic Space Hulk will stomp onto iPads everywhere next week. Set in the Warhammer 40K universe and developed by Full Control, the tactical isometric blaster will recreate the Sin of Damnation campaign from the original game. As with most Space Hulk scenarios, this campaign involves guiding your squad of Space Marine Terminators through the claustrophobic corridors of an abandoned ship, fending off attacks from multi-limbed Genestealers. Though Space Hulk is only coming to iPads (sorry, iPhone owners) it will support cross-platform multiplayer, allowing you to do battle with other commanders via iPad, PC, and Mac. Space Hulk will go live on t…
History walks on four legs in remake of strategy classic M.U.L.E.
If you've played a mutliplayer strategy game during last 15 years, then chances are you've been indirectly affected by the influence of M.U.L.E. One of the first titles to allow four players to compete on a single system, M.U.L.E. didn't break records commercially. However, its merging of real time and turn-based strategy gameplay did pave the way for many of the tactical multiplayer games we enjoy today. Now, the folks at Comma 8 Studio have taken it upon themselves to remake M.U.L.E. for iOS devices. Check out the trailer below: As in the original, M.U.L.E. Returns requires you to manage economic considerations and fend off foes while you attempt to colonise a planet. To achieve all t…
Land, ho! Ubisoft to release Assassin's Creed Pirates on December 5th
Get ready to haul anchor, hoist the mainsail, and prime the cannons: Assassin's Creed Pirates is coming to iOS next week. A spin-off to Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, this seabound adventure puts you in control of a sleuthing seadog named Alonzo Batilla. It's up to you to maintain Batilla's vessel and look after your crew as you sail across the Caribbean in search of the answer to an ancient - and probably profitable - riddle. Though the character interactions are handled via crude text bubbles, you will get the chance to steer your ship and do battle with other pirate vessels in real time. Early impressions are promising, with the game comprising loads of different combat mini-games…
Revisit the past today in Square Enix sequel Final Fantasy IV: The After Years
Square has released its 2008 epilogue game Final Fantasy IV: The After Years onto the App Store. Originally released for mobiles in Japan, then later in episodic form on the Wii, the game picks up 17 years after the events of Final Fantasy IV. Over the course of 10 chapters, you will take control of numerous characters and complete mini-quests in an effort to once again save the world from evil. Like the DS remake (and subsequent iOS port) of Final Fantasy IV, this version of The After Years boasts newly-created 3D visuals. However, though the visuals gave been modernised, the series' turn-based combat system remains unaltered. The game comes with the predictably high price tag of £…
Shivah Review
Earlier in the year, Wadjet Eye Games brought their critically acclaimed sci-fi adventure Gemini Rue to the App Store. Before Gemini Rue, however, Dave Gilbert created The Shivah, a game which won him an adventure game competition and led to the formation of his company. Now all these years later, he's decided to upgrade the visuals to create the Kosher Edition. The question, of course, is whether the game holds up all these years later, and if it has made the transition to iOS unscath…
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Strand Review
Long-time fans of AppSpy should know of our love for puzzle games. Still, when a developer takes a simple idea such as connecting together numbers and circles by lines, then realises it with the level of style evident in Strand, it's difficult not to take note. Each board in the game features a group of circles. These circles are identified by a number, which identifies how many connections need to be attached to it. To create a strand and make a connection, you drag your finger from…
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Dwarven Delve - A very clever dungeon crawler
I guess one of the problems of dungeon crawling is you always run into those pesky monsters. Well what if you had the opportunity to shift the labyrinth to your liking in order to send your team through unscathed? That's the premise of Dwarven Delve. The trailer will explain further! With traps and the ability to meet foes head on as well, this is looking to be a very unique gaming experience. Tinkerhouse Games are hard at work, and estimate that the game should be out sometime in early 2014. We'll keep ya posted!…
Demon Dash is the good kind of 4 player mayhem
The iPad has had its share of party games on it, and we here at Appspy are constantly surprised by the ingenuity and amusement that many of these games bring to the table. Demon Dash continues that trend as a four player racing game. You hold down your demon button to charge, and release to speed off, but the catch is that your directional arrow is constantly spinning, so if you don't time it right, you may end up any which way. Alongside normal race modes, the trailer shows off variations of Breakout, Pinball, and other party games. Take a look for yourselves... Demon Dash launches on Wednesday the 27th. It's only a couple of days away, so if you like what you see, start revving those de…
Baby Lava Bounce Review
As gamers, we have certain expectations about he ways our virtual worlds behave. For instance, anyone who's played a platformer - especially one starring a plumber or hedgehog - will know that lava is bad. Baby Lava Bounce has come to change our conceptions. Instead of dealing firey death to all in its path, perhaps lava just wants to be loved. Problem is, rather than red hot hugs and kisses, these lava blocks can only express their affection through wanton destruction. Each lava has…
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EPOCH.2 Review
Epoch. was Uppercut Games' answer to the question "how do you get a third-person cover shooter to work on a touchscreen?" The solution the team hit upon was to ditch floating joysticks altogether, and use an entirely gesture-based system to let you spring in and out of cover, target enemies, and launch special attacks. The sequel, Epoch.2, is very much a retread of the first game. It's got a bigger campaign, more weapon and upgrade options, and some new robotic enemies and bosses to t…
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No objections: buy entire Phoenix Wright Trilogy for £2.99 / $4.99
Capcom has temporarily lowered the price of the Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright Trilogy HD as part of its Thanksgiving sale. Though the app itself has always been free to download, it only gave you access to the first chapter of the first Phoenix Wright game . To unlock all three games (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Phoenix Wright: Justice for All, and Phoenix Wright - Trials and Tribulations) you needed to pay around £14 / $17. However, if you want to go toe-to-toe with crime in a highly stylised courtroom while wolfing down your Thanksgiving turkey, you'll now be able to play through the entire trilogy for only £2.99 / $4.99. Though we were slightly taken aback by the re-…
