New Star Soccer (NSS), a series that left me with much fond memories. I remembered reviewing the previous game a few years ago; NSS 4 was brilliant and so was NSS 3. NSS is a soccer/football simulation game where you play the life of a footballer. Whether you become a legend later solely depends on your skills and the way you manage your career and life. Back then the game offered something different from your bigger developers such as EA Sports and Konami with their FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) franchises respectively. Both of those games didn’t have a player simulation mode then. However in their recent few releases, Be a Pro (BAP) and Become A Legend (BAL) are modes that are well polished and provide much fun. With that said, how does NSS 5 fair against the big guns?

To see the game in action, I’ve recorded a short live commentary and video footage to showcase it:

I’ve went back and read over my previous review of NSS 4. Indeed, what NSS 5 offers over FIFA and PES is the options and depth in player life simulation. BAP and BAL focus mainly on the football side of things, overlooking the minor details such as relationships, lifestyle etc. This doesn’t equate to bad in any way, it just lacks that little depth and choice that would be gladly appreciated. With that said, the player life simulation and even the football simulation in NSS 5 felt way too simplistic and overly straightforward. There isn’t much improvement over the years and I have to admit I am greatly disappointed. Many if not all of the different things of the player’s life are based of mini-games and simple mouse clicks. I was hoping for more complexity and diversity rather than a shallow implementation of it.

Even the aspect of contract negotiation is a mini-game where you have to guess if the next number is bigger or smaller than the current one. To put it nicely, it is plain stupid. I may be harsh but seriously? Why, in my opinion, many independent developers manage to excel is because of their ideas and concepts behind the game. They often provide something special, something out of the norm that wows people. NSS was a series that made me excited. It touched on football simulation that no one did (then at least). Now with the big developers slowly exploring such an idea, it is to their advantage that they exploit the foundations that are already there and improve on it. Sadly, that didn’t happen at all.

The match game engine felt familiar. AI is still as basic as ever but it is fine. NSS 5 is developed by independent developers that lack the budget and manpower that EA Sports and Konami have. The engine for what it is now is fine. It is a simple engine that requires user to use the directional keys and 3 different other keys to press. You basically have the option to execute a pass, a lob or a shot. There is also the option to choose the beginner or easy mode where actions are executed with just a key press. When defending, you have to option to slide. Holding any button when you do not have the ball will make your player chase the ball. After an action is executed, you have the ability to apply after touch, basically to apply curl and spin to the ball. The match engine takes some time to get used to. It is a rather steep learning curve even for a player like me who has played the previous games before. However, once you start getting a grip over the controls, the game plays fine.

Character development is tweaked from the previous game. It is neither an improvement nor is it worse in any way. From the various different stats you had in the past, the developers decide to split the attributes into two main categories. One of which is the core attributes of a footballer player; you have things such as heading, passing, shooting, tackling etc. The other is called Player Ratings. These basically affect your overall value of your players and can be increased by playing well in matches. The core attributes can no longer be increased during matches, instead you have to play a mini-game where you have to perform a particular drill successfully to increase it. The drills are pretty fun and the difficulty increases according to your particular skill level.

Player life simulation has been pretty much the same as the previous game. You have to manage your relationship between different parties such as your team mates, boss, friends, fans and sponsors. There are the occasional events where you have to choose between two different parties. Relationship between career related parties can be improved by performing in matches. You too can choose to spend some energy and play a matching mini-game to improve the relationship. It is disappointing that there is only one main mini-game to play in terms of improving relationships. As shallow as it is, some kind of variety would definitely make it more interesting. Else, maybe the developers could have spent some time exploring a deeper and more meaningful system.

There is also the casino and horse betting mini-games that you can play with as well as different items to buy to increase your lifestyle. There doesn’t seem to be anything new added to the game. There are, however, some major revamps in the way the game works. Firstly, instead of progressing by days, you simply progress through the game by weeks or matches. Every time you end a turn you a brought to the very next match. For me it works fine as it helps increase the pace of the game.

There is also the new implementation of an online system. The whole world now consists of player created footballers. As much as it is a rather interesting design choice, I would prefer and like the option of having real life footballers existing in my game. There is much fun when you can pretend to be playing alongside your favourite footballers but with the new implementation, all of such hopes are lost. In NSS 5, you cannot view different teams and the players in it. Players in your team will be occupied by other characters should they be in the same team but else they will simply be nameless footballers.

Graphics and sound effects are about the same as before. You now have graphical indications whenever you make a good move. Your manager will shout from the bench to either praise or scold you. The background music at the menu screens can get quite irritating after hearing them for prolong periods of time. Thankfully you can mute it in the options screen. For a one man team I don’t really expect much changes or improvements to the graphics or sound. But with the gameplay showing not much improvement or freshness from before, I really wonder what exactly has been done to the game for all these years.

Overall, NSS 5 seems to have taken some steps back from its previous game. There isn’t many, if not any, improvements over the previous game. Minor additions are easily overlooked and there is the major disappointment that comes from the lack of development or exploration in the aspect of personal life and out of field activities. The design choice of involving user created players in the world seems to be interesting but isn’t exactly beneficial in any way. Yes, it is developed by one guy. And yes, he had made a fantastic game before. What exactly happened between NSS 4 and 3 to NSS 5 leaves me much to wonder. With the FIFA and PES franchise catching up in the player career simulation, I don’t see how the NSS games can compete should it continue in such a direction. If you’ve yet to try out the New Star Soccer series, do give it a go. It is free to play for the first few matches while allowing you to play 3 matches every day thereafter. If you want to play more, you have to purchase a premium account, similar to that of purchasing the game. If you’ve owned NSS 4, there are not many reasons, if any, to get this version.

P.S: Do note that this review is largely influenced with NSS 4 and 3 in mind. I’ve played those games and I’ve enjoyed them a lot. Throughout the review I’m constantly having those games in my mind and constantly making comparisons.

Skyrim is the fifth instalment to the well acclaimed The Elder Scrolls series and is set in a time roughly two hundred years after the previous game Oblivion. Skyrim is not a direct sequel to Oblivion but do have some references here and there as it takes place in a similar world but at a different part and time. The land of Skyrim is facing two major problems at this particular time. Firstly, the dragons seem to have returned and secondly, there is a civil war between the Empire and Stormcloaks. How exactly does Skyrim fair in terms of it being a game, a product of Bethesda Softworks as well as being part of the Elder Scrolls series? Read on for my review of the game (based solely on experience on the PC version)

The main story behind Skyrim is not too complex but is enough to keep things fresh and interesting. To put it simply without any spoilers, you play as a Dragonborn, a legendary breed of man that has the soul and blood of a dragon but the body of a mortal. At this very time, there seems to be a crisis. The dragons have returned! As the story develops you learn of the greater evil and it is your duty to stop it. The main story is set in a time of a civil war between the Stormcloaks, the rebels, and the Empire. With that, you do face some complications here and there with choices to make. It is these choices that make the story even more enjoyable and interesting as it challenges you to think for yourself and make your very own decisions. Besides the main plot you do have several other sub-plots that you can dwell. You have your regular guilds and other mini-stories that you will come across along the way. All the different stories that you will be engaging in are backed with the rich lore and history of both the land of Skyrim as well as the very world that it takes place in.

Skyrim, as all the previous Elder Scrolls games, is an open world non-linear RPG. What this means is that you are free to explore and embark on your very own adventure without giving a damn about the main story or anything else. It is practically a game where you can do whatever you want whenever and wherever. If you’re into exploring you can just go ahead and wander off, no one will stop you. There are some very minor restrictions put into place in order for you to not accidentally break the game. For example, there are some characters that are vital in the main quest and thus they are practically immortal. There are also some areas that I have passed that you cannot access unless you proceed on with a particular quest as it requires a particular item to unlock the area. With that said, the game is still extremely opened and allows you to play it as you want to.

It is this aspect of a very open world non-linear gameplay that attracts much attention and interest. Rightfully so as the enjoyment and fun that comes from being able to choose what you want to do is immense. With the genre being a RPG, the open world non-linear gameplay accentuates the point about role playing. It is all about who you want to be and what you want to do.

There are several different types of quests. There are the main storyline quests, sub-plot quests and the infinitely generated miscellaneous quests. Let me explain: Main storyline quests are simply quests that are directly related to the main story of the game. Sub-plot quests are those that are related to mini stories that you can embark on for example the thieves guild, the Companions, Dark Brotherhood and the civil war. There are also short mini storylines that you can encounter as you are exploring and adventuring for example the daedric quests. Lastly, the infinitely generated miscellaneous quests are often the most boring and pointless and it mainly gets you doing stuff like going to a location to kill the leader. This is supposedly the “Radiant quest system” but seriously it gets boring and tiring real fast. There are also other types of miscellaneous quest such as finding a particular item for a person. On a positive note, it brings you to locations that you may not have yet explored. All the sub-plots are fairly interesting and fun to play with. There is also no need to worry that your character “class” doesn’t fit the particular guild. At most you will face a little bit more challenge at times but other than that it is all good. For example, I’ve completed the mages guild without spending a single point or effort in any of the magic skill trees; same applies to the thieves guild. My character was that of a head on warrior using melee two handed weapons and yes I’ve completed most if not all the different factions quests.

Level design is fairly simplistic in the sense that almost all places you go to work out in a similar fashion. It works in such a manner: You will first face several weaker enemies in various rooms. You have a few rooms that are locked with hidden chests. Before the end you will usually meet a “boss” or a much stronger enemy as compared to the previous ones you have already disposed. Kill the boss, grab whatever treasure left behind and head out. There is usually a shortcut out of the place which I really like as it keeps the pace of the game moving fast. There is an occasional simple puzzle that will never ever require much thinking and that is about it. Indeed, when compared to the exploration and free roaming, the level designs are that linear and can get a little dull. However, the combat and backing story (if available for that particular place) makes up for the lack of creativity in such an area of the game. With that said, most quests have you go through such a sequence with the exception of a few other unique ones such as placing items into people’s inventory to frame them or to stealth around and steal something. Else, it will be pure hacking and slashing (or magic, or stealth, or shooting whichever applies) your way through and then turning in the quest.

Moving on to character builds. This has been one of the most discussed and debated aspect of many of the elder scrolls games (or rather many RPGs). There is always the problem of balancing the game in the sense that perhaps for example melee is often more powerful than magic. It is amusing seeing all the different people debating over how the different stats stack and how in the later part of the game some builds are often always more overpowered than others. For Skyrim at launch, what I’ve seen most people talked about is mainly how magic users are at great disadvantage as their spells do not scale according to the level or something like that. Well, I have to admit that my one playthrough was just purely melee with a bit of stealth and ranged combat so I do not have much ground to make any comments. However, from my observation of magic players they are doing just fine in the normal difficulty. Perhaps some of the skill traits under the melee category can make it a little be less favourable to the magic users but nevertheless the fun is still there, trust me. Using magic is awesome looking and seriously, the higher level spells simply look and sound brilliant. Stealth is more of the one hit KO and melee is the more common standard combat. Each has its own gameplay style so simply choose one that suits you the best. Do not worry about whether being melee will be better or not. It is more of choosing something that you will enjoy rather than choosing something that is more powerful. Come on, it is an offline single player game! Why get overly frustrated and worried over such things? Oh and yes, whatever you choose will do well.

Each skill has a skill tree that you can place trait points in. When I say skill I mean for example Two-Handed, Destruction Magic, Ranged etc. Each of these various skills has their own separate skill tree. You improve the skill simply by applying it in the game. For example using destruction magic will increase your destruction skill, using a one-handed weapon will increase your one-handed skill. An increase in each of this skill will contribute to the main level of your character. A total accumulated level of several skills will result in your character levelling up, giving you a skill point to use as you see fit. There are some skills that are more useless than others but all in all they do have an impact on the game and the way your character turns out to be. Each time you level up, you get to choose from adding Health, Stamina or Magicka. Yes they’ve dumbed down the attribute system but it still works great.

Skyrim introduced a more in-depth crafting aspect to the game. You have Smithing, Alchemy and Enchanting. All of these are individual skills that you can improve and by doing so you can make really good items for yourself. For example, improving your smithing will allow you to create and improve weapons and armor by quite a bit. Enchanting allows you to put several skill and damage modifiers that will make your life in Skyrim so much easier and much more fun. Alchemy will allow you to make potions that will help you in all aspects of the game whether is it health potions or potions that buff a particular skill. They do add another dimension and depth to the game and is certainly great fun to have them available. This time around you too have other activities that you can perform such as mining, cooking, cutting wood, grinding the wheat etc. Cooking isn’t much of a skill and the bonuses you get from consuming food are pale in comparison to what potions can do. And of all honesty the rest of the activities seem pointless (besides mining) but nonetheless, it is these little things that make the whole game and world so much more believable and engrossing.

The combat system works great whether is it ranged, magic or melee. The combat system is action based, meaning it isn’t like your typical MMOs where you click an enemy and wait for your character to kill it. Instead, you have to time your swings, aim your shots and charge your spells at the right time in order to effectively and efficiently dispose your enemies. With all such combat systems we always have people finding ways to beat it. Oh yes, the usual hide in a place where it is inaccessible to the enemy while slowly shooting them down with a bow and arrow is present in Skyrim. Still it is great fun and is easy to pick up whichever style you are looking to play. You will get the hang of it quickly and you will find yourself destroying your enemies soon enough. Oh and do look for more ways to exploit the system as I strongly believe that such an activity is also part of the fun in the game.

For all characters whichever class you choose to play as have the ability to use Shouts. As a dragonborn, you can use dragon shouts (called Dovahzaan in dragon language) after you learn them. They are fairly interesting and they can be found and learned throughout Skyrim. To learn these words you have to find and go to specific locations where they have a particular word that you can learn to use. After learning the word, you have to unlock it with dragon souls which can be acquired after killing a dragon. Each Shout have 3 words to it and by knowing all 3 words and unleashing all of it can result in unleashing a devastating power. The abilities are very interesting for example you can Shout at time to slow things down (with the third word allowing you to move at normal pace) and then strategically charge a spell or start swinging your weapon before they can even retaliate. Shouts do have a bit of a cool down time especially when using all 3 words of it. They are cool though both in terms of the visual effects and the effect in game.

There are several different kinds of enemies that you will face in the game. The strategy to deal with each type does vary, making combat much more interesting and fun. For example you have mages that can do real damage should you let them hit you with their spells. They can hurt especially if you’re melee facing a mage that uses ice spells that can slow you down and prevent you from reaching them. They do hit hard as well in the early stages so do be sure drink the right potions or wear the right equipment as you see fit. There are also some bosses at the earlier parts that can be quite difficult to kill. However, by poisoning your blade or arrow with a paralysis poison and then hitting the boss with it can make the battle a whole lot simpler. To put it simply, there are many ways to go about with dealing with your enemies and the variation keeps things fresh and engaging. There is just one main problem about the game though. The dragons are way too easy to kill. In fact, enemies get way too easy when you’re supposedly reaching the end of the game. Maybe it is the difficulty that I am playing that resulted in this (I play at Adept, the “normal” difficulty. You can choose from 5 different levels of difficulties). I guess there needs to be some balancing of the enemies for instance perhaps making some bosses way harder as compared to the other normal enemies and perhaps some rarer monsters to be as hard to kill as they are to find.

Travelling around Skyrim can be done in mainly two ways. The fast travel or the conventional walk/ride a horse. The fast travelling helps to keep the pace of the game moving at a considerate pace and the conventional walking and riding allows you to explore and find new places to adventure into. Each has its own merits and they blend together perfectly to allow you to fully enjoy the game. On a side note, I strongly suggest you get a horse as it is way too useful to be omitted in any adventures.

Getting around Skyrim is really easy with the fast travel as well as the presence of the compass and map. The compass will notify you of any nearby point of interests and the map ensures that you will never ever be lost. It might take a little realism away from the game but I strongly believe they are there to improve the general player’s gaming experience. You can choose to disable the compass if you want a more immersive and realistic playthrough. It should be fun and much more exciting to find places purely through exploration and experimental adventuring rather than following the compass and a map. Yeah so go ahead and disable it if it should make your playthrough a much more enjoyable one. My recommendation to most gamers though is to simply leave it there and use it; less hardcore but equally satisfying.

Major cities all have a distinct unique feeling to it. The only problem however is that the ratio of land to population of people is appalling. There are simply too little people to make the cities feel believable. As much as they look great, feel great and are all filled with their own personalities, a denser living population will top everything off. Putting that aside, there is opportunity for you to own a house in some of the major cities. Houses are great places to store all that loot that you have acquired through your adventures and to rest and relax. It is also unsurprisingly satisfying to display all that epic weapon and armor that you’ve got by putting them up on the display stands. It is a nice touch to the game and the main function of these houses in my opinion is simply a place to store stuff.

The freedom you get in Skyrim is accompanied by stunning visuals and amazing sound. The visual effects and the general look of the game in terms of its environment simply make exploring and adventuring in Skyrim a joy to behold. Weapons and armors are done in great detail and you can really feel the power of your character as you equip the end game items. The way weapon glows when they are enchanted and how powerful the spells look when casted simply creates a sense of satisfaction and achievement. The ability to choose either first or third person perspective to play the game is welcomed as each has its own benefits. Playing in first person view allows you to admire and adore the beauty of your weapons and for third person view you get to drool and go crazy over your characters outfit.

The sound effects in the game are fantastic as well. Voice acting is very much improved as compared to Oblivion with not only more voice actors but of higher quality as well. You can feel the character’s personality oozing out from the way they speak. Other sound effects such as the way the waterfalls sound, enemies’ growl and how your Shouts shout is just brilliant. The backing soundtracks are a treat to the ears. It fits in perfectly with the theme and genre of the game, making everything feel so epic. The visual, sound and gameplay simply complements each other and blends in so well to make Skyrim such a complete game.

With all that said, Skyrim isn’t perfect. It does have some negatives mainly with the glitches and bugs that come with it. You may experience crashes to desktop at times or weird things such as dragon bones popping out all of a sudden and then sinking back into the ground and all that nonsensical stuff. It happens, and it isn’t to anyone surprise. Putting all the glitches and bugs aside there are too some minor irritants in the game for once people butting in when you’re having a conversation. It is fairly disturbing to have your main conversation be drowned with some miscellaneous nonsense that another NPC is saying. The level design as mentioned previous could do with a bit more variation and complication. Other than that Skyrim is just great.

It gets even better though once the mods start flooding in. The creativity and intelligence of the modding community is simply fascinating. The fun simply never stops. If you want an even better looking game, do wait for some high resolution texture packs that I am sure would come out soon enough. New weapons, armors and all kinds of amusing stuff will be released no doubt. It is just a matter of time. As such, do keep hold of your game as you will want to get back to it whether is it having another playthrough in vanilla version or another playthrough with additional tweaks and toppings on top the already tasty game.

The bottom line is, if you like RPGs you must give Skyrim a try. For all the issues that people are pointing out, fret not as the positives simply outweigh them by a huge margin. Come on, the complainers are probably enjoying Skyrim as much as they are complaining. As mentioned, nothing is perfect so there are surely molehills to make mountains of. For everyone else, do give Skyrim a go as it is one of those titles that are to be remembered in the times to come. For now, have fun and be prepared for even more fun once the mods start being released.

Always Win is a simple iOS app that allows you to, always win. It is a game for two players. Simply draw a card (virtually on your iOS device of course) for each player and the player with the higher card wins. Simple? Definitely and very so especially when you know the secret behind the game.

Basically the secret behind the app and for you to always win is to know where to press to draw the card. There are three regions that you can press, the top, middle and bottom of the deck. Simply press top to allow the top player to win and bottom for the bottom player to win! If you think you’re lucky, you can attempt to press the middle which randomizes the cards drawn (to play fair in other words). So what exactly is the point of the app? Well not much really unless you can find someone and something to bet with. Say for example you and your younger sibling are deciding who does the dishes, the app now comes handy if the other party is agreeable. Or maybe, you can attempt to earn a dollar or two by simply betting with a friend. There are endless possibilities with the app as long as your friend (or not afterwards) don’t doubt your intentions and the seemingly innocent looking app.

Be sure to open the app first as letting the other party know the name of the app isn’t too appropriate. Also, try not to let the other person press the question mark to see the mechanics behind the app. When they ask, simply close the app and make an excuse to run. So yes, perhaps the developers can do something about that and make the help screen appear only with some special gestures or placing the icon somewhere less prominent. Additional features can also be added to make it more tricky and awesome perhaps tilting and pressing or whatever to result in different outcomes. I mean the more tricks the better to keep the secret hidden right?

Always Win is out in the iTunes app store for the price of $0.99. Do feel free to get it and earn the dollar back by always winning. Happy winning!

Rage is a first person shooter game which takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, a world similar to the likes of Fallout, Metro 2033 etc. You play as an unknown protagonist with almost no background knowledge or information about your past except that you are an Ark survivor. The Ark is basically a movement which took significant people and froze them underground so as to rebuild a new world. You being a survivor merit yourself with special attention from everyone, and that of course place you on course of an adventure and quest to help save the world.

The story is average at best. The whole idea about the creation of a new world isn’t that new or unique. Rage doesn’t do much that sets itself apart from the norm. Within this world that the game takes place, you have several different groups of people. They are mainly the Authority, the Resistance and various other bandit groups. Of course you have the other normal people that make up the population of the world. What the Authority is trying to do is to create an “ideal” world as defined by the Authority leader named General Martin Cross. This ideal world doesn’t benefit anyone except Cross himself, and can you guess what you’re supposed to do? Stop him. Simple. In order to do so, you come in contact with a rebel group called the Resistance. Together with them, you join hands to stop the evil from further spreading and controlling the world.

With the lack of any twists or anything different, the story of Rage is well, average as mentioned earlier. Yes, it is an acceptable and believable story to keep the game moving, however it doesn’t do much to engage the gamers or do anything to surprise them. At least for me, it felt simply passable. The world however, is well constructed and formed, the different bandit factions all have a unique attribute to them and along the way you meet some interesting characters as well. The different major cities and areas all have a distinct feel and theme to them. They are beautifully crafted and varied to give each of them their own character and personality.

The characters that you meet are well designed to be believable and likable. Both the minor and major characters are well voiced and the way their scripts are written, it gives each character their individuality and uniqueness. Due to the length of the game as well as how the story progresses, it is a shame that the major characters met are a hit and miss. In the sense that before you can even start liking them or as you get slowly attached and engaged with the interactions of a particular character, it is time to move on and say goodbye as you proceed further into the game.

There are two major components to the game, the driving and the shooting. Each of them are complemented with some RPGish elements such as upgrades, looting and items. Rage plays fantastically well as a shooter. The different guns feel great, sounds powerful and everything else is well polished. The pure shooting action and fragging of enemies is fun and rightfully so since that is the major part of the game. There are several different kinds of guns, some more effective them others and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. However with the level design of the game, some weapons are definitely much more favoured as compared to the others. You can basically get through the entire game with just 2 weapons out of the whole range of arsenal that you can choose from; sniper rifle, rifle, pistol, crossbow etc. There is also the ability to use a melee attack in the form of your fists. Each of the different weapon have different types of bullets that you can choose from. For example the shotgun has the normal kind of bullets, explosive bullets and pulse bullets. Each to its own effectiveness with the normal bullets dealing the least damage of the rest but is the cheapest and easiest to obtain. The different bullets do help you as you progress through the game as the different enemies require different styles of treatment. With that said, the enemies that you face are smart and varied enough to keep things interesting.

There are several different kinds of enemies that you will face throughout the game. Each of them has their own style of fighting. For example, we have the mutants who will rush towards you to kill you while on the other hand we have the Authority soldiers hiding behind covers shooting you from afar. All the different enemies’ movement and way of fighting feel and look great; fights do get interesting and the challenge and difficulty is there to keep you engrossed and engaged. The enemy AI, when working well, is great. The human type of enemies seek cover and if you camp for too long they will start tossing grenades at you. The mutants run around mindlessly, jumping here and there to keep your crosshair aiming and body moving. Each of the different categories of enemies consists of different types within them to keep things varied and exciting. For example, the Authority have heavily armoured soldier that holds machine pulse gun and also the normal armoured soldier that holds a normal rifle. The variety is there and is significant because of the need to respond accordingly to the subtle difference that is present. All in all, the enemies are well designed and do their job in making Rage an entertaining shooter. In addition, there are occasional boss fights and in order to not spoil your fun, I can only say that they are all fantastically fun. The only problem though is that there are way too few of such encounters.

The driving part of the game takes place mainly when travelling between locations or if you’re taking part in the different races. The races are mainly side missions that don’t really matter. The vehicles that you drive all handle well. Controls are simple and effective, keeping the driving portion not too simplistic yet easy enough to keep the action going. There are races that you can take part, most mainly are side missions that can be overlooked if you’re not interested. Vehicles in the game are installed with weapons that allow you to kill any enemy vehicles along the way during travel or in a race should it permit weapons. The vehicle fights feel like mini games but do take up significant portion of your game time as you will find yourself travelling from mission to mission using your very own vehicle. Each vehicle has several upgrades that you can purchase using racing tickets (they are awarded in missions or completion of races). Vehicles are given to you as you proceed throughout the game. There isn’t much of a choice except to use whatever is best that is given to you at that point of time. The driving does give some diversity to the game and is welcomed especially when taking breaks in between the shooting and fire fights.

It is great that the focus isn’t so much so on the driving and is more emphasized in the shooting. The balance is just right for me and together, both components do give a sense of completeness to the game. They are both well thought out of and smartly executed. To keep things a little more interesting, there are RPGish elements that I mentioned earlier on. Though subtle, it does give a sense of progress and improvement to the player. Weapons have upgrades that improve their performance, you have the ability to buy armour upgrades to make your character much more secure and vehicles have upgrades to make them faster and stronger. All of the different upgrades weapons and items are purchasable at shops within the different cities that you visit.

There is also a small crafting part to the game where you can craft yourself some useful items such as bandages, adrenaline boosts and so on. Different parts and materials are obtainable either through buying them or looting them throughout the different places you visit. That brings us to the looting part of the game. Though minor, looting enemies provide you with necessities such as money and bullets that are vital in surviving in the game. You also have special collectible cards that are littered around the different locations. As small as these different RPG elements are within the game, they do blend well with the rest of the game and by doing so takes the game to a higher level of enjoyment.

There are side missions within the game and there are only three different types of them. One of them is to drive around destroying bandit vehicles. Another is to escort or oversee a particular deal from a vantage point, sniping any intruders and threats. Lastly is to visit places to basically kill a bunch of enemies due to whatever reason they tell you. The first few feel alright but as you proceed it gets dull and boring because of the way they are. The side missions within the second city are basically a replica of the missions within the first city, just with different locations. There are no real benefits other than the additional money that they reward upon completion. If you’re thinking of perhaps better weapons or special items, you will be thoroughly disappointed. This applies to the main missions as well; there is the lack of variety in missions and they are all simply killing all enemies then press the action button to perform a particular action and return.

There are several other mini-games present within the game that severs nothing more than distractions that you will overlook very quickly. There is the gambling mini game where you can do nothing more than you choose the amount of money you want to bet and leave it to luck as you roll the dices to see if you can clear a wave of mutants or something. There is the stabbing finger game where you have to press a key (spacebar I believe) at certain intervals in between your fingers. There is also a simon-says game. And lastly you have the card game which is the most interesting among the rest. All of the mini-games are there for you to earn some extra cash but other than that, it is just plain distraction that is fun for just the first moment you try it. The card game though is alright. You have several different kinds of collectible cards that are scattered across the lands and locations. The different cards have certain attributes. There isn’t so much so as a strategy to the game as cards are pre-picked (each card has a point value to determine its value. Different match allow a different total amount of point value of cards) and the way the cards come out is totally random. The only strategy is to have some of the best cards for its point value and pick them, hoping they come out in a way favourable to you. It is fun in short bursts, and it is also kind of exciting whenever you find new cards along the way. Other than the card game, the rest are just meh.

The game being somewhat open-world is true only to a certain extent. Yes you get to drive around and do stuff, but the stuff you can do as you drive around the place are very limited. Most locations require you to activate a certain mission so as to allow the scripted events to take place. Other than that, there are no real benefits in exploration. In fact there isn’t much to explore in the first place. Not a big problem though since the game isn’t supposed to be a Fallout type of game or GTA style of sandbox open-world. It is very linear and there isn’t much of a choice or any form of morality system put in place. One ending and that’s it. Just play through and follow whatever is instructed of you to do so. Kind of like old school shooters where you go level to level, just that this time you have more modernized elements (or gimmicks if executed poorly) implemented in the game.

The presentation and graphics of the game is great when working well. Many people including myself face graphical glitches and bugs that are somewhat fixed with a patch but not completely. Textures pop in and out almost always whenever you enter a new area or rather view a new area. Textures look horrible close up but are fine when viewed in a distance. High resolution textures can be enabled with a simple modification to the game and definitely makes the game look sharper and of course better. You do need a decent graphics card to play at full HD resolution with the mod, but it sure is worth it. Overall, when omitting the glitches and bugs, the game looks great. The different environments and locations have a distinct and unique feel to them. Character models are well designed and all look good. Enemies are distinguishable not only by the way they behave, but also the way they look. For example, the different factions of bandits can be identified from the way they look. Graphical effects such as explosions, bullets etc do add to the overall feel of the game in a great way. There are some minor details as well such as leaking pipes that livens up the game especially during fire fights. Character animations are fantastic as well and the quality is most noticeable when you face the mindless mutants.

As for the sound aspect of the game, it is decent enough to complement the game as a whole but not to the point that it stands out from the rest. The weapons sound great when firing, explosions do sound powerful and enemies give out the occasional battle cry or tactical commands for the mutants and humans respectively. It does help make it more exciting especially when you have guns firing all over. There is also the presence of exciting background music at times when fighting and they all sound decent and appropriate for the situation at hand. Voice acting as mentioned earlier is decently done.

With all that in mind, there is also the multiplayer side of the game. There are a two main online modes that you can play with. Firstly there is the Road Rage mode which plays like a racing game with objectives such as capture the flag and all your other common game types. There is the presence of a levelling system which allows you to unlock other cars  as you proceed higher in level. The other online mode is Wasteland Legends which plays like a co-op mode. You and another person will take on different levels and points are awarded as you kill the various enemies. Try to get as much points as possible to win your partner. It is simple pure fun, especially so when the shooting elements of the game is so well polished and executed.

Overall the game is average and is certainly so thanks to the fun shooter it is. The driving aspect of the game does give some variety and the graphical prowess the new engine provides is definitely worthy of mention (besides the fact of the glitches and bugs). The story is sadly huge let down with nothing new or interesting to help complement the old but fun shooter formula. The gameplay is well polished and the new game engine shows huge promise for future developments. Rage being a pure shooter will certainly fair well but in this generation of games being a pure shooter itself isn’t going to cut it. Rage is a highly action packed and fun shooter but if considered as a game in a whole package, it feels lacking of that punch line to make it memorable.

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Shmusicup, shoot music up, is an indie music rhythm game that fuses the classic shoot’em up top down shooters with music rhythm based games such as audiosurf. What kind of fusion? Basically, it analyses the music pattern of whatever music that is fed into the game and generates a shootingpattern based on that. What players will have to do is to destroy the boss while surviving in such a shooting pattern.

That basically sums up the whole game and the concept behind it. It is a top-down shooter (with all your usual weapon powerups, health and bombs) with an enemy that has a shooting pattern that is based off any music that you feed to it. There are free tracks that come along it or you can simply load up any mp3 you have and they will automatically generate the patterns itself. The game also features a scoring system accompanied with a highscore board which you can use to compete with others or your friends. The scoring system is based on combo multipliers and mainly you shooting and hitting the enemy. Score multipliers can be increased in various ways depending on the shooter you have chosen. For example, you can have one that increases your multiplier as long as you are closeto the enemy (closer to the top of the screen) and on the other hand there is another one that increases your multiplier every time you are closeto the enemy’s projectile.

That sums up the core gameplay components of Shmusicup; a top-down shooter with your music playing in the background and that the enemy’s shooting pattern follows your music. Besides that, it features selectable shooters, bosses, game modes and difficulties, some of which can be unlocked by performing different objectives such as defeating a particular level or difficulty so on and so forth.

The gameplay is fun and the variety seems to be there as there is always a different shooting pattern to face. It is even better with your music playing in the background and how sometimes you can actually feel the shooting patterns follow a certain beat and rhythm. However, the fun doesn’t last that long at all. After trying out the various difficulties and bosses so to speak, the major difference is the density and difficulty of the shooting patterns as well as the aesthetic appearance of the bosses and projectile. This subsequently results in the game feeling old after playing for a long period of time. In bursts however, I find it amusing and funtastic. It is gaming and hearing music at the same time, pretty awesome.

The major problem (noting that it is still in beta) is the collision detection between your shooter and the projectiles. It seemed as though most projectiles can touch part of your shooter as long as it is not the center point or at the head or something. I cannot really identify where exactly the point of detection is but as far as I know of projectiles can simply touch you and go over you without damaging you. Maybe something that will be corrected when the final game is released.

The game features retro style graphics that bringsback memories of classic top down shooters of the past. Bullet effects have a variety to it, all looking bright, colourful and powerful. The detail that goes into the different bosses and shooters are fine and it blends in perfectly with the retro feel and style. I love how they have the graphical effect of the bosses having a booming effect that represents the bass of the music. The sound effects within the game is practically absent (though there) because your music will probably drown it. I cannot really comment how good the sound aspect of the game is as the game basically wants you to play your own songs and sound tracks. The provided ones are fine as well.

Overall the game is great. For lovers of games such as audiosurf, this is yet another game that concept bases itself on the generation of a specific pattern according to the music you provide. For fans of top down shooters, Shmusicup is a refreshing take on the genre and gives you a chance to have fun with your very own music and sound tracks. Though as mentioned before that the game becomes kind of dull after playing for long, in short bursts the game is great fun. Currently, you can head on to their site to try out the flash version or have a go at the demo version as well. It is free and if you enjoyed your time playing those free tracks provided and enjoyed the concept and overall gameplay of it, feel free to get it once it is out. For the beta version as it is now, I would give it a 7/10. Some polishing still needs to be done and additional innovative gameplay elements will definitely spice the game up.

Tzai Entertainment Shmusicup Official Game Page

Ant Raid is something like a Real Time Strategy (RTS) game that combines action, arcade and strategy. Like its title, it revolves around ants but it is not you raiding people. Instead you control ants and defend from raids from other insects. It is now out for the iPad for the price of $2.99. Read on for my take on the game.

Why is it “something” like a RTS and not fully one? Well, the game strips you off all the common complicated components of a RTS such as resource management and building, troop production so on and so forth. All you have to do is to control a given set of ants and defend your ground from the intruders. Sounds simple? Indeed the gameplay is simple but sure enough it is quite a challenge in the later stages. The game slowly progresses as it introduces the different elements of the game from the basic controls to selecting the different power-ups to give a temporary buff to your ants or to give you god like powers to destroy the incoming hoards of enemies with a simple touch. The game requires quite a bit of management and quickness of your fingers as soon enough you will not only have to defend against the incoming waves of enemies, you have to pick up rods to build up your flag or something. These rods are scattered around the map and to manage between taking the rods and defending your base can be quite a task.

There are different types of enemies in the game, each requiring a different way of handling. For example you have the snails that will knock out your ants once it is killed. You will then have to manage and grab your other ants to carry these knocked out ants back to the base for healing. Among these types of enemies, they have different forms as well indicated by their colors. For example the blue colored enemies have more hit points and take a longer time to kill while the enemies that are red in color are faster. The normal enemies are just normal as compared to the other different colors.

Every time a particular enemy is killed, you collect these energies accordingly to the color. When you have collected enough energy of a particular color, you will be able to temporary buff your ants with that color’s boost. Say if you have collected enough red energy and have activated it, you will give a temporary attack and speed bonus to your army of ants. Interestingly, there is a “gold” mode and that is achieved by activating both blue and red buffs at the same time. You ants will become the ultimate ant warriors and destroy all enemies in sight. Another power-up is more towards giving the player a boost, which is the green energy. When that is activated, you are given godly finger powers that allow you to zap enemies by tapping on them. It is very useful especially when the enemies are too many for your brave ants to manage.

All this come together nicely to bring in the strategic part of the game. Knowing how to handle the different types and kinds of enemies is vital in successfully defending your base. Knowing when to activate the different buffs and when to unleash your god powers will also affect how successful you are in defending your ground. It is a nice blend of strategy and action, giving players a decent challenge to face.

The controls are plain simple. Tap to quickly select a small radius of ants at the point of your contact, hold on to slowly increase the radius of the selection to select more ants and after selecting the number of ants you need, you simply tap wherever you want your ants to perform something say attack an enemy or pick up a fallen ant. You can also use pinch to zoom to view the different parts of the map as well as swiping around to move your view. Controls are smooth and responsive, good enough so that you cannot complain that it is because of the controls that caused you to lose the game. With decent controls, it all boils down to your quickness and strategy in order for the best results.

Besides the main story mode, you get two other different modes to choose from namely a survival mode and a challenge mode. These modes are unlocked once you complete a particular chapter of the story mode. The survival mode allows you to play and defend for as long as you can survive. In each of the levels in the story mode you are awarded stars depending on your performance within the level, these stars out of a maximum three per level will also determine the number of ants you will have in the survival mode. So it is best if you strive for perfection in each chapter as it will definitely help you in your attempt to get your name up in the high scores!

The graphics of the game is decent with lively colors and decent enough details to keep you and your eyes happy as you play the game. The story mode also features kind of a comic style cut scene design that tells a rather uninspiring story but nevertheless it does give some purpose to the game and the different sequence of events. The soundtrack and sound effects within the game is decent as well. I am no musician a music critic but it sure sounds pleasant enough to keep me happy. As a gamer and for such a game, the effects are good enough as well.

In conclusion, Ant Raid is a great game for casual RTS players. It is easy to pick up and play, but in order to actually survive well enough in the later stages requires some skill and planning. For someone looking for a pure RTS experience, Ant Raid might not be the game for you as it lacks all the other elements present within an RTS. Nevertheless, if you are looking to do some strategic planning and to have some fun, Ant Raid is a fantastic game to have. Ant Raid is casual enough for all to play while at the same time challenging enough to attract the more avid gamers. The amount of fun you will have playing the game definitely justifies the price tag of $2.99.

Gameplay Video:

iTunes Appstore Link: iPad Ant Raid ($2.99)

Rolldoku is a fresh new take on the concept behind Sudoku. It is a puzzle game that requires you to fill in boxes within a grid and ensure that within each huge box, row and column, there is only one unique individual number (meaning numbers 1 – 9 without any repetition within that row, column or huge box). Instead of filling in numbers at will, rolldoku requires players to roll and scroll through a cylinder of numbers, swap the rows around etc in order to complete the puzzle.

It is a concept that does indeed bring about a new form of challenge to an old classic puzzle game. The strategy and skills behind Rolldoku are definitely very much different from Sudoku. In Rolldoku, you are given preset numbers. It is your job to find the perfect match of these numbers by adjusting the rows, and spinning or rolling the numbers to get the ideal set of numbers. The same rules that apply for Sudoku apply here in Rolldoku: unique number for the row, column and for the box that the number is within. To keep it short, each Rolldoku puzzle is a Sudoku puzzle with all the boxes filled. These answer sheet is then wrapped into a cylinder and there you get a rolldoku puzzle!

I must say that Rolldoku is extremely tough, and frustrating. It might be just me but from the very start I felt lost. It is overwhelming with so many numbers and the magnitude is heightened with quite a number of rows present. Irony at its very best isn’t it? In Sudoku if you have many numbers already within the grid, the job to complete the puzzle is extremely easy. However, in Rolldoku you get all the different set of numbers at the very start. It is your job to arrange them and arranging them is tough, very very tough. You have to scroll through the numbers and remember what set of numbers there are in each row.

Strategies? Hints? I really need quite a lot of them. It is frustrating to scroll through each row, try remembering the different numbers and then matching them up with the rest of the rows. I would definitely prefer some form of indication of what numbers there are within the row rather than scrolling through them and taxing my mind to remember them. I mean I don’t find any skill in that or pleasure knowing that I can remember all the different numbers. I would rather have skills in solving a particular box or something like in Sudoku. I am sure, however, that if I can ever remember all the set of numbers in each row, I would be able to find a winning strategy to solve each puzzle. But as of yet I have no luck at all.

Whether or not the game is judged to be challenging or impossible is up to you. I read through some of the comments for the free version and people enjoyed it. Not sure how true the comments and ratings are but there is the possibility that people out there find the game fun and intellectually rewarding. For me, I think I would rather have my Sudoku puzzles instead. Rolldoku does bring a new challenge but this challenge is way too much for me. For the rest, I hope you are up to the extremely steep learning curve.

Other than the concept behind the game, the scrolling and moving of rows is flawless and smooth. Instructions are present that teaches you about the control scheme within the game. The graphics are fine and professional looking. It doesn’t strain your eyes should you stare too long at a puzzle. There are countless numbers of different puzzles to test your brains if one isn’t enough. Each puzzle does have multiple solutions so don’t give up like me. There is a timer present as well which is useful if you want to compete with your friends since puzzles can be specifically chosen rather than being randomly generated.

If you get to pass the steep learning curve you will be able to enjoy Rolldoku very much. It is like when I started out Sudoku puzzles, it was pretty challenging but as time went by it became extremely rewarding. Rolldoku is very similar, just that to actually get past the first hurdle can be tough for many. Nevertheless, there is the choice to try out the free version. I strongly encourage all to try out without paying first, and if you get to complete some if not all the puzzles, the paid one is something you must get.

Pinch is back again! The fun and intelligent puzzle game has a new sequel with all new challenging puzzles that will make your brain work! For those who are unaware of the game, Pinch 2 HD is based on the exact same concept of Pinch: You are to combine, split, mix and match the different coloured norbs (the circular balls) to access different places within a particular level. The ultimate aim is to get the required amount of norbs into the finishing line. That comes with some thinking as each level consists of several puzzle elements such as switches, pit holes and so on! Read on for the in-depth review.

Gameplay wise you should know what to expect if you have played the first game. You have your standard certain colours only zones, specific size only holes and so on. There are also the portals and switches that keep things interesting and challenging. Lastly, there is the mixing of colours whenever you combine different norbs together. It is amazingly smart idea and concept in my opinion and it makes the game stand out from other kinds of puzzlers. Nothing much else to say here in terms of gameplay but there is just new levels that stresses your brain and make you smile as you complete the tougher ones. Level design here is great, very little repetition and there is always something new that makes you go “Ah…”

There are also 4 different medals or objectives to complete for each level. You don’t have to complete all at once as it is almost impossible. These objectives are firstly a time objective; complete the level within a particular time. Secondly, the objective to get all norbs to the finishing line. Thirdly, number of pinches that you are allowed to use. Lastly, number of stars collected. It certainly gives some replayability for each level as you try to achieve as many objectives as possible.

I love how the pinching and multi-touch mechanisms within the game are all smooth and responsive. It really brings out the capabilities of the iPad touch screen. It is well implemented and definitely something that helps in improving the gameplay. The big iPad screen certainly helps in making the game more accessible than the first version. In my opinion it just feels nicer and easier to zoom in and out, drag the norbs and pinch them etc.

Graphics are improved from the first version. The norbs and the overall design and background of each level just looks much clearer and sharper. Like the title of the game, the graphics are of higher resolution that of HD like. It looks particularly well when stretched on the iPad. However with all that said, the graphics still don’t stand out that much. As much as it is an improvement from the first version, it is nothing too much to get overly excited for. There is also some light hearted music and sound effects that keeps players from getting too overly stressed out should they fail to complete a particular level.

Overall Pinch 2 HD is a delightful sequel to a clever concept and fun puzzler. There is the ability for you to grab the first 20 levels for free but to unlock the full game, it requires you to fork out a sum of $4.99. It is rather expensive as compared to the first game and other games within the same genre. Furthermore, the replayability of the game is merely that of getting the fastest time possible once every level and objective is completed. Nevertheless, if you find that the 20 levels are fun enough, the $4.99 should be alright as it offers you 100 levels and more to come in updates.

Gameplay Video:

iTunes App Store Link: iPad Pinch 2 HD (FREE/$4.99 Full Version Unlock)

BeGone is an online First Person Shooter (FPS) that is playable from your browser. The only necessary requirement of the game is for a plug-in to be installed. It features your basic typical FPS multiplayer gameplay where there are two teams and the first team to eliminate the other wins. There is no registration required, just visit the site and you can get to play a match just like that. How exactly does this browser game fair? Read on for a more in-depth review of the game. Note that this review is based on the latest version played as of this article is written.

BeGone is simple. Think the classic Counter Strike just without the many different weapons, game modes and maps. You pretty much have that type of gameplay just that now it is easily accessible through your web browser. The shooting works like the modern day FPSes where you can shoot without looking through the sight. However, looking and aiming using the weapon sight will give you a higher accuracy in shooting as well as a slight zoomed in view to allow better targeting.

The way to win the round is to eliminate your entire opponent’s team. Every time you kill or assist in a kill you get money. Winning in rounds give a nice paycheck as well. This money can be used to buy weapons that will give you an edge in the battle. There aren’t many weapons to choose from as of now, but the developers did mention that they will be adding more content updates in the future. Now you get to choose from a better rifle, a sniper rifle and a shotgun. You do start with a free basic sub machine gun and yes it does kill. It is nice to see that the developers are smart to include the different weapons that will allow for a different play style. The rifle is for mid range combat, sniper for long range and lastly the shotgun for close quarter combat. Should you run out of ammo, do feel free to switch to your fists and knock your opponent out. Else, you can look for the ammo crate to replenish your ammo.

There is only 1 available map to play on. You have 6 players in each team battling out. You get to sprint, jump and shoot. Not sure why there isn’t a crouch button but hey the game still works like how a FPS should. Yes that is all you need to know about the game as that is all it has to offer. Feel put off but how little it has? Please don’t and do yourself a favour by trying out the game. Though it is stripped down to the bare bits of a modern day FPS, it still is fun.

The graphics are surprisingly good for a browser game. Of course we don’t compare it to your modern day shooters. Instead, compare it with the browser games you can find off the net. You’ll realize that BeGone does have some nice eye candy. Gun sound effects are alright and generally the game sounds alright. Nothing special but then again, what more can you expect?

The simplicity of the game allows for all kinds of FPS players to pick up and enjoy. The accessibility of the game means that you can simply play it from anywhere and anytime as long as you have an internet connection. At its current state, the game feels unfinished. However, the potential is there and the current content should be sufficient to keep you interested. More importantly the developers are constantly upgrading the game, making it more stable and introducing new content along the way. I’ve enjoyed playing the game in short bursts, even more so when I’m extremely bored and have nothing to do. It is great fun to play it in school through the use of the school computers. Yes, since all you need is a browser and an installation of a plug-in, the game can be played as long as you have a computer and the internet! Grab a few friends in school and hog some school computer with internet access. There you go, a mini LAN party to take a break from that hectic school work.

The game is currently FREE and there is no registration involved. Just visit the website and off you go. Customize your keys and settings to your liking. If you like to have a temporary identity, you may want to change the nickname  that is assigned to you. I don’t see why you shouldn’t try the game out when it is this simple to play it. And even more so since it is FREE, just go try it! And don’t say that I’m recommending BeGone mainly because it is free; I’m recommending it because it is a fun pick up and play FPS game. It is definitely not an advanced shooter with much content or depth but it is still definitely fun. Yes it may get boring after a while since you’ll be playing in the same map repeatedly but in short bursts of playing, BeGone succeeds in delivering the entertainment. In addition, all this is done through a browser, what could possibly go wrong?

Off I go now to start getting fragged by my opponents. Hey come on I’m just not that good with FPS games okay? What matters most is that I’m having fun right?

Official Website: NPlay BeGone

Speedball 2 Evolution is a remake of the The Bitmap Brothers’ classic sports game for the iOS. Nope, I’m too young to be able to tell you that I have enjoyed playing the classic back in the old days but I can tell you that I did enjoy playing the remake version for the iOS. Speedball 2 Evolution, as described by the developers, is a mix of football and hockey. After playing, I must say it is more like a mix of hockey and handball instead. There is the physical play of hockey plus the handling and scoring like handball except that you can simply carry the ball while running without the need of bouncing the ball. This isn’t walking down memory lane for me but how exactly does the game fair? Read on for the full review.

Each match takes place within an arena. Within the arena, you get two goal posts, one for each team, bumpers that when hit give you points, side walls that can give you bonus as well and holes that transfer your ball from one side to the other. It is a rather cool arena designed to bring lots of fun and brutal physical play. To win, you simply have to score more than the opponent. There are 3 ways of getting points. Firstly, by scoring a goal gives you 10 points. Secondly, you can hit those bumpers for a mere but game deciding 2 points. Lastly, you can beat the daylight out of your opponent and as soon as he runs out of stamina and gets knocked out you get 10 points. Interesting sport eh?

When you get the ball you get to do a normal pass or a high lob pass. Without the ball, you get to tackle and body check your opponent. Whether they have the ball or not you can simply tackle and attack them to decrease their stamina. Be extra careful not to spam the tackle button though as each tackle executed reduces your stamina. So yeah, beat the crap out of your opponents if you don’t want to score goals. It helps to win matches too. Of course the opponent can do the same to you, so be sure to try dodge those flying tackles!

The gameplay is extremely simple. All that is described above is all you need to do. There are no complicated button combinations pressing to execute special moves or any need to switch player etc. It works well for a game developed for the mobile platform without dedicated keys or buttons to press. The simplicity of controls and gameplay mean that people can simply pick up the game and enjoy it as it is. There is one problem however, is that the game is just too plain easy. The AI ain’t very smart and once you get used to tackling, you’ll never be able to lose. Scoring is extremely simple as all you need to do is bash your way through, including bashing up the goalkeeper, and all you have is an empty goal to throw the ball into. Some difficulty or challenge would be greatly appreciated. Still, there is much fun to be obtained from playing the game. Besides winning is fun too right?

There are a few modes available for you to choose from. One of which is the quick game mode where you simply start a match. Second is a tournament mode where you can play your custom created tournaments or the preset ones which require unlocking for some. Thirdly is the career mode where you manage your team from the lousiest of divisions to the championships within a maximum of 10 seasons. The career mode is what I enjoyed most. I mean I’m kind of the guy who loves simulation and management and the managing of the team is fun. There isn’t very much depth but is sufficient to keep you interested and playing for a few seasons.

Within the career mode you get to spend cash, which you earn in matches, to upgrade your team. You get to either train your existing player or trade them for better ones. All of which requires you to spend the hard earned cash from matches. The training and transferring of players gives the game a little depth, not much but sufficient to enhance the gameplay and keep you going. Whether is it training your existing players or trading existing players for better ones, it is extremely satisfying to see your team grow from weaklings to champions. As your team slowly gets stronger, you can feel their power as their stamina and strength overpowers your opponents. Of course that means with the easy difficulty, there is no challenge at all within a match as soon as your team gets better. Nevertheless it is rewarding to feel the power and stature of the team you build as you thrash your way through the matches.

Lastly, we have the multiplayer mode where you get to play against your friends via the internet. I haven’t been able to find anyone to play with so I can’t tell you how much fun it is to bash your friends up. I do know however, is that there is going to be loads of fun and obviously a better challenge as compared to the AI.

The graphics of the game is good. The retro like characters and arenas all look fantastic on the iPad and iPhone 4’s retina display. There are also special graphical effects within a match (when you pick up some power ups or something) that keeps the game exciting and action packed. Sound effects are great as well and complement the fast paced action and brutality of the sport well. It can, however, get repetitive after awhile because there aren’t any variances in the background sound or sound effects within different matches. Thankfully, you have the ability to play your own music while playing the game. I’ve read other people’s comments and found out that the game stays rather closely to the old version so yeah probably all you older people might relive that happy childhood memories of yours.

Overall the game is fun to play. Whether or not you have played it back then in the older days Speedball 2 Evolution is sure to entertain. The career mode makes the game very addictive and fun to play otherwise the match concept itself does keep gamers interested and there is definitely some enjoyment in it. The only major problem of the game is the lack of challenge but other than that the graphics, sound department and gameplay all come together to make Speedball 2 Evolution one wholesome fun game to play. For the price of $0.99, this is a great game to have on your iOS device.

iTunes Appstore Link: Speedball 2 Evolution ($0.99)