iPhone Reviews 2.0

iTunes Link

Derek Jeter Real Baseball is a baseball game by Gameloft. $0.99

[A modified post from TheAppEra]

This game is the latest in Gameloft's Real Sports series, this time featuring one of the best known baseballer's today, Derek Jeter. Having a big name like Jeter on their game, I was hoping for actual MLB teams and players

Sadly, they haven't been able to get the rights to the names (MLB World Series 2009 is the only game to date with the rights to the teams, no players). Go Yankees? Or does this game tank?

With no MLB teams to convince you to buy this game what does Gameloft put on the plate to convince you to buy the game exactly? What about some quite realistic graphics and a baseball experience that is more true to the actual game than anything else on the App Store.

This game is fun to play, with easy to use controls that look great in one of the awesome looking baseball stadiums. If you have had enough with playing the addictive arcade baseball games like Baseball Superstars 2010 and Homerun Race 3D and want a real baseball experience, this is certainly the perfect game for you!

As I said before the graphics in this game are freaking sweet! This is by far the most realistic sports game in Gameloft's list and that's saying a lot when they have games like Real Soccer 2010 and NFL 2010.

The characters in this game look so real and detailed that at times it's almost like you are watching the real thing. This game has got everything in the game right down to the crinkles in the players outfits. The players are very close if not better to the footballers we see in Electronic Art's Madden 10. That's how impressive they are.

The animation is quite smooth for a game with graphics as good as they are. I encountered hardly any lag and the game ran smoothly if you had reset your iDevice within the last day or so. The fielding, pitching and batting animations all replicated real baseball extremely well and also managed to keep up with the pace of true baseball. This isn't something other games have been able to do so far and it's great to see someone 'get it right'.

Derek Jeter Real Baseball uses controls similar to MLB WS 2009 but they have been slightly improved to make the game easier. When batting, all you have to do is swing the bat by tapping on the screen, without the need to aim at the ball. This is a smart move on Gameloft's behalf because the ball is coming a lot faster than any other baseball games.

Pitching is pretty standard with it involving selecting a type of pitch, tilting your device and tapping to select that spot of the pitch. Next comes up to power meters that require you to try and stop it at the required spot to get perfect power and accuracy. It takes a bit of practice but you can generally get at least perfect accuracy all the time.

For the first time you can control fielding. This basically lets you run to pick up the ball and decide what base to throw it to. While it's not all that spectacular it adds for a bit more excitement and action in the game.

For those who have absolutely no idea how to play baseball, the aim is to get more runs than your opponent in 9 innings. In Derek Jeter however, we can be impatient little gamers and play with either 3, 6 0r 9 innings in a game. There are a few games modes to choose from including quick play, season mode, playoffs and home run contest. Again you can play these in a variety of difficulty modes with easy, medium or hard.

Quick Play lets you choose a team to play with and against and is for fun. This probably won't be used much as you are better off playing Season mode. This allows you to play a number of different games in a season to hopefully win your way to the playoffs. You can choose any team to play out of the made up teams and players (Excluding Derek Jeter playing for New York of course). Lastly is the Home Run Contest which gives you three rounds to get as many home runs as possible before getting out 10 times. This is alright but gets a bit boring and dry to the end of the 3rd round. Winning it gives you a sweet trophy however.

The game is incredibly good at acting like a real baseball match. The pitching is fast paced and was a real shock when I first played the game, as all other games I have played have quite a slow pitch. This makes for more quick decisions on whether to hit or miss and makes the game much more exciting. Even on easy I found batting a nice challenge. Pitching is fairly simple but depicts a real baseball match yet again very well. Even small detail like the ball being thrown back to the pitcher is put into the game.

Really, this is the baseballers game. Those purists who want the true simulation experience will love this game to bits, providing everything I can think of in a baseball game. It is a shame that they couldn't get the naming rights to the game but the game content makes up for it. Gameloft have certainly hit a winner with this game, and I don't see how it can't be a very successful game.

Derek Jeter Real Baseball easily commands top spot in the category of baseball games, especially simulation games. For $4.99 (insanely priced at) $0.99, I find this game to be a great pick up and a well earned change from the arcade baseball games we are used to seeing. Baseball and sport fans in general won't be disappointed with this game. Seriously, just pick this up and get a homer already.

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 7.5/10
Overall- 8.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- MLB World Series 2009

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Pro Surfing Wildcard

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

And the last game of IUGO's Triple Threat is a physics based game that reminds me of iBlast Moki. Looks like fun and a great challenge. Check it out below!

This game is a blast! You are tasked to carefully plant limited dynamite bundles in order to demo obsolete structures. Sounds easy enough, right? WRONG! Implode! is a classic “easy to learn, hard to master” casual game that will pull you in and won’t let go. Features include:

• 60 dynamite levels

• Reactive UI, touch and drag control options

• Fun chalkboard theme and clean graphics

• Two different types of bombs (traditional bombs and blast bombs)

• Varying structure shapes for ongoing challenge

• Submit score online (online score is the sum of all levels’ high scores)

• Grading system for high scores adding replayability to each level

• 3 Difficulties; Casual, Veteran, and Expert

• In-level help system: Learn as you play!

• IUGO VIP: Sandbox cheat gives you more bombs and you never fail! (high scores disabled with this feature)

• Watch buildings tumble with real physics!

The second of IUGO's Triple Threat is a game called Cliffed, which I thought was a sequel to Shaky Summit but it's a totally new concept. Check it out below!

Challenge your friends to the most addictive race to the bottom! IUGO presents its latest sensation in casual gaming with this frantic 2D scrolling racer. WARNING: This game will get your heart and fingers racing!

Features:

• 10 unique and playful characters to choose from

• Pick up and play! Great for all ages

• Endless game play

• Online multiplayer! Race up to 8 players in real time over 3G and wireless networks

• Local and global leaderboards

• IUGO’s new VIP program: Tell your friends, earn points and unlock an exclusive mystery character sooner

• Stylized, clean graphics

• IUGO’s signature quality and polish

Boom! IUGO has come with some juicy information about a Triple Threat of Games (I suppose a foursome if you included A.D.D) that are all pending review with Apple. Check out what they have in store for the coming weeks. Starting with a SCARE!

Just when you thought it was safe…ZA! is back! Lovers of zombies and tower defense-style games combined have a second chance to tear into more zombies with more weapons and in more locations than ever before.

IUGO built upon what you loved best about the original Zombie Attack! game making it bigger, better and bloodier! Your mission: play as a survivor from the ultimate Zombie Apocalypse, protect your shack and stay alive. Kill zombies, earn points and cash to upgrade your weapons and bolster your fire power. Easy tilt and touch-screen controls make ZA! 2 an instant iPhone-exclusive favorite.

Features:

• 7 turrets (3 new, including the Pulsewave)

• New upgrades to super turrets

• 4 maps of varying sizes including Backyard and Trailer Park

• Hordes of challenges, 5 for each map

• 6 zombie types (4 new, including the Hound and Cheerleader)

• Instantaneous save when quitting the app

• Online high scores list for each map, local lists for challenges and personal records

• Automatic iPod music support (Just play your music and start the game)

• 3.0 USERS!! Additional iPod music playback option

• IUGO high-quality and polish

iTunes Link

Rock Band is a music game by Electronic Arts. $9.99

[This is a modified post from TheAppEra]

ROCK BAND is the latest phenomenon to grace the AppStore. We have had many music tapping games in our time, but nothing this HUGE has landed on our palms previously.

$9.99 for 22 songs (around $0.45 per track plus DLC)... is this the complete package we have been waiting for?

I think I can safely say that I have enough experience to review this title, with this being the 13th music tapping game I have on this device. What I was expecting in this game was what I expected from all the other games I have played. That is either notes that coincide with the beat or guitar.

ROCK BAND however takes the complete band experience letting you play songs tapping to different instruments: Guitar, Bass, Drums or even Vocals. I think this is a brilliant idea and love the fact I can play the same song in four totally different ways.

Tap Tap Revenge 3 has the awesome themes for songs while Guitar Rock Tour 2 has the live performance like Guitar Hero. Having no exposure with Rock Band left me not knowing what to expect. What we get is some pretty sweet looking repeated animations of a rock show.

These aren't real and instead seem to be hand drawn animations. These look awesome in my opinion and switch between the rock show experience and the various instruments as they happen in the song.

Since they don't have the most extreme graphics compared to other music games, EA was able to tune this game run extremely smoothly.

I would just have to assume that people reading this have had some exposure with ANY music arcade game on ANY platform. If not, it's really simple: you tap the music beats as they descend from the top of the screen. These beats are usually synchronized with the actual music itself.

There are three main modes: Quick Play (you get to choose your own song right away), World Tour (5 different venues performing a 5 song-set per venue) and Multiplayer mode (rock on with your friends and their devices using Bluetooth connection).

After choosing which mode you'd like to play, the game asks you which song you'd like to play, the instrument you want to use and the difficulty in which that song gets played. After that, you're ready to rock and roll!

Lastly, if you ever get tired of the 22 pre-downloaded and selected songs, more music are available through DLC which runs you $0.99 a pop.

Let me get this out the door and say ROCK BAND DOES NOT SUCK! Most review sites are yapping about EA Mobile not using players' voice for vocal mode. They went on and on about it, but did they ever ask EA why? Without being totally pompous (ha!), we did and here's what they have to say verbatim:

We designed the game to best benefit all potential players. At this time, the iPod touch does not have a microphone built in, so whether being played on the iPhone or iPod touch, on the go or at home, the touch screen vocal interface maximizes the experience overall, allowing users to play Rock Band anywhere and, more importantly, join a multiplayer band regardless of which device they own.

The reasoning makes perfect sense to us, but a future addition of an option of such a mode would be welcomed.

Some other suggestions include: animated loading screens and avoid loading screens as much as possible. Right now even going in and out of pauses transitions with the winged timer. Another would be FULL ONLINE multiplayer of course.

ROCK BAND iPhone is a fantastic game, and our platform should be honored to be graced with such a delight. Though obviously the absence of physical instruments construe the "vision" somehow, this is heck more than a "respectable" job for a portable ROCK BAND. The game screams ROCK BAND from design down to music distortions.

If EA Mobile keeps going at it and maybe (just maybe!) somehow innovates the game with full online MP, the results would be earth shattering...

Gameplay- 9.5/10
Graphics- 9/10
Sound- 10/10
Overall- 9.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Guitar Rock Tour 2

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Derek Jeter: Real Baseball

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

iTunes Link

Modern Combat: Sandstorm is a shooter game by Gameloft. $6.99

Brothers In Arms was Gameloft's first attempt at making a first person shooter. The game featured great gameplay and some amazing graphics for its time. Then came along a more modern approach with Terminator Salvation, which was really Brothers In Arms 2.0. The game featured better controls and smoother gameplay as well as superbly enhanced graphics. Again this game was ahead of its time. Again this game, Modern Combat, is basically Brothers In Arms 3.0 or Brothers In Arms on steroids. It is literally insane how good the graphics are in this game, really shows the full potential of the iPhone and is really smooth, even on the slowest of slow 1st Generation iPod Touch's. This game is also ahead of its time, with only just now are we seeing developers other than Gameloft and Electronic Arts making power demanding games with graphics to die for. Really there is no comparison in terms of first person shooter games, and that's with the rail shooter Doom: Resurrection on the App Store.

There are very few games on the App Store that can match this game in terms of its amazing graphics. There are some games that have been given previews but are not out yet that may match this game. The entire game is fully 3D and does not repeat itself with basic objects. Honestly, this game made me think I was playing something on my Xbox 360, that's how good this game looks and plays. The graphics are all well and good to have but what makes them even more impressive is how well they have made the game run. In the past with BIA and to a small extent Terminator Salvation, I encountered lag that slightly tainted the gaming experience. After seeing the game on my friends 3GS I was doubtful it would run well on my iPod Touch, yet the gameplay itself is almost identical. There are games we buy just for a reason to show off to our friends. Even if you don't like shooting games this one of those games to show off.

As Gameloft have put more and more games onto the App Store they have improved their once clunky control system. The controls in Brothers In Arms weren't the best but they were improved for Terminator Salvation. They are almost similar to the Terminator controls except I found the Modern Combat controls more responsive. The controls are easy to use with a virtual joystick to move and a button to shoot. There are also many other ways to fight with the ability to throw grenades, reload your weapon before you run out of bullets and even change between weapons with a double tap on the weapon icon. I could find no faults with the controls and they are easy enough to use once you play through the initial tutorial level.

Modern Combat: Sandstorm is a modern war where you are on the mission to annihilate a new terrorist resurgence set up in the remote desert. With help from your comrades you have to fight your way through 10 exhilarating levels of intense shooting and all out blood bath. You will travel around the Middle Eastern city protecting and seeking out terrorists in city streets, buildings, sewers, labs and more. The game takes advantage of Apple's lifted restrictions and if you kill someone close enough you can see their blood splurge out as they fall to the ground. This is an amazing game that caps off a super addictive first person game as well as the graphics to back it up. Each level takes anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour depending on how far into the game you get. The way you fight the war is up to you with the ability to drive vehicles, choose many different weapons and even use mounted machine guns. I found the game had a nice challenge to it with the difficulty set to medium, making it something that isn't breezed through quite easily. This is probably one of the most addictive games on the App Store to date and even months after originally getting it I am still blown away by how good it is.

Easily the best shooter game I have ever played on the iPhone and has really set a high standard that I believe can only be matched by big companies like Konami, id Software, Capcom etc. Everything Gameloft has been working on for the last year has really been delivered in this game and shows why they are one of the most influential and creative developers on the App Store. You must seriously be kidding yourself if you haven't even pondered getting this game. At least try the just released lite version so you can see the spectacle that is, Modern Combat: Sandstorm.

Gameplay- 9.5/10
Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 9.5/10
Overall- 9.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Terminator Salvation

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is Real Soccer 2010

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Surviving High School by Electronic Arts is the only previously unannounced title previewed today by Electronic Arts. This game follows the path of a kid going through High School and is due in Fall 2009.

Need for Speed: Shift by Electronic Arts is another one of the games previewed today. While this game isn't ready for a hands on video we some juicy info and screens about this game due late November/early December.

NBA Live by Electronic Arts is one of the previews released today. Due sometime this fall we preview the much anticipated game.

NOTHING BUT NET. NBA LIVE by EA SPORTS delivers the most realistic 5-on-5 action available for iPhone and iPod touch!

A PICK-UP-AND-PLAY GAME

Tip-off anytime, anywhere, and watch your game come to life in vivid 3D. Even replay your most awesome plays. It’s fun and intuitive enough for the casual gamer, but also delivers the authenticity to meet the demands of the most hardcore basketball fans.

Key Features

AUTHENTIC TEAMS, REAL STARS, TRUE LEGENDS

With real NBA rosters, you can dominate the game as Dwight Howard and other NBA All-Stars. Or unlock legends and elevate your game with true Hall-of-Famers.

MULTIPLE MODES FOR EVERY KIND OF NBA ACTION

Match up all 30 NBA teams in the new 82-game Season Mode. Play a casual game in Exhibition Mode, or battle all the way to the Finals in the ultra-intense Playoff Mode.

PLAY WITH TOUCHSCREEN CONTROL

Control the game with a virtual analog stick. Use the accelerometer to accurately shoot free-throws. Touch the clip board to pick from a number of offensive plays or to select your defensive strategy.

TAKE IT TO THE RACK WITH A SOLID SOUNDTRACK

Stay in the zone with 15 music tracks from artists like Matt and Kim, Snoop Dogg and Xzibit.

COMMENTARY FROM A BROADCAST LEGEND

Hear legendary announcer Marv Albert accent the action as you rain 3s from downtown.

iTunes Link

GeoDefense Swam is a tower defense game by Critical Thought Games. $1.99

GeoDefense Swarm is the latest game from Critical Thought Games, after their no.1 hit GeoDefense. What makes this game different though? GeoDefense was all about placing towers around a predefined track and trying to kill all the monsters like in The Creeps. GeoDefense Swarm is all about creating your own path with many obstacles in the way, just like in Fieldrunners. GeoDefense didn't appeal to me as much with the App Store being saturated by Tower Defense games, but GeoDefense Swarm came after no new TD games and I jumped at it. I really enjoyed this game as its quite challenging and something most Tower Defense games lack, as well as having graphics that were quite exciting to watch. There are a heap of levels available to play on and has a heap of replayabilty. For $1.99 (Originally $0.99) it is a jam packed game just as the original is.

GeoDefense didn't appeal to me mainly because I thought it didn't look very good. After having the pleasure of playing games like Fieldrunners and StarDefense I thought that the basic fluorescent graphics in the game wouldn't be exciting to watch. GeoDefense Swarm has exactly the same graphics as the original. The fluro theme is quite basic but works well for a game like this. To make up for no amazing 3D graphics Critical Thought Games have given us a brilliant light show with explosions of colour. When enemies are killed they explode into a heap of colourful stripes, almost like a firework going off. This looks great when heaps of enemies are getting killed at once and makes the game look busier than it actually is. Having 2D graphics means this game has no huge pressures on it causing lag. Instead this game runs very smoothly and I have never encountered any lag or crashes what so ever.

GeoDefense Swarm has the basic controls that any tower defense game has. Tower Defense games are primarily hands off games in the fact that they don't require much input from the player. To add towers to the field you have to drag them to the destined position on the map and they can be upgraded or sold once selecting them. Unlike GeoDefense where the towers can more or less be placed wherever, GD Swarm is more like Fieldrunners where it controlled by an on-screen layout of tiles that the towers can be placed in.

This game is really addictive and one game that I found to have more than enough content to satisfy the $1.99 price. GD Swarm is about trying to kill all the enemies before they reach the end tile. You have x amount of lives and rounds to do so by creating your own complex path using any number of weapons to stop them. Each level is unique and has special tiles that can decide how you create your path. There are 30 levels in the game that is split into 10 easy, medium and hard levels. The first 9 levels of each difficulty have a set number of rounds and only some towers can be used for each level. The last level is new to the series and is an endless mode which leads to making more intense strategies to last longer. This game is very challenging and may times many attempts and refinements to strategies to defeat the level. GeoDefense Swarm suprised me in how good it is and actually made me buy the original for another 30 levels or pre-defined tower defense fun. I would have to say that this game is better than the original but both are very entertaining and fun.

GeoDefense Swarm is one of the latest Tower Defense games to hit the charts of the App Store with the other being Bloons Tower Defense. This may create another wave of tower defense games but I feel as if this catergory is really saturated with games. For $1.99 this is a great buy and one game that leaves you wanting more and more. Lots of replayability with OpenFeint leaderboards and the endless modes makes this game a step up from the original. A must buy for any tower defense fans.

Gameplay- 9/10
Graphics- 8/10
Sound- 6.5/10
Overall- 7.5/10

I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Fieldrunners

Tell me what you think about this review at Twitter- http://www.twitter.com/iPhone_Reviews next up is iBlast Moki

Thanks- iPhone_Reviews

Command & Conquer was announced a long time by Electronic Arts and has finally received the go ahead to be submitted. This title will be out October 23rd to stay tuned for whats being called the best RTS to hit the App Store.

The Cold War is hot again with COMMAND & CONQUER RED ALERT for iPhone and iPod touch.

Product Description

Experience real-time COMMAND & CONQUER strategy as the Soviet or Ally factions. Control the battlefield with touch-screen power in up to 12 combat levels. Create and command war squads in realistic environments. Manage supplies with an intuitive combat system, and escalate the game with hi-tech weapons you develop.

COMMAND & CONQUER RED ALERT in the APP STORE. Total war for iPhone and iPod touch.

ACHIEVE VICTORY WITH TOUCH-SCREEN POWER

Drag and scroll to gauge the battlefield. Pinch-zoom in and out of the action. Select and move units with a tap. Control multiple units at once!

CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE FACTION

Fight for Soviet domination or battle to restore peace with the Allies. Deploy military might unique to each side and engage in different campaign storylines.

BATTLE THROUGH 12 COMBAT LEVELS

Fight in Skirmish Mode on two different battlefield maps with war squads you create and control.

MANAGE TROOPS ON REALISTIC BATTLEFIELDS

Command units in different environmental conditions. Build your base and manage supplies with a new easy-to-use combat system.

ARM YOURSELF FOR TOTAL WAR

Employ classic units like Kirov Air Ships and new units like the Paladin Tank. Or R&D new technologies to destroy your enemies.