A Gaming Diary
Archive for September, 2009
Defender Chronicles (iPhone)
Sep 28th
Yeah, it’s another tower defense game.
But! Wait! It’s different!
First off, is the most obvious difference, which is that it’s played from a side-on perspective. Enemies walk up (or down) the ledges to your base, you place towers (referred “guilds” in this game) to stop them. You’ve got archers, soldiers, mages, etc. That sort of thing.
Another wrinkle is that your hero character stands at the end of the level. He’s very powerful and a good last line of defense – but he can’t kill flying enemies and can only handle one character at a time, which isn’t very a useful when a whole swarm breaks through. (I did unlock another hero when I finished the sixth story level, though, so I might try her.)
Unfortunately, the game starts off with some errors in the text and a lack of real guidance leaving a bad impression, but it soon gets its hooks into you and you find yourself compelled to play to perfect a level, to level up your hero or to earn cash to unlock extras and equipment.
It’s much better than it first seems.
However, what I didn’t know before buying is that it’s not finished. It’s my fault entirely, I should have done more research. But I saw the big map in the game and was very excited about what I’d find after the first few levels. I was looking forward to more units, more maps and a huge, expansive adventure to play. One day, it probably will be all that. Right now, though, you just get six story levels (and a secret level) which, when finished, just give you a “to be continued” screen.
It was crushingly disappointing. The thing is, it’s not like there’s not enough game for your money already. I’ve barely touched the higher difficulty levels, there’s loads of stuff to unlock and I’ve not even tried any gameplay modes outside of the quest. The trouble is that I’d built up this idea in my head of what the game would be and it’s just not there yet.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t buy it – even in its current state it’s well worth £2.39 of your money – but you need to know going in that this is an episodic game. If they can keep the updates coming in timely fashion, I can see this having a long, long lifespan on my phone.
Hi, How Are You (iPhone)
Sep 28th
Here’s an oddity.
It’s a platform game based on the artwork and music of indie icon Daniel Johnston. I’ve heard of him before, but have no familiarity with his work.
Anyway, it’s a gorgeous game. It looks great, it sounds great – I may have to track down his greatest hits album and have a listen – and it’s fairly basic but well-implemented and fun.
A successful oddity, then, and well worth a look.
Puzzle Quest (iPhone)
Sep 28th
I’m not playing this for long sessions, but I am playing it for a lot of short sessions. I’ll start up, do a fight or two, then put it down. Ten minutes later, I’ll be back.
Here’s a screen shot showing how the text looks on the small screen.
(Don’t forget to click it to see the full size version.)
Words With Friends (iPhone)
Sep 28th
It’s the game that keeps on giving.
I must have sunk hours into this by now, even though each turn only takes a couple of minutes.
Great value for 59p.
Red Faction: Guerilla (360)
Sep 28th
Couldn’t play this on Friday night, because I was out in that London drinking with reprobates.
Couldn’t play on Saturday, because I was too hungover to blow stuff up.
Tried to play on Sunday and managed an hour that was filled with great moments, but somehow I couldn’t get into it. I think the problem was that my heart just wasn’t it. I kept dying because I was more concerned with throwing explosives around than protecting myself. When I actually went on missions and tried to complete them I had a great time, full of tens moments, gut-wrenching losses and hard-won victories, but I was just finding it too easy just to cause mindless destruction and ignore the fact that people were shooting me.
I suspect that I still wasn’t quite right on Sunday, though I didn’t quite have a two-day hangover, thankfully.
Defense Grid: The Awakening Demo (360)
Sep 28th
Tried this out on my netbook at while back, but it didn’t run. Now there’s a 360 version, though, I got to play it. It’s a fixed-path tower defense game, with an interesting approach to lives, some lovely graphics and an amusing voice over from Jim Ward.
If I had a spare 800 points and wasn’t overloaded with good TD games on the iPhone I’d consider a purchase. That’s not meant to be damning with faint praise but… but I suppose it is, whether that was intention or not.
The problem is, I didn’t play it long enough to get any interesting levels – the first two that I played were very limited. I suspect it gets an awful lot better later on.
I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1 Demo (360)
Sep 28th
I’m not entirely sure I’ve spelt that correctly.
Anyway, this is a fairly standard – though decent – twin-stick zombie shooter, enlivened by presentation that turns it into as much of a comedy sketch as a game.
I didn’t feel the need to play it again after one play, but I’m glad I played it that once.
Red Faction: Guerilla (360)
Sep 25th
Lovefilm sent me this yesterday, which was nice of them. I loved the demo, so I was very much looking forward to the full game. It doesn’t disappoint. Took ages to install and update it, then there’s a load of cut scenes and tutorial stuff, but once into the game I was having a grand old time.
Basically, although you get to drive around and shoot people, destruction is the key element. (Just as in Crackdown, thinking about it, where jumping was the thing that brought the open-world shooting and driving gameplay to life.) Not that the shooting and driving isn’t fun. The run and gun approach to killing enemies feels a bit wooly, but if you use cover and aim your shots it’s a lot better. (And sneaking up on people and walloping them with a sledgehammer is unlikely to ever get old.) The driving is great fun, with trucks that just love to go flying through the air.
But, yeah, it’s watching buildings fly apart and collapse that’s the real draw here. The game knows this and populates the first area with impressively tall smokestacks that are amazing to bring down – and which you’re rewarded for destroying with the game’s currency. Excellent.
I think I’m going to enjoy this.
I’m only a silver member of Live these days, so I won’t be able to try out the multiplayer, but I’ll try to finish the single player before sending the game back.
Picosaic (iPhone)
Sep 24th
I’m a sucker for a press release. No, really, if someone emails me a press release and I don’t go and buy the game I feel terribly guilty. (I really should open a US iTunes account so I can use promo codes.) Generally I just live with it, but the press release for Picosaic landed in my inbox this morning and it looked nice and was only 59p, so I downloaded it.
I’m glad I did. It’s a fairly slight little game, but it’s also quite lovely. It’s easier to play than explain, but there’s a YouTube video that makes it all clear. So, for the first time ever, I’m going to try and embed a video into my blog. It should be below.
I wonder if that’ll work?
Anyway, I’ve played several levels now – I’ve got to the stages where the picture is split up into four tiles, each of which has to be “solved” separately. There are fifty puzzles in the game, so I doubt it’ll last very long… except for the fact that you can make your own puzzles using pictures on your iPhone. Here’s me solving a puzzle that’s made from a photo of me in my Halloween costume last year.
Sexy, huh?
It’s a toy as much as it is a game, really, but don’t let that put you off. If nothing else, it’s a fun way to show off photos.
