GameLight - Solstice Arena (Steam)

Official Site: http://www.solsticearena.com/
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/240380/
Source: Youtube Channel SolsticeArena

Five months ago, I mentioned a new MOBA in the making that was releasing on mobile devices such as iPhone and iPad.  It was a bit of a surprise to see it on Steam yesterday and I decided to try it out.  I was a bit hesitant about the decision since it's published and seemingly developed by Zynga who are known for questionable practices in the Videogame industry.  What gave me some hope was that the game was being developed by "A Bit Lucky" studios before they joined Zynga in finishing the product before putting it out in the market.  Solstice Arena boasts itself for being the first Speed-MOBA in the market which delivers fast and exciting PvP matches.  It takes out minions to farm, lanes to gank and focuses on positioning and utilizing the abilities of all the characters in the team.  What's left is a bare-bones PvP action that, surprisingly, was a lot of fun.

Some Pros:
+ Eased into the game: tutorial isn't long and the game has the player play at least one bot match and one co-op match before they're thrust into a real match between players so that they can familiarize themselves with the characters, items, mechanics and map.
+ Matches are short: You don't have to invest a lot of time to get the excitement and action of player vs. player.  Even if you lose, it was a short duration and you can jump right back in for another match.
+ Various characters and skills: The characters are rather distinguished and fun, though missing a bit of personality with the lack of story.  Each match is dynamic and different as each player will have their own playstyle and different composition of characters brings something new to the game.
+ Intense PvP: A lot of abilities are skill shots which requires aiming and timing
+ Super easy account creation: I've played dozens of Online games and it's quite frustrating when creating an account is a hassle.  The account can be created in-game with a display name, email, username, and password.  The game can also be played as a guest before you decide you want to stick with the game and create an account to carry over what you progressed.
+ No chat: Why is this a plus?  Because if you've played enough online games, you might be familiar with people who consistently argue, yell, and rage throughout a match and ruin the experience for everyone else.  There are in-game pings which is more than enough to communicate with the team and a button to say "GG" (Good Game" to everyone at the end of the match.
+ Fast loading: Get into the game quicker.  The game isn't very big and loading is very short.  Shorter load times = more play time.

Some Cons:
- Imbalanced characters: Some matches can work against you and you won't be able to do a thing when characters leap towards you, slow, stun, knock up, and burst you down perhaps across the map.  It can be a bit depressing, but it reminds me of DotA where characters are balanced by fighting broken with broken.  It's not a very balanced game, but it sure makes it fun (so it can be seen as a plus).
- Terrible interface: The game is essentially a straight port of the iPad version.  Buttons will even have the words "Tap here" on it.  It works well for touch screen, but the interface isn't designed very well or elegantly for PC.
- Graphics aren't very good: The game is a straight port of the iOS version which has a lot of blocky lookin' characters.  I actually think the graphics are pretty nice for a game that originated from a mobile device, but there will be players that will be turned off by its presentation.
- No chat: Some people want to yell or maybe playfully jeer at the enemy, and not having any form of communication with the enemy other than saying "GG" at the end of the match might not be what some players want.  I have met those who enjoy bullying other players in online games and play those games to feel superior.  It's rather depressing...
- The meta-game: Players can level up a character that they play often to make their abilities even stronger.  This is an interesting meta-game that's a nice incentive to keep playing a single character and have an advantage over players, but players of all levels are matched up against each other which puts lower solstice level players at an immediate disadvantage.
- Everything is incredibly expensive: If you play League of Legends, 6300 IP already sounds like a lot just to earn enough to buy a new character.  Characters can get up to 30,000 points before you can get them unless you use real money to purchase them which might be the whole point.  This is Zynga we're talking about, the business portion won't be handled by the developers and you can expect some shenanigans coming from Zynga here.
- Cross-Platform Multiplayer: If I understand this correctly, players on Steam/PC will be playing with players on iPads and iPhones.  The controls do look pretty good on iPad, but the fact that the player's hand gets in the way of the display already puts a disadvantage on them.  Players on PC will be able to kite, react and cycle through their skills much faster than those on touch screen in general.  This isn't much a con for PC players, but I find this really unfair to iPad users who have been supporting them for the past 5 months.

To put it simply, the game isn't perfect but is a whole lot of fun.  The action is pretty consistent and the experience isn't ruined by other player's complaints and whining.  I'm actually very impressed that the developers found a way to give the player the means to communicate within the game without having to add text/voice chat.  The game isn't too hard to learn compared to most MOBAs, but has enough customization and depth to keep it interesting.  If anything, it's a fun game to mess around in.  Solstice Arena can be downloaded through Steam up on the link above.

GameLight - Wonder Flick

JP Site: http://www.wonderflick.jp/
Source: Youtube Channel Jeuxvideo24

From the makers of Professor Layton comes another game for mobile devices.  It seems Level-5 has really taken a liking to making games on mobile devices lately and their newest RPG is no exception.  More than that, their idea for this game is one that players can enjoy over many different platforms with the same progress intact.  So with this "Wonder Flick" game, you can play it on iOS, Android, Wii U, PS Vita, PS3, PS4, and Xbox One (or at least that's the plan) and the progress will be kept in the cloud/servers so that you can continue where you left off on any console.  As the name suggests, the player will be "Flicking" little coin icons to perform actions: Attack, using potions, defending, special attacks, etc.

What I'm more interested in is the soundtrack.  Did you happen to see whose name flashed in the trailer?  Nobuo Uematsu of Final Fantasy fame had his name appear in the trailer with a music note which usually tells the viewer who is responsible for the music for that trailer.  Whether Uematsu will be responsible for all the music in the game is unclear at the moment, but it's something to look out for.  As for the game itself, it seems rather gimmicky and heavily focused on the mobile gaming audience.  But who knows, it might turn out to be really fun!  Where's the 3DS version?  I see this working better on 3DS than on PS Vita in terms of mechanics.  The game will be available in Japan on iOS and Android in November 2013 while PS3, PS Vita, PS4, Wii U, and Xbox One versions will be available sometime in 2014.  No Western release has been announced thus far.

Source:
-Kotaku - No, This Next-Gen RPG Isn't Called "Wonder F**k"

GameLight - Heroes of Loot

Official Site: http://www.heroesofloot.com/heroesofloot/
Source: Youtube Channel orangepixelmobile

If there were ever a modern-day version of the classic Gauntlet, it'd probably be this game.  With the same exact 4 characters as the classic Gauntlet, the player traverses an endless stream of levels that randomly generates while grabbing loot to purchase items and take on quests to get even more items.  There's a free demo for PC/MAC that you can try out.  Being a fan of Gauntlet, dungeon-crawling and retro graphics, I quickly downloaded the demo and tried it out.

I'll be honest, the game's not very engaging playing on PC/MAC.  It's clear that the game was designed for mobile devices and doesn't change its mechanics at all for the PC/MAC.  Essentially, you hold down the attack button and just move around and dodge danger as your attacks automatically home-in on the nearest enemy.  There are no other buttons or abilities or such other than picking up runes that give you a short duration of power.  Also, the game is single-player only which leaves having actual buttons/keys to play and a larger screen the main reasons for playing on PC/MAC.  So although I compared this game to Gauntlet, it's missing a lot of aspects that made Gauntlet fun.  The game feels very barebones, yet it works really well in terms of a mobile device.  Having randomly generated levels keeps the game fresh which seems like an interesting distraction to have on my phone when I'm out and waiting somewhere.  I'll probably get this game for my phone, but not for PC.

Heroes of Loot is available for iOS in the App Store ($1.99), Android in the Google Play Store ($1.99), Ouya & Gamestick (price unsure), or PC/MAC ($4.99)

Source:
-Kotaku - Heroes of Loot Is The Most Retro Game You'll See Today

GameLight Review - Zombies.

GMG Page: http://www.greenmangaming.com/s/us/en/pc/games/action/zombies/
Apple iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zombies/id568711604?mt=8
Steam Greenlight: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=100672678
Source: Youtube Channel touchgameplay

Developer: BigNic
Publisher: BigNic
Platforms: [PC], iOS
Release Date: October 08, 2012
Genre: Top-down shooter

Pros:
+ Incredible, high-quality chip-house tunes by BigNic himself
+ Simple concept, challenging levels
+ Light hearted and humorous all the way through
+ Super cheap and affordable
+ Highly destructive environments

Cons:
- Can be extremely repetitive
- No multiplayer mode, would've been a fun addition
- Earlier weapons become obsolete as newer weapons is all you need
- The game gets easier as you progress due to the weapon acquisition

Recommended: Maybe, buy the soundtrack if anything

I first took notice to the game during a promotion to get it for free but missed the opportunity.  I liked the music from the trailer and decided to look up a few more of the songs and loved them.  Thus, I purchased the game when it went on sale (then again, the game is only $4) and tried it out.  Despite looking retro with the pixel art, the sound effects, voices and music sound more modern and realistic than trying to be retro.  The humor is self-described as being dry, and yet it still made me laugh so it managed to be funny.  A lot of the humor is based of office-space environments and the hierarchy within a big corporate company.  The gameplay is  a lot like other top-down shooters where the player runs towards the goal while mindlessly shooting down enemies without getting killed.  The game is actually pretty challenging and interesting in the beginning when the weapons are weak, but quickly becomes insane and mindless as the player receives the stronger items.  What really contributed to the experience of the game is the music.  They possess a lot of energy, is really easy to get into, and sounds so new/fresh.  If anything, the music is what really made the game enjoyable.

Aesthetics
Art-style: Retro-style 2D pixel sprites
+ Cute little pixel sprites!
+ Despite looking so retro, the game gets pretty dang bloody
+ Destructible environment satisfies my desire to destroy everything
+ Sound effects played a bit part in making destruction feel so satisfying
+ The voice acting and writing are weird and dry humor, but they made me laugh
+ Hands down, some of the best music I've listened to in an indie game

- Very little changes in environments throughout the game
- Projectiles are ridiculously small, they're 2-4 pixels flying through the air
- It's really hard to tell where you're going in some levels
Aesthetics: 8/10

Buttons
Controller: Keyboard and mouse
+ WASD move and mouse aim/fire feels familiar and easy to pick up
+ Easily switch between weapons with mouse scroll or number row keys
+ Keys can be customized/changed

- Get stuck in everything, from corners to sides to walls to chairs
Buttons: 7/10

Concept & Content
Core Concept: Kills zombies, save survivors, destroy everything
+ The humor in the cut-scenes between each level had its charm
+ Being able to destroy anything and everything was satisfying
+ It's obvious that the music was a big part of the game's development
+ The game is simple but still entertaining

- The game gets easier as the player gets farther in the game
- Bosses were funny, but ultimately similar and boring fights
Concept and Content: 7/10

Duration
+ Each level is fairly short, so there isn't a lot of time commitment in playing
+ The game is very short, but it feels like it's at a decent length
+ Endless mode allows the player to continually kill an infinite stream of enemies

- I can't play for long durations, the game gets way too mind-numbingly boring
Duration: 7/10

Fun
+ The music is what really got me to play the game, amazing work
+ The art style, humor and sfx all worked cohesively to make this game fun
+ Despite the game getting easier, I still had fun blowing everything up
+ It was a really good game for me to play to kill some time
+ I was really shocked to find out this entire game was made by one guy

- It's a shame boss battles weren't more dynamic, interesting designs though
- I did have fun with the game, but I don't feel compelled to play it again
Fun: 8/10

Overall
If you have low expectations and are not bothered by mindless top-down shooting gameplay, Zombies might be able to provide and entertaining experience.  It's a really good game to kill time and/or relax to.  Everything that BigNic put into contributed to making this regular top-down shooter a experience of its own: the retro style graphics, the energetic chip-house tunes, and the humor.  I did enjoy the game, but it's not one I find myself playing again.  The music, on the other hand, will be something I'll be listening to often.  If you're interested in the game, but want it on Steam platform, go upvote it on Steam Greenlight right now.  Overall: 7.4/10

GameLight - Final Fantasy All The Bravest

Official Site: Final Fantasy All The Bravest on iOS
Source: Youtube Channel squareenix

I saw this little game 2 days ago on Joystiq and thought "wow, what a quirky little game that looks fast-paced and instantaneously satisfying!"  Final Fantasy All The Bravest is an iOS downloadable game for iPod/iPhones and iPad where the player controls up to 40 characters on screen by swiping and poking to fight off enemies.  The game looks ridiculous, but also entertaining at the same time.  For $3.99, this game looked great!  Then today, I found out there was a catch.  The game is centered around micro-transactions.  You want a new map?  $3.99.  You want another character?  $.99 but you can't choose who you get, it's entirely random.  Your party members have fallen and you can choose to wait 3 minutes to 2 hours or you can pay to have them revived.  A game shouldn't revolve around paying just to progress through a game.  It's like paying a whole line of tolls on a highway just to get to the beach.  The player is paying so much just to be able to have a few minutes of fun before having to pay more.  It reminds me of the comic Penny Arcade drew back in 2005 (which btw the guys over there hated this game too).  I'd love to try out Final Fantasy All The Bravest, but it's certainly not something I'd put money into.  Does Square-Enix really care that little about their fans now?  If you're willing to take the risk and give the game a shot, click on the top link and pick it up for $3.99.  I'd recommend playing on an iPad rather than a iPod touch/iPhone seeing how much area space is needed.


Source:
-Joystiq: Final Fantasy All The Bravest hits iOS tomorrow
-Kotaku: The Slow, Excruciating Death Of Final Fantasy

GameLight - Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2

Official Page: http://www.sonicthehedgehog4.com/us/
Steam Page: http://store.steampowered.com/app/203650/
Source: Youtube Channel SegaAmerica

I'm just patiently waiting for my copy of Diablo 3 to come in the mail right now as I read the many rage reviews of players not being able to log in last night at launch as millions of accounts impact the servers at Blizzard.  This just made the requirement of constant internet connection for even single-player that much worse for those who just want to play the game.  I just hope I can log on by the time I get my game and have it installed.  So far, no critic reviews have been made which makes me glad that they're actually taking the time to go through it before spouting their opinions about it before having a grasp on the whole package like many users are doing at the moment (568 user ratings on MetaCritic and rising with an average of 3.9/10 score).

In any case, look what else released on May 15th, 2012!  Although gamers aren't foaming at the mouth with anticipation for Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2, fans of the series are happy to see this release and change to the mechanics from Episode 1's clunky flow of game play and controls.  In Episode 2, Miles Prower aka Tails makes a spectacular return with new moves to help Sonic get through all the crazy new obstacles in this new installment in the series.  With the new tag-team abilities implemented in the game, a player can't take the role of Sonic or Tails solo and must be played together with either an AI-controlled Tails or with a 2nd player local/online.  I'm wondering how well online co-op will work as I'd really love to have a online co-op game to play.  The levels within Episode 2 make references to Sonic the Hedgehog 1-3 with the oil slick level, a carnival level, and the air fortress level.  As a bonus, if a player owns both Sonic 4 Episode 1 & 2, they'll unlock a secret Episode in the role of Metal Sonic.  The player will get to play as Sonic's nemesis through 4 levels that reveals his revival from Sonic CD.  Although I'm reluctant to buy any games right now, I suspect that by Summer or Winter of this year I'll be buying every Sonic game there is on Steam.  Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode 2 is now available on PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360, iOS, and Android but not the Nintendo Wii.