TriForce Radio

Crazy week!

2012-07-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,
This last week has been nuts and the next week will be nuts as well. I'll try to post some reviews next weekend, but I'm not making any promises. Still, head on over to our youtube channel for video reviews of games. Catch you on the flip side!
Justice signing out.

OUYA Game Console: What the Nexus Q & Google TV Sh...

2012-07-13T21:31:00.001-07:00

Something Geeky This Way Comes: OUYA Game Console: What the Nexus Q & Google TV Sh...: You may have heard of the Kickstarter project for the open source gaming console OUYA (Pronounced Oo-yu). Its been talked about in the positive and the negative. The console will run Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) at its core with a Tegra 3 quad core processor, 1 GB RAM, Bluetooth 4.0, 8GB built in memory, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, HDMI with 1080p support and USB 2.0, not to mention a console controller. Now, some people are shouting that the open source game console has been tried before and failed. Those same people claim that this console will fail just as hard. Yet others shout that this console will be a success because it is designed around Android and that operating system isn't going away anytime soon. With over 50% of the smart phone market share, not to mention a rising share in the tablet market, basing the gaming console around the Android OS is a better move than making an OS from the ground up. Add to this the fact that emulators for other game consoles such as the N64 & PS systems among others and its a huge win for gamers everywhere. But I'm not arguing for the Ouya Game Console based off of the gaming ability. I am arguing for the Ouya Console because of it's entertainment functionality.

Gaming is of course a part of the devices draw. It is awesome that you can do that on your TV. You can do the same with any Android tablet or phone. But as a dedicated entertainment system and living room computing device it is even more awesome! Stream video through Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Youtube and more. Stream music as well. Heck, you can play ANY music or video file via the USB 2.0 port or even by streaming from on device to another such as a PC or another mobile device. You can connect any Bluetooth peripheral to it as well. Stream music to Bluetooth headphones, connect other controllers like a Wii remote, PS3 controller or remote control. Since hacking of the Ouya Console is encouraged, really the limit is in imagination of the hacking and programing community. A community that is alive and well in the Android ecosystem! Currently with 24 days left on the Kickstarter project, you can grab a console and controller for $99.00. If you think of getting this device as an investment in a potential gaming console, that's a big risk because as a console it may not pan out. But, if you purchase the device as a multi-media solution then this is the device for you. Google has released Google TV and the Nexus Q. Both of them are good but lacking.

Now we haven't seen Ouya as a finished product yet, so there is a chance it won't be as awesome as a multi-media device for your living room as I am hoping it will. Still, I'm betting on it as a win. Check out the project. If it looks to be a fit for you, consider investing in it. At $4.6 million and counting, 35,999 other investors think its a good gamble. Oh, and did I mention the project has 26 days to go? Well, now I did.

[Note: This article is republished with permission of the author of somethinggeekythiswaycomes.blogspot.com].

Attention PC Gamers! Check Out the Steam Summer Sale!

2012-07-12T20:48:00.002-07:00

For some of you this is old news. But for others this is a great opportunity. The online game store Steam is holding a summer sale from now til July 22nd where many of its games are discounted. Further more there are daily deals and even games voted for by the site users that are heavily discounted. To the tune of 75% off! We would suggest you hold off on buy that game you always wanted until the last day because there is a chance you can get it cheaper with one of the many daily deals. Still, this is one awesome sale. Now you can get that game you've been aching to play but just couldn't push yourself to dropping the cash on. Nothing makes life for a gamer better than saving a little dough. To enjoy the steamy goodness (pun intended) go to SteamPowered.com.

P.S. There have been reports of some issues due to heavy traffic on the site, so if you do plan on waiting till the last day to buy, I would not suggest waiting till the last minute just in case the Steam servers are a little over taxed.

PC Game Review: Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion

2012-07-11T21:53:00.001-07:00

Sins if a Solar Empire: Rebellion is a good Real Time Strategy game. It is a well built game by Ironclad & Stardock Entertainment. It looks & feels great, and is complemented by solid mechanics. These mechanics center around large tech trees, balancing between building your fleet and economy. As with any good RTS having the right composition of units to counter and over whelm your opponents is a must. The main reason why Sins is so cool is because huge fleets, composed of massive fleets of space ships blowing each other to kingdom come. Oh, and you can zoom in on the explosions.

Iron Clad is trying to change some of the mechanics from the previous iterations of Sins of a Solar Empire games. They pushed the envelope a bit in rebellion by adding new factions but not any new races. Also unique research options to the tech trees that are epic and, of course, a new unit. The new unit is the corvette, a very fast and mobile ship, somewhere between the strike craft, and the frigates. Kind of how the cruisers are between frigates and capitol ships. The corvette specializes in hit and run tactics, that being cheaper. You can build a lot of them. They are harder to hit than the rest of the ships in the game, but can't take as much punishment. The corvette is a step in the right direction to fix one of the problems the franchise has had since the beginning. Combat feels too static. The ships get in range of one another and just sit there shooting at each other. Think of the battle ships during the First World War but with a few variants like different weapon types other than just cannon. The ships were constantly trying to get a better shot at their enemies while trying not to be hit themselves. The edition of the corvette makes the battles feel a little less boring. I have always wanted to see more of that in Sins and the corvette gives it just that bit more. Combat feels more involved with their constant motion, and I like it a lot better than what it has been. It would still be nice to see some simple combat patterns added to the fleet menu. Also, having defensive maneuvers to protect planets or the ships themselves would be wonderful. Maybe even an attack pattern to have fleets be more aggressive when the situation calls for it.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion is a solid Real Time Strategy game. Fans of such games should check it out. It is solid and pretty, but the problem with rebellion is that it does not feel like a full game at the moment. It feels more like an expansion than another game in a series of games. I like the changes that they have made, I just think they need to make more to encourage more players actually buying the game.

Maturity Rating:

The game is really only limited to whether you can understand what real time strategy is and how to play it. Unlike other RTS games there is very little graphic violence. In fact, it is limited to ships blowing up rather than there being blood and gore. As such the maturity rating is PG for Parental Guidance.

Final Analysis:

Despite the things lacking in this game, it has shown a marked improvement over previous iterations of the game. Further more, Real Time Strategy fans love it for what it is. As such the game gets 2 1/3 out of 3 Triforce.

For more information on the game check out our video review.

Mobile Game Review: Grand Theft Auto III

2012-07-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

Introduction:

Over 10 years after its original exclusive release on the Play Station 2, Grand Theft Auto III has gained new life in its Android and iOS release. It's the same old game but with a touch screen. If you enjoy the classic open crime universe then this game is for you. While the graphics are totally 2001 by comparison to new games, the game still retains its play ability. It holds up to the test of time, and it's incarnation on the two most popular mobile platforms has added significantly to its life.

Controls:

With the standard D-pad on the left side of the screen movements is typical of mobile games. The D-pad will appear where you place your finger so long as it is on the left side of the screen. Upper right corner is a mini map. When you tap the map it brings up a larger map. The lower right contains action buttons what are determined based off of what is around your character. There is a jump, run, fight and car door button. When pressing the car door near cars (occupied or not) this prompts your character to open the door and take control of the vehicle. Above that is a camera angle button. This button makes life easier. Above that is your wanted rating, health, money, a timer and what weapon you are using. Over all the controls work well enough. My biggest complaint is the camera angle. There are times when it doesn't change fast enough. The camera angle button helps, some times.

The Story:

You control the character Claude. He was broken out of prison and now is trying to make a name for himself to work himself up ladder in the various criminal organizations in Liberty City. By completing missions you gain money and prestige. You can also complete side missions for money or for fun. What's more, if mayhem is your deal, you can just smash and grab to your hearts content. Missions are a combination of driving and action violence such as fist fights, baseball bats or shooting. The game allows you to be as "bad" or "good" as you want. So you can administer vigilante justice, save people with ambulances, or be a jerk as much as you like.

Game Play:

Honestly, if you have ever played Grand Theft Auto III, the game is exactly the same. The game stands up to the test of time. I do wish there was a indicator to point you to your next mission, but over all it is a fun game. The environments changing was an impressive feature in the original game. This is kept in the mobile version of the game as well. The fact that it will start raining while your in the middle of a job is a nice touch, but not unique in gaming any more.

Maturity Rating:

I personally wouldn't let my kids play this game until they at least 16. The violence is up close an personal. While there isn't any obvious sexual content in this game, there are prostitutes walking the streets in skimpy clothing. From a parent's prospective this game not suitable to children at all. The rating is PG-16 and I'm leaning towards making it higher.

Final Assessment:

The game has stood up to the test of time. There have been some updates that make it work well with a touch screen device as well. Still, I can't help but think the game could have had some things added to it. Perhaps better graphics or maybe some new missions or capabilities. Since it's just a port of the original game I can't help but think I could have pick up the game on my PS2 and played it for less money. I could pick this game up for a dollar at most thrift stores or garage sales. It is novel for me to play it on a tablet, but not novel enough. Over all I give the game a solid 2 out of 3 Triforce. If you are interested in dropping money on this game you can get it through the Google Play store and iTunes for $4.99. If you played this back in the day, it may be worth it for you to drop five bucks on the game. Me personally, I'm glad I got it on sale for $0.99 because anything more and I would have felt a little cheated.

Additional Screenshots:

Correction on Mobile Game Reviews

2012-07-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

First an apology. I realized that I was posting reviews of Android games and posting links to where you can get them without including the iOS version of the games. While I am partial to Android, this does not mean I do not respect or enjoy iOS devices. While they are not for me, I really enjoy what is added from Apple's flagship mobile OS. As such, I have back tracked and added links to iTunes for all games that have both an Android and iOS version. Please forgive the mistake. I will endeavor to include both major OS's in my reviews.

I prefer to encourage harmony between the mobile OS community rather than to promote disharmony. I must admit I do prefer Android over iOS but this is primarily because I am invested into the OS. I can see how someone who is a iOS user would feel the same way if they have a lot of apps purchased through iTunes. My wish is that both ecosystems have a long and healthy life to encourage competition. Now if only Apple and Google OEM's would stop fighting in courts and get on with making high quality mobile products.

Mobile Game Review: Meowch!

2012-07-06T16:16:00.002-07:00

Introduction:

There comes along from time to time a game that is just perfect for casual gaming. Most casual game iterations just don't get it. Either it is too complicated in controls or game play, they lack clear tutorials, or they are just not entertaining enough. Fortunately this is NOT the case with Meowch! The game is simple, the controls are easy, the objectives are clear.

The Story:

You are a cat. Your mission is to save other cats that are missing and stranded on the "Outside". You must navigate from windowsills to other ledges while avoiding obstacles or falling to the ground. Some obstacles include the Cat Lady, live wires and gutters. If you fall to the ground you are caught by Animal Control. Once you've rescued the stranded cats you must navigate to the Exit.

Writing & lines added.

Game Play:

Every successful casual game I have seen has been based on simple controls and appealing graphics. Meowch! get this perfectly. The graphics are simple and fun. The controls are as well. You simple touch the cat pull back and aim. An arrow shadow shows were the cat will jump to. But don't be fooled by the simple controls. The levels start simple with tutorials to show you what to do, but as you progress the courses get progressively difficult. Still, the courses (36 as of the writing of this article) are a real pleasure to play. It was hard for me to put the game down.

Maturity Rating:

Meowch! deserves a rating of E for Everyone. I have no problem having my kids playing this game. It is cute and encourages lateral thinking. I wouldn't go so far as to call the game educational. Still, if it's the choice between them rotting their brains out in front of the Cartoon Network and this, I choose this every time.

Final Assessment:

Meowch! deserves a full 3 out of 3 Triforces. As a casual game it fulfills it's promise to be fun, entertaining with just a little cerebral. As I mentioned before, this game has all the right ingredients to make it a fun game to revisit even when you are finished with all the levels. I can't wait for more levels with up coming updates.

To get Meowch! for Android you can purchase it from the Amazon Appstore for $1.99. The Google Play store also has a Paid version for $1.99, but also offers an Ad-supported Free version if a couple bucks is too steep for you. In either case you have plenty of options for where to purchase the game. I prefer the paid version myself. No pesky ads to deal with and no worries about kids accidentally touching them when I let them play with the game.

For iOS devices, Meowch! is also available for $1.99 for the paid version as well as a Free version. Both the Android and iOS versions of the game work with both phones and tablets.

Additional Screen Shots:

PC Game Review: Krater

2012-07-01T16:09:00.000-07:00

You may not have heard of the company FatShark, but after playing Krater you will agree with me that they should be a gaming company to be watched. This game has a lot of the features that make a game a classic. While there are some things lacking, this is a young company so they have room to grow.

The Story

Krater is a top down RPG dungeon crawler set in a post apocalyptic world. Humanity has settled around a giant crater created by some long forgotten war or cataclysm. This crater leads into the Underside. This is where treasures of ancient technologies can be found and this is what drives conflict in the game. Everyone wants a piece of the pie. Those who have the pie don't want to share. The resulting tensions drive deadly competition. Top this off with mutated animals and you have a recipe for awesome! Krater has a great feel. It's pretty, quirky, and everyone wears masks & dress weird. Its this atmosphere is what drives me to go deeper in to the game. The problem with this is that the story is not driving me deeper. The story is not compelling. The world is. But good games are defined not only by the quality of the graphics and mechanics, but also by the story. I get the tingle of a potential good story but it feels lack luster after a while.

Game Play

The combat mechanics in Krater are very well done. You control a squad of three soldiers. You choose between 4 classes to fill the ranks. They are
1) Bruiser: This is your damage soaker, your tank, your decoy.

2) Slayer, melee damage per second unit.

3) Regulator, ranged damage per second unit.

4) Medikus, the medic/healer of the group.

Each soldier has two skills and a gadget. This allows you to manage 9 different skill sets at one time with them from different sources. The squad tactics are well thought out and fun. This makes you think about how you use your soldiers and their skills & tech. Large battles can get really frantic, since you are making sure that the right soldiers are taking damage, getting healed while the others are dealing damage. This is why I feel the 3 unit squad is a good limit. Additionally, you can add depth to your characters and their skills by upgrading each soldier and skills. You find boosters and implants, or craft them as the game progresses. Krater gives you a ton of crafting items and taking advantage of the crafting system is simple and strait forward. While I haven't found any weapon blueprints, I have relied on what is dropped in game to put things together. This isn't that bad because a lot of the weapons are pretty epic. The names for them are awesome as well.

Culture

The beauty of this game is it makes a lot of Nerd culture references. I have seen Star Wars, League of Legends, and Clutch references in the game so far. I am sure I have probably missed or not understood others as well. It adds to the quirkiness and fun of the Krater.

Final Assessment

This game is fun, but a weak story holds it back, as well as a fair number of bugs. When this article was written multiplayer was still lacking. Since the video review below there have been some updates that have solved some of the graphical bugs and added a boot camp was added to give some tutorial where it was lacking. This in turn helped to to understand how to use certain items and level up a couple of my soldiers that would not otherwise level up. Still. something that I don't really like is the lack of variety in skills. You can find unique characters with different skills, but most of the soldiers within a class all have the same two skills. It gets a little stale after a while. Krater is still a great game for the price paid. The music and sfx are good, the gameplay is fun, and the atmosphere is well designed.

With bugs and all I give Krater a solid 2 Triforces out of 3.

You can get Krater on Stream for $14.99 for the standard edition and $19.99 for the collector's edition.

Video Review

Something Geeky This Way Comes: The Google Nexus 7!

2012-06-28T03:08:00.001-07:00

Something Geeky This Way Comes: The Google Nexus 7!: Yesterday the Google Nexus 7 tablet was announced. This 7 inch tablet packs a massive one two punch. It starts at $200 for the base model ...

An Interesting Webseries: Video Game High School

2012-06-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

What if the skills of playing video games great was as worshiped as pro sports (or sports in general)?

Episode 1:

Episode 2:

Episode 3:

Episode 4:

Episode 5:

Something Geeky This Way Comes: On App Development & Stupid Reviewers: A Rant

2012-06-19T02:48:00.001-07:00

Something Geeky This Way Comes: On App Development & Stupid Reviewers: A Rant: The Back Story: I recently reviewed an app called To-Fu: The Trial of Chi over at TriForce Radio . As games go, this one was really fun,...

Mobile Game Review: To-Fu, The Trial of Chi

2012-06-18T16:48:00.000-07:00

Introduction:

Fortune Kitty & Chi.

You stick on whatever surface you hit
unless it is unique like metal or glass.

The Amazon Appstore gives away one paid app per day. If this is news to you, where have you been for the last year? This game is the free app of the day for 6/18/2012. Now, the free apps of the day vary in quality or at least in my level of interest. But when I saw the title I did a double take. It was so ridiculous I had to set aside time just to play it. It was the right call. This game is so strangely fun and amusing it has what it takes to be a hit! This is a game designed for casual gaming. Much like Angry Birds, Cut the Rope and Where's My Water, this game is designed on the simple user interface that makes the game fun and easy to play for users at all levels.

Some planks rotate, some moves\
up & down or horizontally.

The Premise:

You are To-Fu. You are a little ninja to-fu that must collect Chi and get to the Fortune Kitty (a pink fortune cookie). It is really fun and funny.

Spikes kill... but in a cute way...

Metal makes To-Fu bounce
rather than stick to the wall.

The Game Play:

The game has the basics for making a good, simple game. All you need to do is touch To-Fu and pull the character towards the area you want him to fly. The objective of this is to move him through obstacle courses. The expressions on his face as you stretch him and watch him fly is just wonderful! There are minimum moves you can try to shoot for to accomplish the obstacle course. You can also collect little blue spheres called Chi. To finish the course you must get the Fortune Kitty. It is so simple and easy. At the same time it is challenging at points. The obstacles are varied and entertaining.

Some buzz saws are stationary.

Other buzz saws are mobile.

Impatient Much?

Bricks crumble a little after you touch them.

If playing through the levels is just too tedious for you, there are a couple in app purchases for $0.99 each available to you. One unlocks all 100 levels contain in the game. This is a wise move on the part of the developers because it isn't necessary for the game, but the option is great IF you want to move faster. The other is called the Golden To-Fu and when you launch To-Fu it makes it so he flies to all the Chi and gets to the Fortune Kitty in a single move. It is also $0.99. Both in app purchases works on multiple devices so you get more bang for your buck. No need to buy them once for each device you have.

Maturity Rating:

This app should be rated as E for Everyone. The game contains nothing that would qualify it for an other rating.

Final Assessment:

This app is available for free until a little after 12 AM Pacific Time. After that it will be $0.99. In either case I suggest it as a great casual game. It is well thought out and executed game. It deserves a 3 out of 3 Triforce rating. It is currently only available through the Amazon Appstore,. The Google Play version is a Free Ad-supported version. The iOS version is also available in an Ad-supported Free version.

Additional Screenshots:

Mobile Game Review: Aftermath XHD

2012-06-18T02:04:00.000-07:00

Introduction:

Zombies have been on my mind. It may have something to do with me being friends with Dr. Bishop, an English professor who has published a scholarly work on zombies. Or maybe it's because of my zombie themed children's book I've written and that is in the process of being illustrated. Also, I have recently posted an article on my blog Something Geeky This Way Comes. Either way, zombies are everywhere and I can't seem to escape them! So one can see that when confronted with another Zombie Apocalypse game I had to jump on it.

The Story:

Your standard story line for a Zombie Apocalypse game. You are, as far as you know, the last living person on Earth or at least in your area. Starting out with a pistol, you must navigate the undead infested cityscape. The story progresses from there. And there is a story. I would presume to ruin it for you.

Controls:

Standard d-pad on the left hand side of the screen. The right hand of the side of the screen controls the view but is not limited to a d-pad. This was a wise move. To throw a grenade you simple tap the location you want it to land. The problem is that sometimes by swiping the screen you can accidentally throw grenade. Still, this isn't a game changer, just a petty annoyance. On the top right is the weapon and ammo indicator. You can change weapons and reload ammo by tapping the related image. The upper left shows health, grenade counter and pause button. The bottom left is the sprint button. Considering the game is not optimized for controllers (yet...) it is a well designed interface. The reason for the yet is because it seems that the game is well supported and very well designed.

Game Play:

I love it! The game is third person high-up prospective. The system for firing is simple. You have a flashlight. You aim the beam at your target and you fire. You move, you run, you shoot, you throw grenade. You swear as you get cornered. You pray when you see a horde coming at you. There are objectives you have to achieve. This is part of how the story moves on. You pick up weapons as you go. You can run out of ammo. By picking up a "gun" image you gain more ammo. Same goes for grenades.

The zombies are well done. There are slow and fast ones. There are VERY fast as well. There are also hard to kill ones and the type of zombies that throw projectiles. All in all, a good balance. Since there are no difficulty modes the game is rather difficult at times.

Guns are good as well. A pistol with infinite ammunition is the only one that does not run out. Then a submichine gun, shotgun, sniper rifle and a typical battle rifle. Combined with the grenades, it is a good balance of weapons.

Graphics:

Not the top of the line, but it is well done. Honestly, I think it does well enough and actually adds to the game play. The darkness combined with the flashlight beam makes it wonderful.

Maturity Rating:

This game is rated as PG-16 ( Parental Guidance for ages under 16). The level of graphic violence merits this rating. There is no mature language, just gun use and some gore. There is no sexual contant.

Final Assessment:

In the end I give this game 2 2/3 out of 3 Triforce. At $5.99 in the Google Play store, this game is quite amazing. You can also purchase the game from the Amazon Appstore for the same price. The iOS version is $2.99 and works for both iPhone and iPad. I do advise you play it on a tablet for best experience, but it could also be played nicely on a large phone's screens. I do suggest you be running a dual core processor at least. This will ensure the game play remains zippy. I don't give it a full 3 out of 3 because of the one annoyance of the grenade mishaps. Still, perhaps that is due to my sausage fingers. In either case, if running from and at zombies while shooting them, this is the game for you my friend.

Turn Any HDMI TV, Monitor or Projector into a Mobile Gaming & Entertainment Center

2012-06-13T19:01:00.001-07:00

Pocket TV has great gaming potential. Check it out!
Something Geeky This Way Comes: The Pocket TV: Mobile Has Just Gotten Cooler: Android Ice Cream Sandwich on my TV? Yes please!!! Some projects on Kickstarter are just cool. Others are freaking AWSOME! The Pocket TV...

Mobile Game Review: BloodLand

2012-06-04T22:35:00.000-07:00

The Ingress

Zombies! Either you love them or hate them. They've been around for a while, but the zombie genre has really been growing in the last decade. So it was a real please to find a monetized zombie game called BloodLand popping up in the Google Play Store. Now this made my day! Nothing like blowing off a little steam by blasting the un out of the undead. So this free little gem gets its justice and time in the Triforce lime light.

A Tale to Be Told?

The game is basic in its story. You're the last person alive so far as you know. The undead are moaning for your flesh and you must survive. Armed with your boom sticks you must fend off the walking dead or die trying. Nothing much beyond that.

Graphics

The game play is a high third-person prospective. Much like Dungeon Siege or Diablo series, you see things from high up and at an angle. This can limit your viability on walkers that lurk behind items. That being said, the graphics aren't half bad. They aren't extremely detailed, but I'm not complaining. Based off of the credits this appears to be a game that wasn't designed by a big company but rather a few guys in a home office. And honestly, the graphics isn't really the reason to play the game. Those are just a bonus.

Controls

This game has the typical touch screen d-pad setup. Left for movement, right for aiming. The thing that makes the right d-pad different is it also controls firing. Rather than auto fire or a trigger button you have to drag the d-pad to an extreme direction to get your character to shoot. This makes for very quick finger fatigue. I hooked up my PS3 remote in hopes this would solve the problem but no joy. The game does not support controllers. Playing on the Transformer Prime wasn't so bad, but on a phone screen it was a bit cramped. Looking at reviews in the Google Play Store there were a lot of people who complained about the fire controls not being responsive. I think this has more to do with how it is set up more than anything. The d-pads are both static. Unlike other d-pads that are based on where you place your finger, either you place your finger on the required d-pad or not. If the developers were to ask how to solve this I would suggest making it so the movement d-pad is the left half of the screen and the aim/view d-pad is the right side with a fire button on that part of the screen. The d-pad setup in my mind is one of the biggest minuses to this game.

Game Play

Likes:

The zombies! There isn't just one type. You have shufflers, you have walkers, fast walkers, runners, jumpers and some sort that throws glowing ball things. The variety really does the game a lot of justice!

The environments are varied as well. The buildings, barriers and cars can help and hinder both you and the undead alike.

The weapons are varied as well. There is a 9mm, 7.62 (I can only assume they mean 7.62x39mm since it looks like an AK-47), a flame thrower, 12 gauge and .338. On top of this there is a melee attack you can use if you need to. I would suggest holding the melee for when you are swarmed and have no other choice though. All have their positives and negatives, but the balance of what each weapon can do is well though out. They all require reloading and that is done automatically. I actually like this feature because it adds a sense of realism to the game play.

The power up crates. It would be better to call them traps really, but these big crates unleash different types of destruction on zombies close to it. They are activated by moving your character into them. They are nice to have for when you are getting swarmed.

Dislikes:

How I feel about the
character movement.

The character's movements seem sluggish. Almost like he is running in water. I think this may be due to the exaggerated movements of the character, but either way it throws me off even after playing it for a while.

Stupid weapon box!

The weapons swapping system is the strangest I have ever seen. Rather than giving you the option to collect the weapons and swap between then when you want it works like this. If you walk over a weapons box you lose the previous weapon. But there is no way you can tell what is in the weapons box so if you would rather keep the 12 gauge but you get the flame thrower you are stuck with it until another box is dropped when you kill a zombie. It's annoying to the max. I wouldn't care if you only started with one weapon each level but at least let me switch to the weapon I feel I need. Even if they only allowed me to carry two weapons, it would be preferable to the current set up. Still, this does make game play more interesting, all be it frustrating.

Money? You earn it with kills and power up boxes. Why? You don't need money if your the last one alive and there is nothing I can use it for. There wasn't any store of option to spend it. I don't see the point of it.

Game Modes

You have the option of playing Quests, Rush and Survive. You can play how you want when you want.

Maturity Rating:

This game is rated as PG-13 ( Parental Guidance for ages under 13). It contains gun use and violence. The level of gore is very minimal. There is no mature language or sexual content.

Egress

As previously mentioned, the Android version of the game is free through the Google Play Store. The iOS version of the game is free through iTunes. If dealing with the odd advertisement is something you just can't handle then you can spend $1.25 to remove the adds or spend $1.99 to remove the adds and unlock some other features. Both are in app purchases so you don't loose any of your progress by having to download a premium version. Either way you have the opportunity to try this game for free before you have to drop any of your hard earned cash on it.

Looking at the game as it exists at this moment I can't help but give it 1 2/3 our of 3 Triforce. The game is a great one, but there are some things that are lacking in it. When it is updated I may revisit it to see if these issues are resolved, but until then the rating stands. That being said, all you risk in playing the game is time so give it a shot. You may just enjoy putting the dead in their place. Until next time, this is Justice signing off.

Additional Screenshots:

Basic Mobile Gaming Terminology Defined

2012-06-04T19:58:00.000-07:00

When it comes to mobile gaming there are some terms that have been created or at least made more common due to the evolution of the ecosystem. As such I feel it necessarily to explain some ideas that would otherwise be confusing to novices to the mobile gaming community. I may add other terms as time goes on, but for now I'll stick with the basics relating to gaming and mobile devices. Feel free to ask for other terms to be defined in the comments.

D-Pad

This stand for directional pad. With touch screen devices these are usually on the left and right sides of the screen. Typical setup of these d-pads is the left controls movement, the right controls view/aiming.

Freemium:

This term is a combination of the words free and premium. Essentially what it means is that the game is free to play but if you want to unlock certain features, abilities, or levels you'll have to drop some money on the game. Sometimes these games don't limit features but rather how much time you can spend on the game without running out of "coins" (like with Scramble with Friends) or out of energy like with all the different Mobster or Farmville clones. The other way they milk money is by forcing time limitations such as when you have to build something and it takes X amount of time. In all cases, these are designed for the impatient or emotionally invested to buy whatever monopoly money like thing that only has value within the game. Many users are severely pissed by Fremium games because of their nature. They are the one armed bandits of the mobile gaming world. I personally don't mind them so long as the Fremium aspect is something you HAVE TO pay for to enjoy the game. Since I am a combination of cheap and patient I am willing to wait or take the time to enjoy the game so long as it is good.

Fremium games are on of the most profitable types of mobile games that exist. So love them or hate them but they are here to stay guys.

Jailbreak

This term is unique to Apple devices. It is what is sounds like. It is breaking the device free. What it's being broken free from is the limitations that Apple imposes on it. Once an Apple device is jailbroken it's warranty is voided but it also means the user can do a lot more with it. Example of this include installing games that Apple wouldn't let on the iTunes store and also going to market places other than iTunes. Apple does not allow other stores to sell iOS compatible software; however, as of July 2010 jailbreaking is legal within the United States.

Lite:

This is a free app or game. It may or may not be monetized or fremium but it is free. There are some Lite versions of games that will work for a limited time or have functions disabled. An example of this is the save function disabled. It's a good way to try an app or game without having to drop money on it.

Monetized:

This is referring to an app or game where there is advertising. Android was, as far as I know, the first to offer this little gem. Because of this players can get games that would otherwise cost for free. Unlike Fremium there is no purchase necessary at a later date. Advertisers get some space in a corner of a screen in the game or on the home screen. The better game developers use less invasive advertisers such as AdMob. There are some advertising companies what are more invasive by putting adds in your phone or tablet's notification system. These are easily gotten rid of by uninstalling the offending app that uses them.

Multitouch

Any mobile device worth its salt is going to be multitouch. The multitouch you want is 10 finger multitouch. This means what the name implies, that you can touch the screen with multiple fingers or input devices such as a stylus & finger and each point of contact will respond.

A common multitouch function is to pinch to zoom-in or zoom-out.

OEM

Original Equipment Manufacturer. For example, the OEM for the Droid 3 is Motorola. The OEM for the EVO 4G LTE is HTC. The OEM for the Galexy S 3 is Samsung. The OEM for the iPhone and iPad is Apple.

OS

Operating System. Android, iOS, Windows and Linux are all examples of an OS.

Premium/Pro

This means the application is one you pay for up front. No advertisements, no freemium gimmics. You pay for it. It is yours to play or use without obnoxious limitations etc.

Root (for Android OS)

This term is a simplification of the term Root Access or Root User (also know as Super User Permissions) and refers to the practice of gaining administrative control of a device. This is a level of control most OEM's do not trust or allow users to have. Like jailbreaking, rooting a device often voids it's warranties. There are some few OEM's that do not void the hardware warranty if a device is rooted.

PC Game Review: Moon Breakers

2012-06-04T11:37:00.002-07:00

Moon Breakers is the new free to play game from IMBA Entertainment. Moon Breakers is a space dog fighting game where two teams of players (large teams too, I've seen 40 players in one game) fly one of 4 classes of ships out of their carriers to battle for the limited resources of the moon between them. There are three game types, seek and destroy (death match), carrier destruction, and capture the flag (CTF). Of these game types, only CTF fails. Moon Breakers is available on steam, and also in your browser, which may explain the lack of options in the game.

That was my first issue with the game: not enough options. You can set volume, and rebind keys, but if you want to change screen resolution, or go to full screen mode, tough noogies. This was apparently made as a browser game first, and a pc game with steam play available second. This is bad for a few reasons. First anytime you give a gamer (and particularly a PC gamer) less control, the more they will resent you, the developer, for it. Gamers want to be able to control their experience, or maximize it actually. Less control means more chance for a sub par experience for a gamer, and they will be more likely to not play the game, and not spend money on it. Too few options also gives the impression that the developers didn't care. They didn't take the time to add in a few options that are common in almost all games, makes them seem apathetic, again possibly offending the gamer. Don't offend the gamer, they are your source of income as a developer, and gamers are a fickle bunch, give them an inch, and they'll take a mile.

Game Play

The game play is still good though, and also oddly addictive. From the first time I got catapulted out of my carrier I craved the experience of blasting other players out of their fighters. There is something about dog fighting that, for me at least, is more exhilarating when you win than shooters, or strategy games. Many of the encounters with other players takes the form of a game of chicken, where both of you are flying at top speed right at each other, guns blazing, both of you trying to get the timing of your rockets right, and if you end up the winner, the feeling of flying your screaming fighter through the cloud of smoke they leave behind is awesome. It's even better if they are in a higher class fighter than your were.

The game feels good with a mouse and keyboard, most controls are responsive, and do what they should. I would like to see the rolling improved, but it is not a major issue. What could make it better is if they could have given the game controller compatibility. You can get more control with a controller, with the joysticks, than with a mouse and keyboard. The game play would have felt that much better, and IMBA may have been able to attract more gamers to their game that way.

Going back to the game modes that I mentioned before, there is a reason why CTF falls on its face in this game. It reverts back to the carrier destruction game mode. There are so many turrets on the carriers that it is necessary to coordinate bombing runs on the carriers to take them out so your fast fighters can even get through the hail of bullets. As the bombers are taking out the turrets, the carriers are taking damage, and the team that cripples the enemy's carrier first, gets access to their flag first, and then gets the advantage in the game. Most of the time the CTF mode is vetoed by the players for a more fun game mode.

Business Model

Here is where the major issue with Moon Breakers is. Yes it is free to play, but it leans...well, pretty much is, pay to win. There are two resources that a player can get in Moon Breakers, Cred, which comes from playing, and HE-3, which players can buy. Players can unlock new ships with HE-3, or cred, but they can only upgrade the ships with cred. This is where the boosts come. Players can buy boosts with HE-3 to get cred faster, and not just a little faster, fifteen times faster. Generally, I can get 3000 cred if a win a game that I have played all the way through, that's 45,000 cred if I had the 15x boost. Some of the ships are in the multi-million cred price range, meaning that if I don't buy creds, it's going to be a long time before I can unlock new ships, never mind upgrading them. Those who pay get a distinct advantage over those who don't, and that destroys the purpose of the free to play model. It is supposed to create an environment where players can try the game, and then when they like it, buy things to improve their experience, not give them an artificial edge over the other players. And HE-3 is expensive, enough so that if I wanted to impulse buy some of it, the price would keep me from doing that. Your price cannot be too high for impulse buys.

Bottom Line

Try Moon Breakers. It's visuals are also family friendly. There is nothing scary or inappropriate, parents will need to be careful of the other people in the game, they can type whatever they want. I like the game play, I'll usually play a few games a day, and do fairly well. I can get past the options issue, but I don't like it. What I cannot get past is the business model. I will not be spending money on this game until they change the business model. I just won't support a pay to win game in this way. Because of these issues I give Moon Breakers 1 and 2/3 Triforces.

-Wisdom

Mobile Game Review: Shadowgun

2012-06-02T20:41:00.001-07:00

Introduction:

This is what I like to call a third person "duck and cover" shooter. It is a great game, but it is designed for duck and cover action. Don't get me wrong. I like the game, its just felt a little repetitious at times. Minions run out and you find cover. Firefight ensues. The redemption for this game was controller integration options. But I'm releasing the squall before the first game. Let's get into it then.

Controls:

Customize your controller.

The touch screen work well enough but it was not a joy like with Mass Effect Infiltrator. Sure the game worked, but there were times when my character was podding along and I was thinking, "I wonder if I should watch grass grow or maybe catch a senior citizens wheelchair baseball game." Okay, it wasn't THAT bad, but still. I felt like I had deja vu several times during the fighting and the pace the game lagged in places because of the touch screen controls. There was the classic left hand moves, right hand changes perspective. Fire button is static so moving view while firing was a little rough. No auto aim. I actually like that. There's a dive button so you can dodge rockets. I felt the touch controls could have been done better. As mentioned above though, the game is redeemed by the option of using a Bluetooth or USB controller. Since I was reviewing the game with the Transformer Prime with keyboard dock, I was able to use an after market PS3 controller. With the controller I was able to customize what each button did in settings. After I set that up the game moved a heck of a lot faster.

Game Play:

Narrow approach with limited
movement. Just they way I like them!

Spider bots, my (least) favorite baddy.

I still wish there was an option other than the plodding pace that the on screen character moved at. Why there isn't a sprint option boggles my mind. The minions I fought were a bit repetitive as well. My least favorite are the spider bot bombs. While easy to kill, they are fast and tend to swarm. The game makes up for the predictability of said minions with quantity though. Also the environments were diverse and enjoyable. Maybe I got up on the wrong side of the bed today so I'm sounding grouchy, but I have to say the game was fun. Boss3es tend to be tough and require a little bit of lateral think on occasion. See the additional screenshots at the end to get a peek at a couple of the bosses.

Close combat's best friend!
The shot gun!

The weapons were good. You get 4 by the end of the game. A classic assault rifle, shotgun, grenade launcher and rocket launcher. The assault rife is your primary weapon. The other guns hold not nearly enough ammo. When you change difficulty settings the ammo levels go up or down on the secondary weapons in addition to bad guy difficulty going up.

As you can see, I've shot this guy's
cover to hell.

The one thing I loved about the game is that not all cover is created equally. Depending on the type of cover, position of the enemy as compared to your position the cover can be more or less effective. This applies for both sides.

Hacking a door lock.

Another aspect of the game that I enjoy is the hacking feature. This is how you get weapons ahead of time and get past some locked doors. Other little bits I enjoy are the exploding canisters placed around the environment. I love things that go BOOM! Also fun are the mines that are placed on some of the levels. Some people may be annoyed by these, but I like playing chicken with them. If you step withing the sensor ring and then dive backwards once the mine is launched into the air. Lots of fun!

A mine with moving sensory ring.
It moves outward from the mine like
sonar. You can walk past them
without setting them off.

But playing mine chicken is
just too much fun!

When played with the controller, the game is a lot less duck and cover and a lot more fluid in motion like the standard third person shooter. Again, this is a redeeming factor. Still, I am comparing to other games that feel more fluid with the touch screen interface and I also am not as big a fan of duck and cover shooters. Call me fat fingered if you want (My mom says I'm big boned. Lol.) but I expect these higher end mobile games to be better programmed since most players don't have or know about the controller option.

Story Line:

Where the game lacks in those little annoying bits I've been gripping about it makes up big time in story. The basis of the story is that in this future there are mercenaries who work for governments and major corporations. The mercs are called Shadowguns. Enter our hero, the character you play. He is hired to "retrieve" a missing scientist. At the end of the first game you are presented with a choice of what to do. I won't spoil the game by telling you what the choice is, but this minor decision changes the end of the game. The story is what made me really want to stick through the minor slow bits.

Bonuses:

Each level you play there is a hidden Shadowgun Skull. If you find and grab it you unlock bonus levels. These bonus levels are in addition to the included expansion called "The Leftovers." Both the bonus levels and the expansion are tons of fun. Game play is similar to the original game, but the expansion was a little bit more interesting. What is more, the expansion has the same feature of finding the Shadowgun skulls so you can essentially triple or quadrupedal game play just by finding the skulls while playing.

Graphics:

The screenshots you are seeing are based of the standard definition version of Shadowgun. I bought it a few months back and then they released the THD (Tegra High Definition) version. Since I'm a cheap S.O.B. didn't want to drop more bones on a game review. Maybe one day I will, but until then you'll just have to deal with it. Lol. All kidding aside though, for a standard definition game the visuals are great. I had no issues playing this on a tablet. The TF201 is the highest definition screen Android tablet

on the market as of the writing of this article. That the Transformer Infinity will change that when it is released and I am sure other OEMs are working to take the title from ASUS, but until then I have to say I love this tablet. Heck, I'm sure I'll love it even after. But I digress. As you can see from the screenshots, this is a beautiful game! No glitches, smooth processing and more.

Maturity Rating:

This game is rated PG-16 (Parental Guidance for ages under 16). Its rating is due to graphic violence and mature language.There is minimal gore and no sexual content.

Final Assessment:

To be fair, this game preforms much like the Gears of War franchise games. If you like that sort of shooter, this is the game for you. I personally don't regret purchasing the game. The standard price for the game is $4.99, so it is worth the price simply for the entertainment aspect. The game is available through Google Play Store and the Amazon Appstore. The iOS version is available through iTunes at the same price. Each store periodically have done sales on the game so it is worth it to check and see if it is on sale. As of the writing of this review the game is available in both standard and Tegra processor optimized HD version and standard version for $1.99, but that isn't guaranteed for forever.

All in all I have to give this game 2 1/3 out of 3 Triforce. It is a fun game. It really gave some enjoyment. Maybe I'm just a hard person to please, but I feel like if the game needs an external controller in order for it to be awesome however, I think there is a bit lacking. Like I said, story is solid. It is fun, but I think the touch screen controls and the pace of the game are both a little lacking. Not lacking enough to not get the game, but still. Well, until next time TriForce fans, this is Justice signing off!

Additional Screenshots:

Giant Crab Bot anyone?

Ouch! Mine chicken FAIL!

Walk into that beam &
you'll smell like bacon.

Run like your butt's on fire brother
because that drill boss is tough!

Mobile Game Review: Gunman Clive isn't Just Another Side-scroller

2012-06-01T19:56:00.000-07:00

Introduction:

I'm snacking on prunes as I write this review. That's how old I am. Oh, I also remember playing Super Mario Brothers on the SNES. Yah, my mom (God bless her) wouldn't let me play video games so I had to sneak to a friend's house to play. When she eventually found out she gave up and said my brother and I could play but we had to play with the sound off because the music was bad for us. Boy was I a little rebel at 9. The music was great. Alas, that didn't last. My brother had to tattle. You may be wondering why you're reading the nostalgia of an old fart (okay, I'm nto THAT old, but still). Well, when I played Gunman Clive it felt like I was back in my childhood AND in the 21st century. This game is just that awesome.

At no point did I think to myself, "This game is lame." In fact, putting it down was just a little hard. It is a mix of all the things that makes a mobile game like this perfect. It was interesting. The environments are diverse. The villains and bosses were imaginative. It kept me guessing. By no means is this an easy game either. Sure you can put it on an easier setting, but that would ruin the fun!

The best part is you get hours of fun for just $1.99. Oh, and it is very much worth it. You also have a choice of which Android app store you to buy it from. If you just want to go classic, the Google Play store is a good option. If you have the Amazon Appstore you can go that route. Either way, the price is the same. The iOS version of the game is available through iTunes for the same price of $1.99.

Controls

The touch screen interface is well done. I wouldn't say I love it, but it works. It is responsive and does what it was intended to do. The best part for me though was the fact that the game interfaces with other input options. Since I was playing the game on the Transformer Prime with the Keyboard dock it auto recognized it and allowed for game play via that method. Add to that the option to use my PS3 remote either over Bluetooth or via the Transformer's USB port and I had too many options on how I wanted to play the game. I stuck with the touch screen but I did try out the other options mentioned and the game is very responsive in all cases.

The Story

It's classic rugged cowboy saves damsel in distress story. But there is a twist.

******************SPOILER ALERT******************

There are aliens. This actually explains the bosses and a few other things as the story progresses. It is also one of the reasons the environments are so much fun and diverse.

***************************************************

Assuming you have rushed past the spoiler alert, I just gave a reason for why the environments are so diverse. If you didn't rush past you are either cursing my name or you are wondering what the big deal is. Lol. Either way, your welcome. Once you get to the end you get rewarded with a kiss. Just remember my young friends. It isn't real! (I know, I'm playing this old fart thing to the hilt!)

Graphics

As you can see from the screen shots, the animation is faux-hand drawn (Faux, pronounced foe, is French for false). What you don't see is the shifting lines that happen very quickly adding to the had drawn feel. The characters in the game respond in ways that add to this feel as well. This makes the feel of the game very retro and up to date at the same time.

Game Play

It is great! It is a perfect mix of small puzzles, obstacles and bad guys that shoot at you. I'm not sure why ducks, dogs, rabbits, and pelicans have it in for you as well, but that just adds to the fun. Speaking of bad guys. The Bosses! I love these bosses. Posted here are a couple of the early bosses. I will post more pictures at the end of the review. They are odd, quarky and just awesome!

The Music

I know this isn't usually a reason people get a game, but this music is just fun. Repetitive if you get stuck on a level like I did a couple times, but still attention getting. My head was nodding along to it while I was playing. I can hear the music in my head as the keys click clack and I'm typing to the rhythm. It is just that awesome.

Maturity Rating

This game is rated PG (parental guidance) because there is some cartoon like gun use. There is no graphic violence or sexual content. It would be rated as E (Everyone) except for the use of guns.

The Test of Time: Final Assessment

I've beat the game in both regular and hard mode and I still come back to it. That is the test of a good game in my mind. It's fun. I think I'll keep it on my tablet for a while just because I enjoy it so much. This means I have to give this game 3 out of 3 Triforce. It was enjoyable to the max and I highly recommend it for both casual gamers and those who are in for a challenge. The difficulty setting will make the difference. Please feel free to share your thoughts or ask questions. Until next time. This is Justice signing out!

Additional Screenshots:

Cleaning House (or Wisdom's excuse to play more games)

2012-05-29T16:42:00.002-07:00

Some gamers are completionists. Let's use Brad as an example. Brad needs to complete every mission, every side quest, and find every secret before moving on with the main story of the game. He gets his money's worth out of the titles that he buys, I mean lots of time played. Gamers like these are the ones that find the easter eggs left for gamers by devs, they know the ins and outs of their favorite games, and more than they ever wanted to know about games they didn't like. I'm not Brad.

I am not a completionist. As such, I can get distracted by different games very easily. I'll start playing one game, and my gaming ADD will kick in when I see a new shiny game trailer. This doesn't mean that I don't finish games, that I haven't sunk multiple hundreds of hours into franchises like The Elder Scrolls, it just means that I do not have some inner mechanism compelling me to finish every game that I play, let alone explore every nook and cranny of it.

Needless to say this has left me with many games that I've started, but never finished. I got to thinking about that the other day, and I came to the conclusion that this is a tragedy. Writers, programmers, artists, and others put their blood sweat and tears into these games, and I have carelessly thrown their work aside. If I was talking about bad games, this wouldn't be that big of a deal. But I'm talking about games like Star Craft 2, Half Life 2, Deus Ex, and others. I must repent of my gaming sin. The best way that I know how to do this is to play these games, and share the game completing glory with you.

First I believe it is time to finish Half Life 2. I got part way through Ravenholm when I stopped playing HL2. It feels like I am returning to an old friend. This game was crafted, not just developed. It's fun, challenging, and I care about the people in the world, not just the story. I found myself sympathizing with the combine soldier fleeing from me yelling "OUTBREAK! OUTBREAK OUTBREAK!" as I mercilessly shot him in the back. What must he have felt to see what he thought was a zombie or monster who had learned how to use a gun? Valve does a great job putting a lot of character into their games. Enjoy the first episode, more will come soon!

- Wisdom

Mobile Game Review: Mass Effect Infiltrator for Android

2012-05-26T17:40:00.002-07:00

Mass Effect Infiltrator for Android reviewed on the Transformer Prime.

Introduction

Mass Effect Infiltrator is a third person shooter which was released for Android and iOS. Despite the less than stellar ending of Mass Effect 3, this mobile game Prequel is well worth the $6.99 it cost to buy it, either for it's own sake, or as an addition to the aforementioned game. You have to hand it to the developers, they did a good job in the game play and a decent job on the story. I was a little disappointed to find the game did not have an option for me to use my PS3 controller, but the way they programmed the game to work with the touch screen interface assuaged me of my disappointment very quickly.

Background & Cross Platform Integration

In this prequel, you play the part of Randall Ezno, a Cerberus agent. You start by being dropped on a planet to retrieve intel. Intel is an important thing in this game because the intel you collect can be used for one of two things. You can either cash that intel in for credits that you can redeem for weapons and equipment upgrades or you can apply them towards your Galactic Readiness Rating in Mass Effect 3. The thing I liked about the game is it wasn't just one or the other. Each time you go to the store to redeem your intel you have a choice. What is more, once you have completed the main game for Infiltrator, you'll improve a War Asset in Mass Effect 3. How you connect the two games is through Origin Mobile, which EA games has recently created to replace the EA Master accounts. I got a registration email saying that EA is working to integrate Origin into more of their titles, so this means more fun for cross platform gaming!

Game Play

But on to the game play. Unlike with other mobile games I have played with the touch screen interface, Infiltrator was impressive. At no point did my fingers get tired from being pressed into an unyielding touchscreen surface. To the contrary, I had a hard time putting the game down once I got use to the control methods. Oh, and the best bit! You can play the game according to your own style. It isn't just a duck and fire from cover game. Granted, there were points where I had to do that to get to the next level, but the game was designed to allow you to choose your own style and feel. The upgrade options go nicely with that feel.

To control the game, the left hand side of the screen is for movement and the right is for view. The feel of the game is very zippy when I played it with the Transformer Prime. If you want the game to be more or less sensitive to your touch, you can customize that in the settings as well as add Inverted Y control and a few other goodies. I turned on the subtitles to I could play with low sound so as not to disturb my wife.

Sniper Rifle

The blue brackets tell you your target options.

The aiming and firing is automatic. At first I had misgivings about that. You tap the enemy and the aim tracks onto them. But they don't make it completely auto. You still have fine aiming control which you manage with your right hand. As the game play progressed, I couldn't help but appreciate that added feature since it meant I spent more time focusing on the game and less on trying to hit the stupid enemy like in other mobile games like Shadow Gun or Modern Combat 3. The auto fire is obnoxious when you get your weapons more upgraded because cancelling a shot before the clip is out involves having to switch weapons. Still, over all I would give the game play at least 4 stars because I didn't have to fumble (much) when I was learning the interface and during game play.

Switching weapons and using biotics was a breeze. The cloak function is in the lower right hand corner of the screen in easy reach. The other biotic controls are in the upper left hand corner accessible with an easy swipe down and to the right. The weapons selector was in the opposite right hand corner and accessible with a down and leftward swipe. You get bonuses called Style if you kill multiple enemies with one clip in combo like fashion. The other way to earn style points is to kill each opponent with a different weapon (aside of course for those killed in combos). If you repeatedly kill with the same weapon you loose style points which is a subliminal way of making you switch weapons often and makes the game play more dynamic. You start with a battle rifle and a shotgun. As you earn credits you can upgrade the weapons and add a sniper rifle and beam weapon as well as different biotics, abilities and armors.

Each combat sequence is rated in 3 parts with a potential for 3 stars each. The first is style, which was covered above. The second is Time. The quicker done, the better. The final is Health. A little self explanatory. If you get 3 stars in all 3 areas you are rated Veteran. Get 1 stars in any of the areas and you are rated Soldier. Get 1 star in any of those areas and you are rated Novice. Aside from credit bonuses, you get additional rewards for in Mass Effect 3 if you get the Veteran rating in all levels. You can go back an replay levels at any time and your upgrades are retroactive so you can use those sweet upgrades to kick some serious butt.

Like with Mass Effect 3, you have the option at key points to choose whether to be a Paragon (good) or a Renegade (bad). This influences the game play somewhat.

Bonus Game Play

Once the main game is over, you have the option to play bonus games as an escaped prisoner within the Cerberus facility in which part of the game is based. Game play is the same as with the other except you don't have the biotics and you start with just a battle rifle and shotgun like the beginning of the main game. The absence of the biotics makes the game all the more interesting and fun.

Maturity Rating

This game is rated PG-13 (Parental Guidance for ages under 13) for gun violence and some mature language. There is not sexual content.

Final Judgement

I have to hand it to EA, they made a winner here. Over all, I give this game 2 2/3 out of 3 Triforce. As mentioned previously, there were some things that were clunky and I feel the story was a bit thrown together, but all in all I would highly recommend this game to anyone with a dual or quad core tablet or phone. I would not suggest trying to play this on anything less since it will not be as smooth. Purchase the game at the Google Play Store for $6.99. Until next time, this is Justice signing out.