Price: .99
Publisher: Advanced Mobile Applications
Buy now on
For me, Shaun White Snowboarding: Origins was a welcome sight in the app store. Both the skateboard and snowboarding genres that are both so popular in the console gaming world have been noticeably sparse in the appstore. This game is a decent start. A game like this has quite a few challenges for a mobile device since even on the console, the controls can be challenging. On a virtual stick, a developer needs to give the player enough variety when it comes to tricks and moves but at the same time keep things simple. For the most part, this important aspect of the game is a success.
Loading up the game you can see right away that the game modes are few. A single player free play mode coupled with some ghost competition options. If you aren't familiar with competing against a ghost, imagine competing against you or a friend’s replay of an existing run down the mountain. The end result is you can see what they do, when they do it, giving you a sense of real time competition despite the lack of true multiplayer. This mode is welcome but unfortunately doesn't make up fully for the lack of Wi Fi or even the ubiquitous Bluetooth multiplayer support in the game.
Once you do get into the game, you will likely find the controls easy to learn and quick to respond. The trickiest (and often the most frustrating) part of this game is trying to make as many moves as you can while going down the mountain and not timing the landings correctly resulting in a crash and a loss of all of the points you made during that jump/series of tricks. However, since the controls are easily learned, practice should help quite a bit. The game offers 4 different mountains to go down with each having a different layout and course. The game integrates with an online community that allows you to track your progress as you go. The achievement system is really fleshed out and there are quite a few to keep you busy.
The graphics and sound of the game are both fairly decent. It would have been nice to be able to listen to your own music catalog as you push yourself down the mountain side but that's a small issue. The graphics do tend to be glitchy at times and occasionally you fall down the side of the hill and get your head stuck until you hit the jump button but thankfully it doesn't happen too often. The rest of the environments in the game are fairly pretty and the player models vary a bit as well. This game isn’t going to throw all of your friends into an uproar about the graphics but they are more than serviceable.
The game gives you the aforementioned 4 levels and also includes several different characters with varying ranges of abilities. Some are quicker, a few are better at tricks, etc. The real shame is that this game offers no customization at all. You can't create a new snowboarder and nor can you take part in career events, earn money, etc that are all part of most games of this type. For me, that was a pretty big letdown as a lack of career mode means the replay value for this game is fairly limited. Even more bizarre, the game doesn't include any races at all against ai opponents. Just the ghost racing mentioned above. It seems like this would have been an afterthought for most games of this type but here it isn't even included.
Overall, this game is no dud. It has good controls, nice graphics and is pretty fun when you learn to piece a bunch of tricks together in a row. However, if you are looking for live racing, multiplayer, customization of characters, or a ton of replay value on the virtual mountains of the world, you may need to wait for another snowboarding game to come out. I have a feeling this isn’t the last Shaun White game we will see on the iPhone and that’s not a bad thing.
Overall Value for it's $.99 price point
Overall Value:
Graphics:
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viernes, 1 de enero de 2010
miércoles, 30 de diciembre de 2009
The Simpsons Arcade Review
Price: $4.99
Publisher EA Mobile
Buy now on
The Simpsons Arcade is a 2d platformer. It looks a lot like Double Dragon or Contra on the NES with updated Super Nintendo graphics. Neither is necessarily a bad thing. All of the usual cast members are here and despite a few nagging issues the game can be a fun time waster, albeit a bit short. You play as Homer. The storyline is so dumb that the developers themselves mention that you have probably already skipped reading it. This game really isn't about the story; instead it's about playing an old fashioned 2D fighting game as modern America's favorite cartoon character.
The controls of The Simpsons Arcade are like you would expect on any old NES game. You have the virtual joy pad on the left and two virtual buttons on the right. I never really had any problem with them at all. The graphics are also what you would expect to see from a game of this type. I remember a Simpsons NES game that came out in the early 1990's that looks surprisingly similar. There are six different levels in the game, each with its own feel, bosses and henchman. Each level has 2 or 3 different bosses even a modest Simpsons fan will easily recognize from The Simpsons television show. Overall the graphics do their job but they aren't anything special.
The sound of the game is pretty decent. Since you play with Homer, you'll get to hear some familiar "mmm" sounds throughout. However, none of the bosses that you fight actually say anything vocally. Instead they ‘speak’ through captions and only the Simpson family members ever utter a word. It certainly would have been nice to hear what they said instead of reading it. After all, few things are more recognizable than the voices of our favorite Simpson’s characters. The music is pretty decent throughout the game and avoids the pitfall of being unbearably overused. Also, EA Mobile again gives you the possibility of using your own music catalog as well during the game. As with NFS Shift, this was a nice addition.
I did have several problems arise during my play through. One persistent issue was that even though the levels last 15 minutes or so, there are no save points. So if you are hoping to stop the game to make a call or get an email, you'll be starting the level over after you load the game back up. Another issue I had come up once during my play through is that 10 minutes into a level, one of the henchman became invincible. The game would not allow me to move on until he was dead but since he was impossible to kill, a restart of the level was the only answer. After playing a 10 minute level or so it was disappointing to have to restart the level from the beginning. I do want to mention that I never had that issue come up again in my play through.
The basic game play is fairly repetitive. Kill a bunch of henchman and move along. There are some weapons to use including a boomerang, baseball bat, etc and Homer can do 4 or 5 different fighting moves but there aren't any big surprises. I played the game without sound for a while and actually became very bored with the game play. I recommend playing with sound on since even though the fighting is simple, the sound adds quite a bit to the environment in the game. One nice thing is that most boss characters have different weaknesses and strengths and figuring them out can take little trial and error. The game's difficulty is pretty well balanced throughout. Expect to die some but not too much.
Other than the single player missions, of which there are six, there is absolutely nothing else to do in the game. There are no achievements, nothing to unlock. You can replay the game and try for more points but overall there is very little replay value. All six levels may take you 90 minutes or so in total. It seems like slim pickings for premium priced game. That being said, if you are a Simpsons enthusiast, you just might feel the $4.99 price tag is warranted. For everyone else out there, you might want to wait until the game goes on sale for 2 to 3 dollars which is a more reasonable price.
Overall Value for it's $4.99 price point
Overall Value:
Graphics:
Sound:
Controls:
Publisher EA Mobile
Buy now on
The Simpsons Arcade is a 2d platformer. It looks a lot like Double Dragon or Contra on the NES with updated Super Nintendo graphics. Neither is necessarily a bad thing. All of the usual cast members are here and despite a few nagging issues the game can be a fun time waster, albeit a bit short. You play as Homer. The storyline is so dumb that the developers themselves mention that you have probably already skipped reading it. This game really isn't about the story; instead it's about playing an old fashioned 2D fighting game as modern America's favorite cartoon character.
The controls of The Simpsons Arcade are like you would expect on any old NES game. You have the virtual joy pad on the left and two virtual buttons on the right. I never really had any problem with them at all. The graphics are also what you would expect to see from a game of this type. I remember a Simpsons NES game that came out in the early 1990's that looks surprisingly similar. There are six different levels in the game, each with its own feel, bosses and henchman. Each level has 2 or 3 different bosses even a modest Simpsons fan will easily recognize from The Simpsons television show. Overall the graphics do their job but they aren't anything special.
The sound of the game is pretty decent. Since you play with Homer, you'll get to hear some familiar "mmm" sounds throughout. However, none of the bosses that you fight actually say anything vocally. Instead they ‘speak’ through captions and only the Simpson family members ever utter a word. It certainly would have been nice to hear what they said instead of reading it. After all, few things are more recognizable than the voices of our favorite Simpson’s characters. The music is pretty decent throughout the game and avoids the pitfall of being unbearably overused. Also, EA Mobile again gives you the possibility of using your own music catalog as well during the game. As with NFS Shift, this was a nice addition.
I did have several problems arise during my play through. One persistent issue was that even though the levels last 15 minutes or so, there are no save points. So if you are hoping to stop the game to make a call or get an email, you'll be starting the level over after you load the game back up. Another issue I had come up once during my play through is that 10 minutes into a level, one of the henchman became invincible. The game would not allow me to move on until he was dead but since he was impossible to kill, a restart of the level was the only answer. After playing a 10 minute level or so it was disappointing to have to restart the level from the beginning. I do want to mention that I never had that issue come up again in my play through.
The basic game play is fairly repetitive. Kill a bunch of henchman and move along. There are some weapons to use including a boomerang, baseball bat, etc and Homer can do 4 or 5 different fighting moves but there aren't any big surprises. I played the game without sound for a while and actually became very bored with the game play. I recommend playing with sound on since even though the fighting is simple, the sound adds quite a bit to the environment in the game. One nice thing is that most boss characters have different weaknesses and strengths and figuring them out can take little trial and error. The game's difficulty is pretty well balanced throughout. Expect to die some but not too much.
Other than the single player missions, of which there are six, there is absolutely nothing else to do in the game. There are no achievements, nothing to unlock. You can replay the game and try for more points but overall there is very little replay value. All six levels may take you 90 minutes or so in total. It seems like slim pickings for premium priced game. That being said, if you are a Simpsons enthusiast, you just might feel the $4.99 price tag is warranted. For everyone else out there, you might want to wait until the game goes on sale for 2 to 3 dollars which is a more reasonable price.
Overall Value for it's $4.99 price point
Overall Value:
Graphics:
Sound:
Controls:
martes, 29 de diciembre de 2009
Three or four games
I'm working on three or four reviews including Dead Strike and Shaun White Snowboarding. Dead Strike feels like I played it before when it was called Resident Evil 4. We'll get a new review up tonight/early tomorrow.
lunes, 28 de diciembre de 2009
iPhone and iPod Touch - Games of the Year (2009)
Though this site hasn't been around too long, this reviewer has been playing iPhone games for quite a while. In fact, I have probably logged hundreds of hours in iPhone gameplay this year (much to my wife's chagrin). All of that gameplay allowed me to get a good feel for what is out there and to come up with a list of the iPhone Gamer Blog's top 5 games of the year.
Number 5: Boxed In 2 - (Dennis Mengelt, $1.99)
Boxed In 2 offers puzzle loving gamers hours and hours of fun. The full review can be found here but a shorter review is as follows: If you are a gamer with an appetite for intelligent gameplay, this is a must buy.
Number 4: Baseball Superstars 2010 - (Gamevil, $4.99)
I played this game more than any other game this year. It's story mode allows you to create a player and follow him through 7 years of his career while accumulating stats, trying to make more money and upgradiing his abilities much like an RPG. The only down side of this game, playing 7 years with 30+ games per year just doesn't seem long enough. If you are a sports fan of any type, this is an absolute must buy. The game also includes a ton of additional modes as well and is just an absolute treat for the price.
Number 3: Need for Speed Shift (EA Mobile, $9.99)
NFS Shift beats out all other racing games with its great graphics, fun setting and hours of gameplay. See the full review for additional information.
Number 2: Rope N' Fly 2 - (Robert Szeleney, $1.99)
The first Rope N' Fly literally gave me hours of enjoyment. In that version you literally were only able to play one mode. The idea: You have 30 seconds to swing skyscraper to skyscraper with a rope (much like Spiderman) and get as far as you could. If it sounds simple, it is, but it is also a wonderful time waster to try and beat your best time. In Rope N' Fly 2, many more modes have been added, the graphics have been upgraded, music has been included and there is an easily accessible online screen that compares your scores to others around the world. The end result, a game that is even more addictive. No matter who you are. Buy this game right now.
Game of the Year 2009: Ragdoll Blaster (Backflip Studios, $1.99)
You like puzzles? You like ragdoll physics? Do you like shooting people out of a cannon? I thought so! This game is single handedly the game that I have shown to my friends to make them buy an iPhone. A simple idea that uses physics based puzzles that you solve by shooting people out of cannons. The music is perfect, the graphics are clean and the game is addictive! My only complaint is the game ends much too soon. For $1.99 you can go download the best game of the year.
Summary
What can we make of this list? Small studios rule the day! While one huge publisher is included here, the indie game makers are are showing that creativity and new ideas can still beat huge advertising budgets. 2010 looks to be yet another great year for iPhone and iPod game development and iPhone Gamer Blog will be right here calling it as we see it all year long.
Number 5: Boxed In 2 - (Dennis Mengelt, $1.99)
Boxed In 2 offers puzzle loving gamers hours and hours of fun. The full review can be found here but a shorter review is as follows: If you are a gamer with an appetite for intelligent gameplay, this is a must buy.
Number 4: Baseball Superstars 2010 - (Gamevil, $4.99)
I played this game more than any other game this year. It's story mode allows you to create a player and follow him through 7 years of his career while accumulating stats, trying to make more money and upgradiing his abilities much like an RPG. The only down side of this game, playing 7 years with 30+ games per year just doesn't seem long enough. If you are a sports fan of any type, this is an absolute must buy. The game also includes a ton of additional modes as well and is just an absolute treat for the price.
Number 3: Need for Speed Shift (EA Mobile, $9.99)
NFS Shift beats out all other racing games with its great graphics, fun setting and hours of gameplay. See the full review for additional information.
Number 2: Rope N' Fly 2 - (Robert Szeleney, $1.99)
The first Rope N' Fly literally gave me hours of enjoyment. In that version you literally were only able to play one mode. The idea: You have 30 seconds to swing skyscraper to skyscraper with a rope (much like Spiderman) and get as far as you could. If it sounds simple, it is, but it is also a wonderful time waster to try and beat your best time. In Rope N' Fly 2, many more modes have been added, the graphics have been upgraded, music has been included and there is an easily accessible online screen that compares your scores to others around the world. The end result, a game that is even more addictive. No matter who you are. Buy this game right now.
Game of the Year 2009: Ragdoll Blaster (Backflip Studios, $1.99)
You like puzzles? You like ragdoll physics? Do you like shooting people out of a cannon? I thought so! This game is single handedly the game that I have shown to my friends to make them buy an iPhone. A simple idea that uses physics based puzzles that you solve by shooting people out of cannons. The music is perfect, the graphics are clean and the game is addictive! My only complaint is the game ends much too soon. For $1.99 you can go download the best game of the year.
Summary
What can we make of this list? Small studios rule the day! While one huge publisher is included here, the indie game makers are are showing that creativity and new ideas can still beat huge advertising budgets. 2010 looks to be yet another great year for iPhone and iPod game development and iPhone Gamer Blog will be right here calling it as we see it all year long.
sábado, 26 de diciembre de 2009
Need for Speed Shift Review
Price: $9.99
Publisher: EA Mobile
Buy now on
It wasn't long ago I heard that NFS: Shift would be coming to the iPhone. Ever since, I have looked forward to seeing the type of adaptation it would get from EA Mobile. The console game is universally adored and I went into this review hoping for the same, almost expecting to be disappointed. Especially since EA Mobile's track record has been mediocre at best. So what did I find?
The game has quite a bit of content. 20 cars, 18 tracks set in 4 different locations. All of the locations look different and all of the cars look great. A definite plus. I started out using a Mazda and stepped up to a Porsche and could definitely tell a difference in engine sound, handling, etc. It's nice to see that kind of attention to detail on the iPhone.
The sound is nice because not only do the cars sound great but you can also use your own iPhone playlist while playing the game. It certainly was nice when I realized I didn’t have to listen to the crappy default rap/ alternative music EA included in the game. Props to ea mobile for including this ability that sorely needed across the iPhone gaming landscape.
The controls are pretty decent, although in one game mode in particular they can become a problem. In drift mode you are trying to rack up as many points as possible, not from racing competitors but from sliding around the track as much as possible. It makes for fun gaming on a console but on the iPhone, it's extremely difficult to get the tilt based controls at the right angle to drift for any length of time. Fortunately after failing the first 10 times, I realize there was an option to increase the tilt effectiveness. Once increased a few notches, drifting was much easier. Nevertheless, it was frustrating as I wasn’t able to advance to the next level and I could see some people giving up and missing the rest of the game.
The actual design of the game makes racing a lot of fun. Even when you lose a race, you can still earn stars and points for doing other tasks. For example, you can still earn a star by beating the single lap record (stars help you advance to the next track). The ai competition is so much better than Asphalt 5's (read the review here). Instead of ai that immediately catches up when they are down (in corny fashion), NFS: Shift's opponents take advantage of you taking bad angles around the track or running off the edge of the pavement. In my book, any game that can still give you a competitive race without using hokey ai practices deserves a second look.
Even with all of the good, there is some bad. Other than the drift mode issue, I also have to question why in the world the game doesn't have an in-game pause button. Unless I am missing it (please let me know), I can’t find a way to pause the game during a race. It's a pretty big oversight in my opinion because there are so many times while using an iPhone game you need to pause for a moment or two. Ironically, the game has a pause menu during the game that comes up when your battery is low. Someone, please tell me I am just an idiot and where I can find it during the race! (This issue should be edited out but I will keep it in for people that may also have trouble finding how to pause the game. In the comments below someone mentioned that you can use two fingers on the screen during the race to pause it. Very helpful!)
All in all, you are going to definitely get your money's worth with NFS: Shift. In fact, I would say it is one of the best iPhone games out there. Despite a couple nagging problems, the amount of time and fun you can have with this game makes it seem incomprehensible there are so many 50 dollar console games that give you 10 hours or less of play. BTW, I didn't mention multiplayer which is also included as with both Bluetooth and local Wi Fi modes. Both worked well when I tried them but even if multiplayer wasn't included at all, this game would be a must buy.
Overall Value for it's normal $9.99 price point
Overall Value:
Graphics:
Sound:
Controls:
Publisher: EA Mobile
Buy now on
It wasn't long ago I heard that NFS: Shift would be coming to the iPhone. Ever since, I have looked forward to seeing the type of adaptation it would get from EA Mobile. The console game is universally adored and I went into this review hoping for the same, almost expecting to be disappointed. Especially since EA Mobile's track record has been mediocre at best. So what did I find?
The game has quite a bit of content. 20 cars, 18 tracks set in 4 different locations. All of the locations look different and all of the cars look great. A definite plus. I started out using a Mazda and stepped up to a Porsche and could definitely tell a difference in engine sound, handling, etc. It's nice to see that kind of attention to detail on the iPhone.
The sound is nice because not only do the cars sound great but you can also use your own iPhone playlist while playing the game. It certainly was nice when I realized I didn’t have to listen to the crappy default rap/ alternative music EA included in the game. Props to ea mobile for including this ability that sorely needed across the iPhone gaming landscape.
The controls are pretty decent, although in one game mode in particular they can become a problem. In drift mode you are trying to rack up as many points as possible, not from racing competitors but from sliding around the track as much as possible. It makes for fun gaming on a console but on the iPhone, it's extremely difficult to get the tilt based controls at the right angle to drift for any length of time. Fortunately after failing the first 10 times, I realize there was an option to increase the tilt effectiveness. Once increased a few notches, drifting was much easier. Nevertheless, it was frustrating as I wasn’t able to advance to the next level and I could see some people giving up and missing the rest of the game.
The actual design of the game makes racing a lot of fun. Even when you lose a race, you can still earn stars and points for doing other tasks. For example, you can still earn a star by beating the single lap record (stars help you advance to the next track). The ai competition is so much better than Asphalt 5's (read the review here). Instead of ai that immediately catches up when they are down (in corny fashion), NFS: Shift's opponents take advantage of you taking bad angles around the track or running off the edge of the pavement. In my book, any game that can still give you a competitive race without using hokey ai practices deserves a second look.
Even with all of the good, there is some bad. Other than the drift mode issue, I also have to question why in the world the game doesn't have an in-game pause button. Unless I am missing it (please let me know), I can’t find a way to pause the game during a race. It's a pretty big oversight in my opinion because there are so many times while using an iPhone game you need to pause for a moment or two. Ironically, the game has a pause menu during the game that comes up when your battery is low. Someone, please tell me I am just an idiot and where I can find it during the race! (This issue should be edited out but I will keep it in for people that may also have trouble finding how to pause the game. In the comments below someone mentioned that you can use two fingers on the screen during the race to pause it. Very helpful!)
All in all, you are going to definitely get your money's worth with NFS: Shift. In fact, I would say it is one of the best iPhone games out there. Despite a couple nagging problems, the amount of time and fun you can have with this game makes it seem incomprehensible there are so many 50 dollar console games that give you 10 hours or less of play. BTW, I didn't mention multiplayer which is also included as with both Bluetooth and local Wi Fi modes. Both worked well when I tried them but even if multiplayer wasn't included at all, this game would be a must buy.
Overall Value for it's normal $9.99 price point
Overall Value:
Graphics:
Sound:
Controls:
viernes, 25 de diciembre de 2009
Merry Christmas iPhone and iPod Touch Gamers
Regular updates will ensue in the next few days. Reviews of The Simpsons, NFS: Shift and Baseball Superstars: 2010 are coming up.
miércoles, 23 de diciembre de 2009
Modern Combat: Sandstorm Review
Price: $4.99
Publisher: Gameloft
Buy now on
If your expecting to read about a watered down version of the console Call of Duty(by Activision) games, Modern Combat: Sandstorm is in every way, shape and form what you would expect it to be. Its missions are so worn that I can clearly remember thinking, I wonder where the car chase scene is going to happen, and when the next level loaded up named, Death on Wheels, I knew I had found it. It's not so much Modern Combat: Sandstorm is a bad game, it just leaves you with a strong feeling you have done all of this before.
As with Gameloft's other FPS, the graphics and controls are nicely done. Unfortunately Gameloft decided to yet again try their hand at a story to go along with the action. The storyline is pretty bad. Some bad middle eastern guys want to destroy the west.,..and so on. The storyline doesn't hurt the game too badly but it’s unfortunate that their script wasn't better. After all, they took the time to create cut scenes and do bad voiceovers throughout. At least give those guys something good to say. Something other than the captain constantly calling his soldiers "knuckleheads" at every opportunity.
The controls work. Nothing else to say really. You are totally in charge of using two virtual analog sticks and everything works as expected. Turning around can be a bit challenging but overall the controls are solid. The music in the game is decent although nothing special. The bullets, missiles, kill sounds, etc are all par for the course. I know it sounds like I'm being lazy and not giving you the scoop but I'm serious, the sound is exactly on par with other iPhone FPS shooters. Nothing more, nothing less.
The ai throughout the game is fairly standard. Duck, cover, yell something Arabic sounding and shoot. Most of them are dumber than bricks but the game throws a million at you to try and make up for it. Dying repopulates you in the last checkpoint. For me, this is really where the game’s value takes a tumble. Sometimes the last checkpoint will be 4 or 5 minutes back in gameplay. 4 or 5 minutes isn't a lot when you’re playing a console game but just several minutes at a time is how a lot of people play an iPhone game. It's definitely an issue. Adding insult to injury, the checkpoint saves that are made by the game are not kept if you leave the game to take a phone call, quit or check your email. This makes the levels, which average about 15-20 minutes, sometimes take 2 or 3 tries to beat even though you were near the end when you were called. Imagine receiving a phone call, RING- 15 minutes of work down the drain. Try answering that phone call in a pleasant voice. "Hi honey" (through gritted teeth) all the while thinking in the aforementioned captain’s voice, "you knucklehead".
The single player game is fairly long and once you have completed it, you might want to check out the multiplayer mode. Every time I tried multiplayer it didn’t connect very well. Which was a bit surprising because Gameloft usually doesn’t have online connection problems. Rather than put down a mode I wasn’t able to review, I’ll just I wasn’t able to review it enough to make it determinant in my overall score. You can also unlock a tougher game mode but that is basically it. For 4.99, Modern Combat's value is middling. While it does give you 3 hours of so of content, after the initial play through there isn't anything left to see. I would only recommend this game to people that have never played a Call of Duty game on a console or PC (all 3 of you). For those of us who have been around the block a few times, Modern Combat: Sandstorm won't give us anything we haven't seen before and to add to that, this time it's on a 3.5 inch screen.
Overall Value for it's $4.99 price point
Overall Value:
Graphics:
Sound:
Controls:
Publisher: Gameloft
Buy now on
If your expecting to read about a watered down version of the console Call of Duty(by Activision) games, Modern Combat: Sandstorm is in every way, shape and form what you would expect it to be. Its missions are so worn that I can clearly remember thinking, I wonder where the car chase scene is going to happen, and when the next level loaded up named, Death on Wheels, I knew I had found it. It's not so much Modern Combat: Sandstorm is a bad game, it just leaves you with a strong feeling you have done all of this before.
As with Gameloft's other FPS, the graphics and controls are nicely done. Unfortunately Gameloft decided to yet again try their hand at a story to go along with the action. The storyline is pretty bad. Some bad middle eastern guys want to destroy the west.,..and so on. The storyline doesn't hurt the game too badly but it’s unfortunate that their script wasn't better. After all, they took the time to create cut scenes and do bad voiceovers throughout. At least give those guys something good to say. Something other than the captain constantly calling his soldiers "knuckleheads" at every opportunity.
The controls work. Nothing else to say really. You are totally in charge of using two virtual analog sticks and everything works as expected. Turning around can be a bit challenging but overall the controls are solid. The music in the game is decent although nothing special. The bullets, missiles, kill sounds, etc are all par for the course. I know it sounds like I'm being lazy and not giving you the scoop but I'm serious, the sound is exactly on par with other iPhone FPS shooters. Nothing more, nothing less.
The ai throughout the game is fairly standard. Duck, cover, yell something Arabic sounding and shoot. Most of them are dumber than bricks but the game throws a million at you to try and make up for it. Dying repopulates you in the last checkpoint. For me, this is really where the game’s value takes a tumble. Sometimes the last checkpoint will be 4 or 5 minutes back in gameplay. 4 or 5 minutes isn't a lot when you’re playing a console game but just several minutes at a time is how a lot of people play an iPhone game. It's definitely an issue. Adding insult to injury, the checkpoint saves that are made by the game are not kept if you leave the game to take a phone call, quit or check your email. This makes the levels, which average about 15-20 minutes, sometimes take 2 or 3 tries to beat even though you were near the end when you were called. Imagine receiving a phone call, RING- 15 minutes of work down the drain. Try answering that phone call in a pleasant voice. "Hi honey" (through gritted teeth) all the while thinking in the aforementioned captain’s voice, "you knucklehead".
The single player game is fairly long and once you have completed it, you might want to check out the multiplayer mode. Every time I tried multiplayer it didn’t connect very well. Which was a bit surprising because Gameloft usually doesn’t have online connection problems. Rather than put down a mode I wasn’t able to review, I’ll just I wasn’t able to review it enough to make it determinant in my overall score. You can also unlock a tougher game mode but that is basically it. For 4.99, Modern Combat's value is middling. While it does give you 3 hours of so of content, after the initial play through there isn't anything left to see. I would only recommend this game to people that have never played a Call of Duty game on a console or PC (all 3 of you). For those of us who have been around the block a few times, Modern Combat: Sandstorm won't give us anything we haven't seen before and to add to that, this time it's on a 3.5 inch screen.
Overall Value for it's $4.99 price point
Overall Value:
Graphics:
Sound:
Controls:
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