Unpossible is an amazing looking procedurally-generated twitch action game. Full MFi controller support will be implemented, as well as tilt our touch controls.
Both Touch Arcade and 148Apps managed to get video previews of this upcoming game – fans of twitch action games will definitely want to give those a look.
Unpossible is scheduled to hit the App Store within the next few weeks, and should support all MFi game controllers.
Carter Dotson at 148Apps says:
From a first-person perspective, try to avoid oncoming obstacles in one of three difficulties, including daily challenge and a casual mode. The easy mode is designed for the less-skilled and for those just getting used to the game; the later ones will put skilled gamers to the test. Look for this one in a few weeks.
Where Unpossible really shines is in its excellent randomly generated levels and silky-smooth framerate. The cool, glowy visuals don’t hurt either.
(…)Playing Unpossible is a total rush, and I think both twitch game aficionados and more casual players will find something to love when it launches in the next month or so.
Unpossible will test your skills, your reflexes, and even your memory. It will make you smile. It will probably make you scream. You will die often and it will always be your fault. Fight to learn the obstaclesâ¦they already know how to fight you. Relentless. Thrilling. Unpossible!
Owners of Shadow Blade, don’t hit the Update button if you want to continue playing with MFi controllers – the latest version, 1.2.1, makes the game unplayable with all game controllers.
Developer Dead Mage and Publisher Crescent Moon have confirmed that a fix is on the way
Wait 20 seconds through the unskippable intro screen. If the game doesn’t crash or get stuck in a looping movie with no way to access the menus, start the game. When the game starts, hold the shoot button. Then move left until your ship reaches the edge of the level. Then move right until your ship reaches the other edge of the level, all the while holding the shoot button. Repeat until bored.
That about sums up TriBlaster. With little to no exception, the first 15 levels or so will be beaten by doing exactly that chain of actions. After that (and rarely throughout) you’ll need to shake things up a little bit. Once every 5 levels or so, an enemy will make it to your position on the screen. By pressing B, your ship will jump backwards, giving your basic zig-zag maneuver plenty of time to destroy it. Once every 5 levels or so, you’ll also run into a clump of enemies that are better dispatched by standing still for a few seconds while you hold shoot. Then resume your zig-zagging. That’s the game, in a nutshell.
Shoot enemies and dodge attacks by holding A and moving side to side
The biggest problem here is that such an amazing premise is wasted on such boring gameplay. And the premise really is great. TriBlaster is a shooter along a horizontal plane, with enemies coming towards your ship from the back of the map, requiring you to shoot them before they reach you. Think Space Invaders, but with the screen turned flat like a pinball table, or an unfolded version of the classic game Tempest. The graphics are cool, in an updated-retro sort of way. The controls are solid, the music and sounds appropriate. The thing is, the game simply doesn’t take advantage of this foundation. Nothing ever poses a challenge, which means there’s never much of a sense of accomplishment for beating anything, which means it’s never really fun.
Level design is the first clue that something has gone wrong. There are about 3 level shapes you’ll run into over and over again. The first is a straight line. Next, for variety, you’ll run into a level shaped like a gradually sloping smile or frown. Which is basically a straight line, but hey, at least it looks a bit different. Next, more rarely, you’ll run into a V or L shaped level. Functionally, these all play exactly the same – your zig-zag doesn’t change. As you progress, the stages will start occasionally taking on slightly more variety in shapes, before returning to one of the 3 standbys. No matter the shape, the gameplay doesn’t really change. Level shape never really has an impact on strategy – it appears to strictly be for visual variety. Which makes the lack of variety even more surprising.
With such an amazing level design potential, flat levels seem like such a waste…
One could imagine any number of ways variety could have been added. Loops, abstract shapes, levels that require jumps, levels with a top and bottom, where you flip between them dodging attacks, levels that take place along a circular arena, levels with obstacles that require jumps – it’s easy to think of ways the foundation of this game could have been turned into something fun or challenging. I hope someday it does get improved with more imaginative designs. Unfortunately, those aren’t here right now – I can’t review based on what COULD have been done.
These basic flaws could be overlooked if the game was fun in short bursts. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really work in casual increments like that, thanks to a truly terrible checkpoint system. TriBlaster includes 100 levels. Throughout the course of those 100 levels, there are 3 checkpoints. One at 25, one at 50, and one at 75. Each level takes about a minute and a half to get through. That means if your hand cramps and you forget to zig-zag and die at level 20, you have to play through every level again, starting from the beginning. Over half an hour of the same level designs, with almost identical enemy patterns.
This checkpoint system has the consequence of rewarding long play sessions and punishing casual play – you do NOT want to play for 5 minutes when you’re head isn’t completely in the game, because the consequence of failure is such a massive loss of progress. A more modern checkpoint system, such as the type of “play any level you’ve beaten for a higher score” system seen in Angry Birds, would solve this problem. Even the current system could be improved by a more generous placement of checkpoints. But checkpoints every 25 levels turns TriBlaster from being a potentially amusing casual experience to being a game that requires marathon game sessions, and the gameplay simply isn’t compelling enough to warrant it.
If the gameplay was as good as the graphics, this would be an easy recommendation
There is a silver lining to all these negatives. As I’ve said, the foundation here really is quite solid. The idea, the core gameplay, even the occasionally more difficult level all hint at what TriBlaster could become. The checkpoint system could be replaced. The difficulty could be ramped up. The level layouts could be expanded. The enemies could be more varied. Things could be implemented to make zig-zagging a bad strategy. The core idea of this game is still sound, and I hope it someday gets polished into the game it deserves to be.
I don’t like writing negative reviews. I’d rather bring people’s attention to games they should play, rather than warn them away from games they shouldn’t. I played this game for about an hour and a half, waiting for the fun to start. It never really did, at least not for me. It’s possible that later into the game, the stages get more interesting. I couldn’t last that long, and I don’t think most people reading this will either.
I really hope that this game will be updated and improved, because the premise is solid. If things get better, I’ll revisit this review. As it stands, even at a dollar asking price, with no in-app purchases, and with well implemented controller support, this is a game to skip for now. Save your dollar.
Update
The previous version of this review struck a harsher tone than I wanted. This game is fixable. I really hope it gets there, because I love the premise, and I hope someday to be able to recommend it. Until then though, my opinion still stands – wait for an update.
Exiles is an open-world sci-fi RPG in the same vein as Mass Effect. The game is still in the somewhat early stages, with story elements and specific gameplay features still being worked out, but already the graphics and presentation are outstanding.
Controller support has yet to be officially confirmed for Exiles, but given Crescent Moon’s track record of including it in all of their recent games, it’s not a stretch to assume it’ll make an appearance here. Exiles is scheduled to launch this summer for $6.99.
Josh from Crescent Moon on the TouchArcade Forums says:
Its a Sci Fi, action RPG slated for a ‘later this year’ release.
It uses the Ravensword: Shadowlands framework, which will also be used in Aralon 2. More details coming at GDC.
Exiles is a fresh sci-fi role-playing game from Crescent Moon games that we got to check out at GDC 2014. For those that have put time into the well-known Avalon series, you’ll already be familiar with the kind of graphics to expect here, though the giant robot with the missile launcher may contrast to memories of elves and fireballs. Players can expect to progress through familiar classes, such as engineer, and explore new and exciting abilities and gear. Due to the large open world, you can expect some interesting modes of transportation, including hoverbikes.
Fresh from GDC, TouchArcade reveals an upcoming MFi controller supported puzzle platformer from the creators of iOS classic Devil’s Attorney. This new game, called Leo’s Fortune, is scheduled to hit the App Store very soon. Watch the videos below to get a feel for the gameplay; fans of classics like the Rolandoseries or Loco Roco should find a lot here to love.
Leo’s Fortune is scheduled to hit the App Store soon as a premium game. We’ll keep you up to date with further information as it becomes available.
Eli Hodapp at TouchArcade Says:
(Leo’s Fortune is…) a super slick looking physics-based platformer featuring a weird green puff named Leopold. You can inflate yourself to float, interact with puzzle elements in game, and more. Additionally, they’ve made sure that even though some of the platforming elements can be frustrating, you instantly respawn a few seconds back so you never need to replay entire levels
On-rails space shooter with MFi controller support
Update:
Star Horizon is available now!
Developer Tabasco Interactive revealed a new trailer for their upcoming space shooter Star Horizon today, demonstrating gameplay using the Moga Ace Power controller.
According to Touch Arcade, Star Horizon is scheduled to hit the App Store on March 20th at a price of $3.99, with no in-app purchases or premium currencies.
Jared Nelson at Touch Arcade says:
“If you remember earlier this month I posted a trailer for a new game called Star Horizon, a visually-stunning on-rails space shooter from Tabasco Interactive. If you missed that trailer, go check it out now. Seriously, I’ll wait. All done? Ok good, because Star Horizon is set to launch later this week, and today the developers have released another new trailer, this time a hands-on video of how the game is actually played using both the normal touchscreen controls and an iOS 7 controller.”
SteelSeries is set to appear at GDC from March 19th through March 21st to demonstrate their recently released Stratus MFi game controller with existing and upcoming games, as well as offer developers a discounted version of the gamepad.
SteelSeries, the industry leader in premium gaming peripherals, will offer game developers at GDC the opportunity to test the MFi-certified Stratus Wireless Gaming Controller for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch with some of the most popular, top-grossing games as well as new titles that are just launching at GDC.
Also during the show, SteelSeries will be introducing the SteelSeries Stratus Dev Kit, which will include an exclusive game developer price of $55 and free shipping. More details on where to sign-up will be released at the show.
The SteelSeries Stratus controller is not exactly a new release; it has been available for several months now, with good reviews and widespread availability at Apple Stores. With that said, hopefully this GDC appearance, and the reduced cost developer SKU, will spur further developer adoption of MFi controllers.
For existing owners of the SteelSeries Stratus controller, remember to update your controller’s firmware to the latest version. Major button lag issues were recently corrected in a downloadable firmware patch. For information and instructions about how to apply this patch, follow this link: SteelSeries Stratus Firmware Update
Side-scrolling platformer / strategy game Stickman Base Jumper has just been updated for MFi controller support. Developer Robert Szeleney is responsible for several otherMFi controller compatibleStickman games, though they play very differently from one another – Stickman Base Jumper is its own game.
Parachuting from a building is less scary with a stick figure
As a game, Stickman Base Jumper packs a surprisingly strategic gameplay mechanic behind its simple graphics. Your goal is to jump from the roof of a building to a goal somewhere else on the map. To do this, you can control 2 things: the position from which your character jumps and the point at which your character deploys the parachute, both slowing their fall and stopping forward momentum. Finishing a level must be done within a certain timer, meaning that if you deploy the parachute too early, you’ll still be in the air when the clock runs out. Deploy it too late, and you’ll miss the goal or crash into something.
Landing at the flag can be more difficult than it looks
Stickman Base Jumper is an entertaining game, with a simple and effective presentation, at a fair price. It’s completely free to play with ads, and a $1.99 in app purchase to remove the ads. No nonsense – controls are well implemented, levels are plentiful, there is no social network spam, timers, or premium currencies. If this game looks interesting to you, give it a download and enjoy yourself – it’s a lot of fun.
GDC (Game Developers Conference) is one of the biggest and most respected industry-focused video game conferences in the world. With the rise of iOS and mobile gaming, it has partly transitioned into becoming a huge venue for iOS App and hardware developers to showcase their wares and announce upcoming products.
While I’ll likely not be attending GDC myself this year, I will attempt to document the latest iOS related news from the conference, especially as it relates to game controllers. I’m not sure what to expect for this week, but the chances are good we’ll be hearing more about at least one of the rumored controllers from Moga, Zagg / iFrogz, or Razer.
While I’ll likely not be attending the conference itself, if any gamers or developers who are in the San Francisco area want to meet up, I am a Bay Area local. Send me an email or let me know on Twitter if you want to meet up, play some games, and chat about iPhones.
The long awaited “no more random crashes” update is now available
iOS 7.1 was released this morning for all iPhones and iPads capable of running iOS 7.
I can’t really think of a good reason for everyone out there NOT to install this update. Major performance improvements, important security fixes, a few new features, and no more random crashes on A7 powered devices!
I’m not sure yet whether this update provides any changes to MFi game controller compatibility, but I’ll be testing it to find out.
