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Feed Me Oil 2 Review

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January 3, 2014

Feed Me Oil 2
Developer: Holy Water Games
Publisher: Chillingo
Platforms: iPhone, iPad (Reviewed), iPod Touch
Release Date: 2nd January 2014
Price: $2.99 – Available Here

Overview

Puzzle games seem to be all the rage lately, especially when it comes to mobile gaming and I believe it is because they’re the most accessible, they’re easy to pick up and quick to put down when necessary, they’re basically everything that is good about portable gaming and the people over at Chillingo seem to know a good title when they see one. Feed Me Oil 2 is a sequel that has been long awaited by many puzzle-lovers and mobile gaming-enthusiasts, and it seems as though it has returned just as good as ever. It sticks to the classic system and all around art style that made the first game such a hit, although there doesn’t seem like a huge change; why fix what isn’t broken?

Gameplay

Feed Me Oil 2 basically plays the same as the first one but, for those of you who have played neither, I’ll take you through it bit by bit: You’re put onto different stages wherein which you must get a large amount of oil from one side of the stage to an empty and usually small hole somewhere within the stage, it’s not always on the other side of the level, it may be right under where the oil spout is but that’s where the puzzle comes in. You’re given a few different items that you can place throughout the stage to help lead the stream of oil to where it needs to be, items like long clock pieces, fans and small cannons all work to redirect the oil. If you’ve read my previous iOS game reviews you’ll know that I happen to love when a game is simple and easy, especially if it is for mobile device, yet keeps you entertained with a type of difficulty that is determined only by how well you think in puzzle situations and Feed Me Oil 2 seems to get it right on the nose. Simple, easy and challenging. This probably goes without saying but I think the level designs are great and very clever, half the credit goes the aesthetics of it (which I will talk about a little later) and the other half goes to the actual layout of obstacles for a player to overcome; some of them are quite obvious and some of them really make you think.

The game also has a star rating, the better you complete a level the better star rating you get, each level has three stars to obtain and getting the stars unlocks more levels for you so it gives you some incentive to actually go through the stages and do well rather than just rush through. There’s a help system in the game wherein which a small hand pops up on the screen and moves one of the items into the spot that it “should” be placed, this is to help in situations where you are utterly stuck, you cannot do it often but that was fine with me because I had a bad experience with the help option. When I actually used the hint option to move a piece of equipment around the stage it actually didn’t work properly, the little hand came out and moved a piece of equipment but when the oil started to flow it totally missed where the helping hand had put it, what makes it worse is that the piece was then locked in place forcing me to exit out of the level and re-entering and, while that doesn’t seem like a big deal, it DID get rid of one of my hint uses so I wasn’t too happy about that.

Visuals

The game has an odd aesthetic style to it that, although incredibly weird, does remind me of old children’s books where the environments are almost living though in the games case it seems as though the environments actually are living. Environments constantly move though they don’t move to get in your way or to disrupt the game, it works to show that the levels are more than just flat images and I think it was done nicely. A lot of the levels you play through are very soft-looking and very well designed, they’re anything but basic and they work to a nice degree. All the environments are extremely colourful and vibrant yet are designed in a very Tim Burton-esque vibe to it all, it works though because the whole theme of the game deals with the effects of oil within areas that cannot contain it…at least, that what it seems like. The physics of the actual oil hitting walls and sloshing over small bumps looked absolutely fantastic.

Audio

I actually didn’t quite mind the music within this game though I have to say it did get a little bit annoying after the fiftieth time I heard the song and it’s slight variations. The great thing about the music was how it fit within the visual style of the game, just playing the game while hearing the music and taking note of the environments allows you to see that they all kind of fit together like puzzle pieces. The music is very light-hearted, the best way I can describe it is like a slow country track, it doesn’t force you to speed through the game or anything, it actually encourages you to take your time with a level which is nice. I never thought I’d enjoy the sound of a banjo but I guess we learn something new about ourselves everyday. There really wasn’t much to the audio aspect of this game, there were the sounds of the oil splashing around the stage but apart from that it seemed like it was just the music which I’m not saying is a bad thing because it didn’t necessarily need it but I still think it couldn’t have hurt.

Overall

What else can I say about Feed Me Oil 2? It’s a great little game that has some fantastic looking level designs and an art style that’s quirky, different and makes for some nice environments. The game is easy to pick up and play without a second thought and it’s just as easy to put it down and pack it away once you’re done for a session, perfect for travelling and perfect for filling in time while waiting on something else but I’ll still say it’s a kind of game that you can sit there and get into even though I’m not the type of person to do so I can imagine others would. There are little things that this game could have done better but I can’t honestly say it took that much away from the full game, it’s just little things that you notice throughout the game. All in all it is a fantastic title that a lot of puzzle-lovers will really enjoy and for $2.99 there really isn’t much to loose.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

The Dark Eye: Blackguards Early Access now Includes Chapter 4

Jamie Laike Tsui

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January 3, 2014

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The Dark Eye: Blackguards is fast approaching its release date. As part of Steam’s Early Access program, Daedalic Entertainment has been releasing chapters of their upcoming RPG every few weeks. The game is composed of five chapters, with the fourth chapter being released this week. The fifth and final chapter will follow near the end of January.

The Dark Eye: Blackguards is set in the wildly popular pen and paper RPG series The Dark Eye. The game follows a band of criminals seeking to survive the long arm of justice and save the world. The completed game will be released on January 24th, 2014 with over forty hours of gameplay. The beta is currently available on Steam for $24.99.

Golden Time Episode 11 Impressions

James Mapley

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January 3, 2014

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Golden Time
Episode 11 – Trouble Party

Money troubles – We’ve all had them, we all hate them, and as a student I know them far too well. In fact, after fate tried to do math by adding my laptop to a pint of ginger ale, putting me nearly a grand into the red, you could say that I’ve become a bit of an expert on them lately. If it weren’t for my lovely family fattening me up over Christmas I’d probably find myself in the same position as Akihisa Yoshii from Baka to Test, cutting a block of noodles in half in a never ending loop until I end up with infinite meals. Luckily, I don’t have a girlfriend on top of that or else I would be in some real trouble. The same cannot be said for Tada Banri however. This episode highlighted his money woes as he tried to scrape together enough money, against Kouko’s wishes, to take her on the beach date that she sounded so passionate about last episode.

When you’re at university there are a lot of ways to make money. Nowadays, with the wonders of the internet and its ever expanding forms of media, you don’t even have to leave your house to make a decent wage. What I can absolutely guarantee is that there are a million ways of paying for your next meal that beat having to put on a skin-coloured pair of budgie-smugglers and serve drinks to a room of people of differing and questionable sexualities. Call me cynical, but I think Mitsuo might have gotten the short end of the stick on this one… One group that will be making a few easy pennies from this episode though is J.C. Staff judging by how many pictures of Mitsuo’s crotch adorned my Facebook news feed when this episode went live. I guess that’s what I get for bearing the double edged sword of having a lot of female friends that like anime. But, I digress.

No doubt, the sight of Banri dressed as a maid and Mitsuo basically naked was hilarious and a welcome break from the angst that has been bubbling underneath the surface of Golden Time’s main plot for the last few weeks. However, I would argue that now Banri’s injury has subsided and (outside of a maid costume) it looks like he has his head straight again, the insight into how he feels is a lot more significant and heartfelt. What could have been put down to a fever before is now a genuine thought constantly gnawing at him in the back of his mind.

What I will say about this episode is that in all honesty it felt unneeded and as if J.C felt the need to spoon feed the audience. Anybody that had been paying even the slightest bit of attention to the last 2 episodes could tell you that Banri still has feelings for Linda and that Kouko has reason to feel insecure. The only part that was actually essential to the story was the final scene of the episode where we found out that Kouko was the one that took the photo of Banri and Linda. Now that she knows Banri has been lying to her and his bad guy side is finally revealed, it will be interesting to see how she reacts. What I am more interested to see though is how Banri reacts. As I have to keep reiterating, he seems like a nice guy, but his incredibly realistic flaws make him a bit of a bad person. Like most men and women, he has everything he could want, but still he wants more and he can’t help that. For the story to end in a satisfying way I think Banri needs to decide whether he wants to live his future as his past or his present. We still have another half of this anime to go and it will be a long time before we find out what he decides, but goddamn is this anime doing a good job of keeping me coming back in hope of finding resolution.

That’s it for this episode’s impressions (I’m nearly caught up!). Thank you for following me and my fellow reviewers in 2013 and i hope I can continue to bring you hopefully enjoyable and informative impressions of some of my favourite series throughout 2014. Keep an eye out for Winter 2013 picks where I’ll be telling you what I think you should be watching next season. I’ll be picking up another series to accompany the latter half of Golden Time and I am very excited about it so make sure to stick around on our Anime Impressions page to find out what it is!

Check out more Golden Time impressions HERE.

“Hozuki No Reitetsu” Licensed By Sentai Filmworks/Streamed By Crunchyroll

Frank Inglese

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January 3, 2014

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Two fantastic pieces of news regarding the upcoming supernatural/slice-of-life Anime “Hozuki No Reitetsu” have just been announced and they both deal with the licensing and distribution of the series. To start off; Sentai Filmworks announced that they have acquired the license for the series despite it not yet being released which is a daring move for a company like that. They have said they will release the series though select digital outlets soon which may mean that they will stream episodes as they air in Japan, they also noted that they plan for a home video release after the initial run of the Anime series. Let’s just hope the Anime is a smash hit because it seems as though Sentai Filmworks are really taking chances with this one.

The second piece of news is that Crunchyroll have announced that they have picked up the streaming rights to the series. It will begin its run on Crunchyroll on the 9th of January at 2:00pm and will be released every Thursday from then on. Premium Members, as always, will be the very first to lay eyes on the new Anime at the time and date that was just mentioned, Free Members will have to wait an extra week before they can watch the show but I suppose that just gives them more incentive to sign up for a Premium Membership. It will be available in the following countries: United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Turkey, Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

“Hozuki No Reitetsu” is a dark comedy that revolves around supernatural beings living in hell, most notably; Hozuki, the assistant to King Enma who just so happens to be the king of hell. We follow his story and the stories of those around him as they go about their daily lives in hell, from taking down a rampaging monster to guiding a lost soul to their eternal damnation it seems as though anything can happen and the sadistic Hoozuki will be there every step of the way. It’s looking like a great series and, as mentioned above, it begins its stream on the 9th of January so keep an eye out for it.

Capcom Kicks off the New Year with a Deep Down Trailer

Jamie Laike Tsui

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January 3, 2014

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Capcom is ringing in the new year with a trailer for the upcoming PlayStation 4 title Deep Down. The trailer demos what looks like an intense boss battle between a giant monster and several swordsmen. The video caps off with a classic treasure chest mimic monster.

Deep Down is Capcom’s upcoming dungeon crawler for the PlayStation 4. Players will explore New York City in 2094 and various dungeons located in the past. The game will be free to play and will be released sometime in 2014. Deep Down utilizes Capcom’s new Panta Rhei engine. The engine is designed for exclusive use on the PlayStation 4.

PlayStation Plus Free Game January Lineup Trailer Released

Jamie Laike Tsui

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January 3, 2014

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Sony is upping the ante for Microsoft’s Games with Gold by unleashing possibly the best free game line up yet. PlayStation Plus subscribers now have access to BioShock Infinite, DMC: Devil May Cry, Don’t Starve, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, and more. Gamers can take a sneak peak at the titles with the new January Lineup Trailer.

The games are for all three Sony consoles and are available for free for all subscribers over the age of 18 in the Canada and the United States who maintain their PlayStation Plus subscription. PlayStation Plus subscriptions are available for $49.99 for a year or $17.99 for three months.

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed iOS Review

Andrew Day

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January 3, 2014

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Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed iOS Review

Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed
Developer:Sumo Digital
Publisher: Sega
Platforms: iPhone (Reviewed), iPad, Android
Release Date: Jan 2nd, 2014
Price: $0.99 – Available on iTunes and Google Play

Overview

Kart Racers are some of the most fun, party-oriented racing games that people can play. For an inconceivable amount of time the title of the best kart racer was undisputedly defended by Mario Kart. That was until Sonic joined the fray with his own racing series – Sonic & Sega All-Stars. Last year’s instalment proved to be a massive hit with console owners and now that fun has been ported over to the mobile platform. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is underlined by bright colours, a loveable yet nostalgic cast and awesome level design which all combine together to make the first major kart racer to hit the mobile platform to be by and large a success.

Gameplay

While Sonic & All-Stars doesn’t bring too much new to the world of kart racers, what it does bring is a lot of fun. It all boils down to the standard formula of racing a bunch of colourful characters around a track, while picking up items to impede your opponent’s progress. The game’s single player experience is split into either Grand Prix or World Tour Mode. Grand Prix is the same as you would come to expect from a racing game – pitting you against a bunch of AI-Controlled racers through a series of tracks. World Tour is where the game really gets interesting.

World Tour has you playing against the AI but with slight twists and deviations. Each stage typically has a set challenge or theme to race through. These challenges can range from standard racers to drift challenges or even races that take place entirely in the air. There are five different World Tour campaigns with 8 events in each for a total of 40 events for players to race through.

While single-player is a big part of the game, this is a racer and that means we need some sweet multiplayer. Luckily Sonic & All-Stars brings it in spades. Players can race alongside their friends through local cross-platform play, or also against strangers across the net using Game Center.

The controls for the game itself can be a little difficult to pick up and play. While most mobile racers have you controlling the direction by tilting the device left or right, All-Stars goes back to the old virtual thumbstick. The thumbstick can be a little unresponsive at times, forcing you to oversteer in order to maneuver your kart properly. Many players will adapt to this rather quickly but it is still a little jarring when you first start playing.

Visuals & Audio
Sonic & All-Stars is actually a really nice game to look at. While it isn’t pushing the boundaries of the the iPhone’s hardware it features a bright colour pallet and a set of wild and varied race tracks that just look great.

The game features a slew of different racers that showcase not only the sonic family, but also a bunch of Sega heavy hitters. Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph also joins the ensemble with his signature look. Seeing all of these different characters racing against one another is a dream come true for anyone who grew up with the infamous hedgehog and his crew.

The race tracks all look amazing and are completely different from one another. The game keeps you on your toes with level design that changes rapidly (making use of boat and plane transformation mechanics similar to recent Mario Kart titles) leaving you wondering if it was even the same stage to begin with.

The game sounds just as good as it looks. The soundtrack is composed of a bunch of songs that franchise fans will immediately remember and that all manage to fit perfectly with the theme and tone of the game as well as the individual levels. The sound effects of lobbing a firework bomb at your friends are satisfying and reall capture the spirit of the game perfectly.

Overall

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed is an enjoyable kart racer for mobile devices. While I doesn’t bring anything overly new or exciting to the table, what it does present is a lot of fun. Some awkward controls may hinder players initially but you will quickly adapt. The games biggest draw is without a doubt the ability to play online, no matter where you are. Sonic & his friends have definitely made the successful jump from console to mobile.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

Endless Nights Released on iOS

Amelia Craigie

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January 3, 2014

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Check out the brand new iOS game Endless Nights, a rogue-like role-playing game by Nations Software. This game has attempted to tackled the problem of players getting bored of replaying the same old game and quests by creating a different experience each time you play it.

This sets Endless Nights to be a true adventure survival game, partially due to its no retries, only game overs. To balance out the frustration of death, there is a permanence system which allows players to choose a specific profile, such as the profile that allows some gold or gems to be carried over to the next character.

The game has a play-as-you-want skill system to avoid characters being exclusive to a class types; the choices players make direct their class. This again mixes up the game play as each time you can play any way you want.

There are also loads of other aspects to the mobile game such as a crafting system, themed areas, ability combinations, randomized quests and multiple end-game bosses which pushes Endless Nights to provide countless adventures and an endless amount of action.

Find it here on iTunes at AU$0.99. The game is priced low so even those with tight wallets can have a crack at this one.

King’s Facebook Hit Farm Heroes Saga Now Available on Mobile Platforms

Press Releases

Philip Federico

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January 3, 2014

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King’s Facebook Hit Farm Heroes Saga Now Available on Mobile Platforms

Beat the holiday blues with a trip down to the farm!

LONDON & NEW YORK, 2 JANUARY 2014: King, the world’s leading casual games company and creator of global hit game Candy Crush Saga, today announced that Farm Heroes Saga, its hugely popular and loveable match-three Facebook title, is now available to download for free on iOS and Android platforms.

Perfect to pick-up and play anytime, anywhere, Farm Heroes Saga is a super cute and social game which challenges players to switch and match various selections of lovable ‘Cropsie’ characters in rows of three or more, within specified move limits. With 100 levels available at launch, players can look forward to endless strawberry switching and carrot crunching chaos.

Farm Heroes Saga incorporates similar gameplay mechanics to King’s award-winningCandy Crush Saga, while also featuring a number of new and distinct ways of playing a match-3 puzzle. Additional gameplay elements include rechargeable boosters and regular challenging ‘Boss’ battles where players take on the evil ‘Rancid the Raccoon’ who is attempting to spoil the peaceful nature of the farm.

Having first launched on Facebook in March 2013, Farm Heroes Saga is now a top three Facebook game (AppData Dec 2013) with an extensive and active community. Its popularity stems from its colourful design, wide range of loveable characters and distinct and original gameplay features.

Farm Heroes Saga on mobile will seamlessly synchronise with Facebook so players can progress, unlock new levels and access leaderboards wherever and whenever they like, without losing any of their progress.

“Ever since we first launched the original installment of Farm Heroes Saga on Facebook ,the mobile version has been one of our community’s most requested titles,” says Tommy Palm, Games Guru at King. “We hope that its snackable nature and rewarding progression system will prove to be as much of a hit with mobile players as it has been with our Facebook fans. We look forward to welcoming new players down to the farm!”

Farm Heroes Saga is available to download for free now on iOS (iPhone, iPad and iPod touch) and on Google Play for Android.

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About King:
King is the world’s leading casual games company, with more than 1 billion gameplays per day globally. King offers more than 175 exclusive games in 14 languages through mobile, Facebook and the website www.king.com. The company has offices in Barcelona, Bucharest, London, Malta, Malmo, San Francisco and Stockholm. For more information, visit http://about.king.com.

Ice Block Breaker Surfaces on iPhone and iPad

Vicky Martin

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January 2, 2014

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Crave Creative Games have announced the recent release of their classic mobile game, Ice Block Breaker for iPhone and iPad, following the debut on Android. The app designer, Mike Hempfling is well known for his development on Farm Ninja, Math Whiz Flashcards and Stickman Drop.

Ice Block Breaker revolves around a penguin collecting fallen items from ice blocks, instead of performing a dance number from Happy Feet.

The indie mobile app, Ice Block Breaker features;

PowerUp Abilities: Big, Small and Freeze Paddle, Ammo and Bonus Ball
Earn additional points by collecting fallen items
Levels increase with difficulty
Cool Penguin Ice Theme

Why not break the ice today? Ice Block Breaker is currently available to download from the App Store on iTunes here for only $0.99!