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Zombie Runaway iPhone Review

Matthew Vella
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8

Zombie Runway
Platform: iPhone (Reviewed), iPad, iPod Touch
Publisher: Com2usS
Developer:Com2auS
Genre: Action
Release Date: February 17
Price: $1.19 BUY NOW!

Zombie Runaway is a simple and fun game that is easy to enjoy for all gamers of all ages, for both hardcore and casual players. It’s fun, addictive, full of character and in short it’s just a blast to play. Fans of games like Doodle Jump, Angry Birds, and Bewjewled should definitely look into picking up this title. A must have for anyone wanting a enjoyable quick game to waste time.

Presentation and Gameplay

Players take control of ‘Chubbie’ a fat zombie who happens to be the last zombie alive (or undead?), and is being chased by humans. To survive you must run away from them in a giant graveyard. The path is never ending, and the further you get the harder obstacles become, and you must get through it all without being killed….again. The farther you run the more points you get, trying to achieve a high score.  There are three buttons that appear on screen: left, right and jump. They’re simple, responsive and work well. It’s very pick-up-and play and it’s learning curve will last about half a second at the most. Collecting coins gains you extra points and jumping on a ‘booster’ will make you invincible for a short burst of time, allowing you to run over tombstones and other obstacles for bonus points. Achievements can be gained and they can unlock selectable rewards which are human weapons stuck into your skull, that get you extra points and similar advantages while making the protagonist look a little humorous. There really isn’t much more to say here other than it becomes very addictive trying to beat high scores and seeing how far you can it.

 

Further emphasis on this is seen in the ‘blitz’ mode, which has a timer and when it goes up it’s game over. What makes this extra fun is that the time can be extended, so you really get the feeling that your fighting/running for your life here. To make things better there are plenty of connectivity options, with scores to post to facebook and the com2us hub, so you really get a nice feeling of competition that shows much potential for this game to take off and gain a rather large fan base. Levels are quick and fun, so if you have a minute bus ride or something you can just bring out your iPhone quickly and do it there, or a quick game while your in the bathroom, or a quick game while waiting for your 2 minute noodles to cook or whatever, which makes it very ideal for casual gamers and a nice game to have in your pocket. The only real flaws it has is that it lacks depth, but it’s a game that doesn’t require depth. It would be nice though if we had other areas or levels to run through other than a graveyard. Hopefully in the future com2us will consider updates with other levels or themes, similar to how Lima Sky does with Doodle Jump. Zombie Runaway also has a nice story to it as explained in it’s press release and in the app store, but it’s a shame its not explored or even mentioned in the game itself. It would’ve been nice to see something about it, but perhaps it wasn’t in the interests of the developer and maybe they wanted to keep the game simple as it is. Either way it doesn’t effect or change the gameplay at all.

Graphics and Audio

Zombie Runaway contains some nice scenery and some nice character models. Textures look great and character design is cute and well done. Same can be said for the artwork accompanying the menus and such, as they are bursting with style and look beautiful. Audio on the other hand ranges from good to great, with the soundtrack being a bit of a mixed bag. In game its upbeat and fun, and in the menu’s it’s a smoother, easy going beat. There are a few burp and fart noises heard in the main game soundtrack which feel a bit too childish and a bit cheesy, but it still is a decent track. Sound effects are good and they work well within the game.

Conclusion

Zombie Runaway is full of charm, style and character, you can play through a level in short periods of time, you can compete for high scores and you can connect with your friends with ease. It’s simple but not too simple, addictive and fun. It’s also less than $1.50 in the app store, so it’s great value there. It’s not perfect, and it won’t be your most favorite game you’ve ever played in your life, but players will love it in short bursts and it’s a great game to play to kill time. It may be simple and some may criticize it for it, but it’s simplicity is what makes it so fun to play. A must have for high score junkies and fans of casual games.

PROS

  • Easy ‘pick up and play’ controls
  • Both normal and blitz mode are both very addictive!
  • Achievements, rewards and items.
  • Post scores to Facebook!
  • Great graphics and cute character design
  • Lots of fun

CONS

  • Could use more themes/levels to run through
  • Can get repetitive, best enjoyed in short bursts rather than played for hours on end.
  • Some gamers may find it a bit too simple

9-5-capsules-out-of-10

Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Behind-the-scenes trailer

Jack Joly
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2

A new behind-the-scenes video has emerged, giving a look at the story and design process of Lord of the Rings War in the North, the Action/Adventure Role-playing game from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Snowblind Studios.

The trailer takes a look at some of the in-game locations which will be a completely new phenomenon to all, as the War depicted in the films and books was based in the South of Middle Earth. It also gives some commentary from leading figures from the development team about the game, on top of some explanation of how they came to create these new areas through their artistic reading between the lines of Tolkein and Peter Jackson’s works.

Nintendo Holding Art-Inspired Wii Auction for a Cause…

Dustin Spencer
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7

It is always nice to see the big companies giving back, especially when the company in question is Nintendo. Nintendo of Australia have commissioned four of the country’s top artists to paint inspired artworks on eight Wii consoles to benefit the indigenous education program and charity Shalom Gamarada. The Shalom Gamarada Scholarship Plan will receive all funds raised by the consoles, using the charity to further encourage indigenous students to complete their university education with some financial support to those in need. The program has already helped make a significant impact in lowering the drop-out rate within the indigenous community, so this would definitely qualify as a good cause.

The consoles themselves will come in custom built acrylic display cases and will all be non-playable to ensure art preservation. If you happen to win on a bid though and still want to play on the system, Nintendo has bidders covered as winners will also receive a separate functioning system.

“Having these important artists create these pieces for Wii will not only raise much needed funds for indigenous education, it will also open new doors by raising awareness to people who would not normally be familiar with the work we do at Shalom Gamarada,” commented Jenny Hillman, Curator of Shalom Gamarada Ngiyana Yana.

“Some of the artists involved can boast selling individual pieces upwards of $20,000 and what they have created for Wii are exceptional, one-off originals that I am sure will draw national attention for the eBay auction,” added Hillman.

Highly acclaimed artists involved in this exciting project include Gloria Petyarre, Barbara Weir, Emily Pwerle and sister Gayla Pwerle.

I think the idea of turning video game systems into art pieces for charity is fantastic and for Nintendo to be behind such a project is even better. Now I know many of us out there cannot afford to throw down $20,000 for a console, but if you have the funds and want a conversation piece of a lifetime as well as helping students in need, by all means throw down a bid. If you are interested in bidding or just curious to see the items being auctioned off and what the eventual pricetag ends up at, check out http://stores.ebay.com.au/inDemand-Causes/wii between the listing date of Feb. 25th and the end date of March 6th.

Xbox live schedule for the second half of February (2011)

Dylan Radcliffe
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12
Xbox live schedule for the second half of February (2011)

The Xbox Live house party continues, and Tom Clancy rolls out the deals with tons of DLC discounted at great prices.  Check out the schedule for the second half of february, collect your wallets and split up the funds because someone won’t have much left by the time February is over.

Xbox Live Arcade – House Party

  • Bejeweled® Blitz LIVE (PopCap Games) – February 23 – 800 MSP
  • Beyond Good & Evil HD (Ubisoft Entertainment) – March 2 – 800 MSP

Deal of the Week – “Tom Clancy” – Discount Period: February 21-27

  • Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Co-op Collection (Ubisoft Entertainment) – February 21 – 200 MSP (50% off)
  • Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 Co-op Collection 2 (Ubisoft Entertainment) – February 21 – 200 MSP (50% off)
  • Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction Deniable Ops: Insurgency (Ubisoft Entertainment) – February 21 – 400 MSP (50% off)
  • Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter Chapter 2 (Ubisoft Entertainment) – February 21 – 300 MSP (50% off)
  • Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. Air Supremacy (Ubisoft Entertainment) – February 21 – 400 MSP (50% off)
  • Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X.  2 All-in-one Pack (Ubisoft Entertainment) – February 21 – 400 MSP (50% off)
  • Tom Clancy’s EndWar Escalation (Ubisoft Entertainment) – February 21 – 200 MSP (50% off)
  • Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (Ubisoft Entertainment) – February 21 – 600 MSP (50% off)
  • Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction Outfit  (Ubisoft Entertainment) – February 21 – 200 MSP (50% off)

Member’s Choice:

  • PAC-MAN Championship Edition DX (NAMCO BANDAI Games) – February 28 – 400 MSP (50% off)

Games on Demand

  • Bayonetta (SEGA) – February 22
  • Need for Speed SHIFT (Electronic Arts) – March 1
  • Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar Games) – March 1
  • Transformers: War for Cybertron (Activision) – March 1
  • Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (Ubisoft Entertainment) – March 1

Avatar Marketplace

  • Homefront Collection (THQ) – February 22

L.A. Noire Artwork for your Desktop

Dylan Radcliffe
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5
L.A. Noire Artwork for your Desktop

A new piece of L.A. Noire art is available for your viewing and ready to be placed on your deasktop.

The Fallen Starlet is now available as a hi-res desktop background, in all of the popular wallpaper sizes (including mobile formats) as well as avatars and buddy icons from the Downloads section of L.A. Noire site and the Rockstar site.

You can see a small version of the image above. Check out the full size, save it, and use it. Check out the other images while you are at it as well.

LA Noire is coming to the Xbox 360® and PlayStation®3 on May 20, 2011 in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe as well as May 17, 2011 in the United States.

Konami Announces Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights for the 3DS..

Dustin Spencer
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2
Konami Announces Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights for the 3DS..

Who says Professor Layton has to be the only puzzle solving sleuth on the 3DS? Today, Konami announced a new title for the 3DS by the name of “Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights” which will put players in the role of Jean-Pierre Lautrec in a 19th Century setting. Launtrec is more of a historian than a detective though, as the point of the game is to guide Launtrec and his bubbly assistant, Sophie as they gather clues by completing puzzles and riddles to track down “living treasures” in a world filled with characters with rich personalities.

While the plot is intriguing, the way the game is played is what caught my attention. Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights will completely utilize the 3D features on the console to solve and decipher the many logic and environmentally-based puzzles and riddles within the game so a sharp eye will needed in order to progress. There are also many rival professors and other perils that Sophie and the Doctor must overcome as they move forward along their quest.

Konami may have a future franchise on their hands here if everything is at good as it looks so far, and with the game relying on the 3D, this will certainly be a title to keep an eye on during the flood of 3DS titles that are coming out this year. You can check out the screenshots below to get a first look at some of the settings and characters as well. These screens don’t reveal too much, but I can say I am really digging the animation style right off. Keep checking back as well, as we will be sure to bring you even more on Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights as new information comes forward.

Mike Patton returns as The Darkness in The Darkness II

Travis Bruno
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2

One of the best parts about The Darkness back when it was released back in 2007 was the fact that The Darkness itself was constantly mocking Jackie and constantly providing evil comments about what was happening in the game itself. Now what would a sequel be if the man who voiced The Darkness wasn’t going to return to provide his great talents to the demon?

Well we won’t even have to worry about that because Mike Patton who did the voice work for The Darkness in the first game will be returning to voice the sequel. Mike Patton is the front man for the band Faith No More so it is good to see him taking time out of his rock career to voice the demon again. Mike Patton himself is glad to be back in the role and has been quoted saying:

“It feels really good to be the bad guy, and The Darkness is as bad as it gets. I’ve read through the script and Jackie is going to be a brutally tortured soul. I’m looking forward to making his life a living hell.”

Natsume Venture into the 3DS with Reel Fishing Paradise…

Dustin Spencer
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2

With just about every major publisher starting to reveal titles for the 3DS, Natsume have now revealed what will be their first game on the console. Surprisingly, instead of a Rune Factory or Harvest Moon title, gamers will get to see the next entry in the Reel Fishing series, Reel Fishing Paradise 3D. Reel Fishing Paradise 3D will have players travel in over a dozen “stunning 3D” locations to become a “master angler”. In true Natsume style, this title will bring a lot of customization to the sport of fishing, letting players mix-and-match rods, reels, lines, lures or bait. There will also be much to collect such as rare items and tools for you fishing quest, including items branded with rarity.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing the best-selling fishing series into the third dimension,” said Hiro Maekawa, President and CEO at Natsume.
“With environments that boast stunning depth and fish that leap off the screen at you, Reel Fishing Paradise 3D is a fishing experience like nothing you’ve ever seen before!”

As well as this announcement, the company also released the first set of screens (which you can view below), and they are looking sharp and I can easily see why this series was chosen to take a venture into 3D. There is not official date at the moment on “Reel Fishing Paradise 3D” but we do however know it won’t be too long of a wait after the big launch as Natsume have set a release window of Spring 2011.

What Mario Kart would be like in real life

Justin Mienkiewicz
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6

Ever wonder what Mario Kart would be like if it existed in real life?  Youtube user Freddiew wondered the same thing and made this pretty awesome video depicting such a thing.  The production values are pretty good, special effects look pretty realistic and the whole video is pretty comical.  Check it out!

1 Million Dragon Age II demo downloads unlocks in-game items

Travis Bruno
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4

Free items for a game that you want to purchase is already a good thing, but wrapping up these free items in a demo that we will already be downloading anyways is a great gift from the developers. BioWare has created what they are calling a Call to Arms challenge which will make fans of the series have to gather over one million demo downloads between February 22nd when it is released and March 1st.

If the one million mark is reached then BioWare will release two special items that will be free in the retail copy of the game. Two books titled Lothering’s Lament and The Far Cliffs of Kirkwall. Lothering’s Lament will give players an XP boost and unique perks while Kirkwall will give players free money to start their journey with.

Downloads on any console will go towards the goal so that means that all you have to do is download at least one demo and you will be doing your part. Or of course download it on all three if you can. You can track the progress of the download on the Call to Arms Page but I have little doubt that the one million mark will be reached.

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