Gang$tar: West Coast Hustle is Live!

Gameloft’s latest offering, impressive-looking Grand Theft Auto clone Gang$tar: West Coast Hustle, debuted in the App Store today for $6.99. With 173 MB of sandbox-style gameplay glory, it promises to be the center of attention in the iDevice gaming community. Expect a review in the coming week. We’ll see if it lives up to the hype. And peep the newest trailer below.

Gameloft Drops Yet Another iPhone Adaptation

Mobile gaming titan Gameloft has just announced two new iPhone releases, a full-featured football title, NFL 2010 and an impressive-looking FPS called Modern Combat: Sandstorm. Both releases draw immediate comparison to existing console titles: Electronic Art’s Madden series and Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare franchise respectively. This should come as no surprise to followers of the production outfit, however. The majority of Gameloft’s titles seem to be modeled after established heavyweights. Have you, for instance, taken a gander at Gangstar: West Coast Hustle? Everything from the character models to the player interface smacks egregiously of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

The question remains though, whether Gameloft’s unabashed biting is a actually a bad thing. A certain faction of iGamers contend that Gameloft is filling a void that these console heavyweights have glossed over.  From Touch Arcade’s Modern Combat comment thread:

August 4, 2009 at 1:31 pm arn says:  “it’s their business model. I don’t see a problem with it. If these major franchises want to port over to the iPhone, then I’m sure people will be happy to buy them. In the meanwhile, Gameloft does a pretty good job.”

Arn makes a valid point, though I’m sure some of the developer’s whose ideas are serving as inspiration for Gameloft’s titles aren’t so forgiving – if they’re even aware of the practice, that is.

On the other hand are those sided against Gameloft, posing the question, if they truly are the eminent iDevice game developer, why can’t they come up with ideas of their own? Also from TA:

August 4, 2009 at 1:01 pm MrCompleteyl says:  “They should change their name from Gameloft to Knockoffloft, all they do is take popular games and make generic versions of them. Modern Combat? Seriously? Trying to bank that consumers will confuse it with Modern Warfare?…”

Alright, so this post has a bit more depth than your average quick fix entry, but I’m inclined to agree with the hater camp. Believe me, I understand Gameloft’s business model – it’s certainly less financially risky to put out re-hashed classics with built-in fanbases. But this platform should warrant innovation, both in story and gameplay mechanics. Rolando, I’m winking in your direction.

Still, I can’t deny the appeal of their games. And I applaud Castle of Magic as an original, albeit trademark title. Also the  trailer for Modern Combat makes me smile. Go figure.

Top 5 Upcoming iPhone Games Worthy of Salivation

Every once in a while the giddy jitters of a pre-pubescent Christmas morning come rushing back to me. I can still vividly recall the euphoria I felt when I unwrapped my N64 in the Winter of ‘96. In fact, the experience wasn’t unlike this age-old internet gem. What can I say, I’m a red-blooded American consumer, and the prospect of something fresh and novel in the world of gaming sets me a flutter like a steamy cup of joe.  I’ve recently come across a slew of upcoming iPhone titles with this capacity to enthrall. And seeing as it’s always more fun to share your pre-release gaming glee with others, I present you with a bundle of upcomers that promise to further legitimize the iPhone as a top-notch gaming platform.

1) Freeverse’s Warp Gate

Release Date: TBA (in active development)

Announced at the World Wide Developer conference in early June, Warp Gate is best described as a deep space role-playing, combat and trading simulation title.  In other words, a portable Escape Velocity successor, with a 3D graphics engine. Well, at least I hope Freeverse packs in as much depth as Ambrosia’s Mac-tastic classic. According to TouchArcade they’ve promised six separate organizations to join, a variable commodity market and more than 32 galaxies to explore. The only feature conspicuously absent from conversation surrounding the release is online play – something that EV never managed to implement in spite of fan pressure. But gamers can dream. And I’m sure a little fan feedback wouldn’t help: Freeverse contact info : )

2) Ngmoco’s Killtest

Release Date: Summer 09

If you didn’t think the iPhone was capable of handling a fluid first-person shooter with online play, then you probably haven’t seen the trailer for Killtest. Ngmoco’s daftly-named title (previously known as  Livefire) is being hyped as the iPhone’s Halo, and for good reason. With the ability to play over Wi-Fi or 3G, match challenges delivered via push notification, and a complex profile ranking system, it definitely merits the comparison. Those apprehensive about controlling an FPS  title on a button-less device should know that – unlike the control schemes of other shooters in the App Store – Killtest employs a touch anywhere interface. The left side of the screen is dedicated to movement, while the right side handles aiming. Though you can fire manually, your weapon is automatically triggered when a target occupies your crosshairs. Glossing over its horridly uninspired title, Killtest should take the App Store by storm when it drops later this summer.

3) Blacksmithgames’ Plushed

Release Date: 8/09

I normally wouldn’t admit that I follow iPhone game developers on my personal Twitter account, but the folks at BlackSmithGames have been running a pretty clever viral campaign for their upcoming platformer, Plushed. The final price of the game will be proportional to the number of follower’s on Blacksmithgames’ Twitter page. So more followers = a lower price point (it’s $3.99 now if you’re keeping tabs) and you can win one of several iTunes gift cards as well. Promotional strategies aside, the game looks very promising. You’ll play as a knightly bunny rabbit, traversing beautiful hand-painted terrain and interacting with over 20 unique characters through 9 expansive levels. According to the aforementioned twitter account, Plushed will offer mutliple control options – a decision the developers made based on direct follower feedback. If nothing else, the visuals are unlike anything in the App Store, described by the devs as an intersection between the “happy world of childhood fairytales [and] a somewhat macabre twist [of] dark humor.” As a fan of Tim Burton’s haunting work it’s suffice to say that I’ll be keeping a creepily close watch on this title.

4) Gameloft’s Gangstar: West Coast Hustle

Release Date: Summer 2009

Big dog mobile powerhouse Gameloft recently leaked screens and gameplay footage (not to mention a viral media campaign) for their newest iPhone venture, Grand Theft, uh, I mean Gangstar: West Coast Hustle.  Yes it’s as clear as Mr. Wonka’s glass elevator from whence the inspiration for this title came.  But that doesn’t mean it’s an extremely ambitious and potentially incredible project. Gameloft likes to push boundaries, and putting out the first fully-3D, open-world sandbox title for the iPhone is no exception.  I’m sure the App Store censor-police will have fun with this one, but my main concern isn’t as family-oriented. As one of the many iPhone owners who hasn’t upgraded to the 3GS, I’m a little worried about frame rate issues. I can’t even begin to imagine how Gameloft intends to populate an entire city, let alone pack in some decent mission depth. But I certainly admire their efforts to push the hardware.

5) Mountain Sheep’s Minigore

Release Date: 7/09 (submitted for App Store approval)

Finnish developer Mountain Sheep has teamed up with Chillingo (as publisher) to bring this top-down shooter with “tiny creatures” and “big adventure” to the iPhone gaming community. Don’t get it twisted, this isn’t a re-skinned iDracula (same publisher, but developed by Moregames Entertainment). I mean, yeah, the control scheme is identical and the action (judging by gameplay footage) understandly draws parallels. But the similarities end there. The aesthetic, flaunting beautiful (hand-drawn?) backgrounds with isometrically-angled 3D character models, is friggin’ impressive. It kind of reminds me of the Lego videogame series, especially considering the blocky nature of John Gore, the game’s protagonist. And what say I of the gameplay?  Three types of enemies (which can nest inside eachother), three weapons, special powerups, a self-described “Monkey Island” score and bum Bum BUM . . . co-operative multiplayer with the first free update. Did I mention it’ll retail for $.99? Spiffy.

Honorable Mention: Ice Hill’s Vampire Origins

Castle of Magic Review

Well would you look at this, Sam Sles actually posts more than once in a fortnight. Has the world gone mad?

Anyway…

Today I’ll be wrapping my noodly gaming appendages around Gameloft’s latest offering, Castle of Magic, a platformer with some serious presentation glam.

The iPhone has seen a fair amount of platforming action. From Toy Bot Diaries, to Shift to retro classic Sonic the muthafucking Hedgehog, it’s a popular genre that translates to the device relatively well. In fact, the supposed limitations of a button-less gaming platform have birthed a series of innovations completely foreign to the DS or PSP (See Shift, Ignite, Rolando, etc.)

But a true, dedicated platformer – one that relies on the precise control of movement, jumping and attacking – remains a challenge on the device. iSkeptics maintain that a virtual button interface simply can’t deliver low-latency input response, and so control scheme mastery is nothing more than a digital pipe dream. But it appears that Gameloft dares to pack this pipe and smoke it, offering a classic platformer with little to none iPhone-specific control features.

So the question remains, can classic platforming exist (and flourish, even?) on the iPhone?

Well naysayers, I believe Castle of Magic is your answer. Through five worlds, 20 plus levels and several boss stages, CoM proves to overcome the “limitations of the device,” with gameplay that’ll have you crying “hallelujah this shit has old school ritz.”

In CoM, you control a nameless (his name might’ve been mentioned once, either way it’s clearly forgettable) boy magician whose female gaming partner has been kidnapped. The culprit is a heinous sorcerer Nefastax who tasks the boy with conquering several in-castle game worlds in order to recapture his ladyfriend. The story is garden variety platformer faire, and other than some clever quips, it offers no compelling entry-point into the gameplay. Whatever. A lucrative plot would’ve been nice, but Gameloft  appears to allocate their production resources elsewhere (if you’re reading this Gameloft, my writing services are cheap and gamer friendly.)

Let’s move on to the vizzy’s (that’s visuals for you non-abbreviation-savvy readers). Castle of Magic looks great. If you’ve played Klonoa: Door to Phantomile for the Playstation then you’ll feel right at home in this magical 2.5 dimensional world of vibrant backgrounds and polygonal characters. Everything from the in-game menus, to boss-battle cut scenes is polished. This is what iPhone gaming should be. And Gameloft really racks up some presentation points on this one.

The ONLY drawback in the graphics department stems from the incredible amount of detail the developers were able to scrunch into each world environment. Occasionally, when hopping along and pounding baddies, you’ll be hard pressed to distinguish the interactive, foreground platforms and NPCs from the fluid background animation. In the winter world, for instance, I often mistook lively penguins as interactive characters, and static igloos as background decoration. This issue isn’t completely debilitating (after several rounds of play you become familiar with each layer) it just runs counter to my gamer intuition.

The accompanying audio is likewise clean. Really, the soundtrack is carnival-ese and harkens back to established platform franchises. No complaints hear, err here.

Now to the meat of this megabyte package, the gameplay, the almighty platformer aptitude test. Castle of Magic features a now commonplace virtual button control scheme. A smallish virtual d-pad, two buttons for attack and jump (from left to right) and the occasional pop-up button for in-level passages and special moves. The basics are nailed down. You can double tap the jump button to perform a double jump and double tap and hold for a parachute gliding maneuver. The button response is surprisingly crisp. And I say this with stone-faced seriousness, because other than the pop-up buttons, there is nothing iPhone-exclusive about the controls. And so it appears Gameloft would like Castle of Magic to be evaluated on the same plane as say, Sonic, or some Italian plumber. Sidenote: CoM rehashes the Sonic health system replacing rings with gems.

But it fares relatively well. The levels are dynamic and of variable duration. There are (at least) four different powerups littered around each stage, enabling the protagonist to shoot fireballs, or climb vertically with a pick-axe, among other things. My favorite powerup is a stunted version of invincibility – you swallow an ice cream cone and transform into a fat kid, trouncing over enemies in a slow-motion truffle shuffle glaze. To top it all off, you can swim underwater AND morph into a swordfish when applicable. Snazzy.

Before I shower too much praise on CoM, I should mention that certain aspects of  the gamplay are as irksome as slow-loading internet porn:

There is only one mode of play, random, as the difficulty level fluctuates whimsically between stages. The boss stages are similarly schizo – some provide compelling, nuanced play mechanics, while others promote mindless task repetition. Spoily Alert! Case in point: the final boss requires nothing more than a detailed memorization of enemy movement pattens. Fucking lame.

To wrap up my criticism, the game is short. Like too short to ride this ride short. I could’ve easily conquered Castle of Magic on a lazy Sunday. Oh well.

Overall, I’ve enjoyed my time with this title. I wouldn’t say it’s got the depth or replayability of the 16-bit classics, but it does offer a shiny package for an afternoon platforming spree. At $5.99 it’s worth a bite.

And a final note to the iSkeptics: Give Castle of Magic a whirl and see if it doesn’t (for the most part) calm your pretentious thumbly-wumbly control concerns. If you have tried it and you’re still high on your physical button horse, then why not post a comment outlining your position? I always appreciate some snarky debate.

The Glorious Return of O-Trail

Hey guys. So normally I wouldn’t be posting all un-kosher-like and out-of-turn like this, but right now it’s just past eight in the a.m. and I’m losing my fucking mind. I awoke in a clammy sweat just 10 minutes ago, my throat looks like shredded beef and I figured while I was up I might as well drop a quick post to take my mind off…things.

Basically, I was just checking my email (because that’s what I do when as I’m sick as a non-discerning streetwalker) and I came across a PR message from none other than Gameloft, the developer behind Real Soccer 2009, the subject of my last review (see below).

Here’s what Ms. R, the PR lady, had to say:

“Gameloft is set to bring the classic ‘edutainment’ game, The Oregon Trail, to the iPhone. The great American pioneering adventure game you used to play on the Apple II has made the jump and will soon be available for both your iPhone and iPod Touch[...]“

Hell muthafuckin’ yes. Remember how I said Gameloft is taking this mobile gaming thing seriously? Just take a gander at these features:

· All of the decision-making and problem-solving fun of the original game, plus additional features to take the Oregon Trail experience even further than before.

· 8 skill-based mini-games, some using the Accelerometer: hunting, fishing, wagon repairing, river crossing, rafting, telegraphing, gold panning, and berry picking.

· Random events such as disease, bandits and hitchhikers faced by the real pioneers increases the challenge.

· Side missions add more depth to your journey, and affect your westward trek.

· Completely updated with colorful and animated graphics.

· Prepare for your departure: Select the members of your party, choose your departure date and purchase supplies.

Now take a look at these screens people. This shit is legit.

Alright, so I really should be getting back to sleep now, but EXPECT a review on this one in the coming weeks. I can’t wait to fend off cholera and dysentery instead of this goddamned REAL LIFE sickness I gotta bother with for the present.

Happy trails.

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