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jumpship90 · 3 years

Note

2 and/or 11 for kisses prompt please

apologies this took forever but I had this whole scene pop into my head for Jaq and Phin and needed a little more time to get it right! It ended up 1500 words, so more under the cut to spare you all scrolling

11 - “welcome home kisses”

Phineas grumbled to himself beneath his breath as he stalked down the corridors of the Hope, the lights about him gradually dimming to a glow as the ship entered its night-cycle. Usually, he paid little heed to the processes programmed into the ship to aid with the regulation of circadian rhythm. His own lab ran on a perpetual day setting that allowed him to work as long and as late as he pleased and he was quite happy keeping to his own schedule. To his displeasure, that had recently become disrupted.

The source of his consternation had started near two weeks ago. It was the first evening after Jaq had returned to their work at the New Hope Centre and he had sought to distract himself from the inevitable homesickness that plagued him after their departure by ploughing ahead with his work. He’d been leant over a microscope when he had realised he was struggling to see the specimen on the slide below. At first, he had blinked in confusion, then he had realised, no, his ageing eyes were not failing him just yet, everything really was suddenly beginning to grow darker, the lights powering down around him in a simulated sunset.

“Computer, lights up,” he barked, still squinting at the specimen.

“I must remind you that the Hope is now entering its approved night-cycle, Dr Welles,” the flat mechanical voice intoned, echoing about the laboratory.

He scoffed. “Override it then.”

“Negative, Dr Welles. I am unable to override the health and security programming for this ship. To do so would be a violation of employee wellness protocol 3.14 subsection a.”

“Nonsense.” He straightened up, hands on hips and glaring at the speaker mounted on the wall. “This is my lab and I am in my personal time. Override.”

“I am unable to comply. This unit cannot overrule administrator updates.”

“I am the administrator!” He tapped his foot in frustration. A warm orange glow now filled the room. He would never be able to work in this.

Phineas huffed and shuffled over to a terminal to check the settings, there had clearly been some kind of engineering error. He tapped through the controls for the lab – air scrubbers, chemical cleaning processes, heating, security logs – ahh, light settings!

*error, password required*

“What in the void?” he muttered. “Computer, who last updated these settings?” Someone was going to regret interrupting his work.

“Settings last updated by; Captain Jaq Evenshaw.”

He sighed heavily at that. He should have guessed. There was little the two of them disagreed upon but his lack of sleep was the main catalyst for the few arguments they had.

Phineas’ fingers flew over the keys as he inputted password attempts. No, it wasn’t their anniversary, nor was it Jaq’s birthday and his own didn’t get him anywhere either. He tried again using variations on “The Hope” until eventually, the screen locked.

*error –too many incorrect passwords entered. Access denied. No further attempts may be made for 24 hours. Please contact your administrator*

“Fine,” he growled. “Two can play at this game.” He would just have to attempt a manual override then.

But when he had made his way to the panel beside the door and popped it open, Phineas had discovered Jaq had done something fiendishly complicated with the electronics that even several hours of tugging at wires and messing with the circuits hadn’t been able to untangle. He’d felt a tiny spark of pride flare even as their work vexed him. It was excellent craftsmanship after-all and it was difficult to be too angry when their heart was in the right place. They worried about his health, he knew. All the same, he would be having stern words with them when they returned. Well, after the two of them had caught up and he’d had them explain the clever little trick they’d pulled.

Defeated, he had given up that first night and been forced to turn in at the ridiculous hour of 20:00 and it had been the same every night since. The enforced curfew was irritating but he had to admit, he had managed to get caught up on his reading and even played several hands of cards with his colleagues that had proved surprisingly enjoyable. If Jaq were here, he supposed it would have given them a little more time to indulge in other activities, though he did pride himself on always ensuring he finished work a little earlier than usual when they were back. A sharp pang of longing gripped him as he made his way back to his quarters. Hopefully, it would not be too long until they returned.

Distracted as he was, at first Phineas did not notice the glow of the lights from beneath his door. He swiped his security pass and stepped inside, halting abruptly at the sight of a familiar tatty rucksack sat beside the wall. His heart leapt in his chest. They were back!

He shuffled into the room, expecting to find his partner sat at the desk typing up notes on their project or perhaps lounging on the bed watching an aetherwave serial. Instead, Phineas was rather surprised to be greeted by a half-naked figure sprawled atop the sofa, a copy of tossball monthly open on their chest and their mouth hanging open, soft snores escaping them. It wasn’t the first time he’d returned to his room to discover Jaq passed out on the sofa but they were usually dressed.

He padded across the room as quietly as he could. Jaq slept quite deeply but they were prone to startling if awoken suddenly – an old habit that he could sympathise with. He crouched beside them and smiled down at their sleeping form. Their skin had tanned a little from their work planetside, darker at their calves, fading to pale at mid-thigh then back to a darker tone across their torso and arms. It must have been hot down there over the last few weeks and he knew Jaq had been focused on getting the dormitories built. He guessed they’d stripped down to their shorts, sweating under the Terra-2 sun, muscles straining whilst they laid the foundations of the buildings he’d seen in blueprints scattered across the desk. That was a rather lovely image, he thought as he settled a hand against their shoulder. He did so enjoy watching them work.

“Jaq?”

They didn’t move other than to give a snort that really shouldn’t have been as endearing as he found it.

“Jaq?” he tried again, running his thumb over their skin, and this time they stirred, bleary eyes cracking open. They blinked up at him several times before their eyes sprang wide and Phineas abruptly found two arms flung about his shoulders and Jaq’s enthusiastic embrace sent him toppling forward onto their chest. He could only laugh as their lips met his temple then left a trail of hurried kisses down his cheek before eventually finding his mouth. Phineas sighed and returned their eager kiss. Jaq’s leaving was always an unhappy necessity of their lives that Phineas’ never relished, but their return was always so sweet it made it that much easier to bear.

“Missed you,” Jaq said eventually, drawing back just enough to press their forehead to his own, keeping their arms wrapped tight about him. Phineas hummed in amusement.

“Really? I couldn’t tell.”

Jaq sniggered and kissed him again and he caught a faint hint of toothpaste on their tongue. It seemed they had been getting ready for an early night.

“Whatever are you doing on the sofa?” he asked, disentangling himself a little to get a better look at them.

“I wanted to surprise you,” Jaq said and gave him a sheepish grin. “Only, I guess I was more tired than I realised.”

It was now that he registered the humidity in the room. Clearly they had indulged in a long hot shower before his return. He noted Jaq smelt of his favourite shower gel and the briefs they were wearing were the same ones he had previously suggested complemented their build. Ahh, so they’d scrubbed up in anticipation of an evening together.

Jaq stifled a yawn with the back of their hand. “I’m not sure I’ve got the energy for anything besides watching a serial though, sorry.”

He smirked down at them lounging atop the cushions. Regardless, they were certainly a welcome sight to return to and he appreciated the effort.

“Not to worry. We have plenty of time for catching up. You are staying a while, aren’t you?” he enquired, suddenly concerned this was going to be one of their flying visits. He braced himself for disappointment but to his relief Jaq nodded and stroked at the stubble on his cheek. He’d have shaved if he’d known they were coming home.

“A few days at least,” they replied and grinned up at him. “Why? Got something planned for us?”

Phineas pursed his lips in response, tapping a thoughtful finger against them. “Oh yes, I have some particularly interesting activities in mind for you. Starting with fixing your tampering in my laboratory.”

“It’s not tampering, it’s updating in line with the new government regs on workplace wellbeing,” they said with a shrug. “Sleep is important, Phin.”

“Ha! So says the person passed out on my sofa in their underpants!”

“Because I’ve spent two weeks grafting on a building site,” they shot back. “It’s completely different.”

He sighed. “Fine. But as you have disrupted my work, you’re going to be making it up to me during your visit.”

Jaq grinned at that and he kissed their nose. “Now, off to bed with you,” he ordered with a chuckle.

He rose to his feet, Jaq scrambling up with him and wrapping their arms about his waist. “Only if you’re coming with me.”

#jaq/phin #captain jaq #phineas welles #writing prompt #the captain of the unreliable #my writing

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waynekelton · 5 years

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The Best Roguelikes on Android and iOS

Roguelikes are a tricky genre to pin down, seeing as the name itself began popping up everywhere at once without much structural rigour once a certain type of game started to in win players over. Conspicuous features include turn-based gameplay, usually with exploration or combat, and limited-to-no persistent progress carried across different play sessions.

Not feeling Rogue enough? How about some excellent war games instead?

These constraints made for entertaining, thoughtful and compact games which acquit themselves well to on-the-go bursts of play. This list includes the most classic and favorite members of the roguelike genre on android and iOS.

Community Favourites

The Pocket Tactics readership has thrown up a bunch of games they think are excellent examples of the rogue-like genre. Because we're not able to include all of them, we'll list notable recommendations here. Some might rotated into the main list below, otherwise they'll remain here:

Quest of Dungeons

Cardinal Quest

Pixel Dungeon

Sword of Fargoal

100 Rogues

Out There

Hyper Rogue

Pathos

Look, Your Loot

Pocket Realms

Rogue Cards

Binding of Issac: Rebirth

Silent Abyss: Fate of Heroes

Immortal Rogue (Review)

Developer: Kyle Barrett Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $4.99

It's amazing what you can do when you take two seemingly by-the-numbers tropes and package them into something genuinely interesting. Your uber-powerful vampire may not seem that special as it terrorises society in a replayable game, but the fact that you're doing it over countless generations is not something you see every day. In Immortal Rogue, your job is to wake up periodically and reap civilisation. Because reasons.

The game struggles at times to interesting thigns with the premise from a narrative perspective, the but the tactical choices you make as you slaughter your way through an age have consequences for the ages to come. Depending on who you kill (or don't kill), the make-up and technology of enemies could be radically different. This is an addictive, one-handed game that evokes the best of what the genre can offer. Don't forget to read our interview with the developer, if you want to know more.

Card Crusade (Review)

Developer: Pollywog Games Platforms: iOS, Android Price: $3.99

Fair and as advertised is our elevator pitch for Card Crusade. In a niche that includes Dream Quest, Slay the Spire, Meteorfall et al. there's little here you wouldn't have seen before, but it's a stable and competent enough game to scratch that same itch for a short spell. You must pick one of several classes and go delving into the dungeon, finding loot and spells along the way that can help you in repeat playthroughs. It's got its share of mediocrities, but also plenty of innovation as well.

Battles have an unusual tempo to them. Of course it’s always best to clear the field as soon as possible, but the game usually proceeds in bursts of activity, with some turns devoted to healing and survival while others see play of an especially strong card to eliminate a key foe. Here Card Crusade breaks with longstanding roguelike tradition and does not offer full healing upon level-up or floor clear, which means damage suffered becomes persistent. This is one of the game’s smartest choices, adding a sense of pressure while simultaneously rewarding clean strategy and play.

MIYAMOTO (Review)

Developer: Hideki Hanida Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $2.99

Release towards the end of last year, we were a little late to the punch getting this one reviewed, but it's worth the wait. MIYAMOTO is an interesting blend of turn-based strategy, card mechanics and rogue-like gameplay where one of its few faults is that it's all-to-brief. The eight levels pit you against progressively tougher enemies, with short-term goal being to defeat your opponent's leader. If either your's or their leader dies, it's game-over. Beating levels nets you coins that you can use to invest in better leaders.

The card mechanics are perhaps a bit token - there's no way to interact with your deck of troops, but every unit is varied and unique, and the small 4x4 arena makes from some really tight tactical engagements. It a fast-paced game of throwing your units into battle as quickly as possible, filling as many spaces around your leader, so that you can place new ones ever deeper into opponents’ territory. If you're looking for something short and sweet, MIYAMOTO is an excellent new addition to your roster.

Hoplite (Review)

Developer: Magma Fortress Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $2.99, (free demo on Android)

Hoplite might very well delight that wight who likes only the right sort of roguelike. The hoplites of history aren’t usually considered lone wolves or heroes, but this is exactly what the game casts you as: one nameless figure on a tight hexa-based on a quest to retrieve the golden fleece. Soldiering across levels of escalating difficulty, visiting temples to get incremental bonuses. The movement and decisions are simple, just a series of swipes along with the odd special ability. Small numbers and single turns are always decisive, and the ability effects are simple yet profound, little deus ex machinas bestowed each level. The skill synergies are tantalizing enough to draw you in, and the fiendishly difficult achievements (pacifist run, anyone?) will keep even veterans engaged. This one is a relic of the genre that is sterling.

Road Not Taken (Review)

Developer: Spryfox Games Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

In Road Not Taken, the winter is harsh and full of children, lost and dearly missed by the village. You, a sackcloth-clad stranger, take your torch and use what precious energy you have to brave the elements, to find and rescue each child. Along the way, the stranger will fend off wolves and spiteful ghosts, scavenging for food and the materials to make campfires. Each step drains energy, more so if carrying items, so the whole game is turn-based but with a soft cap on the number of steps. ‘Soft’ because energy can be replenished by eating various foodstuffs. The procedural generation behind each run belies the handcrafted puzzle levels which recur. This hybrid game wears many hats, though it is primarily a puzzler with crafting elements and a dash of combat. The secrets are a delight to discover and add to your book of recipes, while the multiple play modes offer a softer means of approach for newcomers.

FTL: Faster Than Light (Review)

Developer: Subset Games Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $9.99

Faster Than Light is a quest to save one corner of the galaxy, powering your ship through sections whilst questing for a handy crew, a devastating array of weapons, and sometimes just a glug of fuel. Real-time with pause combat works around cooldowns, with each battle encounter ending once the enemy ship is destroyed or its crew incapacitated. Honestly, the ship is the real hero, suffering hull breaches and 1 HP scrapes while slowly updating its bells and whistles till it can slay the beast. The chiptune beats and graphics were neither wholly retro nor AAA trendy but instead creating their own cool aesthetic. An uncontested classic.

Dream Quest (Review)

Publisher: Peter M Whalen Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $2.99

The challenge in Dream Quest is always the same: proceed through three levels as a chosen class, building a deck strong enough to escape the realm of dreams at last. But like its namesake, the twists and turns this progression takes are strange and wonderful. Rogue-likes typically rely on stochastic events and imperfect knowledge, yet Dream Quest transforms these uncertainties into a must-try challenge for strategy buffs.

The total card-pool is modest and manageable but in total produces a surprising variety of synergies and unique challenges. Inscrutable sphinxes, malicious mimes, and immortal hydras all make an appearance as foes, giving show-stopping battles. The art is so bad it has become iconic; the theoretical possibilities it provides are captivating. Dream Quest’s endgame is supremely satisfying in of itself, but the arduous journey to meet the Master of Dreams is equally thoughtful and intense. A pleasure throughout.

Crypt of the Necrodancer

Developer: Brace Yourself Games Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $4.99

Dance like no one but the lord of death is watching. The rhythm-based gameplay calls back to Audiosurf, Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero, but the skill-split here favors combat and planning over split-second reflexes and a perfect internal metronome. The dungeon pulses to the beat, with everyone’s movement on the grid bound by this universal time. Import your own playlist, pick a character and get questing for loot, boss battles and a jig to remember. The graphics are simple and the size of the maps, the variety of enemies are not colossal, but these actually work in the game’s favor. Entrancement: a simple compulsion to move to the beat. Fill the game with your own personal library of earworms and enjoy the groove.

Auro (Review)

Developer: Dinofarm Games Platforms: Android Price: $1.99

Auro is the result of Keith Burgen’s careful tinkering and experimentations with game design. He’s an outspoken creator with a definite vision which hinges on useful distinctions like the knowledge horizon (a player can’t know everything at once, the designer draws a line beyond which information is out of reach). The prince must save the kingdom by bumping enemies and judiciously using spells and skills across this hex-based battler. Speed, precision and efficiency are paramount; score-chasing the measure of success. Not praised enough, and an android exclusive to boot!

Crowntakers

Developer: Kalypso Media Group Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $2.99, $3.49

Crowntakers has a sense of scale, uniquely balancing tactical combat with long-term investments via the overworld. It needn’t even be played as a roguelike at all, strictly speaking, for one of its alternate play modes is a persistent RPG with unlockables. The emphasis on individual decisions in either case remains paramount, from the exploration phase to combat. Its limitations are in how carelessly it hides some information, about enemy abilities, for example, from the player. In short, an excellent refreshing roguelike-RPG-lite which might be outmatched by other roguelikes but remains a distinct favorite.

Hall of Fame

We like to keep these lists lean & mean, so here's a round-up of former entries that shouldn't be forgotten:

868-HACK

Sir Questionnaire

What would your list of the best roguelike games on iOS and Android look like? Let us know!

The Best Roguelikes on Android and iOS published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

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boltaku · 6 years

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Monster Hunter World (and the Franchise)

...or Fantastic Beasts and how to Hunt Them

Monster Hunter World (MHW) is a game I've been waiting on for quite a while. It came out in late January on PS4 and only came out very recently for PC.

As a brief aside before going into the game, I love that all these previously "console exclusive" games are now coming out for PC, but could definitely live without the delays on the PC version. Part of me wonders if there's not some money throw around for console first releases, but I have no evidence one way or the other. Certainly it's extra effort to account for the widely varied specs of different PCs, but MHW is using an existing game engine behind the scenes...

Anyways, I digress. It's out now and I've been playing it! And as it turns out, I have a few things to say about it and the series in general!

Studying your Quarry

Monster Hunter is one of those series that practically everyone who plays games often has definitely heard of, but probably never played. I myself only got into it a few games ago, with the Wii U port of Monster Hunter 3.

I feel like the series has a bit of an unfair reputation. It's like the reputation that Souls has for being "fiendishly difficult" when really it just expects a little out of you. Similarly, Monster Hunter has a reputation for being both boring and grindy and really challenging.

However, it really doesn't deserve it. The problem that earlier Monster Hunter games had was an explanation problem. They seemed boring and grindy because at the very beginning it just gives you a bunch of small monster and gathering quests, both of which you practically NEVER do past the very early games. And they seemed overly difficult because, well, they expected you to play around with the tools you're given and figure out the games rhythm instead of playing like a hack and slash.

So, just to get us all on the same page, let me explain what Monster Hunter is REALLY about. If you're a Mon Hun pro, no need to read this bit.

The Hunt is On

The core loop of Monster Hunter is this:

Deciding what to hunt to tackle

Preparing for that hunt

Tracking the monster

FIGHTING!

The first 3 steps make up about maybe 10% of your actual playtime, unless you count hunting other large monsters part of the prep work, which I don't really.

What to Hunt

Very early on, in every Monster Hunter game, you're limited in what monsters you have access to hunt. Once you make it past the initial large monster hunts though, the game balloons out, giving you a lot of choice as to what to tackle next.

The only mandatory hunts are the Assigned missions, which unlock a new tier of Optional and Assigned hunts, further expanding your options.

You might hunt a monster a bunch to get a set of armor or a new weapon. You might hunt a monster to progress your Assigned Quests and get access to more monsters. You might hunt a monster just because you haven't fought it yet.

But everything you're doing in the game is an effort to be able to successfully hunt down the next monster on your list.

The fact that you're always just hunting the next monster could be considered a "grind", but its no more of a grind than the core loop of any game, it's just the content.

In Mario games you collect stars or moons or whatever to unlock a new place to collect stars or moons in. In Dark Souls you get gear and souls and fight bosses to unlock more places to fight and collect in. In Monster Hunter you hunt and gather to unlock new monsters and areas to hunt and gather in.

Simple!

Prepwork

Most of the time, this will be as simple as going to your item box, changing which weapon you have equipped to match an elemental or status weakness, refreshing your item set, and eating a nice meal for some nice buffs.

Takes almost no time or tedium at all!

And every Monster Hunter game gives you tools over time to keep yourself well stocked with all the Potions / Traps / Bombs and stuff you need.

In fact, MHW makes this even easier than ever, but I'll mention that later.

Occasionally, you'll want to upgrade your gear or make new sets. Almost always, this will involve hunting a bunch of big monsters. This could be considered a "grind", but as I just mentioned, it's just a way to get you to explore the content in the game.

Tracking

You start the quest, grab some supplies, and set out to find the monster. Previously this involved wandering around in the zone til you found the monster and throwing a paintball at him to keep him marked.

MHW makes this even easier. No need to paintballs or marking.

FIGHTING!

This is what you'll spend 90% of your time doing.

Combat in Monster Hunter can be as fast or slow paced as you want it to be. There's a ton of weapons to choose from, and they all feel very different from each other.

Some of them, like the Greatsword, play pretty slow and are built around charged hits which do massive damage. Some of them, like the Lance, play defensively, using techniques to shield damage and counter attack. Some of them, like the Insect Glaive or Dual Blades, play very quick and floaty are about attacking as much as you can without getting wrecked.

But in general, regardless of weapon, combat is all based around flow, and that flow is different with almost each monster. The monsters all have very different AIs and phases and attack patterns. Some are very, very aggressive, others are more reactive. And in general, getting hit by a strong attack will deal massive damage to you, my dear hunter. And every monster has different strategies and gimmicks to figure out!

So combat is about figuring out how to exploit the openings the monsters leave, as well as how to use your items and environment to your advantage. This is where the game is SO MUCH FUN for me.

The game really makes it feel like you're fighting against these forces of nature, and whenever you pull of some sick dodge or break the monster's horn or tail or whatever, it feels like you've really accomplished something.

There's nothing better than getting completely demolished by a monster, trying it a few more times, and then completely turning the tables. You figure them out and conquer them. And then you get to make wepaons out of their pieces.

Ok so what about Monster Hunter World? Remember when this was a review?

Attracting Casuals without Catering to Casuals

Right! So back to Monster Hunter World.

So, remember how I said earlier than Monster Hunter had a problem with explanations?

Monster Hunter World fixes those problems without turning the game into some generic, safe, AAA game where you mash X to pay respect to monsters.

You don't need to memorize the spots of items on the map, you have scoutflies which will make those spots glow and mark them on your map. Those same scoutflies will automatically mark monsters that you have enough investigations points for. You get those points by examining their tracks or marks they've left behind, and once you get enough to track the monster once, you basically know its location in every future hunt. And, after you've collected enough tracking info about the monster, it'll even tell you its elemental and status weaknesses as well as what it drops and how rare it is!

It also gives you more in game information about armor, weapons, and skills. Previously, you basically had to look up what skills actually did on some external site, but now almost all the information you could want is in the game itself.

However, even with all these awesome quality of life changes, it's still Monster Hunter. If you go in unprepared, you'll still get wrecked. Monsters are still agressive and do tons of damage. Attacks still have weight, you still can't dodge while stuck in animations.

All the good of more information without all the bad of dumbing the game down.

Gameplay Changes

That's not to say there were no changes to the gameplay.

Controls

It still controls the same as the other Monster Hunter games, but because its on a HOME CONSOLE AND PC instead of a handheld, you're guaranteed TWO WHOLE JOYSTICKS.

I never played ranged weapons on earlier portable incarnations because of it.

In MHW I've been playing the bow and love it.

The Slinger

In Monster Hunter World you get a slinger on your wrist. You can load it up with classic monster hunter items, like flash bombs to blind monsters.

However, there's lots of new things you can do with it. You can load up rocks to trigger environmental traps, like unstable rocks to drop on monsters head.

You can also use it to grapple on certain spots in zones, allowing you to get around quicker, but also allowing you to try to mount monsters or dodge attacks. There's nothing more satisfying that doing both at once.

The slinger is an excellent edition to the franchise, and complements the bigger, taller, more expansive zones in the game, which is something worth talking about on its own...

The Areas

In previous Monster Hunter games, you'd have a area that looked like this:

Each of those areas had a little loading screen between them, so fights were confined to one small area unless you or the monster left it. This meant that you could very quickly leave the zone and then be in NO DANGER until the monster came back.

Since we're console and PC instead of handhelds now, maps look like this:

The whole area is loaded at all times! Monsters will follow you if you walk away. Plus, the extra power allows them to do a lot more with the environment.

Not only does this lend another level of immersion to the world, it also means that...

Monster on Monster Action

Monsters will run into other Monsters like all the time!

Very few hunts only have 1 big monster in them. And very few monsters actually GET ALONG. MHW does a great job of making the ecosystem of the areas feel really alive.

Some monsters that you struggle to beat at first are just prey for bigger, badder monsters. And if a bigger monster finds some small fry on its turf, it'll throw down.

Some of these interactions are scripted, and some of it is just the AI going at it. It's pretty much always entertaining though, because the monster you were fighting still knows you're there. And be careful, because sometimes both monsters will decide that the biggest threat is the hunter!

These never fail to get a laugh, sigh of relief, or cause a tense moment. I love all the interaction between monsters.

Graphix Upgrade

Yeah I'm just gonna leave this here.

Monster Hunter 4

Monster Hunter World

Amount of Content

This feels like it's worth saying, but I don't want to give the impression that MHW is lacking in content.

It does have way less Monsters than Monster Hunter Generations, but that's almost cheating.

Since the engine was the same until MHW, Generations could just dust the cobwebs off the old monsters and port them in. It just had to update a few to handle the verticality added in 4.

For MHW they have to basically recreate everything from scratch, so they've created mostly new monsters and started porting over some old favs.

Hopefully, they'll keep doing this for some time to further increase the variety present in MHW.

All in all, though, I only saw the credits of MHW around hour 70, and there's still some end-game stuff to do!

Overall

I've really enjoyed my time with MHW. If you've never tried a Monster Hunter game, there's no better time to dive in.

It's easier to understand, easier to invite friends or even allow strangers to help, and still as good of a series as it's ever been, if not better.

And, even if you have played a Monster Hunter game, if you only got a few hours in before dropping it for any other reason than the core combat, maybe still give MHW a try. The increased accessibility might be just what the earlier games were missing for you!

In conclusion, I'll leave you with this clip, where we learn not to play around with live ammunition.

Watch What's this? from TalonExodus on www.twitch.tv

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jazzworldquest-blog · 6 years

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JAPAN/CANADA : Pianist/composer Satoko Fujii debuts new trio This Is It! with recording and Canadian tour

Pianist/composer Satoko Fujii debuts new trio This Is It!

with recording and Canadian tour

September 15 – October 8, 2018

Appearances in Guelph, Montreal, Kingston, Ottawa, Vancouver

1538, the trio’s debut CD, earning wide acclaim

4.5 stars “A rambunctious stew of explosive group dynamics and interludes of gorgeous piano ruminations beside prickly percussive keyboard moments. There are also fleeting, bright splashes of notes, odd noises from extended techniques…and driving rhythms in a wide array of time signatures.”—Dan McClenaghan All About Jazz

“The music is of the utmost simplicity, yet the works produce an effect of extraordinary voluptousness, as simple tonal chords drift in and out of focus, while the soloists describe a slow and wayward ascent, climbing higher by infinitesimal degrees.”—Raul da Gama, Jazzdagama

Acclaimed pianist/composer Satoko Fujii, celebrates her new trio This Is It! (Fujii, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, and percussionist Takashi Itani) with a Canadian tour from Saturday, September 15 – Monday, October 8, 2018. The band’s debut CD, 1538, is part of Fujii’s 60th birthday celebration for which she is releasing a new CD every month during 2018. The group will also tour to six US cities including Philadephia, PA; Cambridge, MA; Portland, ME; Brooklyn, NY; Mission Viejo and Los Angeles, CA.

Canadian performances include:

• Sat, Sept. 15, 2 p.m. – Guelph Jazz Festival, Cooperators Hall, River Run Centre, 35 Woolwich St. Guelph, Ontario.

Tickets $20-$25. GJF: Groven/Lumley/Sadhouders will also perform. For information visit http://riverrun.ca/whats-on/gjf-groven-lumley-stadhouders-satoko-fujis-this-is-it/ or www.guelphjazzfestival.com.

• Tues, Sept. 18, 8 p.m. – La Sala Rossa, 4848 St. Laurent, Montreal, Quebec.

The Craig Pedersen Quartet will also perform. Presented by Suoni Per Il Popolo and CKUT. Tickets $12. For information visit https://www.lfttckt.com/tickets/lfttkt-casa-1511276966-20703 or https://casadelpopolo.com/en/la-sala-rossa/.

• Wed, Sept. 19, 7 p.m. – St. Marks Church, 263 Victoria Street, Kingston, Ontario.

Presented by Kingston Jazz Society. Tickets $15 at the door. https://kingstonjazz.ca/2018/08/20/sep-19-satoko-fujii-trio-st-marks-church/

• Fri, Sept. 21, 7 p.m. – Natsuki Tamura Solo, Improvising Musicians of Ottawa Fest, General Assembly, Ottawa.

http://www.improvisedmoo.com/

• Sat, Sept. 22, 3 p.m. – Natsuki Tamura, trumpet; Satoko Fujii, piano; Jesse Stewart, drums, Glebe St. James United Church, 60 Lyon St. S., Ottawa.

https://www.glebestjames.ca/

• Sat, Sept. 22, 10 p.m. – Improvising Musicians of Ottawa Fest, Gigspace, 953 Gladstone Ave., Ottawa.

Tickets $75 festival pass, $40 Saturday only. For information visit http://www.improvisedmoo.com/imoofest-2018/this-is-it/. In addition to the concert by This Is It!, Tamura will perform solo on Friday, September 21, 7 p.m. at General Assembly; Fujii will also perform solo on Sunday, September 23.

• Sun, Sept. 23, 6 p.m. – Satoko Fujii Solo – Improvising Musicians of Ottawa Fest, Gigspace, 953 Gladstone Ave., Ottawa.

http://www.improvisedmoo.com/imoofest-2018/satoko-fujii//

• Sun, Sept. 23, 9 p.m. – Satoko Fujii directs IMOO Orchestra with tenor saxophonist Bernard Stepien, alto and/or baritone saxophonist Linsey Wellman, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, trombonist Rory Magill, guitarist David Jackson, cellist Mark Molnar, drummer Takashi Itani, Scott Warren on sound inspiration – Improvising Musicians of Ottawa Fest, Gigspace, 953 Gladsone Ave., Ottawa.

http://www.improvisedmoo.com/imoofest-2018/imoo-orchestra/

• Fri, Oct. 5, 8 p.m. – NOW Society Creative Music Series #5 at 8EAST, 8 E Pender St., Vancouver, BC

By donation $10-$20. Also performing are two duos: Nikki Carter and Kenton Loewen; Meredith Bates and Elsa Thorn. https://www.nowsociety.org/event/now-society-creative-music-series-5-october-3-5

• Mon, Oct. 8, 4-6 & 6:30-8:30 p.m. Improvisation Workshops – Western Front, 303 E. 8th Ave., Vancouver, BC. Suggested donation $5-$20.

Satoko Fujii leads improvisation workshops. https://www.nowsociety.org/2018-fall-workshops

Pianist-composer Fujii is always searching for new colleagues to help her in her quest “to make music that no one has heard before.” She found what she was looking for on 1538 featuring her latest trio with trumpeter Natsuki Tamura and drummer Takashi Itani. She calls the band This Is It!, and it’s little wonder why. After a long search, she’s found one of her most free-spirited ensembles, capable of playing her compositions with a natural élan as well as soloing with emotional intensity. The album was released June 22, 2018 via Libra Records.

This Is It! evolved slowly over several years from Fujii’s New Trio with bassist Todd Nicholson and drummer Itani. After their 2013 debut CD, Spring Storm, Tamura joined them in concert to form Quartet Tobira, which recorded Yamiyo ni Karasu in 2014. With the departure of Nicholson, the remaining band members played as Tobira – 1 (Tobira Minus One), but as they continued to play, a distinctive trio identity emerged and Fujii rechristened them with an original name. “I always like to have smaller units that can play my compositions,” Fujii says. “I have led small groups like Satoko Fujii Quartet, Satoko Fujii Trio, ma-do, and others since the beginning of my career. Right now, this trio is the one I really like to work with, so I just named it This Is It!.”

Fujii wrote some material especially for the group, but most of the compositions come from what she calls her diary. “When I sit at the piano, I always compose for 15 minutes before I begin to practice. After doing this for more than 10 years, I have 12 books of written compositions. The short pieces in these books can help me to make long pieces. I often turn to my diary books when I start to compose something.”

As Tamura attests in his CD liner notes, these pieces are often fiendishly difficult to learn but they always have structure and flow that sound unforced and that open up new possibilities for improvisers. The trio fully inhabits Fujii’s pieces, taking different approaches to each one. The trust and confidence among them create deeply layered performances that blend melody, sound, and rhythm in endlessly inventive ways. For instance, they each twist and bend the melody of “Prime Number” as they solo, creating variations that build a unified performance. They take the high-intensity title track (1538 is the melting point of iron in degrees Celsius) in multiple directions as they improvise. Tamura shrieks and brays with tormented abstractions while Fujii alternates between high energy thundering and a melancholy lyricism, and Itani’s unmoored rhythms ebb and flow.

Some of the most otherworldly sounds to issue from a Satoko Fujii band are heard on this album (and that’s saying something). It’s often hard to tell who is making what sound. The opening of “Yozora” (which means “night sky” in Japanese) and the dreamy abstractions of “Riding on the Clouds” are bravura examples of the trio’s ability to manipulate pure sound and tone color into emotionally satisfying music. A highlight of “Swoop,” a feature for Itani, is the drummer’s virtuoso command of timbre and his sure sense of construction.

“I just let the band play in their own way,” Fujii says. “I just love to hear how Natsuki and Takashi play my pieces. In music, I like to feel 120 percent free and I think we can do whatever we like. This is the advantage of the music!”

Drummer Takashi Itani plays everything from jazz (Max Roach was an early inspiration) to folk music, to rock. He’s been a sideman with a truly bewildering range of musicians, including singer-songwriter Yoshio Hayakawa; new wave rock guitarist Masahide Sakuma; singer-actor Hiroshi Mikami; Michiro Endo, front man of the influential punk band The Stalin; West coast jazz saxophonist Ted Brown; and best-selling Japanese American pop star Hikaru Utada. In addition he has performed with some of Japan’s most prominent poets, including Mizuki Misumi, Shuntaro Tanikawa, Gozo Yoshimasu, and the late Takaaki Yoshimoto.

Japanese trumpeter and composer Natsuki Tamura is internationally recognized for his unique musical vocabulary blending extended techniques with jazz lyricism. This unpredictable virtuoso “has some of the stark, melancholy lyricism of Miles, the bristling rage of late ’60s Freddie Hubbard and a dollop of the extended techniques of Wadada Leo Smith and Lester Bowie,” observes Mark Keresman of JazzReview.com. Throughout his career, Tamura has led bands with radically different approaches. On one hand, there are avant rock jazz fusion bands like his quartet. In contrast, Tamura has focused on the intersection of folk music and sound abstraction with Gato Libre since 2003. The band’s poetic, quietly surreal performances have been praised for their “surprisingly soft and lyrical beauty that at times borders on flat-out impressionism,” by Rick Anderson in CD Hotlist. In addition, Tamura and pianist (and wife) Satoko Fujii have maintained an ongoing duo since 1997. Tamura also collaborates on many of Fujii’s projects, from quartets and trios to big bands. As an unaccompanied soloist, he’s released three CDs, including Dragon Nat (2014). He and Fujii are also members of Kaze, a collaborative quartet with French musicians, trumpeter Christian Pruvost and drummer Peter Orins. “As unconventional as he may be,” notes Marc Chenard in Coda magazine, “Natsuki Tamura is unquestionably one of the most adventurous trumpet players on the scene today.”

Critics and fans alike hail pianist and composer Satoko Fujii as one of the most original voices in jazz today. She’s “a virtuoso piano improviser, an original composer and a bandleader who gets the best collaborators to deliver," says John Fordham in The Guardian. In concert and on more than 80 albums as a leader or co-leader, she synthesizes jazz, contemporary classical, avant-rock, and Japanese folk music into an innovative music instantly recognizable as hers alone. Over the years, Fujii has led some of the most consistently creative ensembles in modern improvised music, including her trio with bassist Mark Dresser and drummer Jim Black, the Min-Yoh Ensemble, and an electrifying avant-rock quartet featuring drummer Tatsuya Yoshida of The Ruins. Her ongoing duet project with husband Natsuki Tamura released their sixth recording, Kisaragi, in 2017. “The duo's commitment to producing new sounds based on fresh ideas is second only to their musicianship,” says Karl Ackermann in All About Jazz. Aspiration, a CD by an ad hoc band featuring Wadada Leo Smith, Tamura, and Ikue Mori, was released in 2017 to wide acclaim. “Four musicians who regularly aspire for greater heights with each venture reach the summit together on Aspiration,” writes S. Victor Aaron inSomething Else. She records infrequently as an unaccompanied soloist, but Solo (Libra), the first of her 12 birthday-year albums, led Dan McClenaghan to enthuse in All About Jazz, that the album “more so than her other solo affairs—or any of her numerous ensembles for that matter—deals in beauty, delicacy of touch, graceful melodicism.” As the leader of no less than five orchestras in the U.S., Germany, and Japan, Fujii has also established herself as one of the world’s leading composers for large jazz ensembles, leading Cadence magazine to call her, “the Ellington of free jazz.”

www.satokofujii.com/

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Best iPhone Action Games To Pass Time

Sometimes you just want to play cool iPhone action games.

These are games that are keeping your reflexes while fighting the evil forces.

When you play one of these top free action games, you can be whatever you want. Even a hero!

Still, for the action game apps to be considered as really good, you need to feel the console-quality graphics and also the controls. Take a look at the best action game list.

Implosion: Never Lose Hope

Fight for humanity’s future in Rayark’s sci-fi hack-and-slasher Implosion: Never Lose Hope. Piloting an agile Warmech, players do battle against the alien XADA, engaging in intense melee combat and gunplay.

Implosion’s slick graphics, responsive controls and adrenaline-pumping combat are all wonderfully satisfying, evoking the spirit of console greats in a remarkably nimble mobile title.

Super Mario Run

Mario’s mobile debut is an endless running delight. Super Mario Run is a delightfully colorful game with precise controls that give it the feel of a true Mario experience. Nintendo also offers a lot of replayability in Super Mario Run, with hidden coins on each of the 24 courses and hidden characters you can unlock.

The standard World Tour mode is complemented by the multiplayer Toad Rally and Kingdom Builder, in which you can decorate your very own Mushroom Kingdom.

Unkilled

Blast away at the zombie hordes overrunning New York City in Unkilled, Madfinger’s latest zombie hunting shooter. As a soldier of Wolfpack, it’s up to you to take down undead and human threats as you get to the bottom of the outbreak. The game features 300 story missions and a variety of weapons and enemies to encounter and unlock across the campaign.

In addition to story mode, the game also includes multiplayer where you shoot it out against other human players, and an asynchronous multiplayer mode where you and your opponent design custom zombie hordes and unleash them on each other.

Vector 2

Parkour sidescroller Vector 2 drops the Mirror’s Edge-esque near future stylings for a more solidly science fiction feel. Vector 2 sees players race through a high-tech research installation, but now, instead of being chased by guards and enemies, players must dodge traps, mines, guns and energy barriers through the skillful use of a variety of parkour moves.

Procedurally generated levels make gameplay more about reaction and reading the flow of the map, rather than memorizing each level’s layout, adding a lot of replayability.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Explore the crime-ridden cities of San Andreas in the mobile port of Rockstar Games’ open world shooting classic. Players step into the shoes of Carl Johnson, a man framed for murder and forced into an odyssey through the underworld of the cities of Los Santos, San Fierro, and Las Venturas.

Along the way, you’ll engage in a lot of crazy driving, gunplay, and open world exploration. The mobile port remaps things to a virtual buttons scheme, but there’s support for physical controllers as well.

Lost in Harmony

Another one of these iPhone action games is a fast-paced blend of obstacle running and rhythm gaming. Lost in Harmony has players guiding friends Kaito and Aya through a series of dream-like obstacle courses that mirror their relationship as Aya deals with illness.

Players slide left and right across lanes to gather stardust and avoid obstacles, while tapping the screen to score points, all timed to the rhythm of the game’s soundtrack.

In addition to the game’s built-in story levels, users can take advantage of a built-in level designer, allowing you to build your own custom levels keyed to a track of your choosing, which you can share to other players worldwide.

Don’t Starve

An action-survival game that’s made its way over to iOS, Don’t Starve challenges you to…well…not starve. Stranded in the wilderness and armed only with your wits and what you can gather and craft, Don’t Starve owes much to games like Minecraft, but refines it all and combines it with a creepy aesthetic.

Starting with next to nothing, you’ll soon be carving out a home for yourself in the wilderness while evading wild animals and other stranger threats.

Alto’s Adventure

A relaxing infinite runner in the vein of Canabalt, Velocity and Ski Free, Alto’s Adventure has you chasing down escaped llamas by snowboarding through the mountainside. Along the way, you have to avoid perils like rocks, fires, and chasms, while picking up coins and scoring points for tricks.

While it’s standard infinite runner fare, the game’s clean, simple design and low stress presentation that makes it so endearing and almost oxymoronic: a relaxing action game.

Transistor

Supergiant Games returns to prove that Bastion wasn’t just a one-off success with its latest game: Transistor. Dive into an Art Deco cyberpunk metropolis gone mad as you untangle the mystery of a girl named Red, her sword the Transistor, and the strange cataclysm that has befallen the two of them.

Players can configure the Transistor with an incredible variety of combat functions, providing diverse ways to play. The game mixes classic top-down beat ’em up gameplay with a “planning mode” that allows you to plot out a set of moves that Red executes once you unpause the game.

RunGunJumpGun

Gambitious’s RunGunJumpGun is a simple but fiendishly difficult post-apocaliptic science fiction platformer. RunGunJumpGun has only two controls: one button fires your weapon forward, and the other fires it downward, sending your avatar flying in a blast of energy.

Players must carefully navigate trap-filled platformer mazes while dodging energy blasts and enemies, all while trying to collect as many “atomiks” as possible in each level. Simple-to-learn but hard-to-master gameplay and fiendish level design make RunGunJumpGun an entertaining addition to for platformer fans.

Crashlands

The latest product from wacky mobile game developer ButterScotch Shenanigans, Crashlands is perhaps best described as a friendlier and funnier take on crafting action RPGs like Don’t Starve. As the stranded galactic trucker Flux Dabes, you’ve got to piece together parts to fix your crashed ship, and that’ll require some crafting.

And dodging monsters. And dealing with the locals. Featuring some neat, pattern-based action RPG combat, tons of crafting, base construction, pets and exploration, Crashlands has a ton of content for you to blast through.

Marvel: Contest of Champions

Marvel: Contest of Champions allows you to unleash your inner comic geek and collect and battle your favorite Marvel Comics superheroes and villains in a simplified touch-screen brawler. Swipe and tap controls make for a responsive 1-v-1 fighting game battler, with players needing to keep a good rhythm and a combination of basic attacks and super moves to win.

Players can engage in a lengthy campaign mode or engage in multiplayer battles against others, with your play time limited by a stamina system. Users can unlock heroes by completing in-game quests, winning matches or in-app purchases.

Pinout

This is not your parents’ pinball machine. Instead of racking up points, PinOut wants you to go the distance, trying to advance the ball further and further through a Tron-like landscape as the clock ticks down. You can pick up pellets that add precious time and a few handy power-ups can also keep your ball in play.

PinOut also makes great use of your iPhone’s touch interface, letting you control different flippers by which side of the screen you press. You can download the game for free, but a $2.99 purchase lets you restart at the last checkpoint you’ve cleared instead of starting from the beginning.

Injustice: Gods Among Us

A mobile version of the hit console fighting game, Injustice: Gods Among Us lets players take control of DC Comics’ most iconic superheroes as they battle it out in a dark, alternate universe. With its fusion of fighting and collectible card-game mechanics, Injustice has you forming teams of three superheroes pitted against rival teams of heroes and villains.

Tap-and-swipe touch-screen battles ensue as your heroes duke it out, with the tempo broken up by substitutions and special abilities. As you advance, you can use earned credits to unlock new hero cards or upgrade your existing roster of heroes and villains.

Badland

Badland is a beautiful physics platformer with one-touch controls. Usually, it’s game over as soon as you hit anything in a standard platformer game, but that’s not the case here. In Badland, you control this odd little creature trying to flap its way through a treacherous forest.

Debris falls in your path, and odd machinery peaks through the brush and occasionally knocks you around, but when you throw in the multiple power ups available throughout the game things get really interesting.

You can play local multiplayer and try to nudge opponents off the edge of the screen, which moves gradually forward as you progress. The art style is certainly dark, but a little whimsical too.

Dumb Ways to Die

In Dumb Ways to Die, players have to successfully get through a gauntlet of simple mini-games for as long as possible, though they become progressively more difficult the longer you go. These can range from shooing piranhas away from your crotch, swatting bugs, and holding on to balloons so you don’t dive onto the train tracks.

The art style fantastically morbid – cute little characters are constantly getting maimed in new and exciting ways. As you play, you unlock more of them for your collection.

Fruit Ninja

There’s an indescribable sense of satisfaction from slicing open juicy fruit with ninja-like precision – a satisfaction that has stood the test of time and remains highly accessible. Halfbrick has remained extremely diligent in keeping their original fruit-slicing game up-to-date with new content.

Yes, in-app purchases have been implemented for certain power ups, but the starfruit you earn through normal gameplay can be also used to buy these bomb deflectors, bonus fruit, and new blades.

Icycle

At its core, Icycle is a simple platform game with a series of unlockables earned by gathering currency scattered throughout each stage. You earn up to four stars depending on how much of that currency you collect, how many times you die, and meeting other specific challenge goals for each stage.

That’s all pretty standard. What makes Icycle truly amazing is its absolutely bizarre premise and art style. With only an umbrella and a miniature bicycle, players must guide the hapless (and nude) Denis through a frozen nightmare in order to find a lost love.

Infinity Blade 3

Infinity Blade 3 follows closely in the footsteps of its predecessors: players face off against imposing opponents in fantastic one-on-one duels in a lush fantasy world. Swipes, taps, and gestures translate to slashes, thrusts, dodges, and supernatural abilities.

As players meander from encounter to encounter, they uncover more and more of an evolving storyline that spans back into the previous games.

Into the Dead

If you ever needed a good reason to run, it’s zombies. Into the Dead currently ranks among the top endless runners out there right now. Players adopt a first-person perspective of someone dodging the undead while running at breakneck speeds through fields, forests, and even more treacherous terrain.

Along the way you’ll occasionally have a firearm or a canine companion to help you out, but ultimately, the zombies always get too thick, and drag you kicking and screaming to an untimely end.

Osmos

At first blush, Osmos might seem a little too slow and ponderous to be called an “action” game, but its unique physics gameplay demands a lot of intuition. Players control a small cell that drifts through organic soup, absorbing other, smaller cells.

The catch is that propelling yourself in a given direction ejects mass in the process. Also, if you make contact with larger cells, they’ll absorb you instead. Things get particularly interesting when you try your hand at multiplayer mode.

Spaceteam

Spaceteam is a decidedly unique local multiplayer game. Players gather together with their various iOS devices and connect over either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. They’re then presented with ridiculously-labeled spaceship consoles, replete with all manner of sliders, knobs, switches, and buttons.

Each player then has a message flashing telling them which control needs to be tweaked in order to save their ship from exploding. The thing is, that control could be on anybody’s device, so what ends up happening is everybody starts barking ludicrous orders at one another with straight-faced urgency.

Super Hexagon

Super Hexagon is an insanely difficult, abstract twitch game where players have to navigate through a maze that’s continually collapsing in on a central shape. The pulsing rhythm and constant spinning of the play area make Super Hexagon really, really hard, plus the fast-paced soundtrack isn’t likely to calm your nerves.

There are three difficulties to start, and as you beat each stage, a new version of the level unlocks that has the same track go at what feels like twice the regular speed. It doesn’t take long before things get a little ridiculous.

Tiny Wings

Tiny Wings remains one of the most charming iPhone action games on mobile. With simple one-touch controls, players dive bomb a hapless little bird into gulleys so that he may slingshot out the opposing ridge and fling him further into the skies than his own little wings could possibly allow.

Players are racing against the clock, trying get as far as possible before daylight runs out – keep up a good pace, and you can out-fly the sun.

Metal Gear Solid Touch

When Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots was released on the PS3 last year it was as if Hideo Kojima wanted to give something back to the perennially loyal MGS fan base. It was a gift-wrapped present of epic storylines, surprise cameos and behemoth, film-like cutscenes that quickly placed it for many as a favourite in the series.

Car Jack Streets

It’s hard to look at screenshots of Car Jack Streets (CJS) and not draw comparisons with the original Grand Theft Auto title. Thankfully, rather than just selling CJS as ‘GTA for the iPhone’, developer TAG has incorporated a real-time game mechanic that does a fine job of propelling CJS far enough away from the unrelenting GTA gravity well and sets it apart as one of the most individual titles for Apple’s handheld to date.

Zenonia 5

Long ago, a great war was fought to restore peace and harmony to mankind. But as the years passed, greed and selfishness corrupted the hearts of man. The elite rich began to exploit the poor and great darkness came over the kingdom.

Immerse yourself once again in the best action RPG for mobile. Defeat impossible bosses and unravel the mysteries in stunning HD!

Wipeout

It is a crazy 3D Physics based game. However, you don’t need to implement tough formula or even consult your Old books but still, this Game needs a very intelligent mind.

In Wipeout, your player is tasked for weaving your character through three platform-based obstacle courses under a certain time limit. You need to go ahead very wisely. Each and every course is having weird, rubber-y machines which are meant to knock you off.

Looking for more iPhone action games?

Read on.

Modern Combat 5

Gameloft’s Modern Combat 5: Blackout is a realistic version in the first person shooter iOS series. Although it may have striking similarities to Call of Duty, it vastly contains novel ideas that can contribute great entertainment to the users.

This installment of Modern Combat has splendid graphics, a thrilling plot along with multiplayer mode. Designed with a new class system that comes with highly customizable options, the Modern Combat 5 is one of the best first-person shooter iPhone action games.

Zombieville USA 2

Zombieville USA 2 is a shooter game containing 2-D level graphics and a good share of animated blood that’s vivid, but not violent. You have to combat hordes of zombies to terminate them using an astounding armory at your disposal. Due to this reason it is better if you don’t allow children at your house to play this game.

You can buy most of the weapons with the in-game cash as you advance. But, there is no option within the app to buy cash within the game in exchange for the real money. It is integrated with the game center to share your high scores.

Brothers in Arms 3: Sons of War

Of the various settings for shooting genre video games, the World War II is always a popular one. With a simple premise set during the 1940s, Brothers in Arms 3: Sons of War involves shooting, stabbing and exploding your way against large numbers of Nazis and destroying the Axis powers.

You will find many familiar settings and characters in the game with top-notch graphics. Brothers in Arms 3 is an entertaining game which will take you to the times of World War II.

BattleLore: Command

BattleLore: Command by Fantasy Flight Games is a turn-based strategy game. The game is staged upon a battlefield laid out in grid structure. The turns are divided into three parts with which you need to accomplish your objectives. Taking turns you must tactically assemble troops, plan their movements, align them into battle positions and finally attack.

You must either destroy the rival force or meet the map’s objective to win. If you don’t achieve any one of the above-mentioned tasks, then the victory is your enemy’s.

Infinity Field

Infinity Field is one of those common iPhone action games where you need to survive the attacks from your enemies to make high scores, except, it comes with a slight twist. As the name of the game suggests, your primary goal is to stay alive without succumbing to an incoming onslaught from an infinite number of enemies.

The entire action takes place in a small space bordered by a neon fence. You must dodge the attacks and fire back using the virtual, dual-sticks to survive long enough. As long as you keep surviving you will reach higher scores and unlock various upgrades and weapons.

Wars and Battles

A turn-based strategy game, Wars and Battles depicts the historic World War II. You get to choose to be alongside either with the Axis powers or the Allies. You need to pick your side, play and finish an extensive campaign that will involve bloodshed and sacrifices, just like in a real war.

Wars and Battles offers sophisticated graphics and an insightful gameplay that can engage you for longer hours. It is a game with intense plot and rich details that will entertain all the war, strategy and military game lovers.

VainGlory

If you are a fan of multiplayer online battle arena, then Super Evil Megacorp’s Vainglory should not skip your attention. It is a beautifully designed multiplayer strategy game with heaps of lively characters to play with.

It consists of eye-catching graphics and presents a brilliant gameplay. You must confront your enemy in a 3-on-3 battle, working through war horses, miserable cronies and tanks to destroy their center of operations.

Blue Defense: Second Wave

In this game, players try to protect a planet from circling invaders. There are endless modes for obtaining high scores: fixed individual levels can be played either for high scores or as starting points for the endless mode. In Gauntlet mode players try to survive fixed waves of enemies.

During each stage, players work toward medals that add replay value to the game. Tailor the controls to work better on both the iPhone (where you can use tilt controls for firing) and the iPad (where you can employ multitouch for firing multiple waves of bullets)

Super Mega Worm

Most games sympathize with the human, especially when ancient creatures are trying to eat that human. Not this one. Players control a giant worm that eats animals for sustenance, spits acid and a deploys a screen-clearing EMP bomb.

Armies of soldiers and tanks try to stop the giant worm’s rampage, so be careful. Bonus: in an additional set of levels, players try to devour Santa Claus.

League of Evil

Players rush through devious traps, devilishly-placed platforms and dangerous enemies, struggling toward the end – where they get to punch an evil scientist in the face. The game awards stars for completing levels quickly, and for picking up an out-of-the-way briefcase. Over 160 levels require lightning-fast reflexes. One level includes a set inspired by The Blocks Cometh.

Robot Wants Kitty

Fans of Metroid will like this game, in which players control a robot trying to rescue his beloved kitty. Throughout the levels, collect powerups for jumping, shooting and other enhanced abilities, which makes each level progress like a full-fledged game, only in shorter bursts.

Six levels are available by default, but in-app purchase opens five additional levels and a level creation community.

Army of Darkness Defense

In this game, based on the classic Evil Dead series, players control Ash Williams as he tries to protect the Necronomicon from invading Deadite hordes. Players summon troops and use special attacks to help fend off advancing enemies.

Gold collected during the levels goes toward Ash’s upgrades and castle improvements, like archers and a death pit to trap enemies. The game is very easy to control, allowing players to get into the rhythm they need to succeed.

Zombie Gunship

Many zombie survival games rely on scrapping by with one’s wits and limited weapons. Not this game. Players control an airborn gunship that takes out incoming zombies with heavy ordinance. The goal is to keep zombies at bay while survivors make their way to the bunker.

There’s something very satisfying about firing huge bullets from the sky that take out entire groups of zombies at once, though the best weapons can only be purchased with gold earned or bought in-game.

Walking Dead: The Game

Like the popular AMC television series, there’s only one word to describe Walking Dead: The Game. Awesome. The game brings the survival horror and psychological thriller theme of the series into the game in an all new story told in five separate episodes. If you love the TV series — or just love zombie games — you’ll love this one.

Punch Quest

What do you get when you combine a side-scrolling game like Golden Axe with an endless runner like Temple Run? Punch Quest.

It takes the endless running action and flips it on its side as you run and punch your way through the game, collecting currency and buying new abilities along the way. A great buy for anyone who loves the endless runner genre but thinks the last few games have just repeated the same old-same old.

LEGO Harry Potter

This one could really be LEGO Whatever. All of the Lego games are worth having, so it is really up to you to choose which one matches your interest. If you aren’t a Harry Potter fan, you can go with the Star Warssaga or go fantasy with the Lord of the Rings.

You can even be a superhero in LEGO Batman. No matter your choice, it’s hard to go wrong with one of these games. What are the Best LEGO Games on the iPad? Find Out!

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

The Grand Theft Auto series breathed new life into the sandbox game. While the game isn’t without a story, the beauty of the Grand Theft Auto series is how much freedom you have to go out and do whatever you want in the game.

Vice City is one of the better ports for the iPad, which has recently seen a lot of big name games like Baldur’s Gate and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic ported to the platform.

Unfortunately, this can have a negative impact as well, such as when you have a long drive back when failing a mission. If you like some freedom in your games, or you just want to take a trip down memory lane, Grand Theft Auto is a good choice.

Wild Blood

If you like your iPhone action games to have a bit more RPG element to them, Gameloft’s Wild Blood might be more to your liking. As Lancelot, you had a hand in the danger facing the land. After betraying King Arthur, Morgana was able to open a Hell Gate while Arthur is too distraught to care.

It’s up to you to beat back the demon hordes. Not exactly a spellbinding story, but enough of one to get you started. A beautiful game weighed down at times by not-always-smooth controls, this is still one of the better action adventure games on iOS.

Temple Run

Temple Run is the perfect throwback to old-fashioned arcade games. As a 3D platformer, it is simple to pick up and play, and yet it has an addictive factor that keeps you coming back for more. It’s easy to learn, difficult to master, and it really pushes you to beat your highest score each time you play.

Best of all, you can unlock power-ups in the store and they stay unlocked for future games. It’s no wonder the game has been downloaded so many times since it’s release in mid-2011.

Death Rally

The type of game that is easy to pick up and hard to put down, Death Rally is for everyone that has ever wished Twisted Metal would come to the iPad. A vehicular combat game, Death Rally will have you racing around tracks and firing off missiles, machine guns and laying down mines in order to blow your way to the top of the race.

And in between races, you’ll use your hard-earned dough to purchase new cars, customize your ride and slap on some new weaponry.

Monster Dash

Meet Barry Steakfires. He likes to run. He doesn’t like monsters. And therein likes the making for a great survival-horror-platformer action game from Halfbrick Studios, who also brought us Fruit Ninja. If you liked Pitfall Harry, but you wish it had a lot less swinging over swamp pits and a lot more shooting mummies with a shotgun, Monster Dash is the game for you.

Pizza VS Skeletons

Easily one of the funniest (and most unique) ideas on the App Store, Pizza vs Skeletons puts you in the shoes (if it had any shoes) of (you guessed it) a pizza. You’ll go up against all kinds of skeletons as you battle through multiple mini games, customizing your pizza along the way with different types of toppings.

Rage HD

Having brought us such names as Castle Wolfenstein, Doom, and Quake, iD Software is something of a legend in the gaming world. Their upcoming game, Rage, is a console game with FPS and RPG elements.

But we don’t have to wait for its release to get a feel for the Rage world. Rage HD is an on-rails shooter that takes place in a post-apocalyptic game show where blowing away members of the mutant horde is a great way to rack up points. One of the most beautiful iPhone action games, Rage also has a non-HD version available.

Pinball HD

Pinball HD has just the right mix of cool tables, smooth design and nice controls to make you think you are playing a real pinball game.

Sure, you can’t pick up your iPad and shake it a little to get the ball to do what you want — maybe they’ll add that as a feature in the future — but you can rack up a cool score on a very pinball-like scoreboard and then post it to online leaderboards for all your friends to see.

The game comes with three different pinball tables with a Slayer-branded (yes, Slayer the heavy metal band) table available as downloadable content.

Rayman Jungle Run

Do you love platformers? While not quite as famous as Mario, the Rayman series is one of the most iconic series in gaming history. And Ubisoft has done a great job making the transition to the touch screen.

Rayman Jungle Run features smaller levels strung together in a way that allows you to consume the content at a brisk pace, but for those who love to post perfect scores for each level, there is a ton of challenge hiding under the surface.

MetalStorm: Online

MetalStorm: Online puts you in the cockpit of your very own (and quite customizable) aircraft. And once in the skies, you’ll go up against the best opponent a computer can offer: another player.

As the name suggests, MetalStorm: Online features online play, which means you can go into a co-op survival mode with your friends or simply challenge them to a duel and shoot them out of the air. The game has intuitive controls and good graphics, and best of all, it is a free-to-play game, so you can test it out before investing in it through microtransactions.

Stupid Zombies

For the casual game fan, there are Stupid Zombies. A puzzle game passed out in bite-sized chunks, you’ll be facing off against the zombie apocalypse by gunning down the undead hordes.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of obstacles that want to get in your way, so you’ll need to use that noggin on the top of your head to ricochet those bullets into undead flesh. Let’s just hope you are smarter than the zombies coming after you.

BlocksClassic

If your early-80s were spent playing Breakout on your Atari 2600, you’ll get a real kick out of BlocksClassic. A re-imagining of the Breakout style of play, BlocksClassic lets you smash through blocks and unlock multiple balls and bonuses in the form of bananas and stars.

The game includes a lot of variety in level design, and for those who like to try before you buy, you can give it a test run on the free version.

Conclusion on iPhone action games

Are you ready to test your reflexes on your iPhone? These great iPhone action games will see just how well you can dodge, fire, pivot, and twitch.

If you liked this article with iPhone action games, you should check out these as well:

Best Sports Apps for iPhone

Best Arcade Games for iPhone and iPad

Best News Apps for iPhone and iPad

Best iPhone apps of the year

Health & Fitness Apps for iPhone and iPad

The post Best iPhone Action Games To Pass Time appeared first on Design your way.

from Web Development & Designing http://www.designyourway.net/blog/tech/iphone-action-games/

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waynekelton · 5 years

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The Best Roguelikes on Android and iOS

Not feeling Rogue enough? How about some excellent Word games instead?

Community Favourites

Quest of Dungeons

Cardinal Quest

Pixel Dungeon

Sword of Fargoal

100 Rogues

Out There

Hyper Rogue

Pathos

Look, Your Loot

Pocket Realms

Rogue Cards

Binding of Issac: Rebirth

MIYAMOTO (Review)

Developer: Hideki Hanida Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $2.99

Sir Questionnaire (Review)

Developer: Pascal Bestebroer Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $2.99

For some, Sir Questionnaire will be just too casual and undemanding to maintain interest. The decisions are simple, and the constant switching of inventory items can also get a little tiresome. However, for the rest of us, this is without question a spiffing release. Orange Pixel have again managed to capture that magic ingredient, producing a game that it is both quick and compulsive, as you rapidly move from room to room with the tap of a button or two. Sir Questionnaire serves up progress and rewards in a quick and addictive flurry of activity. The question is, do you want a highly addictive, reasonably priced, constantly improving, simple and fast playing dungeon delver? Yes or No?

Hoplite (Review)

Developer: Magma Fortress Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $2.99, (free demo on Android)

Road Not Taken (Review)

Developer: Spryfox Games Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

FTL: Faster Than Light (Review)

Developer: Subset Games Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $9.99

Dream Quest (Review)

Publisher: Peter M Whalen Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $2.99

Crypt of the Necrodancer

Developer: Brace Yourself Games Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $4.99

Auro (Review)

Developer: Dinofarm Games Platforms: Android Price: $1.99

Crowntakers

Developer: Kalypso Media Group Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $2.99, $3.49

868-HACK (Review)

Developer: Michael Brough Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $4.99

Of all the Roguelikes, 868-HACK ties reward to punishment most directly, scrambling the player’s usual risk-reward mindset. Thematically, a hacker scours the network for cash, energy and points while dodging hostile programs and warping across different nodes (i.e. levels). Mechanically, the poison and the cure are all the same stuff, because by hacking to gain a lead or even just catch your breath, the player spawns more foes. Resources are forever tight, and any attempt to siphon extra points or tools will aggravate the delicate game-state. As with many roguelikes, positioning is all-important, as is assembling an effective suite of programs to clear enemies and generate rewards. Across multiple successful runs, enemies gain random passive bonuses, and the prestige builds as the risks compound.

What would your list of the best roguelike games on iOS and Android look like? Let us know!

The Best Roguelikes on Android and iOS published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

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