Most modern games can no longer afford to think one-dimensionly. It’s not enough to have a princess trapped in a castle with a giant lizard king; nowadays it’s about creating something complex, meaningful and different. That’s why indie games like Braid, Limbo and even Amnesia: The Dark Descent (as horror-inducing as that game is) have been growing in popularity, because they challenge how we think and how we play.
The Silent Age: Episode One is one of these games.
Wheel of Fortune was a family tradition growing up. Every weeknight, my family would tune in to watch Pat Sajak and Vanna White turn letters on a giant wall. It was awesome. Each one of us would try and see who could guess the puzzles first — my sisters and I got pretty good at it. We even had a computer game at home we’d play together for hours on end.
When I heard Wheel of Fortune was available on the iPad, I jumped at the opportunity to relive that nostalgia and enjoy a game that’s fun, educational and competitive. While the game was fun and a little educational, there was one thing it wasn’t: competitive.
As I mentioned in one of my first reviews for iPad Insight, I don’t care much for racing games. Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2, a Playstation 2 release from more than 10 years ago, was the only exception. It was a racing game with a twist; pitting players not only against each other, but also a range of police chases, blockades and bomb-dropping helicopters. I flipping loved that game.
When I found out EA Games released an iPad version called Need For Speed: Most Wanted, I was thrilled. Finally, a racing game I could enjoy playing, because it’s focused on more than just one car beating the other car.
Does the iPad release compare with the original I loved so much? Well, yes and no.
When it comes to games with female protagonists, the iPad is sorely lacking. Ever since I started reviewing iPad games, I’ve been on the hunt for ones with female leads, and have sadly come up short. Most of the games I’ve found were “girly,” with topics and themes only women (particularly teens and tweens) would likely be interested in playing.
It’s Christmas! One of my favorite times of the year. While I did see plenty of holiday-themed iPad games such as Super Mega Worm vs. Santa, I thought it would be best to take a look at a game that’s not only good for the holidays, but year-round.
Before I get into it, let me state this for the record: I don’t particularly like Farmville, Mafia Wars, Restaurant City or any of those other social network “freemium” games Facebook has made popular throughout the years. I find the genre, as a whole, annoying, frustrating and addictive purely for the sake of being addictive.
That being said, The Simpsons: Tapped Out stands out as one of the only social network-style games I actually like.