IOS Spotlight #53: Sometimes You Die

Title: Sometimes You Die
Developer: Kamibox
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $1.99
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I only knew Kamibox due to its excellent precision arcade game Cyro, so I wasn't sure what to expect when starting Sometimes You Die. A unique puzzle platformer, I enjoyed my time with this unique game

Sometimes You Die is quite minimalist. There isn't even a menu; the game starts and you're simply playing. Right off the bat, the game stands out visually with its Limbo-esque visuals contrasted by the stark white letters highlighted in the background. While Sometimes You Die is a puzzle platformer, it's also delivering a story, one any gamer can appreciate, as it presents questions about the nature of gaming. Fans of The Stanley Parable will appreciate the philosophical musing about what defines a game. However, Sometimes You Die is also an actual game. While the game is short (I beat it in a little over an hour), the gameplay is fun, controls are responsive, and the mechanics are linked to the subtle narrative being told. The game is not actually that difficult; death is never an end but a tool to be used. Your dead selves stay behind, stuck on spikes, jammed against saw blades, to be used as stepping stones and protection from hazards throughout the game's eight chapters. Completing the game once unlocks a new ability and the challenge of completing it with as few death as possible.

If you're looking for a hardcore precision platformer or a challenging puzzler, you might be disappointed. But if you're looking for a stylish game that combines gamplay with story and has a message to tell, one that will appeal to gamers especially, I think you'll enjoy Sometimes You Die. You can purchase the game for $1.99.

IOS Spotlight #52: Smash Hit

Title: Smash Hit
Developer: Mediocre
Platforms: IOS Universal, Android
Price: Free ($1.99 for premium version)
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Perhaps what makes Smash Hit so fun and appealing is its simplicity. The core mechanic is tapping the screen to fling balls at glass structures. Mechanically, it's even simpler than Angry Birds. But simplicity isn't negative here, quite the opposite. Mediocre takes this straightforward gameplay and designs an stylish and surprisingly satisfying experience.

Smash Hit is most easily compared to a runner: you move forward automatically, dealing with obstacles in your path. You start with a limited number of balls and acquire more by smashing certain objects along the path; chaining hits reward you with multi-balls, allowing you to fire up to five balls at once. Rather than avoiding hazards, here you're tasked with destroying them and it's this aspect that make Smash Hit shine. One would think that such a simple task would get boring or repetitive, but Mediocre continually changes up the formula with different obstacles. Mindless firing is an easy way to fail;. The amount of balls you have doubles as your health and hitting an obstacles results in a loss of ten, so precision and timing is a must. It helps that shattering obstacles is so satisfying. Personally, the physics, sound effects, visuals, and how it's always linked to a successful hit meant the gameplay never got old for me across the game's nine levels and endless mode.

Any impressions of Smash Hit would be remiss without mentioning the visuals. While the shattering effects are great on their own, the environments are just impressive, abstract areas reminiscent of the brutalist architecture seen in NaissanceE. Smash Hit is free to download here; a $1.99 IAP unlocks stats and the ability to continue from checkpoints (rather than starting from the beginning when you fail.)

IOS Spotlight #51: oO

Title: oO
Developer: Rainbow Train
Platforms: IOS Universal, Android
Price: $1.99
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If you've been reading my blog, you've probably seen that I have an affinity for precision platformers and twitchy, reflex-testing games. That thrill of success is enhanced by challenging games like those, and the recently released oO delievers that thrill with its minimal style and simple yet varied gameplay.
Similar to the IOS title Ring Run Circus, oO has you controlling a ball as it moves around the circumference of interconnected circles; tapping the screen shifts you from the interior to the exterior and vice versa. But while Ring Run Circus felt more like a platformer, oO is pure Super Hexagon/Pivvot-style challenge, as you weave between spikes. Perfect timing is needed, not just to evade hazards but to simply travel from one circle to the next at the small overlap where two overlap. oO consists of four main levels and while that may sound lacking in content, each level builds on the one before, introducing new variations of hazards, from moving spikes to spikes that shift sides to rotating levels. The levels are not short either, instead consisting of checkpoints and tracking your death count rather than time. Each level has a hard version in which the circles are fluid and amorphous, requiring more focus and attention to avoid danger; endless modes are also available for the extra challenge.

In either the regular levels or endless, oO remains challenging and addictive throughout, especially when you gain an almost rhythmic flow and swiftly maneuver around hazards without dying. The developer also has plans for more content in the future.
You can purchase oO for $1.99

The Watchlist: First Strike

Title: First Strike
Developer: Blindflug Studios
Platforms: iPad, Android
Releasing March 12th
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A nuclear armageddon is no one’s dream scenario. So choose your steps carefully, it’s a small path between war and peace. FIRST STRIKE is a great strategy simulation featuring snappy gameplay and an intuitive interface that makes dropping the big one as easy as ABC. But be sure to take the right measures to guarantee your people’s safety.

Put simply, First Strike is Defcon for the mobile gamer. Where Defcon lifted its inspiration from WarGame's aesthetic, First Strike's nuclear warfare is conducted on a slick 3D globe, with your tactical strikes arcing through space. It's an experience built for mobile, with a touch friendly interface allowing you to rotate and manipulate the planet with your fingers. But aside from First Strike's stylish looks, it also promises to be a challenging strategic game, offering  ten minute rounds as you research new technology and plan new strategies from expanding and conquering neighboring nations to performing recon on your enemy's resources and actions. According to the developers, this time limit put the focus on observation and fast-paced tactics and means a wrong decision could easily and quickly throw off your strategies

First Strike will be released mid-March on iPad and Android. You can learn more on the official site.

IOS Spotlight #50: Word Mage

Title: Word Mage
Developer: Lazy Arcade
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $0.99
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I've played several word games on IOS, from Bookworm to Spelltower, but none have been as intense and fast as Word Mage. Word Mage combines challenging wordplay and RPG elements better than I anticipated

Perhaps the most similar game would Spell Quest, another IOS word game with some RPG elements. But Word Mage has several elements and mechanics that make it the superior more challenging experience. The set-up is simple: your titular mage is at the top of the screen, facing off against various monsters. Chaining together letters to form words results in an attack; the longer the word, the more powerful the attack. What makes the gameplay so intense and adds a element of urgency is the timer. A bar decreases as you play, getting hit makes it reduce faster, and killing enemies restores some. When the bar is fully depleted, you fail. You really need to assess the board fast and weigh the choice of short but less damaging words over longer words that will take longer to find. It's truly a race against the clock, since the longer you take, the less time you'll have on the next wave of enemies. You need to be quick and always planning ahead, with only seconds to do so. Other elements add more complexity and challenge: you can only use words once and the board doesn't scramble, harder difficulties for each level that add more and harder enemies, leveling up, items to collect to create new powers, different powers to discover and equip.

Word Mage's passive and active abilities, such as Overcharge which makes five-letter words stop time to lightning attacks, add a strategic element not seen in other word games and the skill tree is quite varied. The charming pixel graphics, intense fast-paced wordplay, and surprisingly satisfying blend of RPG and word game makes Word Mage well worth your time. The developer will be adding more achievements and an endless practice mode in the first update and is working on an arena mode with random enemies.

You can purchase Word Mage for $0.99.

IOS Spotlight #49: Toast Time

Title: Toast Time
Developer: Force of Habit
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $2.99
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Put simply, Toast Time is a game about TERRY (toast-ejecting recoil & reload system) and his fight against inter-dimensional enemies out to steal time. Yeah, it's that kind of game, but behind Toast Time's zany premise lies a worthy successor to Super Crate Box's hectic arcade action.

Toast Time takes the basic foundation that Super Crate Box  popularized (random weapon pick-ups, fighting enemies in an small arena, collecting crates to unlock new weapons) and evolves the formula. The game has a simple one-touch controls scheme that's perfectly suited for mobile; you tap to shoot towards that spot and propel yourself in the opposite direction, and shoot the ground to launch upward. However simple intuitive controls don't mean the gameplay itself is simple and easy. As levels become more complex, with walls, platforms, and special items like jump pads, and enemies come in from all angles, you find that Toast Time is all about timing your shots (to build combos for high scores), controlling your movement (to get the best angles to converse your limited ammo), and adapting to whatever weapon you pick up. The weapons are diverse and satisfying to use, from dual shot toasties and slicing baguettes to rapid-fire breadcrumbs.You can also customize TERRY with items such as headbands and Bo staff, as you fight across the numerous levels and single-life Iron Man survival mode.

Toast Time will definitely appeal to fans of games like Super Crate Box and Spell Sword, and offers an experience that feels unique and challenging, with levels that change as you play, simple controls that work well and take time and skill to master, inventive weapons, and is just fast-paced and frantic. The game provides an addictive feeling of being half out of control as you bounce around the screen, half in control as you position yourself and time combo shots.

You can purchase Toast Time for $2.99.

IOS Spotlight #48: 137 BC

Title: 137 BC
Developer: GamerNationX
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $4.99
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Strategy games have found a nice niche on IOS; from Autumn Dynasty to Ace Patrol, it's a thriving genre. 137 BC is the new addition, and while it is flawed in some aspects, it's excels in others, delivering an experience with great potential and promise.

Set in the titular year, 137 BC places the might of Rome under your command in an invasion and siege of Gaul. I think that historical premise was what made the game appeal to me so much, as I have a love for history and non-fiction, and directing legionnaires was just more compelling than other units seen in other games. As for the game itself, I think it's best to discuss its flaws first and the most critical flaw are the clunky controls. Dragging units onto the field, tapping where you want to go, trying to select multiple units can be imprecise and more often than not, I was moving the camera around or making units go in the wrong direction. Also I found the UI unclear, despite the How To Play messages; there was gameplay aspects and mechanics that were hard to figure out.

But for its flaws, 137 BC also does many things right. The core gameplay is strong: multi-day siege where you breach walls with ladders and smash through gates with rams, or take out archer towers with catapults and your troops close in on enemy fortresses as flaming arrows rain down above. The atmosphere is great as well, capturing the brutality of ancient warfare. The battles are bloody, with blood and crushed corpses littering the ground when a catapulted stones rolls through your legion and your decimated forces flee. You can zoom out to see your unit icons moving into position, or zoom in to see your legionnaires pushing their catapult and firing arrows.

Between its campaign and sandbox mode, 137 BC offers a wealth of content, with deep RTS gameplay. The control issues are a negative, but the developers are aware and listening to feedback. I believe the game's current polish and its potential to improve makes it an experience worth playing. You can purchase 137 BC for $4.99.

IOS Spotlight #47: Pocket Moto X

Title: Pocket Moto X
Developer: Mark Kevern
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $0.99
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Say "2D bike game" and more often than not, you'll lose an IOS gamer's interest pretty fast, which is probably why Pocket Moto X had gone unnoticed for six months. The genre is almost ubiquitous on the platform, but Pocket Moto stands out due to its polish and Trials-esque gameplay.

What I found most appealing about Pocket Moto was its colorful art. The world is vibrant, and peppered with little touches such as how the world gets dark and shaded when you enter caves. Those details extend outside of the visuals as well, from the character bios to their different poses in the bike selection screens. It's those details that make Pocket Moto stand out from the many other bike games on IOS. The gameplay also doesn't disappoint in the gameplay; while not as fast or challenging as Bike Baron, Pocket Moto's levels require a similar finesse as you leap over gaps and maneuver your bike through tough obstacle courses. It's fun, the controls are responsive, the physics feel finely tuned.

Pocket Moto X is a fun charming hidden gem for fans of Trials-esque games. You can purchase the game for $0.99.

IOS Spotlight #46: Rocket Robo

Title: Rocket Robo
Developer: Bad Kraken Games
Platform: IOS Universal
Price: $0.99
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One of the more innovative advantages of the IOS platform is its potential for unique control schemes. Between tilt, multi-touch, swiping, virtual buttons, the platform allows for games and controls that wouldn't be possible on other systems. Rocket Robo combines tilt, swipes, and one touch controls to make a fun inventive puzzle action game.

Set in the varied confines of two worlds (with the third coming in an upcoming update), you control a small robot as he collect stars to restore a space lighthouse. The controls are simple but work perfectly: tilt to angle yourself, tap or hold to activate your thrusters, and swipe to switch between planes. Yes, Rocket Robo is clearly inspired by LittleBigPlanet, with its patchwork environments and worlds that consist of a background and foreground to move between, but it takes these aspects and forges its own identity. While there are hazards like bombs and saw blades to avoid, Rocket Robo is first and foremost focused on puzzles and exploration; numerous new mechanics are introduced throughout the levels, from level rotating to manipulate light in dark environments to movable level sections and zero gravity.

Rocket Robo isn't the most challenging game, but it's certainly polished, fun, and offers a great art style to admire and finely tuned controls. You can purchase Rocket Robo for $0.99

IOS Spotlight #44: Rainbow

Title: Rainbow
Developer: TCHOW
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $1.99
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TCHOW is no stranger to making weird and inventive games, such as the time-controlling precision platformer RKTCR. Now his new game Rainbow is on IOS and it's as abstract and fun as his previous releases.

Rainbow tasks you to restore color to a dulled world. Using your finger, you maneuver a rainbow band around each level, touching different individuals to colorize them. While the levels start off easy, the difficulty and complexity soon ramps up, introducing tight mazes, different wall types, and other elements. The touch controls work well and there's even a guiding line that shows your future path similar to RKTCR, allowing you to adjust and improvise accordingly. You'll have to split up your rainbow into multiple strands, moving each through the winding levels. That task is challenging by itself, but the three optional objectives require extra planning and precise mastery, as you attempt to complete levels without lifting your finger, collecting hard to reach stars, and only splitting up your rainbow a certain amount of times.

Rainbow's minimalist style complements its difficult action-puzzle gameplay nicely and between the 30+ levels and side objectives, Rainbow offers a fun polished challenge. You can purchase the game for $1.99.

IOS Spotlight #43: Shadow Blade

Title: Shadow Blade
Developer: Dead Mage
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $1.99
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IOS gamers are no strangers to platformers. It's probably one of the most prevalent genres on IOS. While games like League of Evil, Commander Pixman, and others have shown that touch controls can work, precise controls can sometimes be hit or miss. Luckily Shadow Blade easily delivers and offers some of the best platforming action I've played on IOS.

When I first saw Shadow Blade, I thought it would be more of a fast paced stealth game, akin to Mark of the Ninja. Turns out that wasn't quite accurate. Shadow Blade is a fast paced precision platformer with some light stealth mechanics. Enemies are more like obstacles in your way, easily dispatched; if you're stopping to fight them, then your timing's off. Shadow Blade is all about speed and swiftness. Across its three chapters and Hardcore levels, you'll face a gauntlet of spikes and sawblades, electric barriers and collapsing platforms, snipers and other enemies.

While I found the swipe controls lacking, the virtual buttons provide the precision and accuracy needed to evade the various hazards and enemies. Perfecting each level takes practice and sharp timing. Soon you'll be effortlessly striking down enemies without pausing, double jumping between blades, dashing through glass barriers, and the game's fluid animations and colorful visuals means the action and spraying blood doesn't get old.

Shadow Blade offers fantastic platforming fun, thanks to its stylish visuals, responsive controls, fluid gameplay, and high difficulty. You can purchase Shadow Blade for $1.99.

IOS Spotlight #42: Magnetized

Title: Magnetized
Developer: Rocky Games
Platforms: IOS Universal, PC, Browser
Price: $2.99, Free
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Magnetized has had one hell of a ride to the App Store. First released as a browser game on Kongregate and Newgrounds, then as freeware through GameJolt, the game's developer also struggled to remove a clone of his game from XBIG. Now Magnetized is on IOS, and you should not miss it.

The simplest way to describe Magnetized is a mix of Slingshot Racing with twitchy puzzle action and a stylish neon aesthetic. Like that game, Magnetized utilizes a simple one-touch control scheme to great effect; your cube moves forward automatically, and you must hold and release to latch onto nodes throughout the level to swing around corners and other obstacles. But I feel like Magnetized takes that proven mechanic and improves it for the better. Rather than racing other vehicles, you're evading crushing walls, weaving between tight corridors and other hazards. There are three kinds of nodes, each with a different function.: attach to blue nodes to swing in an arc; use purple nodes like grapple hooks to pull yourself towards them; teleport between yellow nodes. Soon levels will include all three nodes and perfect timing and quick reflexes are a must if you want to finish all 80 levels as well as pick up the collectibles in each.

Magnetized may not have jaw-dropping visuals, but the gameplay shines brightly nonetheless. You can play the game online here and support the developer by purchasing the game on IOS for $2.99. If anything, the developer is motivated; he also plans to release Magnetized on Steam, Desura, Windows, and Amazon.

IOS Spotlight #41: Gravity Badgers

Title: Gravity Badgers
Developer: Wales Interactive Ltd.
Platforms: IOS Universal, PC, Mac, Linux
Price: Free w/Game Unlock, $4.99 on Desura
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Time and time again, we've seen how easy it is for quality games to slip under the radar on the App Store. If I didn't regularly check SlideDB, I would have never heard of Gravity Badgers and that's a shame. It's a fun polished game that deserves more attention

You play as a member of the titular Gravity Badgers, an elite galactic force. It's a silly tongue-in-cheek story that gives the chapters and boss fights a bit more meaning beyond simple levels. But the true meat of the game is where it should be, the gameplay. Gravity Badgers plays like a mix of Angry Birds Space with a focus on single screen "platforming" seen in games like Run Roo Run and Gravity Run. Each single-screen puzzle-esque challenge consists of a wormhole exit and a variety of hazards, some beneficial some not. Pull back on a badger to indicate the direction and strength of your jetpack, release to blast off. Timing and understanding of the various obstacles are key to success. From portals to gravity fields that attract and repel to direction-changing pipes and laser gate triggers, Gravity Badgers has a satisfying amount of content and challenge and isn't afraid to mix things up with bosses and bonus levels

Gravity Badgers is a charming hidden gem, with a nice aesthetic, cute story, and a lot of levels. You can download the game for free and unlock the game (and remove a single unobstrusive ad) with an in-ap purchase. The game is also available on Desura.

IOS Spotlight #40: Blek

Title: Blek
Developer: Kunabi Brother
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $2.99
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Blek was recently being discussed among indie sites and forums due to some foolish action taken by Youtube to remove the game's trailer. That's all been reconciled now, but that's not what Blek should be remembered for. No, instead, it should be remembered as a fantastic puzzle game that uses touchscreen to deliver a wonderful engaging experience.

Blek is a minimalist piece of art, and easily joins the ranks of Strata as my favorite minimal puzzle games. There isn't even a menu; the game opens with your first puzzle, which also acts as a simple tutorial. The art itself is merely a collection of black and colored dots on a white surface but what truly makes Blek a joy to play is the line. There is something just visually appealing and satisfying about seeing your line move so fluidly across the screen, in a way that feels unpredictable yet is completely planned

Yes, planned. Blek is not just some minimalist experiment. It's a puzzle game and like the best in the genre, the core mechanic is simple to understand, but difficult to master. Draw a path for your line to follow, which it will repeat until it leaves the screen, touches a black circle, or a colored circle. Your goal is to collect all the colored circles in a level and the genius of Blek is the freedom you're granted to complete that task. Your solutions can be as simple or as complex as you can think of. From the simple inching line to a complex pattern that gracefully weaves between attempting-ending black spots, Blek is a rare puzzle game that presents the player with a challenging scenario and then gives you free reign to solve it how you wish.

Blek is for the player who enjoys puzzles games that don't offer to hold your hand, but instead allow you to use your own intelligence and creativity to succeed. You can purchase Blek for $2.99.

IOS Spotlight #39: Super Splatform

Title: Super Splatform
Developer: P1XL Games
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $1.99
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Despite my love for precision platformers, I didn't decide to check out Super Splatform until days after its release. The retro aesthetic and trailer hadn't exactly sold me on the game, but the positive impressions and active developer on the Toucharcade forums convinced me to give the game a try. And I'm glad I did.

Gameplay wise, Super Splatform is most reminiscent of the well-received IOS game Bean's Quest. Like in that game, your little sphere bounces constantly; it's up to you to move left and right, onto platforms and over gaps. But Super Splatform's ace up its sleeve is its difficulty. This game is very much about precision. Sure you can bounce around the levels, not caring about getting medals for reaching the end in less jumps, but the real thrill comes in learning the levels, learning the limits of your jumping, and then chipping away jumps. While the early levels simply challenge you with larger gaps and distant platforms, soon you'll be switching gravity and timing jumps over bursts of wind. The game's fifty levels are divided into five themes, each with their own look and obstacles. Levels also contain a gold coin to find and a rainbow coin to collect after achieving the gold medal that's even harder to reach.

But that's not all. Super Splatform offers more than its hefty campaign. There's all a Doodle Jump-esque Infinite Mode, which tasks you with getting as high as you can. Along with that mode, you can also play the original Splatform as well, which was first released in 2002 on the Commodore 64.

You can purchase Super Splatform for $1.99.

IOS Spotlight #38: Jet Car Stunts 2

Title: Jet Car Stunts 2
Developer: True Axis
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: Free ($4.99 for all content)
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I'll be honest. The first Jet Car Stunts was my first IOS game, one of the few that has never left my device, and the sequel was probably one of my most anticipated titles. So my opinion might be somewhat bias. But then again Jet Car Stunts 2 deserves the praise; it's a fast challenging platfomer that improves on the original in every way.

Despite outward appearances, Jet Car Stunts 2 is not a racing game. You may control a vehicle and drive fast, but outside of the handful of Racing levels, the game is a high-speed precision platfomer with rocket cars. In the majority of the game's levels, the goal is to reach the finish with as few retries as possible, a goal easier said than done when the track consists of massive gaps, loops, gravity-defining turns, grind rails, narrow hoops to pass through, and more. There are a number of different vehicles to play as, from the familiar physics of the original vehicle to the Jet, which is more plane than car, and each needs to be learned and mastered if you want to perfect every level. You control your vehicle with a combination of tilt controls and on-screen icons; now I know some IOS gamers are wary of tilt controls, as am I, but the controls in JCS2 just feel finely tuned and precise. If I crashed or overshot the track, it was never because of the controls but because of my own performance. 

Besides the Platforming tracks, there are also Time Trials where you must use your boost and beat circuit times, Race tracks where you race AI-controlled vehicles, and Tony Hawk-esque Stunt arenas where you're given free reign to pull off the best stunts and grinds for high scores. Technically, the game offers 120 levels, but the number is closer to 220 because all the Platforming tracks and Time Trials have alternate Hard versions that add tougher obstacles and bigger gaps. Aside from all this content, you can also make and share your own tracks in the level editor. 

Now I know some of you may be worried that a premium game is getting a free sequel with IAP, but on the contrary, True Axis's IAP scheme is one of the fairest and most reasonable I've seen. You get a handful of levels to try for free, and then the full game is $4.99, or you can simply purchase different level packs suited to what interests you. If you don't like time trials or never plan on using the editor, then only buy the platforming levels. There's no freemium elements like currency or timers here.

In my opinion the only major flaw is the level editor. Now the editor is fun to use. You drive and the track forms beneath your vehicle; you can create gaps and loops and big drift-friendly hairpin turns. I spent two hours just messing around. But the key words there are "messing around." It just seems too difficult to make something that feels planned out and intended. However I will say this is the first editor that becomes easier to use once you become a better player. I think once I've gotten better at playing the game, the true depth of editor will be revealed, but for people who just want to jump in and create a complex track or create something with some artistic vision in mind, it will feel too hard and random. Thankfully the developers are listening to player suggestions and plan to improve the editor.

Jet Car Stunts 2 is a huge improvement and evolution over the first game, not just in sheer content but in variety and challenge as well.. Everything that made the first Jet Car Stunts so satisfying is back, and bigger than ever before. You can download the game for free.

The Watchlist: Monument Valley

Title: Monument Valley
Developer: Ustwo Games
Platforms: IOS Universal
2014
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A game about beautiful impossibility

I was lucky enough to get into the Testflight beta for Monument Valley and after playing through the current beta, I have to say that no game I've played has offered such satisfying and fun perspective-twisting mechanics since Fez. Set in an abstract world of a long lost civilization, you traverse these isometric environments, solving puzzles and slowly unraveling the mysterious fate of those who resided there before. While the minimalist art and Escher-esque environments are always pleasing to explore. what truly makes Monument Valley shine are its mechanics. Each chapter offers a new twist of the perspective-shifting and spatial manipulation, from levels where you can rotate the entire level and transition from floors to walking across walls to the Box, a nesting doll-style environment where you flip open different sides of the box to reveal different puzzles and areas. Some levels you need to manipulate enemies to activate switches, other levels you're moving a pillar to bridge impossible gaps.

While the developers hope to eventually bring Monument Valley to Android and PC, currently it's only set to release on IOS and honestly I feel Monument Valley without a touchscreen would diminish the experience. There's something quite satisfying and tactile in moving portions of the level around, dragging sections to complete illusions, and other functions that could only be accomplished with a touchscreen. Monument Valley will release some time in 2014. You can follow the game's progress on the development blog.

IOS Spotlight #37: Hoplite

Title: Hoplite
Developer: Douglas Cowley
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $1.99
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When I first saw Hoplite in a thread on Toucharcade forums, I was intrigued by the name but then saw the screenshots and passed it by, assuming it was some kind of hex-based strategy/RTS game. And now I know that was my mistake, but also almost accurate. Hoplite is certainly strategic, and tactical, and deep, but it's also the best turn-based roguelike I've played on IOS since Aaron Steed's Ending.

Like Ending, Hoplite could best be described as roguelike with chess elements. But while Ending sported a chess-like aesthetic, Hoplite tasks you with descending into the lava- and demon-filled depths to retrieve the Fleece and return alive. You are alone, and outnumbered, and can only take four hits before succumbing to death. However, you are not helpless. 

Hoplite's gameplay is where the chess vibe emerges. You tap on a square to move there. Tapping on enemies reveal their range of fire and movement, and enemies move when you move. Careful planning and awareness of where and how enemies can move and attack is your key to survival. You can stab enemies on your diagonals or lunge at those in front of you. You can leap over tiles or throw your spear (but then you have to pick it back up). You can use your shield to bash enemies away or into lava or knock bombs away. You can pray at various altars (Ares, Athena, etc.) to gain stats buffs and special abilities, like greater throw range, an arcing shield bash, or magic, but this also ups the game's difficulty, so you must weight the reward of greater tactical freedom over greater challenge. Get careless, get cocky, forget to watch your ability cooldowns or your enemies' locations, and your health will be quickly chipped away.

Hoplite is a fantastic little game that could so easily be overlooked and forgotten but that would a shame for such a tough and tactical gem. The developer hopes to add more quests, but that all depends on how the game does on the App Store. You can purchase Hoplite for $1.99.

IOS Spotlight #35: Beat Drift

Title: Beat Drift
Developer: LunarPixelGames
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $0.99
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Ever since I played Super Hexagon on IOS, I've developed a love for twitchy reflex-testing games. Beat Drift is the best I've played since Hexagon and that's coming from someone who's played most of the twitchy action games on IOS

Boson X grew more complex with each level, Duet and Pivvot were more about learning the patterns, but Beat Drift is back-to-basics evasion, just go forth and dodge. You hold the sides of the screen to move left and right, up walls and along the ceiling as you evade barriers in your path. The levels will rotate as well, so you need to stay focused and adjust to the new orientation quickly. There are four difficulty levels to master, each faster than the last, and each with their own music track.

It's tough to say exactly what makes Beat Drift stand out amongst the many other "Hexagon-likes" on IOS. It isn't that flashy, or that complex. It doesn't try to reinvent the formula. The game's strengths are almost subtle. The controls are just finely tuned and hair-breadth dodges are common. It has that addictive appeal of making progress by tenths of a second and then instantly restarting to go again, especially on expert Blur difficulty. It's simple and streamlined and the music makes it easy to get into the zone between focus and pure reflexes.

You can purchase Beat Drift for $0.99.

IOS Spotlight #34: Polarity

Title: Polarity
Developer: Bluebutton Games
Platforms: IOS Universal, Ouya
Price: $4.99
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With solid mechanics and good touch controls, Polarity finally gives IOS a proper first-person puzzle platformer.

Compared to the genre as a whole, Polarity isn't the most original or innovative or even the best in the genre. We've rotated level, manipulated boxes, lasers, forcefields, activated platforms in other games before. But the genre has always been lacking on IOS and Polarity does it justice with its varied puzzle mechanics. Across twelve levels, you'll be reorienting parts of the environment, swapping your polarity to turn force fields into barriers or carry boxes through, or jumping over gaps while manipulating switches to move platforms. The controls are simple but work: left side moves, right side adjusts the camera, and there are icons for jumping, for actions like picking up boxes and pressing switches, and for switching your polarity. While the camera feels too loose, even on low sensitivity, the overall control scheme is effective for solving the game's challenges.

Polarity isn't the longest experience, but that doesn't mean it's not challenging. Some level can take 15 to 20 minutes and they're all well designed and fun to interact with and solve. You can purchase Polarity for $4.99, and vote for the game on Steam Greenlight. Polarity is also available on Ouya