Mikael Raheem

343 Industries reveals new CGI Halo 2 cutscenes at Comic-Con last Friday to continue the celebration of the game’s 10th anniversary.
343 Industries and CGI studio Blur teamed up to repackage all of Halo 2’s cutscenes which they teased in a trailer shown at Comic-Con last week. The trailer shows off some crisp CGI remakes of cutscenes that were originally made in-engine.

 
It was also revealed that the Zanzibar multiplayer map will receive the anniversary treatment and be reworked to match the updated graphics of the main game. Zanzibar joins Ascension and Coagulation on the list of six maps announced to be remade with the next map to announced in August at Gamescom.
Halo 2 will be released as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection which is set to be released on November 11 of this year. The collection will include the first four games in the Halo series along with beta access to Halo 5: Guardians.

 
The collection boasts many improvements over the original releases as well as the option to play either version of Halo 2 (i.e. the original or the anniversary remake). Online multiplayer support was also announced at E3 this year with the claims that games will run at 60 frames per second and at 1080p resolution. All maps combined, there will be more than a hundred arenas to pick from.

 
The Master Chief Collection will also include Halo: Nightfall, a live-action series produced by Ridley Scott. The series appears to center around a mysterious new element that selectively kills humans, according to a recently released trailer. Nightfall tells the origin story of Jameson Locke, a character who will appear in Halo 5. Not much is said in the trailer although it seems as though the series will lend “insight and understanding” into Locke’s character in the new game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtvk2KCmb9s

Cargo King is a game with one simple mechanic and almost no flourish. While developers Happymagenta seem to have put some effort into making the art look clean and the gameplay smooth, they neglected to make the […]

(R)evolve is a game where you need to nurture your planet’s plants by simply letting them grow over time. Also, you’ll have to protect them from the constant barrage of meteors that fly towards you from every […]

Hubble Bubbles is a game that has you bouncing across bubbles, trying to get as far as you can in a physics-based endless runner that suffers from a few unfortunate design choices.

You are a ball that starts […]

Respawn Entertainment announced today the new Titanfall Frontiers Edge DLC featuring three brand new maps.
Microsoft exclusive Titanfall is getting yet another content pack from EA and developers Respawn […]

Bungie and Activision have announced the Destiny beta release date as well a number of collector’s editions for pre-order participants.
The Destiny beta will finally be released on consoles this month according […]

Monument Valley Community Page
Monument Valley, from developers ustwo, is a fantastic addition to the puzzle genre, bringing all kinds of new elements to the fray. Levels disassemble, rotate, and spin all the […]

Jade Raymond of Ubisoft Toronto claims that, while mobile games are not creative, they are still important because of what she calls “ambient gaming.”
At the recent Gamelab conference in Barcelona, Managing […]

Kirby Triple Deluxe plays off a familiar formula but does it well. With classic Kirby platforming and a few new tricks, the game manages to satisfy those looking for their latest Kirby fix and still keep skeptics […]

From June 23 to June 29, get Virtual City free for Mac, iOS, Android, and Kindle devices.
Developed and published by G5 Entertainment, the portable city simulator Virtual City will be available to download for […]

We take a look back at the recent events that have contributed to the conversation about diversity in the gaming industry.
As the gaming industry evolves, so do its audience and so does its values. With more and […]

NGames to publish a new Star Trek MMORPG where players choose to play for the Federation or the Klingons and explore Fluidic Space.
A new Star Trek MMO, hosted on Game321.com, pits the Federation against the […]

Crytek and Deep Silver’s Homefront The Revolution release date announced, set to come out sometime in 2015.
Published by Crytek and Deep Silver, Homefront: The Revolution will be released on Xbox One, PS4, PC, […]

In the sea of free-to-play games on the App Store, it’s good to know there are still iOS games worth buying outright.
Over the past few years, the iOS App Store has been bombarded with free-to-play games, ranging everywhere from expansive RPGs to simple match-three games. A major complaint from gamers, however, is that these games often surprise you with in-app purchases that enable you to rocket to the top without putting in much effort.

While the debate on whether or not free-to-play is the best model is a healthy one, it’s important to remember that buying a game from the outset can often work to your advantage, even if it is a bit more of a risk. In this article, we’ll cover a few of the games that have come out over the past couple years that are worth your hard-earned cash.

 
Threes! — £1.49/$1.99

Threes!, a simple tile-sliding game, is a great example of how a simple concept can become extremely complex. In this game, you slide tiles around a board, matching up similar numbers (always multiples of three) and combining twos and ones together to make threes. Combining two threes will give you a six, combining two sixes will get you a twelve, and so on.

What makes this game worth investing in is that it feels like playing an old arcade game: it’s incredibly hard when you start out, but as you get better at it the level of satisfaction grows exponentially. Every time you “unlock” a tile you’ve never seen before all the anxiety of getting to that moment fades away.

The sound in this game is phenomenal as well, from the satisfying “swoosh” of sliding tiles around the board to the yawns and taunts when you take too long to move.

The excellent gameplay and satisfying audio feedback in Threes! are worth paying the meager price for, not to mention the complete lack of ads or in-app purchases.

 
Hitman Go — £2.99/$4.99

An unlikely addition to the Hitman series, Square Enix Montreal’s tabletop simulator still manages to deliver that feeling of sneaking and striking, all the while maintaining your calm assassin persona. The game allows you to move once per turn, followed by each enemy moving once. Your objective is either to reach the end of the board without being eliminated or to assassinate a target. Additional level goals include picking up a briefcase and not taking out any of the minions before reaching the goal.

Hitman Go’s tricky puzzle designs and smooth aesthetics really work to its advantage. Each level is devilishly clever, especially if you try to complete the additional goals. Not unlike a chess game, you’ll find yourself thinking out enemy moves ten turns in advance.

The game offers a lot of content for the price. You’re given four game “expansions” from the get-go, each one with multiple levels. You unlock each successive board by completing level objectives, although one bonus expansion can be bought with real money if you so choose. The game indicates that there are more expansions on the way.

 
868-Hack — £3.99/$5.99

To those who have never heard of 868-Hack, it might seem like it’s not worth the hefty price, especially considering its less-than-modern graphics and simple controls. Fortunately, this turn-based, roguelike puzzle game offers much more than the smiley-face avatar would suggest. Complex resource management systems and balanced AI makes this game one of the most challenging yet rewarding games to be released on iOS.

You are tasked with protecting a computer system by taking out various invaders such as viruses and glitches. Throughout the eight procedurally-generated levels, you have the option to pick up either points or powerups (and sometimes both). Each powerup is different and uses one of two different resources picked up off the map. Picking up either points or powerups will spawn enemies, though.

Enemy classes in 868-Hack are extremely well-defined and show their strengths immediately, which is good because you quickly need to learn how to defend against each one of their unique strengths. When you have ten enemies spawning all at once, you immediately have to start thinking ahead.

Rich gameplay and complex strategies are what make this game easily worth the price tag. Because the game is procedurally-generated, there is no end to how many times you can play with the game still feeling fresh every time.

 
Year Walk —£2.49/$3.99

Based on an old Swedish ritual and sold alongside a free, lore-exploring companion app, Year Walk by Simogo is a first-person puzzle game that doesn’t fall short when it comes to challenging puzzles and an immersive atmosphere. The horror game starts you off at the beginning of a year walk, a midnight excursion into a supernatural world filled with ominous creatures and strange omens.

This game is definitely not one you want to play in the dark. Right from the start, Year Walk creeps you out with labyrinthine paths through the forest and eery puzzles involving wind up dolls whose bloody heads spin around. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

What makes this game worth the purchase is its stimulating, often abstract puzzles as well as how well it accomplishes game immersion. The game’s soundtrack, gameplay, and lighting does a great job of making you feel like you really are creeping through a supernatural landscape.

 
Monument Valley — £2.49/$3.99

This puzzle game from developers ustwo is more than just a pretty face. While the game looks amazing, decked out with bright colors, smooth animations, and striking level design, it’s the puzzles that really shine.

The game’s premise is fairly simple: reach the top/end of a monument by navigating through its numerous puzzles. Here’s the twist: the world moves in an M.C. Escher-esque way, connecting pathways that make no sense according to traditional laws of the physical universe. Ultimately, it isn’t a game that can be described through words but instead has to be played to really “get it”.

Monument Valley is challenging, visually striking, and asks for nothing in return after your initial purchase. While there are only ten levels in the main game, they are definitely worth the money.

 
Conclusion
It’s hard to choose when deciding on whether or not to make a financial investment in a game that you know nothing about. With a little research, a little money, and a lot of faith, you could be in for a much better experience with a purchased game instead of downloading the latest free-to-play game, many of which don’t stay free for long.

Remember that, in the end, devleopers still need to make their money back. While the free-to-play model works for some, it has its disadvantages as well. If and when you start getting discouraged by the barrage of free games out there, don’t forget that there are some iOS games worth buying before downloading and not two hours in.

Macintosh publisher announces XCOM: Enemy Unknown for Linux and SteamOS, set to be released this summer.
Feral Interactive, a publisher known for releasing games on Macintosh platforms, has announced that they […]

In our look at the popular first-person shooter, the handheld port does well against the home console version in this Borderlands 2 Vita vs PS3 comparison.
With the release of Borderlands 2 on Playstation Vita, […]

Killzone Shadow Fall DLC, Intercept, is a strategic online co-op mode where players take on specific combat roles to obtain and defend their resources.
Coming this June, Killzone: Shadow Fall‘s Intercept DLC from Guerilla Games has four players joining forces to take on AI-controlled Helghast in tactical combat. The expansion will contain four arena maps based on areas in Shadow Fall and set behind enemy lines. Intercept also introduces four new soldier classes: Assault, Marksman, Medic, and Tactician, all of which have to work together to reach their goal.

The goal of Intercept is simple: defend your Hacking Uplinks long enough to transmit data back to HQ. Your team, Intelligence Squad Alpha, is tasked with establishing and defending these links from enemies.

Your Team Score is based on how much progress you make in establishing your Uplinks as well as an aggregate of Personal Scores. Personal Scores are based on getting kills, using abililities, and capturing enemy bases. Raising your score does give you some tactical advantages as well. Earned bonuses include artillery strikes and the use of jetpacks.

However, Team Score decreases when you respawn after a death or lose an Uplink to the Helghast. When there isn’t enough Team Score left to respawn any more members of your team, you lose the match.

The DLC will include four new classes available for multiplayer combat. New classes such as Assault and Marksman are fairly straightforward: Assault is a shotgun-wielding, up-close-and-personal warrior class whereas Marksman is a long- and mid-range warrior whose sniper rifle totes explosive rounds.

The support roles are where the emphasis on tactical gameplay becomes more apparent. Medics can heal, revive, and drop supply boxes for teammates to use. Equipped with a submachine gun, the Medic isn’t much of a force to be reckoned with, however. The Tactician class plays a similar supporting role, defending the team using three deployable turrets and a shield.

The AI in Intercept have their own set of classes and goals. They will also make sure to change strategies after the successful capture of an Uplink, keeping players on their toes. Enemies can also call on champions, warriors based on Shadow Fall characters, to help them in battle.

Killzone Shadow Fall Intercept DLC will be available for download in June and will be free for Season Pass holders. A standalone version will be made available later this year. For updates and details on Intercept, visit Killzone.com.

With the upcoming release of Mario Kart 8 on the Wii U, we should all take the time to look back on everything the series has gone through over the past 22 years. 
Featured image by Kulit7215

Now is the […]

Upcoming Gran Turismo update has Polyphony Digital Inc. and the Ayrton Senna Institute pairing together to showcase the popular racer’s achievements.
On May 27 2014, a Gran Turismo 6 update will introduce new […]