See the Light (Announcement)

Sorry for the lack of reviews this past week... I've been away at the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, OH  since last Wednesday as I was helping FRED Distribution demo their games. I always bring my laptop and had hopes of getting a couple of reviews in while there, but I really didn't have time to play Android games at all.

In the meantime here's a press release that came in last week for a new game from Brian Sowers called 'See the Light'.

"A puzzle game set in deep space, See the Light challenges you to manipulate light using mirrors, lenses, energizers, absorbers, and other tools to solve 80 levels. See if you can overcome increasingly tricky puzzles while unlocking every award!"

Boris the Bullet Dodger

Boris the Bullet Dodger is a long name for a simple game. In this game you are Boris and you're headed north while dodging bullets. The rules of this one are pretty much contained in the title of the game which is good because the game doesn't include or need any. Then again, it might be motivational to know some of the cool power-ups that await me should I choose to persist at my mission. I'm also at a loss as to why he's dodging bullets as the enemy is nameless and faceless... perhaps some sort of new fangled Russian Roulette variant as Boris is of Russian descent.

Controls are basic... tilt left and right to move Boris. Furthermore, Boris can wrap around the edge of the screen which is a blessing and a curse (not to mention a surprise for me) as it's hard keeping track of what might be coming down the other side. However, once all is said and done this isn't really anything more than a variant of the well known SFCave game... just stay out of the way of obstacles. The major differences are the controls (SFCave uses the touch screen) and power-ups. I have to give the nod to SFCave with respect to controls... I find the tilt control used here troublesome. It works when I have time to plan, but falls miserably short when I have to make a split second dodge as I either under or over play my move often zooming across the screen into oncoming fire. The power-ups, on the other hand, are a nice touch. There are vehicles to ride in that absorb oncoming fire... there are toys to pick up like a hurricane that clears the screen of bullets... there are bombs to stay away from (like I need more stuff to avoid).

If the controls were better or I had a choice to use the touch screen or something this game would rate higher. The poor controls made the game very frustrating. I'm curious if other devices have better sensitivity to tilt than the Droid after playing this and seeing others praise this title. At a dollar it's not a major financial commitment (and that's about where it should be priced given the simplicity), but the controls leave this game as a mediocre experience in my book. 3/5 stars.

AutoBall Football

We've got a decent soccer game... a great hockey game... a solid baseball game... but no decent football games. Why? Why? Why? Football season is right around the corner so now is the time to strike. Enter AutoBall Football from Antithesis Design. AutoBall Football is unique. I've never encountered a football game remotely like this so let's take a look.

First, the instructions are hard to understand. There's something about playing cards up and down (yes, playing cards as in a standard poker deck) and fewer cards are better. After reading them I wasn't much better off. Then you'll pick a team and a name and you'll be playing. Next, a dice roll is done for the kickoff although the meaning of the rolled numbers is a secret... it's certainly not in the single page of instructions so I don't know when to get excited (I think higher is better after running through a few kickoffs). The graphical display isn't bad with tiny little players running about and doing their business. Then it's time to choose a play... Do I run? Do I pass? Does it matter? I don't think it does, because either way results in me playing a simplified game of Klondike Solitaire. I'm presented with 7 stacks of 5 cards and another draw pile of 16 cards. I then have to play cards from the top card on each stack onto my draw card such that I'm playing sequentially 'numbered' cards. My goal is apparently to play as many of the 35 cards as I can and the better I do then the better my play execution and yardage gain is. There's also a bonus for playing a series of 10 cards or more before having to draw another. But do I really want to play a full game of Klondike for every play? I think I made it through 3 plays before getting a headache.

Then there are other options such as Kings on or off. What does it do? Who knows? Who cares? I'm bored and I'm sad... I thought maybe we had a decent football game, but the wait will continue. About the only thing I can applaud with this game is innovation and the willingness to try out a new idea. Unfortunately it falls flat. 2/5 stars for a game that works, but strikes out.

Droidkoban 3D

I've been meaning to review this title for awhile, but it's gotten interesting. At one time the developer was giving away copies to anyone willing to write a review. Now the game is free and the developer is asking for donations. I say the developer needs to just let things take their course... the game is good (and I'll talk more on that) and there was a free, lite version already. I think sometimes a rookie mistake is to get too desperate, too quickly. No need to do that here...

Droidkoban is a Sokoban clone using the Android mascot as the main character in the game. As stated the game is now free, but the developer does ask for a 2 euro donation if you like it (which can be done by buying 'Droidkoban Donate'). Differences? First, the game features a 3D environment. For Sokoban that's just a gimmick. Sokoban is all about great puzzles that require thought and, unlike many of the physics puzzlers, it's not just a festival of trial and error. As you zoom out, however, the game's play area does flatten if 2D is more your thing, although I think the flattest mode requires a bit too far of a zoom out. Next, the game features 2400 puzzles... that's less than a tenth of a euro (or penny) per level. If Sokoban is your thing then there's a lot of entertainment here for a small price (assuming you're honest and donate to cover the hard work that goes into a game).

The graphics are tile based and are average. The 2400 levels are broken into six themed areas such as a winter one where you're pushing black hats onto snowmen. Sometimes the zoom level of the 3D gets in the way of the puzzle solving... make that often. I find it far easier to zoom out... think about the puzzle... and then zoom back in to execute my solution. The game will play music that can easily be disabled while you play... average audio. The controls are quite flexible... use swipes to move, a DPad, a keyboard, or even a trackball (if I recall correctly). The only problem with swiping is that there's a menu along the bottom that needs to be tapped to active it. Swiping once might activate it if your swipe reaches a bit too low on the screen and swiping twice would then click a button on it. That did accidentally happen to me a couple of times... and the button I hit was the one on the far left which restarts the level. Aaargh!

The game isn't perfect, but the developer has regularly updated it and hopefully will continue to do so. I'm sure some support would encourage that. I did experience a force close while messing with some of the options, but not while solving a level. The game also features an undo option which steps you back by the movement of one object (i.e. not just a move, but rather you have to have actually moved one of the objects).

What would I like to see? A dedicated 2D toggle... a way to scroll around on the map without affecting anything... and dare I say leader boards based on who has conquered the most levels (not times... that's silly in a game like this, although the game does have a timer so you can track how long it first takes you to solve a level). Unless you abhor Sokoban give it a try now that it's a freebie... this is some good work. 4/5 stars.

Sniper Vs Sniper: Online

Sniper Vs Sniper: Online (SVS for short) rocks! This game is a blast to play. I'm normally not into playing games over the Internet (and know I'm in the minority given my passion for gaming), but figured with 'Online' in the title it might be a good thing for me to exercise that portion of the game before writing a review. Conclusion? Great game! And I'm glad it made the jump from the iPhone.

In SVS you play the role of a sniper. Your goal? Shoot the enemies! This isn't a deep game... just a fun one, and a great game for mobile devices. Once in a game you'll be looking at some scenery and will have to target the enemy (or enemies). You can zoom in with binoculars or get an even closer look with your sniper rifle along with firing a shot. Binoculars give you a wider view and are a better choice for finding your target.

The graphics are nice... the audio unobtrusive... and the controls are great. Plus, I'm not seeing any real slow down during play which is important for a pseudo-twitch game like this (which further puzzles me after seeing some in Com2Us's prior release... then again I suspect Heavy Gunner is a much more taxing game). For those wondering, yes.... there is a set of solo missions and this game is not limited to online play. I suspect Com2Us could advertise that better as that was an initial concern of mine... especially if I'm in a 'no coverage' zone. Controls are simple... tilt back and forth or up and down to move your view around and find enemies. Tapping on the screen changes modes between full view, binoculars, and the sniper rifle. Tapping also fires if you've got your rifle in hand. There are also a few on screen buttons to change between the modes and game play is smooth.

Network play? There's a '1 on 1' mode and an 'Alliance Attacks' mode. 1 on 1 is just that, and Alliance Attacks is essentially a team play mode. Plus you get to play with those owning the iPhone version of the game so jumping into a game took a max of a minute during my network play session in mid-afternoon. I played a couple of 1 on 1 games... first played against a guy from South Korea that got me twice, I then got a head shot in, and he dropped yielding a victory for the USA! My next opponent was from the USA and was clearly better than me having playing 17 games to my 1... the game does do some balancing though. After getting it it gives the hit player a bit of help in finding the opposition. My current ranking puts me around #90,000... I am that good.

Single play mode starts off with some basic target shooting of police targets in batches of 5 at gradually increasing distances before jumping into snipers that shoot back. I enjoyed single player mode just as much as network play. I'm also going to be honest... this isn't a game I can see playing for hours on end. It has levels, but all you're doing is sniping progressively more difficult targets and opponents. I love it as a mobile game as I typically want something I can play for 5-10 minutes which waiting at the post office, during kid bathroom breaks, or what not.

Summary? This game is $2.99 and is a whole lotta fun. I've loved sniper games ever since Silent Scope on the Dreamcast and while that game had more of a story the sniping is just as good here. Network play is the icing on the cake. 5/5 stars and I pretty much knew that after about 2 minutes of play. Here's a video (from Com2Us and the almost identical iPhone version demoing online play mode):