ludusobscura

And now, it's your job to go and play the ever sweet loving daylights out of it. An excellent RTS that was inspired by Bullfrog's legendary Populous, Reprisal hits all the right notes. Here, you'll play as this mysterious dude who had been cast aside for reasons unknown and must now lead your tribe to pixelated supremacy yet again. There are about thirty levels to explore, a variety of objectives to meet and a host of totems to utilize in your attempt to establish an autocratic rule over the islands. It also lets you abuse volcanoes. In short, it's all kinds of awesome and you should be playing it today. Monday blues? Forget about them. Go drown rival tribes instead. It'd make it all better. Play the game here.

New Finnish game studio Breach Entertainment is in the final stages of their upcoming iOS title Shardlands, and have just released the first trailer. Breach is made up of just 4 individuals and was founded at the beginning of the year, but Shardlands has actually been in development for more than a year and is reaching the final crunch phase. It’s a puzzle-adventure game with a fantasy/science fiction motif, and the new trailer shows off some of the great looking environments in the game.

Also of note is that one member of Breach, Aarni Gratseff, is a long-time supporter of our TouchArcade Show podcast, and was the first to create a theme song for the now defunct Kitty Korner segment (direct all hate towards Mr. Nicholson for that, by the way). He’ll be composing all the music for Shardlands, and given the epic-ness of the Kitty Korner theme, I think all of our collective ears will be in for a treat. Stay tuned for more on Shardlands as it nears release in the coming months.

Details are still vague as they could possibly be regarding the upcoming Magic the Gathering: Duels of the Planeswalker 2013 coming to the iPad, but a new video just hit YouTube this afternoon that shows off some of the new cards included in the 2013 release. Give it a look:

It's probably safe to assume that this is video of the PC (or console) version of the game, so it'll be interesting to see how many of the various visual effects transfer over to the iPad. Either way, we'll find out when the game finally hits sometime this summer. I can't wait.

Big changes coming to the Xbox Live Indie Games section of the Xbox 360. Starting on May 23rd, developers will be able to change the prices of their games every 7 days, instead of every 90 days as was the previous norm.

While some might see it as an exploitative practice, I'm still a bit of a sentimental sucker for games born from a collaborative effort between a parent and their offspring. Kitten Catastrophy is a point & click adventure that was born from such a union. The story of a Daddy Cat and his quest to get all of his kittens home for dinner, Kitten Catastrophy was apparently developed over the course of a wintry month. It's a sweet, wholesome endeavor that will probably bring a smile to most people's faces. Sadly, there does not appear to be any voice acting, something that detracts ever-so-slightly from the overall cuteness content. But, either way, if you've been looking for some way to brighten your Monday, why not download the game and give it a whirl? You can pick it up here.

After making a splash on the App Store earlier this year with their quirky and stylish skydiving title AaAaAA! (Force = Mass x Acceleration) [ $2.99 ], Dejobaan Games has hinted on their website at what their next mobile release is going to be.

Teaming up with Radial Games, the original creators of the Steambirds games on Flash, the new collaboration project is called Monster Loves You! and aims to be an engaging virtual pet-like experience with much more RPG-like depth than what’s currently available.

Dejobaan asked Radial Games’ Andy Moore a bit about Monster Loves You!, including why he was motivated to create a new Tamagotchi-style game: “I think the closest I’ve really come to playing an enjoyable ‘pet’ game is The Sims 2, which was an excellent title but just demands WAY too much of my time. I want a similar experience – something with all that drama, character development, and ups and downs… but that I can play on the toilet.”

That’s certainly something I can get behind, Andy. I’ve always been intrigued by the notion of carrying around a little virtual creature that lives on my device, and there’s been some neat efforts in this area on iOS but nothing that’s really grabbed me and drew me in. With Dejobaan’s fantastic sense of humor and Radial Games' drive to create a meaningful experience, I’m definitely curious to see more from Monster Loves You! in the near future.

Chair Entertainment has just announced that Infinity Blade II will see its "largest free content update" yet on Thursday. The update is called Vault of Tears, and it brings several new features to the game. Read on for screenshots and details.

To access the updated content, all you have to do is tap the newly-opened route to the right after defeating the first enemy on a new rebirth. This makes Siris descend a hidden stone staircase carved into the side of the mountain, to a new area below.

Here you'll encounter enormous new titans, gather plenty of new loot, and uncover more of Siris's backstory. They've also added a new ClashMob feature that encourages you to bug your friends on social networks. Whenever a friend or follower likes or retweets one of the posts you make through the game, your enemies receive damage. In addition, there've included a treasure map feature that lets you find hidden items and rewards.

If you own Infinity Blade II, be sure to check out the update on Thursday. If you don't own it, check out our review and see if it's your type of game.

Buying new games is the best way to support your favorite App Store game developers, but there's another way you can help, too. Just download these top-rated, full iOS games while they're marked down to free, and they'll rise in the download rankings, which leads to more sales. Read on for today's best temporarily-free games!

Ninjatown: Trees of Doom!

Ninjatown is still one of our favorite high-score survival games, and today you can download it for free. Instead of running for your life like in Canabalt or Temple Run, you have to climb a tree full of danger as part of your ninja training. You'll jump from trunk to trunk as you avoid purple goo, slippery bark, and restless natives. The randomized challenges and cute characters make this a fantastic, addictive download.

Our Score: 4 out of 4

Our Bottom Line: Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Ninjatown: Trees of Doom will absorb your life.

Read Our Review

Download for free today!

Siegecraft

If you're tired of lobbing Angry Birds, consider giving Crescent Moon's Siegecraft a download today while it's still free. In this action game, you have to pull back on catapults and trebuchets as you fight off hordes of attacking knights and vikings. Whether you're a casual or core gamer, Siegecraft is simple and satisfying.

Our Score: 4 out of 4

Our Bottom Line: Siegecraft lobs a flaming cannonball into Angry Birds territory.

Read Our Review

Download for free today!

6th Planet

Landing space modules requires a deft touch, which you can practice if you download Sixth Planet. A modern-day update of Lunar Lander, Sixth Planet is a tricky platformer that adds comic-book cutscenes and a great soundtrack. With 50 levels and a stylish presentation, Sixth Planet is a huge value and a Must Have action game.

Our Score: 4 out of 4

Our Bottom Line: Think you're so smart? Try keeping up with a space monkey.

Read Our Review

Download for free today!

DevilDark

DevilDark has barely been out a month, and it's already free to download. This hack-and-slash action-RPG relies partially on in-app purchases, but you can ignore them and just focus on the free loot if you choose. Either way, you'll be able to enjoy this game's great graphics and classic gameplay for zero money down.

Our Score: 3 out of 4

Our Bottom Line: DevilDark isn't perfect, but it's a solid choice for loot hounds an hack 'n slash fans.

Read Our Review

Download for free today!

Duke Nukem 3D

We told you about Duke Nukem's discounted download last week, but he's still free for anyone interested. The controls are imperfect, but this is still the classic, raunchy first-person shooter that many of us enjoyed in the 90s.

Our Score: 2 out of 4

Our Bottom Line: It may be Duke Nukem 3D, but you'll be fighting the controls more than alien monsters.

Read Our Review

Download for free today!

Feed Me Oil

Last week we also let you know that Feed Me Oil, a clever physics-based puzzler from Chillingo, was a free download as well. Between the zany artwork, challenging puzzles, and extra content, we can't recommend this game any higher, so give hit the link below and give it a free download!

Our Score: 4 out of 4

Our Bottom Line: Feed Me Oil provides a unique experience that’ll leave you smiling long after you put the game down.

Read Our Review

Download for free today!

First comes the App Store, then comes merchandising. That’s the life of a hit mobile game, and it’s the path that Where’s My Water? is travelling, too. Earlier today, Disney distributed a press release declaring that its first original mobile game character, Swampy the Alligator, is set to feature on his own line of merchandise. His pals Cranky and Allie will also be making appearances.

Where’s My Water? is essentially following in the footsteps of Angry Birds (even though the birds lack the feet necessary to lay down any tracks): having made its mark on the App Store by spending time as the #1 downloaded app across 80 countries, the game’s cuddly mascot will be available across a variety of plush toys, home accessories, apparel, and more. Keep your eyes open for the Swampy costume, available this Halloween. You know you want it.

The Where’s my Water? line of merchandise will hit major retailers this June. Needless to say, the Disney Store will be the prime distributor for all your cuddly, plushy, Swampy needs. And don’t forget to keep your reptilian eyes open for the 12-episode Where’s My Water? web series that’s coming later this year.

There are great mysteries buried beneath the surface of the alien world of Gene Effect [ $4.99 ], mysteries your small team has been sent to uncover. As you immerse yourself in the atmosphere of those distant tunnels, you'll encounter alien life, hostile and beautiful, and the remnants of a civilization both ancient and powerful.

You pilot the exploration ship Triton. It's almost ludicrously vulnerable, destroyed with equal ease by careless piloting, aggressive plant life and man-made defenses. But that doesn't change the facts: you're the only one who can unlock the secrets of this cavern and its alien masters. Unarmed but for your repulsors, you travel ever deeper.

This journey isn't one of lengthy maze-like exploration. Gene Effect is broken up into levels, and most of those levels are fairly straightforward. There will be a task or for the Triton to complete, maybe collecting a certain amount of koronite resources from the environment, finding DNA samples or powering up ancient reactors. You might need to use your repulsors to clear away loose rocks in your path, or locate and use the occasional drone to clear a path. Once those things are done, it's just a matter of finding the warp gate and moving on.

There are subtasks that might impede your progress, though. The path is often blocked with gates that need opening in some way—finding the right triggers tucked away in the tunnels, collecting enough of a resource or turning on (or off) the lights. On their own these things are usually fairly simple—or at least they would be if not for the presence of so many walls.

Walls are the Triton's natural enemy. While you're still getting comfortable piloting you might find yourself bumping into them. Do so for more than a moment and you'll blow your ship up. The controls are well-designed, with a responsive joystick that controls movement, so crashing shouldn't be a big problem for long. It's when you're comfortable that the game brings in mines and plant life that will smash you into walls if you're not ever-so-careful.

Once you have survival sorted out, you can start to enjoy the real meat of Gene Effect. It's a completionist's dream, with level trophies for speed, careful navigation, and overall score. And then there are the relicts and artifacts. Nearly every level has a hidden relict or two tucked away somewhere. They're often hidden in the walls, revealed with a lucky ping of your sonar and a well-placed blast from Triton's repulsor. Sometimes they're hidden more deeply, in temples opened with camouflaged triggers or rooms tucked away behind seemingly solid walls. Some, the most hidden of all, aren't even listed on the level score breakdown, so you won't know they're present until you find them. Those are the alien artifacts, and if you find enough pieces you'll be able to strap them on to Triton to upgrade its capabilities.

While all of this is going on, the game slowly unfolds an intriguing story. It tends toward telling over showing, as it's revealed far more in static text feeds at the end of each level than within the gameplay itself. There are also a few too many errors in the text for comfort. But the story has some great hooks, and it should string you along quite effectively while you're out exploring.

Gene Effect is ambitious, and long—accounting for deaths, I've put in quite a few hours without finding everything that's out there to discover. But that length also highlights the game's flaws. For example, the caves, while gorgeous, all look fairly similar to one another, and while the levels grow more difficult they don't really get all that complex. On its own this would start to feel a bit repetitious, and pixel-hunting your way to new artifacts doesn't really help.

The game's difficulty level varies between hard and stupidly frustrating. Some of the later levels are long, and meander between traveling through long, mostly harmless tunnels and facing down sudden bursts of danger. Long periods of boredom followed by short-lived struggles aren't really what I look for in entertainment. Take it easy when you choose your difficulty—Gene Effect is harder than it looks, and you can't really change difficulty modes mid-stream.

All of this leaves Gene Effect something of a tough call. On one hand it's gorgeous, with a well-crafted story and loads of content. On the other hand, that content ventures into boredom or frustration a little too often. Ultimately, though, it's a game worth playing, a story worth experiencing. And it will leave you wanting more, so let's hope there's more on the way soon.

TouchArcade Rating:

Tom Sennett (RunMan and Deepak Fights Robots) has paired with Salil Malkan to create the local crowd-player Row Row Row Remote, which runs on a computer and can use dozens of phones or tablets. Though the game may look simplistic (Wii Sports didn't "look" all that impressive compared to the tech it modeled), Sennett and Malkan aim to inspire and empower developers, while exponentially increasing the amount of players involved in a local multiplayer experience and creating "new, awesome games from the ground up" instead of "shoehorning new, awesome technology into old, stagnant forms."

Row Row Row Remote asks players to use their smartphones or tablets as paddles. Each group needs to coordinate its motions to move effectively through the course. The game only uses the devices' touch and gyroscope functions, but Sennett tells IndieGames this is just the beginning.

Sennett explains that the controller part of Row Row Row Remote is a web app - accessible through a mobile device's browser. It supports iOS 4.2 and above and Android 4.0 phones along with Android tablets. The team also has a wrapped native app for older Android phones, though it hasn't been deployed yet. They aim to have native apps for both Android and iOS, along with the web app, to support as many devices as possible on those two platforms. Sennett says they'd like to look into Windows Phone, "but probably not BlackBerry because they are so horrible to develop for."

This setup may sound restricting, but the tools behind the experience are quite flexible. Sennett details, "The controller software, the server, and the game itself are all separate, autonomous entities, and can be pretty easily swapped out for different kinds of technology. So the server doesn't really care where the inputs are coming from (Android, iOS, web app, whatever), and doesn't care where they're going to (currently a Flash game, which we like because it's cross-platform and we get to use FlashPunk)."

Row Row Row Remote is really all about opening things up for developers and for crafting larger experiences than the local, four-player limit console gamers are used to, Sennett shared. "The big console makers have had a monopoly on the local multiplayer experience for decades and it's been stagnant, and we're sick of it. Like seriously, the Wii U lets you play games on your TV with ONE tablet and some Wiimotes? And that's supposed to be something cool? With our system you can play with devices of all stripes - one of which you probably already own - and with dozens of other people at the same time."

Sennett expressed that the technology behind the WiiU (its tablet+wiimote+console combination) is nothing revolutionary as far as details have been revealed. He feels similarly about Row Row Row Remote's tech: it merely involves hooking together technology that already exists.

Sennett explains, "But it's not really about the technology itself, it's the motivation behind it. We're trying to take technology a lot of people are already familiar with and use it to create accessible, novel, fun games. Nintendo's just trying to get you to buy shit. Requiring people to buy a console, a bunch of overpriced controllers that only work on your system, and some worthless little figurines to get virtual powerups might be good business, but it's terrible game design."

He further explains that motion controls and touch screens doesn't have to be a gimmick or just a marketing ploy. "People need to stop shoehorning new, awesome technology into old, stagnant forms, and instead create new, awesome games from the ground up. It's increasingly clear the AAA guys are uninterested or incapable of doing that, so as usual it's time for us indie developers to step up."

So, does that make the tech behind Row Row Row Remote better than the WiiU? "Our tech is better because it's open and flexible, but that's not really what's important. What's important is the only motivation behind it is to inspire and enable the creation of great games."

The two-person team at Genius Interaction has released its first title for Windows Phone platforms, and it's a weird one. Viking Burger tells the tale of an unfrozen viking warrior who joins modern society as a burger chef.

Viking Burger's gameplay involves Cooking Mama-styled food preparation, only with more violence and carnage. The retro-inspired visuals give the game a distinct look, and there's a surprisingly heavy focus on narrative -- between-level cutscenes detail the viking's everyday challenges and the friction he causes among coworkers.

Viking Burger is priced at $1.99. A free trial version is also available.

You can make all the commercials you want, you can buy every available inch of online ad space, or you can print a stack of promotional material, but at the end of the day, one of the most effective means of promoting your game is to price it just right. From May 24 through June 1, select game developers will be discounting some of their games to celebrate their right to set their own prices on certain online marketplaces. You can celebrate alongside your favorite devs by buying all those awesome games that you’ve been meaning to try out.

The promotion is titled “Because We May,” and it covers games that are available on the App Store, Google Play, and Steam. You can also buy games directly from the developer. Some of the titles up for grabs include Braid, World of Goo, Waking Mars, Spider: The Secret of Bryce Manor, and Snuggle Truck.

If you’re a developer, you can sign up for the Because We May movement through May 22. If you just like to play games, grab your credit card and get ready to behold some deep discounts.

Infinity Blade 2 [$6.99] already has a ton of content to explore, but it'll be offering even more fat loot and monsters this coming Thursday when Chair unleashes a new expansion dubbed Vault of Tears. It's free and set to "delve further into the Infinity Blade story" via a brand new dungeon to dive. Expect to get around 50 new items to collect, level up, and utilize and expect to see a handful of new foes.

Interestingly, Chair is plugging in a few fresh mechanics to play around with. Of the most note, it's adding a treasure map that marks treasure locations. Also, ClashMob is being expanded to allow anyone to participate in fights via Twitter or Facebook -- no game required. Weird, right?

We're giving this update a go as we write this, so expect more on Vault of Tears from us later today. These assets should hold you over until then, we'd hope.

It seems as if ever since the iOS remake of Death Rally [ $0.99 ] hit the scene over a year ago, we’ve had a resurgence of weapons-based racing titles gracing the platform. Deadmans Run [ $0.99 ] from Nightfall Interactive is another entry into the genre and attempts to model itself somewhat closely to Death Rally. While Deadmans Run does try to differentiate itself from the pack in some ways, you’re mostly left with a fairly average racer with controls that leave a bit to be desired.

Deadmans Run offers a somewhat comprehensive campaign that has you racing across nine different levels across three “difficulty” levels, earning both cash and notoriety (essentially experience points). The cash is used to purchase permanent (engine, weapons, and armor) and temporary upgrades for your vehicles while the notoriety acts as a level-wall that restricts upgrades and car purchases until you've hit a certain level. Overall, the system works well enough for replayability, although the strict level requirements for each purchase take away any sense of freedom, which is a bit disappointing.

Gameplay involves your standard race-to-the-finish with positional awards, although the inclusion of weapons makes it a bit more interesting. Cars all come equipped with machine guns and mines, with ammo refills (among other power-ups) randomly littered on the track. As you upgrade your cars, you’ll typically find yourself in races that end prematurely because everyone else (or you) has been destroyed. This typically leads to a very hectic racing experience, especially at the onset of the campaign since you’ll be losing a lot before you can earn enough cash and notoriety to build up a contending car.

One area that I thought Deadmans Run did well dealt with its dynamic generation of races. As mentioned above, there are three different difficulties in the campaign. Whenever you want to race, each difficulty will randomly choose the level and opponents (while usually keeping the purse winnings the same).

In addition, races will occasionally offer supplemental objectives, such as to take out a specific opponent before the race is over. The supplemental quests actually offer penalties if you fail, making the choice to accept it have actual repercussions. Unfortunately, while the dynamic missions are an interesting idea, you’ll quickly find that the two harder difficulties will be way too challenging to play for quite a while. One item of note is the complete lack of IAP, so all notoriety and cash will have to earned by (gasp!) playing the game. In addition to the campaign, a time trial mode also exists.

While everything above seems fairly decent, Deadmans’ controls are where the experience starts faltering. You are given the option of two control schemes: auto-acceleration and manual gas. Auto-acceleration is the default and my preferred control type as it allows you to focus mostly on turning and aiming. Unfortunately, this also leads to a lot of lost control when you’re making tight turns as you’ve effectively lost the ability to ‘ease up on the gas.’

Manual gas, meanwhile, just feels awful as the gas ‘button’ is right smack in the middle of the two turn portions, which feels extremely unintuitive for me.  Either way, additional miscues such as a very bouncy physics system and the occasional unresponsiveness of controls don’t help the experience, either. Other facets of Deadmans Run, such as the visuals, felt mostly average and don’t add or detract from the rest of the game.

If you can get past the spotty controls, Deadmans Run is an adequate racer with enough meat in its campaign to offer genre fans something to try. There are gamers out there that are simply looking for the next ‘rat race’ to race through, and this game can certainly provide that. However, the overall rough presentation and spotty controls are enough to detract all but the diehard combat racing enthusiasts.

TouchArcade Rating:

Following up on its launch for iOS platforms last year, games2be's bouncy platformer Spoing is now available for Android devices via Google Play.

Spoing offers a unique take on the genre, challenging players to flick and fling a character from platform to platform in order to collect items and avoid enemies. The mechanics are simple but effective, and the 50 included levels should provide a decent challenge.

The Android version of Spoing is priced at $1.22.

XBOX Indie Game sensation FortressCraft has had their latest patch drop. Content Patch 9 brings a new, flesh-hungry element to the game - zombies. Of course, with zombies comes the tools one needs to fight off the horde - which can be as large as 512 zeds. Sawblades and turrets have been added to defeat the brain-hungry masses; however, those who purchase ProjectorGames’ other title, Steam Heroes, will also have the Harrison Axe with which to slug the monstrosities. Zombies are fully customizable and, upon entering a new world, you’ll never know what variation of these walking dead you’ll be going up against.

XBOX Indie Game sensation FortressCraft has had their latest patch drop. Content Patch 9 brings a new, flesh-hungry element to the game - zombies. Of course, with zombies comes the tools one needs to fight off the horde - which can be as large as 512 zeds. Sawblades and turrets have been added to defeat the brain-hungry masses; however, those who purchase ProjectorGames’ other title, Steam Heroes, will also have the Harrison Axe with which to slug the monstrosities. Zombies are fully customizable and, upon entering a new world, you’ll never know what variation of these walking dead you’ll be going up against.

The Bluecoats - North vs South is a remake of a 1990 strategy video game which depicts the events of the Civil War in a rather light manner. However, those expecting to gain any sort of insight on things such as the economy, politics, or the issue of slavery from the time should probably consider looking elsewhere.

The game doesn’t take itself very seriously, though it doesn’t really make light of its inspiration. The characters are rendered in a pleasing cartoon aesthetic, rather than realistic; they don’t go to the extremes of squash and stretch, nor do their deaths on the battlefield yield bloodbaths or anything more violent than an old ‘80s episode of G.I. Joe.

And while the goofiness of a guard occasionally being knocked out of the on-screen window showing a bank vault can be entertaining enough, others might not be so amused by some of the game’s ethnic stereotypes. Both Native Americans (or “Indians,” as they're called in the game) and Mexicans (or rather, “mexicans”) are probably as far from politically correct as you can get, though one might make an argument for it being more accurate per the time period.

As for the gameplay, it’s rather decent. You choose whether you want to play as the Yankees or the Confederates, and your goal is to wipe the enemy off the map by taking out their armies. You’ll move from state to state, claiming them as your own and fighting the opposing side in order to take control. There are some strategic positions as well, such as forts that allow you to use the railroads to gain gold (used to purchase more armies, power-ups, etc.), and a lighthouse which allows you to call on reinforcements from overseas.

When you engage an enemy army or fort, the scene changes to either an overhead view of the battlefield and both armies’ men, or behind a soldier facing the residents of the fort. The former involves selecting which group you want to attack which enemies (cannons, cavalry, and infantry), and the other is sort of an arcade-style cover-based shooter.

Unfortunately, neither work very well, and just aren’t much fun to play. Thankfully, you can turn these battles off and have them run in an automatic form. You can also choose to tweak numerous other factors, from your strength and your opponents’, whether storms are a factor, whether Mexicans and Indians are a factor, and whether reinforcements can be called in. So if anything in particular seems to really bother you, it’s easy enough to adjust that factor.

Despite all of this, however, there just isn’t much to the game. Once you’ve won, it feels like you’ve seen everything there is to do, and getting that far doesn’t even take very long. This isn’t helped by the broad strokes which use the entire country, rather than smaller regions to work in. This is one area where multiplayer might have been great.

Overall, The Bluecoats - North vs South isn’t a bad game in itself, but it's insubstantial. You’ll probably want to hold off on this one unless there’s a sale.

Everybody’s favorite fruit slicing arcade game Fruit Ninja [$0.99 / Free ] originally launched back in April 2010, and to celebrate its two-plus year anniversary on the App Store the Halfbrick team are currently touring around Australia in search of the best Fruit Ninja high score and they have a big new update releasing for the game later this week.

In the animated trailer below, we meet the merchant Gutsu and his piggy sidekick Truffles who will offer new powerups in exchange for Starfruit, the new in-game currency. These items will allow you to do things like swat away bombs, add additional time on to a game, and cause massive berry explosions.

The Fruit Ninja update is set to hit this Thursday the 24th, and it’s pretty crazy to think of how well Halfbrick has supported the title over the past 2 years, and how far it’s evolved from its initial release. It sounds like they don’t plan on stopping any time soon either, with more new content planned for the future.

As mentioned, Halfbrick are currently jetting around their homeland holding several high score competitions for a chance to compete in a finals tournament in Sydney at the end of the month. Some crazy scores are getting set already, and you can follow the team’s exploits as they post photos and blog about the tour on the Halfbrick website.