The popularity of the App Store since it's opening in 2008 has grown exponentially, both in downloads and in active apps available. As such, it should come as no surprise that it has become a great bulletin board for marketing teams looking score awareness for a new product or franchise. Tie-in apps and games now regularly pop up in the App Store and, for better or worse, they probably aren't going anywhere.
Rune Masters is a game I really wanted to like. It's got some good ideas and a lot of potential, and the core gameplay is challenging and fun. But close, as they say, is no cigar.
One of the biggest drags about engrossing RPGs is the moment when you have to stop your adventure. Eventually, the even demon known as "real life" will tear you away from your console, computer, or device, and force you into some kind of social situation where you're no longer able to connect with your fantasy realm. But what if nearly every gaming device you owned was able to connect and pick up from where you left off?
Whenever a larger, established developer decides to strike out on their own and "go indie," it always warms the cockles of my heart. Often, working for a larger entity means a greater degree of creative restraint. So imagine my delight when I find out today that former Epic Games lead gameplay designer Lee Perry is hitting the road, armed with only his hobo bindlestiff and a pack of ramen. And by that, I mean a gorgeous Unreal 3 Engine title in the works.
Had enough of Zynga's cutesy big-headed social avatars? Line up, homeslice. Better yet, just forego the farm next time you pop onto Facebook and play The Grinns Tale instead. The Grinns' wide, gap-toothed smiles are kind of horrific, but we mean that in the most endearing way possible. Make no mistake though, there's nothing unsettling about the gameplay that powers The Grinns Tale. Frankly,Nexon's mix of city building, strategy, and role-playing raises the bar on Facebook games.
What would you do if the darkness army stole your most valuable possessions? We're talking everything: your significant other, your iPhone, your television, and even your pizza. You wouldn't just sit back and take it, would you?
There have been quite a few awesome games over the years with the word "soul" or "craft" in their titles. With that in mind, the new freemium action-RPG SoulCraft should be incredible, right? As it turns out, developer Digital Bits has crafted something that looks amazing but can't quite carry those same lofty standards over to the gameplay side of things.
And just like that, the free-to-play MMO market just got very interesting.Today, top-tier developers EA and Bioware have announced Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar. It will be cross-platform for iPad and PC. It will be free to play. It will be huge. Old school MMO gamers might need to take a moment and sit down.