Match 3,4,5… games are very hard to get right, and most of the time, result in being boring, repetitive and very uninteresting. However, amidst the hundreds upon thousands of bad match 3 games, there arises a savior. A game with more style, charisma and uniqueness to set it apart from the ever increasing crowd. A game like Hexius… is not one of these. Despite the poor precedent set by other match games, Hexius stills bumbles forth and offers much of the same, despite its desperate effort to be different.

Gameplay 3/10

Hexius involves searching and matching all of the same types of hexagons from a large grid. When two of the same hexagons are matched, they are joined by a shaded trail which highlights any hexagons in between. When all of the same type of hexagons are selected and matched, the hexagons disperse and form points. To get a higher score, you have to try and highlight as many hexagons as possible and get rid of them. There are also special hexagons which, once highlighted and deleted from the grid, give you an advantage (such as a bomb). Combos also make an appearance, but aren’t fully explained or emphasized to be something of interest.

Graphics 4/10

The bland graphics and art style doesn’t help Hexius, but rather makes the game unoriginal and dreary. Maybe if a comical or at least a more characteristic theme had been incorporated then Hexius might seem more approachable, but its dull color scheme and unimaginative animations makes Hexius very unattractive. Its simplistic sound effects and lack of music only adds to this.

Controls 8/10

The controls are simple and easy to manage, but aren’t revolutionary. They don’t take advantage one of the iPhone’s key controls features but instead just goes for the tap to select option.

Score big bonuses by highlighting certain hexagons.

Sound 6/10

The sound is bearable, if not a bit sparse. There is no music coupled with the game which is disappointing and takes away from the games atmosphere.

Menus 7/10

The menus adopt the same bland graphics, but responsiveness is good. The menus are easy to navigate which is good.

Longevity 3/10

Hexius includes 3 game modes which involve going against the clock, destroying particular target hexagons and the basic aim of achieving a highscore in a certain amount of moves. Each mode has different rules, but still feel like the same concept. They don’t add much needed variety into the game.

There is OpenFeint integration which gives you an incentive to get a highscore, but unless you really get into the basic and plain concept of Hexius, then it will not last you a long time at all.

Cost 6/10

Hexius costs $0.99/£0.59 which is reasonable enough for a game of this simplicity.

Conclusion 37/70 – 2.5/5

Despite its effort, Hexius falls into the same deep, dark hole that many have before it. On its own, it may have stood a chance but compared to the other great offerings, doesn’t give enough. If you are in the least interested then there is a lite version for you to try out, but hesitate buying the full version.

Hexius on the App Store.

Hexius Lite on the App Store.

Large game with engaging storylines and impressive open-world experiences are hard to come by on the iPhone and iPod Touch. The amount of funding and time that has to be put into an large RPG as this is normally only attempted by large game developer such as Gameloft and Rockstar Studios. Therefore, I was surprised when a third, lesser known, game developer entered the fray with their promising looking RPG title, Xenome: Episode 1. Its ambitious 3D graphics, large storyline and suitable RPG elements make for a fun game, but is has some fundamental flaws that keep it from being the perfect title.

Gameplay 8/10

Xenome places you in a pre-apocalyptic land where he land has been savaged and dangerous mutated animals and enemies walk the land. You are introduced to the game with no understanding of your surroundings or history, which is then revealed piece by piece as you talk to people and discover new places.

The game mechanics of Xenome: Episode 1 are very good. From expected RPG elements such as being able to upgrade your character with weapons (long and short range) armor and leveling up. But also abilities and XNA which are more complex and act as a spell or trait which will give you an advantage in combat. No doubt these features will make any RPG fanatic proud and serves well in that aspect. It does take a while to become accustomed and the lack of a proficient tutorial doesn’t help.

Graphics 8/10

Xenome’s graphical design is outstanding, and I was surprised at the developers ambition at providing a stunning 3D, 3rd person experience. The barren wasteland looks stunning. Certain landmarks bear particularly well and the draw distance of the scenery is almost unnoticeable. On the other hand, the draw distance of enemies is not so great, and can provide as a hindrance when contracted to kill a certain type of animal when you can only see then when you are 100 meters away.

The graphics are stunning, if a little barren.

Xenome’s massive scale also serves as a disadvantage. It may boast to include a massive play area, which it maintains impressively, a lot of it is just hill after endless hill of desert and wasteland which can become tiresome when you are required to get somewhere for a mission. Thankfully though, Pingers are provided to transport you quickly around the map, but you have to discover them first before use.

Controls 8/10

Xenome uses the dual-stick method which takes a while to get used to but works well in the long run. The controls for combat and jumping could be better placed, but nothing game breaking.

Sound 9/10

To match the impressive visuals, Xenome also comes with a range of sound effects. It may not compete with the latest console games, but its detail is impressive enough, especially when compared with the scope of the game.

Menus 7/10

Navigating the many screens to do with your character can be confusing, especially without a tutorial, but when understood work very well. They also look great.

The combat is unique.

Longevity 7/10

Despite Xenome’s great storyline, there is no incentive to keep on playing. This is not helped by the fact that your character is a very illusive character wearing a gas mask with glowing eyes and full body suit. You never have a chance to bond with your character or anyone else. Therefore the storyline seems vague and disinteresting and moves more towards an endless grind rather than an enthusing story.

Cost 10/10

$2.99/£1.79 at time of writing is a staggering price. But if you missed the sale, then even it original price of up to $7.99 is reasonable enough.

Conclusion 57/70 – 4/5

Xenome gives us hope that not everything has to be casual on the iDevice and goes way beyond anything already out there. I am eagerly awaiting the sequel which will hopefully iron out the current issues.

Xenome: Episode 1 on the App Store.

Virtual City is a city simulation game where you travel from one city to another rebuilding and refurbishing various cities. Virtual City fails to match the complexity and amenable nature of other larger games like SimCity. However, its sharper focal point makes for a very fun and unique game unlike others in its genre.

Gameplay 8/10

Rather than managing a whole city, Virtual City bases itself more on industrial chains and transportation of goods. You are still able to build roads, buildings and scenery to an extent, but the game requires less of this and more on your skills to oversee a successful industrial chain and deliver goods to certain places.

Virtual City is level based, which is good in the sense that each level and scenery is different with varying difficulty and tasks for you to perform, but bad in the sense that by the end of the level, all your hard work is lost as you are sent to some other dump to refurbish. The developers have stated that an update is coming soon with a Sandbox mode which is badly needed.

At the start of a level you are given a certain amount of money which you must spend on vehicles and industrial buildings. You then need to construct a supply chain by linking a truck to certain industrial buildings to create an end result. For example, linking a truck from a grain far to the mill will then produce flour, which can in turn be sent to the bakery and so on. By later levels, more complex supply chains involve up to 10 buildings making for a very complex management situation.

Keep your inhabitants happy by attending to their needs.

Away from the industrial side of things, you also need to keep your civilians happy. Happy civilians will earn you more money and will create a warm bubbly feeling inside, knowing you are making everyone smile with glee. To do this, you need to provide a rubbish collection service, public transport and an environmental rating high above 0. There are tons more I could say about Virtual City and its features, but then this review would be a few pages long so I’ll leave you to discover them all.

Now after all these processes and tasks, it is quite easy for an inexperienced player to be inundated by so many things he or she needs to do which makes the game unattractive. Thankfully, the leveling system helps immensely because you are very gradually introduced to each mechanic, but it still leaves you to discover and find out things for yourself. At no time did I feel that the game was just holding my hand and telling me what to do when, and you are given a certain level of freedom to do what you want, whether it is the right thing or not. However, you are still bound by strict goals which you need to achieve which is where a Sandbox mode would help to vary the game.

Graphics 10/10

The graphics are stellar and look extremely good, even on 2nd generation devices. The animations are smooth and I was surprised at how well the game performed as a whole. Also, the attention to detail shines through at various points in the game and should be commended.

Controls 10/10

The game also works well in relation to the very small screen of the iPhone. Virtual City does not suffer from cramped controls and options, and even though I would have preferred a bigger screen to play on, I never felt the small screen hindered the game. The building selection and other on-screen controls are very intuitive and easy to use.

The graphics are superb for a city simulation game.

Sound 10/10

Like the graphics, the sound is also extremely detailed on every level. The many different sound effects and sounds make for an immersive experiences.

Menus 9/10

The graphical menus look great and work well. They fit well with the theme of the game and don’t take away from the experience.

Longevity 7/10

As mentioned, Sandbox mode is really what is holding Virtual City back. Without it, the game still lasts and is worth the money, but can become a bit repetitive.

Cost 9/10

Its $4.99/£2.99 price point is certainly worth it for such a fully fledged game, however if your tight on cash, then maybe wait for the Sandbox upgrade before you buy.

Conclusion 63/70 – 4/5

Overall, Virtual City is not out to take on the big names like SimCity in terms of flexibility and mass of features, but instead comes together to create a unique, playable simulation game that everyone will love. My one complaint which prevents this from being a 5 star title is its lack of a Sandbox mode, which would increase its longevity two fold. Yet still, Virtual City remains a game, perfect for all you simulation fans out there. Of course, if you are not sure, try out the lite version which offers a generous slice of the fun.

Virtual City on the App Store.

Virtual City Free on the App Store.

Buganoids, the last free game developed by Backflip Studios this summer is Backflip‘s “homage to a mispent youth in the video arcades of the early 80’s”. This new free game by Backflip Studios is a retro, circumnavigational game (made up a new word there) where you as an astronaut are circling round a planet, firing all manner of weapons to fight off the emerging army of bugs, ascending from below.

You control your little guy by using very arcade-like virtual buttons on the bottom of the screen. The controls are not the best, but works great with the retro style. The graphics are also not to my taste but will definitely appeal to old-school gamers who used to play Space Invaders on dated arcade machines. However, despite these details, the game itself plays well and is described as ‘”Tempest” meets “Centipede” with a dash of “Gyruss” thrown in’. The focus of the game is more mindless fun rather than a serious challenge and there is much less emphasis on gaining a high score, but instead on the unique and fun retro feel.

I also love the many different weapons and the suitably unique enemies for which you discover throughout the game. For example, the tortoise at times hides beneath its shell which deflects any shot back at you, and the long centipede separates into two once hit, unless you hit the head. The weaponry is also a neat touch with a rocket, flamethrower and laser bundled in.

You shoot vertically downwards, which proves to be a challenge to master.

Even though the game is free, it is accompanied by ads, all of which for Backflip’s other games. You can then get rid of the ads for $0.99/£0.59 if you wish.

Overall the game is very fun, and will go down well with retro/arcade fans, even if it is not my particular taste. Especially as it’s free!

If this appeals then why not try out Backflip Studios other free offerings: Ninjump, Graffiti Ball (currently in top 50 free games), and Strike Knight.

In other related Backflip news, Ninjump HD, Paper Toss: World Tour HD and Ragdoll Blaster 2 HD (with 30 extra iPad specific levels) are all scheduled to make their appearance on the daddy of all iPhone’s. Also, a game developed by Backflip “in tandem with MGM Studios based on the cult classic Army of Darkness” is also going to make its appearance on the iPhone and iPod Touch early 2011. Last of all the popular Facebook game, Mahjong: Dimensions, is making its debut October 7th. Exciting stuff!

Buganoids on the App Store.

omicron. I quite like the name. It’s unique and rolls off the tongue well. Congratulations! But this can’t be said for the rest of the game.

Gameplay 1/10

Needless to say, the name is the best thing about omicron. The gameplay is virtually non-existent with whats left being repetitive, boring and frustrating. In the game, you are presented with a grid of coloured squares which randomly switch from one color to another. Your job is to hit a selected color before the block changes. If you do hit a block with the same color, that block is removed. The aim is to remove all blocks in the grid. Bored already? Well you should be. omicron gets faster as you progress which instead of making the game more challenging, becomes more frustrating. For starts, the responsiveness feels way off. Once you tap a block, it takes a few seconds for that block to be removed. This becomes more apparent on harder levels where you would hit the right block, but then be penalised because the game didn’t pick up your touch quick enough, and the block had changed colour.

Graphics 3/10

omicron’s graphics are of sub-standard. Very plain. Despite the supposed array of different colours, omicron still manages to exceed in dullness even though its whole emphasis is on multicolours.

Sound 7/10

After all its misgivings, there is one good point about omicron (apart from its name) that I like. The soundtrack. The music is quirky and helps me endure the horrible gameplay. The almost cute robot voice (with obvious inspiration Portal’s GLaDOS) also works well.

At the beginning of each level, the colour you have to hit is shown.

Controls 3/10

To select a block all you do is tap. This should work extremely well with the iPhone’s and iPod Touch’s screen, but in reality, as mentioned before, the game is very unresponsive which is key in a game such as this.

Menus 3/10

The menus are a lot on the simple side but the animations and transitions between menu screens is well done. However, the creativity is lost and makes for a reasonably dull menu system. Even though the game has bad responsiveness, the menu options are good enough and work well.

Longevity 1/10

omicron is a high-score game and with OpenFeint integration, it’s bound to have a little replay-value, right? But the extremely repetitive gameplay isn’t enough to push me to compete in high-scores. The 24 achievements do help a bit, but the chances are you are going to spend a few minutes on omicron, and then put it down.

Cost 2/10

I wouldn’t recommend this, even for its incredibly cheap price of $0.99/$0.59, especially when compared with other titles of the same price point.

Conclusion 20/70 – 1/5

Overall the game lends itself to a more retro style, and maybe mega-retro fans might enjoy omicron, but the chances are, they won’t, and neither will you. Avoid.

omicron on the App Store.