New iPhone games - Oceanhorn, Epoch 2, and Stealth Inc
Hands-on with Lone Wolf, Tilt to Live 2, and Don't Shoot Yourself
Every Thursday, Pocket Gamer offers hands-on impressions of the week's new iPhone and iPad games.
We'll level with you. This has been a pretty crazy week for new mobile games. As such, we haven't had the time to put all the new apps through their paces - so please consider this a quick week-in-review digest instead of real first impressions.
We've got links (where applicable) to gameplay videos, news articles, and reviews if you want to learn more. Normal service will resume next week.
GT Racing 2
By Gameloft - download on iPhone and iPad (Free)
Gameloft takes on Real Racing 3 with a slick, shiny, free-to-play racing sim. It feels just as good to play as Firemonkey's game but this one's got weather effects and - most critically - no waiting around for a virtual mechanic to fix your wonky tailpipe.
The Rivers of Alice
By Delirium Studios - buy on iPhone and iPad (£2.99 / $4.99)
We haven't touched this surrealist adventure spin on Alice in Wonderland, but it sure looks pretty. It's supposedly a graphic adventure played at a leisurely pace, where Alice must face her fears and her sins. We'll check it out.
Stellar Wars
By Liv Games - buy on iPhone and iPad (£1.49 / $1.99)
This new game from Monster and Legendary Wars developer Liv Games takes us into space for a mix of strategy, defence and side-scrolling shmup. You can customise your bots before taking them on a 50-mission campaign.
Neon Shadow
By Crescent Moon - buy on iPhone and iPad (£1.49 / $1.99)
Neon Shadow is an old-school FPS that seems to have fallen out of a time warp to the 90s. It even calls local multiplayer "LAN play" in its description. Can I get this game on a floppy disk, gramps? Anyway, we'll keep playing for a full review, soon.
Tilt to Live 2: Redonkulous
By One Man Left - buy on iPhone and iPad (£1.99 / $2.99)
Clearly living up to its subtitle (something I never thought would be possible) this Tilt to Live sequel is a silly, rambunctious, overwhelming score-attack arcade romp that will have you entranced until the second you die. Terrific fun, and a must own.
Read our Silver Award review, here.
Stealth Inc.: A Clone in the Dark
By Curve Digital - buy on iPhone and iPad (£2.99 / $4.99)
A sneaky stealth-driven puzzle platformer that's all about escaping from a factory filled with your genetic doppelgängers. Getting seen by cameras will sometimes get you killed, but sometimes help you solve the puzzle at hand. Tricky, addictive stuff.
Read our review. Or see how the game looks in motion.
Epoch 2
By Uppercut Games - buy on iPhone and iPad (£3.99 / $5.99)
Gritty robot-on-robot shooter with a cover mechanic. It's all very touch friendly as you tap on enemies to kill them, swipe to move between cover points, and swipe down to reload. This sequel's got more variety, but it still feels a little repetitive.
We've got a full review on the site, here. And you can see the game in motion here.
The King of Fighters '97
By SNK - buy on iPhone and iPad (£2.49 / $3.99)
A classic Neo Geo fighter, now on your mobile telephone. Isn't technology weird? This one's got a whopping 35 pugilists to pick from, and two modes to go at. Read more words here.
Jon Dever's Lone Wolf
By Bulkypix - buy on iPhone and iPad (£2.99 / $4.99)
Part gamebook, part RPG, this Jon Dever penned choose-your-own-adventure novel spins off into a slick turn-based beat em up whenever you get into a scrap. It's one of the more lavishly produced digital gamebooks on the App Store.
Oceanhorn
By Cornfox & Bros. - buy on iPhone and iPad (£5.99 / $8.99)
An enormous globe-trotting adventure game, inspired by Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. You'll sail the open sea, delve into puzzle-filled dungeons, and beat up boss monsters as you track down a handful of elemental emblems. Good stuff, though not without some disappointment.
Read our full review, here. See it in motion, here.
Super Lemonade Factory Part 2
By Shane Brouwer - download on iPhone and iPad (Free)
Shane Brouwer's pixel art trek around a fruity drink factory is back for another spin. You're still swapping between heroes Andre and Liselot, but now you'll solve puzzling platforming sections in Sydney, New York, and a secret military base.
Don't Shoot Yourself
By Ayopa Games - buy on iPhone and iPad (69p / 99c)
A shmup crossed with ancient Nokia game Snake, Don't Shoot Yourself has you avoiding the ricocheting ordnance that's firing out your own butt. It's an engrossing little game that will text your reflexes and your wits.
Football Manager 2014
By Sega - buy on iPhone and iPad (£6.99 / $9.99)
The only football manager I can name is Harry Redknapp because his jowly, sullen face used to keep popping up on BBC South Today. Now he's moved and I don't have to see him anymore.
This new game's got loads of new features, and you can read about them here.
Civil War II: 1862
By Hunted Cow - buy on iPhone and iPad (69p / 99c)
Civil War II. This time it's personal. Or, this time it has flank attacks, strategic movement, and a greater emphasis on melee attacks. It's also a prequel to Civil War: 1863, and it's got 14 campaigns from that tumultuous year.
Scrapyard
By Andrew Haith - buy on iPhone and iPad (69p / 99c)
Ex-Rebellion staffer Andy Haith left a job in console games to pursue the noble life of an iOS indie. Here's his first effort: a fun little time waster about stacking physics objects so you can place a car in reach of a mechanical crane arm. Read more, here.
Mimpi Volleyball
By Crescent Moon - buy on iPhone and iPad (Free)
Crescent Moon has spun off the volleyball mini-game from surreal puppy platformer Mimpi into a free standalone iOS game. Free is all this crappy timewaster is worth, to be honest - don't let this nonsense put you off the far better main game.
