Pixel and Texel, the indie development studio formed by former id Mobile employees last year, has just begun teasing screens for their unnamed new project over on their website. You might remember their first iOS title Fara ($1.99) and Fara HD ($1.99), an RPG with a really fantastic art style that – despite some quirks – we enjoyed in our review. The new mystery game continues with a really sharp looking visual style, as you can see in these early screens.
This new game again has a great look to it, but it’s quite a departure from the retro-ish top-down action RPG that was Fara. It’ll be an arena platforming game, I’m thinking similar to Super Crate Box (Free) or Spell Sword ($0.99), but the developers are also touting a deep crafting system for making new weapons, armors, and equipment.
It sounds like there’s lots of other cool stuff under the hood that they’re not quite ready to talk about just yet, but these first screens look promising and we’ll definitely be keeping our eye out for more information on this mystery title in the coming months.
So a port gets spot number 1? how original.
The game itself is quite original, though : you should give it a try!
I would if I still had my iPad, it was stolen >,<
I might check it out for PC though.
Ahhh...now the anger makes sense. Sorry to hear - hope you get a new one (or the mini) soon...
The games are listed in reverse chronological order of when the review was posted. There is no "number 1." With that being said, Bastion is amazing and if you're raging against it because it's a port you're doing yourself (and anyone who listens to you) a massive disservice.
whatever, this is pointless.
Quit bein' mad about video games.
Eli
What about horn?
Go and drink your protein shakes and stop bein' mad about people bein' mad about video games.
Worst comeback ever.
well, it wasn't ment to be succesful
Hey Klas... what's going on in your life? Do you need to talk with someone?
As pointless as saying "whatever" on the internet, you mean?
A good game is a good game on any platform...why do you have an issue with the game just because it is a port? It is also not surprising that many of the 'best' game on the ios are ports too ... but they are just as enjoyable as some(very few) of the original and unique ios games that feel really native to the platform though (not those wannabe 'console quality' games)
He has a issue because he feels a port is kind of a cheat. It's not an original iOS product. In theory you could port over every good game from NES, SNES, Genesis,PC etc, and have those compete against an original game made for iOS.
Is it fair to have iOS developers up against ports.. Not sure.. I'm on the fence about it.
Doesn't change the fact they are great games tho.
For the record, some of us never played it on the other consoles (even though I have them collecting dust)...ie the "unoriginal port" of Bastion.
I can't even imagine using the touch control on my big screen....oh wait...you can't with those versions?
How unoriginal.
Ports are across ALL Consoles and a nature of the Game Industry beast - don't be a hater.
I went out on a limb (in $5 iOS speak) and its by far one of the best iOS games, which is what we're talking about here.
I agree. Games are usually released across multiple platforms. The iPad is just another platform.
Typically, a port is software that is adapted to work in an environment in which it wasn't originally intended. Code is "carried" over. Supergiant games statements have suggested otherwise. They said Bastion was re-created for the iPad and to work with touch controls. If re-created means re-written, then it's not a port.
In any case, Bastian feels comfortable on the iPad, it's an excellent game, and because it was released for the iPad, it deserves to be on the best iOS game list.
Glad to see this back, it was missed!
And the TouchArcade app is amazing, I wouldn't have found the game 'Tampon Toss' without it..
;-)
You forgot final fantasy dimensions you jerks.
How so? Is the meat of the game even able to be downloaded yet?
Yes it is, but I agree that they haven't forgotten it for 2 reasons:
1. The game is only partially reviewed due to the IAP store issue (which as I mentioned is recently fixed)
2. What little of the game HAS been reviewed didn't receive great scores, and this article is, after all, about the month's BEST reviewed games.
im still waitin for street fighter x tekken
You mean waiting for a completely redundant game to play on iOS? You're upset b/c there aren't the 'amazing' "bash your friend in the face" games on iOS? Gotcha.
Where is Horn???
That game blows nearly every 4.5 game on this list out of the water!
You make a good point .. Horn should definitely be on this list
Horn is way overrated in my opinion. It's imaginative, sure, but the mechanics and gameplay are so bland. And I can't help but feel they borrowed HEAVILY from Ico.
I'm not very familiar with Ico, but from what I remember, the kid in that game was rescuing a girl from shadow creatures.
Outside of the kid himself, there's really no other similarities.
If anything, it's like Infinity Blade and Shadow of the Colossus. And that's more combat and enemy wise. Maybe partly story.
The reason I feel Horn should be on this list is because it takes the best elements of those two games and puts them together and make it work. Could it be better? Hell yeah it could! Adding combos would go a long way with making the combat better. But as it stands, it's still a great game for a good price.
The price. The graphics. The music. The story. The voices.
Those things combined make for a great experience. Easily better than the other games on this list in the 4.5 category.
I mean c'mon, Super Mole Escape and Supermagical??? These are simply re skinned versions of games that came out twenty or more years ago.
I guess it all depends on what you compare it against. If you compare it against iOS games collectively then yeah, it rates higher. I'm just comparing it against how much fun I had with it and how long it kept my attention, which is not much and not long.
I don't think it borrows from SotC much at all. Perhaps the camera mechanics are closer to SotC, but the story and atmosphere is like 90% ICO. Boy with one horn traversing ruins and fighting spirits and magical beasts while uncovering the mystery of a curse - that's far too close for comfort.
I don't like crapping all over my memories of terrific games - but if you've never played (loved) ICO then yeah, Horn is a pretty good deal :)
I wish people didn't give Bastion a perfect 5-stars. It's a good game, but it's also vastly inferior to the PC version. Which I just feels pushes the myth that in general iOS games are inferior to PC/console games:(
They are though =P (at least generally speaking),
How the hell is it "vastly inferior"? The controls work beautifully and the game itself looks better with a retina display than it does on any computer.
WTF Square Enix?
Bastion is way cheaper than TWEWY, and it is bot a handheld game.....
Seriously? Well deserved the five stars for Bastion.
guess everyone has a different idea of what is 'best'. i wouldn't put a buck towards any of those. except perhaps walking dead, but i detest episodic anything even more than 'freemium'.
Agreed. I would put the $ towards DungeonRaid over these.
These best of the month posts are far more valuable than the incessant self-absorbed "TA Plays" posts.
To counter this comment, I enjoy them. Whenever my interest is piqued enough to look more into a game, I enjoy watching gameplay from the TA guys.
If you smoked weed you'd understand it better :)
is that why your name is "Jay"?
About time TA started doing these articles again!
back2this
Please do iPhone only and iPad only. WAY more people have the smaller devices than the big tablet and bunching them all together really only benefits the small % that have both. It's really frustrating to see so many iPhone games and one title sneaking in that is platform exclusive (which honestly deserves to lose a mark for not porting when it's less intense control-wise than TWEWY).
If only you didn't allow that dumb squids game a 5 star review these would be ok.
But you're still saying that squids2 game is better than walking dead!?
ON a Level with Bastion!!? That won how many Independent game awards?? I dont think so.
Different genres bro. There are lots of different reviewers including some freelancers at TA too so the yardstick used for reviewing is not universal or even remotely consistent.
I'd agree, tho. I tried the Squids thing (came out for free) & I kept thinking to myself, "HOW did TA give this game a high rating?!?!?" If it's a 'kids under 10" 5 star review, maybe it needs some kind of disclaimer?
This has been a fantastic month for iOS. Yes, Horn should be on the list, as it is worthy of pulling out of the rest of the pile, but TA probably forgot it came out this month with so much other good stuff. Just to remind you, GOF 2 HD and NOVA 3 both went to 0.99, Horn, Squenix titles, Bastion, Trigger Fist (came out and went FREE), Mikey Shorts, and more ALL happened within the 31 days of August. What a month, even if you limit yourself to $15 or $20, there is so much quality gaming!
Bastion is really great looking...I take 5 stars from TA to be something of a great achievement. Surprised Horn doesn't get at least 4.5 stars. I have rated it 3.5, but that's mostly because of a poor Android optimization.
PS: Eli, any chance you could respond to me?
Hey, Listen! Glu made an update to Blood and Glory (called Blood and Glory Legend) and it's slicker looking than the first! I had not known. Dat Unity Engine! B)
I was just going to buy world ends with you, but fortunately my friend hurried to bring me the DS version. Phew! Absolutely love it, and I also recommend the two screen original.
I think everyone should play both the DS and ios version of TWEWY for the complete experience! DS for the original hectic dual screen simultaneous 2 player combat etc and the ios version for the very pretty redrawn graphic!
I personally love all the games picked. This has to be somewhat subjective and if your job is to play and review stuff what do people expect? A reviewer's decision can never be objective anyway. Try being a painter or musician and listen to those critics remarks.
As forTouch Arcade, I go to your app daily. II love watching you guys playing a new game. And most of the time I can judge if the game being played is one that interests me. Even if I do not like a particular genre, I enjoy watching your game playing videos. Fun and your reviews are always interesting.
Horn was fun under half way through the game, the sadly it gets really stale and a drag to play...it's fairly easy, crappy save spots, and gameplay gets monotonous. Touchgen.com's review of Horn is spot on.
Bastion is the cream of the crop n that list for me. Great Xbox 360 game and its still fun to replay through on the iPad, even twice. We need more AAA games like Bastion, The World Ends With You, & GTA Chinatown Wars...too bad there really is only a small handful of them on iOS and to a lesser extent, on the Android.