Heads up: an iPad-specific version of Riven is still on the way, and it's going to include some key improvements over the original game, CEO of Cyan Worlds Rand Miller revealed in an awesome interview with Modojo.
A couple of "small new features" will be accompanied by a cleaner UI and cleaner images, animations, and video. From the interview:
"We have spent many months fine-tuning the Riven experience for the iPad, touching almost every aspect of the game. We have reduced the compression of the original images, we've improved the movies and animations, we've cleaned up the user interface, we've improved the sound and music presentation, and we've added a few small new features.
All in all we've worked really hard at making the best iPad version of Riven we could, and still squeeze it into the 2 gigabyte size limit."
Riven [$3.99] for iPhone appeared December 2010. It's seen some updates since, including iPhone 5 compatibility. The iPad version of Riven will be playable on every iteration of iPad, and that includes first-generation devices. Miller says it should hit within the next few weeks.
Riven is the critically praised sequel to Myst. It's probably safe to say that if you enjoyed Myst or realMyst, this'll be right up your alley.
Sky Gamblers: Air Supremacy [$2.99] pops because it knows what it is: a super fast, over-the-top action game that plays it loose with physics and reality. That was our big takeaway from earlier this year when we went hands-on extensively with it following its surprise debut at the new iPad event where it helped show off that device's power and actual HD screen.
Air Supremacy has just been updated with iPhone 5 screen support, which turns out, is a great thing for the smaller version of the game. Functionally, the increased screen real estate let's you really chew on the game's environments. Also, the game feels easier to control in certain modes of play, courtesy wider virtual button placements.
More importantly, maybe, is the fact that we've been getting the same sense of speed out of this version that we got from the iPad version. It could just be in our heads, but it seems to be drawing us in more into its speed and scale on iPhone 5 than it ever did on iPhone 4S, courtesy being able to see more whizzing by us.
If you're looking for a cool flight game for iPhone 5, you can't really do better than Air Supremacy at the moment. It was already a hip game, but the smaller version sings on iPhone 5.
Rayman Jungle Run [$2.99] is now my favorite iOS auto-runner. Granted, I wasn't the biggest fan of the genre, especially those with procedural, unending levels. Luckily, Rayman Jungle Run offers 40 distinct levels that require players to jump, hair-copter float, wall run, and punch or kick their way to the goal.
Each of these four overarching worlds tacks on an ability, and three of these worlds play out with tap-anywhere controls. However, the punch mechanic, used only in the final world, is relegated to a virtual button on the lower right.
Getting to the 40 goals is the easy part and adds up to less than an hour of pure gameplay. Getting 100 Lums per level, though, requires hours of practice. Each perfect level earns players a red gem-tooth, and five teeth unlock one crazy-hard race per chapter.
No Lums are in these Land of the Dead levels; it's all about reaching the end for the final tooth and getting the fastest time to place on the leaderboard. Speaking of leaderboards, none of the other stages are timed for online racing, which almost seems like a missed opportunity.
Other than meeting achievement goals, going for 100 Lums in stages unlocks an image gallery full of characters from Rayman Origins. This feels rather bittersweet, as seeing the characters creates nostalgia but serves to remind players what's missing from the Origins universe. How would this auto-runner incorporate bosses? I don't know, but I think the brilliant minds behind Rayman could have found an innovative way.
A few extra music tracks also wouldn't hurt, as they played randomly and grew a little stale after the first hour of playing. These tracks are probably enough for casual plays, but not for those who play over and over to perfect every level. That said, the overall lack of new assets made more sense when I realized Pix'n Love Rush creator Pastagames actually developed Rayman Jungle Run and not the original Ubisoft team.
Fanboy-like complaints aside, Rayman Jungle Run is the most thrilling, gorgeous, charming, and responsive auto-runner I've ever experienced. The stages whip and zip like a rollercoaster set at a perfect speed, which allowed me to take in each colorful character and background.
Each level, while less than a minute long, felt large. In whatever direction Rayman was running, jumping, or floating, I felt like I was exploring nearly every inch.
I don't believe collecting all 3,600 Lums in one play without dying is reasonable replayability, but I will happily pay for more levels to explore. Sadly, the title screen lacks a DLC button to hint of any forthcoming content.
For people who've never experienced Rayman or those who have strayed from the series, this is an excellent (re)introduction. For those who've played Origins, this may feel a bit mechanically and aesthetically familiar. In the case of Rayman Jungle Run, familiarity isn't a bad thing, especially when it stems from creator Michel Ancel.
Good news: the wait for Fireproof Studios' super atmospheric 3D puzzle game, The Room, is almost over. The game has cleared certification and it'll be out this September 19 across the App Store for iPad 2 and the new iPad. The price? An agreeable $4.99.
We're pretty stoked about this. We took a gander at a pre-release version of the game earlier last month, and came away surprised with its ability to dish out mystery and intrigue while also giving us the chills. The experience was pretty powerful.
In addition to word pictures, we've got some moving ones just below. If you've had a bit of trouble visualizing how The Room rolls, this should help:
Far cheaper, less sweaty, and more bizarre than any real-world miniature golf course I've played on, Wonderputt [$0.99 (HD)] is a polymorphic putt-putt painting brought to life by the charming design of Damp Gnat.
Easily observed in the trailer, Wonderputt contains a ridiculous amount of creativity in its 18 holes and the way the course transforms between each hole. Playing on a cubic river optical illusion, a farm mowed by hyperactive cows, lily pads on a lake, or a hill from a fresh avalanche keeps the golf game fresh with unique obstacles.
Wonderputt's biggest flaw is that it penalizes players' scores for the time spent completing the course. How can I not get lost in its visuals?! Maybe by the 5th or 10th playthrough I'll be less distracted.
That said, Wonderputt has only one golf course in the whole game and is the only other let down here. However, in the second playthrough, it becomes much more fun and manageable with the Wonder rainbow collectibles littered across each course. These collectibles seem arranged in a way that the most geometric of players can connect in one shot. It certainly helped me earn two hole-in-ones.
I had actually played Wonderputt online for free last year, but my iPad experience was definitely more memorable. I recall giving up on the pull-back-and-release gameplay with a mouse. Thankfully, the tiny golf ball feels easier to putt with my finger.
Feeling so familiar, I cheated a little and asked developer Reece Millidge what was new to the iPad version. He said it contains a larger canvas than the Flash version, HD graphics for retina display, and a triple-length soundtrack. As for why I played slightly better on the iPad version, he says he made the holes slightly bigger to help with the inaccuracy of fingers compared to the mouse.
Wonderputt has Game Center leaderboard integration, but it offers some homemade achievements that I think add more to the replayability, asking players to eventually hole-in-one everything. Also worth noting, music and sound effects are light but fitting for the game. I'd rather they complement but not overpower the striking visuals.
Wonderputt joins a number of other great mini golf style games on the App Store, and I can see several casual and hardcore players wanting to explore this eccentric golf course from end to end at least a few times. If you're the guy or gal with the fancy iPad 2 or 3, Wonderputt is one of those sharp apps you just have to show everyone and will definitely earn a few cool points in doing so.
Surprise! Supergiant Games has been working on an iPad port of Bastion. It'll launch a little later tonight, as international releases worm their way across the globe. If you have played Bastion before, on either XBLA or in your browser or on PC, you'll feel at home with this version. While it does contain some minor tweaks, it's functionally the same game that you should have, and probably have, checked out before.
For those of you not in the loop, Bastion is an action RPG that tasks you, as The Kid, with restoring a floating island to its former glory. In the process of rebuilding, you learn a thing or two about a beautiful world gone wrong. You'll also kill tons of weird bad guys, like, say, floating blobs and deformed blue things with scythes.
Words With Friends HD [$2.99] is, like, totally HD now. The game's latest update, which went live just the other afternoon, has added support for the new iPad's display. Version 5.0 also sees the addition of a new sidebar interface element that hooks you up with links to other Zynga games and lets you pester your friends via social media.
Of course, this update also includes nebulous "bug fixes and optimizations." Words With Friends [99¢] on iPhone and iPod Touch has also been updated with these, and as you may have just noticed, it's also just 99¢ instead of its usual $2.99.
realMyst [$6.99] for iPad -- which is now actually called just realMyst -- is available on the App Store today as promised, and it's rocking a $6.99 price tag. realMyst includes all of the content from the original Myst plus "Rime Age," and includes a few hip features like save states, auto-saves, and a hint book.
realMyst is a port of a re-release of Myst that, for the first time, gave Myst fans that ability to explore the original game in 3D. This version includes dynamic water and environmental effects, too. Early word from our message board seems to be positive, but we'll be digging in soon, too. Stay tuned.
Cyan Worlds' Real Myst, or "realMyst for iPad" as its now being called, has a release date. According to a post on the studio's Facebook page, Cyan expects Real Myst to hit the iPad 2 and iPad 3 on June 14. Over 60 designers, coders, and programmers combined have touched the project, the post also shares.
Real Myst isn't a new thing, by the way: it's just a port of a real-time version of the original game. Released in November 2000, Real Myst's real-time rendering and streaming -- which allowed users to explore Myst much more fluidly and intuitively -- was cutting edge stuff. Technology! It moves fast!
New Tourin-based studio Mixed Bag is creating an "old-school action adventure" game that will embrace the fundamentals: art, real estate, bosses, powers, and mystery. It looks a little like Metroid, except with probes.
Forma.8, as its called, takes place on an alien planet where you, as the titular probe, will be tasked with finding something after an accident separates you from your pal. As you progress, you'll discover ancient civilizations and even "dystopian visions," rendered in some of the coolest art this side of Another World. Check it out:
Neuroshima Hex [$2.99] received all sorts of new features and content this morning courtesy a brand new update to the core game. The coolest addition by far is the introduction of asynchronous online play, which is something the game's developer Big Daddy's Creations has been thinking about doing for quite some time. Other neat features in today's update include new iPad retina support, player profiles, a stronger tutorial, and redesigned UI elements across the board -- stores, menus, and even in-game.
We haven't talked about Neuroshima in a while, so allow us to re-introduce you to the brain busting game with this tidbit from our comprehensive review:
Like many strategy games with unique rulesets, Neuroshima Hex is fairly complicated. Playing the game involves selecting one of the four factions, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, then playing with a 35 tile "deck". Players start by placing their headquarters on the game board, and the rest of the game revolves around attacking the enemy HQ while defending your own utilizing the tiles you draw at the start of your turn. Your deck of tiles consists of three different types, tiles that contain different types of units, modules which buff those units, and instant action tiles that do things like destroy or slide a unit, or even initiate combat.
In celebration of the release of this update, Big Daddy has dropped the price of the game to $2.99 from its usual $4.99. Our full review is available here, if you'd like to read up on the game if you're thinking about taking the plunge. Spoiler: the game's learning curve is a little steep.
Infinity Blade 2 [$6.99] already has a ton of content to explore, but it'll be offering even more fat loot and monsters this coming Thursday when Chair unleashes a new expansion dubbed Vault of Tears. It's free and set to "delve further into the Infinity Blade story" via a brand new dungeon to dive. Expect to get around 50 new items to collect, level up, and utilize and expect to see a handful of new foes.
Interestingly, Chair is plugging in a few fresh mechanics to play around with. Of the most note, it's adding a treasure map that marks treasure locations. Also, ClashMob is being expanded to allow anyone to participate in fights via Twitter or Facebook -- no game required. Weird, right?
Again, Vault of Tears hits later this Thursday. These assets should hold you over until then, we'd hope.
One of the world's best CCGs on mobile, Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer [$.99], is now better looking and it's packing more content. In a recent update, developer Incinerator Studios added retina support for iPad, as well as three new IAP card packs -- Return of the Fallen, Storm of Souls, and an aptly named promotional pack called Promo Pack 1. It has also dropped in an "in-app purchase" manager, which allows you to restore, as well as buy, cards from within the app.
If this sounds good, go ahead and update Ascension. You'll notice some new tweaks, too: fast-app switching is now supported and a new 28-day online game timer round out what is sounding like a pretty sweet update for the game's most dedicated fans. It's nice when this happens, right?
Ballistic SE [$1.99] and Fireball SE [$1.99] creator, Luke Schneider, has been porting another Xbox Live Indie Game to the iPhone and iPad. Inferno+, which features newer high resolution assets for retina screens, is coming later this month or earlier next. Luke dropped us a really awesome slow-motion teaser trailer that shows off a smidgen of the game's creative twin-stick action, which seeks to combine elements of Geometry Wars (!) with the structure of Gauntlet (!!).
Luke describes the trailer in his latest blog post, shedding some light on what he's trying to shoot for:
While the launch trailer will cover a lot more of what’s in Inferno+, for the teaser video above I only wanted to show a single quick sequence to give a taste of the game. Obviously it’s in slow motion, and zoomed in a bit, so I cheated a little, but I think that’s OK.
We've been pretty impressed with what Luke has released so far, so count us in for a day one download. Whenever we get a final build, we'll shoot you a review. Hah. Get it? It's a twin-stick shooter. We're going to shoot our thoughts at you... like you'd fire bullets in a shooter. We crack us up.
Contre Jour [99¢] and its Universal HD brother, Contre Jour HD [$2.99], has always been a looker, but it's now even more impressive on new iPad. Thanks to a late (but welcome) retina update, the HD version puzzle game is fully embracing Apple's new high pixel density screen. As you'll see below, this version is sharper and crisper and cleaner than it ever has been, which is saying something since it looked great pre-update anyway.
No update for a puzzle game is complete without new levels. A brand new jungle-themed chapter has been added to both versions of the game, ushering in some twists on the game's pre-existing moveable tentacle and platform mechanics. Also, a new "bonus" ending has been added for those who can collect the game's (now) 300 lights. Sounds like you've got some work to do, guys.
Heads up: an iPad-specific version of Riven is still on the way, and it's going to include some key improvements over the original game, CEO of Cyan Worlds Rand Miller revealed in an awesome interview with Modojo. 
