Here is a very nice treat as we head into the weekend. 1337 Game Design’s Devil’s Attorney ($4.99) is free for the first time ever. Originally launching back in September of last year, Devil’s Attorney took the strategic turn-based battling that you might find in any number of RPG or TBS titles and applied it to the courtroom. Rather than hurling magic spells, you’re using Objections to cool down the prosecution or Reverse Psychology to get key witnesses against your client to turn on themselves. Being that you’re the Devil’s attorney and all, your ultimate goal is to get your less-than-desirable clients off scot-free by using every dirty trick you can think of.
Besides a really strong turn-based battling system, Devil’s Attorney also hits the nail on the head in terms of visuals and personality. Your character is just the sort of slime ball attorney that you would imagine, a veritable Saul Goodman for you Breaking Bad fans out there. Due to this, the game isn’t just enjoyable based on its mechanics alone, but will really suck you in with its wit and humor that permeates every nook and cranny. I mean, just check out the cheese-tastic trailer for Devil’s Attorney to see what I mean.
We absolutely loved Devil’s Attorney in our review, and it came very close in the running for our game of the year last year, landing in our Honorable Mentions. What I’m getting at is that Devil’s Attorney is good, like really good, and it’s completely free right now and doesn’t contain any IAP or anything. It’s just a full, awesome game for free. What a treat. Definitely snag it during the freebie promotion and drop by our forums for more impressions and discussion from the TouchArcade community.
Most anticipated game of the year or possibly of all iOS gaming history, reviewed by someone I've never seen post on this site before, on an iPad Mini, pointing out a half dozen huge flaws and still giving a 5 star review. I don't understand
You have an odd definition of "huge flaw."
The last paragraph does state the game is "flawed". Also with the words "boring" and "gripe" within the context of the article, it does seem unfitting. I respect peoples opinions and don't take them as my own. This seemed like it was an automatic 5 star game before this article was written, but with some honest criticism that should have reflected the rating differently.
I forgot to add that I bought this game and I know I will enjoy it immensely. I strongly support the dollar being asked and the exclusion of IAP. Peace.
I'm not sure we're rating games on the same scale you are. Our scale reflects how much we recommend you download a game, and this is as five stars as it gets. Sorry. :(
You don't have to apologize, I totally agree with you on that - it's a must have. I think it's just so commonplace to have a rating based on overall game design, performance, enjoyment, etc. If its just a number to express whether to download or not, than I would say its a little confusing to rate like that - which I'm sure you could agree with the number of people you get questioning ratings on here. Why not just say:
1-Ignore
2-Wait for Sale
3-Buy if your into this type
4-Recommend
5-Just get it
I know this isn't the main goal of your staff's writing to categorize like that, you guys do a great job being in depth in reviewing the games. I appreciate it as always, just looking for clarification when something seems puzzling.
I really, really like this rating scheme. Would *love* for this to be the official TA standard.
Yet I also enjoyed Stephanie's review. Very thorough, honest and clear.
Very well done!
1-Ignore
2-Wait for Sale
3-Buy if your into this type
4-Recommend
5-Just get it
...
Well, that would be clear.
On the other hand. They're 2$ games. I leave more cash as a tip when getting a drink. So don't overdo it.
This explanation does not hold up against the overall negative impression the review gives about the game. This is just semantic you're aying with.
So, basically, TA recommands to their readers:
1. blatant rip off that shamlesly takes from their inspiration
2. with boring puzzles,
3. & bad controls,
4. with a lack of explanation
5. & not innovative
That is what you recommand huh?
I've always thought that when someone recommands something they'll be using more positive/enthusiastic argumentation...
I guess, it would be fair for you to admit there's a mismatch between the recommandation level and the review itself instead of standing on your( rather frail) grounds.
The reviewer says in the first paragraph...
"This is Zelda through and through, but it’s not as good. Pretty damn close, though."
So if Nintendo magically went software only and released a Zelda game on iOS what would it get, 6 stars?
No. Game reviews (all over) are based on the time of release. An original Xbox game might get a 5 out of 5 back when it came out, but if reviewed fresh today score lower as game design and innovation has improved since then.
Reviewers don't retroactively go back and lower scores on older games, nor do they try to future proof their scores as it's inevitable all games will improve.
As a side note it surprises me that people still think the highest score equals a game with zero flaws. No game is 100% perfect yet with my favourite games I'm able to get over them and still love my experience. However a reviewers job is to point out issues so others can make their own decisions. They can decide how much weight a "flaw" has and determine if it would bother them. More than anything a review is to provide the information needed so that the READER can decide if it is something they want to invest in. Personally I think scores take away from those tools as some folks can't look past them.
I disagree. I would still give Psychonauts, Riddick, Ninja Gaiden Black, Halo 2, and Star Wars KOTOR five stars. And that is only five of the best games from the original Xbox.
If Nintendo released a 'new' Zelda game? Probably, yeah. If they re-released a game from 10-15 years ago? Hmm, not so much.
Oh, Eli. No, I really don't. Responding with an attack on my honest feedback makes me think you have an 'odd definition' of community management.
This thread is starting to look like the infamous Touch Arcade 'LIMBO' review
What on earth is wrong with you? It's a Zelda clone. Zelda itself isn't perfect either, but I would give it 5 stars just like I would this game. Who cares if they tested it on an iPad mini? Who cares if you've never heard of the person that reviewed it? What do these things really matter? Do you not want Stephanie to point out the flaws? Just because she pointed out a few flaws you want her to not give it 5 stars? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE OUTRAGED IF THIS GAME WAS GIVEN 3 STARS!?!?!
Stop paying so much attention to the stars. If a game has 3 or more stars, read the review. Based on what the review says NOT ON THE NUMBER OF STARS, what you find on forums, the price of the game, the screenshots, and the itunes descriptions, decide if you want to try it.
That is not a very difficult concept. Now go put on your big girl panties AND GET OVER IT!
I think the issue people are having is that the review is pointing out serious flaws that significantly hamper gameplay, and then gives it a perfect score. And, having played the game in question, it's not a five star game. Three stars would be really generous.
With quality reviews, perfect scores almost never happen. Even games that were astonishingly good or well-regarded for their times, like Portal, Chrono Trigger, Ocarina of Time, Half-Life 2, or Final Fantasy 7, rarely got perfect reviews from serious critics when they were released. Every one of these is a far better game than this mediocre little Zelda clone.
The long and short of it is that this review isn't very serious, or very good, and people are absolutely allowed to point that out.
Wow, good thing you decided to get that off your chest 3+ years after the fact. Anyway, 5 stars doesn't mean perfect. Never has and never will, because there are no perfect games. 5 stars means it comes with the highest recommendation we offer, which even with this game's flaws, I still completely stand by. This was and is one of the must have mobile games.
It is both original and good. Unfortunately, the parts that are original aren't good, and the parts that are good aren't original.
It's a slightly poor Zelda knockoff. It's not the worst game I've played, but it certainly isn't a "must have" game. Also, I didn't say it meant the game was perfect. I said the review gave it a perfect score, which it did.
If you give your highest recommendation to a slightly crappy game that's an absolute, shameless ripoff of an established series, you're not a worthwhile publication, period. Try harder, guys. This was a sad effort.
And yet you're the one reading this website and commenting on a review that's more than 3 years old. Sounds like you're the one who needs to try harder 😂😂😂
Also, captain sassypants, the reason I'm posting this now is that I played this game recently. I didn't read the review three years ago and then just come back to leave comments now. As it turns out, the entire world doesn't revolve around your website. In fact, this is the very first review I've ever read on your website. As the review was poor, and you, a mod, were rude and unprofessional just because someone disagreed with said review, it's also almost certainly the last one.
Grow up a bit, mate. The whole world doesn't have to agree with you.
"The whole world doesn't have to agree with you" You should try taking your own advice.
I've no issues with it. You, on the other hand, are whinging on like a petulant four year old because someone doesn't spontaneously cum to your favorite game.
Anyway, we're done here, because you've got the IQ of a wedge of lime. Happy new year.
Good to know you only argue with wedges of lime for three paragraphs. Any more than that would be weird.
LIKE JACK BLACK'S FACE RITE????LOL
I've been playing it lately. The graphics, animations, music,and sound design are all really, really good. Unfortunately, the level design is pretty awful. There's no flow, lots of pointless dead ends, and the puzzles are all just boxes, switches and buttons in different orders. Zelda games used boxes and buttons at times, yes, but the puzzles were properly clever and good, and made interesting use of new items. Oceanhorn manages to steal the parts, but it can't put them together in the right order, like a toddler ineptly assembling a knockoff Ikea bookshelf.
The combat isn't great, either. Just lots of endless whacking with your sword. And then, if you bump into a pot, bottle, or barrel, that little moron you're controlling just goes ahead and picks that up in the middle of combat, because inexplicably, it's tied to the same button, even if you're using a physical controller. There are, by the way, no controller options at all, and when you're shooting things in the boring sailing portions, your stick is permanently and irrevocably y-flipped, like the default layout in a goddamned N64 Rare title. Ah, the heady days of the mid to late 90s, when everyone was pretty sure you should pilot a person like a plane.
Anyway, Oceanhorn, despite aping Zelda as hard as it possibly can, can't quite scratch the itch. The parts are there, but not the soul.
Still, it's not the worst thing ever. That title is still held by Jack Black's weird, stupid face. Oceanhorn, not being nearly as bad as Jack Black's face, I award a C+ to.
What's wrong with the iPad mini? The review is fine and all, I doubt I would rate such a blatant copy a 5 but still it's an opinion so what I think has no bearing on anything.
The devs should have worked on making a new game that was an homage to Zelda/metroidvania genre and not a blatant copy of Wind Waker.
If you click on the author's name, you will see she has posted reviews on TA before. She also writes for several other gaming sites. She tested the game on an iPad Mini, iPad Air and iPhone 5, as stated in the article. And the star rating is based on recommendation and not game quality. Unless you are new to TA, what's not to understand?
The game is flawed in certain aspects. But still a great game overall.
Yeah, the controls are incredibly sloppy, camera has bugged out on me too, a couple of times. 4/5
Save your money this game is borderline unplayable. Restart the game number one.. Bomb island I was in a cave walking across a bridge I noticed it starting to shake not wanting to die I backed up well I had to restart the game in order to get peice of a heart. the second resart was also on bomb island I came across a box I pushed it forward thinking there was somthing under it pushed it in the corner not knowing I needed it to cross a bridge well because they dont reset or you cant pull it im stuck again having to restart the entire game. either make item distructable/ spawnable or just refund my money this game has not been tested at all.
Look for blue push buttons on the ground. They restart the puzzles. If it's not a puzzle, look for another way around. Don't give up so easy.
no you are wrong.
most anticipated is always final fantasy 7. keep that in mind
but i do agree that this game is good
I bought the game and genuinely enjoy it. The graphics are stellar for an iOS game, the game play took a bit of getting used to but the controls are surprisingly good. The only major complaint would be the weirdness in the boss fights. But overall awesome game.
Cant wait for this to become cheaper !
This comment is bait guys...resist the urge.
And about the review: the very last paragraph it says "blatant rip-off." I think that should be removed because "rip-off" has a very negative connotation, even though you really enjoy it. Also, it is quite informal to say in a professional review.
Like I said in the forums: I really dislike how much the term rip-off is just thrown around here. Maybe "heavily inspired by" would be more appropriate. I'm not trying to tell y'all how to do your jobs, just a suggestion.
But I don't want to read a professional review (whatever that is). I want to read a review by gamers who talk like gamers, think like gamers and know what gamers want!
Look at the movie industry. Critics (if that collective group is remotely analogous to what constitutes a "professional reviewer") are so disenchanted (read: have giant pointy sticks rammed up their behinds) and removed from their readers that you cannot possibly trust a word they say before going to a flick.
Let's not devolve to that!
I agree to a point. Letting someone who is NOT YOU decide what you like or don't like is one of the main problems gaming and media in general.
Most influential movie critics are paid off by studios. It's so blatant it would be funny if it wasn't so disgusting.
Agree with Dariusjr98, the game is clearly not a "rip-off", it's "inspired by". Strange comment to throw in at the end of a positive review, even if it probably wasn't intended to sound how it did
You are part of the problem
I don't think I have ever seen a more bi-polar thread as this.
It's fairly commonplace for games to go on sale very soon after release. That is entirely the developer's prerogative. Blame them.
Or jailbreak and get it free
Someone steal this kid's tricycle.
Gonna buy in a few weeks. Not because I'm waiting for a sale or anything (I'll gladly pay a premium price if the game deserves it), but because on the 22nd I'm buying the Limited Edition Zelda 3DS XL. I want to pace myself through these games so I'll get this whenever I'm done with A Link Between Worlds.
Same here. This game came out at a bad time as the new Zelda comes out in a week. By the time I'm done with it, thus game will likely be on sale and any bugs will probably been fixed.
Love how everyone is calling it a rip off. Didn't know Nintendo had a copyright on adventure games(BTW this has more influence from phantom hourglass then wind waker.)
Actually technically Nintendo do have real Copyrights which are being trampled on with this game. But legally I don't think it's worth it for them to pursue legal action . ;-P Best of luck to Nintendo with their 'non-Mobile' strategy. The longer they ignore mobile OSes, the more and more of their 'classics' will be 'ported' to iOS and Android, one way or another.
What copyrights are being trampled? Come up with one example that hasn't been used in some other non-Zelda adventure game.
Come on, add iCloud! :P
Yes please, just got my ipad mini retina and need this on there!
It's ON!
It does seem weird that this would be reviewed and rated fast. Then with some flaws would still get a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. It just seems like touch arcade was a little fan boy for this game sense the first posting. The excuse that was given to Eli that he shouldn't have been talking while playing was sketch...
I guess what I am trying to say is something seems wrong. It looks like a grand game, but it makes me wonder if someone's pocket got lined for the huge hype and outstanding 5 stars. While this accusation is in jest, it does make me wonder.
Either way, the review seems honest and doesn't hold punches. I am glad I read it instead of just looking at the 5 stars and jumping in.
I bought and loving it so far :)
Me too. I'm relieved it actually works on my ... eek...2 year old device~~><
I strongly recommend just listening to the music at the title screen when you first load it. It's fricking GOOD and prepares you for an epic adventure :D
Dat Uematsu!
Bought this outright just to support the ambition of creating a solid adventure game with ACTUAL premium content (10-15 hrs is no joke) and zero IAP. Here's hoping that my gameplay experience matches the $9 price of entry. Initial impressions on the first island are promising. Glad to make the early jump on this one :)
I'm in love.. This game is absolutely amazing. One of the best games I have EVER played, and I've been an ios gamer since the start. This game deserves a 5! It's beautiful, and has an amazing story. Now this... This is a quality game. This isn't your average dabble match 3, fight a few enemies complete & repeat kinda game. This is a full blown game, and it's stunning. I would buy this 100 times over, one word to sum this up. EPIC
You know what I want? I want to play it on the Mac, etc. What the hell.. put this game on as many App stores as possible.. Everyone should enjoy it.
"Oceanhorn does support iOS 7 controllers"
If only they existed....
Logitech and a few other companies have already made them and they're about to be on the market very soon. In my opinion, they're going to take iOS gaming to the next level.
Personnaly I do not need ios controller in this game!
Yeah i hear ya. Id like to buy one if they would let me.
Wow, that didn't sound like a 5 star review...it was filled with compliment sandwiches...'nice words, horrible words, followed by more nice words'.
I still want it and will play it.....
I don't like this reviewer at all. Too many negative comments and still a 5 star. This makes me laugh. Stop reviewing ease.
Wow, you're an idiot. "I don't agree with the score you gave, so stop reviewing", is basically what you said. The reviewer obviously thought the positives outweighed the negatives.
a 5 star-review just right after the game has been released? dont take me wrong, but i dont think anyone is able to rate a game with 5 in such short time....
I want to live in the magic world where you think a review that states the writer played the game for 13 hours was able to play and then write a review in seconds. That kinda time distortion sounds really neat, I wish I could make my job only last a few seconds but in reality it was 8hrs.
Maybe, and this is a leap so bear with me, the writer got the game early. I bet the illuminati gave her an early copy from their time machine though.
Lol.
I believe the writer got a review copy from the devs maybe a week or so ago. I'm hazy on the details, but stuff like that is standard practice in the reviewing industry.
Wow. You have no idea how the game industry works, do you?
GTA 5 reviews were up the second it was released. So either all game reviewers must be Time Lords or they get early copies- use Occam's razor on that conundrum.
No iCloud saves? I really wish more games would add this.
Aww heck, that was what I wanted to know. I love it when I can move between tablet at home and phone on the go.
Oh wow I didn't know Nobuo created some of the music! That's HUGE for me!
Very very interested!
GOTY. IMHO.
My question is this: What happens to this game when the next iPhone comes out with a larger screen size?
Will this game be updated in the future to the larger screen size?
Or will it simply be abandoned as a 4inch game like so many other 3.5inch games have been?
You say "when the next iPhone comes out with a larger screen size" as if it were confirmed fact and not just a stupid rumor.
Who cares? If you want to play it now, buy it now on the devices that exist today. I plan on having my 5S for two more years at least.
The old pre-Retina games work fine with letter boxing on the new devices. No big deal.
I saved my lunch money and bought this game :)
Many people who find pleasure in it.
I'm 12% complete and this game is great! I'm playing on the iPad Air so I get the 60fps and it looks and plays fantastic. It's similar to a Zelda game but I wouldn't say it's an exact rip off of Zelda. But the again, the last Zelda game I played was Ocarina of Time. Link to the Past is still my favorite.
Instant purchase. Can't wait to play later today. The cool thing about iOS/Android is that DLC and updates run rampant. So it is very possible for things to be update, tweaked, or added -- which is awesome! Hopefully we will see sequels to this game - and maybe even massive expansions such as in Galaxy of Fire. Also - no IAP!!!! HOORAY!!
Hmmm.
I find it truly embarrassing that toucharcade gives a game -- which is so obviously a rip-off of both the visual style and gameplay (in almost every detail) of Wind Waker -- a 5/5 star review score.
I'm not saying that it will be a bad game in itself, but I think this level of "borrowing" from the work of others just diminishes the game business overall. It's like someone taking Shadow of the Colossus, releasing a clone of it for tablets, changing up the graphics slightly, and giving it a new name -- and having Touch Arcade say that it's not only okay to do that, but that it's 5/5 perfect!
Really, as a regular reader of the sight, I'd hoped for a more objective review.
Unless Gameloft does it ;)
I don't understand the visual comparison to wind waker when it doesn't even have cell shaded graphics.
Ratings are based on how much they recommend buying a game. It's not rated on an analytical scale of any sort.
The developers of this game have stated that it was heavily inspired by Zelda games, and it's not a blatant rip of Wind Waker. Having played Wind Waker, I can say there are similar elements, but they are very different beasts. You should be able to make that distinction as well if you are as intelligent as you insinuate you are.
Borrowing as you call it, is exactly why we have so many games. They fall into genre's. FPS, Adventure, Puzzle, so on. There is at times originality, but elements are always copied. I for one would LOVE a Shadow of the Colossus clone. I welcome clones. I enjoy playing clones. Bring on more clones. They inspire originality as does anything anyone makes. Borrowing no more diminishes the industry, then car manufacturers diminish the industry copying vehicle features like anti-lock brakes (an apples to oranges analogy to be sure, but the core reasoning still remains intact).
Don't be so narrow minded.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Lastly, it's site not sight, and the review was written by someone who waited two years to play this game and also had his hands on an early beta. I have waited as long and it was worth the wait. It's easily one of my favorite games on this device and I make a living playing games in their entirety on iOS. I've played hundreds and own thousands. If you visit my Previous Purchases Library, it is immense. Though this one is not without it's faults, they will be fixed in an upcoming update and this game has provided me with close to 20 hours of enjoyment.
Yup yup the game is amazing. All I wanted it to be so far. But what a well written review. Passion and angst in one. Nice.
Hopefully they're successful and they decide to bring us Mario or DK to iOS next.
:)
I would definitely get this if it were $4.99 instead of $8.99!
I will give you four dollars if you promise never again to whine about tiny price differences on iPhone games.
You are part of the problem and why we cannot have nice things on the App Store. Good game developers deserve to be paid for their work and four dollars is not a lot of money, even for a kid.
We do have nice things on the App Store.
It's true, we do have nice things on the App Store, but it's in spite of the cheapskates who think everything should be free.
$5 is not free and the fact is that there are still excellent games coming out for under $5 and even going free.
Some of us don't feel the need for games to get more expensive - though best of luck to any dev who does choose to publish a game at a premium price.
I don't think any game buyer directly feels a need for games to get more expensive. What they do feel a need for is more excellent games that are full console/pc-quality with no intentional imbalances to hound users into making additional purchases. If we're also mature, then we understand that for that to continue to happen, game developers need to be able to charge enough for games to pay for the development plus make a profit. The more expensive a game is to develop, the more they need to charge up front if they're not going to make additional profit on IAPs. This is especially true for games with a somewhat niche appeal, which can't expect to sell millions of copies like Angry Birds or Bejeweled.
Actually a lot of people round here seem to get very excited at the prospect of games getting more expensive - and quite hostile towards anyone who expresses a wish for a game to be cheaper.
Personally I'm happy to sit back and let the market work out for itself what kind of price games will settle at.
The thing is, the market decides more than just price, it also decides which products end up getting produced. If the iOS gamer market consists mostly of people for whom $5 is the high end of what they think a game is worth, regardless of its quality or size, then we won't get many games like XCOM, KOTOR or Oceanhorn. Instead games will be limited to either small cheap to produce games, games with extremely wide appeal like Angry Birds which sell so many copies that they can afford to charge $1, or potentially great games like Real Racing 3 or Dungeon Hunter 4 which are ruined for a lot of people by the pay model.
So, people who want more XCOMs and Oceanhorns and fewer RR3s do get excited when they see a premium priced game seem to do well, and they do get a bit hostile when people post comments implying that anything over $5 is too expensive. Not because they like paying more money, but because they like good games and are mature enough to understand that you can't keep getting good games without developers getting paid.
I don't mind people getting excited by the higher prices - but it doesn't excuse the hostility.
Plenty of people are more than happy with all of the cheaper mostly (but not always) smaller games that we currently have in the App Store.
Getting 5 stars for being almost as good as a "real game" (Zelda) makes me sad about the state of iOS gaming... On the other hand, Wind Waker is probably just a 6 star game!
Hmm. May have to get another pay card. Just bought Lone Wolf, but this looks awful fun too. I hate being poor.
It's really annoying how people spend so much time analyzing the review and making sure it matches their standards of a review. There is virtually no discussion about the game. People are only concerned that Eli said the word "flawed" in the review and that he played, beat, and reviewed it in a short time.
I love the review and the game plays and looks excellent.
"But this is probably as close to a true Zelda game as we’re going to get on a mobile device"
Umm... besides Zelda on Gameboy, Zelda on Gameboy Color, Zelda on Gameboy Advance, Zelda on DS and Zelda on 3DS you mean?
You know.. those Zelda games for Nintendo's mobile devices?
He was clearly talking about the platform that he was reviewing (iOS) but way to go on not picking that up!
Kinda like you didn't pick up the fact I was being sarcastic about the author's poor choice of words?
By the way, the reviewer is a "she" not a "he", but way to go on not picking that up!
Made it to the top 10 of the US game charts before it has even been featured by apple (which it will definitely be).
That's a good sign.
Where do I sign the petition to make Mario your next blatant ripoff clone?
I, for one, completely back this idea.
If Nintendo won't do it, then screw em.
This reviewer sold me the game.. good job, NOT!
One of the production team members told me the game was gorgeous on iPad mini. I purchased it this morning on that post alone. So many games run crappy on the mini any more. Not ocean horn. It is freaking gorgeous and has all the heart of a AAA game for $9 freaking dollars!
I can tell you one thing it does better than Zelda. It doesn't interrupt you adventuring with that irritating Navy character.
Because we all know navy was in every single Zelda game, right? <_<
I don't know any Zelda game with a Navy in it. Did they make a nautical sequel?
To be honest, I played bought both Twilight Princes and Skyward Sword. And couldn't get into those. They took too long to get going, and other games took over. And I always experienced Navi as overkill on the player guidance front. Sometimes, it's cooler to have to figure out stuff (yes, I am that old).
It's uh, Navi. And no, not in every game.
I've started the game, and as an avid Zelda fan, I'm adoring it. But could everyone else be a little nicer to the Touch Arcade reviewers and staff? They work hard, play a long game, write a detailed review, and everyone whines and moans about the semantics.
Yea. this thread is a cesspool.
Right, we certainly need more people like you in threads.
Yes, everyone be nicer to the PAID reviewers who are just doing their job.
Negative comments are part of what makes this all work. Not everyone shares the same opinion and that is okay.
Some TA reviewers write long, analytical, detailed reviews and those are greatly appreciated. This review however had several faults and I'm glad they are being pointed out. No review will ever be perfect and they will always be subjective, but obvious issues should be addressed.
I can't wait to get an iOS compatible controller. Or if Apple would just make the iPad work with PS4 controllers that would be great. But I am downloading this now.
I'm not sure this lady is a veteran gamer with understanding of game controls. The throwing is about as straight forward as it gets and is almost identical to throwing items in Zelda. It even makes throwing easier by having you hold down the action button and aim with your other hand. You can stand still and throw all day like that with easy precision.
She even states it's her own oversight. Well if that were true, why add the part in before about how you couldn't figure it out? Zelda games didn't come with instructions in game on how to throw pots and shoot arrows, yet people managed.
The amazing part is, she played a previous Zelda game who's throwing and shooting mechanics work in an identical fashion. It's crazy to be confused about it when she calls it a blatant rip off!
Did the guys who got the game for cheap when it accidentally went for a sale a while ago keep their copy?
Good question, but I believe when the game was submitted, it had a new app ID so it wouldn't just update to the latest version. Unless they wanted to honor previous purchases that were made when they accidentally published it.
How does the game run on the iPhone 4S? I'm wondering about frame rate, specifically.
It runs great on iPad mini which is pretty outdated tech so you should be fine.
Yes but doesn't the iPad Mini have newer/better internals that the iPhone 4S? I'm just wondering if anyone here is playing it on the iPhone 4S.
I'm about 20% through the game on my 4S and it runs perfectly. I've been noticing the age of my phone with several games recently but Oceanhorn runs like a dream!
@Bill6118 Thanks for the reply. Really good news to hear it plays well on the 4S. I think I'll have to pull the trigger and grab this game. Thanks again!
Oh my holy gamepad!! This week has been like a orgasmic experience! I wish EVERY week could be like this! So many fantastic games to get, and no freakin' clue where to start LOL. "Oceanhorn" is just amazing in every way! The new gamebook, "LoneWolf -...", this must be the best gamebook ever created for IOS.
And these two games are the only ones i've had the time to try so far.
A huge thanks to the developers of both these games. They were much needed :)
I don't even know why i went and bought myself a new PS3 consol yesterday :P Oh, wait! It was because of the Blu-Ray and DVD player :D
Bloodstones are redeemed by some "Zora" person in a cave on the "Kakariko village" island. Sorry I've only played a couple of hours and don't have the names memorized.
The princesses name is Zelda so how could Zelda be better without the princess, the title would no longer make sense.
This comment thread is so cynical it's disgusting.
If you all have a problem with something about the review or the comments, cry about it for a minute and just move on. It ridiculous.
Welcome to the Internet. Enjoy your time here.
Whatever dude.
You're right. I just threw up in my mouth when I read your comment. I mean, who does that? Not you apparently.
Umm...what?
This game is great. Seriously. Totally worth the money. I played for a while today and am absolutely loving it.
Game is AMAZING ! Must play!
Ive been reading Toucharcade for some years and listen every week to the podcast and with the exception of the game of the week, I never realised the star rating was solely based on how much you should check out a game and not really about the game itself. That to me is very weird. You might as well not have the star rating and just have the review and make your own mind up. Its concerning that on Appshopper that a Toucharcade star review based on how much you should check out a game is sitting next to the app store star rating from users based on an actual game itself. The two angles are very different.
Totally agree. A score/stars is a way of indicating how good a game is. It is confusing that the stars represent whether you should get a game or not instead of an actual 'score', hence they might as well be replaced with words describing a purchase suggestion (e.g. ignore, get it, no-brainer, etc).
It's was confusing but now that Eli explained it, it's no longer confusing?
And what about all the users who don't read comment threads. This information is nowhere to be found.
I've addressed this a million times with them over the past two years and it isn't until recently that they started to state it's based on whether you should buy it or not, not some sort of analytical reasoning. They NEED to post a disclaimer at the bottom of the homepage or next to the star rating with an information popup. Everyone who hasn't read the comments doesn't know about this.
Played about an hour today but ended up having to delete the saved game and start again after managing to swim around the coast of the second island to a small beach, not a lot to do there and no way to get back. Seems strange that you have just enough energy to swim the but your energy runs out just as your about to hit the coast when you swim back :(
You can get back, too - tried it. You just need to find the optimal route like you did the other way round.
- This is Zelda through and through, but it’s not as good
- With only minor variations, Oceanhorn shamelessly borrows from the Zelda series, copying enemy designs, the ocean sailing from The Wind Waker, dungeon layouts, and characters like a certain water princess
- It's not innovative
- The worst part, though, is that enemies respawn — incessantly — even when you remain in the same general area. At least destroying monsters earns you plenty of experience.
- Sailing is rather boring and uneventful
- most of the puzzles either involve block-pushing or timers, so they’re not terribly exciting
- My last gripe is about the controls
- The bow and arrow is hard to aim
- That’s just stupid
- Oceanhorn might be a flawed, blatant rip-off of Zelda, but it’s worth playing
- it might not deliver finely tuned mechanics quite the way Zelda does, but it’s still fun for all the same reasons
VS
the word fun being used 2 times.
I think I am gonna tweet these bits with the mention "rated 5/5 by TouchArcade #nonsense"
I wanted to buy this game but I will wait for more inputs from gamers.
Also the constant comparison to Zelda and the fact it's not as good is VERY stupid. we're not talking same budget & same price... write once but STOP.
Oh she says she had a hard time understanding how to throw the pots and stuff but well, there's a panel where it is explained (yes, I bought the game in order to see by myself haha)
I'm going to wait on purchasing this game not because of the price, but because of the backlog of awesome games I have already purchased, but never finished (or, in some cases, even played!). But I'll ask regardless:
Compared to other great games, like Final Fantasy IV, The World Ends With You, Iesabel, The Bard's Tale, etc., does this game stack up well enough to bench the other games on my waiting list and insta-play this one?
This is a fun game, but I can't figure out what the heck to do on the 2nd island. Perhaps the game could be a bit more obvious with the Quests
You mean Tikarel ? When you talk to the people there, you'll receive new island locations. It would be a good idea to hop into the boat and go there.
Good but could be better. Spent a lot of time wandering around aimlessly not knowing what to do! Also Npc's could be more helpful! Go to travellers guild and get no useful information whatsoever!
We shouldn't encourage games like this. Shameful.
We shouldn't encourage posts like this. Shameful.
Your right. We should encourage plagiarism and intellectual theft. Thanks for helping me see the light there.
This game was clearly inspired by, not stolen. Guess every FPS should be discouraged as well, or every racing game, or every puzzle game, or every adventure game. You're an idiot. And to be clear, Nintendo would have plagiarized and stolen intellectual material from previous games. Get off your soap box moron.
That's a ridiculous statement. By your logic no one should ever make a platformer cause MARIO.....derp
They said this would be compatible with iTouch 4. Aaaaaaand they lied. Hoping for a compatibility update...someday.
Did you reboot it first ? Also, please close all tasks. We successfully played through the entire adventure on an itouch 4
Haven't bought the game yet since the description said it was incompatible, so no. Did it run ok for you? Any lag, control lag, lack of retina, etc?
Please note that we're from the publishing party, so you may want to hear it from someone else to make sure. It runs on iPod 4, but the experience isn't as good because of the low RAM. You'll face reduced graphics and less audio. You should also make sure all background tasks are closed. It will need as much RAM as possible to avoid crashes.
It lags. 15-25fps.
Wish it had a better map in dungeons. For it to mimic Zelda so much it has a pretty terrible map system.
Great game, a must play
I love this game but it's glitchy as hell.
Anyone else feeling a lack of fun with this game? Looks great! But there's just something lacking that makes me not want to continue playing....
I'll give it another chance...
When/where do you get bombs?
Bomb Island.
I have completed the game with all heart pieces and all bloodstones and I am really sad that I have completed it and I played it on I pad air.
Best game ever for ios, i have 20 houres of gameplay, finished the story but nos 100% in all inslands. Good graphics, awesome gameplay, love the story. 5🌟
Awesome game. I really hope they add more content! Super fun and very well polished.
This game is fantastic!
I don't like the vitual joystick. What's the best way to actually play this?
Very good game. Nice controls & missions are fun. Zelda like. It thats a good thing
This game makes my all time favorite game list. Absolutely amazing.
This has been out some time now but I'm still on the fence about it. I love Zelda: The Windwaker and even brought it again when they released the HD touch up version for the Wii U. Though I think this frame looks fun I'm not sure I want to get a game that copies The Windwaker to a T because I have the Windwaker and can play that anytime I want. I think it would have been a lot more appealing if they had took inspiration from the Windwaker without copying the game's formula so closely.