Mass "What Should I Get?" Thread (2012 - 2017)

Zombie Crisis 3D part 2 any good? Been playing the free version and so far I'm pretty impressed overall with the gameplay. Is the full version justmore of the same thing? Is it all the same wave killing?

 

I have a highly personal challenge

This is partially in response to my older brother saying that iOS games are weaker than their PC/Mac/console counterparts, i.e. a FPS will always play better, look better and be better on console/home computer than on iPhone. And, to be honest, I see his point. Whenever a genre game comes out for iOS, like a TBS or RTS or even a TD/platformer/adventure game/aRPG/Turn-based RPG/etc..., I can immediately think of games on other platforms that roast the ones currently on iOS.

So my challenge is this: Find me a game on iOS in any genre that is fully, completely and utterly more awesome than the greatest game of said genre on another platform. A port of an existing game is acceptable, as long as the port completely and utterly blows the socks off of the original version.

In short, I would like to find an iOS action game that makes Uncharted III look like hack work. I would like to find an iOS JRPG that makes Chrono Trigger look like it was made by kids. I would like to find an iOS space sim that makes Freespace II look like an arcade game. I would like to find an iOS MMORPG that makes Guild Wars 2 look like World of Warcraft.

In short, I am looking for games that not just challenge the iPhone 4s' capabilities, but that also challenge what games within their respective genres are capable of being. This is also partly because I cannot shake the feeling that every great game on iOS is just a pale shadow of what is available elsewhere, which forces innovation to come by way of physics puzzlers and touch-centric gameplay models. This is all fine and dandy ala Angry Birds, but when I switch to a turn-based strategy game on my phone only to wish that I was playing Civilization 5 or Shogun 2: Total War... I feel a little upset.

I do not want to stay this way. I know that there is an iOS hack-and-slash better than Bastion... Somewhere. I know that there is a TCG on the app store that is better than Magic: The Gathering... if only I could find it. I know that there is a turn-based RPG that is better than FF Tactics... if only I knew where to look.

So, to clarify to possible trolls: yes, I am butthurt over this. I keep running into the "this is good but not as good as (insert_game) on (insert_other_platform)" over and over again, and I am f****** sick and tired of it. I want the best in the genre to be on the device I game the most on, damnit!

Now, to be clear: there are great games on the app store. And, there is one example where a game ported to iOS completely blew my mind and made me go "THIS is the greatest game in the genre!": DoDonPachi Resurrection. So it is possible for iPhone games to truly be better than anything else on the market.

I guess some genres that would apply to this contest could be below, but these are just suggestions:

Turn-Based Strategy
Real-Time Strategy
Action
Horror
Adventure (both point-and-click and platformer)
Arcade
First Person Shooter
Third Person Shooter
Racing
Experimental
Role-Playing Game (anything between and including JRPG and Western RPG ala Planescape: Torment)

Remember: whatever you suggest has to be the best within its genre, i.e. no other game anywhere can best it within its genre. While I am prepared to throw in the towel with this contest since I highly doubt that my desires in regards to this will ever be fulfilled, I am hoping to find at least something within these genres I love on other platforms that at the very least is as good on iOS as it is on said other platforms.

Some games that I have played on iOS and my thoughts on them:

Infinity Blade I and II: Good games, but not quite epic or fast-paced enough for my tastes. If they had made the game to be even more awesome than Shadow of the Colossus (just think of the possibilities!) then I would have enjoyed them more. Also, they desperately need variety. It is very hard to stay with the game when you know you need to go in this door for the xth time to fight yth baddie to get to the end boss for the zth time, which makes it less fun.
Dark Meadow: I love the impatient narrator. Reminded me of GLADOs, if GLADOs was human and not a robot. But it has a similar problem to IB I and II: it demands a high amount of repetition. When you search through a room x times for y valuables so you can buy z weapons/armor/potions/GAAAAH! Also, it isn't scary. Creepy? Slightly, but not by much.
Zenonia and its sequels: I suppose if Blizzard were insane enough and ported Diablo III to SNES, it would have the same LOOK as Zenonia... but none of its problems, IMHO. Reliance on IAP, ridiculous amounts of side quests that have you criss-crossing the game world on quests that would have been rejected by W.o.W Asian knockoff #23, a story that routinely jumps the shark between installments, and you have one biiiiiiiiig mess. The only real thing keeping this series up is a.) a rabid fan base b.) simplicity of controls c.) the "retro nostalgia" card and d.) a bigger budget than most games of its ilk. The fact that it spawned a wave of copycats worries me greatly.
Dungeon Defenders: First & Second Wave: Sub-par port of an addictively great game on PC. I love the art style, the music, the gameplay, but the cluttered U.I. coupled with the fact that the mobile version is a straight port kills it for me.
Shadow Era: Not enough meta-depth outside of the basic "duel random A.I. deck" or "duel random player". If Shadow Era had a storyline to rival Yu-Gi-Oh! or the highly entertaining flavor-text of MtG, I'd enjoy it more. Also, it was better on iPad, much more screen real-estate.
Asphalt 6: Adrenaline: good arcade-style racer. The problems I have with it are nitpicks, but they do matter IMHO. First off, it's a straight-up arcade racer that disguises a relatively (keyword: relatively) small amount of tracks with a high race type variety and an addicting leveling/unlock system. I like how it pulls no punches, but it doesn't do much more than reiterate what other modern arcade racers have already done. It does well, but isn't a knockout and most likely won't stand up against other games in its genre.
Real Racing 2: Is it as good as the latest Forza game? Since I haven't played the latest Forza game, I wouldn't know, which is why I am on the fence about this game. Clarification on that question would be appreciated.
King of Dragon Pass: The depth of a Civ game combined with a U.I. from Facebook. Look, the game is FRIGGING DEEP, but it looks, well, like ANYONE could make a similar-looking game. If the devs truly wanted to make the greatest management sim game ever made, they would have to marry the graphical fidelity of Civ V to their gameplay model, IMHO.
Galaxy on Fire 2: Finds a good balance between the complexity of a flight sim and X-Wing (which I mucked around with as a kid and don't remember much of), but it ultimately feels... restrictive? I dunno, if they were striving to be the be-all end-all space combat game, wouldn't they strive to make the combat the focus? Granted, the resource management IS deep and requires work to properly master, but it feels like I am playing a 3D no-fun version of Space Miner every time I go for an ore run. Also, the scaling of the quests needs to be handled better. I got sent into an area several levels above me for one quest, which forced me to work my way back once it was done.
EPOCH: ... Honestly, this comes close. It is a third-person shooter in a world dominated by city-scapes with an unoriginal premise that flavor-text from newspaper clippings/radio broadcasts/text messages fails to make up for. But the gameplay is far more strategic than most TPS's, and rewards varying play styles and upgrades. But the unoriginality of the premise is the proverbial nail in the coffin (robot apocalypse feels a little cliche, you know).
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP: That first play through was awesome, but the game does take some hits upon replays due to combat being tied to rhythm and pattern memorization. This makes replays easier since the player still remembers the patterns and puzzles from before. And since everything in this game is relatively easy to play through, it makes for a stellar introduction to the point-and-click gameplay aesthetic without crushing the player under obtusely difficult moon-logic puzzles (no pun intended). It whets the appetite for more, which any seasoned point-and-click fan knows can be found on the PC's old standbys and/or their remakes (Beneath a Steel Sky/Another World/anything from Telltale Games, etc....).

Those are just a few. Yes, I was a nitpicky McDouche. But I am soooooo tired of that feeling I stated previously that I feel like I kinda HAVE to be Douchy McNitpick. I legitimately want to play games on my iPhone and not feel like I missed out on similar, better experiences on my laptop/Xbox 360. So I will be the bad guy in this contest, which I hope is fair enough warning.

With all that said, it is time to steel the resolve of all iOS gamers and find those true masterpieces!

Sincerely,

Mr. Album

 

Best NFL game

Hi.

Im looking for the best NFL game in the appstore.

Preferably I would like:

1: Cloud saves to play on both iphone and ipad

2: good controlls

3: Fun and challenging

4: Micromanagement and stat management

5: NO IAP!

Thanks

 

Soon, Friedhamster.. soon!

 

Oh, reeeaaally? This is stellar news! Keep me in mind if you're looking for beta testers

 

There's way, way too much to read there for not getting a college credit or having paid for a book on my iPad. I recommend you cut out about 95% of that and ask a simple question. Maybe go for the: I like X, is there anything like that; format.

Sorry, Mr. Album, but I don't think many folks are going to take the time to read all 1,000+ words you've got there.

 

I skimmed through the first few paragraphs. What he said was that when his brother tells him that a PC/console game is better than an iOS game (of the same genre), he feels like poop. So he wants to find an iOS game that is 1000% better than a PC/console game (again, of the same genre).

 

That's only going to happen with a game MADE with iOS controls in mind. Anything with a virtual D-pad and buttons is going to be better with real buttons, period.
Something like Flight Control is going to be better in its iOS version because it was made for the iOS and then ported elsewhere.

I can't think of any game on the iOS that's a port and better for it. Not one. Not saying there isn't one, it just isn't coming to mind right now.

I'm not sure why you feel the need to one-up your brother anyways. There are games of all genres on all platforms. Some are simply going to be better on the system they were meant for.

If you really want to go head-to-head in a PC / iOS genre battle I think you're going to have your best shot with puzzle games. Something like Monsters Ate My Condo is a gem, but... could handily be beaten out by Tetris (the nearly undisputed king of puzzle games).

Honestly it comes down to what you (the user) likes. Find a game you enjoy. Play it. Have fun. And care nothing of what someone else says about it. I like Dungeon Raid. My own brother hates it. We couldn't care less about that.

P.S.
"In short, I would like to find an iOS action game that makes Uncharted III look like hack work." You won't, period. Naughty Dog did an absolutely incredible job. Nothing on the iOS even compares to this level of work. (You need to keep in mind that a game like Uncharted has a budget ten, a hundred, even a thousand times what your common iOS game does. They just aren't in the same league.)

"I would like to find an iOS JRPG that makes Chrono Trigger look like it was made by kids." Again, you won't find that. iOS RPGs pale in comparison to their full blown console counterparts.

"I would like to find an iOS space sim that makes Freespace II look like an arcade game." Not happening.

"I would like to find an iOS MMORPG that makes Guild Wars 2 look like World of Warcraft." This is a joke... right? I mean... right? SW: ToR had a half billion dollar budget and even IT is complete trash compared to WoW. And you want something that blows both away on your iPhone? Check back in 10 years.

 

A response, apology, summary and challenge

Thanks everyone who responded. I would like to summarize my wall-o-text as thus:

I'm looking for an iOS game that is the best in its genre, and can compete with other games on other platforms within that genre. I want this because I feel like whenever I play a game on my iPhone 4S, I immediately think of other similar and possibly better games on Xbox or PC. This drastically reduces my enthusiasm for iOS games. So, I challenge all TA members and, well, anyone, to show me a game on iOS that can stand up to other games in its genre and legitimately complete.

I know this is a douchey request. But I'm tired of feeling like I'm playing inferior games when I know of better games on other platforms that I could be playing within that genre. But since the majority of my gaming is on iOS, I constantly feel this way, and I'm sick of it. I want a game that I can point to and say "This is the future of games of this type".

I hope that is clearer. I did mention that I did play some games that aimed to do this, but it just wasn't enough in my book. Here's the list:

Infinity Blade I & II (too slow and not epic enough
Dark Meadow (too much repetition and not scary at all (or maybe I'm just jaded))
Zenonia and its sequels/copycats (included only because there are SOOOOOO MANY copycats that it pretty much forms its own sub-genre)
Dungeon Defenders: First & Second Wave (great game, meh port)
Shadow Era (not enough meta-text to keep my interest)
Asphalt 6 (good, but doesn't do anything beyond the standard arcade racer)
Real Racing 2 (Is it as good as a Forza game? If it is, I'll give it another go, but until then I'm on the fence)
Galaxy On Fire 2 (If the combat is the focus and the best reason to play, why does the game make me spend so much time mining for ore?)
King of Dragon Pass (Deep and awesome, but the U.I feels like any hack job on Facebook could have made it)
EPOCH (comes close, but unoriginal premise. I mean, come on, robot apocalypse? A little cliche, much?
Superbrothers Sword & Sworcery EP (brilliant introduction to point-and-click style of yesteryear without burying the player in frustrating moon-logic puzzles, but all challenge and a good chunk of fun as a result is lost upon replay)
Dungeon Raid (not as much flexibility as NetHack, requires a time investment to begin to have character customization at the start of every game)
Anomaly: Warzone Earth (It's a port. A good port, but a port nonetheless, which feels disappointing)
Kairosoft games (addicting as hell, but they feel a little too casual for anything longer than a couple of weeks)

Those are just a few. If I can get some suggestions that make me feel like I can wave my iDevice in front of my brother and say "you're missing out" without reservation, then I'll stay quiet and hopefully not as wordy.

Sincerely,

Mr. Album

 

Anyone? Is the full game samey like the free version?

 

You are playing inferior games on your iDevice compared to other platforms. Lower production value, lower budget, smaller dev teams. Many iOS games are made by ONE person. ONE. There's basically no console or PC game made these days that's made by ONE person.

What you're asking is (and I mean no offense), completely absurd.

It's like someone that owns a PS3 asking for a game on their PSP (not PS Vita) to not just be as good in quality, graphics, but also depth. It's not going to happen.

iOS games are made for quick little gaming jaunts in most cases. That's why Angry Birds continues to be one of the best selling games on iDevices, it's not meant to be played for a 4+ hour sitting (even though some people do that).

You seem to be wanting a game of better quality, size, and production value than what's on platforms with 10 times the processing power. Have I mentioned that this isn't possible? Because it isn't.

Infinity Blade II isn't Epic enough for you? Sorry, but that's the single best looking game on the iOS platform right now. It takes the 4S just to run it properly. And the 4S is one of the most powerful mobiles out.

When the PS Vita launches in a couple weeks people aren't going to look for a full blown console experience on it because.... let me say it again.... IT. ISN'T. POSSIBLE.

It's as if you expect someone to come along and say, "hey, haven't you heard? Gears of War 5 is in the app store. It has 132 online multiplayer, looks better than games than those on a 2020 top end gaming rig, and has a 53 hour single player campaign." Sorry man, if that's what you want you're going to be disappointed.

Your iPod touch or iPhone or iPad was meant for little gaming sessions, not much more. Enjoy it for what it is. It is NOT a replacement for a top tier gaming PC, or the Xbox 1080, or PS5. Accept it. Move on.

 

Shrug. I don't know about you, but I mostly play iOS games when I am away from my PC and/or don't have a chunk of time that would make firing up a PC game worthwhile.
For me, convenience of iOS games is king - very quick start, mostly auto-save on quitting, etc.

Also, I have discovered P&C genre for myself on iOS and completely fell in love with it... but it didn't wholly translate onto PC platform, because getting stuck on PC is much more boring. You can't just instantly jump in and out when the mood/ideas strike you.
Not to mention that dated graphics of some of these oldie gems look much better on my iPod than on my PC. So, for me, iOS ports in this genre are and will always be superior to their PC originals. And of course, there are some great iOS original adventures too, like Sword and Sworcery, the Hector trilogy and recent Myst-esque lite The Lost City.

Ditto turn-based strategy and tactics. Only ever played Civilizations on PC, really love the genre on iOS.

Ditto puzzle games and platformers - would never play them on PC, but occasionally play and enjoy them on iOS. Stuff like Spider - Secret of Bryce Manor, Perfect Cell, Sway, Bombardier's Guild, Peggle, etc.

 

Alright, I'm looking for some casual, endless games. It could be run-and-jump.. puzzles.. anything really Any suggestions?

 

Thanks for the suggestion, I already have it though

 

Here's what I have and enjoy:

DRWPS
Doodle jump
Puzzlejuice
Canabalt
Reckless Getaway (cant remember if this is endless tho)
Boost 2
Mighty Fin
Temple Run
Super Quick Hook (Avalanche Mode rocks)
The Blocks Cometh
The Incident

I probably have a few more suggestions but hopefully theres at least 1 in there that you dont have

 

Helsing's Fire!

 

Yea, I'm looking for some newer hidden gems

Thanks again for the suggestions, I'll check out Darkness Rush since I have the others lol.

Thanks! I have most of those. Trying to figure out what DRWPS is though lol. Mighty Fin looks pretty good and I've been thinking of reinstalling SQH; I sorta miss the avalanche mode lol.

Is there an endless mode? Last time I played, there were only levels (I think) lol.