Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
tested<br />
Top iPhone 4S Games<br />
Flex the graphics muscle of Apple’s latest smartphone.<br />
by Russ Frushtick<br />
Anomaly Warzone<br />
Earth $3.99<br />
★★★★☆<br />
There was a time when tower<br />
defense games were all the<br />
rage for mobile gaming. It<br />
would take a seriously original<br />
twist on tower defense to<br />
bring people back, and that’s<br />
just what Anomaly Warzone<br />
Earth offers.<br />
In most tower defense games, you set up immobile<br />
turrets around a map to prevent a constantly<br />
advancing force from breaking your defenses. In<br />
Anomaly Warzone Earth, you are that constantly<br />
advancing force.<br />
The touch-based interface works perfectly for<br />
this game, letting you quickly set routes and drop<br />
power-ups to aid your crews. Anomaly Warzone<br />
Earth was originally released on PC, but this new<br />
interface works far better than a mouse ever did.<br />
That being said, more casual players might find<br />
the level of micromanagement—even in the early<br />
levels—overwhelmingly difficult.<br />
Anomaly Warzone Earth plays from a top-down<br />
perspective, giving you a clear view of the action<br />
from the sky. From this vantage, you can fully<br />
appreciate the game’s visuals, from smoldering<br />
buildings to electrified wires.<br />
It’s hard to imagine any strategy gamer not<br />
enjoying this new twist on the tower defense<br />
genre. Provided you’re up for the challenging<br />
gameplay, you’ll really enjoy the great graphics<br />
and spot-on controls.<br />
crossbow, and a sword. Don’t worry; you’re supposed<br />
to be confused by this iOS game.<br />
The structure of Dark Meadow owes a lot to<br />
another popular iOS game, Infinity Blade. Instead<br />
of being able to walk freely around the creepy<br />
Overlook Hotel-esque building, you can only travel<br />
and interact with glowing hot spots.<br />
Dark Meadow is stunningly gorgeous and<br />
looks incredible on the iPhone 4S (as well as<br />
the iPad 2). It’s powered by the Unreal engine,<br />
which brings impressive lighting and particle<br />
effects that aren’t far from console quality. The<br />
fact that this is a mobile game really shows how<br />
far things have come.<br />
If you enjoy classic adventure games with creepy<br />
monsters and a mysterious plot, Dark Meadow is<br />
well worth your time. The stunning graphics are a<br />
testament to the power of the iPhone 4S.<br />
Dark Meadow $5.99<br />
★★★★☆<br />
Dark Meadow starts in, well, a dark meadow. In the<br />
distance stands a tall, foreboding house that looks<br />
right up Norman Bates’ alley. And then suddenly<br />
everything goes dark. You wake up moments (or<br />
hours) later, in a dingy room with an old man, a<br />
48<br />
Laptop | January 2012<br />
www.laptopmag.com
Change language