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The Week In Review
iOS
Here are some highlights and comments on some apps I have been playing this week:Fealty
Amidst a busy week of convention preparation I had the chance to check out Fealty on iOS. Fealty is a game whose concept grabbed me from first seeing a video review. Something about covering the grid with tokens really spoke to me. I was excited to get the app and finally try the game out. I will go in to more details in an upcoming review, but in short it is a faithful representation of the game but does not add in many bells and whistles. It features one of the best multiplayer async integrations using Game Center I have seen. There is one bug in starting games with Game Center friends but a fix is in the work. You can check it out here.
CodeRunner
This is a must try app. No, it is not based on a board game, unless awesomeness has a board game adaptation. CodeRunner is an augmented reality game where you go on spy missions around your neighborhood or town. It has to be tried to be fully understood but basically it uses google maps to present a map of your area and then places random way points where you can perform “missions.” The game does not involve actually interacting with anything but your phone and it discourages trespassing.
I really enjoyed this app and I think the concept has some potential.
Also it works great for wanting to go on a walk as it gives you a
purpose to where you are going. I really recommend this one. You can check it out here.
Angry Birds: Space
I felt an obligation as an iOS user to try this app. Angry Birds was my time killers for many months and Angry Birds: Space does add enough to make it an interesting addition. It may not be the killer app that its predecessor was but it does add some cool new planet physics that make it worth checking out. You can check it out here.
Draw Something Pics of the Week
I thought I would start posting some of my favorite Draw Something drawings from the last week. The ones below are mine, but please submit your drawings to iosboardgames@gmail.com and you may see them show up here.:strip_icc()/pic1287261.png)
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Other
War Metal Tyrant on Facebook
I got to meet with the creators of War Metal Tyrant a few months back
when it was solely on Kongregate. They have now moved to Facebook and
for some reason I find myself again interested in the game on this
platform, perhaps just based on ease. War Metal Tyrant is a
collectable card game where you build a deck of ten cards and face off
against an opponent. You get to play one card each turn and all of
your cards will fire on your turn. The catch is some cards take a few
turns before they can fire and cards have many special abilities that
work in various ways.
The game does follow the free-to-play model and there is even an
energy bar that limits how much you can play. I have not yet had to
invest in any in game currency and have enjoyed the game quite a bit.
The energy bar does limit play time but by the time it is empty I
usually feel like my session has been long enough for such a simple
game. This business model is not for everyone, but if you are looking
for a little neat strategy card game, I would check it out. There is
no cost to invest and the game does do some interesting things. You can check it out here.Memoir 44 Online
Over the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to take some time to play more of Memoir 44 Online. The community is not gigantic but there always seem to be games available. The interface is top notch and is really enjoyable to play. It really provides an opportunity to play this two player game much more often than would be possible in a typical game group. The pay as you play system does hamper some from joining in, but it really lets you try for free and then choose how you will participate. It really is an interesting game and a great way to play it. You can check it out here.
Board Gaming
Game night
I got the chance to attend game night at Battlegrounds Gaming this week and got to play some great titles. The most memorable was a copy of Lords of Waterdeep the folks at Wizards of the Coast provided me at PAX East. Lords of Waterdeep may be the greatest game I have played in a long time. It has a medium weight (my favorite type of game), takes elements of some of the best worker placement games and streamlines them in to an impressive package. Combine this great gameplay with some of the best production value around and you have a classic in the making. I would recommend you give this game a try.
Thought of the Week
I have to be honest, I play most iOS board games with the sound off. This is because I am either playing them in public or next to friends or family members while they do some other task. I usually consider that element of the game fairly unimportant to my enjoyment. However, many iOS titles have quality original soundtracks such as Carcassonne and Nightfall. Video games in other genres rely heavily on soundtracks to create emotion and enhance the experience. I recently had the Bastion sound track come up on Pandora and I was struck by how much there was to it (Should I play this game? I am intrigued). It made me think more about how music affects board game experiences and called to memory soundtracks I remember from game I have played (Final Fantasy 7 and Mario for example).
So my question for the week is, does music affect your enjoyment of iOS board games? Should developers continue to put resources in to this part of an app?
GEEK Digital Board Games
Regular coverage of board game experiences on mobile, PC/MAC, Console and more.
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