Chronicles of Inotia: Legend of Feanor

Chronicles of Inotia: Legend of Feanor (US$0.99), is a superbly designed application, with an almost limitless amount of game play capabilities. I will be calling this app 'Inotia' from here on out, because, the full name is quite a mouthful and typing it several times will be rather annoying. This app is similar, in many ways to Zenonia. Zenonia is a great app, and Inotia is as well.

Inotia is a fairytale based story in which your character, Feanor, must bludgeon his way through thousands of enemies and many difficult missions, known as 'Quests'. For each enemy you eliminate you gain EXP points, these points accumulate, and when you have a certain amount Feanor moves up another level. The quests range from collecting a certain object (eg: Magic Dust) to saving Elven Queens. The quests are often quite challenging and time consuming. These quests, on completion, make you feel quite proud of your achievements due to their difficulty.

Aesthetically, Inotia is very good. The design and map layout is simple to navigate and is similar to popular games of the past, therefore, users already have a base level of similarity which eliminates some game play confusion. Feanor, your character is well crafted and detailed. The other characters regardless of their overall importance in the completion of the game are similarly well designed. Almost every aspect of Feanor is customisable, though this does not often show on the character's game play image. All weapons, armour and clothing can be modified to the heart's content, this adds a personal connection between you and your custom version of Feanor.

The only drawback of the app is that it is quite difficult to pick up the jist of the game. The maps may be easily navigatable, but there is very little instruction on what you must do and how you must do this. This lack of a tutorial makes the intial part of the app an incoherant mix of quests and enemies. Once, you have learnt the ropes (by yourself) confusion is no longer an issue. Another member of the MyAppSource team had absolutely no idea as to how to correctly use the app, so a tutorial or instruction use as necessary in the beginning stages, would be very useful.

Inotia is very intricate and filled with testing challengies and an increasingly difficult standard of enemy. These intricacies are evident in the entertaining quests, which can keep you glued to the app for hours on end. The increasing difficulties of enemies help keep you on your toes because you never know if your next battle will be your last. Add a tutorial and the app would be excellent. But for now, Inotia will have to wait on the very good level. For less than a dollar this app is great value, so buy it! . . . Don't worry, I'll wait.

MyAppSource Rating: Four Stars!

Surprise Mania

Car Mania (US$0.99), is an application that has really grown on me since I first picked it up. Car Mania is another superb application from the developers at Origin8. Car Mania takes a simple premise and shakes it up into a challenging and exciting multi-leveled traffic dodging experience. Ironically, it seems as though applications with simple objectives (rather than complex storylines) are often much more addictive and enjoyable than their convoluted counterparts, and Car Mania is no exception.

When I first used this application, I thought it was a nice time-killer, but nothing special.  However, another member of the MyAppSource team was adamant thats Car Mania is a classic, so, I gave it another chance. Car Mania made the absolute most out of this opportunity. In fact, I had to (reluctantly) put Car Mania down and begrudgingly dedicate myself to writing this review.

The features which altered my initial view of the game are the Time Trial and Road Rage modes. On the first play I did not pay any attention to these modes (BIG mistake! No. 1). These modes help to diversify the application from a one-mode wonder (I'm claiming that term), into a surprisingly challenging (and sometimes frustratingly so) traffic maze. Time Trial mode is as you would expect, complete certain goals within a certain time period. The goals are to direct each vehicle into it colour matched garage. Road Rage mode, takes the initial premise of the app and flips it upside down (literally!). I wont tell you anymore about the Road Rage mode, you'll have to buy it the app to find out, but, it is definitely worth the investment.

Another feature which I did not look into during my initial use of Car Mania (BIG mistake! No. 2) was the extra (and extra difficult) maps. These maps are completely different from the intial map, both in aesthetics and the obstacles that are present. Two of  the obstacles that these extra levels include are a volcano and a train, which passes directly through the centre of the level (and blows up your vehicles). The maps also help diversify the game play and create yet another challenging aspect in the game.

When I first played Car Mania, I though that it would be a three star app, at best (BIG mistake! No. 3). Now, I'm tossing up whether it should be rated four or five stars (Dammit! No half stars). Let's weigh up the pros and cons.

Pros:

• Entertaining
• Challenging
• Action packed
• Several different and enjoyable modes
• Crazy maps

Cons:

• Basic Premise

I thought it would be a four star app, but the Pros have defeated the Cons (by a considerable margin). The Pros won by so much that it can only mean one thing, and that one thing is:

MyAppSource Rating: Five Stars!

Clear, Consice and Useful

SixPack App (US$0.99), is the perfect exercise buddy. From the labs of Pocket Cocktails Inc., this application is excellent for anyone who is participating in a weight training program. The developers claim that "SixPack App is your ultimate portable fitness guide." That is true. Pocket Cocktails also state that SixPack App contains "over 50,000 words of descriptive exercise text and 400+ Pictures". I don't know the exact numbers, but according to my estimations, that is also true.

SixPack App contains a plethora of exercises for each of the following categories: chest, shoulders, back, legs, arms, abs, yoga poses and stretches. Each exercise contains several clear and easily understandable images of how the exercise must be undertaken. The app also gives a clear-cut step-by-step guide on the exercise in question. The pictures and steps give the user a full understanding of what the exercise entails and exactly how to perform it.

For each individual exercise, SixPack App, also provides tips on the intricacies that are involved in the exercise and the exact muscles which the exercise will work. The tips give helpful hints on small issues that may arise during the process of completing the exercise. For example, the tips section tells the user what to do if the left and right muscles are not equally strong and how to correctly align and protect the users spine. The app highlights the exact muscles needed and shows the user this on easy-to-distinguish pictures.

SixPack App also gives instructions on workouts that can be undertaken. The workout categories are; circuit, beginner and push/pull, to name a few. Although the workout section does not provide the user with examples of exercises that could be used, it does provide the kowledge of how often to complete a workout and what muscles to target to increase workout efficiency.

SixPack App delivers on all levels. All the things you could ever want or need are included, and this means that you are never left scratching your head about any exercises. The thorough instructions and clear pictures make sure that every exercise is fully broken down into its basic components and then explained. so as to increase the ease of understanding. It's cheap, it's very effective and when someone takes your iPhone or iPod Touch and sees it they'll automatically think you work out (even if you don't). SixPack App is definitely worth the purchase for anyone who is currently participating in a weight training program.

MyAppSource Rating: Five Stars!

Entertainment 4-ever

Alive 4-ever (US$0.99), is a Meridian Digital Entertainment Limited application. This app is another combatant in the very popular RPG genre, and it more than holds its own. I am no expert in RPG games (even though, I should be), but, I do know what the differences in between a high level and lower level RPG application are. In saying that I'm not an expert does mean I don't know what I am talking about, just that I am not fully immersed in the RPG world. So, if you bought that, the reviewing will now commence:

Alive 4-ever is based on a central character who must "dispose of" an almost infinite onslaught of enemies. In this instance, your enemies are zombies (and sometimes wolves [which I don't understand]).  Every one of the 30 available single and multiplayer (via bluetooth) missions has a different objective which must be achieved in order to progress to the next mission. The missions range from eradicating a certain number of a certain type of zombie (there's more than one!), to rescuing a pre-determined number of civilians, to finding vaccines for the disease which created the zombies.

This app has much more to it than shooting a bunch of back-from-the-dead mutants. For instance, you receive financial compensation for risking your life against the ruthless zombie batallion (aka, you get money for completing missions). You can use these financial benefits to purchase more desirable weapons to use against the zombie nemesis. When you complete missions you also are gifted with Ability Points (abbreviated to AB in parts of the app). These wonderful little points can be used to increase your character's abilities. The upgradable abilities include; health points (HP), ammunition levels and curing efficiency. Equipment can also be obtained, these items can also increase the character's abilities. For example, a helmet will increase your character's HP by 100 points. These features aren't even the best part.

The best part arrives when a mulitplayer game is set up. Another member of the MyAppSource team (who shall forever remain nameless) and I set up one hell of multiplayer game. Multiplayer games can be set up through the bluetooth connection between compatible devices. This mode has missions and challenges that must be completed in order to advance on to the next mission, much like the single player mode.

When Alive 4-ever is played with a group of friends (or enemies) it becomes an even more enjoyable experience. This option alone would make this app worth the miniscule price-tag. When the mulitplayer mode is combined with all the other features (missions, challenges, range of characters to choose from and financial compensation), this app approaches legendary territory. The only thing that holds this app back from the coveted MyAppSource Five Star Rating, is that the map is the same for every mission (at least to where I am up to). This app is action packed, challenging and most importantly entertaining. You cannot afford not to buy it!

MyAppSource Rating: Four Stars!

The Legend of Zenonia

Zenonia (US$2.99 [at the moment it is on sale at half price!]), is a surprisingly good adventure and quest-based application. Though the name may not give it away, this game is a very detailed, polished and action-packed member of the adventure game genre. GAMEVIL has created another superstar of an application with Zenonia. Zenonia brings back memories of the old Nintendo and GameBoy that everyone loved growing up. Zenonia is a much more advanced mix of the Legend of Zelda and Pokemon games.

The game play in the world of Zenonia is tremendous. You have the ability to create your own storyline, which depends on the characters you choose and which quests you accept or decline. This is an excellent feature as it allows for the game to be played numerous times, without it becoming bland or repetitive. Each character has a gigantic arsenal of weapons, items, upgrades, skills and options. All of these features add to a polished sense during gameplay, as each seperate item, upgrade and skill leads to a different level of ability in your character. This game plays like it has been made for a much bigger console. With that I mean that GAMEVIL have not left anything out simply because it is designed for an iPhone or iPod Touch. All the features you would expect on a big budget, big hype PS3 or Xbox game are included.

The graphics are exceptional and each character, enemy and environment is presented in great detail. The options menu may become cluttered and difficult to decipher during your initiation into Zenonia, but as you play on you will fully learn how utilize all of the options and features you are presented with. The detail that is present in every aspect of the app really highlights the effort that must have been made to make this as seemless transition as possible, from traditional console game to iPhone application. The effort has definitely paid dividends.




Zenonia boasts and impressive and useful variety of ways to play. These features give the user total control over their story and in this senario the total control allows the game play to be manipulated in an infinite number of new and exciting ways. Fantasy and adventure games have not always been my favourite and I tend to become disinterested rather quickly (the crazy characters, strange powers and absurd creatures will do that to you). I wish MyAppSource could rate using half stars, but alas, we cannot, so Zenonia will have to settle for a very respectable four stars. This app is a must-buy for adventure game fans. At the moment it is half price, so purchase it before the price goes back up to $5.99, you will enjoy it immensely.

MyAppSource Rating: Four Stars!

If You Are What You Say You Are, A Superstar

Baseball Superstars (US$2.99) is one of my absolute favourite applications on the entire iTunes Store (so this review may be a bit biased). I had the free version for quite a while and even that version was excellent. GAMEVIL has went above and beyond all other applications (in my opinion) in its creation of Baseball Superstars. We all know that too many features can spoil an app (see here), but, Baseball Superstars dispells that theory with five different game modes. Each mode is different and has its own unique challenges and objectives.

The app contains all the modes you would expect; a single game (known as "Normal Game") and a season mode. The normal game is your garden variety nine inning baseball slugfest. This mode is great for learning the quirks of the game and is excellent if you want to be able to pick it up and play without configuring settings (or impacting on your season stats). It is in season mode where the excellent development of the game really grabs you. The season runs through 36 games and contains some very realistic themes. These themes include; having to do promotional events (such as autograph signings), being able to trade players and having the opportunity to track every stat imaginable (for every player in the League!).

The app goes a step further with the Mission, Homerun and My League modes. Mission mode involves playing with a created player to clear various missions. There are 20 missions available& for both pitcher and batter. Homerun mode is an action packed feature which gives you ten attempts to hit the farthest homerun you possibly can. My League mode is amazing, you must create and build your own character from scratch. Your character's abilities can be increased by winning games and having good performances as well  as the evaluations you recieve at the end of each game and your season salary and overall popularity will be affected by this.

Baseball Superstars has been made for enjoyment, with its cartoon graphics to its amazingly in depth modes. This application ticks all the boxes as far as sports based applications are concerned. I am a sports fan so I knew I would enjoy this app. For those of you who aren't fond of sports I would suggest using the trial version, to see if you will enjoy it as much as I have. Everyone else (those who enjoy sports) consider it a necessity that you buy this app, you will never, ever regret it.

MyAppSource Rating: Five Stars!

Superb Sentinel

Sentinel 2 (US$2.99), is another stunning application in the Tower Defence genre. Origin8 has successfuly differentiated this Tower Defence app from the many others out there on the application market. This game has the same goal as all the other games in its genre, to stop a certain enemy from reaching a certain point. Sentinel 2, however, provides a stroyline and reason for the defense of your tower (which in this case is a spacecraft named The Sentinel).

Unlike other Tower Defence applications, Sentinel 2 has a story which is consistent throughout. The enemies are all of a particular type and are attacking for a specific reason. In many other Tower Defence games, there is no reason whatsoever why you are being attacked, you just are. Sentinel 2's storyline makes you feel as if you are really the commander in charge of defending your craft. This adds a personal aspect to the game, which is missing by most of the other applications in the genre.

Sentinel 2 also has some extra features, which help seperate it from the competition. These features include a "mission" mode, with 10 different missions, each being more difficult than the previous. These missions have different objectives and enemies than the regular campaign levels. You also have the option to listen to your own music during game play and this feature isn't hidden behind four options menus, which means it is very simple to find.

The visuals are amazing and really help create an overall polished effect throughout the entire game, this includes game play, menus and everything in between. Sentinel 2 is very well designed, very well organised and extremely enjoyable to use. If you want to add to your collection of excellent and enjoyable applications, you must purchase this application.

MyAppSource Rating: 5 Stars!