Gemini Strike: There's Actually a Reason for You to Come Back After Dying!

Presented by Armor Games, Gemini Strike is a surprisingly good mobile videogame, with a believable story and original graphics. Being a big fan of Armor Games, I was thrilled to see them continue to make games for mobile platforms. I immediately downloaded Gemini, and was highly impressed with the graphics, which are some sort of futuristic pixel-type. I'm glad they didn't try to make the graphics 3D or something, cause it probably would've looked like crap and also ruined the feel of the game. Anyway, I have a particular weakness for pixelated games, and this was just was I was looking for.

Gameplay

SPOILERS AHEAD! BEWARE!


The spoilers aren't really all that bad, but I'd probably get hate if I don't put something up. XD
The game portrays you as a spaceship pilot for the Alliance, and a vital element of "Project Gemini." Project Gemini produces clones so the consciousness of a pilot can be transferred to a different clone if said pilot is killed. I really like this, because instead of the usual mobile game "energy" aspect which only lets you attempt a specific amount of missions before you must wait for the energy to refill, Gemini gives you 4 "lives." You can only die 4 times before you have to wait for your lives to refill. This ensures that if you have enough skill, you can play as long as you want. Also, like I mentioned in the title, this actually gives a reason for your character coming back from the dead, other than the usual lame excuse: you didn't actually die.
I mentioned the storyline, which I love btw. It reminds me of a TV show where each sector is an episode or something. The dialogue is hilarious, if a little colorful, and it breaks up the monotony of the actual gameplay.
That's actually the only problem I have with Gemini. The gameplay feels quite similar from sector to sector, almost as if they were cloned...
Just kidding! The gameplay does vary in content and difficulty, even if only a small amount.  In the 20 sectors, there are mines and asteroids everywhere. I shudder to think how bad the 70 or 80 sectors will be...
I haven't even beaten the game yet, there's like 100 sectors and I'm only on 27.

*Update*
Still haven't beaten it yet! I'm slowly plodding my way through the 60 sectors now... this is gonna take a while...

I love the customization features. There are almost 3 dozen ships to buy, and countless items to fit your fighter with. Each item will give your ship different stats, as well as new pretty lasers or missiles to explode enemies in full 2D glory. These aspects give the finishing touch to an already-considerable game.
I'm probably just raging about how good this game is because of how much I love Armor, but Gemini is at least worth checking out.
Seriously!


~Daniel

The Infinity Blade Chronicles

With their spellbinding graphics and unique gameplay, Infinity Blade I, II, and III are truly revolutionary mobile games. 

!  (Spoilers ahead, beware!)  !

In Infinity Blade I, you, as a lone knight, must avenge your father's death by killing the tyrannical tyrant who took your dad's life. It's not that easy, though, because you must defeat the King's Titans in order to get to him.

It's almost the same story in Infinity Blade II. You travel around a castle called The Vault of Tears killing ugly enemies and racking up gold to buy better equipment. 

The third installment is a bit different. The game is almost scripted, with different levels unlocked after beating the previous one. This is why my favorite game out of these three is II. It retains the same independent feel of I, but has almost as much content as III.

Infinity Blade II Gameplay

So where do I stand with these games? 

Pros: Mesmerizing graphics, skill based gameplay, large amount of regular and hidden content, great music; done by Imagine Dragons.

Cons: Biggest one is money. Holey cheese, these games are expensive!! Or, they used to be... (quickly checks app store) Okay, they aren't as pricey as they were once, with I being $6, and II and III both being $7. But still, if you want all of them, that's 19 bucks!

Other cons: Slightly grind oriented, and storage! These games all take up one GB or more due to the graphics. 

I also recently figured out that there are graphic novels written by Brandon Sanderson, so if it seems like the storyline doesn't quite fit between games, it's because you're missing whole books worth of info. I myself haven't read the novels, so I can't recommend. Sorry.

You decide for yourself whether the pros outweigh the cons. As for money, I just waited for a holiday sale where III was only $1.

Over all, great games, just a little pricey and space-consuming.

~Daniel

Battleheart Legacy, Where the Hero has Sass

Brought to us by Mika Mobile, Battleheart Legacy is based off their previous game, titled Battleheart. I know, show some originality, guys!
Legacy has the feel of a classic RPG re-textured for mobile devices. The game is extremely in-depth and customizable, with a dozen classes to specialize in and over two hundred equipment items to acquire and use.
While the graphics are great, and the gameplay is quite enjoyable, I think that my favorite part of Legacy is the re-playability. You can start out as a Knight class, beat the game, then make another character slot as a wizard. The second or third time you play may not be quite as entertaining as the first, but using different classes and items still make it fun.
True to RPG form, the game also includes a few NPC quests to complete, including the main quest where your hero or heroine must collect the three "Solar Crystals" for the king. This quest requires your character to be level twenty-nine or higher, so your first time through the game will certainly not be short. It took me like a month to beat the game for the first time, but my most recent character file made it from level one to the final boss in about a week.
The other really cool thing Legacy is the feature of transferring your character slots over the iCloud. So if I start a new hero on my tablet but decide I want this character on my phone, I just have to upload it to the Cloud!

Legacy is one of the first mobile videogames I've seen that doesn't include in-app purchases. Unfortunately, this also means that the game itself costs $4.99, but in my opinion, it's totally worth it.

Reason for the title XD

Learn more about Battleheart and Battleheart Legacy at mikamobile.com, and check the sidebar for the Battleheart Legacy Wiki.
This is an exceptional mobile game that is totally worth the price. If you have five bucks lying around, I very much recommend this game.


~Daniel

No Vain, No Gain

The map above is called the Halcyon Fold, the setting for this Gameview: Vainglory, produced by Super Evil Mega Corp.
You've probably never heard of it, have you? I bet you don't even know what a MOBA is... 
Anyhow, this touch screen video game won't remain unknown for much longer, due to its rapidly growing popularity and player base. The game entails staggeringly good graphics, sensationally addicting gameplay, great lore, and unique heroes to fight with. The best part? It's free! (Boy, It sounds like I'm being paid to do this, doesn't it...)
But seriously, I've been playing Vainglory for almost a year now, and it hasn't gotten boring. Not once. Maybe seriously frustrating sometimes, where I want to throw my tablet at the wall, but NEVER boring. 
For those of you that don't know what a MOBA is, I'll explain the basic aspects of Vainglory and her sister games for you. If you already know what a MOBA is, congratulations! You're officially permitted to skip over this part and read the next bit of my useless babble. Anyway, Most MOBAs (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) incorporate a Lane where turrets are placed at strategic spots, a Jungle where gold can be acquired, and two team bases. In the case of Vainglory, the goal of the game is to destroy the enemy's Vain Crystal, or Vain. See those weird shiny purple things at each side of the map? Those are the Vains, and your job is to blow up the enemy's while protecting your own. 
In addition to the features I've already discussed, you also have the option of joining a Guild or Team, so that you can play with other players close to your skill level. Rewards can be earned at the end of each Season based on your Guild's level.
Compared to other MOBAs such as League of Legends, Vainglory is quite fast paced. There are only three players on each team, compared to the usual five. This ensures that matches are only about 20-30 minutes long. (Eat your heart out, League!)
Vainglory is compatible with Apple iPads 2 and up, iPhones 5 and up, and requires iOS 6.1 and above. It's also downloadable on high-end Android devices with 1GB of RAM or more, and requires Android 4.2.2 Jellybean or newer.
Over all, this is a spectacular game and definitely worth checking out. See you in the Fold!

~Daniel