Is it possible for a game to make something of itself using both the engine from the frankly disappointing ‘Alphadia 2’ and a new freemium model? Surprisingly, there are some good ideas stirred into this strange soup, but are they enough to save it?
Most RPG titles fall easily into a Fantasy or Science Fiction setting. One of the many things that makes Monster Mountain special is that it presents a post-modern twist on the fantasy-dystopia that presents a rich and vibrant world that could take place tomorrow . . .
For those who crave something a little more old-school in their mobile RPG experience, the Gurk series provides a decidedly retro experience inspired by the likes of older ‘Ultima’ titles and replicates the trappings of a Commodore 64 game.
Of all the lost opportunities on Sega’s part, the one that strikes a blow to the heart is that the western world only received the first instalment of the epic three-game experience that was Shining Force III. That it hasn’t seen remastering and release onto a modern mobile platform speaks volumes of the split between Camelot and Sega over this decision.
RogueLikes are coming back into vogue at the moment, with their randomised nature being the perfect match for bored minds and simple goals (usually just ‘reach the next exit alive’) lending themselves to mobile play.
Puzzlewood Quests is a fusion of quiz-like puzzle game and light social RPG that seems to hit the sweet-spot between the two. At no point does it feel like it’s compromised the RPG mechanics to make way for more complex puzzles, whilst resisting the urge to become too fiddly with stats and character pimping to be a good quiz.
Essentially a remastering of the unreleased ‘Shining Force: Gaiden’ and the Game Gear exclusive ‘Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya’, Shining Force CD manages to bring two relatively light experiences together into a more meaty package.
