Front Page

Content

Authors

Game Index

Forums

Site Tools

Submissions

About

KK
Kevin Klemme
March 09, 2020
35151 2
Hot
KK
Kevin Klemme
January 27, 2020
20832 0
Hot
KK
Kevin Klemme
August 12, 2019
7420 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
December 19, 2023
3978 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
December 14, 2023
3503 0
Hot

Mycelia Board Game Review

Board Game Reviews
O
oliverkinne
December 12, 2023
2078 0
O
oliverkinne
December 07, 2023
2584 0

River Wild Board Game Review

Board Game Reviews
O
oliverkinne
December 05, 2023
2255 0
O
oliverkinne
November 30, 2023
2498 0
J
Jackwraith
November 29, 2023
3018 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
November 28, 2023
1973 0
S
Spitfireixa
October 24, 2023
3695 0
Hot
O
oliverkinne
October 17, 2023
2625 0
O
oliverkinne
October 10, 2023
2461 0
O
oliverkinne
October 09, 2023
2290 0
O
oliverkinne
October 06, 2023
2507 0

Outback Crossing Review

Board Game Reviews
×
Bugs: Recent Topics Paging, Uploading Images & Preview (11 Dec 2020)

Recent Topics paging, uploading images and preview bugs require a patch which has not yet been released.

× Use the stickied threads for short updates.

Please consider adding your quick impressions and your rating to the game entry in our Board Game Directory after you post your thoughts so others can find them!

Please start new threads in the appropriate category for mini-session reports, discussions of specific games or other discussion starting posts.

What IOS games have you been playing?

More
12 Jan 2016 14:09 #219787 by RobertB
IIRC, in Candy Crush, you have to pay to get past Level 50. I did not pay, so I was done at that point.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
12 Jan 2016 15:37 - 12 Jan 2016 15:37 #219802 by MacDirk Diggler
@ Jeb
The AI in MTG Puzzle Quest gives you a prompt which match to make. In your experience with the game have you found it to be the case it ever gave suboptimal advice???? It's almost like it plays itself.

I believe the challenge in Candy Crush to be that you will run out of matches and end that session. In the MTG version I don't think it's ever the case that there is not a match to be made -and- the AI prompts you which match to make. So all you really can think about much is the order your spells are stacked and awaiting mana. Otherwise, you are a gem matching zombie.
Last edit: 12 Jan 2016 15:37 by MacDirk Diggler.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
12 Jan 2016 15:38 #219803 by Black Barney
If the programming is anything like Puzzle Quest, then the suggested match is often wrong. The computer doesn't see when you make a match on the lower levels that will result in a chain of other matches.
The following user(s) said Thank You: jeb

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
12 Jan 2016 16:05 #219808 by jeb

Alastair MacDirk wrote: @ Jeb
The AI in MTG Puzzle Quest gives you a prompt which match to make. In your experience with the game have you found it to be the case it ever gave suboptimal advice???? It's almost like it plays itself.

I believe the challenge in Candy Crush to be that you will run out of matches and end that session. In the MTG version I don't think it's ever the case that there is not a match to be made -and- the AI prompts you which match to make. So all you really can think about much is the order your spells are stacked and awaiting mana. Otherwise, you are a gem matching zombie.

Yeah, it identifies a match, but it's not necessarily, or even often, optimal. You want to make Match 5's for another turn, Match 4 will detonate the whole column or row, and often simple cascades (or a chance at cascades) is the better play, comparatively. Sometimes you're a point away from a critter, but it recommends a Planar gem match.

You can run out of matches too, it resets the board, and you hope that happens on your turn because it prompts a big turn. Same as vanilla PQ.

Stacking your spells and effects matters. You need to kill the opponent, and I am in a place where they have about 60 life to my 40. Coupling the issues of killing creatures easily means you can lose a game fast if you don't (ahem) play your cards right. I have tuned decks to beat certain bosses. Sometimes, it's a romp, you cascade 4's into 5's and it's just murder. But it's usually a decent game with a nice reward feedback.

I'm not twisting your arms, guys, it's a match-3 and MtG--it's in my wheelhouse. Go with god.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
13 Jan 2016 08:18 #219841 by Black Barney
Stop making us try your game, dick.
The following user(s) said Thank You: jeb

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
13 Jan 2016 15:22 #219872 by Michael Barnes
I got a threatening voicemail from Jeb insisting that I try it.

But I already had, I played it a bit over the holidays. It's...a good idea. Sort of. I think Gems of War is probably the better game because it isn't as clutter-y as the MTG game but it's similar. The main difference is the cards, which actually become sort of annoying. The interface is pretty terrible and I feel like something is off about the design- drawing from the same ten card deck is kind of weird. 1 in 10 chance you will get a situationally useless card every turn, which is why they have that rearranging mechanic. Which is cool because you can set up chains. But I don't know, I just didn't really care much about it. The FTP elements were almost negligible, I never really felt any pressure to buy anything...and it was pretty easy. Too easy.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Black Barney

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
18 Jan 2016 11:46 #220119 by Columbob
This is coming soon:


The following user(s) said Thank You: hotseatgames

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
18 Jan 2016 12:49 #220129 by Black Barney
Lifeline.

That is all

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
22 Jan 2016 18:59 #220636 by Michael Barnes
TouchArcade was gushing about Clash Royale, the new one from Supercell (they make Clash of Clans, but don't worry about it). It's in soft release in Canada, so you have to switch your iTunes account to Canada to download it. And you really, really should.

I think the game is brilliant. It brings forward a lot of different trends but shaves off a lot of BS. It's a little RTS, a little lane defense, a little MOBA, a little base raid and a little card battler. You have three castles, the other guy has three castles. You have a hand of four cards and a timer-based mana scale. You drag a card out, it summons that creature. It fights other creatures or walks to the other guy's castles and hits them. There are also direct effect spells like a fireball and an arrow shower. The goal is to either blow up all three castles or just take out the middle "king" castle. A match takes about two minutes, after a certain time the mana rate doubles and then triples so it escalates usually to a fun finish.

I'm really taken by it so far, and I'm not spending any money (can't, because I don't have a Canadian form of payment!). The F2P aspect seems pretty fair, you win these chests for blowing up castles and they take like three hours to unlock. You can only do one at a time. Of course, you can pay "gems" to do it right away. There is also gold, which you use to enter matches (it's just 1g) and to upgrade cards when you have collected additional copies of them. But it feels like the IAPs are geared more to the "power gamer" set and the impatient.

I'm finding that it somehow manages to provide EXACTLY the kind of experience I want when I have like five minutes, want to play a game, and want it to not be dumb or empty. The battles are really fun, hectic and with lots of subtle choices to make and synergies to discover.

They are NOT resetting progress when it hits full launch, so you've got nothing to lose to try it now. It could be a big hit, I think.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Cranberries

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
22 Jan 2016 22:04 #220640 by Black Barney
My best friend is totally hooked on it. I'm not going anywhere near it.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
22 Jan 2016 22:46 - 22 Jan 2016 22:51 #220641 by OldHippy
I've got it on my phone and I've been playing it for about a week, it's a pretty good game, definitely something you can just drop in and out of pretty quickly which is good for a phone game. I've been having a hard time getting really into it because I prefer solo play over online, but still, it is good for what it is.

I agree that this could certainly be a big hit for them. Not that they need another one.
Last edit: 22 Jan 2016 22:51 by OldHippy.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
13 Feb 2016 13:34 - 13 Feb 2016 13:34 #222369 by Grudunza
They just announced a Star Trek version of Castle Panic yesterday. Well, if you want Star Wars Castle Panic, here it is: starwars.ea.com/starwars/battlefront/basecommand

It's quite good. Adds some nice new wrinkles to the system with a little more tactical combat, and some good Star Wars-y flavor with Boba Fett and Darth and others coming in to play at different times. And it's free.
Last edit: 13 Feb 2016 13:34 by Grudunza.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
19 Feb 2016 11:20 #222836 by Michael Barnes
November- "Hey guys, there's this Star Wars Castle Panic thing"- MB
February- "Hey guys, there's this Star Wars Castle Panic thing"- Pocket Tactics and Grundunza

Tennis Champs Returns. For real though. If you have any love for arcade sports games at all, you must download this one. It's free, there is a 99 cent ad blocker and a $1.99 starter pack. It is _awesome_. It's surprisingly deep, has really great (and unique) controls, and it plays something like Mario Tennis but with more detail/realism. I guess it's a remake of an Amiga game, but it feels completely modern and polished despite the pixel look. I've been playing it constantly. The AI is pretty doughy at first- you can rush the net, volley, and usually slam it to the other side. But once they start earning stars...it gets pretty tough.

TONS of content- 200 competitors, daily challenges, doubles matches, training challenges, multiple courts, clothing options...this is one of the richest IOS games I've seen in a long time. It is technically F2P, you can things like new strings and energy drinks with gold, but so far I haven't seen the need to spend more than the $2.99 in optional start-up products.

Going to play it right now.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
19 Feb 2016 11:25 #222837 by Grudunza
I may have missed one of your 10,756 posts, Michael. :)
The following user(s) said Thank You: Gary Sax, Black Barney

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

More
19 Feb 2016 11:29 #222838 by Michael Barnes
Please review them for future reference. There are only about 17 that are no longer relevant or part of the discussion here at F:AT.
The following user(s) said Thank You: Grudunza, Cranberries

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Moderators: Gary Sax
Time to create page: 0.457 seconds