Radiant Defense [ANDROID REVIEW]

COLOURFUL SCI-FI STRATEGY GAME IS COMPLEX ENOUGH FOR A FEW PLAYTRHOUGHS - BUT EXPECT A HARD RIDE IF YOU'RE PLAYING THE FREE VERSION.

So What's It All About Then?
Free-to-play sci-fi tower defence (TD) game that has you defending humanity from waves of increasingly tough alien jelly thingies. The Radiant name has been used for a colourful side-scrolling shooter in the past and the developers, Hexage, have now made the action a bit more strategic but still  just as visually-awesome.


The story goes that a series of "vortexes" have opened up in space. Through these vortexes lurks an alien warlord - the Supercreep - who has his evil eyes set on Earth! You play each level by placing walls to guide the alien hordes through the level - keeping them away from your base for as long as possible. You can then place and upgrade a whole bunch of offensive towers (gun, laser, rocket, missile, flamer), a number of support towers (damage-boosting spotlights, cash-boosting tower) and other defences (such as mines and "power blades" to place in the baddies' path).


A limited version of the game can be play for free - this allows you to play through all levels using a very small selection of the available weapons. I have played this version for a while before upgrading to premium weapons - the four weapon packs cost 69p each - so £2.76 for a fully-unlocked version. I will outline how I found each version below.


+++ Colourful Fun +++
The game is full of bright colours and charming humour - each enemy, weapon and environment has a distinctive colour and visual effects to clearly distinguish what exactly is going on during big battles. I really love it when developers take advantage of the range of colours available to them - too often do games only use a flushed-out pallete of different shades of brown. Not here - Radiant Defense makes good use of the entire rainbow - meaning that your phone's screen will light up with face-melting prettiness. 


The game is also filled with moments of brilliant humour - most of the conversations between the alien boss and the human defenders genuinely funny - breaking up the waves of action to reduce the likelihood of the game becoming stale. Take a look at the conversation snapshots below for a little example of this - mild but still worth a giggle.

+++ Strategic Variety +++
Plenty of ways to wear down tough enemies - and plenty of different enemies to test out your strategies. The enemy offensives include huge armoured beasts that take major damage before dying, mass cannon fodder bombardment, shielded enemies that need energy weapons to expose and speedy buggers that have regenerative health.


This means that you need a good arrangement of towers to beat all of these types of enemies - and it takes a bit of practice to know where to place your towers and walls. Knowing when to save your cash, when to buy brand new towers and when to upgrade existing ones all have to be factored in - perhaps try each level a couple of times to see what works best for each situation.


The walls add another dimension too - you set these up at the start of each wave to guide the enemies along and can be used to form very long paths for those tough enemies or to make shorter routes of concentrated fire if facing enemies with regenerative health. This is one of my favourite types of TD game - I find having the power to sculpt the route that the enemies take much more enjoyable.


When combined with the VAST number of towers and tools at your disposal in the premium version - over 15 towers to tinker with and upgrade to your heart's content - there should be many hours of play available here. 


Along with the weapons already mentioned, there are also "superweapons", which cost a great deal but can mean the difference between an overpowering alien invasion and large piles of dead space jelly. These are an extra little thrill to play with - finally getting the Omega Cannon after saving up for ten waves led to several cries of "Oh yes, Supercreep! Time to die!".

--- Unbalanced Difficulty ---
O.K. - let's make this clear - the free-to-play version is hard. Really bloody hard. The number of towers available is very small (only the gun, rocket and laser towers plus some support units), so only a near-perfect array of towers will stop the hordes from getting through. 


If you make a mistake in your set-up in earlier waves, it is near impossible to rectify it later, meaning that you have to restart the mission entirely. The developers were good enough to let you retry a wave if you fail it - but realising that your strategy just isn't going to work on wave 37 out of 40 is still horrendously infuriating. The screenshot below shows the level that I gave up on (mission 3 out of 9), as I could not save up the resources to kill the final boss when the time came.

The harsh difficulty level isn't much of a problem in itself - many TD games make it their business to be as challenging as possible. The real issue is that when I finally caved in and paid for the upgraded weapon packs, the whole game became much too easy! There are even cash boosters - so you can earn extra cash along with having vastly more useful weaponry!


Using the mines and power blades to take down the harder enemies - plus the sheer range of offensive tools - meant that no enemy posed much of a challenge from that point onwards! In fact, I haven't lost a single life on almost all of the later missions thanks to the premium weaponry. 


Perhaps if the mines and power blades could only be placed prior to battle - so once a power blade wears out, it cannot be replaced and so that you can't use mines as ad-hoc explosives placed in the middle of huge groups of baddies - then maybe there would be more of a challenge.


So, in summary:

• if you like a really difficult TD game - get the free version.
• if you like an easier TD game - fork out for the upgrades - it's still great fun but won't cause hair loss.

Oh, and if you were able to beat the game on the free version - I would love to know how. Seriously, just "how"?


Conclusions

IN MANY WAYS, RADIANT DEFENSE IS A MASTERCLASS IN "FREEMIUM" ANDROID GAMING - PLAYABLE FOR NOWT BUT WITH CLEAR BENEFITS IN UPGRADING.

IT'S WELL WORTH A PLAYTHROUGH TOO - IF YOU LIKE FUNNY, COLOURFUL STRATEGY THEN THIS SHOULD BE RIGHT UP YOUR STREET.

HOWEVER TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT, YOU WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER PAYING A FEW QUID AND ACCEPT THAT IT MAY OFFER LESS OF A CHALLENGE.

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!
Any stock images in this review are subject to relevant copyrights and are kindly provided by: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.hexage.defense&hl=en
All in-game screenshots were taken by Brighton Games Trader.

Trailer - Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II - 16/05/12 [DAILY DOSE]

WEDNESDAY 16TH MAY 2012 - DAILY DOSE

Today's DAILY DOSE is a look at the launch trailer for -

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 4: EPISODE 2.

Sonic is a game series that has struggled over recent years - most major releases were utterly terrible, cheap shite that just devalued the franchise further and further.

Then recently I got the chance to play a bit of Sonic 4: Ep. 1 and was amazed to find that it was actually quite good. Fun, colourful, intense platforming - just how Sonic should be!

So when I find that the next instalment is out right now - I had to take a look.

The game looks like it's following the same formula - no fancy 3D crap, no newfangled side characters to bring that "cutesy" edge - just classic Sonic action.

It's out today on PSN and XBLA -

expect a review in the near future.

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!  
Any videos in this review are from Youtube and are subject to relevant copyrights. They are kindly provided by: http://www.youtube.com/user/gametrailers

Video - Minecraft Rap - 14/05/12 [DAILY DOSE]

MONDAY 14TH MAY 2012 - DAILY DOSE

Today's DAILY DOSE is a shameful look at -

THE MINECRAFT RAP.

People get waaaay to obsessive over Minecraft. 
Like, seriously.


Given how I often get with games like this, 
it's probably not a good idea for me to start playing.


So to that end -
 I got Minecraft Pocket Edition!


Lots of crafting, mining and building -
 all on the go!


Here's a few pics of my very first Minecraft house - awwwwww.....


Yes it's sad - but not quite as sad as writing a rap about Minecraft.
(except I thought the rap was really cool - especially the old guy miner's verse!).

My house - at night.

My house - during the day.

My bedroom - plus luxurious double bed.

The pantry under the stairs - plenty of storage shelves (ladders).

The lounge - 2 sofas and a TV.

Another view of the lounge.

My kitchen - breakfast bar in the bottom right.

Another view of the kitchen and diner.

The bath - as good as I could get it.

The all important - toilet.

The stairs leading up to the bedroom plus doors leading to the pantry and bathroom.

The view as you walk in the front door - home sweet home!

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!
Any videos in this review are from Youtube and are subject to relevant copyrights. They are kindly provided by: http://www.youtube.com/user/machinima

Video - Perpetual Testing Initiative - 12/05/12 [DAILY DOSE]

SATURDAY 12TH MAY 2012 - DAILY DOSE

Today's DAILY DOSE is a look at -

THE PERPETUAL TESTING INITIATIVE.

This is a huge level-editing kit that has just been released for Portal 2. Fully integrated with the Steam workshop, this kit allows players to make their own devious test chambers.


Sadly, I am currently lacking a PC (or PC copy of Portal 2) - or else I would be wasting many happy hours creating tricky light bridge challenges for my friends.


The trailer above (presented by the great Cave Johnson) got me excited at the prospect of user-generated test chamber fun - but the full explanatory video by Gamespot shows off how easy-to-use and feature-rich the P.T.I. really is.


Can't wait to get my hands on this....
Let the testing commence.

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!
Any videos in this review are from Youtube and are subject to relevant copyrights. They are kindly provided by: http://www.youtube.com/user/gamespot
http://www.youtube.com/user/Valve

Temple Run [ANDROID REVIEW]

The big mobile action sensation is great for a bit of fun - if only the control issues didn't prevent me from getting my teeth into it.

What's It All About?

Action game based on that scene from Indiana Jones - you know, where he's running out of that temple - only this time it's not a big boulder and instead you're being chased by a pack of demon monkeys. 

While escaping these satanic simians, you have to dodge various obstacles. Swipe up to jump over tree roots, swipe down to slide under fallen trees, swipe left/right to turn. Tilt your phone left and right to fine aim where you are running.

As you speed away through an increasingly-cluttered environment, you can pick up bonuses which make things a bit easier. These have effects such as boosting through a section of the level or removing all obstacles.

If your reflexes are about you, there is the opportunity to collect floating coins - these unlock extra characters or can improve your bonuses - and it'll take quite a few runs to earn enough to make a difference.

The levels you run through each time are randomly-generated, meaning that every run is slightly different - there's plenty of challenge and playability on offer here.

Bolting out of the temple at top speed - here's the ginger hero.

So Is It Any Good Then?

+++ Intense +++

I'm not sure exactly what it is - whether I find the crazed monkeys genuinely scary, or whether the action is just really intense - but I am really running for my life when I pick up Temple Run. The feeling of non-stop danger is really quite a motivator - when you start a game you see your explorer guy running out of the temple with the monkeys hot on his heels - and that's it. There doesn't need to be a big backstory - no need to characterise the character or the villains - just a simple task: run for your fucking life.

When I got to the youlater stages, with obstacles coming thick and fast, the pressure to keep going and beat my previous highscore meant that I was really getting into the action. I let out a loud sigh of disappointment every time I collided with a sneaky tree (so often that the neighbours must have thought it was fairly downbeat sex) - and that goes to show how successful the game is. When you unconsciously vocalise your annoyance with a game - just because you were 1000 points off your top score - then the addiction has very much set in. Well done, Temple Run.

Your path starts off simple - as shown above - but soon gets really tough.

+++ Lots of Appeal +++

The game wasn't just built for a few intense bursts though - the random landscape and real challenge on offer means that perfecting your Indy act can be a real time-sink. Beating your best score is good - beating your best distance run is another bit of fun - but upgrading the bonuses and going for that MASSIVE run is the big dream.

When you spend coins on the bonuses, you normally just get to boost a few hundred metres further or to unlock bigger coin pick-ups - but in making use of them while playing, you can turn a quick jog into a big-scoring marathon.

There's also some extra character models to unlock (and wallpapers and shit) but really it's improving the run that matters in the game - and that was my main motivator throughout. Just as it should be.

There's very little time between jumping, turning and sliding when you get to later levels -
but that's where I get stuck :-(

--- Lack of Control ---

But then at later stages in the game I found a gameplay barrier that I could not get past. When I got to about 2000 metres, the lack of sensitivity in my phone's touch screen changed from being " a bit annoying" to actually stopping me from getting any further.

The problem is this - as my phone's screen is slightly insensitive (it needs a bit of pressure in order to register a press) then to get the character to move I need to give a big, hard swipe right across the screen. At slower speeds, this isn't a problem - I just casually swipe left/right/up/down to progress. When it gets to the later stages, where you need to jump, dodge and slide a couple of times a second - then it gets to the point where I just can't make those exaggerated movements and I quickly lose.

Small nudges to jump etc. (which I have seen other people using to beat the game) just do not work on older/crapper touchscreens. Now that could be used as a reason to look for a new phone - so really, as not all phones are brand new/top-of-the-range, this should have been planned for. When you make a game for mobiles, it should suit all mobiles. 

Perhaps some extra control settings to tailor the experience for older phones (NOT the "sensitivity" setting as this only  changes the motion-sensitive controls).

Really, with some small tweaks then this would have been a near-perfect action game. As it stands, I can only get around 2,500 metres and no further - so I stopped playing. Shame.

Conclusions

Without a doubt - one of the most intense experiences on a handheld.

I accept that some of my complaints relate to issues with my phone - but as that is the hardware the game was built for the developers really should have accounted for that.

With a few tweaks to the control system - or maybe a new phone - then this could easily have kept me going for many weeks.

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!
Any stock images in this review are subject to relevant copyrights and are kindly provided by: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.imangi.templerun&hl=en 
All game screenshots were taken in-game using a HTC Nexus One and were taken by Brighton Games Trader.

Angry Birds Space [ANDROID REVIEW]

The birds are back in town!

But sadly this extra-terrestrial adventure leaves a lot to be desired.

What's It All About Then?

Latest instalment of the Angry Birds franchise, launched at the end of March 2012, takes the series' usual formula of "Put bird in slingshot - Aim at pig in building - Let loose and *ka-blam*" and moves it into outer space. 


The story goes that some very mean piggies stole the nice birds' precious eggs. Ergo - kill them all and smash their homes to pieces. Capisce? 


The greater the destruction you cause - plus the fewer birds flung in order to achieve total piggie massacre - will give you a higher star rating at the end of each level. For an acceptable serial porcicide, you'll earn 1 star. If you totally demolish the place, destroying a couple of nearby piggie schools just for good measure, you'll earn the maximum of 3 stars.


The series always uses a variety of birds, and this set it unique in order to deal with the additional factors of being in space - with all the variable gravity fun that nearby asteroids (or lack thereof) may lead to. You are given a level-specific selection of birds in a particular order, which must be used to completely wipe out the level's pigs.


The types of birds used in Space are as follows:

1. RED ROUND - flies straight and does a bit of damage
2. LITTLE BLUE - after launching, another tap to the screen causes the bird to split in 3 (only causing a small amount of damage)
3. PURPLE TRIANGLE - after launching, another tap to the screen at a specific point will redirect the bird to do medium damage to that point
4. BOMB BIRDS - shaped like a bomb (weirdly) - these detonate after a few seconds (or after another tap)
5. BIG GREENS - huge but heavy birds that don't fly too far but caused massive damage if aimed correctly
6. FREEZE BIRDS  - these guys explode into a ball of ice, with all surfaces hit by the cold becoming vulnerable and brittle. Careful use of the birds that follow leads to major gravitational destruction.

There are 76 levels in total - meaning 228 stars to collect in total (at time of writing, I've collected just over 190). They are broken up into the following chapters:

1. PIG BANG - 30 introductory levels - easy basics. Showing you the ropes with set-ups involving most types of bird in easy configurations. There's a boss level at the end on the ground.
2. COLD CUTS - then there's a set of 30 tactical levels involving freeze birds and more complicated gravity systems. The boss at the end flies around and defends itself.
3. FRY ME TO THE MOON - 10 slightly more challenging levels that involve a lot of stone structures - difficult to knock down without clever use of destruction - and piggies that fly around in orbit.
4. EGGSTEROIDS - 6 bonus levels that generally pay homage to other videogames. There's a Pong level and a Space Invaders level that are both fun.  These are less of a challenge to beat - but to unlock them you need to fire at hidden black holes spread across the other campaign levels.

Later on, there are complex gravitational fields to work with.

So Is It Any Good Then?
+++ Fun New Setting +++
The new space setting is well-realised and all-in-all is pretty  good fun. The menus, birds and levels have all been tailored to fit the theme, with a lot of thought put into the graphical design and style of the game. Not a lot has changed since the last one - they've just been given a sci-fi overhaul - but each level certainly feels like it's in space.


The use of gravitational fields is brilliant - meaning that a lot of thought has to go into later levels and that there are often some less-obvious solutions to tough levels that can be found with clever/flukey "hookshots" around asteroids. Think Red Dwarf, where Lister has to block the black hole with a planet in a space-snooker-esque affair - you may sound all smart when you line it up and then look daft when your bird spins wildly around a nearby planet - but with a bit of luck it can collide in just the right way to lead to big points.


This means that every level is definitely worth a couple of playthroughs - trying out both different firing angles and different tactics - honing your skills and high scores until you've aced each and every one of them.


Special mention goes out to the bonus levels - they're all great fun and it's good to have some levels that are there for fun/variety rather than just for challenge. Mixing it up a bit was part of what made the original great - with a few simple gameplay concepts they made like 250 enjoyable levels. 

This is the Pong-themed bonus level -
not necessarily mind-blowing but quite sweet.

--- Short and Limited ---
And that leads neatly on to my first big criticism - it's too damn short! The 70 main levels are quite enjoyable and have  a good progression in difficulty and elements (static targets to begin - moving and protected targets later on). The issue is that I was just getting going at that point - expecting a whole bunch more after that and it just.... stopped.


Is this a case of "expansion pack sickness"? Are they giving us a taster of the new setting but leaving all of the content for additional, paid packages?


Therefore, the difficulty level was a bit lacking - I sort of expected there to be further challenges to play around with the gravity stuff but it just finished really early!


Even the Rio expansion pack for the original game had around 160 levels in total - and that was just made to advertise a film! Admittedly, these were released bit-by-bit too - so perhaps I just need to sit tight and wait for the rest of levels to be released.


Now I'm playing the free version - so I surely I shouldn't really complain much about the small level selection? 


Well that really doesn't make me want to pay to upgrade now, does it? 


And how can I recommend the paid version to people when it feels half-finished? Well the problems don't end at the number of levels...

In this shot, the adverts are actually preventing me from seeing the game -
 and you can't zoom out on this level either!

--- Badly Built and Lucky ---
The game also has a looooooot of issues. The screenshot above shows the big problem with the adverts - they get in the bloody way! Steve Jobs' big ugly face is constantly blocking my view - adverts for Wonga offering me cash loans (I'd imagine so that I can afford the next expansion pack).


If you could move the advert to the other side of the screen when necessary - or if they just buggered off altogether - then I'd actually be able to see what I was shooting and I'd have a lot more fun with the game.


Then there's the numerous occasions where the game actually cocks up. See below for an example of this - where the gravity is meant to topple unsteady towers but parts of it just hang in mid-air. 


So - the game prevents me from winning in a quite annoying way.


Then the next major issue is the complete opposite: that due to the gravity systems you can regularly demolish towers with flukey shots! Bounce a bird off an asteroid - it will often spin round and round until it eventually crashes into a piggie tower. Just launching your birds in random directions can sometimes lead to a 3 star score - requiring no skill whatsoever.


That's the biggest problem of them all to me - when the pig killing was taking place back on Earth, if you missed a shot then you had to start the level again. There was a very rational pattern to proceedings - only one or two angles to launch birds at in order to get the big scores. In Space, there are dozens - if not hundreds - of different angles and shot power that will win you a big highscore. I liked that you could try out complex shots around planets - I just don't like a bird I fired five minutes ago to swing back around and smash everything to pieces.


Perhaps some changes to the way the birds work in the long-term? (disappearing after a few seconds to prevent these ridiculous fluke shots).

WTF is going on with the arrow-shaped block - how is it still floating there?
You can clearly see the gravitational field all around it!

Conclusions

The game is still great fun for absolutely zero pounds - if you don't mind infuriating advertising splashed all across your screen - but in terms of substance this game falls well short of its predecessor.

If this was a space-themed expansion pack then it may have been less disappointing - as the full sequel to one of the most popular mobile games of all time then they just haven't put the effort in. A true shame.

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!
Any stock images in this review are subject to relevant copyrights and are kindly provided by:
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gdeheemdbabpjapkmbpiocpjinickpcl?utm_source=chrome-ntp-icon
All game screenshots were taken in-game using a HTC Nexus One and were taken by Brighton Games Trader.

Video - Life and Death According to Zelda - 10/05/12 [DAILY DOSE]

THURSDAY 10TH MAY - DAILY DOSE

The mini DAILY DOSE for the day is this -

TIMTIMFED'S VIDEOGAME VIDEOS.

There's plenty of funny Youtube vids about showing off a funnier side of gaming. 


The one above is great - both me and my girlfriend really enjoyed it - and then there's "How I Play Skyrim" below.

And if anyone was interested -
yes, that is how I play Skyrim.
Even got my precious items organised into chests in various houses - but still end up with too much on me at all times!


Take a look at the Youtube channel - 
link here.

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!
Any videos in this review are from Youtube and are subject to relevant copyrights. They are kindly provided by: http://www.youtube.com/user/timtimfed

Trailer - Quantum Conundrum - 09/05/12 [DAILY DOSE]

WEDNESDAY 9TH MAY 2012 - DAILY DOSE

Today's DAILY DOSE is a look at the trailer for this -

QUANTUM CONUNDRUM.


The game is not dissimilar to Portal, and was penned by Kim Swift - who used to work for Valve before moving over to join Airtight Games and develop this beauty.


The idea here is that you are a young boy trapped in your scientist uncle's mansion - and the only way to get out is to make use of special batteries - each having a different effect on the environment (such as making everything super-light).


The game looks fun, is written to be accessible - but most of all has that charming physics puzzler atmosphere that I love.

The game was announced a while ago (originally due for release towards the end of 2012) but now rumours are swirling that we may see the game released sometime this Summer.


Just to whet your appetite further, I've added a 7 minute gameplay demo - narrated by Kim Swift - to give you a feel for the puzzles on offer here.


I'll see you guys in the fluffy dimension.

Gameplay Demo - with Kim Swift

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!


Any videos in this review are from Youtube and are subject to relevant copyrights. They are kindly provided by: http://www.youtube.com/user/gamespot

Game Dev Story [ANDROID REVIEW]

What's The Story Here Then?
This is a strategy/management game that puts you at the head of a fledgling game development company. By employing a team of writers, designers and programmers, you must create the next big video game.


This is achieved by choosing the best person to write the story, to design the graphics and to compose the soundtrack. You can use in-house staff or commission an outsider to write each part, but you need to keep the costs down to make the game a success.


When you set about creating a game, you can choose the genre (puzzle, action, adventure) and a type (detective, romance or.... er... swimsuit) - and finding combinations of these which work well together is the key to a top-selling title.


By training your staff, you gain access to a better range of design options - starting with basic genres and types before unlocking more varied options, such as cowboy and ninja.


By hiring and training the right staff, exploring different gaming combinations and making games for the best consoles, you can try to win the big prize - annual "Game of the Year" award.


There's a free version, where you can play for a maximum of 3 in-game years, or a paid version where you can play indefinitely.

Simple graphics - but still cute and clear enough to work.

So Is It Any Good?
+++ Addictive As Hell +++
Once you start, it's pretty hard to stop. You're always working on something - whether it's developing a new action title or building up money so you can write games for the latest console release.


It takes a little while to get used to - and this is what the free version is for - but with a bit of practise you can find the gaming combinations that sell.


Slowly improving your game studio, staff and finances is remarkably rewarding - watching your fans go wild over your latest game is quite a motivator!

Get your top composer to create an epic soundtrack.

There isn't even much incentive - no upgrades to the office to waste money on, no fancy customisation options or anything like that - just better games and bigger sales.


It's a nicely-paced process, with the beginning of the game being a bit of an experimental phase where you try out a few Fantasy/Racing games (which don't work) before finding the combinations which bring in the big bucks (Action/Ninja and Adventure/Detective work well).


It's this trial-and-error gameplay that makes the game so fun - you aren't penalised too much for trying something weird (and in fact may get some extra fans just for trying it!).

If your game has high stats during development, the fans will go crazy.

+++ Suitably Challenging +++
As I've mentioned, the game has a nice pace to it. The beginning is fairly easy, allowing you to try a few things out to see what works. 


As you get further into the game, the stakes get raised much higher. The licenses you need to buy in order to develop for the new consoles are close to a year's turnover - so you need to build up a fair amount of capital before you try to develop for them. Get it right, and you'll be rolling in it. Get it wrong, and you may have to scrap the project altogether.


I found it perfectly balanced - not too challenging but you certainly need to make a big push in order to get the big prizes. After a few years' play, you can start to take home the gaming awards - best graphical design or best sound. Each has a cash prize attached and is well worth trying to win.


But the big one - the Game of the Year - is an elusive devil. Seeing some familiar-looking titles win the prize (like " The Legend of Helga", and "Dragon Crest") is quite amusing but mightily infuriating when you lose out on the top prize for the 5th year in a row.


So I gave up on the top prize - I just gave up and started developing my own console. Ha! Screw you gaming awards! I'm gonna go and make my own new toy because you've scorned me!

When you get really successful, you can forget being creative and just churn out loads of sequels.

--- Creative Block ---

So basically the game is fun and addictive - but what is wrong with it?

Well, if you like making the same games over and over - say, if you are a Nintendo employee - then you'll love this. But if you wanted to make something more unique - more personalised - then you'll be sorely disappointed. 

There's about 20 different genres combined with 20 different types. On top of that, you can assign Skill Points to areas like "Realism" and "Simplicity" to improve certain features. But you can't actually tailor ANY of the features of your games. You just choose the starting point, and let your team get on with it.

I may have preferred to have some extra input into the games I made. Things like:

• creating a lead character that could become a company mascot
• choosing settings and themes in the games - like "London" or "Underwater"
• fiddling with things like colour schemes, visual styles and the target audience.

This almost sounds petty - asking for some extra customisation options when they give you hundreds of game combos to be playing with - but this was meant to be a game where you are in charge of a game studio, so I wanted to do just that. 

It's still very much worth a play - and if you like management sims/strategy games then this is easily worth £1.60 of your money too. Or just try it for free! Man, I love Android apps....

The amount of spontaneous combustion in my office is pretty alarming.

Conclusions

It's cute, fun and a massive time-killer.

There's plenty to try out - lots of scope for playing around with different types of game - but the customisation is fairly hollow.

If you could REALLY customise the games you make (you know, kinda like you're in charge of a game studio) then this may have been my favourite game ever.


UPDATE!!!
Just after uploading the review, my game won the "Game of the Year".


Thought I'd share the final stages of my company's development with you: 


On the left, my latest console - The McWhizz.
In the middle, Dick Privates 5 (GOTY edition).
On the right, my highest rated game - 
Dick Privates 7.

Feel free to post comments or contributions to improve the experience!
Any images in this review are subject to relevant copyrights and are kindly provided by: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.kairosoft.android.gamedev3en&hl=en