The bottom line: C&C: TW is a playable game but it's not something EA mobile should be proud of. Considering its PC predecessors the game is even more of a letdown. 
When I heard there was a mobile game of the Command and Conquer series I was ready and willing to play. I mean it's C&C after all - how bad could it be? It turned out to be one of those not so rare moments when you get the answer of this unasked question and you don't like it.
The graphics are far from spectacular. Not bad, but not really good either and the Sound gets from love to hate in about 2 minutes' time. And that's not a good thing, believe me :) And while I'm on the topic intro "cinematic" are far to long, considering the actual length of the gameplay - the mission briefing can be as lengthy as the mission itself.
Now the gameplay is divided basically into two parts. The first - the "building phase" is when you build your base. This is turn-based in a way, since you're not on a time limit or anything but you're restricted by your available money, which get replenished after a mission.
The second phase of the game is the action phase where you command your forces in real time to defend your base and/or sweep the enemy.
The problem with this concept is that you're unable to repair your buildings or even call for reinforcements when you're in the action phase, which makes the game less that it could have been gameplay-wise especially when the buildings are so fragile that even one soldier can destroy them in less than a minute. 
Graphic and sound 7/10
Gameplay 6/10
Value for money 6/10
Novelty 6/10
Total 6/10
Friday, April 25, 2008
Command and Conquer: Tiberium wars mobile - a Tower defender-ish experience
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Panzer general mobile - the game that no-one really saw
Graphic and sound 9/10 The bottom line - a good but somewhat short game. If multiplayer is your thing you should probably put +2 on value and +1 on total 
You've got to give it to Gameloft - they do have strict politics for making games available only in certain regions. First it was Fatal bazooka and Tokyo nights, then - Panzer general. Those marketing decisions don't make sense to me for the most part, since the last two games would have been accepted well worldwide, but I don't pretend to be a marketing expert, even though I have a Master's degree in Marketing.
Anyway. Let's talk about Panzer general. The game rides the name of the successful turn-based strategy series and delivers a decent action-oriented turn-based experience. This time, however, you don't control armies, but units - the battle is on much smaller scale.
You have the chance to pick a side in the conflict (you'll have the chance to play with 2 or 3 selectable fractions depending on your phone) and go through series of missions with different objectives, each mission being a battle for some country on the map. In this endeavor you have to use the terrain and covers like walls and houses to get an edge over the enemy.
The game packs beautiful visuals, decent sound and great although somewhat short and linear gameplay. It even has multiplayer, giving you the chance to kick your friends' ass on different maps and in different game modes.
I can go on telling you about damage modifiers, special attacks and the option to garrison some units in buildings but I won't. If you're a fan of WW2 games and/or you like to blow stuff on the screen of your mobile - that's the game for you. Definitely. Don't be surprised, however, if the game happens to be unavailable in your country.
Gameplay 10/10
Value for money 7/10*
Novelty 7/10
Total 8/10*
Monday, March 24, 2008
Supermodel Empire - challenge the inner designer in you
Ok, I'm a little behind schedule, but it's inevitable when you start something new. Supermodel empire is just too notable to leave it without review, even though it's not really a "new" game anymore.
When I first heard of the game I expected it would be something like Nightclub Empire and Rock City Empire , which were basically one single game with two different graphic sets. So I was surprised when the game actually happened to be something different.
If I have to describe it in one sentence only than it's "Diamond quest meets Playboy the mansion (without the nudity)". If I have to add something to this description than I must add: The game looks nothing like the afore-mentioned...
So what exactly is Supermodel empire then? It is a simple, yet Sim/Strategy type game, that gives you the chance to take the role of a fashion designer and build up your fame and money, delivering collections corresponding to the trends. It sounds hard but it's actually a simple process of research (minigame that shows you parts of the attire the people look for) and creation - a process where you basically try to compose apparel, based on the info you've got from the research phase.The end result is dependent on your assistants and the model used, plus your accuracy in the photo shoot phase, but that's pretty much the basics.
How the game actually manages to be fun is a mystery, but it IS FUN, and this game designer and critic was quite surprised to find he have spent quite a few hours playing it. This being said, the game is a safe bet for all the girls out there too - I believe the non-violent gameplay and the fashion designer's premise will appeal to the less bearded and more feminine side of the humanity. Not only that but I'll be very hard pressed to think of another game, based on similar conception, so the game receives my compliments on the originality front :)
Graphic and sound 7/10
Gameplay 9/10
Value for money 9/10
Novelty 10/10
Total 10/10
The bottom line - Surprisingly recommended
