Archive for the 'Strategy' Category

Direct Link : Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars
Publisher : Astraware

Price : $29.95

Graphics : 9.5 Out of 10
Sound : 9 out of 10
Gameplay : 9 Out of 10
Longevity : 8.5 Out of 10
Overall : 9 Out of 10

Sometime a review can take a while to complete. This can be due to other working commitments, or one of a multitude of other reasons. Sometimes however the reason is the classic, one more go syndrome. With Broken Sword however, it’s not quite the one more go scenario, as you don’t get vanquished by your foes and have to start all over again. Here it’s the need to progress further and further into the game, of course to be able to report on all the goodness within.

First off let me say this game is gorgeous. From the absolutely amazing graphics, to the smooth animation, and wonderful sound effects and spoken dialogue. Admittedly the dialogue can at times be really cheesy, but it’s totally in keeping with the game and at times provides some light relief.

This is a game that’s relatively hungry for storage space. The game itself needs 115 megabytes, with a recommended 250 megabytes for the purpose of installation. No problem here, fortunately as I have a 4 gigabyte CF card in my Pocket PC, so this wasn’t an issue, but it’s worth noting, if you are a bit short of the necessary space.

For anyone who’s played a point and click adventure, the gameplay will be pretty familiar. After cut scenes or interaction with characters, you can click on items strewn about the scene, to find out more information or interact with the item, or click in the direction you wish to travel, i.e., through a door, or up a flight of stairs. You can also interact with a range of characters in the game, from stuffy police, to the delightfully dotty and eccentric and this interaction is vital to unlocking information and clues, to allow you to progress further in the game.

The basic storyline begins with you, George Stobbard a vacationing American, outside a café in Paris, just after an explosion in which a man is killed inside. You take it upon yourself to investigate further and start to uncover a terrifying conspiracy. The game is a remake of one previously available on the PC and Playstation, but you wouldn’t have guessed it. This isn’t a straight, let’s make money port, as there has been some amazing attention to detail and indeed gameplay. This game plays like a charm and you never feel like it’s a game that’s been mindlessly shoe horned into the Pocket PC.

As I mentioned before, I would have reviewed this earlier, but I wanted to at least get far enough into the game, to be able to give an informed opinion. Well that opinion is in and it’s all good. I’m not sure how far I’ve got in the game, but I’ve had enough “ah ha” moments, to fuel the desire to continue further. Indeed even after this review is put to bed, I feel like I’m going to have to finish this game, otherwise it will be one of those things burning away in the back of my mind.

I can’t really think of a single thing to criticise this game. Yes the price of the game is a little high at a tad under $30, but the overall experience and gameplay really pale the cost into insignificance. This really is one of those games you love to have, just to show off what a Pocket PC can do, to your friends and collegues.

Conclusion : This is just an amazing game, with that great immersive quality. In fact I’d sometimes forget that I was playing on a small Pocket PC screen, especially when wearing headphones. Certainly not a game you are going to walk straight through, but the difficult level seems to be set just about right. An absolute must for your Pocket PC games collection.

Direct Link : Napoleonix
Publisher : Inscenic

Price : $12.95

Graphics : 7 Out of 10
Sound : 6 out of 10
Gameplay : 9 Out of 10
Longevity : 8 Out of 10
Overall : 7.5 Out of 10

Having been a great fan of Inscenic’s previous games, I was excited to get my hands on Napoleonix, which is apparently based on a board game called Stratego, a game I’ve certainly heard of, but never actually played. The game is based on grid, with each side having playing pieces of varying strengths. The lower a playing pieces value, the stronger it is, so for instance an attacking piece with a value of [4] would vanquish a piece of higher value. If you attack a piece of equal value, they are both removed from the playing field. The ultimate goal of the game is to capture your opponents flag.

Napoleonix is a turn based game, which has many of the hallmarks of chess, requiring you to really plan many moves ahead. Upon starting a game you must choose whether you want to play as Napolean Bonaparte or Mikhail Kutuzov. You also have to choose on which map you want to play, either Waterloo, which is played on a 10×10 grid and uses standard Stratego rules, or Borodino, which is played on a 15×10 grid, which has a fake flag and a brave. For each map you can also select a combination of the following options :

• Bring Flag
• Slow Scouts
• Strong Spies

There are also 3 difficulty levels, Easy, Medium and Hard. Easy is where I started and managed to win 1 of my many early attempts. Playing pieces have different properties depending on their value. Most units can move 1 space vertically or horizontally. Scouts, with a value of [9] can move the entire length or width of the playing area, as long as the destination cell isn’t blocked. This option can also be disabled by selected the Slow Scout option before beginning a game. Once a piece has moved it can not go back to it’s former position on the next turn, unless it has just made an attack.

Spies [S] can defeat the most power Marshal [1] units. When the Strong Spy option is selected, Marshal cannot defeat spy even if he attacks first. Spies however are vulnerable to attack from every other unit. Brave[*] can defeat any unit, but vanishes with the enemy. Any unit can defeat a Brave, if it attacks first. Mines are stationary, but if a player lands on them they are removed from the playing area. Sappers [8] can disarm mines and remain in play. These can become vital in later gameplay, as all too often your opponent has shrouded his flag in mines, making it difficult for you to get to it.

Initially all enemy units are hidden, however once a unit is under attack or initiates an attack it reveals itself. Depending on the map, there are either 1 or two flags (a real one and a fake one) for each side. If the Bring flag option is selected, it needs to be moved to your first line, to determine if it’s real or fake. There are also squares that act as immovable squares, forcing you to wend your way round them.

Whilst playing the game you can select 1 of two views. The game piece view has some great graphics, showing each piece in all it’s majesty, but it’s just too confusing to play for very long. The other view is the more traditional grid view, showing each piece as it’s numeric value. This may not be the most inspiring of views, but it really allows you to concentrate on the task at hand.

Before each game commences, you are given the opportunity to place [disposition] all of your pieces on the grid, something akin to setting up for a game of battleships. Alternately you can just opt to play using the games previously randomly generated positions.

I originally received the game at the beginning of February. By the end of February, there was a sizable update, which added a new campaign mode, vastly adding to the games longevity. Also added were 8 ranks and 21 medals for you to earn. The game also now boasts sound effects and in game music, which was previously missing. The music is nice and ambient, not causing a distraction at all. There are also numerous tweaks and speedups.

Conclusion : A relatively simple game to gets the grasp of, but one that really develops as you become accustomed to the rules and begin to really think through your strategies. The graphics are crisp and clean, but as mentioned earlier, I much preferred the very simple view. With the added campaign mode, $12.95 starts to look like a real bargain. Another great addition to the Inscenic product line.

Direct Link : Galaxy Gate
Publisher : Inscenic

Price : $7.95

Graphics : 7 Out of 10
Sound : 7 out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 8 Out of 10
Overall : 7.5 Out of 10

You can always tell a good game. It’s the one that over the years, keeps coming back again and again. I’m not saying that as anything against Galaxy Gate, it just goes to prove that simple gameplay is sometimes much better than all the latest bells and whistles. Just take a look at Tetris for a case in point. In fact, I think that being able to describe a game in just a sentence or two, is a great testament to a games design.

The gaming pedigree of Inscenic, Galaxy Gate’s publisher cannot be denied. They are the company behind one of one favorite Pocket PC games of all time, Warring Nations, so it was with nervous excitement that I installed the game. OK so this is no Warring Nation, but it’s not designed to be. This is a puzzle game, pure and simple, but that’s about the only simple thing in this devious game.

The basic premise of the game is to collect all the gems in a 9×7 grid. However if it was as simple as that, you’d probably only play this game a couple of time. The 9×7 grid is filled with crates that can contain either contain gems or bombs. You must determine what they contain, by firing your laser across a row or column. If it hits a gem, the laser beam will deflect and change colour, to either green, blue, or red. If it hits a bomb, the beam will still deflect and change to yellow. Your job is to collect all the gems and mark all the bombs for deactivation. Whilst the gameplay is deceptively simple, it soon progresses at a rapid pace. I like to think I’m pretty good at these games, but man I’m not half as good as I thought I was, but you know what they say, practice makes perfect.

As always the presentation is top notch. The graphics are bright and colourful, if a little on the simplistic side. The sound is also very well done, with some great spot effects and some really groovy music. Registered users also get a game editor, allowing them to create their own levels. The only niggly point I had with the whole game is that I would often click on a bomb location, without first having the bomb locater selected, thus ending my game. If there were some kind of confirmation before clicking on each square, that would be a good way to prevent this, but you’d need a way to switch that off, if it got too annoying.

Conclusion : This is one of those games, where you just need one more go. At just $7.95 this is a must buy, as it will keep you entertained for hours.

Direct Link : Warring Nations
Publisher : Inscenic

Price : $14.95

Graphics : 9.5 Out of 10
Sound : 9 out of 10
Gameplay : 10 Out of 10
Longevity : 9.5 Out of 10
Overall : 9.5 Out of 10

Set in medieval times, Warring Nations gives you the opportunity to rule and expand your empire by any means necessary.

You begin the game by selecting who you wish to play as. You can choose to play as the Franks; Germans; Italians; Normans; Saxons; Slavs and Spanish. Each nationality gives you 3 rulers to choose from, except the Saxons where you are presented with 5. The range of historical characters you can play as include Robin Hood; Richard the Lion Heart; Joan of Arc and Pope Julius II. Choosing a character isn’t just a matter of choosing a name you like. No, each character has varying skill levels for each criteria, Combat, Spy, Diplomacy, Trade and Building to which each has a value of between 0 and 4, so choose carefully.

Once your character is selected, you choose to select to play on one of three maps of different sizes, populations and opposing players and can also select from 4 different levels of difficult, Trivial, Easy, Normal and Hard. There are also additional maps you can download from the website, giving an enormous boost to the playing longevity.

You then finally need to select whether you want the resources in the game map to be random or stay with the predefined settings and lastly how many players you want to play against, between 2 and 5.

So you’re all fired up and ready to go, now the real fun begins.

For anyone who’s played Risk (the game of world domination) before, the basic gameplay will be fairly familiar. The map is split into several pieces, these are provinces and the provinces are split into further smaller lands. Build up your forces and take over freeland to build your empire. When you feel you have sufficient forces, start to attack opposing sides by either plundering money or taking control of the land and adding it to your empire. All this happens in a turn based fashion, so you make various decisions, end your turn and one by one, the opposing players do the same.

The first thing that hits you is the superb graphics, that goes for both the standard 240×320 QVGA and the 480×640 VGA versions. During the gameplay there’s many things to tweak and play with, but this almost becomes second nature, due to the thought that has been put into the user interface.

This is such an amazing game, with so many facets, it’s almost impossible to go into any great depth. Suffice to say, if you like Risk or any kind of world domination or God game, you will definitely enjoy Warring Nations.

Conclusion : This is almost the perfect game. I say almost, but just can’t part with that elusive 10 out of 10. Every game has some room for improvement, but with Warring Nations, we’re talking minor tweaks, rather than radical changes. Surely an all time classic game for the Pocket PC.

Direct Link : Kakuro
Publisher : Jobro Software

Price : $6.00

Graphics : 5 Out of 10
Sound : 5 out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 8 Out of 10
Overall : 6.5 Out of 10

So you Sudoku do you? Well my friend, prepare yourself for a new mental challenge. Kakuro is yet another Japanese craze, this is at first glance similar, but Kakuro adds a mathematical element, which if you weren’t mental before, you will be after.

Kakuro comprises of a playing area with filled and empty cells. Some of the filled cells are blank with a diagonal line. On either or both sides of the line is a number. If the number is on the top right, the blank cells to the right have to add up to this value. The numbers that go to make the total cannot be duplicated. Similarly the same rules apply for the numbers in the bottom left of a diagonal, but this time the empty cells below comprise the total.

This is a difficult game to review as I’m so bloody awful at it, having only completed 1 puzzle in about 30 and that’s at the easiest level. The game layout is simple and concise, with few of the frills that have made the Sudoku games such a hit. However this kind of game doesn’t require lots of bells and whistles, as the game play is so absorbing. You may find that the Wikipedia entry for Kakuro helps with solving the puzzle, you can read it here.

Conclusion : Please don’t be put off by the relatively low overall score. This game does not need flashy graphics and sound and at just $6 you can’t go wrong. Hopefully you can do a bit better than me. I’m sure you can’t do any worse.

Direct Link : Chuzzle
Publisher : Astraware

Price : $19.95

Graphics : 7 Out of 10
Sound : 7 Out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 8 Out of 10
Overall : 7.5 Out of 10

Take some cute balls of cuddliness. Add them to a puzzle with a basic premise. Give four different modes of play and what are you left with? Mmmm, corset wearing, grid filling Tribbles? No Chuzzle of course.

OK, so Chuzzle isn’t going to win any awards for originality, but it more than makes up for that with sheer playability. Chuzzles of different colours, fill a 6×6 grid. The basic idea of the game is to slide a row or column to make a group of 3 Chuzzles or more. Where this game differs from games of a similar style, is you can slide a row or column the total width or height of the grid, Chuzzles can wrap to the other side of the screen, but the move only sticks if a group of three or more is made.

There are four modes of play.

• Classic Chuzzle : match the Chuzzles and watch them pop to gain a high score
• Speed Chuzzle : play against the clock to match Chuzzles until time runs out
• Mind Bender : solve the Chuzzle puzzles to match the pattern on screen
• Zen Chuzzle : a gentle endless game where you match Chuzzles to earn magical charms

There is also a special Bechuzzled mode to unlock, but how you do this, I don’t know. I imagine it has something to do with the different trophies you can win during the course of a game that get added to your trophy cabinet. The trophies are awarded for feats such as playing an entire game without hints; making a triple combo and popping seven Chuzzles as one group.

During the game you’ll encounter Chuzzles with different properties, Giant Chuzzles; Super Chuzzles and Rainbow Chuzzles which all carry their own special effects and bonuses.

Conclusion : For all puzzle fiends, Chuzzle has a very interesting twist on this style of puzzle game. With four different modes of play and an additional fifth mode to unlock, there is plenty of lasting gameplay. Graphics and sound are very nicely done and enhance the game playing experience nicely.

Direct Link : Super Miners
Publisher : Infinite Dreams

Price : $9.98

Graphics : 7 Out of 10
Sound : 8 Out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 9 Out of 10
Overall : 8 Out of 10

Ah my childhood days are once again rekindled. Super Miners has the same basic premise as that age old game Boulderdash. The idea of the game is to travel around each of the 100 scrolling screens, collection all of the gems there are dispersed liberally. Where Super Miner differs is that a well as having all of the modern features of a modern day incarnation, it also features a whole range of power ups, befitting a super hero/heroin. Yes you play through the many levels as either Rusty(female) or Drill(male). Whilst the different characters have no gameplay differences, it’s nice to see girls being given the opportunity to play as girls.

One feature I really love is the in game tutorial. Yes there is a 17 page user guide available on the website, but there’s nothing like learning how to play a game, whilst actually playing the game. So you begin the game by going through the tutorial levels. This gives a nice slow introduction to the mechanics of the game, but don’t be fooled, it still requires some thinking and manual dexterity to proceed to the next level.

Each level comprises of a virtual screen that is larger than the physical screen. This screen scrolls around as you move to reveal the previously hidden elements of the level. Jewels are distributed around the screen for you to collect. Once you have collected the pre-requisite amount, a green swirling mist appears, move over this and you have completed the level. Collecting jewels isn’t child’s play. They along with rocks and boulders can fall on you, ending that attempt at the level. The further you get into the game, the harder the levels become. As with Boulderdash you can push single rocks out of your way, but unlike Boulderdash, you can also be bestowed with many other powers, once you collect the power-ups dotted around the levels. These power-ups include fireballs, magic ball, teleports, ghosts portals and many others. To further spice things up a big, the levels are also timed. Run out of time and you are out of luck.

Conclusion : This is an absolute gem(oops no pun intended) of a game. The graphics whilst small, are very well done and the sound enhances the game nicely. With over 100 levels of gameplay, it’s going to take a while to complete this game, especially with the additional multiplayer options.

Direct Link : Enigmo
Publisher : Aspyr

Price : $14.99

Special Requirements : Dell X50V/X51V Only

Graphics : 9 Out of 10
Sound : 8 Out of 10
Gameplay : 8 Out of 10
Longevity : 9 Out of 10
Overall : 8.5 Out of 10

It seems good game ideas never die, they just lie forgotten until some bright spark, realizes what a good idea they were and resurrects them. Enigmo is a case in point. For anyone that remembers the excellent series of games in the 90s called Contraption, Enigmo will certainly be no stranger. In fact this is the second game of it’s ilk reviewed on “Games for PPC” so far, the other being Obulis, but this time the objective centers around fluids and not balls.

Let me get this caveat out of the way before going any further. This game is only available for the Dell Axim X50V and I assume X51V, this is due to the game requiring the extra graphics power that the Axim offers. Yes folks, not only is this a visually stunning game, but it’s in 3D, taking advantage of the Intel 2700G multimedia accelerator.

So what does Enigmo have in store. The basic premise of the game is to use various kinds of bumpers and slides to direct the different fluids (oil, water and lava) into their respective containers. With over 50 levels to complete and a whole host of additional levels to download from the website, this is a game that’s going to keep you occupied for a long, long time.

Nearly everything in this game has been well thought out, from the graphics and sound, to the gameplay and gaming levels. I’ve been playing this game on and off for a couple of weeks and I’m still only on level 10. I do however wish this game had some tutorial levels and indeed any kind of in game instructions. This almost led me to giving up on the game, but with a little perseverance, I slowly managed to work out what I need to do. If I had to think of any criticism, it’s that the positioning of the bumpers and slides can be a little fiddly. I also had a problem, in that a couple of times, a bumper or slide would disappear from the selection area on the left of the screen and place itself somewhere on the screen, my problem was then finding it.

For a game requiring the extra power of the Dell Axim X50V, it runs remarkably smoothly. The game launches very quickly and the gameplay itself is very smooth.

Conclusion : This is an excellent game for all puzzle lovers. I have to say, this is one of the most visually stimulating games I’ve seen in a long time . It’s a well rounded game, with lots of longevity.

Direct Link : Girders
Publisher : Smart Mobile Games

Price : $14.95

Rating : 9 out of 10

If you want a game that sounds as interesting as watching paint dry, then Girders is your game. However all is not as it seems. Yes building bridges and towers, doesn’t sound too enticing at first, but from the opening level it just sucks you in.

Now I’m no architect, but I know that one of the strongest shapes is a triangle, especially in building, so off I go throwing in as many triangles into my bridge, as I can, but that only gets you so far.

The first level gives you 7 girders to span 30 metres. Pretty easy stuff, and quite possible with 2 girders. However each completed level gives you a breakdown of how well your bridge performs, maximum stress; minimum stress; average stress and fatalities. You can go back to all levels later to increase the performance of your bridge and improve your bridges score.

As the difficulty level progresses, the length of the required bridge increases (as does the amount of girders offered) and the terrain on which you get to build your bridge gets rougher. Should your bridge succumb to your inadequacies then you get to watch your poor passengers become shark food in the river below.

In addition to building bridges, there is also another mode of play where you get to build towers of predefined height. This provides similar gameplay, but with a number of different hazards including wind and earthquakes (in later levels). Now let me tell you building towers is a lot more difficult than building bridges.

As your bridges and towers are tested, you can see the weak areas as these flash red, to let your know the areas that need attention. You can keep tweaking your bridge or tower as much as you like, but you can only proceed to the next once the level has been completed.

Conclusion : Yes this isn’t your normal run of the mill game, but wow, what a doozie. The graphics are adequate for the purpose, the physics engine spot on. As well as 20 levels of bridge building, there are 10 levels of tower building, so there’s a ton of variety . This is one of those games, that you must try, especially if you like a game that challenges your mind. Isambard Kingdom Brunel eat your heart out.

Direct Link : Aeon of Discovery
Publisher : Trisystech

Price : $9.95

Genre : Strategy/Simulation

Rating : 9 out of 10

The Pocket PC is the prefect system to handle turn based games. Aeon of Discovery is a near perfect turn based game, with the emphasis on simplicity. You choose one of four maritime powers, either England, France, Spain or Portugal and colonize the 31 territories of the new world during the 15th century. You have many obstacles in your way including 31 different native tribes, pirates, plagues and enemy raids.

While you are building up your colony, the computer controlled opponents are doing the same. You each get along in your own way, until sooner or later your paths cross and then you either form an alliance or go to war.

The idea of the game is to become the supreme ruler wiping out all other civilizations. This is easier said than done, but then you do want to be challenged, don’t you?

The first thing you need to decide on is whether you want to colonize or trade with an area that’s indicated with a country scene icon, or send some of your men and an explorer into the unknown areas. The benefits of exploring are potentially large, but then so are the dangers. Once an area is colonized, you can then decide whether you want to:

• Hospital : To treat your territory if an outbreak of the plague occurs (You only get this option if your territory is developed enough)
• Develop : Upgrade your infrastructure, which costs a set amount of money for each development point.
• Coerce : Force the natives of your colony to do your bidding. Basically this forces the natives to be your slaves, creating an income
• Gift : Gice the natives a gift to appease them
• Garrison : Fortify your land against attack
• Attack : Attack the natives of your colony
• Delegate : Hand over 75% of the territories revenue in exchange for the mayor running things for you.

During your turn you can also hire colonists, soldiers, slaves and ships, but this comes at a cost. Each colony has the means to provide money and food to sustain you.

You can also choose to enter your opponents territories and either:

• Raid : Send in explorers and soldiers to attack. If successful, this can lead to plundered loot and the control of the territory.
• Diplomat : Send in a diplomat to negotiate terms of friendliness
• Tribute : Send a monetary gift to appease your opponent

Although the gameplay is relatively simple, when compared to games like the PCs Civilization, there’s still enough to do, to keep you occupied. I started an easy game, to find my feet about 6 days ago and I’m still playing. Mind you most of the screen now shows it’s controlled by me, so I have global domination to look forward to soon. It’s early days yet to determine how effective my gameplay is, but it seems to be working. I usually take control of a territory and then heavily develop and fortify and build a hospital as soon as I can. Once I’ve done that, I wipe out all of the natives and then move onto the next territory.

As of yet, I haven’t concentrated on my fleet of ships, but it seems that I can pretty much let them run themselves on the easy level.

Finally let us not forget the taxman. Every 10 years, the King asks for his pound of flesh (levied ta) and it usually entails you having to dip into your own fortunes if you don’t have enough in the treasury, which you acquire by raiding and coercing the natives. Your personal fortunes are not taxable, but you need to do your bit to send money back to the homeland. In return the King gives you ships, solders, colonists and slaves.

Conclusion : This game is an excellent example of value for money. Not only do you get excellent game play, but you also get real depth. The graphics are a bit on the basic side, but the music is very atmospheric. My only warning is that you can get engrossed pretty quickly and it’s sometimes hard to put the Pocket PC down, but that’s a complaint I can live with

Direct Link : Obulis
Publisher : IonFX

Price : $7.99

Rating : 9 out of 10

There’s many different genre of games, but the Pocket PC seems to excel at puzzle/strategy games. This isn’t to say that action games aren’t possible, but with limited input possibilities, it’s no surprise that games that stretch the gray cells, are plentiful.

Obulis is one of those games that’s just done perfectly, from the graphics and sound, to the actual gameplay. It’s one of those games, that’s a joy to play and has that also important “Just One More Go” factor.

To anyone that’s every played Contraption on the PC, Obulis will come as no stranger. The idea of the game is to get the coloured balls into the pots. This is done by cutting a series of chains and ropes to unleash various objects that obey the laws of physics and produce a typical cause and effect. The first puzzle is extremely simple, but aims just to get you used to the controls. You have a single rope, with a pot under it. Just click on the rope and then on the scissor icon, to cut the rope. The ball is released and ends up in the pot, level over.

The game gets progressively more difficult and sometimes it seems that the puzzle are impossible, but bit by bit, you manage to somehow work out what to do.

Conclusion : I love finding a game, that just does everything right. It’s a pleasure to play and a game that I will definitely be purchasing. The downloadable trial version comes with the first 9 levels and at just $7.99 this game is a steal.