Author: Ed

  • Games Help – Puzzle Quest Warlords

    So you’ve got the game and you want to know what we reckon are the ultimate spells runes and characters?

    Well to be honest there isn’t a best of character in Puzzle Quest to select – all of them have they good points. So we’ve listed all the powerups we’ve got so far. Remember that the list varies according to the character you’ve picked and of course each spell and rune have different effects and mana requirements.

    Runes to add to your weapon are:
    Wind Armor
    Bravestone
    Swordbreaker
    Sheath of Ages
    Mana reserve
    Mana thief
    Serpent tongue
    The War Dancer
    Runeforged
    The Saint
    Master of war
    The mercenary
    Fatebound
    The sadist

    The list of Spells are:
    Gemberry
    Thornlash
    entangle
    Forest fire
    Evaporate
    Gust of wind
    Earthquake
    Whirlwind
    Hurricane
    Freeze
    Channel water
    Wild magic
    Mob up
    Rain of fire
    burial
    rend
    mug
    Spectral force
    Channel earth

  • Game Review – Puzzle Quest Warlords

    Puzzle Quest TN

    NAME: Puzzle Quest Warlords
    VERSION: 1.0.4
    COMPANY: Infinite Interactive/THQ
    PLATFORM: JAVA
    GENRE: RPG
    SIZE: 513 KB
    TEST PHONE: K800i
    RATING: 8/10
    DEMO:

    Welcome to the Puzzle Quest Warriors game review. This review is for the JAVA based mobile phone version of the game. You can get it for all the other consoles and PC? platforms by the time you read this review.

    This is an interesting game, as it part RPG and part matching colors games. It reminded us of a game called Archon released way back in the 80’s except that it was a chess game then a shoot’em up when pieces met. In puzzle quest it’s an RPG and when characters meet they have a matching colours game.

    Game play is initially simple until you realise that you need to learn about the other combat moves like casting spells and mana collection into order to proceed and complete the game. Additionally you will need to learn about activating or tuning runes and learning new and different spells. All these tasks are done via the matching colored gems game. Once you get the drift of the game mechanics it all becomes quite easy to remember.

    You can pick from 8 different characters with differing attributes, warrior classes and even male and female avatars. This is quite unusual in a mobile game. Each character has a different ‘featured ability’ but it largely becomes irrelevant by the time you reach the maximum level of 20 since by then you should have virtually all the spells and runes at your disposal. Even after your character reaches level 20 you can still upgrade your abilities!

    The RPG or adventure part of the game is pretty much fixed, meaning you get the same quest regardless of character, however the puzzle part of the game is quite random. That said the AI can defintiely tell when you’re on a winning streak because your opponent can get ‘suddenly’ VERY lucky with the matches – so we reckon its biased! This is good because it makes the game far more interesting to play.

    Gameplay is done very well and simple to control even on the test k800i which has the fatal flaw of dodgy joystick and poor ergonomics. We’d play the game on a Nokia or Samsung any day!

    In game sound and music is typical mobile phone MIDI ‘middle age’ theme and boring.

    Graphics are 2D but are done very well. They are usually static except for the various effects when using spells of when you’ve collected the required minimum of 3 matching puzzle pieces. The animated effects are quite effective and also well done.

    Conclusion: This is a great game however it takes a little while to bet into. Due to this it won’t attract a huge following but anyone who does get it and learns the ropes will be rewarded. It is that it is different to any other RPG style game and more a matching colors game than out right quest RPG.

    Check out our game help section for game hints.

  • Motorola models for 2007

    This is the next part in a series of reviews on the major mobile manufactuers for the 2007 range. Motorola mobiles where the top of the heap in the 90’s. Unfortunately it has been largely down hill from then.

    For 2007/2008 Motorola finally released the V8 and V9 handsets, the so called next generation to the very popular V3 series of models. Indeed if you’ve ever used them they are amazingly designed to look at and feel. Aside from the physical aspects the phone’s screen quality and calling sound quality are top spec. You’ll probably see lots of them once the price goes down a bit.

    However it all falls down when you start using the interface. The graphics even when customized by the various networks carriers look basic and down market. Sure most models work quickly but the lack of logical setting menus and the ability to customize the interface are limited or non-existent.

    Aside from these 2 models the only other models with any interest is the Q9 a Blackberry like and Windows Mobile based device and the new Z series of sliding handsets.  Since we haven’t tried the new Z series we can’t comment.

    To sum up 2008 is not going to be a good year for the maker. The competition is fierce, although none have a equally stylish flip phone. Motorola hardware is state of the art, they really need to improve the OS and to offer more functionality and more customization and software developer friendly phones. As a manufacturer all their phones work best as voice only models.

  • Sony Ericsson models for 2007

    It may seem too late to comment on Sony Ericsson’s mobile phone range but if you think about it all their 2007 models will be the most common models that will be sold this year (2008).

    2007 was a very ordinary year for the phone manufacturer.  It’s easy to see why.  The only shining light in their range was the k800 which was the halo model due to a starring or should we say product placement in the Jame Bond movie Casino Royale of 2006.   It was a genuinely good phone so much so that at least 2 of us had one during the year.  It probably did well too because everyone had a Nokia before and switching brands to try different models have always appealled to the majority of mobile phone users.

    Well, lets face it almost everyone has a Nokia of some sort and Sony Ericsson managed to tap into the ‘be different’ set with it range.   No-one wants to have the same phone as your friends. However Sony’s break didn’t last long.  They failed to update their range with the latest features the quality of designs and their materials just fell into a black hole.

    In terms of hardware Sony Ericsson models often lack 3G, Wi-Fi, GPS capabilities.  Even worse they use the rare Memory Stick M2 which is hard to find adapters for.  They so use and will continue to use propriety connectors. Their designs try to be different but are let down in the quality of materials.  Sony products used to have the best look, quality and feel.  See the k800 replacement the k850 – what a shocker.   The only saving grace is the W890 and perhaps the W910.

    In terms of software they come with all you need for calls and text messaging. Their web browser is very basic due to  their lack of 3G capable models. Customisation of the interface is also limited. Sony Ericsson phones mainly use UIQ or Symbian based OS and because they don’t offer state of the art functionality but they are very stable phones.  Standout models are their Walkman branded model are the best sounding mobiles around.  Also their Cyber-shot branded models have arguably the best mobile phone camera and picture quality.

    So for 2007 we can summarise by saying that Sony Ericssion mobile phones are good and stable but lack state of the art design or functionality.

  • Game Review – The Sims2 Castaway

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    The Sims2 Castaway
    NAME: The Sims2 Castaway
    VERSION: 1.0.8
    COMPANY: EA Games
    PLATFORM: JAVA
    GENRE: RPG
    SIZE: 457 KB
    TEST PHONE: K800i
    RATING: 6/10
    DEMO:

    Welcome to The Sims2 Castaway review. We like the Sims series games in general and although the first Sims2 games for the mobile we tried wasn’t the breakthrough we where expecting we where still happy to give the latest release a go.

    The scenario for castaway is shown in a few slides at the start of the game of how you go to the island, essentially thrown off your sailing ship where you where having a party with others due to some sort of natural disaster. I didn’t quite catch the name of the ship on the life ring but I sure it had some corporate significance. You wash ashore and have to start fending for your self.

    There are several versions of this Castaway game, namely for the Nintendo DS, PC and so forth. However this mobile version plays quite differently compared to the say – the DS version. The Sims2 Castaway for mobile phones gameplay although ties in with the other versions in that it involves collecting food and any other items lying around so we can use them later, it’s obviously less complex play.

    The story is all about how to get off the island and back to civilisation.  All the sub-quests lead up to this ending.  The quests are very simple, collect this item from that person , play mini-game to accomplish and so forth.  The locations are: The Bay, Waterfall, Beach, Cave, The Cliffs and your Camp.  Throughout the game you’ll meet the characters on the island,  Mike the geek, Sandi the snobby cook, Higgins the hid pea in the pod monkey, Leyla the fashionista and ‘So you think you can dance’ wannabe, Crazy Carl the cave and psycho treasure hunter dweller, Jeff the surfer guy, the local monkeys, and of course the Pineapple man.

    Although a reasonable game to play it doesn’t have the character development of say the Stranded game.  The games characters are supposed to represent stereo types but it just doesn’t work.  For example the surfer guy isn’t stereotypical or chilled out he comes across as sly, like wise the geek isn’t vaguely geeky, he’s just w….er hermit.  Sandi the supposedly snobby character is actually helpful.

    The game controls are easy enough to master, the game music is the usual MIDI and graphics, current industry standard. See the Larry game for one of the better graphics in a mobile phone game.

    To conclude Castaway reminded us of our favorite desert island game ‘Stranded’. However Castaway is not as good. For example, the lack of a proper introduction like in Stranded amongst a variety of other things, disappointed since this one is made by EA. You can choose to leave the island at the end of your tasks or continue to wonder around the island completing all the optional mini-tasks.  It’s a good game but spoiled by poor characters and lack of a sub-plot or interesting story line.

  • Game Review – Need For Speed ProStreet

    Need For Speed ProStreet
    NAME: Need For Speed ProStreet
    VERSION: 4.2
    COMPANY: Electronic Arts
    PLATFORM: JAVA
    GENRE: Car/Street Racing
    SIZE: 291 KB
    TEST PHONE: LG U810
    RATING: 7.5/10
    DEMO: EA Games

    Welcome to the Need For Speed ProStreet for mobiles game review. The Need for Speed series has been around over 10 years on the PC so the reputation is there. One of the better ones until the release of the Playstation based Grand Tourismo.

    EA has done a great job in translating the latest Need For Speed game to the JAVA and the mobile phone. So much so that we can’t really say anything specifically negative about the way the game plays. The graphics are as good as any other 2D racing games the icons not too big or small, sound is limited as always…

    The game has a quick race mode and a career mode which impressed us – because the file size was so small! It has the ability to customize your car with various performance additions and of course buy new cars. There are a number of different race courses to try out too!

    The game controls are very simple for a game that allows you to drift and use Nitro boost – they used to call it turbo boost in the last decade! The auto accelerate is a great feature, it even as a drift button.

    As for difficulty the game is perfect for beginners. First stages are really easy to get you started with although the course could have taken less time to complete – since it does require more concentration than the normal games. If anything we where disappointed that we only had $14,000 in cash to start with because the cheapest car to the career mode in costs $8,000. This is a mobile phone game guys it doesn’t need to be that realistic.

    Overall a very good racing game but nothing really different to set it apart from any other good racing game. At least you won’t regret paying  for this one.

  • Game Review – Monopoly Tycoon

    Monopoly Tycoon
    NAME: Monopoly Tycoon
    VERSION: 0.0.5
    COMPANY: Mforma Group
    PLATFORM: JAVA
    GENRE: Board game
    SIZE: 291 KB
    TEST PHONE: Sony Ericsson K800i
    RATING: 7.5/10

    Welcome to the review of Monopoly Tycoon for JAVA. Although we enjoy the physical Monopoly board game we have never enjoyed the mobile version -because it doesn’t well to the small mobile phone screen. So When Monopoly Tycoon was released we happy to give it go.

    Tycoon is a really simple game to get into. We where hooked after the first game. It is not like the regular Monoploy game but an extension. Essentially you are micro managing the streets that you have bought with businesses and hotels.

    Game play is turn based. One turn to buy and another to build and another to manage. The situation for each street changes so building the right type of buildings and businesses will win you the game. There are 5 game types so you won’t get bored for a little while. All are challenging and open ended. Money management is key in this game so watch how much you spend.

    The game AI pits you against 2 other computer characters.  One of them is usually not very smart so you end up with one one computer opponent.  The remaining AI player can be quite tough to beat if you are slack!

    Game controls a simple to buy the streets, utilities or building or changing businesses. Use the navigation keys and the center button to activate the various options.

    Graphic quality unfortunately a let down. Sure there are animations of construction and people but the lack of quality in the actual graphics is a let down. For example there is very little difference between a low quality building and a high quality building.  We understand there are different versions catering for the specifications of phones so we may have just been sent the basic version.  Regardless the K800i we tested it on isn’t short on power.

    Music is likewise simple and quite catchy but repetitive just like any other mobile phone game.

    Overall a good game that shows that game play does overcome other traditional short falls of mobile phones games. We liked it and you probably will too. It’s not a classic or ‘must have’ but it’s not a complete waste of your $$$ either. Fun to play.

  • Stranded Walkthrough Chapter 2

    Stranded
    We feel that the Stranded game by Glue is a classic adventure game for the mobile so we are continuing with the walk through.Chapter 2 – We Are Not Alone

    Once you’ve completed the tasks in the first chapter Mike the policeman decides that its time to search for the missing girl, Stephie. To help he’s cut down some bushes so you can proceed to the newly unlocked area north of the beach. You have to look for the girl because he’s far too busy with making a raft, which you can actually see part of it on the beach at this stage. Besides he’s not ‘brave’ enough to go into the dark and scary ‘Western forest’.

    Before you go heading of to the the new area make sure you recover your health by eating some of the fish you’ve been cooking. Once ready head off to the forest. You’ll notice the change in scenery and some small plants on the ground – pick them up because they’re rosemary which will help you out later. You’ll also see some pig type animals and more chickens running around. Remember to leave some fish uncooked for other tasks later in the adventure.

    The mysterious stone statues are to the east then north. Check them out if you haven’t already done so.

    The girl – Stephie is to the west so head that way. She will be with a native boy called Tuvu. She doesn’t seemed too impressed to see you because she was having an excellent time with the natives. More to the point she only mildly happy that you’re going to take her back to her mom. As you can probably understand why – her mom Emily has one or more loose screws in the head. Stephie is 9.5 years old apparently.

    Take her back to camp and talk to everyone again. Stephie will remind you to talk to the young native boy Tuvu about hunting. The easily freak-me-out doctor Isabelle is now worried about the strange sounds she’s been hearing coming from the forest. Scary lady – wake up! forests make lots of strange sounds. She seems worried about your health -ohh. Funny considering she doesn’t have any children perhaps she likes you… but do you want to be with a freak-a-minute lady?

    Ian the cook now has a task for you! He wants a Sea Bass 2 potatoes and a turnip for a tasty meal. No need to rush in completing this task but you will need to eventually. Mike now wants an axe.

    Go back to the forest clearing and back to Tuvu he’ll give you a bow and arrows. In return you’ll have to hunt 2 chickens and 1 pheasant or grouse for him. You’ve only got 100 arrows so do this task quickly so you can get more stuff when the village area is unlocked. Hunting is easy, so hunt away until you run out of arrows. Then go back to Tuvu and go to his village. Talk to everyone to find out the trade prices for various items. Then start cooking the stuff you caught and begin trading for stuff you need.

    The chief will have a chat and then its time to trade the stinky fish, chickens and boars you’ve been hunting. To get more $$$ or the local current of shells cook the stuff you’ve been hunting on the fire. One of the tribe ladies – Kimi will ask you to kill some snakes in the bay for her and Timi the other lady the rosemary for some seeds. Complete the tasks for extra shells. You don’t have to rush out straight away to complete the snake task but you will need to do them eventually.

    The men of the tribe will trade you an axe so get that first . You may be thinking of ridding the world of the freak-a-minute lady or the other moronic members of your tribe… nah unfortunately you can’t get rid of them just yet… its for cutting down trees for wood. You need wood for the slave driver Mike, to make more arrows and fruit – of course. Hopefully you’ve collected enough stuff to trade for the axe and high level items like the Warrior’s Bow and Warriors Fishing rod at the same time. (2100shells in total) These items will make hunting and collecting so much easier. With the spare change (shells) buy some seeds because you’ll need them to make Ian’s Fish stew. 1 sea bass, potatoes and turnip!

    Complete the rosemary task to get some seeds then trade shells for some more. Head back to camp to plant them. They grow pretty quick so once grown collect the plants and complete the Fish Stew task.

    OK some strategy to speed things up.

    Chop trees for wood and fruit.
    Don’t worry about the trees as they grow back
    By the time you head back to camp or where ever you are.
    Talk to Mike who asks for 15 wood – thankfully you ben collecting them.
    This unlocks the work place mode where you can make you own arrows.
    Go back to camp and plant the seeds.
    Loose screws, Emily has been making pots to plant them.
    Make arrows with the hard wood – 50 per log.
    You’ll need about 1000 arrows all up in the game.
    Your Tardis like back pack can store everything.
    Hunt with upgraded equipment for as long as possible before completing the required tasks.
    You’ll need more shells and food to trade and survive.
    5000 shells acquired after the purchase of the upgraded bow and fishing rod should be fine for the rest of the game.
    Collect some extra rosemary if you can I think there are only 8 bunches.
    Remember not to use the extra one’s you got after the initial trade – you’ll need them later.
    As for seeds you’ll need to buy them.

    You’ll also need melons grown from seeds to make the fruit salad to impress the tribe and trade for more shells. Keep growing stuff from the seeds – the plants that grow from them are random.
    Now it’s also time to make the fish stew for Ian.

    Once complete head back to the village to trade all your hunted and fished and cooked goods – adding substantially to the inflation of the native island currency I might add… Now do the other task set by the other lady in the village to rid the bay of 6 snakes.
    You only have to kill 6 so it shouldn’t take too long if you have the upgrades.
    High and low tide hamper your movements but there are tunnels.
    She’ll give you 100 shells for your effort.

    The completion of the village quests triggers the next chapter.

    On the way back to camp Mike has something to say.
    Apparently the clumsy oaf has lost the knife or rather he claims that some one has stolen it!

    Chapter 3 walk trough coming soon!

  • Game Review – Art Of War

    Art Of War N.A.C
    NAME: Art Of War N.A.C
    VERSION: 1.0.8
    COMPANY: Gear Games
    PLATFORM: JAVA
    GENRE: Real Time Strategy RTS
    SIZE: 457 KB
    TEST PHONE: K800i
    RATING: 7.5/10
    DEMO: Art Of War

    Welcome to the Art Of War for Mobile phone game review. The Art of War is basically a Command and Conquer (PC) clone. You build our type and number of forces from resources that you gather then destroy the enemy. The game even has a C&C like story line.

    Graphics reminded us of the original C&C over ten years ago so it not state of the art- even for a mobile phone but perfectly adequate for this genre. The icons are on the small side which is fair enough given the limited mobile phone display. But we feel a little more details or redesign could make it stand out more. Music is generic MIDI.

    Gameplay is Real Time Strategy so you need to work quickly before your forces are decimated by the enemy. Finding resources and building sufficient force does take a while so you will find it challenging. Each stage is over very quickly if you get the balance right. The game arena or real estate was surprisingly large. However the game ended quite abruptly just when we thought we where 1/2 way through. There are only 6 stages all up.

    Game controls are simple but you really need a phone with a joystick or properly designed navigation key to make the most of the game. For example the K800i and most new Nokia’s. Some unexpected features included the ability to group your forces and a number of different, a mini-map zoom feature and clearly defined buildings.

    It didn’t take very long to get in to the game. Unfortunately there are some issues mainly due to the small screen and timing which means that you really need to concentrate to win one or two stages. The cause was the AI of your troops – that said overall the AI was very good even the enemy forces.

    The variety of unit types to build was very good for a mobile phone game.  4 moving units and 2 stationary defensive units.  Personally they could have added one more – an air based unit would have really impressed us.

    We liked the Art of War and recommend it to any one who wants a RTS for your mobile phone. It is challenging if you use the higher difficulty level setting. Using easy level settings we could complete the game except for the last level in one try. The ending was disappointing since it’s not really an ending