My inbox was pretty lean this week. I received several press releases but I’ve been noticing some disturbing trends which lead me to believe that iOS games are converging upon being recycled clones of each other. This week I only have 4 apps to offer you, as they’re the only apps that looked remotely interesting as I browsed the iTunes top apps lists.

Call of Mini: Zombies

I know plenty of gamers who have become jaded by zombie games, but not me. When I saw CoM: Zombies in the iTunes store, I checked the reviews to see if there were any credible, negative opinions. There weren’t, so I purchased the app and gave it a spin. The game is an over-the-shoulder shooter featuring cartoony block-head characters and plenty of levels, weapons, and character upgrades.

Level environments range from hospitals to storage yards. If you’re familiar with horde mode, Call of Mini: Zombies is basically a mobile horde mode. A number of zombies spawn and your goal is to survive the wave while collecting crates of ammo and caches of money.The controls are precise and the game is just difficult enough to remain engaging, but not so difficult that I wanted to stop playing. Upgrading your character and weapons may take a while if you rely on the cash you find in-game, but the lazy can purchase in-game currency to upgrade more quickly.

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Did you read Jason I’s review of the Soniq Rush Gaming Headset Amp Kit and want one for yourself? Well, we might be able to help you out, but you need to head on over to our Twitter feed, and retweet the appropriate post. One lucky winner will receive a complete kit.

The Fourth of July has come and gone, and like every patriotic citizen, I spent a lot of money. Parting ways with my cash was a purely altruistic act, I assure you. Our economy needed my support, and I needed bike parts, iPhone games and way too much barbequed meat. The holiday brought with it sales on apps in the iTunes store, and the combination of cheap digital-downloads and a Wi-Fi connected iPod resulted in multiple late-night transactions. I’ve typically reviewed iOS games by indie developers, but this time around I have several titles from major publishers. Don’t worry. I kept it real and have titles from the underdogs too. Even though I bought some of these apps at steep discounts, you can purchase them at full price and still be rewarded by entertaining gameplay from a variety of genres.

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This week I’ve prepared for you touch-based gaming delights from a cornucopia of genres. The games’ prices range from micro-transaction based, value-priced, to just plain free. When you play as many iPhone games as I do, it’s hard to be excited about new ones. While browsing the iTunes app store, I noticed that the game selection is starting to resemble the staggering amount of free Flash games that can be found online. Sometimes you can find a game to which you become addicted, but a lot of the time it’s got the same gameplay with different graphics and quality of development. Allow me to help you navigate through the staggering amount of sub-par iOS games.

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Publisher: THQ
Developer: Volition
System requirements: Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7; 2GHz Dual Core Processor (Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon X2) or higher; 2 GB RAM; 7.5 GB free disk space; 320 MB Graphics Memory with shader model 3.0; DirectX 9 compatible sound card; DirectX 9 (10/11 recommended)
Genre: Third Person Shooter
ESRB rating: Mature
Release date: Available

It’s been 2 years since Volition developed Red Faction Guerrilla. It focused on open world gameplay, but this time around Volition has opted for linear gameplay and in-your-face weaponry in Red Faction Armageddon. It’s an interesting gamble given the success and positive feedback that surrounds the previous title, but it seems to be a gamble based on a desire to create a story and game mechanics that not only live up to the Red Faction name, but moves it forward. Does it work? Keep reading to find out.

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Publisher: Spiderweb Software
Developer: Spiderweb Software
System requirements: Windows XP/Mac OS 10.4 or later, 800 MHz CPU, 32 MB graphics card with OpenGL support, 512 MB RAM, 200 MB hard-drive space
Genre: RPG
ESRB rating: Not rated
Release date: Available now

The very first PC game I can remember being enamored with is Dune II (the second game would be Starcraft). In fact, it was Dune II that prompted me to convince my dad that our home needed a PC. My first computer was purchased during my junior year of high school (2000), and if I remember correctly, I ended up killing the hard drive by filling it full of games and other nonsense. It’s now 11 years later, and I’ve found myself transported back to a time when games weren’t regurgitated piles of cud. If you have a moment, go to Avadon: The Black Fortress developer Spiderweb Software’s website and read their Promise page. Spiderweb’s passionate manifesto is a cuff to the ears of jaded gamers everywhere. The company offers a one-year, money-back guarantee with their games, versus the usual return policy we face: “If you’ve played it, you can only exchange it for the same game.”

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I did it. I broke down and upgraded my iPhone 3G, but not to a newer iPhone. I bought a refurbished iPod Touch (4th generation). It has the newer retina display and faster processor so I can finally play the more demanding games that wouldn’t load onto my 3G. Additionally, I can finally be a part of Apple’s Game Center. Be reassured that, while I do play too many games on my iOS device, I’m nowhere near as pathetic as the person who holds the top spot in Angry Birds. Only one of this week’s apps require a 4th-generation device, but a few of them are graphics intensive, so I’ll let you know what the appropriate device is for each of those apps.

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To get back into the swing of things, this week’s App Attack is a special E3 Edition. You’ll notice a few things are different this week. First, we’re moving our App Attack release day to Thursday, and the second change is an expansion of each app’s review to two paragraphs. I felt like a single paragraph was too rushed and needed more meat. Since I got some hands-on time with some unreleased apps at E3, I’ve included them as previews. As always, these apps are only here because I’ve played them and would spend my hard earned cash on them. You should too!

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I’ve already detailed my intimidating experience on my first day of E3 so for Day Two, I think I’ll take a different approach. You saw me at my most anxious and stressed on Day One, but Day Two was a totally different experience. After seeing how well (and calmly) my colleagues at The Adrenaline Vault handled their E3 responsibilities, I decided to shadow them on Day Two. I would leverage some of Turks’s connections and experience the VIP treatment. I even walked away with a few VIP badges, which may or may not have needed to be returned, but they’ll look good on my wall. The main difference in my approach to Day Two was a focus on the experience and better time management (i.e. a lot less walking between halls).

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I never aspired to become a game reviewer, it just sort of happened. My journey began with the casual podcast download, progressed to writing iOS game reviews and has escalated beyond my expectations with my inaugural E3 experience. Attending E3 with a media pass has its perks, but if you’re not prepared, there are some pitfalls awaiting the unsuspecting noob. What started out as a nightmare, however, eventually became something that I will value the rest of my life. I’m already preparing myself for next year’s E3, but nothing will be quite as intimidating, yet ultimately transcendent, as my first time.

When I arrived at the Los Angeles Convention Center, I thought I was adequately prepared for the long day ahead of me. My calm quickly unraveled while I walked through the parking structure. The sign near the entrance read “$50/day maximum for event parking.” E3 definitely qualifies for an event, but surely I wouldn’t be charged $50 for leaving my car in this garage for the day, right? Nope, I parked in the garage for L.A. Live and parking there was considerably more expensive that the convention center parking. Rather than search out another parking garage, I decided to finish my first appointment to preview Dead Island, and then scope out more affordable parking solutions afterward.

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In light of the PC vs. Console debates and flame wars I’ve participated in this past year, I owe all of the PC gamers I’ve argued with an apology. As much as the words “I’m sorry, I was wrong” sting my lips like lemon juice on an open wound…PC gamers: “I’m sorry, I was wrong.” While I’ve never advocated console titles as being on par with the technology behind PC games, I’ve argued that the gaming experience and immersion of the two can be equal. Unlike a lot of gamers I’ve come across, I generally don’t care what system a game is on if I enjoy the experience. I thoroughly enjoyed Red Dead Redemption on my Xbox 360, but I’ll only play Left 4 Dead and Battlefield Bad Company 2 on my PC. I’m even considering buying a used Game Cube so I can revisit some GC games that I miss (unless I buy a Wii and download the titles). In my analysis, any preference of systems was either a symptom of fanboy-ism or a case of elitist syndrome.

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A wise man once said, “There is a time and place for everything,” or something to that effect. Obviously he wasn’t referring to mobile gaming, but while playing six to eight iOS games every week, I’ve realized that his nugget of wisdom applies to my gaming habits as well. This week’s diversity of apps not only reflects what developers are experimenting with on our smartphones, it also represents my attempt to fight off boredom. I’ve still been playing Tiny Wings regularly, but when I’m not, I’ve logged hours of gameplay with this week’s offerings.

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It’s been a long, tiring week, and it was slim pickings in the app department, but I think I managed to get a few games that everyone will enjoy. With all the working I’ve been doing, it’s been next to impossible to find any time for gaming on the PC or the Xbox, but my iPhone was there for quick rounds of gaming when I had rare free moments to myself. To make sure I bring you guys some of the best apps out there, I went to the iTunes game charts and picked a few out that looked unique and interesting. I play all the apps I review, and typically only one or two keep my interest in the ensuing weeks, but these five are all fun and are likely to be played in the weeks to come.

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Holy shnikies, do I have some good games for you this week. Two of them (Simple Physics and Tiny Wings) I heard about on gaming podcasts and decided to buy just for this week’s App Attack. These games aren’t as in-depth as some of the iPhone games I’ve played, but I’ve had a crappy week and a lot less time than usual. These games are perfect for when you have a few free minutes or feel like unwinding before you go to bed. They don’t require a ton of thought (except for Simple Physics, which made me feel stupid on more than one occasion), but they are challenging enough to be entertaining. I hope you pick a few of these up. If you’ve played any of them, let me know what you think!

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This week’s App Attack presents a wide range of mobile gaming genres. Just by looking at the screenshots you can see that there are some games with high production value, while others have that “indie look” going for them. I am continually surprised at what games turn out to be entertaining. Sometimes I’ll see a screenshot and think “man that game looks like garbage,” only to play it and realize that despite poor graphics, it’s actually an addictive title. Most of the picks for this week have free trial versions so you can try before you buy.

King of Frogs
King of Frogs by Playlithium is an addicting puzzle game. On the screen is an arrangment of lily pads, some are empty and some have other frogs. Your goal as the king frog is to leap over the other frogs onto empty lily pads in an attempt to make it to the goal. Most of the puzzles aren’t very challenging (I could finish them in under 20 seconds), while others can take several tries over a few minutes to solve. The free version comes with over 120 puzzles, and you can purchase additional puzzle packs once you solve them. If you like puzzlers you should definitely check this game out!

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