iPhone games round-up

Arvale: Journey of Illusion
Arvale was one of the first quality handheld RPG’s, so it’s not surprising to see it blaze a similar trail on iPhone. It’s not perfect, for reasons we’ll get down to, but it’s still a vast, deep and beautifully designed game.

For a start, this is an epic title, arguably the biggest game yet for Apple’s wunderkind device. With over 280 maps, spread across 6 huge continents, 200 monsters and hundreds of items to use or collect, you can expect it to last longer than the 20 hours gameplay promised by the makers.

Yes, it’s a standard RPG, so expect the usual meandering through glades and towns, solving quests and slaying enemies, but it’s all undertaken with panache – especially the interaction with NPCs that occasionally approaches the dizzy heights of Monkey Island for nonsensical humour.

There’s multiple endings and a real sense of achievement when you solve one of the main or side-missions. And all of this is accompanied by several soundtracks that amount to a good half hour of original music.

So what’s the problem? Well, it’s a straight port of the PPC original, not really optimised for the iPhone’s abilities. The 4-directional touchscreen control can be cumbersome to use in a fight and given such polished execution elsewhere, it’s a shame 8-directional or tilt control couldn’t be added.

With a bit of luck, this can be incorporated into Arvale 2, which has been out on other formats for some time.  In the meantime, this is a great RPG that more than justifies the price.

Verdict: Just a few tweaks short of a classic.  (8/10)

Dungeon & Hero
An iPhone release steals out top plaudits this month; yet more evidence of just how quickly Apple’s wunderkind is overtaking older gaming handhelds.

Dungeon & Hero is an RPG that should appeal to any fans of the genre, not just with eye-catching graphics but surprisingly well-balanced gameplay. You have a choice of 3 characters each with their own storyline, told out in static introductory text screens.

As for abilities, you know the score by now; archers and wizards are best suited to ranged attacks while the Knight is handiest in a melee.

Whichever one you chose, progress and experience is gained by defeating monsters, and retrieving the weapons, potions and trinkets they drop. The action is played out in stylised caves, dungeons and woods, resembling Square’s original Final Fantasy games from the days before they featured FMV mini-movie interludes.

With enemies ranging from the basic wolves and porcupines to the more powerful wizards and demons that pop up later, it’s easy enough to hack and slash your way around the early levels.

For progress through the main storyline, however, you’re going to have to solve a few quests which can be found in the city environments by conversing with friendly NPCs.

Being an iPhone game, of course, how it uses the touchscreen is all important. Here you move with a re-positionable onscreen d-pad, an action button used for either striking or talking and three more buttons above it that can be loaded with special actions, potions or spells.

It all works pretty well, until someone ‘phones’ you from the real world in which case the game  promptly closes – which can be a real nightmare if you forgot to save frequently. So, not all good then, but this is a step up on yer average slick-but-shallow arcade game.

Verdict: Colourful and intriguing – one of the new generation of iPhone games. (8/10)

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