Ravensword : Shadowlands

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ravensword-shadowlands/id566839331?mt=8
This app is designed for both iPhone and iPad

• $6.99
• Category: Games
• Released: Dec 20, 2012
• Version: 1.0
• Size: 516 MB
• Language: English
• Seller: Crescent Moon Games LLC
• © 2012 Crescent Moon Games

Rated 9+ for the following:

• Infrequent/Mild Realistic Violence
• Frequent/Intense Cartoon or Fantasy Violence

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation), iPod touch (5th generation) and iPad. Requires iOS 5.0 or later. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.

My Thoughts
This game is a open world action rpg, very much feels like a combination of skyrim and kingdoms of amalur. You will spend your time running around, killing things, questing, looting, selling loot, buying new equipment, geming equipment, tossing spells, shooting arrows, leveling up, assigning attribute and talent points, improving your skills with various weapons and all on a handheld device. The game runs really smooth, has a few bugs here and there but nothing game stopping.

Audio feels very much skyrim like. Deep, relaxing, most npc conversations are voice acted.

Graphically this is one of the better titles. There are a few games that beat it but not many.

Controls, standard fare here. Bottom left movement analog stick. Bottom right, attack buttons. Middle area is for looking around. top center is the compass, tapping on it opens a minimap. Top left goes into the inventory/menu systems. Top right toggles first person, third person and stealth. The menu systems work smoothly, everything from settings, save, maps, journal, backpacks, stats and talent screens are at the ready.

My overall feeling is that this game just upped the bar all other rpgs on the iOS will strive to reach. The game plays great, the bugs aren't overly offensive, there's plenty to do and you can do and be all you want in the game. Skyrim in my pocket :)

Far Cry 3

Availability : PC / xBox360 / PS3

Far Cry 3. Take skyrims open go anywhere you like atmosphere and quest system. Take dead islands talent tree system and tropical feel. Toss in a good old smattering of fps'ing goodness. Add in the awesome far cry series stealth/camo system.

I spent the first 5-6 minutes watching a great intro and escape of the camp that took me, really really gives a great feel to the whole thing. 8 minutes in, I have definite motivation for killing every damn bad guy on this island.

20 minutes in I am largely cut loose from the tutorial feel and am free to do what ever I want. Main quest, lots of side quests, things to collect everywhere, animals to hunt. Bad guys to tear up. You name it. The shops in the area give discounts based on how many radio towers I've fixed so I've set about tearing up the island in a jeep hitting each tower as quickly as possible.

I did this for about 25 minutes then hit a ceiling on my wallet. Solution? Map open, custom marker for the nearest known pig grounds, 5 minutes driving... ran over a bad guy who was yelling at me in some other language, reached the hunting grounds, killed two pigs, my shots alerted a near by outpost, got in to a gun fight with a half dozen or so baddies, skinned my pigs, upgraded my wallet, took over the outpost, watched the good locals drive in and take it over, patted myself on the back for unlocking a new quick travel point.

Main villages and outposts are available for quick travel, everywhere else its on foot or behind the wheel of what ever car I can steal. Speaking of driving, there are race events and package deliveries and the like. On the list of things to do : upgrading wallet, ammo pouches, crafting arrows, making medicines, liberating outposts, shooting random asshats, rescuing friends i was vacationing with at the beginning of the game, powering up radio towers, delivering packages, lots and lots of sidequests, etc.

No loading screens with the exception of fast travel. Visually stunning, feels to me like dead island with better character models.