Battleheart

iOS devices (2/7)
$2.99 (price drops occasionally to $1)

Battleheart has an undeniable charm about it.  While there is literally no story, you guide 4 characters (out of a dozen) through various stages until a final showdown with the face of evil.  Simple in style yet surprisingly deeper then one would expect, Battleheart had me draining my iPhone battery consistently.  Aside from the instantly likeable sprites, the game has surprising amounts of detail to abilities and animations.  I was amazed at the variety of enemies and different powers each party member possessed and enjoyed level grinding just to unlock new ones.  This is also another area that Battleheart excels in that it incorporates it's RPG elements very smoothly.  Each character starts at a low level but every 4-5 levels gained, they are granted a new ability.  Some may be passive, while others are activated by pushing the character and an icon appearing in the upper-left corner of the screen.  Finding party members that compliment eachother is a very rewarding experience and I found myself needing to switch out my knight because he didn't mesh well with others playstyles. 

This isn't to say that there aren't issues with the game, but they are more irritating then problematic.  One nuisance I have is the imprecise way to control each character and their powers.  You must first tap a character to bring up their powers and sometimes you must direct powers (especially projectiles) towards specific enemies.  I often found myself controlling the wrong character or healing the wrong person due to a lack of accuracy.  However, this didn't occur frequently and I didn't feel like it took too much away from my overall experience, but felt the need to address it.  Perhaps they'll release a patch with an alternate control scheme for those with big fingers?

FINAL GRADE: A-

What more could you really want from an iOS title?  Great graphics, a decent variety of characters and enemies, and a great system incorporating RPG elements.  Even after beating the final boss players are welcomed to test new characters out and continue searching for better weapons and gear.  

Why Haven't You Played This Yet? #4

Legendary Wars by Liv Games
iPhone/iPod/iPad
$2.99 .99c

Are you a fan of Plants vs Zombies or tower defense games in general?  Are you a cheap person who insists on paying no more then $1 for games?  If you answered yes to either one of those questions then download Legendary Wars NOW.  Normally priced at $3, they're doing a sale and I happily picked the title up.  After putting some time into it I can say that it truly is a lot of fun.  Many reviewers have stated that this game is actually better then PvZ and to that claim, I disagree.  Plants vs Zombies has an unrivaled charm that anyone regardless of age can enjoy along with some of the simplest yet most satisfying controls on whichever platform the game is on.  That's not to take away from Legendary Wars though which actually improves on some of the PvZ aspects, while also having some of their own.  For example, after you have chosen a unit to control and pick which lane to progress in, it isn't the simplest task to switch to another unit and you often times find yourself sending a character out to die.  This isn't a deal breaker though and is most likely being remedied in the upcoming update.  Another issue one might have is that there aren't nearly as many units at your disposal in this game compared to PvZ, but like the debate in MvC2 and MvC3 (more on that another day) more doesn't necessarily mean better.  In Legendary Wars each unit can be upgraded and leveled up individually, opening up different methods of strategy.  Do you upgrade your knights for cheap powerhouses, or do you improve your archers for an aerial assault?  The RPG elements are welcome and with endless modes plus the ability to replay levels, I can easily say this game is well worth your money even at the regular price of $3.

Bottom Line: ITS ONLY A DOLLAR SO DOWNLOAD IT NOW!
Plants vs Zombies fans finally have some new material to play
RPG elements mean you can upgrade the game to fit your playstyle
Multiple enemy types and unit types (though not as many as PvZ)
Decently sized questmode

Dead Space (iOS)

Developed by Iron Monkey Studios (released 1/25/11)
Price: $7

Before I start this review let me first clear up that Dead Space for iOS is NOT a port of the console version.  Dead Space is actually an independent story with a different protagonist and is sort of an interquel. 

If you read my Dead Space 2 review then you already know what you're getting into with the iPhone/iPad version.  If the screenshot doesn't wow you then check out the gameplay for yourself.  Dead Space is truly one of the best looking titles on the iPhone (along with Infinity Blade and Chaos Rings) but graphics mean nothing if gameplay doesn't deliver right? 

Dead Space is going to shock you with how natural the controls feel.  The left side of the screen controls movement while the right side is aiming.  Unfortunately there is no inversion for aiming but I'm sure EA will release an update.  I play inverted and had no problems adjusting to the game so you shouldn't have a problem too.  Along with amazing controls, you're given a surprising amount of content from it's console counterparts.  Upgradeable weapons and suits?  Check.  Multiple tools for destruction?  5 including 2 new ones.  Scares and a great final battle?  Check and check.  The last point may come as a surprise because I didn't think there'd be many scares in the iPhone version.  I'm happy to say that while not nearly as good as it's console brothers, it does deliver and have even heard of some gamers too scared to continue playing.

Dead Space for iPhone clocked in at about 3 hours for me to complete the first time but can be beaten in under 2.  While not a long game, there are definite replay values here with the developers providing phone backgrounds to unlock along with a bevy of achievements.  You can even link your EA account to the iPhone to unlock a power node and a special secret in Dead Space 2.  The developers took a lot of time to create a decent product and there's even some decent voice work done.  The story itself is okay but what do you really expect from the iPhone?  If you're a fan of 3rd Person Shooters or Survival Horror, do yourself a favor and buy Dead Space on iOS. 

Final Grade: B+