KMGR of "Military Madness 2"

Image by Dave Pearson via FlickrMilitary Madness was one of the first true strategy games available on consoles... all the way back on TurboGrafx 16, if you remember that far back. It made a come back on various consoles, even on mobile phones. And fans demanded a sequel. So, will it be worth it to go back to the moon? If you are into this genre, absolutely.

At the end of the first Military Madness, you, as the Allied Powers forces, have defeated the Axis Empire's forces on the moon and disabled the Supreme Atomic Missile, with which the Axis hopes to control both worlds. It's been a few years, and somehow the Axis Empire have somehow survived, and now Allied Intelligence have received Intel that the Axis have been developing something... On the Moon. So as part of Allied Special Forces, it's time to return to the Moon, and find out/destroy whatever the Axis Empire is making...

The game itself has the missions on a "moon valley map". Each mission unfolds on a different map. You on one side, the enemy on the other. You can win two ways: destroy all enemy units, or capture the enemy base with your "infantry" unit, which can also capture factories, if there are any. You start with only so many units, and there are no more reinforcements. You have to win the battle, which then opens the next battle, and so on.

Battle occurs on moonscape, which has valleys, "roads", mountains, and rough terrain. Different terrain have different "roughness", which affects movement and defense. Each unit is rated for movement, defense and attack, range (most are range 1), and so on. Infantry move slow unless you put them in personnel carriers (which are vulnerable). Armor moves fast, but can't capture things. So it's a bit of paper-rock-scissors, when air units are introduced later. Most "unit" you see on the battlefield has 8 actual units in it, though later you may see "overpowered" units which has more. As units make kills they gain experience which enhances their attack and defense. Other ways to improve odds is to surround the enemy with your units, which is called "support attack". Each unit can only attack once per turn (some exceptions) and move once per turn (again, some exceptions). When two units meet (like one attack the other), they pop into a "battle screen" like Archon and exchange shots, and kills are tabulated based on attack/defense values, after all the modifiers (terrain, support, experience, etc.) are applied.

The game has only one difficulty level, and it's never easy. This game is tougher in that you are either outnumbered or have worse hardware, so you have to be tactically superior to overcome those bad odds. And as you can imagine, your odds can only grow worse. You have to apply every advantage you have and exploit every enemy weakness to secure victory and defeat the new Axis threat, which may include bio weapons...

So is the game as addictive as ever? Yes, but the initial difficulty may turn off some players. I played through the first mission four times before securing a victory. It's not a matter of rushing the units in. You have to calculate carefully the range of each unit, coordinate the movement so you can surround the enemy without leaving your own unit(s) vulnerable. You also need to save the infantry unit(s) for capture, as they can go through almost any terrain unlike armor (which requires flat surfaces).

If you want a game that actually challenges your brain, definitely pick up Military Madness 2, and be assured that you're NOT picking up just another variation of Bejeweled (tm) or another 2D shooter, but something that is both classic and fun. Graphics are minimal as it's mostly icons, and the music is repetitive, but the classic gameplay is still there, and still as fun as ever.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: easy to pick up, strategy games rare on mobile phones
Cons: same lousy graphics, repetitive music, high school excuse of a sequel plot

KMGR of "Far Cry 2"

Image via WikipediaFar Cry 2 is a sequel that sends the mercenary to Africa on almost free-form adventure to hunt down the Jackal, but the merc, along with other mercs, gets embroiled in a civil war... So how does it fare on the mobile platform? Pretty well, interestingly.

Gameloft knows how to make mobile games, and Far Cry 2 managed to shrink most of the good parts of Far Cry 2, and combined it with the good parts of a phone 2D shooter, and came out with an interesting game. You start with one faction, and you can perform one of the three missions. When you finish all three, the plot have you join the opposing faction (supposedly the pay's better, but not). In the course of the missions, you collect extra diamonds (which acts as currency for ammo and such), journal notes for a reporter who lost her notes, and commit a series of atrocities such as destroying farms and water sources to starve the other side. When you realized this faction will not take you closer to the Jackal either... You're tossed into jail as the faction leader can't risk having mercs who will turn on him. After that... it's escape time... Except after you left, some old friends who you thought were dead came back to haunt you... And who you thought were friends where your enemies... and who you thought were enemies... are your friends. :)

As a phone shooter, this game is pretty standard... The game auto-aims your AK-47, and auto-reloads as well. If you lean up against obstacle you'll "hide" behind it, and if you have a molotov cocktail you can use that as a "grenade" and take out a group at a time, esp. machine gun nest. Else, run past it and look for another way around it. You may also run into other toys, such as sniper rifle, RPG launcher, and so on for special missions.

Some of the missions involve drive-and-gun. You'll be on a motorcycle, where you need to dodge shooters, incoming mortar rounds, obstacles, other vehicles, and shoot back as much as possible. You'll either get in front of someone you need to kill, or intercept someone else. It's rather fun, but quite difficult because if you crash into an obstacle it's pretty much "restart from checkpoint".

If you got hurt, just find a quiet place and rest for a while, and you'll heal to full. At more advanced levels, this takes longer to occur and longer to trigger.

The game has periodic checkpoints and the difficulty can be turned down a bit to fit your level of expertise. If you do die, you restart from last checkpoint you passed. It's simple and effective. Graphics are good enough for 2D sprite game, similar to the other Gameloft 2D games, such as Rainbow 6 Vegas and so on. Sound is not that good but adequate.

And I must say, the ending is one of the most poignant in mobile game history. And what's more surprising, you can unlock additional characters to play as, and you get three to start! Each has slightly different dialog, but same missions.

All in all, the game doesn't break too many molds, but it is definitely well polished. Can't give it a "best", but it's definitely "up there".

Overall rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: effective port of all shooter conventions, plus effective use of Far Cry 2 plot
Cons: doesn't really break the mold, it's still a standard 2D shooter

KMGR of "Tekken 2"

Image via WikipediaTekken 2 (or "Iron Fist") made it to the mobile platform. It is a full 3D fighting game that features full set of kicks and punches, and even has "simplified controls" to help you unleash combos. But is it playable? Sadly, not to this ham-handed player.

Tekken 2 is one of the earlier "full 3D" look fighting games that successfully used the 3D graphics to deliver a more visceral fighting experience,with different fighters having different moves, and you must vary your attack while achieving combos to deliver the knockout blows. This implementation is no different. However, defense and blocking is very much a part of the game. Blind kick and punch will get blocked and countered with combo-breakers.

The game lets you pick from full list of Tekken 2 fighters, and all have their proper moves, albeit somewhat simplified for the keyboard, and only a QWERTY keyboard is enough to give you full control. And even then, you'll be pressing keys like crazy, trying to block AND attack in split-second decisions. The end result isn't always good.

There are practice modes and even "punching dummy" modes, but those don't really "train" you. As you still don't quite figure out which combos gives you good damage, which are for countering high block vs. low block and all that. The problem is which one *do* you perform?

Even with the attempt to simplify the controls there are still too much to do. I can't imagine you using the traditional instead of the simplified control enough. I may not be the worst player ever, but I simply got annihilated even at the lowest difficulty setting, any opponent.

Sorry, but this game is simply too hard for the interface.

Overall rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: looks great, all characters, all moves
Cons: too many moves to the hardware capabilities

Previews of upcoming reviews...

Kasey's Verizon Mobile Game Reviews will be reviewing the following games next:

Military Madness 2 -- Hudson Soft's hex-and turn-based strategy game makes a return to mobile. The bad guys are at it again, and you're sent in to figure out what's going on. Is it still as addictive as the original?

Far Cry 2 -- Far Cry's African sequel heads to the mobile in a standard 2D shooter that has a bit of variety to it. Does it stack up to the other 2D shooters at all?

Tekken 2 (3D) -- Tekken, the fighting game, comes to mobile in a good-looking 3D package. How well does it stack up against the competition of fighting game?

KMGR of "Brain Exercise"

The "original" brain exercise game from Dr. Kawashima of Japan finally comes to the US, behind all the other "brain games". How does it stack up under Namco's direction?

First appeared on the Nintendo DS, the mobile version is NOT a complete adaptation, but rather a combination/compilation of the best parts of the two "Brain Age" games available for the Nintendo DS.

The theory is simple: your brain has its own 'age', which can be measured by a test. Specific parts of the brain can be stimulated by specific questions that engages logic, math, memory, or combination of those centers. Through repeated questions, you can "exercise" your brain into better shape than before.

The mobile version has ten different games, and three modes: brain test, brain training, and practice. Brain test randomly chooses a game and tests your score on that game, and calculates your "brain age". You are doing well if your brain age is below your actual age. Brain training involves three randomly picked games that stimulates the three primary centers of the brain: logic, math, and memory. Tests are timed and fast but accurate answers are best. Finally, practice lets you get familiar with any of the ten tests available, so you understand how the tests work, and what to expect.

The graphics are simple, but then you don't need great graphics to test your brain. Sound is negligible, but then you don't expect fancy sound effects in a brain test, do you?

The actual tests are intriguing, but nothing really we haven't seen before. The interesting part is this game keeps track of your progress, day to day, month to month, and charts your "gains" your brain has made. I have to say, with about two weeks into this game, my brain score has increased about 5-10%.

If you haven't tried this on the Nintendo DS, consider giving it a try on the mobile, and do an exercise or two in your spare time. Who knows, you may feel some improvements, and if a game can do that, it's really worth it, right?

Overall rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: simple games to learn once you "get" it, tracks progress
Cons: a bit TOO simple, only one user tracked, actual gains dubious?

KMGR of "Guitar Hero: World Tour"

Image via WikipediaGuitar Hero Mobile gets a sequel on the mobile, with improved graphics, chance to play drums instead of guitar, and of course, more songs. But is it worth shelling out MORE money? Hmmm... Only on certain phones, not others.

For those of you who have played Guitar Hero on the consoles, the mobile version is quite a bit simplified. There are only three chords... controlled by the numeric pad (147, 258, 369) with * or # unleashing star power. The sequel didn't change that, but then they did not fix the most glaring shortcoming either... Remap the controls for those phones with a QWERTY keyboard, such as my LG9900 enV.

The songs sounds about the same as the previous one, but seems to have a bit more voice-over. Graphics seems to be about the same: very good for a mobile game. But the main draw of the game is the music.

The main problem with Guitar Hero III / Guitar Hero World Tour is they forgot about the phones with a QWERTY keyboard. Those players are forced to use the same keypad commands, and since the QWERTY keyboard has the numbers in a horizontal row, it's nearly impossible to play the game properly with a QWERTY-keyboard phone. And there is no "remap" function either for the keys.

The graphics were remapped, but NOT the keys. That sounds like sheer laziness.

For those of you who *does* have a regular form-factor phone with no QWERTY-keyboard, go ahead and get it if you dig the genre. I give it 8/10 on a regular phone. However, the game is unplayable on a QWERTY-phone, thus earning the score 5/10.

Overall score: 5/10 (8/10 if you don't have a QWERTY-keyboard phone)
Pros: bigger, better, what a sequel SHOULD be, drums, etc.
Cons: STILL have not fixed the QWERTY-keyboard problem

KMGR of "Crazy Hotdog Tailgate Party"

Image via WikipediaDespite the name, this has very little to do with tailgate parties. This can be renamed "Hotdog Mania" or "Hotdog Dash" and it'd still be appropriate. Basically, it's a game about cooking up hotdogs, and serving them to the customers, some of whom have particular wants.

There's a backstory about you got a surprise check for $100000 and a great recipe for a hotdog, and a note that essentially says "please double the money, you have one year." Well, it's cute start, but doesn't add much to the game.

Your first assignment is a hotdog stand at a local stadium. The idea is, of course, to make lots of money selling perfectly cooked hotdogs. You'll have to master the art of grilling on this stove, flip the dogs at the right time, learn how to cook "super dog" (which are hotdogs cooked perfectly so they "burst" extra-sized), AND still serve customers with the dogs. Some customers want normal dogs, some want super dogs, some may even want a free dog with their order. You'll have to figure out what each customer wants and give it to them, thus make max amount of money and tips.

I've made it through Cake Mania and Diner Dash and similar games with few problems, nor did I have any problems with cooking games. However, this game gave me a LOT of problems. The timing on the hotdogs are razor-thin... And there are no "do-overs". You end up with raw hotdogs in the "done" tray if you remove them too early, and burnt if too late. It's way too difficult to cook more than one or two hotdogs at a time, because only the center of the grill is "hot", and you need to pump air to maintain the high temp. The surrounding areas are colder, and this constant fight to maintain the temperature for optimum dog cooking is way too "action-y". By the time you burned the middle, the outer hot dogs aren't done yet. Argh!

All in all, this game is a has-been clone that tries to add some uniqueness by adding some "cooking" elements to the gameplay. However, the timing is a bit too thin and the player is simply overwhelmed with play details. Can't really recommend this game.

Overall score: 5.5 out of 10
Pros: that's one food haven't done before, cooking aspects
Cons: too much to remember, grilling too hard

Some more mobile game previews...

Brain Exercise by Namco -- the original brain exercise from Japan... complete with brain age tests and exercises of various parts of your brain... Does your brain age actually improve with exercise? I'll serve as your guinea pig here...

Guitar Hero: World Tour -- Guitar Hero mobile reaches 2nd version. How different and how does this version compare to the original? Well enough as you now get to play both guitar AND drums, but the song selection seems to have shrunk quite a bit. Graphics... Looks about the same.

Crazy Hotdogs Tailgate Party -- someone gave you $100000 and a recipe for a great hotdog. The simple request is double the money so you help two more people like you. How well CAN you run a hotdog stand? Half "cooking game" and half business sim like Diner Dash.

KMGR of "Tomb Raider: Underworld (mobile)"

Image by Calora via FlickrTomb Raider Underworld sends Lara Croft on a quest to locate the artifacts of Thor, both as hints on what her parents were looking for, as well as keys to defeat a demon and prevent annihilation of the world. The game is fully 3D even on a mobile phone. However, some game play elements is way too unforgiving and annoying to prevent this from becoming a classic.

Basically, the game is sort of a "maze", sort of a "puzzle", and occasionally, a shooter. You run around all the levels, performing acrobatic feats such as climbs, jumps, and even trapeze/pole jumps. You have to choose between several paths, and sometimes, locate even more paths by moving some blocks around, and remember when to backtrack. You will locate lots of stuff this way. Finally, you will sometimes enter combat against minions of darkness... spiders, bats, zombies, huge "boss" monsters... and so on. You have your trusty twin 45's, sometimes augmented by various special ammo you find, and later, you get to tap Thor's Hammer which shoots a nasty "firewall".

The game is fully 3D, and even has a "free camera mode" for you to look at things that may not be obvious from one view angle. The camera is very well done... Most of the time, it's in 3rd person, following behind Lara, so you can admire her acrobatic moves. It pans from side to side as the terrain turns, and follows her as she jump and climbs up and down cliffs, and so on.

Lara gets to do a lot of activities. Most of the time, she runs around, and when you come to a branch, just press left or right will let you select the branch to continue. Then you come to a climbable cliff, click OK will jump so Lara will hang from the ledge, then press UP to climb onto the upper level. You can leave a "prompt" for you at the bottom of the screen to remind you of the possible moves. It's quite intuitive after a while.

One of the most frustrating sections is the "free climb". Basically, you need to climb up this very tall cliff by pressing, in a series, the number keys. However, there's usually an interruption in the middle where you need to "dodge rocks". If you get hit, you have a second or two to "rescue" and get another handhold, else you fall and die. It's basically playing "Simon"... 7! 9! 3! 6! 3! 6! 4! 9! Except you have less than 2 seconds to press the key, or you fall back down and got a bit hurt. Got hurt enough, and it's game over. At least starting over is easy and autosaves are the rule, not the exception. When it comes to dodging rocks, you have less than half a second to see the rock and press the appropriate LEFT or RIGHT key to dodge.

Combat can be painful, esp. when you don't seem to be doing any damage. At least Lara can do acrobatic rolls and spins and whatnot while unleashing her twin 45's. however, against zombies throwing green fireballs it doesn't seem to be much. Esp. when those zombies may respawn. Later bosses aren't that bad as you basically have to keep moving and never stay in one spot, while aim for the vulnerable parts, as your "autoaim" suggests.

You do get bonuses for gathering up statues per level, and you're told you got X out of Y, so this encourages a bit of exploration... If you're not too bored. Some paths require you to move certain blocks back and forth to access alternate paths.

Another frustrating section is the snowmobile, though in Lara's world, it's a HYBRID snowmobile, eco-friendly! You need to run around various obstacles, climb ramps and make jumps properly in order NOT to fall into chasms, hit "fuel" or "repair" items so you have enough fuel and craft well enough to finish the trip. It's far more frustrating than it sounds, esp. when you're going "quite fast" and miss a jump.

All in all, Tomb Raider Underworld, while looking quite spectacular, falls a little short of being a true classic.

Overall rating: 7.5 out of 10
Pros: True 3D levels, requires 3D thinking and back tracking, beautiful graphics
Cons: Some minigames are extremely frustrating, too much dialog, not enough cutscenes

KMGR of "Risk"

EA is getting all these conversions of classics, but are they any good? Not too bad, but they came out just average, sorry.

Risk is your basic conquest game... Use your armies to conquer "adjacent" territories. if you conquer territories, you collect Risk cards. If you collect a set, you can turn 1 set in for "bonus armies". The longer the game, the larger the army you get, but the opponents do the same on their turn. So, how does the mobile version fare? Not bad.

For those who need a quick fix, there is the "quick" version, which limits to the battle to 2 continents: North and South America, and 3 AI opponents. You can also take on 5 other AI opponents in the full game involving the whole map. You can even play "multiplayer" by passing the phone among several friends.

One thing I don't like is the inability to pick one's own color. You're always "red", and consider there is also orange and pink, those aren't the best colors to have. However, the AI are at least competent, though there are no tougher AI levels. The AI knows to attack weaker opponents, and clear out a continent to get the continent bonus, but other than that they don't seem to have a full strategy in mind.

The graphics are okay, but not as good as EA's Monopoly (tm) adaptation. The "battle" could be easier, though you're given the option of displaying EVERY dice throw, which can quickly bog down the gameplay.

The quick game can be done in a few minutes (as most lasts no more than 7 turns), but the full game can last a long while.

All in all, this adaptation is merely average, and offers nothing new, few optional rules or variations and such. There just isn't much here.

Overall rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Same Risk, same strategy, easy to learn
Cons: Easy to master, depends a LOT on luck and going first, nothing new