The point and click adventure genre has seen somewhat of a resurgence over these past few years thanks in part to devices like the iPad. While classics like Monkey Island and Sam & Max get updated for modern audiences, all new experiences are being created as well. Case in point, Daedalic Entertainment’s Edna & Harvey: The Breakout, the acclaimed 2008 underground adventure game and winner of the 2009 Red Dot Design Award, is arriving on the iPad in August 2012.

When young Edna wakes up in an insane asylum locked up and with no memory, obviously she suspects that something is wrong. With the exception of her talking stuffed bunny Harvey, everyone mistakenly believes that she’s crazy. Her only choice is to escape. Edna’s quest will have players interacting with fellow patients, staying one step ahead of the asylum’s Dr. Marcel and soaking in the bizarre, twisted atmosphere throughout the 20 hours of adventure goodness. 

There’s no exact date or price yet for Edna & Harvey: The Breakout but look for it on the App Store sometime this August.

Mobile gamers already got a taste of BulkyPix and Pohlm Studio’s ghoulish survival game Hasta La Muerte when it arrived on Windows Phone 7 last year. With its recent release on the App Store though, that many more people can now give it a shot. We can’t stop death but what if we could command it?

In Hasta La Muerte players attempt to ferry groups of souls to their eternal resting places. However, the path is not an easy one. Throughout the 30 levels players will have to confront damned and inconsolable souls, an enigmatic scientist and his monstrous creations like the Meca-Angel, and various other hellish obstacles in this unique 2D world. Players aren’t powerless though. Using “Soulpets” they can gain new abilities, rack up points, and formulate new strategies in this “chase-and-be-chased” experience.

Looking out for the dead is a hard task but somebody’s got to do it. Hasta La Muerte is available now for $0.99 on the App Store.

$1.99

Hasta la Muerte

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-07-05 :: Category: Games

Thanks to advancements in technology, transportation, and communication, globalization is bringing the world’s populations closer together at an accelerating rate. As this continues though, it is important for us to stay aware of the hardships of those in places where safety is not guaranteed. UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency, hopes to bring these struggles to light with My Life as a Refugee.

The game casts players as one of three refugees hoping to escape from any number of war-torn countries. As they attempt to find freedom they will be presented with the kinds of dilemmas facing actual refugees. How will they protect their families? What will they do if the smugglers become violent? Will they give up if they are caught by the army after coming so far? Through this virtual journey, players will start to understand why millions of people are so desperate to run, survive, and restart their lives.

“Every minute eight people are force to flee. What would you do?” My Life as a Refugee is available now for free on the App Store.

FREE!

My Life as a Refugee

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-06-28 :: Category: Games

Phosphor Games Studio’s last creation, Dark Meadow, received high praise for its haunting atmosphere and attention to detail. Now, they’ve announced a partnership with social gaming juggernaut Zynga to help release their newest title, Horn. The game appears to continue their tradition of intricate world-building and Infinity Blade-inspired action while moving in a more fantastical, almost Shadow of the Colossus styled, direction. However it ultimately turns out, this adventure at least looks promising.

Horn puts players in control of a young blacksmith’s apprentice named Horn in a story based on the Old English tales of King Horn. Using his sword, crossbow, and, of course, his horn, players must lead Horn in a quest to undo a curse that has transformed his fellow villagers into bizarre monsters. Every action from combat to puzzle solving makes use of the game’s touch gesture system. Horn features three distinct open-worlds to explore and nine game levels making for a campaign about 10 hours long.

We also know that Horn’s score comes courtesy of Austin Wintory, the award winning composer behind PlayStation indie darling thatgamecompany’s flOw and Journey. Unfortunately, we do not yet know Horn’s price or release date. Expect more news soon though.

After making a splash with their last game Sprinkle, Mediocre Games has announced that their follow-up project is going in a slightly more old-fashioned direction. Get ready to steal back some apples in the most extreme way possible when Granny Smith arrives on the App Store this August.

When a thief on wheels starts raiding Granny’s apple garden, she decides to take matters into her own hands and catch him. Using her trusty speed skates, Granny will race, jump, glide, swing, zip, and smash her way to justice. This racing platformer will feature 36 “hand crafted levels” of fast-paced action spread across three different environments from barnyards to cityscapes.

Crashing also seems to play a big part in the game and if the trailer is to be believed, Granny knows how to crash in style. It makes sense though considering how important physics were in Sprinkle’s puzzles.

Granny’s mission starts this August on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches everywhere.

[image credit: droidgamers.com ]

With all of the exciting things one can do and watch on an iOS device, who wouldn’t want to record it sometimes? Now users can do just that with the new, aptly named Display Recorder app from Bugun Software. Those interested should check it out soon though because it may not be around for much longer.

Display Recorder sees and hears everything happening onscreen and makes a H.264 mp4 file out of it. Orientation, video, and audio quality can be adjusted and the finished products are exported to Photo Library. Users can even upload their recordings directly to YouTube through the app. Best of all, there is no length limit.

Similar apps have been available on jailbroken iOS devices for a while now but Display Recorder requires no such hacking. However, because of the nature of its service, many believe that it may soon be pulled from the App Store. For now though, it is available for $1.99.

$1.99

Display Recorder

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-06-15 :: Category: Photography

Today, robotic assistants like Siri are all about helping their human creators with the power of technology. However, the 1983 MGM classic WarGames featured an artificial intelligence more interested in plunging the earth into a nuclear war. In WarGames: WOPR, from Be-Rad Entertainment, players take control of the titular program for some retro strategy action.

The goal is to create chains as long as possible by dragging one’s finger across similar tiles. During their quest to start World War III, players will have access to nuke, health, money, and radar tiles as well as 24 different tactics and mods they can use to strike the opponent or upgrade themselves. The 40+ levels feature showdowns with characters from the film including the actual voices of actors Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, and Dabney Coleman.

In a way, it would be fitting if playing this game could actually start a new world war. However, let’s hope for our sake that is not the case. WarGames: WOPR is available now for $0.99 on the App Store.

$0.99

WarGames: WOPR

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-06-14 :: Category: Games

When devices like the iPod hit the market, suddenly instead of listening to a dozen songs on a CD player one could take their entire thousand-song music library wherever they went. Today, streaming services like Spotify and Pandora take things a step further by offering nearly every song in existence anytime, anywhere. With so much choice though, picking the right song for the right occasion becomes even more difficult. Now, Songza is here to help.

Users can tell Songza what genre or decade they want a song to come from or even something as vague as what they are doing or what mood they are in. From there, Songza’s “Music Concierge” searches its “thousands of original playlists handmade by music experts” to select the ideal mix. Users can also save and share their favorite playlists through Facebook and Twitter. Best of all, there are no fees, advertisements or listening limits.

The problem Songza fixes, not knowing what song to play, is a pretty first-world one. Still, it is another great example of more convenient living through technology. Songza is available now for free on the App Store.

It should come as absolutely no surprise that Gameloft is releasing a tie-in game for the upcoming movie The Amazing Spider-Man. After all, it is one of the summer’s most-anticipated blockbusters and Spider-Man is still one of the biggest superheroes of all time. With its release date rapidly approaching, now more details are starting are come in.

The game comes courtesy of the same team behind 2010’s Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem. As such, it should be fairly safe to assume that this new title will seek to build on that already proven formula. However, this time players can expect to immerse themselves in the movie’s new, rebooted, Spider-Man universe while completing missions, protecting citizens, honing their skills and powers, and doing whatever else Spider-Man tends to do. Gameloft says players can look forward to a “comprehensive battle system” as well.

The Amazing Spider-Man the movie arrives in theaters on July 3rd. Expect The Amazing Spider-Man the game to arrive on mobile devices everywhere that same day.

Having already tried their hand at space shooting and motocross, indie developer The Quadsphere is looking to do something a little different with their next universal iOS title. They are looking to break into the world of off-road racing. Players will see just how they pull it off this summer with the release of Bounty Racer.

As its title implies, Bounty Racer appears to have players racing in a variety of single and multi-player modes all while trying to collect bounties and complete random challenges. There will be five game modes and 72 unique events. Additionally, driver customization seems to play a large role. The Quadsphere claims that there will be over one million possible combinations. Finally, beyond the standard achievements and Game Center support, players will also be able to upload and share replays through YouTube.

Although Bounty Racer is scheduled for release this summer, no definitive date has been set. Expect more news soon.

At this point it seems that developers are willing to turn the iPad into literally anything and it is getting a little ridiculous. Forget virtual guitars and turntables, Futulele is here to turn iPads into virtual ukuleles. It is almost as crazy as it is just plain awesome. Is there really anyone out there who wouldn’t want a ukulele?

The set-up should feel familiar to anyone who has dabbled with Apple’s own GarageBand app. Users pick some chords and start strumming away. Users can also record themselves and adjust various chorus and effect settings. According to the developers though, what sets Futulele apart from competing synthesizers is its physics-based, CrystalClear 4.0 sound engine. Apparently it makes Futulele “the first app which sounds absolutely like the real thing.”

Additionally, those with both an iPad and iPhone can join the two into one instrument using the app. A special guitar case and Futulele Remote App allow musicians to pick chords on the iPhone while simultaneously strumming on the iPad.

Play the perfect summer soundtrack. Futulele is available now on the App Store for $4.99.

$3.99

$4.99

Futulele - Play Virtual Ukulele

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-05-24 :: Category: Music

With all of Apple’s relatively recent success in the smartphone and tablet market, we can forget sometimes that what kicked off their modern dominance was a device that simply played music. BICOM, Inc. has been recognizing how important music is to the company with their playGo series of iOS receiver systems. The newest model, the playGo AP1, is their biggest leap forward yet.

Previous playGo models used USB interfaces but the playGo AP1 instead streams audio wirelessly using Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and Apple’s own AirPlay functionality. Music from iOS devices, iTunes and other services like Pandora, Rhapsody, and Spotify are wirelessly pushed to speakers with their high-fidelity audio intact. The playGO AP1 also retains built in USB for compatibility with older devices.

Unfortunately, the project is still in need of funding. However, interested buyers can check out the playGo AP1 Kickstarter page and purchase one early for $199. The funding deadline in July 5th and if it’s a success, expect to see the playGo AP1 released shortly thereafter.

When it comes to news these days, at least here in America, the upcoming presidential election is the big story. Today though, politics can be so crazy that keeping up with it all is next to impossible. That’s why NBC is delivering its powerful political reporting on-the-go with the new NBC Politics app.

With NBC Politics, users can get all sorts of information in all sorts of different ways. Users can read text stories, flip through photo slideshows and view clips from NBC shows like “Meet The Press with David Gregory”, “Andrea Mitchell Reports” and “Morning Joe.” On the more interactive end, users can share stories through Facebook and Twitter using the app and watch election results unfold in real-time. On the iPad, users can even make their own predictions and test them against the experts on the Battleground Map.

Indecision 2012 is just around the corner. Wait, wrong network. NBC Politics is available now for free on the App Store.

FREE!

NBC Politics

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2012-05-02 :: Category: News

The effects of the iPad can be seen across many communities and subcultures one of the biggest being the music world. Apps like Mixr and djay continue to make the turntable scene less restrictive and more approachable. Now, Sawa Digital is looking to get in on the action with a new update for their Dub Siren DX app which adds iPad functionality.

Dub Siren DX claims it is “the world’s best-selling Reggae, Dub and Dubstep app” and lists Gorillaz as one of the professional DJs it counts among its users. In addition to iPad support, the update also adds AirPlay functionality, radio control, a new interface, a new audio engine and new samples. Exclusive to the iPad version is EQ functionality. Users can even remotely control music on their iTunes library using the app.

Now iPad owners can drop the bass. The updated Dub Siren DX is available now on the App Store.

$3.99

Dub Siren DX - Ultimate DJ Mixer Synth with Reggae and DubStep Radio

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
Released: 2010-06-09 :: Category: Music