Ash was one of the first RPGs I downloaded when I was a new initiate to the wonders of iOS gaming. I recall being thoroughly impressed by the quality. Well, that quality just got a boost. The original game was released with graphics licensed from RPG Maker, but SRRN Games has replaced all of it with totally original artwork. The new style shares a few basic similarities with the older one, but overall it’s a huge visual change. Especially the character portraits.

Another less obvious but still notable change has to do with the random encounters. One of the game’s initial shortcomings was that there were just so freaking many of them it kind of made getting from point A to point B a pain. This has been rebalanced, so now random encounters are a bit less frequent. They’ll still happen, and they’re still essential to not being caught in a boss battle with one’s pants down, but the decrease will go a long way to making the game more accessible and overall more fun.

Last and most important, Ash is getting an 80% prince drop for the holidays. What was once a great RPG that could be had for $4.99 is now a great RPG made slightly greater and available for a buck. One dollar. $0.99. I’d gladly recommend this game to any RPG fans at $5, but $1? That’s, like, “don’t even think about it just buy it” pricing. So yeah; don’t even think about it, just buy it.

$0.99

Ash

iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad
Released: 2010-07-19 :: Category: Games

Square Enix sure knows how to keep iOS device owning RPG fans happy. Whether it’s by releasing new games like Chaos Rings or resurrecting old classics like Final Fantasy 1, 2 and 3, JRPG fans are guaranteed a good time.

Why am I explaining all this? Because Square Enix has just announced that one of the greatest RPGs of all time, Chrono Trigger, is heading to the iPhone and iPod Touch sometime before the end of the year!

For the uninformed, Chrono Trigger was a fantastic collaborative effort by the creator of Final Fantasy, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and creator of Dragon Quest, Yuji Horii. Originally released on the SNES, it’s a lengthy tale of time travel to all sorts of places from the Middle Ages to a post-apocalyptic future and boasts 15 different endings.

No price details or exact release date have been announced just yet but we have got some pretty screenshots to stare at in preparation.

For now, be very excited by the forthcoming release of Chrono Trigger. It’s a true classic of the genre.

Previously, Square Enix has simply ported old games (Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II) or given us smaller, unambitious titles. But back in March, a new iPhone-exclusive game was announced on their Facebook page: Chaos Rings. We’re very interested in this title, because it’ll be Square’s first full-blown attempt at a complete RPG designed exclusively for the iPhone platform. Some details have already been released, but we’ve got some new info, too.

So what do we know so far? Chaos Rings’ plot will revolve around a battle tournament in which five teams of two fight to the death for the ultimate prize: eternal life. Each group features a separate storyline, with all five tying together at the end. As for the technical quality of the game, it’s actually pretty impressive—don’t judge this by the screenshots, look at the trailer! The 3D graphics are shockingly good. Not console-quality good, but definitely a step up from most iPhone games.

As for the battle system, it relies on strategically balancing your partners. There are “Solo” and “Pair” attack options; attacking in a pair might do more damage, but it also places both of your characters at risk. Following the tournament-based premise, teamwork is crucial. You’ll also have access to “Genes,” which provide special skills and magical powers. One weird detail posted with the new information is the differences between male and female characters. Each team is a man/woman pair, with the male characters being stronger and the female characters being fast but more fragile. Was sexism really necessary?

That caveat aside, Chaos Rings looks very interesting. It’ll be the first “real” JRPG for the iPhone, after all, complete with turn-based battles and 3D graphics. We expect only the best from Square Enix. Chaos Rings’ release date is unknown, but the developer claims that things are moving ahead of schedule. In the meantime, check out the new screenshots!