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Denis Farr

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Dual citizen of the US and Germany with a penchant for things to tap.

Connect with Denis:
Twitter: @aeazel

BladeZ Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on February 4th, 2013
Our rating: starstarstarhalfstarblankstar :: B-GAME SCHMUP
Aliens, conspiracies, and shooting planes and ships 'til they go boom.
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Guns'n'Glory Heroes Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on January 31st, 2013
Our rating: starstarstarhalfstarblankstar :: TOWER DEFENSE RPG
Oh no! Orcs and dark elves and bad guys are on the rampage, and it's time to stop them!
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Rocket Island Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on January 28th, 2013
Our rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: MOON ROCKETS
The end is nigh, but there is a plan. Send people off to the moon with rockets!
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Tin Man Can Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on January 25th, 2013
Our rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: ROBOT RUN
Guide the tin robot through alternate dimensions! Make sure not to bump into things or risk falling into pits.
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Dungelot Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on January 18th, 2013
Our rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: ROGUE-LIKE FINGERS
Monsters, treasure chests, and doors are on tap. Go forth, die, and resurrect to tap again.
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Lunar Eclipse Review

iPhone App - Designed for iPhone, compatible with iPad
By Denis Farr on January 16th, 2013
Our rating: starstarstarhalfstarblankstar :: ASTEROIDS REMIXED
Fly around in a spaceship and shoot asteroids and enemy ships. Collect powerups and last as long as possible.
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Mazes & Monsters Review

Posted by Denis Farr on January 11th, 2013
+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad

Developer: Monster Robot Studios
Price: $0.99
Version Reviewed: 0.0.2
App Reviewed on: iPhone 3GS

Graphics/Sound Rating: starstarstarblankstarblankstar
Game Controls Rating: starstarstarblankstarblankstar
Gameplay Rating: starstarstarhalfstarblankstar
Replay Value Rating: starstarstarblankstarblankstar

[rating:overall]


Despite the general gamer love for the Legend of Zelda franchise, it's fairly easy to understand why there might not be a glut of games paying homage to it in the iOS market: it's a fairly complex system whose controls would make many balk. Not so for Monster Robot Studios, who with Mazes & Monsters even wink at the audience when giving the option to name its hero, who starts off with the default Lunk.

While the game certainly serves for nostalgia purposes, its level design and puzzles are a bit simpler than has come to be expected from the Zelda franchise. Which actually works, considering the hardware on which it finds itself. Instead of being sprawling affairs, dungeons are split into small stages, where each stage doesn't take very long, and thereby allows for easy stopping points for the pick up and go gamer. Given that the audience might also be a larger mix of people, who might not be as accustomed to the tropes in the original titles, it also has a much more forgiving, and shorter, introduction into the game itself before starting off proper.

Unfortunately, there are a few things that stop this from being a fully great experience. The controls, an on-screen joystick and two buttons, leave a bit to be desired, even given the option to move them around on screen. The responsiveness often seems to vacillate in odd ways that left me facing away from enemies when I was moving toward them or other such weird things. It's workable, but requires foreknowledge of getting into such. There are many odd little quirks, though none really ruining the experience overall. It's just small, minor things that keep adding up to make the otherwise somewhat cute and ambitious game to be less than its whole.

For a lo-fi indie production of examining Legend of Zelda, Mazes & Monsters goes quite far. It tweaks the formula, adds a few new weapons (so that the default does not have to be sword), and yet keeps true to many of the mini-games and general sense of progression. For anyone looking to either see what such an experience is like, or wanting a bit of nostalgia on the go, this might just be a decent purchase, with the caveat that it is not wholly polished.

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Parashoot Stan Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on January 8th, 2013
Our rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: FALLING TOWARD SPLATTERDOM
Fall, catch plans, and try not to die. The last part may be the most difficult.
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RAD Soldiers Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on January 4th, 2013
Our rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: TACTICS ARE FUNNY
Missiles are falling! Take some mercenaries, gather them up, and be sure to use your tactical know-how while doing so.
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HEX IT Review

iPhone App - Designed for iPhone, compatible with iPad
By Denis Farr on December 20th, 2012
Our rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: CURSES AND HEXES
Lay down curses on HEX IT as it teases those brain muscles to solve its puzzles. Twist, turn, and match the patterns.
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LETZ: The Story of Zed HD Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on December 19th, 2012
Our rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: WORDY MATCHY CHAOS
Mix, match, spell, and generally have a fun time going about it. Oh, the letters have eyes, so mind your Ps and Qs.
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Word Carnival Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on December 14th, 2012
Our rating: starstarstarhalfstarblankstar :: ALPHABET BALLOON POP
It's a carnival of wordy balloons, and now they must be popped. They have angered the wordsmiths, and now revenge is nigh.
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Tiny Legends: Heroes Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on December 13th, 2012
Our rating: starstarstarhalfstarblankstar :: BLOCKS HACK/SLASH
Dungeon crawl with the best of three, kill the monsters, grab the loot, level up. Then do it again.
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Towel Tim Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on December 12th, 2012
Our rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: BRING YOUR TOWEL
It is time to save Tim, the man running about in just a towel. Jump, attack, wall-jump, all in the name of humorous nudity?
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Unknown Orbit Review

+ Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
By Denis Farr on December 5th, 2012
Our rating: starstarstarstarblankstar :: SNOWY TWANGY SPACE
Zipping through space, catching fireflies, snowballs, and the sight of glorious stars. Increase difficulty for more zaniness and unpredictability.
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