:: BLAZES NO TRAILS
:: RUNNING SCARED“This isn't a war," said the artilleryman. "It never was a war, any more than there's war between man and ants.”
The History Channel's fictitious documentary series, The Great Martian War, seemed to be something of an odd combination of The War of the Worlds and World War Z (the novel, not the movie) when it first aired last year. Think of it as what it would've been like if the Martian invasion in H.G. Wells' novel actually happened in 1913, then historians studied it.
On the other hand, The Great Martian War for iOS is a spin-off endless runner game for the video series that puts you in the rather unfortunate boots of a lone soldier in the trenches. You'l have to jump over razor wire, cross gaps, avoid Martian war machines, and more in a desperate bid for survival. I'm not gonna lie; you're chances don't look too good.
The Great Martian War will be releasing for free on the App Store on February 4.
:: AIMLESS KNIGHTSThe app comes courtesy of the History Channel and offers an interactive guide to thousands of historic locations across the USA. Users have the option to choose any location they wish, or they can let the GPS functionality do its magic and give places of local interest.
It's possible to search for various historic points of interest for inspiration, as well as view everything as part of a zoomable map. Features like this should prove ideal when planning ahead.
Images for each place are included, along with an overview of the venue and any relevant details such as contact phone numbers. Even if you think you know an area well, you're bound to be surprised by something from this app.
HISTORY Here is out now and free to download.
A Nation divided. North vs. South. Brother vs. brother. The Civil War stands as one of the most tumultuous times in American history. It helped shape the future of a nation, and has been the source of many fascinating retrospectives, across all kinds of media.
With this format in mind, The Civil War Today is set to have daily updates for the next four years, from April 12, 2011 through April 26, 2015, as a pseudo, real-time recounting of the events that occurred 150 years to the day. You will be able to follow the events of the past like they were happening today, and with all the graphical and technical embellishments that the iPad has to offer.
The app offers a variety of content such as quotes of the day, letters & personal diaries from 15 people who experienced the war, photo galleries, battle maps, newspaper broadsheets, articles & video on featured topics, etc. There’s also a daily North/South casualty counter that highlights the ebb and impact of the war, as well as daily quizzes. The Civil War Today supports Game Center, where you can earn achievements for interacting with all these elements of the app, as well as twitter integration that simulates sending a message via morse code.
There's no doubt that The Civil War Today is an ambitious project, and it feels very much at home on the iPad. It is a decidedly modern take on historical events that aims to provide a bevy of interesting content and educational value that not just history buffs will find entertaining.
