Prepare yourselves, Mega Jump fans. Get Set Games is bringing Redford and friends back in an all-new action/puzzle/block-breaking sort of game called Mega Blast.
Epic Games, makers of the Infinity Blade series, have released the visually stunning tech demo that is Epic Zen Garden for us all to play with.
Epic Zen Garden uses Metal and Unreal Engine 4 to render beautiful vistas and tranquil ponds that you tap to explore. Different areas come with little surprises such as touching the koi pond, which summons fish from the depths, or the sakura tree that lets loose a swirl of cherry blossoms when tapped. Players can rake patterns in the sand of their garden and enjoy the simple grace of the environment as any good zen gardener would do.
You can download Epic Zen Garden for free on the App Store now.
Expect to some some really pretty, graphically rich, 3D Flappy Bird clones soon.
Epic announced today a move that makes the Unreal Engine development kit available to all, at only $19 per month. In a risky move to counter other 3D engines in the mobile space, Unreal Engine 4, launched today, is available to anyone that wants to pay the $19 per month fee. That engine can be used to deny games to both desktop and mobile games. Previously the engine that powers Infinity Blade would cost millions and require a negotiated deal.
Unreal dies require that developers that make money from games developed with The engine, from premium, free to play, or ad supported, to pay a 5% gross license fee.
The engine is available to download now at http://www.unrealengine.com/.
Rodeo Games (Hunters: Episode One, Hunters 2, Warhammer Quest) has recently announced their licensing of the Unreal Engine 4 for an as of yet unnamed project.
Very little is known about this new game aside from the fact that it's going to be turn-based strategy, has to do with one of Games Workshop's properties, is the first mobile game to announce the use of the newest Unreal Engine, and is due out in the second quarter of 2015. More details will no doubt be made available over time (I'm crossing my fingers for Death Angel, but that's really just a pipe dream), so keep an eye on 148Apps for new announcements!
:: A BLAST
:: DELICATE FLOWER
:: ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
:: A BIT MISLEADINGThis week at 148Apps.com, writer Carter Dotson reviewed one of the most anticipated iOS games in recent memory - Infinity Blade II. Dotson writes, "Most of what is new here is a modified and extended progression structure. Instead of one path leading to a final boss, where failure means starting over, there are now several of them, with more branching paths to explore. There are 3 different weapon types now: the traditional swords, slow and heavy axes that deal more damage, and speedy dual swords that deal less base damage, but can do double damage once combos are started. The story is more fleshed out, with actual speaking dialogue from characters besides the God King."
Read the full review at 148Apps.com.
Meanwhile, our attention was turned to more artistic matters at GiggleApps, as Amy Solomon reviewed Auryn – Van Gogh and the Sunflowers. Solomon says, "The look of this app is terrific, with illustrations evoking the style that Van Gogh is known for, complete with bold color choices and noticeable use of brush strokes, but maintains a childlike quality that fits well within this storybook. The jazzy music used is also wonderful, relaxing as well as engaging and very enjoyable to listen to even for long periods of time. The narration used here is also quite good. Parents will also like that each spoken word is highlighted red to aid the young children new to the world of reading."
Read more about our take on Auryn – Van Gogh and the Sunflowers at GiggleApps.
Dig deeper into this study and read the full report on 148Apps.biz.
That's our wrap-up for this week. While you're out getting all of your holiday shopping done, don't forget to check us out on our Facebook and Twitter feeds to find out the latest and greatest news, reviews and contests. Feliz Navidad!
:: DULL
:: TURBULENT FUN
Luckily, the iPad 2 has come to our rescue and Dungeon Defenders developer Trendy Entertainment is happy to announce that lag is now a thing of the past. Apparently a perk of developing using the Unreal Engine is that you are by default writing code that is compatible with dual core PCs. This technology can now be applied to the dual cores found in the iPad 2, thereby kicking the prior slowdown to the curb, with minimal effort on their end.
