Qvadriga, the best chariot racing sim to grace an iPad, is on sale for $5, half off.
slantz
3043
I played through XCOM:EW. It’s a faithful port of the PC version. Well worth the cost, though it might chug on lower-end devices.
Looks like most 2K iOS games are on sale except for new stuff like Starships.
I saw on Pocket Tactics that they’ve added in pop up ads for Starships into the now-discounted games.
So yeah, you’re paying for a game, but then you get ads. Thanks 2K!
Brakara
3046
I’ll check XCOM:EW later today, but last time I played it had no ads and the game itself hasn’t been updated on the App store since December. Anyway, I highly recommend it on iPad (runs flawless on my iPad Air 1).
I got xcom yesterday.
No ads.
Cool. I hope it stays that way. The post I saw on Pocket Tactics was just one user, so its very anecdotal:
It’s also starting to pop up ads for Starships, which means I’m just about done with the fucking thing, which is a shame because I really enjoy the game.
Even at $5 I’m on the fence because of the ad issue. So wisefool I hope you’re experience holds.
Brakara
3049
So I started up EW and an ad for Starship indeed came up, but just before the main menu (after the splash screens and intro video). I quit the game (hard quit from the app switcher), restarted it and then the ad didn’t appear. Tried 4 times in total and the ad only appeared that first time.
It also appears that Civilization Revolutions 2 is $5, down from the usual $14.99 I believe.
-Todd
Dunqan
3051
Is it much different than the first?
Dunqan
I haven’t had a chance to play it yet but 2 was received as a modest upgrade on Rev 1 and mostly not worth the $15 they usually charge.
Rev 2 is close to a full GB of install space on the iPad while Rev 1 was under 309 MB I believe…so there is that to consider. For $5 I thought it was worth a shot.
-Todd
Elhokar
3054
I really want to pick up EW on my Android tab but I’m 60 cents short on GPlay money. Anyone know how long these sales tend to last?
No one wants to talk about DomiNations, the new Brian Reynolds/Big Huge Games game? Is that because it’s free-to-play? Because it’s patently built on the gameplay foundations of Clash of Clans?
Some points in its defense (semi-defense, because the things above are absolutely accurate):
It’s deeper. There are a bunch more resources, advanced features like road that matter, hunting and gathering from the map, and wonders of the world.
It’s Civ-y. Each upgrade to your town hall is basically upgrading to a new age of history: Stone age, iron age, bronze age, classical age. So down the road after building the Hanging Gardens you might also build a Space Shuttle. There are also different nations to choose (when you hit Bronze Age) that give you special benefits. I think in late-game you get historical hero units.
Basically everything else is straight Clash. Does anyone want a more strategic, deeper Clash of Clans? I guess Big Huge is about to find out.
Baldurs Gate II for iOS (universal) is down to $5. Has anyone played this on an iPad? Is it clunky to control or reasonably playable?
I was a bit turned off when I read a Touch Arcade review which explained the IAP scheme:
For the first couple of eras, anyone playing for free is limited to three houses and a population of six citizens, restricting how quickly your settlement can expand. An extra house is priced at 12,000 gold, effectively unattainable, but you can buy it in a $13 “starter pack”. Those two extra citizens make a huge difference in the early game, allowing you to have multiple major constructions or upgrades happening simultaneously.
So Nightgaunt, what’s your take on the game’s IAP?
Dunqan
3058
Oooh Brian Reynolds - I’d be happy to throw $13 bucks at him. Am I missing something thinking that 8 vs 6 citizens won’t make a huge difference (I’m guessing a 33% increase in speed if it’s anything like Clash of Clans).
Dunqan
On that particular point–the 12,000 gold house–I would disagree with Touch Arcade: that amount is achievable within a day of play, which is reasonable. You can then get an EXTRA two workers if you buy the $10 starter pack (not sure where they got $13… maybe we’re being A/B tested). It also comes with a bunch of the premium currency (crowns).
Overall the game is generous with what you can do without spending. I find Clash to be fairly generous as well, but DomiNations seems even more aware of its more strategic, presumably PC-centric audience’s skepticism of paywalls. The $10 starter pack is a good example of giving a very clear benefit for a fairly high price (which I think is actually a sign that they’re not targeting the typical F2P audience, exactly). There are things that Clash would charge premium currency for that DomiNations seems to avoid. But, hey, it’s still F2P and there are still plenty of opportunities and ugly barriers to try to get you to pay. Could be much worse…?
Dunqan: Yes, the extra workers are basically just like making an extra builder’s hut in Clash of Clans. And you get a pile of premium currency with it. I think it’s the no-brainer expenditure for anyone who thinks the game will appeal to them long-term.
So I spent a few minutes in DomiNations. I have no idea what Touch Arcade is complaining about. This is, as others have said, the same thing as CoC. Not having the extra villagers slows you down a bit, but it’s no big deal. It’s not like you have worse troops or buildings, etc.
You still get to the same point A, just a bit slower.
