AppReviewToday- AppReviews

Windrose: Origin ($0.99) by Baris Araci is a sliding block style puzzle game that anyone can play, but only the skilled can master. If you liked games such as Slayaway Camp and Red's Kingdom, then you'll enjoy Windrose: Origin as well.

My life has been rather hectic lately, so I relish every moment I have where I can just sit down and relax by doing nothing. During these times, I like to bust my iPhone out and just get some bite-size gaming sessions in, and one of my favorite genres for these moments are puzzles. No matter what kind of puzzle it is, I'm bound to enjoy it. When I was perusing through the new releases last week, I stumbled on Windrose: Origin, and it looked like the kind of thing I needed right now, so I had to check it out. Honestly, I'm not disappointed by it and happy I picked it up.

$2.99

Slayaway Camp

Blue Wizard Digital LP

$2.99

Red's Kingdom

Cobra Mobile Limited

Visually, Windrose has a minimalistic aesthetic that is sure to please. I'm a fan of simple and clean graphics, and Windrose has just that. The game features mostly flat visuals, though there are some shadows that appear to give the tiles some depth, so it's pseudo-3D. Other graphical elements include basic geometric shapes, such as circles and squares, and there's a touch of particle effects that are displayed in the trail the "windrose" leaves behind as it moves. The color palette is lovely, as it features a dark steel gray background with vibrant hues that contrast nicely against it. The typography is modern and wraps it all together nicely. Animations are smooth and fluid, with no issues of lag on my iPhone 8 Plus. The soundtrack is rather atmospheric, but I have to admit that it does get a bit repetitive after a while, as there isn't much variety. Still, Windrose is a nice overall package in terms of visual and audio design.

Like many other puzzle games, Windrose is level-based. At the moment, there are four chapters with about 16 stages each. In order to unlock the other chapters, you need to obtain a certain number of stars. Each level must also be cleared before you can move on to the next one. There's no way to skip a puzzle, but there are hints that you can use to reveal the solution to a puzzle. Up to three stars can be earned on each stage, which is dependent on the number of moves it takes you to solve it. The fewer, the better of course. However, there are no move restrictions, so technically you can play the game at your own pace as well, but those stars are important.

Controls in Windrose are a simple affair. To move your windrose, just swipe in the direction you want to go in. It continues to slide across the board until it hits a square tile or wall. You must collect all of the orange dots before the end portal opens up, and then getting to the portal completes the puzzle so you can move forward. Since the windrose does not stop moving until it hits an obstacle, you must think strategically to get the circles and then to the end portal in as few moves as possible.

While Windrose: Origin is not a new gameplay concept, it's still fun and enjoyable to play. It encourages problem solving, and the fact that you don't need to purchase more hints make the game so much better. If you're stuck, then just get the solution without worrying about wasting them.

Windrose: Origin is a delightfully simple but challenging puzzle that anyone can enjoy.

The Good

Windrose: Origin follows a tried-and-true formula that any puzzle lover will appreciate. The minimalistic visuals are easy on the eyes while looking great. The music, though a tad repetitive, is done well for the most part. Controls are intuitive and easy enough for anyone to pick up and play, and the puzzles have a nice range of difficulty to them. But with the solution system in place, this game is great for the entire family to pick up and enjoy whenever there's some downtime.

The Bad

While I'm enjoying Windrose: Origin so far, it can still be improved. Again, while the music is nice, it does get repetitive after a while. Adding some variation in the tunes would help prevent it from getting stale. And even though I like the current colors, I think having the option of unlocking more color themes via stars would be a nice addition and keep things fresh.

The verdict

Windrose: Origin is a relaxing and challenging puzzle game that anyone can enjoy. As a fan of puzzles, this is definitely one I can turn to whenever I'm waiting around somewhere, or just want to unwind. The controls work well, the gameplay is challenging, and access to all solutions without annoying in-app purchases is a winner. I just hope to see more variation with colors and music in the future. And more levels are coming, according to the developer.

Windrose: Origin is available on the iPhone App Store for just $0.99.

7.7

OVERALL

Game Controls 8.5

Gameplay 8

Replayability 7.5

Graphics 7.5

Sound/Music 7

FREE

Windrose: Origin

Baris Araci

Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews

Ava Airborne (Free) by PlayStack Ltd and Laser Dog Games is an infinite flyer full of traditional gliders and unorthodox contraptions, collectibles, dangers, and just a lot of cute fun. If you love games like Tiny Wings and Alto's Odyssey, then Ava Airborne is another fine addition to the collection.

I, like many others, have always dreamed of flying. And no, I don't mean by a plane either, but actual flying. The type that you only dream about, but it's one of those things you've been wanting since you were a child. While it's still on my bucket list one day, I doubt it's happening anytime soon because of other things — being an adult is hard. Fortunately, there's video games, and Ava Airborne is one that brings your dreams of flight to virtual reality. It's also partly made by Laser Dog, who brought us fantastic games like Hopiko. So I have high expectations for Ava Airborne, and they've been met.

$2.99

Tiny Wings

Andreas Illiger

$4.99

Alto's Odyssey

Snowman

Visually, Ava Airborne is gorgeous. The game features a minimalistic aesthetic that's rather beautiful, and everything is rendered in a 2D style. Ava Airborne has a unique and oneiric dreamscape environment that's full of interesting contraptions and obstacles. The protagonist is a little girl with stick-like limbs who just wants to fly, like the rest of us. The color palette is a fantastic mix of soft pastels, bold and vibrant hues, and muted shades, so everything is appealing to the eyes. The backdrops are blurred out slightly, but still have serene scenes that are peaceful to look at. Animations are buttery smooth and fluid, so there's no lag on my iPhone 8 Plus. The game also has an upbeat and quirky soundtrack that's delightful to listen to, and the sound effects are excellent.

Since Ava Airborne is an infinite flyer-style game, there's only one game mode, and the goal is to cover as much air as you can. You start out with the basic glider, but as you fly and earn miles, you rank up and have the ability to purchase new contraptions. These contraptions change how you fly, and even allow you to move through the air faster. Some also change the music and visuals. However, you can only unlock a new contraption by ranking up, and having enough sweets (in-game currency) for it.

As you play, each contraption can be upgraded as well. Doing this makes them more effective, since they all have their own unique multipliers when it comes to earning experience to rank up as well as sweets gained. So as you level up, make sure to save up those sweets and get as many contraptions as you can to play around with.

Ava also has some flying companions that are able to help her out during her flights. You can unlock new companions and collectibles along the journey by obtaining them from flights, free gifts, or by ranking up. The companions can save Ava from crashes and other dangers, while collectibles give you cool trails and other fun stuff.

Controls in Ava Airborne are simple and intuitive. Just long press on the screen to glide (or tap to do it in spurts) and release to fall. It's all about timing when it comes to soaring through the air and avoiding the obstacles like explosive balloons and lasers.

One thing I'm not fond of with other infinite style games is the fact that when you hit something, it's usually game over from there. However, Ava Airborne does things a bit differently. If you hit something, you have an opportunity to recover by rapidly tapping both sides of the screen to recompose yourself and keep flying. However, the number of taps increases after each hit, so it does have diminishing returns.

There are also trampolines on the ground and cannons in the air that you can fall into and it helps you recover as well. Ava Airborne is rather forgiving when it comes to mistakes, making this a much more relaxed-feeling game.

After each flight, you get experience points based on how well you do. To obtain sweets, you must pop balloons while flying, as they seem to like hiding in them. The final amount can change depending on the contraption you have equipped. You can also double the amount of sweets you've earned by watching an optional video ad.

Since Ava Airborne is a free game, there are ads, as I just mentioned. But they're all optional, and non-intrusive.

Help Ava hang glide through the sky filled with obstacles.

The Good

Ava Airborne is a unique endless flyer that has a lot of style and personality. The visuals are cute, endearing, and just delightful on Retina screens. The music is fun and eccentric, and the sound effects are nice, especially when popping balloons. The controls are simple enough for anyone, and the gameplay is simple but challenging. Even if you aren't a fan of most endless games, this one is worth checking out because it's done so well.

The Bad

There's a lot of good stuff in Ava Airborne, so it's hard to find anything bad about it. Though the only thing I can think of is the rapid tapping to recover is a killer on my wrists, but I think that will vary for everyone.

The verdict

For a free game, Ava Airborne is pretty good. I love the fun visuals, the sound is awesome, and the gameplay is challenging but keeps you coming back for more. I'm a fan of endless games that do things differently from the rest, and Ava Airborne is one of them. The game is great for a free title, and even though there are ads, they're completely optional, which is nice. This is definitely one of those games I'll be coming back to whenever I have a spare moment throughout the day.

Ava Airborne is available on the App Store as a universal download for free. There are in-app purchases.

9.2

OVERALL

Replayability 9

Graphics 9.5

Sound/Music 9.5

Gameplay 9.5

Game Controls 8.5

FREE

Ava Airborne

PlayStack Ltd

Source link: http://appadvice.com/reviews