Kevin C. Wong

Spot Reviews 07/22/22

Reviewing games leaving Apple Arcade in September.

Apple Arcade - Over the Alps (2019) [+] A kind of choose-your-own-adventure story (not fighting fantasy which has stats, you don't have stats here). In the first story you're a British agent in Switzerland on the eve of World War II trying to accomplish a mission tough half the problem is you're not sure what the mission is. It's told in postcards of you writing back to your agent friend and each postcard has one to three points where you get two or three choices of what you're writing next. Some of these give you points (in the background) which influence the story later. It's fairly light and about an hour long and there's two more stories. A little bit of replayability trying to get a different ending or plot twist. It's well done and the best of the three games I'm reviewing today.

Apple Arcade - Explottens (2019) [/] A side-view aerial twin-stick shooter type game (though not sure it supports twin sticks). On a world dominated by sophont cats peace is finally achieves just in time for an alien invasion. You are an old-guard cat recalled from retirement to man your warplane and shoot down the enemy. In each mission of the campaign shoot down enemies and bosses, pick up coins, then upgrade your warplane with different weapons and abilities. Plays pretty well on my iPad.

Apple Arcade - BattleSky Brigade: Harpooner (2019) [-] Vertical scroller, top-down view shooter. You are a sophont bunny living with other bunnies on a sky ship. You man a harpoon gun, or actually you man the harpoon shot out of the gun. In a run you get shot out then you shoot enemies and obstacles, once you get to your maximum rope length you're reeled back in and now you deploy a net which you maneuver around to pick up coins and salvage, though enemies you didn't kill get another crack at shooting you. Afterwards buy upgrades and do it again; I don't think there's a campaign mode. It's a different concept though gameplay a bit boring.