Best new games of the week: Shadowmatic and Gunslugs 2
Every week, our staff will handpick a game from the past two weeks that we believe is a must-have download for your iPhone or iPad. These games will always be from a wide variety of genres, but they are chosen because our own staff members love it and can’t quite put it down. So here are this week’s picks! Enjoy, and happy gaming!
Shadowmatic
Use your imagination and decipher the shadows in our Game of the Week.
In the mood for a relaxing zen puzzle game that is about bending the abstract into something recognizable? Then look no further than our Game of the Week, Shadowmatic by TRIADA Studio.
This gorgeous game features fully realistic 3-D graphics with unique environments, and everything is topped off with fantastic parallax effects. Players will twist and turn their way through nine different rooms that have their own unique theme, which extends out to the objects that you’ll be deciphering. The settings include a child’s bedroom, living room, wood, and much more. Regardless of the stage, the amount of detail and texture in the game is incredible. Shadowmatic also has a soothing soundtrack to go along with it all, with nice subtle differences depending on the environment you’re in.
The game has 70 levels and the objective is simple: twist and rotate the abstract objects in the spotlight to create an iconic object in the shadow. Players use one finger to turn the objects, and two fingers to rotate (also applies to the spotlight area). As you get multiple objects to work with, you can switch between them with the button in the bottom left corner. Holding this button down and dragging another finger on the screen will move both objects at once.
A progress meter at the bottom indicates how close you are to getting the silhouette, and you can use hints if you are stuck, though it’s not recommended if you want to fully enjoy the game.
We are huge fans of zen-like puzzle games like this, so it’s no wonder we are loving Shadowmatic. If you are in the mood for a calming puzzle that’s also a work of art, then make sure to check out Shadowmatic. You can get it on the App Store as a universal download for $2.99.
For more information on Shadowmatic, check out my full review.
Honorable Mention
Gunslugs 2
Get ready for some intense run-and-gun action in our Honorable Mention this week.
Need some total chaos instead this weekend? Then don’t miss our Honorable Mention for the week, which is Gunslugs 2 by Pascal Bestebroer, also known as Orangepixel.
The game sports a very retro 16-bit look and feel that will take you back to the classic days of gaming. Despite the pixelated look, the game is packed with fine details and buttery smooth animations. To go with the action-packed frenzy, Gunslugs 2 has an intense chiptune soundtrack that is sure to delight fans.
There are seven different worlds in Gunslugs 2, with about eight levels each, and boss battles. While this does not sound like a lot, the game procedurally generates each stage, so it won’t ever be the same experience twice, so there is plenty of variety. The goal of the game is to find and rescue other members of the Gunslugs, take down the bosses, and stop the Black Duck Army from their plans of world domination. Once you get through the story mode, arcade becomes unlocked and ready for you to take it on for the highest score possible.
Gunslugs 2 is a frantic run-and-gun type of game, and believe me, you will get hurt a lot. Fortunately, enemies frequently drop health packs and ammo, so replenishing your resources is easy. You can choose from different members to play as too, and they all have their own unique attack patterns and guns. The controls consist of directional movement buttons in the bottom left, and buttons for attacking and jumping on the right.
We love action-packed arcade games like this, so it’s no wonder Gunslugs 2 got chosen this week. If you feel like blasting your way to victory this weekend, then make sure to give this title a try. You can get it on the App Store as a universal download for $2.99.
For a closer look at Gunslugs 2, don’t miss my original review.
