Best new games of the week: Final Fantasy Record Keeper and Stormblades
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 put it down. So here are this week’s picks! Enjoy, and happy gaming!
Final Fantasy Record Keeper
Relive epic moments, old and new, from the Final Fantasy franchise in our Game of the Week.
Are you a huge Final Fantasy fan who has an itch for nostalgia and wants to relive the classic moments of the series? Then you need to check out our Game of the Week, Final Fantasy Record Keeper from Square Enix and DeNA.
In Record Keeper, players will find themselves in a new kingdom that keeps records of momentous battles of Final Fantasy history (from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy XIII) in the form of paintings. However, one day a dark force covers the kingdom, and those memories begin to fade away and disappear. In order to stop these evil forces, players must set out on a journey with a disciple of Dr. Mog and restore the harmony and balance of the kingdom.
The visuals in Record Keeper are a nice mix of modern and retro. While the game menus have the fresh new look to them, the painting environments and iconic characters are all done in pixelated sprites that harken back to the original Final Fantasy games. Yes, so now you can even get Lightning, who is from FFXIII, in pixelated sprite form. Record Keeper also comes with the original tunes from the games, and the traditional “Fanfare” theme is played after each victory.
The game is split up into levels that are spread out through several different Final Fantasy realms. Each will have multiple stages, with the final one having a familiar boss battle. The battle system goes the traditional Active Time Battle (ATB) route, when players can only act when the character’s action meter is full. It also happens in real-time, so it’s much more intense than normal turn-based JRPGs. Having characters in your party that belong to the realm you’re fighting in, along with their proper equipment, provides a boost to stats and efficiency, so make sure to take advantage of that.
In Record Keeper, players can earn loot, gil, and upgrade orbs after every battle. If you are lucky enough to clear a dungeon for the first time, you earn mythril as well, which can be used for cool things like relic draws — these can provide rare and powerful equipment. The game uses an energy system (stamina), but the recharge time is not too bad, making it better than other games out there.
Final Fantasy is significant franchise, so we are happy to be able to relive the best moments from the past games in a single place. It’s challenging, fun, and definitely a fun way to pass the time. If you are a fan of Final Fantasy, or enjoy JRPGs, then make sure to check this one out. You can get Final Fantasy Record Keeper on the App Store for free as a universal downlad with in-app purchases.
For a more in-depth look behind Final Fantasy Record Keeper, make sure to check my full review.
Honorable Mention
Stormblades
Swing your way to being the best swordsman out there in our Honorable Mention for the week.
In the mood for some intense sword fighting action? Then you should check out our Honorable Mention for the week, Stormblades by Kiloo.
In this fast-paced sword swinging game, players take control of a warrior who sets out to prove that he is the best swordsman out there. The on-rails experience takes you through a labyrinth of temple ruins, where you encounter big baddies who are out to make sure you fail on your mission.
The graphics in the game are fully rendered in 3-D, feature vibrant and lush colors, textures, and details. It may not be as beautiful as Infinity Blade games, but it’s more than enough. Animations are smooth and fluid, and the game has an adventurous tone to the soundtrack, which fits right in.
Stormblades takes inspiration from the Infinity Blade games, but it has some differences. The biggest one is the fact that this is an on-rails experience, so it’s not like players have control over where the character goes in this one. The battle is similar, with swipes used to control your attacks, parries, and double-taps for dodging. However, in Stormblades, players are also awarded bonuses depending on how fast they can take out the enemy, so the faster you are, the better. Essence is collected to purchase different blades and upgrade them with arcane magic.
Stormblades is a much simpler version of Infinity Blade, which can be a good and bad thing. We are digging it here at AppAdvice, since this is the perfect little game to kill the time with. You can find it for free on the App Store as a universal download.
For more about Stormblades, don’t miss my original review.
