![]() ![]() Now on to the next thing.” Something is building. But what I mean is that there are dimensions to what’s happening beyond “okay, I squished some wretches. I would say there are some choices between being greedy, being kind, and making sure Avadon’s rule is unquestioned, but it’s not something that’s been terribly tough to decide. ![]() For daily app coverage, check out our sister site Modojo.Oh, well, if you’re looking for moral dilemmas or difficult choices, you’re better off with the Geneforge series, as far as Spiderweb goes (and even then, that’s more of a hallmark of other studios - Obsidian, say). If you want to see a particular app featured, drop us a line or suggest it in the comments. And this is further proven by there being a huge free demo on Google Play.Īpp of the Day highlights interesting games we're playing on the Android, iPad, iPhone and Windows Phone 7 mobile platforms, including post-release updates. It's an extra 49p on iTunes, but then Eurogamer's always said that Android is clearly far better. It's a cracking bargain when you consider you're not buying a ten-minute lunchtime distraction, but rather at least 40 hours of really decent RPG. At £6.50 on Google Play, this is more on the more level-headed side. Unfortunately Spiderweb has always over-priced their games, still charging $15 for 15 year old PC games for instance. The only issue I found here was an occasional odd four or five second pause on the Transformer - but it's a minor issue. Turn-based combat helps, and while I miss the broader customisation available for magic in the Avernum series, a party of sorceresses, fighters and shamans offers plenty of variation, further mixed up by your being able to choose which two NPCs you'd like to bring along, and ultimately control. It's an epic RPG, and it never for a moment feels awkward under your fingers. Stats are rich, choices about how XP is spent is complicated, conversations can be long and elaborate, and the world is enormous without being randomly generated or constantly respawned. And that's what makes it stand out quite so much. And I mean that - this isn't cut down or streamlined or simplified for a tablet. It's RPG purity, just like daddy Garriot would have wanted. PC version at Spidweb, priced $20 (£12.89)īut mostly you're controlling a changing team of three characters, exploring the absolutely enormous world, chatting to everyone to pick up quests, and firing fireballs at skellingtons.Or you can simply enjoy running around hitting spiders with swords. You're asked to ponder whether the rich, powerful capital you represent is necessarily right in its dealings with outlying groups that some consider terrorists. This story gently explores complexities of nations, of the ethical complications of being either side of a perceived divide, and does so without ever shoving it in your face. It concerns the Hand of Avadon, an attempt to restore peace in an ongoing conflict between a group of nations - the Pact - and those not affiliated, the Farlanders. This time, while you have multiple quests at once, there's a clear route through the tale. What works particularly well here is the linear story - something Spiderweb's games often avoid, and end up feeling overwhelmingly sprawling. Really, with this much info on screen, and it still so clear and easy to see, it highlights how much more we should expect from tablet RPGs. A week's holiday in France almost didn't get a look in as I began exploring The Black Fortress on my Android Transformer Prime, and a day hasn't gone past since when I don't find a sneaky chance to explore for another hour. And it turns out this is just about perfect. Vogel's two most recent games - a relaunch of the very long-running Avernum series, and a brand new story in Avadon - have been developed for iPad and Android tablets alongside his traditional PC and Mac. They exist in a world where BioWare never was, and it was up to Spiderweb to advance things from Ultima. Minimalist in design, and unashamed in their reuse of assets, the essentially one-man team (Jeff Vogel) produces epic stories that tend to span over three or six 50 hour games. It is in fact a port of a PC version, released a year back, from the ludicrously prolific Spiderweb Software, a Seattle-based company that has been producing full-length RPG sagas for decades. It's an incredibly old-school RPG that simply acknowledges that a touch screen is pretty much a mouse, and then gets on with it. ![]() By not being esoteric, obscure, cute, or a new twist on a classic idea, it's pretty much unique in the market. Avadon: The Black Fortress stands out amongst gaming apps. ![]()
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