Game Centered features roundups and in-depth reviews of the best in iOS games. Among the App Store’s myriad games, it’s all too easy to overlook some of the greats. Each installment of Game Centered will take a close look at a select few worthy of special recognition. This week's installment takes a sneak peek at the upcoming movie tie-in, World War Z, as well special weekend sales from Gameloft, and the newly-released Fast and the Furious: 6 game.
1. World War Z: The Game Coming to iOS Ahead of Summer Blockbuster
I've been anxiously awaiting the soon-to-be-released movie World War Z ever since I first saw the preview on my IMDb app many months ago. Starring the award-winning actor Brad Pitt, World War Z tackles the hugely popular topic of: you guessed it, the infernal Zombie apocalypse. *I've included a trailer for the film at the bottom of this page, just to wet your whistle.
And now, the word is out that a tie-in iOS game is due May 30, a full three weeks ahead of the movie’s theatrical release. This one promises to be a smashing success, brought to us by Phosphor Games Studio (the producers of the acclaimed RPG Horn) and powered by none other than the mighty Unreal Engine 3.
From the game trailer we see what looks to be a first person Zombie combat game, following a relatively predictable Zombie storyline: just try and stay alive against the hordes of the undead.
I'm looking forward to this latest collaboration between Epic Games (known for the modern classic Infinity Blade series) and Phosphor Games, with its attention to detail and intricacies. These two teams of developers compliment one another nicely, and I have high expectations for this game. I'll be back with a detailed review of this game as soon as it's released at the end of this month, so stay tuned...
2. Gameloft’s N.O.V.A. 3 (Free for Limited Time Only)
Two of my favorite Gameloft games have gone free, this weekend only! The epic FPS, N.O.V.A. 3 is a HALO-esque masterpiece and delivers one of the most extensive iOS game campaigns I've yet to encounter. It does not get repetitive, and the challenges you are faced with are varied and puzzling. N.O.V.A. 3 is definitely NOT just another first person shooter, and if ever a game were worth a premium price, this is it. So act now and get it for free while you still can.
3. Gangstar Rio (Free for Limited Time Only)![Game Centered: Gangstar Rio]()
Likewise, Gangstar Rio: City of Saints is no typical sandbox RPG. In the same vein as Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Gangstar: Rio transports you into the life of a rising Ganstar. In a vividly rendered recreation of the notorious South American city, you are free to roam, and whether you focus on the seemingly endless missions, evading the cops, or just raising hell, stealing cars, and collecting money, this game is of a caliber and depth unprecedented on iOS, and that's saying something.
4. Fast & Furious 6: The Game (Free)
Oh boy, as an avid racer in both the real and virtual worlds, you know I'm excited about this one! Another blockbuster movie tie-in, The Fast & Furious 6 puts you in the heart of the action in this over-the-top, mission based racing game.
As you progress through this game you unlock cars, missions and customizable options. The graphics are rich and the storyline is compelling and engrossing. And with these supercharged cars, the actual racing experience a challenging rush.
I just downloaded this game, and haven't had a chance to get very far in it yet, but I'll be interested to see how aggressively this game’s developers pursue the notorious freemium game model of bombarding gamers with ads to make in-app purchases, or hobbling us with limitations that would take an excessive ammount of time to surmount without making in-app purchases.
I'd rather pay a price, even a premium price, for a quality game that doesn't try to surreptitiously extract money from my iTunes account, rather than a free game that bleeds the pocketbook if you want to progress in a timely manner. One thing for sure though, the movie series has been a phenomenal success (Obviously, since we are on the 6th installment of the franchise!) and with a price of free I expect the same of this latest iteration of the Fast and the Furious iOS game series.
* Now, treat yourself to the movie trailer for the new Brad Pitt movie, World War Z. Both the movie and the iOS game due for release later this month look ominously great!
