I consider myself a power user. This means I try and make full use of all my gadgets and gizmos to further enrich my life. One technology that seems to have remained in the power user field is RSS feeds. One of the reasons for this seems to be that sometimes inherent difficulty in setting up RSS feeds and finding a easy to use reader. Alphonso Labs thinks they have the answer to this problem with their new Pulse reader app for iPhone and iPad. Today we will take a look at the iPhone version of this reader.

Pulse has been getting a lot of press lately with its untraditional interface for reading feeds. Most RSS readers share much of their interface design with email clients. You usually are presented with a list of titles which you can then expand to read the article. Pulse instead gives the reader a grid of sites that can be scrolled through both up and down (to scroll through sites) and left and right (to see more articles for that site). This method takes getting use to when you are use to the traditional method of viewing all their sites in one list.

Pulse has a parsing engine that takes the image (if there is one) from the articles and uses it to help you visualize if you want to read the particular article. This turns out to be a lot like browsing magazines in a bookstore and has a more causal browsing experience. When an article is tapped, the interface steps out of the way and allows you to read with just a small tab at the bottom to bring up other articles from the same site. Links will open in the in-app browser which makes it easy to stay in the app or move out to Safari if you prefer. A button at the top lets you escape back to the grid, while another offers a quick way to share articles via Facebook, Twitter, Email, or Instapaper.

You might say, "That is great, but it is still a pain to find an RSS feed on a site and then go to my reader and paste it in." Pulse has you covered with automatic feed discovery. In the settings you can do a search for a site and Pulse will offer you a choice of feeds. If you are not even sure about what site you even want Pulse will suggest sites based on keywords you provide. For the power users Pulse can connect to your Google Reader and let you choose what sites to bring into Pulse. The feeds can be arranged in any order; letting you place your favorite sites near the top for easy access.

After giving this app a solid two weeks of heavy use, I have found a lot that I like about this app. Its visual style leads itself to easy reading. I find the interface is intuitive and moves out of your way when it needs to. The image parsing  works most of the time, but I have noticed some feeds that have images in Google Reader do not have images in Pulse. This may be due to odd feed structure, so I don't know if there is anything Pulse can do about this. I was also disappointed that Pulse can not be turned horizontally on the iPhone. I realize that the grid would be difficult to navigate in landscape mode, but reading long articles is usually more comfortable with the iPhone on its side.

Finally I was disappointed that the app caps the number of feeds to twenty. I'm sure that more feeds would become cumbersome to navigate in this layout, but I hope that in future versions the perhaps a grouping system could be implemented to allow for more feeds, since twenty feeds barely breaks the surface of my normal reading list. I think for most people the cap will not be a problem since the more feeds a person has the greater needs for organization and grouping into subjects so your reading can be triaged.

All of that aside, Pulse stands as a great start for what could become a great tool for bringing RSS feeds to the general public use. Alphonso Labs is very attentive to user input and they even have a button on the main screen to quickly connect with them via the usual routes. I'm sure that Pulse will continue to be developed and improved. In the world of RSS Google holds the crown with Reader, but if anyone has the chance to become the leader in feed readers, Pulse is definitely the one.
 

Right off the bat this game tries to dodge labels. You move around and kill things; it must be an action game. You collect money and use it to level up; it must be an RPG. You are trying to do all this as fast as possible; it must be a racing game. Your enemies consist of different colored squares; this must be commentary on the stating of gaming. Personally, I think it is all of the above.

Cat in a Box Games has done what seems like the impossible and packaged all these various game types into a quick and dirty causal game that can be picked up and played for a couple minutes at a time. The simplicity of this game is evident in the hand drawn graphic style, but don't let this fool you, Fastar has much to offer.

Each level is a side scrolling slug fest where you battle with colored squares. Towns are found at intervals where you can heal and upgrade your attack and defence. While most of your damage is inflicted with melee attacks, you also have a choice of nine different spells, both offensive and defensive, to help you along the way. The squares start off small, but quickly grow in size and will even begin casting their own spells. If you run into enemies you can not defeat you can run back to the previous town to heal up.

The basic game is simply a speed run through a series of increasingly difficult squares. Fastar also offers a while range of game types that offer something for everyone. There are the usual unlimited levels and ones where the goal is the gold instead of time. There are also levels of just certain color squares so you can become acquainted with each color's fighting style. Each game type has a global score list as well as local scores. Each score shows that players attack and defense as well as the spell they chose which helps you determine what might be the best set up for each level.

That said, RPG element is more of a dressing over an action game. Your ability to negotiate each enemy will have more to do with your success than how you allocate your funds into attack and defense. Each game is designed to last 5-20 mins with the exception of the longer marathons style games which could last hours.

Fastar is one of those hybrid games that takes from so many genres that it's hard to really figure out who would like this game. The gameplay is fun and there is plenty of content to keep you busy. If you are a fan of quirky games and want to give a new contender a chance I don't think you could go wrong with Fastar.
 

If you're an adult and don't have any kids or even access to kids, you've probably never heard of Phineas and Ferb.  In short, it's a very imaginative show on the Disney Channel that has humor for children of all ages, a bit like the old Looney Tunes cartoons.

However, this isn't about the show itself.  This is about the Phineas and Ferb Arcade game for the iPhone and iPod touch that is based on the television show.  Adults would likely find this game somewhat boring and annoying but kids, particularly those between the ages of 7 and 12, would likely love it.

The arcade actually comes with four built-in games, each of which is pretty simplistic both in presentation and control.  The menu system blares out of the catchy Phineas and Ferb theme song, so you may want to silence that if you find it annoying.

The four games are Escape From Mole-Tropolis in which the boys have to escape from an underground lair populated by mole-men, Agent P's Hideout Spy Simulation in which Perry the Platypus (don't ask.  You have to watch the program to understand) has to perform target practice against some holograms of Dr. Doofenshmirtz, Sno Problem in which the boys have to use one of Dr. Doofenshmirtz's creations to build a mountain of snow, and Cowabunga Candace in which the boys' sister Candace has to perform surfboarding tricks.

Each game is cute if not complex and the help section of the app pretty clearly describes the methods and goals for each game.  The program even comes with a social networking platform to communicate your scores with other Phineas and Ferb fans.  Other than that, the game has no real settings (you can't even shut off the music without silencing your device).

I like the game, but then I also like the show.  It's not for everybody but if you have kids that like the show, then this game could occupy them for a long time.  Like, an hour perhaps.

As of this writing, Meowcenaries (as well as a few other Adult Swim games) are on sale in the App Store for $.99. If you like Adult Swim's brand of humor in your games, then now is the time to pick this one up.

Meowcenaries is an interesting mix of your standard strategy/action game and the phenomenon known as LOLCats. The idea behind the game is that you're a group of mercenary cartoon cats and you have to defeat "EvilCat" and his army of "Badkatz" but walking through the forest and shooting them. There are actually several sets of objectives in the game including the collection of "cheezburgers".

Game play is fairly simple as the standard movement controller appears on the bottom left of the screen and shooting controller appears on the bottom right. There is also a control in the bottom center for choose the sort of weapon the cats shoot (they start with a machine gun and other weapons can be collected in the game). The Settings Menu allows the user to even name the four mercenary cats in the game (you can use names like "Snowball" and "Mr. Fluffykins"). The game also has my favorite feature of being able to play iPod music in the background.

As one would expect from an Adult Swim game, it is just the right combination of cute and violent.  It can be slightly difficult to adjust to the controls as the shooting control also controls the direction the cats face, but after a few minutes of play it shouldn't be a big deal.

My one complaint about the game is not about the game itself. It's about the cartoon slide introduction to it. It goes along to fast and is difficult to read to get the game's premise. Either it should go more slowly or the user should be able to control the speed of it.

Overall, this game is a bargain at $.99. Recommended.

The sky is falling, and it looks like roof of the Pantheon... or was it a Delorean. Either way you are in big trouble and that is where The Incident, a new game from Big Bucket Software, starts. What is causing Smart Cars and gum ball machines to fall out of the air? That is all part of the mysterious fun that this game brings. What will you find when you climb the giant pile of cultural references? First let's take a look at how we got in this mess.

The Incident takes the strategy of giving no explanation for what is going on, they explain that it is in the players best interests to climb the growing pile and avoid being hit on the head by any falling objects. In this zany casual game it works perfectly to draw you into the already addictive gameplay in hopes of uncovering the cause, and maybe even stopping it.

The game itself is simple enough. You tilt the phone to move your character back and forth and tap to jump, avoiding falling objects or becoming buried under the pile. During the game there is the usual power-ups that lend a hand as well as some "power-downs" which will hinder your progress. The game is well suited for the casual gaming genre with frequent checkpoints and ample extra lives. There are also gems to collect, and achievements to bring you back for more. One entertaining feature is the trophies, which showcases all the objects that have causes your untimely demise.

The graphics in The Incident are the usual retro pixel graphics and the game comes with a rousing chip-tune soundtrack. More aggressive gamers should be aware that this game is not very difficult and pretty short. I completed the initial levels in a couple of hours, and while I still need to grab a few more gems, the game doesn't hold much new for repeat gamers if you are not into completing achievements like collecting coins and gems. The developer has stated that more content is coming and this has shown in past iPhone games to improve the value of a well executed game ten fold.

While I look forward to more challenges and even more cultural references, take a break from your doodle jumping, and your gravity hooking, and try your hand at this hybrid reaction/platformer game and I bet you will be sucked in as well. Just remember your helmet!
 

The iPhone platform, with its integrated app store and low barrier to entry development program, can be a boon for independent game developers. Many small or one man operations have found great success creating fantastic games that break the mold and offer something gamers are not use to. It reminds me of the halcyon days of shareware/freeware when DOS and Apple games where written by people in their homes and became huge hits by word of mouth. Osmos, by Hemisphere Games, certainly looks to be one of those underground hits with its particular blend of contemplative game play that mixes arcade action with puzzle solving to give a new spin on familiar game mechanics.

The question is: can Osmos really capture the action loving gamers with such a slow paced game? Lets take a look at the game to see what makes this game of cellular life and death such a provocative experience.

Osmos's recipe is one part space physics and two parts micro biology. Now don't let that those words scare you into thinking you are stepping into your high school science class. In Osmos you control a single cell organism they call a Mote. Your mote must survive by absorbing smaller motes around you. This absorption causes your mote to increase in size. This is all fine and good, but there are larger motes that are also absorbing smaller motes and one of those might be you if you are not careful.

To make things even worse, moving your mote around the screen requires you to fire off a tiny piece of yourself. This is fine for slow careful movements, but if you become to aggressive with your control of your mote, you will find yourself shrinking fast. This is mainly why Osmos is such a slow paced game. Careful movements are almost always the more prudent move, while hasty actions will land you on a collision course with a larger mote.

Beyond these basics, Osmos throws a variety of different motes your way, which gives you eight different game types to add variety. Some of these are sentient and will either run or chase your. Others have their own gravity and must be used to catapult yourself across the level. All of this is wrapped in ambient sounds that, as the opening screen states, sound "best with headphones."

My general impression of this game reminds me a lot of games like Zen Bound, where half the fun is the experience of the game as much as playing it. The campaign is very short and serves mainly as a primmer for playing the arcade modes, which are randomized each time you play them. It would love to see more game types in time, but the game as is ranks among the best in quality and style. Do yourself a favor. Sit down in a quiet room, put your headphones on, and prepare yourself to be absorbed into the world of Osmos.

I managed to snag this game when it was on sale for two dollars.  It's still on sale for seven dollars which beats the usual ten dollar price.  It's worth it.

This may be the best implementation of the Doom franchise that I've played since the original.  Graphics are much smoother and more sophisticated than the previous versions, utilizing the full capabilities of the iPhone's graphical display.  As with all other versions, it's a first-person shooter with monsters and zombies.  Like Doom II RPG, there is some story (in a text format rather than sound) between moments of gunfire.

The game itself is great.  Motion is far more smooth and the monsters don't look like refugees from the 8-bit world (the app was specifically redesigned for the iPhone and iPod touch).  You tap different sections of the screen to shoot, reload and increase your health.  The iPhone's gyroscope is used to aim the crosshairs.  For pity's sake, don't keep forgetting to replenish your health like I do.

The game does have one nuance that I'm ambivalent about.  The player doesn't control where the shooter goes.  The game moves the character for you so that you can concentrate on shooting.  I'd rather have more control over where the character walks.  It's a minor issue, but worth mentioning.

Overall, it's a game worth owning if you're into science-fictiony first-person shooters.  If you can't afford it now, just wait until the next sale.

Gravity: it can be your friend, or it can be a "fall to your death" enemy. In Semi Secret's newest iPhone game Gravity Hook HD, it is mostly the later. In this new arcade game, you take on the effects of gravity with a robotic hook which you use to latch on to floating mines that will propel you upwards. This game has all the attention to detail and charm that we have come to enjoy with Semi Secret's previous entry in the app store, Canabalt.

Much like Canabalt, there isn't much story, but lots of detail to say otherwise. The music is pounding and as the first screen suggests, the game is best enjoyed with headphones. The environment is beautifully rendered, and as you progress higher the ledges you relied upon for a moment reprieve, will fall away from under you. At certain intervals there are floors that close below you to allow a rest, but as you climb higher you will find that stopping can be more of a detriment that keeping your current momentum.

The initial mines are really more floating orbs, but life does not remain so easy. The green "safe" orbs soon disappear and are replaced with blue mines that will quickly explode if you remain attached to them as well as the evil red mines that will explode if you run into them. There are also the occasional line of grey mines that while unsuitable for attaching to (unless you want a quick death at the bottom of the screen), are great for bumping into to help propel you upwards. One must also be careful not to grab a mine too far away as the force to pull you up is lessened by the distance from the mine.

It would not be an exaggeration to say this game is quite challenging and will take time to master the rhythm of the game. For those that do find this game to be a walk in the park. The game unlocks a classic mode which is the original version of this game. This is pixel art style and contains only the blue type mines. The timing of this version is much faster and is even more challenging that the updated version. Semi Secrets high score boards and twitter announcements are built in just like their previous game. This is another example of the high quality gaming we have come to expect from Semi Secret, and is not to be missed.

With the success of Angry Birds, lots of developers are trying to put their spin on the "launch and destroy" genre of games. Miniclip has recently released their take with the bomb throwing antics of Fragger. Does Fragger offer that guttural satisfaction that the leaders of this genre have mastered?

Fragger has you lobbing grenades at targets in order to destroy them before running out of grenades. Medals are awarded for using fewer grenades and maximizing your score. One way this can be accomplished is to hit targets on the head with the grenade before blowing them to smithereens.

The early levels are almost dead simple, and offer little more than practice to get use to the physics and controls. As the levels progress the difficulty does improve to an acceptable level. Targets are hidden in buildings or caves and obstacles must be blow away or grenades must be banks off of wall in order to reach them. Bonus points are also awarded for blowing up multiple targets with a single grenade.

Overall Fragger is a nice game that is fun to play casually from time to time. There isn't too much brought to the table that is unique, but the game is well made and definitely something you should check out.