infinity-blade
Latest
Infinity Blade Saga to take a swipe at Xbox One
An adaptation of Chair Entertainment and Epic Games' Infinity Blade series will arrive on the Xbox One as Infinity Blade Saga, according to Gematsu's translation of a report from A9VG. Saga will include most of the stages found within the three existing Infinity Blade games on iOS, though Gematsu's translation mentions the presence of an increasingly-guided storyline in this compilation. Gematsu notes that while the Kinect will be supported as a play style, controllers are an equally-feasible option. Chinese investment company Tencent, which owns nearly half of Epic Games, is involved with the project, and while the company is open to a PlayStation 4 port, the Xbox One version remains its priority for now. According to Gematsu, Tencent is considering using a free-to-play model for Saga, but given the company's intention to launch Saga before the Lunar New Year (February 19, 2015), we won't have to wait too long to find out what it decides on. [Image: Tencent Games]
App updates you don't want to miss - December 23, 2013 edition
It has been a busy few weeks with software updates coming out for both iOS and OS X apps. Grab a cup of joe and check out our list of notable updates from the past few weeks! You can also follow them on a rolling basis on our website. iOS Apps Heads Up! [iOS Universal; Category: Games; $0.99] Heads Up! is the fun and hilarious game that Ellen DeGeneres plays on her show. Now you can play with your friends! Version 2.0 adds several new decks and the ability to create your own deck. Tydlig - Calculator Reimagined [iOS Universal; [iOS Universal; $4.99] Tydlig is a revolutionary new kind of calculator that sheds the legacy limitations of old devices for a truly modern calculation experience. Version 1.1.1 adds a new menu action link for when you want to use any historical number in your current expression. Infuse 2 [iOS Universal; Category: Photography & Video; Free] Infuse is the only video player app that bridges the gap between your iTunes and other content –- so you can watch virtually anything you want. Version 2.1 adds even more formats for free users, variable-speed scrubbing, improved accuracy while scrubbing, better movie artwork and more. Infinity Blade III [iOS Universal; Category: Games; $2.99] Uncover new mysteries to wield the power of the Infinity Blade in this timeless adventure of champions and villains. Version 1.2 adds three new quests, nine new enemies, a new Arena Mode and more. Kingdom Rush Frontiers [iPhone; Category: Games; $0.99] Bigger and badder than ever before, Kingdom Rush: Frontiers is a whole new level of the furiously fast, enchantingly charming gameplay that made the original title an award-winning hit. Version 1.4 includes a new free stage, a new boss fight, new hero and more. Kingdom Rush HD [iPad; Category: Games; $0.99] Get ready for an epic journey to defend your kingdom against hordes of orcs, trolls, evil wizards and other nasty fiends using a vast arsenal of towers and spells at your command. Version 2.2 includes a new free stage, a new boss fight, new hero and more. ProCamera7 [iPhone; Category: Photography & Video; $1.99] ProCamera is a photo, video and editing app bursting with state-of-the-art technology that helps you shoot like a pro. Version 5.2 adds a new QR Code Scanner, EXIF Viewer and manual saving. Where's My Water? 2 [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Free] Get ready to join Swampy, Allie and Cranky on their next exciting adventure. Version 1.1.0 adds two new locations and removes the energy system, allowing you to play as much as you want. Sky Guide: View Stars Night or Day [iOS Universal; Category: Reference; $1.99] A star and constellation guide has never been more beautiful and easy to use. Version 3.0 adds new time-lapse feature, 64-bit support, realistic comets and more. Gneo [iOS Universal; Category: Productivity; $4.99] Gneo helps you take action with your to-dos by prioritizing all the things you need to get done. Version 1.0.5 adds a new Calendar selector, new smart notebook filter and more. Agricola [iOS Universal; Category: Games; $6.99] Europe is recovering from some hard times. You and a spouse must grow your two-room hut and empty farmyard into a productive farm. Version 1.1.0 adds the ability to expand the game by purchasing Decks I (Interactive) and K (Complex) for your game. Drafts [iPhone; Category: Productivity; $1.99] Quickly capture text and send it almost anywhere. Version 3.5.8 updates the swiping behavior so your can delete by swiping to the left, and moving or pinning by swiping to the right. Drafts for iPad [iPad; Category: Productivity; $2.99] Quickly capture text and send it almost anywhere. Version 3.5.8 updates the swiping behavior so your can delete by swiping to the left, and moving or pinning by swiping to the right. Daedalus Touch – Text Editor for iCloud [iOS Universal; Category: Productivity; Free] Daedalus Touch is the first truly next-gen text editor on iOS. Version 1.7 turns the app into a freemium title with advanced features available via in-app purchases, new font selector, new theme switcher and more. OS X Apps The Elements [Category: Reference; $19.99] The Elements is a living periodic table that gained a great deal of attention on the iPad before making a move to OS X. Version 1.0.6 doesn't add any functionality, but fixes issues with some late-2012 27-inch iMacs. Cobook [Category: Business; Free] Cobook is an über address book that compiles contacts across just about every social network imaginable, along with your standard Contacts list. Version 3.0 adds support for multiple user accounts, design tweaks and support for Instagram, Foursquare, AngelList and LinkedIn. Civilization V: Campaign Edition [Category: Games; $9.99] The latest edition of the Civilization franchise for Mac includes the Babylon, Mongols and Scenario DLC packs. Version 1.3.4 adds the "Scramble Nations" and "Scramble Continents" options via in-app purchases, along with a suite of bug fixes. SkyDrive [Category: Productivity; Free] SkyDrive is Microsoft's access-from-anywhere storage system that installs a synced folder on your Mac. Version 17.0.2021.1202 fixes some syncing bugs that previously plagued the system.
Daily Update for November 26, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Infinity Blade is free for Black Friday week
The week of Black Friday is beginning to overshadow the American tradition of Thanksgiving, and while some detest the crass materialism of the shopping madness, at least there are some incredible deals to be had. Take this one, for instance; something worth giving thanks for -- Infinity Blade is free to download this week. Sure, Infinity Blade isn't the newest game, but it's still an amazing classic and will play on older devices like the iPhone 3GS, third-generation iPod touch and even the original iPad. The app uses the Unreal Engine 3 to create amazingly lifelike graphics, while using a gesture-based battle control system that works well on touchscreen devices like the iPhone and iPad. Infinity Blade is great for hours of action; just remember to put your iOS device down every once in a while to talk to your friends and relatives during the holidays, OK?
Equip an Infinity Blade for free this week
We may be up to Infinity Blade 3 now, but you can explore the first game in Chair's smash hit series for absolutely nothing. The official Infinity Blade account tweeted this morning the swipey iOS brawler is going for free on the App Store all this week. Infinity Blade is famous for being the first to bring Unreal Engine 3 to iOS, as well as doing Infinity sales, but it's also a great game. As our five-star review put it back in 2010: "You might find games that are a more perfect fit for the platform, but in terms of recreating a console-level experience on the iPhone, you simply will not do better than Infinity Blade."
'Infinity Blade III' hits the App Store ahead of iOS 7 release
After almost a two-year wait, a new Infinity Blade game has hit the App Store. Chair Entertainment's Infinity Blade III ($6.99/£4.99), the third and final chapter in the Apple-exclusive trilogy, has been designed to get the most from the iPhone 5s' new 64-bit architecture. Available as a universal app (supported by devices running iOS 6.0 and up), the game features new rendering effects, including depth of field, blur and full-screen vignettes, utilizing the same tap-to-move controls from the previous two instalments. If the cancelation of Infinity Blade Dungeons left a dragon-shaped hole in your life, today's release might just fill it until the next season of Game of Thrones.
Infinity Blade III to launch on September 18
The game chosen to show off the processing power of the new iPhone 5s today was none other than one of the most anticipated sequels on iOS yet: Infinity Blade III. Donald Mustard, co-founder of Chair, which is owned by Epic Games, took to the stage to show off the third and final installment of the popular series. Fans are in for a special treat as Infinity Blade III will feature eight separate worlds, each as big as the entire original game. For the first time ever, fans will also be able to play as two characters: Siris or Isa. The game will also feature a "massively social" co-op mode. Infinity Blade III will launch on Wednesday, September 18 and cost US$6.99. And though the game has been optimized to run best on the iPhone 5s, it will support other iOS devices including the iPhone 5c, iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPad 4, iPad 3, iPad 2, iPad mini and fourth- and fifth-generation iPod touch. Headline amended to clarify that the app is launching on 9/18 while the new iPhones arrive 9/20.
Infinity Blade: Dungeons officially canceled
The Epic Games Podcast talked with ChAIR Founder and Creative Director, Donald Mustard, this week. The week's news is a mix of celebration and sadness. The celebration is that you can download Infinity Blade II from the App Store for free this week. The bad news is that planned next game, Infinity Blade Dungeons is cancelled. Dungeons was under development at Maryland-based Impossible Games, which unfortunately has gone the way of all things. Mustard assures us that the Infinity Blade world is still growing and that they have plans for more games, books, and possibly other products. "The Infinity Blade games are all about sword fighting," according to Don Mustard. "It's about finding ways to break your enemy," for all skill levels. Parring is key with a mix of dodging and blocking. Gems, which can be found, won, or bought modify and enhance your weapons. It's a very popular game with a 5-star rating, recommended for age 9 and above. [via Polygon]
Infinity Blade free until Feb. 21
The original Infinity Blade is a free download on the App Store until February 21. Regularly priced at $5.99, the game is compatible with iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch."Infinity Blade remains one of the most popular games in the App Store and this is a great opportunity to invite new gamers into the Infinity Blade universe," said ChAIR creative director Donald Mustard.If you're feeling in a particularly V-day kind of mood, feel free to equip the pictured "Valentine's Day Holiday Helm." The Infinity Blade franchise has been good to ChAIR and parent-company Epic, it was announced last year the series generated revenues in excess of $30 million.
Infinity Blade goes free for limited time
Epic games has announced that Infinity Blade is free this week only. The iTunes description for the popular action RPG game has been updated to announce: APPLE'S APP OF THE WEEK! Love is in the air, and so are swords, axes, hammers and scythes! Celebrate Valentine's by enjoying the Must-Have iOS Blockbuster for FREE! However the announcement is a bit premature as (as of the time of this writing) Apple still lists the App of the Week as Galaxy on Fire 2 HD. That's sure to change though as Apple's Apps of the Week usually don't propagate into the store until later on Thursdays. Still, users can download Infinity Blade for free right now. When Infinity Blade was released in 2010 it quickly became the de facto poster boy for high-level gaming on iOS. Based on the Unreal 3 Engine, it has an average rating of five out five stars over 228,000 reviews.
Daily Update for February 8, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Infinity Blade: Dungeons on hold as Epic shuts down studio
Announced alongside the third-generation iPad in March of last year, Epic Games' action-RPG spin-off of the Infinity Blade franchise still isn't out -- and, from the sound of things, we wouldn't count on it shipping anytime soon, if ever. As Joystiq reports, Epic is shuttering Impossible Studios, the developer of Infinity Blade: Dungeons, and putting the game "on hold." In a blog post on the official Epic Games site, company founder Tim Sweeney commented: "It was a bold initiative and the Impossible folks made a gallant effort, but ultimately it wasn't working out for Epic." Interestingly, Sweeney also divulged that in addition to providing Impossible Studios staff with three months of severance pay, Epic will relinquish the studio name and logo in case the ousted employees wish to use it to form a new company. Epic hasn't ruled out a future release of Infinity Blade: Dungeons, but Sweeney did say that Epic is trying to "figure out the future of the project." [Via Joystiq]
Epic's online store covers you in Gears, Fornite and Infinity Blade
If you were worried by the permanence of a "Crimson Omen" tattoo on your chest, you may wish to consider the less drastic measures to support of just getting a shirt with Gears of War: Judgment on it.Epic Games' online store has products covering Infinity Blade, Gears of War, Fortnite and the Unreal Engine – just wait a few seconds for the colors and logo to fully load before you walk out the door.
Daily Update for October 18, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
Infinity Blade spinoff delayed until next year
The original Infinity Blade was one of the first iOS titles that proved downloadable mobile games could have the same polish and flair as a full retail release. Unfortunately, gamers waiting patiently for the next installment, titled Infinity Blade: Dungeons, will have to wait until 2013 to sharpen their swords once again. The game was first shown off during Apple's iPad event in March of this year, where it helped showcase the tablet's new Retina display. Since then, we haven't seen an awful lot from developer Epic Games regarding the title. With both previous Infinity Blade titles seeing December release dates, it was thought that Dungeons may pop up before the year ticked over. However, speaking with AllThingsD, Epic Games spokesman Wes Phillips revealed that the anticipated spinoff adventure won't hit the App Store in time for the holidays, and that we shouldn't expect a release before 2013. No more specific date was offered, leaving a possible 12-month launch window, though we imagine that detail will be hammered out before too long.
Marvel Avengers Initiative brings Infinity Blade hack-and-slash to the world of the Avengers
Marvel (and its games division) has unveiled a brand new game for iOS called Marvel Avengers Initiative. This game has been teased for a little while now, and TUAW was lucky enough to see an in-progress version a few weeks ago. In just a few words, you can call this one "Avengers Blade." It's an Infinity Blade-style action RPG, set in the world of the super-popular Avengers superhero team. The game will consist of a series of episodes, the first of which will be available at launch. Wideload Software (originally started by Halo's Alex Seropian, but more recently acquired by Disney -- which explains why it's working on a Marvel game) has put together the first episode featuring Hulk. Given that the title is so closely based on Infinity Blade, you can imagine how it works. You move from point to point around a game world, collecting currency where you can find it, and fighting big foes by swiping and tapping the screen when prompted. Wideload has even brought Infinity Blade's XP and equipment system over, giving Hulk various stat and costume upgrades that not only make reference to classic comic appearances, but also can give bonuses to XP or certain attributes. Marvel's TQ Jefferson tells TUAW that in the company's video games division, he and his team have come up with three main principles to include on big releases. First, they want each game they release to have fun, engaging gameplay, which is really a no-brainer in the crowded market these days. There also has to be a story, and Avengers Initiative begins with the story of Hulk, fighting a battle across the Avenger's floating fortress of a home base. Finally, Marvel games should have "true-to-character experiences," and that's really what Marvel is going for here. Yes, admits Wideload's Patrick Moran, the gameplay in Avengers Initiative is very similar to Infinity Blade, but the team worked to make all of the moves in this first episode feel very true to Hulk as a character. Moran says that "only a small percentage of our players have ever played" titles like Infinity Blade, which doesn't really seem possible, given the popularity of Chair Entertainment's series. But even if so, Jefferson and Moran both say that the Avengers franchise is hugely popular right now, and they're convinced that Avengers fans of all kinds will be interested in this kind of gameplay experience on the App Store. Avengers Initiative will be out on September 6 (along with the other usual app releases across the world) for the premium price of $6.99. Wideload wants to make sure users know that future episodes of content will be released for free, so there's plenty more game to come. While chatting about the new game, I also was sure to ask Jefferson about a possible iOS version of the very popular Facebook title Avengers Assemble, and he agreed with me that such a thing "would be a very good idea." That's not exactly a confirmation that the company is working on bringing its great game over to iOS, but stay tuned -- we may hear about something else like that soon. For the time being, we'll have to see if Wideload's gamble on this Infinity Blade-style gameplay pays off with users in the way they hope.
NVIDIA, Epic Games bringing Unreal Engine 3 to Windows 8 and Windows RT (video)
NVIDIA and Epic Games have successfully ported the full PC version of Unreal Engine 3 to both Windows 8 and, more importantly, Windows RT. Demonstrating the achievement on a Tegra 3-powered ASUS Vivo Tab RT, it played a buttery-smooth version of Epic Citadel, suggesting that developers of both PC and Xbox games should have no problem in bringing them over to the new operating system. It also casually mentioned that both Gears of War and Mass Effect were built on the engine, heavily implying that we could see titles of that caliber coming to Microsoft's low-power OS once it makes it debut on October 26th, but we'll let you decide for yourself after the break.
Infinity Blade creators parody themselves with VOTE!!
Here's a surprise on the App Store this week -- Infinity Blade creators Chair Entertainment have suddenly released a politically-themed parody of their own game, called VOTE!!!. The app should be out on the North American App Store later on this evening -- it's essentially a battle from Infinity Blade, with the usual hacking, slashing, parrying, and dodging, but with two cartoony versions of the US Presidential candidates battling it out with "debates" instead of attacks. It looks goofy as all get-out, but it's also free, so who knows? Chair probably thought it was a funny idea, and someone on staff had enough drive to go ahead and make it real, so there you go. Presumably, it does use the same engine, so yes, you are seeing Obama wield a lightsaber above in full Unreal 3 graphics. If you want to Infinity Blade fight against Romney or Obama, Vote!!! is arriving later on this evening.
Epic Games: Infinity Blade on iOS more profitable by the pound than any other game we've made
Traditional console makers have often sworn up and down that mobile doesn't make money for game development. That might still be true for some developers, but you'll get a very different answer if you ask Epic Games. Co-founders Tim Sweeney and Mark Rein have collectively described the currently iOS-only, Chair-developed Infinity Blade as the "most profitable game we've ever made" when considering the amount of money and time invested relative to the money coming back. Yes, that includes even the Gears of War series, which most consider Epic's primary cash cow. Sweeney, like his long-time competitor Johh Carmack at id Software, is also taken aback by the power stuffed inside the latest generation of mobile devices -- a 2012 iPad is nearer the performance of a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, he tells Gamasutra, and the pace is only picking up. Even more insights await in the interview with Sweeney; click below if you want a hint of what one of gaming's pioneers has to say about where your tablets, phones and (yes) PCs are going.
Epic's most profitable game is Infinity Blade for iOS
And here's why we're going to continue seeing AAA games makers getting involved in Apple's iOS platform: Epic Games reports that Infinity Blade, which has earned over $30 million in the past 18 months, is by far the company's most profitable title, "in terms of man-years invested versus revenue." Epic has some much bigger titles than the iOS (and Android) hack-and-slash game, including the uber popular console hit series Gears of War. But those games take much longer to produce, so in terms of time invested versus money gained, Infinity Blade is a much more profitable title. Now, that doesn't mean that every AAA studio out there can immediately switch from making console hits to freemium iOS titles -- not only is Infinity Blade a high quality game, but it benefits from Epic's reputation and ownership of the Unreal Engine, as well as unprecedented promotional support from Apple. But it's clear that there's a huge market in iOS, especially for AAA game developers with the experience and knowhow to make great games.
