Released on August 27, 2009 Modern Combat: Sandstorm is the best action thriller game released on the App Store for iPhone OS 3.0. The seller is no other then Gameloft itself. Gameloft is a French publisher and developer of video games. Its headquarters are in Paris with offices all around the world. The company is such a success, therefore is listed on the Paris Stock Exchange. Gameloft is a family company because it was founded by Guillemot brothers. The same Guillemot are founders and owners of Ubisoft. Both of the companies make video games.
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The Ubisoft focuses its attention on creating games for mobile phones equipped with Java and Symbian OS (as well as the N-Gage platform), while Gameloft develops games for game consoles: Play Station Portable, the Wii console, Wii Sport, Nintendo DS, Xbox, Xbox 360, PC and for the new iPhone OS 3.0 and Android OS. In 2007, Gameloft received a few awards for games like, Rise of the Lost Empire, American Pop star: Road to Celebrity, while in 2008 the awarded games were: Castle of Magic, Hero of Sparta, Asphalt 4 - Elite Racing. Mortal Combat: Sandstorm is promising the same quality experience like the awarded Gameloft games.

The game story is straight forward from the beginning: you are assigned to Mission Sandstorm, with the duty to locate and annihilate a new terrorist cell setting up shop and recruiting foreign insurgents in a remote desert hot spot. If you enjoy first person shooter games then continue reading. The storyline is well familiar; the game puts you in the shoes of an U.S soldier out in search for a highly dangerous terrorist. There are 10 missions featuring varied and highly polished Middle Eastern environments (from desert to city to enclosed areas such as laboratories and sewers). All ten missions are available with 4 difficulty modes: easy, medium, hard and unlock able extreme mode.

The graphics are excellent and the attention to details is remarkable. The game simulates full rounds out the combat experience with voiceovers, cinematic video clips and great sound effects. Te highly polished 3D graphics provide full immersion into the military experience and high intensity combat. The game provides with a wide range of authentic and advanced weapons: sniper rifle, two assault rifles, RPG, shotgun, submachine gun, light machine gun, heavy machine gun mounted on a moving car, explosive grenades, flashbang grenades and radiation detector.


Most weapons upgrades are acquired by completing missions and pick by picking them up from the dead terrorists. Beside the graphics and the large variety of weapons, Mortal Combat: Sandstorm offers great controls. There are three control options. You have virtual analog stick for movement, a shoot button, and swiping the screen to aim and look around. Also you can tap on the left screen side to move, right side to aim and look around and a shoot button. Most of the time you will probably use the dual sticks for aiming, moving and looking around. The controls respond quickly and the combat mode runs efficiently enough for all the action game fans.

Other nice options include: aim assist on / off, auto screen flip, blood or no blood, on / off auto grenade, and inverted controls. Each new mission will provide new objectives and an overview of the current situation. The cinematic snippets, military voice-overs and true to life situations increase game realism. If you haven't played that much action shooting games don't panic; the initial mission is a training mode to allow you to understand the controls, the controls on combat and to learn about the weapons efficiency.


The training mode will allow you to learn how to shoot from a close range, but also from a distance. Basically the game is so complex that offers you so many action elements found on console games or PC games. You will walk, crouch through dangerous doorways; you will blow up buildings and terrorists hiding places. You can also radio transmit your current situations. The game is real. Therefore you will see the terrorists running and not appearing right in front of your gun.

Missions are hard no matter the difficult mode you choose. The game does a great job providing a combination of individual and squad based missions. This game is a true work of art. The story provided by Modern Combat: Sandstorm is more entertaining than other Gameloft games. A not so great feature is the checkpoint. Therefore if you die, exit the game or get a phone call the game will automatically reset the level to the last checkpoint.


Replay value is fairly good, as the higher difficulty levels really seem to make the game considerably harder to beat. However if you are looking for a multiplayer action shooter, then Modern Combat: Sandstorm is not for you. For the time being the actual version does not include this feature. However this kind of game option might be available on future versions. Therefore keep an eye on this game version. The latest one is ranked at 1.0.7. Overall this game has a lot of great features but it is not all that perfect. Because it was created by Gameloft, this games has a great quality in high perspective, even the voice-overs are done well (not like other action games offered for the iPhone OS 3.0).

But there is a down side, even if it is based on a new engine, Modern Combat: Sandstorm has a familiar feeling. Maybe the same feeling you would have when playing Terminator Salvation or Assassin's Creed. The same checkpoint mistake, upgrading your weapons by picking up the enemy weapons and other make this, otherwise great game, not so much unique. Therefore the asking price of $6.99 seems a little too much. But then again if you don't care how much it costs and just want a great action game with the single shooter feature for the iPod touch and iPhone with the iPhone OS 3.0 or later than you should buy Modern Combat: Sandstorm.

If you like racing games, and if you like BMW's then you will certainly love the game presented in this article. On September 21, 2009, Artificial life Inc released the latest version of "BMW Sauber F1 Team Racing 09", an excellent game which will allow you to join BMW Sauber F1 Team for this season of 2009.
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You can currently find this application on the App Store under the Games category, with the current version, 1.0.1, available for purchase and download at $1.99 price tag. However, keep in mind that this game was developed for iPod touch and iPhone running at least the third version operating system for iPhone mobile platform.

This game will works even better if you own an iPod touch third generation, or an iPhone 3GS. The story line is obvious, so no need of explaining that you will play as either Robert Kubica or Nick Heidfeld and race within eight different tracks. The game really provides a real experience (including the changing weather). The graphics are really good offering sufficient details even if your BMW will have the light speed. In order to complete the user experience, the developer also included real sound effects, with a few soundtracks. However, you are not allowed to listen to your own playlists, probably because it would mean multitasking (feature that is not yet completely resolved neither with the latest operating system).


The game provides you with tracks from interesting places, such as Germany, China, Japan, England and others. You can easily customize your difficulty game, by introducing third difficulty elements such as weather condition. Even more, if you need a break just play a mini game that will require more logic than speed. You have three pre determined game difficulty. Even if the controls are intuitive and easy to use, you should still start playing this game, within a smaller difficulty level. A nice feature is that you can place your best score online and even challenge friends on the Facebook connect.


By playing to win, and not just playing to lose time, you will easily earn almost 10 trophies. In case you finish this game to early just add the existing expansion packs available, including new racing mode and even better, another two challenge modes. This game feels real, from weather to graphics, sound effects and even the pit stop challenge. Overall, the "BMW Sauber F1 Team Racing 09" is an excellent game, which provides good graphics, controls, sound, excellent game play all for a small price tag. Probably the only disadvantage is that it should provide more tracks, for a longer replay able value.

Probably one of the most important top on the App Store, in the Games category, is the "What we are playing" top. You can certainly the most played games by users. Some of them are good, some of them are bad, a few are free, and the rest include a price tag. At the end of the day, whether a game is good or not, worthy of its price tag or not is strictly up to you, the final user and customer.
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On October 04, 2009, INTERSOG LLC released the first version of "Bar Rush", a great game which will certainly deliver a rush experience. You can currently find this application on App Store, under the Games category, available for purchasing and downloading for $0.99 price tag. Even more, "Bar Rush" was developed strictly for the third generation operating system for the iPhone mobile platform (or higher then strictly 3.0).

You can play this game on either iPod touch second generation and iPhone 3G. However, for a full game experience you should probably buy either third generation iPod touch or iPhone 3GS. The story line is catchy. You are a bartender and you have to serve certain kind of drinks to different characters within a time frame. Your mission is to become a Master Mixologist (only if you successfully collect enough tips). The game play is straight forward, just mix all sort of drinks, shake and serve them without missing any specific time frame. In order to play this game without getting fired, you need some management skills onboard, to keep a close eye on the time, customer, and the drinks orders. If you ever played "Diner Dash" or "Sally's Spa" then you certainly know what to do within this game.


The graphics are really good, with nice details, and colorful environment. However, this is natural to be so, since "Bar Rush" doesn't involve to complex animation, or motion fluidity. The sounds are nice. However, you are able to choose to listen to your very own iTunes Music Library (within the next upgrade). A nice feature is the lifestyle learning which will actually teach you drink recipes and what they are made out, from basic recipes to complex drinks.

Therefore, this game is also about learning, not math, or science, but drinks recipes. This game will provide you with about 50 ingredients, which combined will allow you to create about 80 different drinks, within six different level of difficulty (increase difficulty that comes when the game evolves). Beside the nice graphics and good sound effects, the developer also included funny dialog, and excellent, intuitive controls.


Overall, "Bar Rush" is an attractive fun game, with pre defined elements from reality. The game play seems very real, for anyone who actually worked as a bartender. The game also provides you with a training mode, since it is not extremely easy to get used to from beginning. After passing the training mode, you can get started with the real game, mixing ingredients; making great drinks within a specific time and earn tips.

Also, you can use your iPod touch or iPhone's accelerometer sensor to mix your ingredients. Also, the faster you serve the drinks the better the tips will get. You can post online your highest score, for a general ranking. For only $0.99, "Bar Rush" is an excellent game, with high replay able value including searchable lead board. If you want a fun game anchored in reality then "Bar Rush" is for you.