Halloween Buyers Guide

#16. DEO
Genres: Action Puzzle, Physics Puzzle
[xrr rating=4/5]

A surprise inclusion perhaps, DEO deserves a place on the list for its infectiously saddening Gothic feel — a very strange animal among physics puzzlers! From our review: “While it’s a little lacking in depth and its menu system can prove confusing at first blush, DEO does a remarkable job serving up a platforming experience that’s unique, challenging, and surprisingly intuitive. Whether you’re into 2D platformers or action-heavy physics puzzle games, consider this an excellently crafted title worth taking a chance on.”

#17. Lechuza
Genres: Casual Adventure, Find the Hidden Object, Horror
[xrr rating=3/5]

This casual adventure title is sweet in the horror department, with an atmosphere that builds up from vaguely unsettling to blowout fright-fest at just the right pace. Its drawback, then, is that its content ends just when the going gets really good, and the text is a little hard to read on the iPhone’s small screen. Read our review here for more.

#18. Scream ‘n’ Run
Genres:
Running, Side-scroller
[xrr rating=3.5/5]

This is the game where you literally scream at your iDevice to control the player character! From Ru’s review: “You’re guaranteed a riotous good time with this delightfully demented scream-controlled side-scroller. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for anyone who happens to be in your general vicinity when you’re playing it!”

#19. I Found You
Genres:
Maze Navigation, Logic Puzzle, Horror
[xrr rating=3.5/5]

“An Asian horror game, you say? Why, it must be like The Ring!” Not quite, but that doesn’t mean I Found You didn’t turn out to be pretty interesting! From Sean’s review: “While it’s not going to do much more for horror veterans than an old B-rated slasher film, I Found You offers something fresh and out of the ordinary to anyone who could go for a maze-heavy puzzle game. A willingness to contend with slow gameplay pace is required though.”

#20. Quietus
Genre:
Platformer
[xrr rating=3/5]

After our review it benefited from an interface update that makes use of the screen area method, but Quietus is still the most hellishly difficult platformer on iOS! Set to a sad Gothic mood, it’s a surefire bet for the crowd of challenge-hardened retro elites, and something that’s liable to give everyone else cause for snapping their iDevice in half.

#21. The Night Flier
Genres: Side-scroller, High Score Competition
[xrr rating=3/5]

From our review: “While The Night Flier doesn’t really bring anything new to the genre, it’s still recommendable to those who like their games cute, casual and fully stocked with unlockables and achievements. Well worth swooping up while free.”

#22. iGADGET
Genre:
Casual Adventure
[xrr rating=2.5/5]

iGADGET might seem a surprising way to wrap up our Halloween Buyer’s Guide, but it was a downright creepfest, what with wandering through a Soviet-style police state and the uncanny character models. The verdict: “If you plunk down the purchase price for iGADGET, do yourself a favor and consider it an exhibition in the annals of videogame history. Gamers who have long enjoyed simple point-and-click adventure titles, or the movie-as-game style found in the Hysteria series, are the most likely audiences to find enjoyment in this outdated oldie.”