Unfortunately, it is also one of the most exclusive. On mobile Subsurface Circular is currently only available for iPad. More specifically still, it requires iOS 11 to run. Once you’ve seen the game in action, it’s easy to understand why the game needs every resource available (though it runs on a new-gen iPad, it’s even smoother on the iPad Pro). It therefore isn’t the kind of game you’re likely to talk about around the water cooler, but there’s something wonderful about this almost secrecy.

Without giving too much away, Subsurface Circular dabbles in the post-human. Robots, known as ‘teks’ are as common as humans, and move around cities autonomously via a dedicated subway system. It is on this subway system that the game is entirely set. In the game you embody a detective tek, a robot capable of human-like cognitive analysis.

Although, like all detective teks, you work for the human-run management, while travelling around on this tek-only subway system you learn that there have been a number of mysterious tek disappearances and are unable to resist taking on the case even if it means agitating your human masters.

Your task is to solve the case by prising relevant information out of the rotating cast of teks that sit around you (you are stationary) through ostensibly casual conversation and helping them meet their own individual needs and goals. This quite frequently involves solving little puzzles and riddles, as well as remembering all of the information that previous teks have given to you. All of this, like much of life in 2017, occurs over text.

The more you engage with these teks and their problems, the more lines of inquiry open themselves up for you to pursue, the challenge being choosing carefully to get the best information available. Designed to be played in (more or less) a single sitting, most players have reported the game taking 2-3 hours to complete, though for those less conversationally adept, it could take longer if you end up down a lot of rabbit holes (to be expected, especially in the beginning).

As great as the story is on its own, the graphics of the game are instrumental in creating the immersive experience that will lock you into the game and encourage completion even when the mystery is at its trickiest. Kicking things up a notch from Bithell’s earlier Volume, the colouring of the subway and the teks creates a depth of field enhanced by the game’s crisp realism.

Playing Subsurface Circular with headphones (over-ear if possible) offers the best possible experience. The subtleties of the soundtrack work to simultaneously get you in the right headspace and help you focus on the serious matter at hand, blocking out the distractions of the outside world. The relationship between score and story is one of the game’s most impressive aspects and makes it abundently clear that Bithell (really Mike Bithell) though of everything when putting this game together.

Subsurface Circular is a premium game, priced at $4.99USD on the App Store. Though the developers kept the game’s length in mind when pricing, it’s still easy to argue that the game is quite a steal. Less than half the cost of a movie ticket while providing at least as much entertainment, it’ll be one of the best fivers you’ll spend all year.

The post Subsurface Circular Review: Wholly Engrossing appeared first on Gamezebo.

In Tower ’01 the object of the game is to bring your score down from 101 or 301 (the number increases as you progress through the leagues) by trying to score, initially, the highest combination possible and then the right combination to finish the count off without going bust. For complete darts novices, it’s a lot like the card game 21.

While the game’s automatic counter takes the mental arithmetic out of the equation, which is often the most challenging part of darts (especially when played as a pub game), getting used to the throwing mechanic can take a lot of effort. Fortunately, there are a few tips and tricks that can help give you a real leg up over your opponent.

Place the dart about a finger width below your intended target point.

Did you know you can move the dart and place it anywhere on the screen? The tutorial with all its efforts to help you swipe your way to the target mostly overlooks this little trick. By correctly placing the target, you barely have to swipe at all and you’re far likelier to end up right on target.

How do you place your dart? It couldn’t be simpler. Just tap on the spot of the screen where you’d like the tip to appear. Make it fast and don’t keep your finger on the screen though, lest you end up dragging the dart around like a piece of toilet paper on the bottom of your shoe in a posh restaurant.

Gently. GENTLY!

If you’ve placed your dart right you don’t have to give it much of a swipe to get on target. In fact, it’s barely a flick at all, maybe a nudge. The speed of the movement is far more important than the movement itself. Quick and ever so slight (half of that finger width will do it). That’s what will do it. Darts is like The Price is Right in more ways than one.

Don’t get caught up in Score Bot. It doesn’t always know best.

By giving you a number of free tries with Score Bot, once you get the hang of things on your own you can live without. Useful in some cases, one you’ve perfected your approach to the 20 you’re better off sticking with the tried, tested and true. Just hit a single one as you work down from 101 and you should be able to get yourself out (single 1, triple 20, double 20) before the end of your turn.

Save hard, spend big.

Your ability to stay competitive, especially as you progress up the leagues, depends in large part on your gear – much more so than in real life darts. As impossible as it might actually be that your Tier B dart suddenly becomes unable to hit the board at all in Tier D, it sure does feel like it. The game recommends that you use equipment that matches the Tier you’re in and it’s a good rule to follow with one caveat.

Push your previous tier equipment as far into the next tier as you can, giving you the best chance to save up for the second (and costlier) of the tier’s options. The difference between the high-end dart for Tier C and the low-end dart for Tier D is marginal, but high-end C to high-end D is a big jump and with it comes a big boost in performance.

Don’t forget about your flights! Unlocking the different shapes doesn’t just give you more style options. Flights affect the speed of your darts. The faster, the more accurate. Customisation optional.

Down to the wire? Misfire! Misfire!

This might sound counter-intuitive, but as you’re looking to close out (especially if you’re trying to close out on a higher number) you’re better off taking your chances throwing off board than hitting a lower number and eventually ending up with no choice but to hit the double 1 or bust.

The post Darts of Fury Tips, Cheats and Strategies appeared first on Gamezebo.

We’re here to help with a two-part guide that will run you through the dos and don’ts of being the best teammate you can be.

In this first part we’ll be looking at the offensive side of the game. Be sure to check out our companion guide to learn how to play great defense in NBA 2K18.

Do

1. Play your position! (especially on transitions)

Your teammates notice how well you make the transition between defence and offense. If you’re a guard, go with the flow of the ball.

2. Choose your shots carefully!

Think about where you are on the court and how closely you’re being guarded before you let the ball fly. Missing a shot is OK (you don’t lose grade points for missed shots) so long as the shot is well chosen.

3. Set smart picks

If you aren’t the point guard for your team, your point guard is either reluctantly expecting you to make yourself available for a pass or to eagerly looking for you to help him shake his defender. Setting a great pick (close and slightly to the side of the defender so as to not block your teammate) will go over really well, especially at the top of the key. It’s not a big grade booster, but like remembering to answer the bonus question of your chemistry it can make all the difference at the end of the day.

4. Follow your shots (and your teammates’)

Offensive rebounds are a great way to get a grades boost, so it’s better to try and not land the rebound than to not try at all. Don’t be afraid to get in close – if you need practice lots of the drills you can do on your off days centre around rebounding.

5. Pass

Share the ball. Pass to your teammates who are in a better position than you. You earn credit for both good passes and ball movement, so being selfish really doesn’t pay off.

Don’t

1. Drop the ball (literally)

Turnovers cost you big when you’re on offense. Your meter takes a big hit from the turn-over and a bigger hit from your opponent scoring when he takes that ball on a fast-break. Chances are, that stunned little avatar of yours will even lose points for bad transition defence because you can’t pull yourself together enough to chase him down and get your ball back.

2. Get blocked

Is your defender up in your grill? Don’t shoot. Getting block doesn’t just leave you looking stupid, it also means a big hit to your teammate grade. Wait until you’re in the clear (or pass!).

3, Set bad picks

Setting bad picks can lead to fouls. Most fouls, especially unnecessary fouls, will lead to a big grade knock. It’s the equivalent of accidentally calling your English teacher Mr. Horrid instead of Mr. Horton to his face. It does not end well for you.

4. Think you can pull off a turnaround jumper

Are you Johnny O’Bryant? No? Then don’t try to go for the jump shot if your back is to the basket. You’ll almost certainly get knocked for bad shot selection even if it does go in by some miracle.

5. Hang out in the key

For those who aren’t particularly familiar with the rules of the game, it’s worth noting that any given player on offense can only spend a maximum of three seconds in the key (also known as the post – the coloured area) at a time. Exceed that and the other team gets the ball. You don’t get double dinged for the turnover, but you do take a knock so watch your feet and keep it moving down low.

Conclusion 

While it doesn’t factor into your in-game performance grade, being a great teammate in NBA 2K18 extends beyond offense and defense off the court. With each post-game interview you have the power to further solidify or damage the team’s chemistry so choose your words carefully. Your fans around the country might appreciate a bit of swagger, but cheering alone doesn’t win championships and you won’t get much of a chance to shine like a star when riding the bench.

The post How to Play Great Offense in NBA 2K18 appeared first on Gamezebo.

This is part two of our ‘great teammate guide’ focusing on defense. Once you’ve gotten your defensive game sorted, have a look at this companion guide which will run you through tips & tricks for being a dynamo on offense.

Do

1. Hurry back (but not too fast)

Your teammates are watching your transition defense too so don’t let them down. Chase down the fast breaks and keep an eye on your man otherwise so you don’t leave him unattended.

2. Keep close to your man

Stay on him like a dirty shirt. Make him unattractive as a potential passing option. Keep him darting left and right without a clear break to the post.

3. Contest shots

Every single shot that your assigned opponent lets off should be contested by you as the defender. When he scores, you take a big hit to your teammate grade (and it’s hard to argue that’s unfair) so make sure it isn’t easy.

4. Go after every single rebound

Sure the odds might not be in your favour, but you know what’s worse? Allowing an offensive rebound – at least in the eyes of your teammates. Yes, you might be the shortest player on the team and one of the worst, but try anyways. Yoda may be one of the wisest of all time, but he wasn’t playing NBA 2K18. There is a try. You must try.

5. Help your teammates when they’re in trouble

If you see that one of your teammates is out of position on defense or his man is just hanging out with the ball killing time, you can be rewarded for an effective double team. Be careful with this though as leaving your own man wide open for a shot can spell disaster. It’s like dealing with a loss of oxygen in an airplane, make sure your own mask is on before you help anyone else.

Don’t

1. Hold the steal button by accident

This triggers a reach in foul. Unless you’re in the fourth quarter and it’s a necessary part of your team’s strategy to try to get the ball back, this is one of the worst things you can do to your team so be careful. Very careful. NBA 2K18 doesn’t have what will feel like a natural controller layout to everyone, so it’s a mistake easily made.

2. Block too early

You know how we just said to contest every shot? Make sure you only contest when the player is actually shooting. If he’s just standing there dribbling, don’t hit the block button. You’ll lose credit for a bad block attempt.

3. Leave your player unattended

Helping your teammates, tying your shoes or whatever it is you’re doing with your time is important, but not as important as standing by your man. You’ll lose points if he’s on his own and none of your teammates are there to pick up the slack.

4. Foul needlessly

Think before you foul. Are you really helping your team here – Is he a bad free throw shooter? Is he almost guaranteed to score? How’s your lead? A bad foul will cost you, about the same as just letting your man score, so think carefully before you get physical.

5. Let the ball bounce off your foot

Though the extent to which you can actually control whether this happens in NBA 2K18 is a subject of intense debate, if you can at all avoid kicking, or appearing to kick, the ball it’s highly recommended as it elicits a turnover and an unnecessary one at that.

Conclusion

Getting great at defense takes a little more work than being a strong offensive player, but practice makes perfect. It’s well worth spending a little extra time on your off days working on rebounding drills. It can’t all be fun and games with your ‘connections’.

The post How to Play Great Defense in NBA 2K18 appeared first on Gamezebo.

Mobile was something the NBA 2K series really struggled with in early on, but with NBA 2K18 for mobile the game has not just found its stride but is has firmly established itself as the gold standard.

NBA 2K18 is the eighth 2K title for mobile and offers both the best playing experience and the most stable release to date. Where early mobile versions suffered from crashes and laggy gameplay, NBA 2K18 comes closest to feeling like a console game, even if that console is more PS2 than Xbox One.

At the same time, there’s no question that NBA 2K18 is what a professional basketball simulation game should feel like on the mobile platform. It isn’t competing with the hundreds of other basketball themed games on the mobile market, it’s carving it’s own niche, competing largely against itself — and we’re all winners for it.

The closest point of comparison for the 2K series and NBA2K18 specifically is NBA LIVE Mobile Basketball. But where NBA LIVE is free-to-play and has to rely on generating in-app purchases, as a (higher-end) premium game NBA 2K18 is able to offer a different experience (even if there are in-app purchases available). While it’s true that NBA 2K18 has better graphics and music, it’s really like apples with oranges. Both are fruit. Both are delicious. Yet, they still taste entirely different.

On the topic of the game’s graphics, NBA 2K18 is the most realistic basketball game on the market, though players are unlikely to notice a substantial improvement over NBA 2K17 or NBA 2K16. This in itself a testament to how hard the 2K team has worked over the years to ensure mobile isn’t just some afterthought. Though the undershirts many of the players now wear often appear torn in the cut-scenes, if this is the strongest criticism that can be levied, they’re definitely doing something right.

NBA 2K18 is able to offer the same killer soundtrack on mobile as it does with the console game. From Kendrick Lamar’s mega-hit ‘Humble’ to French hip-hop troublemaker Take a Mic’s ‘4 Vérités’ (‘Four Truths’) it’s the kind of soundtrack that makes you never want to put the game down. Fortunately, 2K Sports have made the soundtrack available on Spotify for those who like to mix up their mobile ballin’ with hitting the court in real life.

Much of the hype leading up to the release of NBA 2K18 for mobile centred around the richer My Career mode. While it’s true that improvements in scripting create a more immersive and realistic experience, there’s a couple of oversights in the player creation process that can be irksome.

For example, we seem to have lost the ability to pick what region the player is from, something that’s really quite basic (even more so than the randomly generated nickname). Keeping in mind the reality that it’s only possible to create a male player and there’s no WNBA game available, part of the fun of creating a custom player is to create someone that you imagine you’d be a little bit like if only you had made it to the league. While sure there might be a Finn O’Byrne from Greece, it might also be the case that his creator very much imagined him as being from Ennis, Ireland.

What was less hyped, but many players might find more interesting is the expanded association mode which plays like the dynasty and franchise modes in other console sports games. Association mode lets you take control of a team across multiple seasons. While you can turn much of the decision making over to the computer, at its most user-dictated you’ve got control over scouting, trades, who’s in the game (and when) and your game strategy. Think you can do a better job rebuilding the New York Knicks than Scott Perry? Prove it.

For those who have been playing sports games for decades, association mode offers the closest thing on mobile to that type of classic simulation and playing experience. Though, players should be warned, NBA 2K18 can be a bit ruthless when it comes to denying trades you propose.

There’s also a blacktop gameplay mode that will let you team up with NBA legends of the recent and distant past. For the more nostalgic among us looking for the NBA Fantasy Camp experience without breaking a sweat, this is probably the closest you can get.

When NBA 2K18 is considered on the whole, it represents another significant step forward in terms of a realistic, authentic and rich basketball experience. There’s still room for improvement — the disappearing undershirts, pick your own country, and maybe even a slightly more forgiving teammate rating in rookie mode — but on the whole it’s the best NBA experience you can have for mobile.

The post NBA 2K18 Review: Gold Standard for Mobile Basketball appeared first on Gamezebo.

There are two major game modes in Football Strike: shooting race and free kicks. In the first you’re pit against another player and tasked with scoring the most points by hitting the targets that appear in the goal. With free kicks, you take turns shooting and goalkeeping with your opponent, the winner being the person who has the most kicks after five rounds. The career mode is a fusion of the two game modes, though the shooting races in some of the career mode level leave you playing solo.

Because outside of career mode you’re forced to bet on yourself to play, there’s a strong incentive to win consistently. Regardless of the game mode you’re in you can’t do that without a great shot. That’s where we come in with five tips to shooting greatness in Football Strike.

Go For the Corners

Whether in a shooting race or taking free kicks the top corners are your best bets for consistent goals. Able to get the hang of bouncing the ball off the inside post and in? Even better.

In tiers two and three of shooting race you’ll find that your opponents often get wrapped up in going for the moving targets. Sure, a moving target can give you up to three points if you hit the bullseye, but a corner is a guaranteed two points and its static. Most importantly, while your opponent is firing away at the moving targets, taking on corners where possible gives you a better chance of getting your shot to target first.

In free kicks, particularly once special moves come into play, the corners remain hard to reach for keepers. You may as well take advantage of that fact because you know your opponent is!

Take Control of Your Speed

The faster you swipe, the faster your shot. Makes sense right? Just don’t forget to put that knowledge into practice during gameplay. In shooting race you’re going to want to let your shots go as quickly as possible so that you can always beat your opponent to the target. In free kicks, mix up the speed to keep the keeper off-guard.

Bend it Like Messi

Although the game doesn’t explicitly show you how to do it, it is possible to bend your shots in Football Strike. Simply draw a curve with your finger and the ball will follow that path (more or less) towards the goal. Key things to keep in mind – dominant foot of the player, depth of curve (how tight the C is) and position in relation to the goal. The curve mechanic in Football Strike isn’t overly precise so initially you’re more likely to over-curve than under-curve, though if you make sure the c caps above the top of the net you’re more likely to be on target.

The ability to curve the ball becomes very important once you hit tier three and its walls of defenders, so start practicing when there’s less on the line.

Practice Makes Perfect

Is the pressure getting a little much? That moving wall of defenders starting to feel like a brick wall? Hit the more tab and you’ll see the option to practice. Take it. With the pressure of an opponent and a stop clock gone, you can hone your ability to curve the ball just so to sneak past the wall or how to hit corners with your off-foot. It might not provide you with vast riches, but make no mistake – practice is massively rewarding.

Aim High

Our final and most basic Football Strike tip is to aim high. Don’t swipe straight up the screen – you’ll only watch ball after ball fly over the top of the goal at that rate. Instead, once you’ve decided exactly where you want the ball to land push it just that extra half finger width because the ball will drop a little in air. The faster the shot, the less the drop so that’s something to keep in mind, but aiming a little high is a good rule of (literal and figurative) thumb if you want to hit the target or back of the net every single time.

The post Football Strike Tips, Cheats and Strategies appeared first on Gamezebo.

A twist on the typical match-three puzzler which has you selecting objects which line up from an already full (or largely full) gameboard, The Human Age takes the reverse approach. Starting with a blank board, moving a game piece triggers the appearance of an additional game piece or two. It even allows you to see where these pieces will appear by watermarking the game board. Your task is to move the tiles in such a way that three (or more) can be evolved into a single piece of the next tier. Besides ‘levelling up’ in game, the advantage of combining tiles as frequently as possible also clears space on the game board. This is key because as soon as the board is full with no additional moves possible it’s game over!

The graphics in The Human Age are a strong point. Warm and friendly from top to bottom, the characters used on the tiles might not win too many points for historical accuracy, but they make learning a little more about the history behind each age with the infoboxes completely unintimidating. In fact, with such wide smiles and killer dance moves it’s hard to believe that the life expectancy of these kindly avatars tapped out around thirty.

The gameplay is fun and engaging, falling just a little short of addicting. Part of the challenge here is there’s a few things the player’s going to need to embrace or at least learn to live with in order for them to keep playing for any length of time. While mobile gamers are now used to revenue generation models that limit energy or (in the case of puzzle games in particular) turns in order to encourage in-app purchases, but in trying to do things a little differently with The Human Age, Noddlecake disrupts the logic to which we’ve grown accustomed.

Rather than getting a limited number of turns per level, because the game isn’t levelled, you get a limited number of turns full stop. Once your current game ends, you start the next with the same number of turns with which you ended the previous game. During gameplay turns generate over time, but generally not quite fast enough to keep up with the pace of play. The result is rather frequent prompts to purchase additional turns either with crystals (accrue slowly during gameplay, largely garnered through in-app purchases) or time (watching ads).

This is where the game’s issues start. If you opt to go the ad route (which provides you with 50 turns rather than the 150 turns the crystals provide), it’s rather inconsistent the number of ads you’ll need to watch before your turns actually register. The prompt makes it seem as though you’ll only need to watch one ad in exchange for 50 turns but deep into gameplay it can be two or three – there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason behind the number of ads.

For younger players, parents or those looking to play at work (not recommended) it’s also worth noting that some of the ads can contain some rather ‘racy’ or ‘adult’ content. Even if you’re someone not overly sensitive to mature themes, it comes as a bit of a surprise in a game that features a caricature of God.

This in itself isn’t enough to turn players off from a game – most players understand that in order to enjoy a fun free-to-play game there needs to be some sort of revenue generation component. However, with ads also popping up mid-gameplay and spontaneously kicking you out of the game, it will likely be a bit much to take for some.

Still, the biggest drawback with this title has nothing to do with ads. It’s the in-game music. The simple and repetitive score can be more than a little grating and for many players it isn’t obvious how to turn it off (the option lives in the menu that unfurls from the bottom of the screen).

The result is a game that’s great in small doses but the flaws in which make it difficult to sit with for a long time, especially after the first play. For the most part that’s OK, in a world full of games it can be impossible to put down, sometimes not losing your whole weekend to your phone can be a great thing.

The post The Human Age Review: A Puzzling Trip through Time appeared first on Gamezebo.

With two Golden Geek awards, Eight-Minute Empire has become one of the go-to board games for families in the know. It’s simple enough to be fun for all ages while simultaneously being difficult enough to really require you to think strategically.

The biggest thing distinguishing Eight-Minute Empire from other games in this space is the speed of gameplay. Each player has a set number of turns (13 in a two-player game, 10 in a three-player game) and coins from the get-go. While coins can be bet in order to receive the privilege of going first (or in whichever order you prefer), players are all generally operating within the same strict constraints. This is one of the keys to the game’s fun. The most strategic player will win and who that is will likely change from game to game.

The other key – the speed of gameplay. It might be called Eight-Minute Empire, but it’s relatively unlikely that it’ll take a full eight minutes to get through the game unless it’s being drawn out by those playing it. You’re realistically looking at a five-minute empire, though it’s easy to understand how the physical version of the game might take eight minutes. Unlike Risk which can be a whole-day endeavour, the game is typically over before anyone starts to cry.

In the mobile version of Eight-Minute Empire, you have the option of playing against one or two AI of varying difficulty levels or of playing against other human beings either online or in real life. While online play is a little more randomised, the option to share the device and play with friends and family is another one of the game’s most attractive features. Three family members or friends can have fun at the same time with only one device. It seems so simple, yet it’s still something that’s relatively rare.

For those who aren’t overly familiar with the board version of the game, the tutorial will likely be a little too short. You can get a hang of the basic motions but getting your head around the strategy and, more specifically, what it takes to win, is a little more challenging.

Fortunately, though it isn’t advertised, the rule book is always on hand to help you. It can be accessed from the main menu to review before you jump into a game or from inside the game by hitting pause and the question mark.

When it comes to gameplay, Eight-Minute Empire performs really well on a full range of devices, including older devices. Online gameplay seems to work well as well, at least on latest gen devices, with no lag to report. In order to play online against others there’s a registration process that might put some players off, but will hopefully help in the formation of an online community of mobile Eight-Minute Empire enthusiasts.

As a premium game, $4.99USD on the App Store, with purchasable expansions that unlock new maps, it’s a complete uninterrupted playing experience. Anyone who’s enjoying the game will likely find the expansions a great deal to add a little more variety and challenge.

Overall, if you’re already an Eight-Minute Empire fan, you’ll likely be impressed by how it’s been transported to mobile. If you’re a strategy fan in general, it might be the perfect game to add to your arsenal for those days when you’re short on time but still want to play. It’s also a great game for families who are planning road trips. This isn’t a game for everyone – it lacks the crossover appeal that’s likely to convert massive amounts of folks who aren’t keen on strategy – but it does exactly what it says on the tin.

The post Eight-Minute Empire Review: From Board to Phone appeared first on Gamezebo.