Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving

via Android and Me
Lol it's a turkey android xD

Hope everyone has a nice Thanksgiving =)

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

I found a pretty cool wallpaper on tumblr.


I don't know who the creator was so if this belongs to you, let me know and I'll cite you. Like I said, I do enjoy neon colors =P Enjoy.

Click image for larger resolution
Next post will be about a little nifty widget.

Monday, November 22, 2010

EVAC: A unique game using concepts from Pacman and Metal Gear


When it comes to gaming, many legends to mind. Pacman can be considered one of the most influential games in gaming history. I'm sure everyone knows of this hungry, yellow circle being chased by colorful ghosts. I'm also sure many people blew many quarters at the local arcade hangout. This game stood the test of time thus it is considered a classic.

Pacman was influential but Metal Gear Solid was a game changer. The Metal Gear series has its roots traced back to the late 1980's. The gaming world was changed once Metal Gear Solid hit the Playstation console.  Some of the most memorable moments include hiding in the shadows from guards and having your memory card read by Psychomantis. This game was definitely another classic.

So you may be wondering why I'm talking about Pacman and Metal Gear Solid. Interestingly there's a game on the Android Market that utilizes a couple of concepts from these two iconic games. EVAC by Hexage Ltd makes use of the "run from the bad guy" concept from Pacman and also the "sneak and hide" stealth concept from Metal Gear. By the way, Hexage Ltd is a prominent player in mobile gaming on the Android Market. They have various hits such as Radiant and Totemo to name a few.



This game originally caught my eye because I have a thing for bright, vibrant graphics. Honestly I didn't know what to expect but after playing this game for a bit, I immediately became hooked. Some information about the game: You are a cute little block on the run from an evil empire trying to capture you. Each level is a maze/puzzle and you need to utilize your problem solving skills all while staying alive. As you progress through each level, you will find more difficultly. Each level has a couple of power ups ranging from ghost mode to a homing spinning missile barrier. I found it quite interesting how several levels make use of a "hiding area" so if enemies spot you, you can hide in the shadows until they calm down (very Metal Gear-like). To pass a level, you must collect all the dots to open the portal to the next stage (Pacman-like).

Now you see me

Now you don't ;P
Ghost powerup

Homing Barrier Powerup

Kicking some ass
Overall I find this game quite addicting. The neon graphics are vibrant and eye catching. The soundtrack is also very pleasant. Unlike other games, there's actually a story involved. The concepts used within this game are also quite intuitive. I love the random powerups.

Although the file size is a bit large (7mb), if you have Froyo, you can move it to your SD card (it'll shrink to ~400kb). I find the game a bit short because the Lite version only has 7 levels. All of which are quite challenging. Though, if you get addicted, you'll find yourself asking for more. Luckily there's a full version (EVAC HD $2.84). This version has more levels and is optimized for higher end devices i.e. Desire, Nexus, Galaxy S. The one minor complaint about this game is the controls. Controls on the touch screen can be a little cumbersome but if you have an optical pad or trackball, all will be good. Other than that, this is an especially fun app to pass the time. Check out the free version first if you plan on getting the paid version. =)
Free Version