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[jon bones]

I've been playing this off & on since it released and I have to say - it definitely scratches that Baldur's Gate itch I've been having. The devs post here regularly and have been updating the game with new free content (new control schemes, more loot, more spells, etc) over time. They asked that I create this OT and I was happy to do so - I wouldn't put the bones seal of approval on just anything! It's deep, looty, fun & I definitely suggest taking a look.

“Companions” is a fantasy-themed RPG taking place in the immersive world of “Altland”, where your party of four heroes set out to fight the evil god Detexx and his minions. Altland is a fantasy world where the old races of Dwarfs and Elves live in harmony with the younger races of Humans and Minotaur’s, and each character of your party has different (and unique) skills and abilities.

Check out this review & this review then go buy it!

“Companions” feature list:

• 10+ hour Campaign mode (though this could be more if you played again with a different party configs)
• Tactical Pause (20 or 60 seconds)
• 4 races, each with 3 classes
  
  Minotaur: Berserker, Gladiator, Bull
  Elf: Assassin, Ranger, Archer
  Dwarf: Miner, Draftsman, Engineer
  Human: Light, Matter, Void
  
  
• 40+ skills to learn
• 3 difficulty settings
• 41 Achievements (Open Feint + Game Center support)
• 3 maps featuring leader-boards
• Available in English & German
• Massive oversized dragon

 

[Utako]

I imagined an escort service management sim.

 

[ReBurn]

Is this game so awesome that it deserves to stand apart from the iOS gaming thread? Not really my kind of game, but looks nice I guess.

 

[Takamura-San]

I imagined an escort service management sim.

You were not the only one

 

[soldat7]

I tried the Lite version and the movement seemed a bit slow. Maybe I didn't understand the control scheme well enough, but it seemed to take forever to do basic tasks like moving your people into the next room and clicking on treasure. Maybe I should give it another go.

 

[jon bones]

I tried the Lite version and the movement seemed a bit slow. Maybe I didn't understand the control scheme well enough, but it seemed to take forever to do basic tasks like moving your people into the next room and clicking on treasure. Maybe I should give it another go.

a lot of people had similar issues so the devs updated the control schemes and group movement quite a bit in version 1.2

Is this game so awesome that it deserves to stand apart from the iOS gaming thread? Not really my kind of game, but looks nice I guess.

i don't see why not, it's a deep enough game to warrant it's own thread

 

[smuttlegiaco]

hi fellas! if you have any problems or feedback or questions or whatever, post! I'll try to answer everything.

we put 10 month of developing time into our first game. full time. it's already a huge game and it will become bigger in future month. we already work on new campaign maps (which will come as a free update) and a random dungeon generator, which will also be available on the iPhone!

and no, it's no escort sim ;-) I'm sorry to disappoint you fellas...

(well, perhaps you could imagine the elf as a sort of escort girl....ah, well I better stop thinking about it )

 

[Stumpokapow]

Is this game so awesome that it deserves to stand apart from the iOS gaming thread? Not really my kind of game, but looks nice I guess.

all the XBLA games get their own threads as well. to me, what justifies something getting its own thread is someone being interested enough in it to give it its own thread.

 

[smuttlegiaco]

One year ago we started with the concept work for Companions! Celebrate with us and get your copy for 3.99$ (instead of 4.99$)!

 

[smuttlegiaco]

hell yeah! Companions was reviewed on touchArcade! And a good review at that!

 

[ACE 1991]

Pretty bummed this is only available on iPad, I've been searching for a meaty iPhone rpg.

 

[TxdoHawk]

Oh, good timing. A friend of mine just picked up an iPad, and is an absolute whore for Baldur's Gate. I'll point this out to him.

 

[smuttlegiaco]

@TxdoHawk: did your friend try it? I love to get some feedback.

 

[Louis Cyphre]

This actually looks pretty good

 

[Kurdel]

Great OP! We need nice threads like this to dispel the idea that iOS games are only casual and short.

I bought this a while back and am soon going to dig in.

 

[ElectricThunder]

Quality looking stuff right there---should I ever get an iPad, assuming this doesn't somehow wind up elsewhere in the future, this is definitely on my short list of games to pick up ASAP.

 

[smuttlegiaco]

We need nice threads like this to dispel the idea that iOS games are only casual and short.

I just had a talk with my friend and partner in crime, Ralph, and we both came to the conclusion, that we should have started with "easy" games. This is our first game and a real game too - it won't play itself that's for sure - but that's not what the market seems to like. We sold about 5000 copies until now, which is ok, but not near enough to cover our expenses and investments (both in time and money).

On the other hand, the people who play and played it give us great reviews and when a site like Toucharcade praises our game it feels as if we did everything right.

With our big updates coming later this year, our game will be even larger and deeper as it is now (regarding playtime and content).

I hope you have as much fun playing Companions, as we had developing it.

 

[Dash Kappei]

Nice! As soon as I get my wifi net back I'll get it from the appstore

 

[wilflare]

I just had a talk with my friend and partner in crime, Ralph, and we both came to the conclusion, that we should have started with "easy" games. This is our first game and a real game too - it won't play itself that's for sure - but that's not what the market seems to like. We sold about 5000 copies until now, which is ok, but not near enough to cover our expenses and investments (both in time and money).

On the other hand, the people who play and played it give us great reviews and when a site like Toucharcade praises our game it feels as if we did everything right.

With our big updates coming later this year, our game will be even larger and deeper as it is now (regarding playtime and content).

I hope you have as much fun playing Companions, as we had developing it.

seeing this on GAF makes me want it even more. and now with the sale, facepalm.

 

[smuttlegiaco]

very nice guys! you won't be disappointed!

 

[ElectricThunder]

I just had a talk with my friend and partner in crime, Ralph, and we both came to the conclusion, that we should have started with "easy" games. This is our first game and a real game too - it won't play itself that's for sure - but that's not what the market seems to like. We sold about 5000 copies until now, which is ok, but not near enough to cover our expenses and investments (both in time and money).

On the other hand, the people who play and played it give us great reviews and when a site like Toucharcade praises our game it feels as if we did everything right.

With our big updates coming later this year, our game will be even larger and deeper as it is now (regarding playtime and content).

I hope you have as much fun playing Companions, as we had developing it.

I wonder, is or has there been any discussions about a "consortium" or some such for/among devs doing "serious" games for iDevices/Androids? An arrangement to cross-promote/link and generally bolster the niche however possible?

Something like Cliffski's Show Me The Games for these platforms seems like it would make a hell of a lot of sense.

http://www.showmethegames.com/

 

[smuttlegiaco]

I wonder, is or has there been any discussions about a "consortium" or some such for/among devs doing "serious" games for iDevices/Androids? An arrangement to cross-promote/link and generally bolster the niche however possible?

seems like a good idea to me. but somebody has to start such a plattform and that means work. the idea is sound nonetheless and I already thought about contacting fellow developers about a marketing partnership.

I know of a few developers who market their games like this, but that's only a few here and there and most of the time it's a partnership between two developers, not a plattform thing like you suggest.

 

[Fusebox]

Looks like a poor mans Avadon, is it really that good?

 

[echoshifting]

Just grabbed this for three bucks (dropped from $5 today). There is definitely a gap in iOS gaming that this sort of game could fill...I'm looking forward to giving it a shot!

edit: I think it should be noted, though, that the toucharcade review linked by one of the devs earlier in the thread was much more positive than most reviews I read for this game. Still, the complaints weren't enough to dissuade me at this price point, especially since it sounds like some of these issues have already been addressed.

 

[smuttlegiaco]

you are right with some of the other reviews. just visit our blog, we linked nearly all reviews, even the "bad" ones. note however, that many of the reviews are from version 1.0 (no group movement, bad item handling etc.) and we made the mistake not to tell the reviewers that this is NOT a casual game.

I guess if you start the game and expect something totally different, our game can be frustrating. and to tell the truth, it seems that most of them stopped to play after the tutorial and map 1. the game is huge and many fun things will be discovered in later stages.

NOTE: the end-battle of the tutorial is a high-score game: you will die! be prepared!


EDIT: by the way, we dropped the price 24 hours ago and just 2-3 hours back it went finally down. thank you apple...

 

[speedpop]

Massive oversized dragon

Sold!

I love the fact that there's a minotaur in your party.

 

[wilflare]

you are right with some of the other reviews. just visit our blog, we linked nearly all reviews, even the "bad" ones. note however, that many of the reviews are from version 1.0 (no group movement, bad item handling etc.) and we made the mistake not to tell the reviewers that this is NOT a casual game.

I guess if you start the game and expect something totally different, our game can be frustrating. and to tell the truth, it seems that most of them stopped to play after the tutorial and map 1. the game is huge and many fun things will be discovered in later stages.

NOTE: the end-battle of the tutorial is a high-score game: you will die! be prepared!


EDIT: by the way, we dropped the price 24 hours ago and just 2-3 hours back it went finally down. thank you apple...

when does the sale end and do you have an estimate how many hours of gameplay does Companion offer?

 

[smuttlegiaco]

@speedpop: just wait till you meet the philosophical pest zombies

@wilflare: the sale ends monday the 29th. as to the length of the gameplay: it depends: for a campaign with one party combination it should last about 10-14 hours the first time you play. the following playthroughs should be a little bit faster. I need about 6-7 hours for the campaign (but I play it really fast).

there are also single maps with highscores integrated and by the end of the year we will release a huge campaign update for free!

we currently work on integrating a shop system were players can scrap their loot for gold and buy items by randomly appearing shopkeepers. and to top it all, we are working on a random endless crawler mode (this will be an IAP)...as you see, we plan on making this game really huge.

 

[smuttlegiaco]

a new review from Gamers' Temple. 96%

 

[smuttlegiaco]

hey friends. the newest update is out. here's what we added:

Ok, on to the next round! We uploaded the update last tuesday:

✓ added: 8 new unique items
✓ added: 2 rare items
✓ added: optional auto-aim for ranged units (go to the options menu to turn it on/off)
✓ added: Transmuter ➨ you can now scrap items in exchange for gold. say goodbye to overflowing backpacks!
✓ added: Shop ➨ the traveling shopkeeper has a lot of items for sale, even uniques.
✓ added: Ur-Steel ➨ Ur-Steel is the new global currency. you can buy it for real money and convert it into gold.
✓ added: increased the size of some buttons for better accessibility

➤ there's always a slim chance of gaining Ur-Steel in-game, either by
➨ defeating boss mobs OR
➨ by the transmutaion of unique/rare items

✓ balancing: tweaked some unit values on maps 2,4,5 and 6

we also have a sale until thursday.

 

[Mejilan]

Any chance if expanding to the iPad's smaller screened iOS siblings?
This looks riiiiight up my alley!

 

[smuttlegiaco]

we plan on bringing it to iPod/iPhone, too. but it'll take a while. we are currently focusing on the "endless random dungeon crawler", which should be available at the end of the next month.

when we do it for the smaller devices it will be a heavily modified game. controlling a party of 4 characters in real time on such a device wouldn't be much fun. either you'll be able to play with only one or two characters or we alter the game system to be turn-based.

ah, I forgot to add: visit our blog for all the latest reviews of the game.

have fun!

 

[smuttlegiaco]

Hey friends!

What are you waiting for? Companions is on sale until Monday, the 1st of November!

Checkout some reviews:

Toucharcade:

"It's pretty rare to see an iOS strategy game that not only has a captivating story, sound gameplay mechanics, and challenging difficulty, but also manages to accomplish all this while not being a tower defense derivative. Companions manages to achieve all this and more, and leads to a great experience for those iPad owners looking to try out a real strategy game."


TouchMyApps:

"Companions offers a unique blend of several popular concepts perfectly presented on the big screen of an iPad. While some may long for the calmness of turn-based tactical strategy/RPGs, most will find the more action oriented approach of Companions a refreshing step away from the dogmas of the genre. And regardless of your stance I advise you not to judge in advance and try out the game for yourself. You won’t be disappointed."


Maclife:

"This is an immersive role-playing game that will keep you busy for hours, if not days. If you’re into casual gameplay, look elsewhere; but if you like depth to your adventures, you may love Companions."


Gamer's Temple:

"Last November, Infinity Blade convinced me that true gaming on the iPad was a very real possibility. Until Companions, Epic's fighter remained the best of the best; the absolute epitome of what could be done on the system. The God-King days are numbered, even finished. Companions drags together the best of bigger console titles (story, character, length) and the best of the handheld world (touch-screen controls, single iPad multiplayer) into one cohesive, extremely fun game. No joke: If you don't like the game after level 1 or 2, you probably just hate fun games. Download this one soon."



Still not convinced? Well, think of all those lonely Pestzombies waiting for you? You don't want to make them unhappy, do you?


Happy Halloween!