Since its debut in 1995, the Heroes of Might and Magic (HOMM) game series has been synonymous with deep, turn-based strategy gameplay. While some may argue that the more recent titles have somewhat strayed from their roots, none will argue with the general appeal and sheer depth of the classic titles in the series.

The multi-platform Palm Heroes series looked to capture and recreate the gameplay of older HOMM titles in portable form, and managed to succeed to some degree. Now, with Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe [$4.99/HD/HD Lite], it looks like the definitive version of classic HOMM gameplay has finally arrived on iOS. Featuring a ton of missions, factions, as well as a hot-seat multiplayer mode, Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe will satisfy any strategy gamer's appetite for quite a while.

For those unfamiliar with the HOMM-style games, Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe is a game of resource management, military prowess, and tactical superiority. Players control heroes that in turn command a wide variety of creatures under their banner. In addition to moving about the overworld map and collecting resources, fighting baddies, and gaining experience for the hero, players also can capture cities which bestow a wide variety of benefits. Using the resources generated by the cities and captured on the field, players can then build additional structures in the city which either bestow abilities on the hero, generate new resources (which can then be used to build more structures) or recruit new creatures that can be assigned to heroes out on the field.

The end goal of every scenario is to conquer all the opposing heroes and conquer all enemy cities. For newcomers to this type of gameplay, the learning curve may be steep, as there's a lot of gameplay elements to monitor and control. Also, while tutorials do exist, they only scratch the surface. If all this sounds complicated, that's because it is. But, that's exactly what makes games like Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe incredibly compelling.

I'm amazed at the fact that�Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe manages to cram all the gameplay into playable form on the iPhone. When fighting other heroes, combat is performed on a hex grid which would, at first glance, seem to be hard to control on the iPhone's small screen. Yet, the developers took the time to implement iPhone specific controls to make sure that every move on the field is done correctly and accurately. An iPad only version of Palm Heroes 2 also exists and, in my opinion, controls better than the iPhone version. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that iPhone-only users can't enjoy the game just as well.

For experienced HOMM gamers looking for those classic epic battles that take hours to complete, Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe features scenarios of all sizes and will certainly satisfy everyone's tastes. In fact, the only complaint I have is the lack of a cohesive campaign mode. Instead, every map is self-sustaining and not part of an overarching story (if the map even has a story). This shouldn't make a difference for most fans of this genre, as the gameplay itself is the compelling element and not necessarily any background text. But for some, I imagine it's a disappointment. Also, while I'm grateful for the hot-seat multiplayer, I really wish some sort of online multiplayer could have been built in, as much of the fun in these types of games was in participating in long term epic matches with other people.

In addition to the twenty maps included in Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe, the game also offers a built-in store that offers over 100 different maps available as IAP. While some will inevitably argue that the extra content should be free, I think the game does a fair job of offering a decent amount of content while providing the opportunity of buying more maps at a reasonable price. In addition, a free iPad "non-deluxe" version of Palm Heroes 2 also exists, but it only comes with two maps, doesn't offer as many maps on its in-game store, and it actually charges more for the maps that are on there. If you're looking to preview the gameplay, I suggest checking it out. But, if you plan on making an investment into Palm Heroes 2, I highly suggest picking up the Deluxe version.

At its core, Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe does an amazing job bringing over classic turn-based strategy gameplay to iOS. Some folks may look at the simplistic graphics and immediately turn away, but they'll be passing on one of the better strategy titles on the App Store. If you have any love at all for turn-based strategy games, and you're looking for a game that has enough content to keep you occupied for a good deal of time, check out Palm Heroes 2 Deluxe, you won't be disappointed.

Bean's Quest [$2.99] was a pretty okay platforming game. The core problem we had was its almost total lack of content � we could traverse everything it had to offer in about five minutes, which, you know, isn't quite up there. BUT, as was promised, the game has since been updated with more levels. Specifically, World '2' has been added in a free update, bringing up the meagre level count up by 9 for 16 total.

This update also packs in some hip tweaks. Game Center support has been added, as well as alternate control methods and brand new fancy-pantsy 3D audio. On the bug front, the game has now been optimized for older devices, and several nebulous fixes have been made.

This isn't it for Bean's Quest. On our message board, the developers have stated that it will bring in four worlds total. The third world, "The Sky Ruins," is in dev right now. We've no ETA on the fourth release, but we do know that the third should hit sometime this September.

Infinity Field [$1.99], a pretty standard Geometry Wars-ish dual-stick shooter, is coming to the iPhone and iPod Touch. Developer Forze Field Studios unveiled a new trailer teasing as much with a big fat Chillingo logo sitting in front of the glorious ensuing lo-fi, particle-laded action.

Details on the 'port' are still startling light. The video mentions a campaign and six game modes, and directly states that Retina Screen visuals will be part of the package, but that's it � no launch date, price, or possible additions were pinned down. We're in the process of chasing down this information and will get back to you as soon as possible.�

Infinity Field first debuted on the iPad in January of this year. We dug the action, but were kinda turned away by how much it takes from Geometry Wars, an XBLA project from the now-shuttered UK developer Bizarre Creations. Infinity Field was recently updated to version 1.1.2 this June. The update reflected a name change to Infinity Field HD, which in hindsight makes this jump to the iPhone and iPod touch seem not very surprising. We'll check out this mini version of Infinity Field whenever it ends up dropping and let you know how it turned out.