It seems it's never a dull moment for Crescent Moon Games, who after their successful release of Gears [99�] last week are already back with a new game in the works. It's called Deadlock and it's an ambitious dual-stick shooter that will feature cooperative and competitive online multiplayer for up to 8 players.

I've been playing a preview build of Deadlock for the past several weeks and have to say I'm really impressed so far. The Game Center connection used for matches is solid even in this early state, and the core dual-stick gameplay is perfectly suited for competitive matches. Deadlock will initially ship with 5 levels and 3 game modes including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Capture & Hold.

One of the big features of Deadlock is the robust load-out system that has a few similarities to recent Call of Duty games. There are more than 30 different weapons in the game, including assault rifles, sub-machine guns, pistols, grenades, and more. These weapons can then be augmented with attachments that offer better aiming or additional damage, and your player can equip various types of armors that affect your stats as well. Most of these items will be unlocked as you earn the 30 available ranks in the game through playing.

Here are a couple of very early screenshots of the parking lot level in Deadlock:

While other dual-stick shooters have dabbled in various types of multiplayer before, we've all been waiting for that one killer app that feels built from the ground up for online play, and Deadlock aims to be that game. All I can say is it's off to a great start based on my time with early versions of the game. Crescent Moon is aiming for an early June release for the game, and we'll have much more information on Deadlock later this week including a video of the game in action. There is currently a discussion thread for the game in our forums as well.

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Our ratings for games we reviewed April are now in place, and we now present to you the ones that are on the top of the heap. Each game reviewed receives a 1-5 star rating relative to the other games from that month. Generally, a 3 or higher is considered a "good" rating.

Our final scores are not the product of any traditionally objective measures such as graphics or sound, but simply reflect the games we would most recommend to others.

5 Stars

Gears, $0.99 - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � Crescent Moon Games has made a name for themselves on the App Store peddling high quality RPG's, but it turns out they can make simple casual games just as well. Gears is a ball rolling game, a genre that works fantastically with the tilt-based controls of the iPhone. But, if you don't like tilt, the game can also be controlled by touch which I almost find myself preferring.

Tactical Soldier - Undead Rising, $4.99 - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � Tactical Soldier is a pleasant surprise for fans of tactical turn-based strategy games. It's incredibly challenging, but as such it's also incredibly satisfying when you figure out the best way to deal with the many scenarios in the game. A player in our forums described the game as Resident Evil Tactics, should that game actually exist, and I think that totally nails it.

Death Rally, $2.99 - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � Death Rally actually came out in March, but we've been playing it so much and it has gotten so much better through updates that we decided to up it to 5 stars and feature it again in our April game listings. Don't miss this crazy vehicular combat racer.

4.5 Stars

Snuggle Truck, $1.99 - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � Even though its controversial subject matter was stripped out to appease Apple, Snuggle Truck is still a ridiculously fun physics-based side-scrolling racer. It might even be better that the original theme was removed because it's causing us to focus on the game being fun rather than the point it's trying to prove.

Coin Drop!, $0.99 - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � If you're the kind of person who has played through both Peggle and the Peggle Nights add-on and are chomping at the bit for even more, Coin Drop! is just what you need. The game does a wonderful job of taking the things that made Peggle the worldwide sensation that it is while providing a new spin on gameplay to make Coin Drop! feel like something almost entirely new.

Atari's Greatest Hits, Free - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � Without a doubt the single most significant retro title to hit the App Store yet, Atari's Greatest Hits comes packed with 100 different games, 18 from arcades and an additional 92 from the Atari 2600. Some of them even feature bluetooth multiplayer for two player head to head play. Original cabinet and box art is included, and each game has been wonderfully adapted to be touch controlled.

Mos Speedrun, $1.99 - [Review] � [Forum Thread] � Mos Speedrun is definitely another solid entry in the iOS platforming genre. The levels are interesting, the controls are spot on, and the game uses adorable pixel art graphics and an awesome chiptune soundtrack. Plus, despite not having a huge number of levels, the ones that are there will put up a good fight and are a joy to play through.

Special Mention

Order & Chaos© Online, $6.99 - [Initial Impressions: Part 1 / Part 2] � [Forum Thread] � It's hard to really rate an MMORPG since so much of what makes a game like this good is the community and developer support, neither of which have had a chance to mature yet in Order & Chaos. Regardless, the game is an incredibly accurate clone of World of Warcraft, and being able to get your WoW fix on your iPhone or iPad is both appealing and appalling. If you haven't yet, join the TouchArcade guild as playing the game is infinitely more fun with tons of helpful guildmates.

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The rest of the game ratings can be seen in their respective rating categories (also found in the sidebar navigation): 5 Stars, 4.5 Stars, 4 Stars, 3.5 Stars, 3 Stars, and 2 Stars.

As always, we expect there will be some debate about relative scores, but keep in mind that everyone's personal ratings may vary based on individual tastes.

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Robot vs. Wizards' Paper Monsters looks a lot like Little Big Planet. So much so, you have to question the vision and scope of the project. Is Paper Monsters a cash-in bereft of its own unique cadence, style, and tone? Or is it its own game? I followed up with the studio after our original posting, hoping that I could get some answers to you.

After talking with a representative of the project, I feel like it's safe to say that Paper Monsters is its own deal. Media Molecule's 2.5D side-scrolling platform title has had a huge impact on the project � that's clear. But, Robots vs. Wizards is looking to create its own game within the whimsical, familiar aesthetic.

"I initially started wanting to bring something like LBP to iOS. I guess that shows," a representative for Robots vs. Wizards told me via e-mail. "However, while it does look like LBP, it plays and feels a lot more like a Mario game."

Then they told me you can jump on bad guys' heads.

"[Paper Monsters] is a lot less "floaty" and physics-based, and you can blast bad guys with fire balls, so that makes it a little more action based," he continued. "So far you can swim or turn into a dragon. There are also flying levels with the ladybug Box-coptor."

"I think once more and more levels are shown it will look less like LBP � which could be good or bad, I guess."

If there's one thing LBP doesn't do well, it's action. Media Molecule's game is about content creation, so the focus is on the tools as opposed to the "game" part. If Robot vs. Wizards succeeds in its execution on Paper Monsters, it'll be providing an experience that surpasses what even Media Molecule offers.

"We are putting TONS of effort into making Paper Monsters feel original," the rep told us. And I believe it.

No release date or price has been set yet, but we do know now that that game will be an Universal iPad and will feature "graphic enhancements" for iPad 2 owners. It'll also ship Game Center and all the functionality that comes with the service.

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When released back in 2009, the original Zenonia was one of the first full fledged action RPG's on the App Store. Gamevil received heaps of praise for both the first and second installment in the series, and Zenonia 3: The Midgard Story [$4.99] seems to live up to the ever-increasing quality iOS gamers come to expect from their sequels.

The first thing I have to say about Gamevil is that their art style is fantastic, they really are masters of sprite-based animation and this game looks amazing. They've managed to provide a great retro pixelized feel while still taking full advantage of the crispness offered by the Retina Display of recent iOS devices. Zenonia 2 looked great, and 3 somehow looks even better.

The story follows the typical cliche RPG plotline. You play as Chael who has mysteriously found himself smack dab in the middle of an epic battle between good and evil, and while the story doesn't feel original by any stretch of the imagination, it's been localized extremely well and is a fairly enjoyable one to play through. Interestingly enough, not once did I feel like I was playing a game that wasn't intended for an American audience which has been a bit of an issue in previous Zenonia titles. Though some of the dialogue can be a bit tedious, if you pay attention there's actually some pretty funny lines throughout the game.

When you start the game, you've given the choice of four different classes. There are two melee fighters: A heavy hitting Sword Night, or the more agile Shadow Hunter. If you prefer a ranged combat class you can choose between the weapons-focused Mechanic Launcher, or the magic-weilding Nature Shaman (which is my personal favorite). Each class has their own unique abilities and equipment but overall won't change how the game plays in any substantial way, but instead, which abilities you mash as you grind.

If you've never played a Korean RPG before, I'll go ahead and warn you now. Be prepared to grind. This game requires a lot of button smashing throughout the entirety, and for some people this might get fairly repetitive. Thankfully, there are quite a few boss battles which are a lot of fun that serve to break up the monotony. That is, if your character is leveled up properly. How do you level up? Grinding mostly, usually guided by quests involving killing X number of monsters or picking up Y number of dropped items by killing potentially even more monsters. There are a good number of side quests too, so keep your eye out for those.

Aside from the games graphics being improved from the earlier titles, not too much has changed in the core gameplay aside from the removal of the annoying hunger and weight systems from previous games. Playing Zenonia 3 basically amounts to entering a zone, killing monsters, earning experience, and upgrading your character. Wash, rinse, repeat. For a lot of gamers this is exactly what they're looking for in an action RPG and if this sounds like your style you won't be disappointed at all, I know i wasn't.

The amount of leveling and customization that can be done with your character is insane with tons of equipment, crafting, and upgrades available. It seems like you're almost always upgrading something, which does a great job of keeping you playing as yet another upgrade always seems right around the corner.

The one major issue I have with Zenonia 3 is that even though boss battles are totally welcome, they can get extremely difficult, especially the final boss. If you're not leveled up properly you will have to spend "zen points" when you die or risk taking penalties that will last the remainder of the game.

Zenonia 3 comes with 5000 zen points and once they're gone, they're gone. Be warned that using up all your zen points will leave you with two options, either buy more via in-app purchase or take the penalties like less experience, gold, and equipment durability. You can earn zen points by competing in the PvP modes or spamming social services, but if your focus is on single player, and you don't want to take death penalties, you'll likely be forced into buying them.

Luckily, one of the new additions to Zenonia 3 will help level your character without the risk of penalties through the use of what's called "execution rooms". You move from room to room very quickly, killing tons of monsters, and earning loads of experience. They've even implemented a co-op feature to allow you to grind through execution rooms with a friend online. This is really the best way to level up your character, as you both get loads of experience quickly and aren't forced into choosing between spending zen points or taking penalties when you die.

Another nice addition in Zenonia 3 is a PvP mode, where you can pit your character against other players online to earn experience and gold. Similar to Baseball Superstars' online mode, these battles don't take place in real time, and instead you're mostly just fighting a battle between your two characters' stats and equipment. Still, it's a lot of fun.

Zenonia 3 is a quintessential Korean action RPG. It has a lot of grinding, mixed with a decent storyline, and great sprite-based graphics. Kinks from previous games in the series have been ironed out (like the previously mentioned hunger and weight systems) and the new menus, customizable UI's, and character skill trees are welcome improvements. If you're nervous about getting involved in the Zenonia series, Zenonia 2 Lite [Free] is a great no-risk way to see if you like these kind of games or not. If grinding isn't an issue, and you're OK with the zany IAP-powered zen points system, you'll have a ton of fun with Zenonia 3.

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EA is on a roll lately buying up high-value mobile gaming outfits. First Chillingo for a stack of $20 million dollars in cash, and now Firemint. Details are vague at best right now, with news of this just going public a few moments ago, so we're not entirely sure what the terms of the acquisition are. According to TechCrunch, the deal is expected to close in the next four weeks and Firemint will be rolled into the katamari that is EA Interactive (or EAi). EAi is EA's division that focuses on digital business including EA Mobile, Pogo, and Playfish.

Firemint has had an amazing track record of fantastic game releases, so it's not much of a surprise to see them the target of what likely was a high-dollar acquisition. Firemint's catalog of games on the App Store includes classics like Flight Control, the Real Racing series, and will soon be home to the upcoming Agent Squeaks.

We're going to get to the bottom of what this means for both Firemint, as well as fans of Firemint games. However, considering it's currently around 2:00 AM in Australia, these details might not come until tomorrow.

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Several weeks back, we took a look at the video for Vampire Rush [$1.99/HD], developed by A-steroids and published by Chillingo, and the game has since launched as part of last week's influx of new releases. Vampire Rush is a tower defense/hack 'n slash hybrid, and if that sounds familiar that's because the same sort of genre mishmash was used in Dungeon Defenders [$2.99] released late last year.

The problem with Dungeon Defenders, though, was that it was an excellent game that was not a great fit for the iOS platform. The complex gameplay and cluttered interface marred what would be a great experience on a full-fledged console. Vampire Rush takes the opposite approach, providing much more streamlined gameplay and an accessible interface. While it is a much easier game to grasp, it's almost too simple, and is hampered with some imbalances and a high level of difficulty. Despite this, Vampire Rush is still a lot of fun, and with some minor tweaking and a dose of extra content it could be a standout example of this unique mixed genre.

Vampire Rush's campaign consists of 7 levels, each with 10 waves of monsters who are hell bent on destroying your gate to the outside world. The level designs are excellent, and you'll need to strategically place various types of towers to help combat the onslaught of enemies, all while directly doing your own part by using your sword. Your character, Captain Greg, can perform a couple of different sword combos on enemies. The direct combat is basically just mashing away at a single button, but it still manages to be pretty fun frantically running all over the map dicing up bad guys.

In addition to the swordplay, there are 8 different special moves and perks for Captain Greg to use which unlock as you progress. These can be reusable moves that come with a cool-down time like partial healing or a fire attack, or single use perks like increased melee damage or gate repair. Killing enemies or collecting random chests will net you cash, which is used to enable these abilities and is also used to build and upgrade the 4 different towers available in the game.

What I like most in Vampire Rush is the highly strategic style of gameplay. Tactful placement of towers and smart management of your resources is imperative if you wish to do well. You won't be able to just crowd a bunch of towers around your gate and expect to keep it safe. Thoughtfully choosing where to put your towers while taking into account the enemy spawn points and the layout of the different levels is key. Some of the most satisfying moments in Vampire Rush are when you see your current strategy falling apart, and end up trying a level over again with a fresh approach and succeeding.

Unfortunately, these good times can be hampered by some horribly imbalanced parts of the game. My biggest problem is that your own life meter and the life of your gate can be whittled down in a matter of seconds, and before you even have a chance to react and do something about it your gate will be destroyed and you'll be starting over from wave 1. This can get incredibly annoying, especially as it can feel like you lost due to no fault of your own.

My other big problem is the bats in the game. Oh, how I hate the bats. First of all, they are floating in the air and it's extremely difficult to gauge how close you are to them. You may think you are hacking away at them with your sword when you actually aren't, and all the while they are shooting at you from a distance. Coupled with the rapid rate of health depletion, this accounts for a lot of frustrating and cheap deaths. It just seems strange that the smallest, least ferocious enemies can end up also being the most difficult to deal with.

Despite these odd gameplay quirks, Vampire Rush is still really enjoyable. It controls really well, looks good, and has a simple and intuitive interface which works great. If you enjoy tower defense games and are looking for a variation that features more hands-on gameplay by way of hacking and slashing, then you'll find a lot to like about Vampire Rush. If you're looking for a Diablo-like game with light tower defense elements, you'll probably end up disappointed, as the upgrading and looting aspects are minimal and don't carry over from level to level.

With a few tweaks, Vampire Rush could easily be the best action tower defense game in the App Store. As it stands now, it's still a solid and enjoyable first effort that's worth checking out, just be prepared to deal with more than a few frustrating moments.

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