iPod Touch/iPhone App of the Week

Hero of Sparta
$1.99
Developer: Gameloft
Released: May 25, 2009





Pros: Addictive gameplay, impressive visuals for an app, decent length, brutal finishing blows, upgradable weapons
Cons: Repetitive combat scenarios, array of weapons when you only really use one

  Hero of Sparta is basically a portable version of God of War. You are King Argos, defying the gods themselves in an epic quest to places like Olympus and Hades. A thumbstick is placed in one corner and an attack button is placed in another. The rhythm that you press attack in determines the impact. You can sail through just tapping the button over and over or mix it up by pressing and holding the button for a bigger impact. There is also a magic bar that you have for using different types of super attacks that you gain along the way.
  The real appeal comes in the form of the brutal kill "mini games". Touch the icon that appears over an enemy's head to initiate a small game where you tap and slide your finger in certain movements to initiate a gorey finish to an enemy. The result is satisfying even after the 20th time.
  Once you finish the campaign, you can still go back and get more experience to fully upgrade all your weapons. The game is pretty simple once you get the hang of it and there is the occasional repetitive nature, but the upsides override the downsides and the game maintains its fun. Overall, you get a lot for the $1.99 price, and this game is easy to recommend. This is definitely one of my favorite games available from the App Store.