iLounge

By Charles Starrett

Senior Editor, iLounge
Published: Wednesday, November 19, 2008
News Category: iPhone Applications

Now operating under the corporate name Aurora Feint Inc., developers Danielle Cassley and Jason Citron have unveiled Aurora Feint II: The Arena for the iPhone and iPod touch. Based on the original RPG-slash-block-matching game Aurora Feint: The Beginning, the new game is described as an asynchronous massively multi-player RPG, which promises to let users play against “ghosts” of other players that persist in the game even when the ghost’s player is not actually using his/her device. According to the company, playing against a ghost is “exactly” like playing in real-time against a real player, with real-time interaction between challenger and ghost. Other new features in the game include a world newsfeed, which is a continuous stream of real-time events happening in the game that appears as a ticker on the bottom of the screen. Tapping on an event in the ticker takes the player to an area called the Tavern, where players can conduct “asynchronous” chat with other players in the world, propose duels, share strategies and compete for leader board rankings. Each player will also get a wall where other players can leave comments and challenges and suggestions, which in turn become events in the Tavern.

In addition, the game offers all the functionality of the company’s first title, Aurora Feint: The Beginning, including characters, role playing, and skill-based progression in a single player environment. The Arena will be the second in a series of three products the company intends to build around the theme of Aurora Feint, a girl whose coma takes her through a dream world and series of casual puzzle based challenges aided by player characters. Aurora Feint II: The Arena will initially be priced at $8, going up to $10 after the holidays, and is expected to be available on the App Store on Friday, pending Apple’s update schedule.