News

Shadow Cities: the game that knocked Angry Birds off the #1 spot

Finns go location-based

Shadow Cities: the game that knocked Angry Birds off the #1 spot
|
| Shadow Cities

Angry Birds isn't the top grossing iPhone game any more, at least not on its home chart - Finland.

Instead Shadow Cities, a location-based MMORPG that's set around its capital Helsinki, as well as other towns and cities, has knocked it off the #1 spot.

It's a team-based game that has you trying to control neighbourhoods, collect energy, and, as individuals, attempt to become the strongest mage in the city.

Another world

The gameplay works as you wander around, hunting down spirits to build your mage experience and unlock spells. You can do this actively or by leaving catcher units in an area, which automatically catch spirits for you.

Both elements are powered by mana, which is the game's basic energy. You get a certain amount of mana regularly over time, or buy it using real cash.

Controlling an area occurs as you install dominators to claim the energy gateways that are scattered over the city. The team with the most dominators on each gateway control it, and collect its energy. This has to be harvested manually. You can attack (and heal) dominators too - again using mana.

In addition, each realm can be claimed by an individual mage, who becomes its Shadow Lord, if they use enough mana to buy it, or outbid its current owner.

Medals of honour

The two teams battle it out over 52 weekly campaigns.

The team with the most energy wins and each team member, as well as the players who are highest on the leaderboards, get unique campaign medals.

Social interaction occurs thanks to heavy Facebook integration.

Of course, these sort of games work really well in densely populated areas, like Helsinki. The Finns have always been fairly keen on such games too, as proven by the success of early location games like BotFighters, and indeed, real life fantasy role play.

Still, developer Grey Area says that Shadow Cities will also be available for the rest of the world (the US and UK at least) in early December.

In the meantime, you can get an idea how it plays in the following video, or check out the full details via its website.

yt
Subscribe to Pocket Gamer on
Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.