We Play: Blood Brothers 2

Blood Brothers 2 is a strategy RPG released by DeNA. It’s the sequel to the acclaimed Blood Brothers game that amassed over ten million downloads during its run. It’s a strategy RPG with some monster collection elements and a bit of online multiplayer thrown in. It was a fairly solid game already but DeNA recently released a huge update to make it even better. Let’s take a look.

Game Play

For those who have never played the game before, here’s how Blood Brothers 2 works. You play as a tactician and your role is to deploy your heroes and win battles. Each hero has a small contingent of soldiers that also make up their hit points and they also have special abilities. Once you deploy your heroes and their troops, they clash with the enemy heroes and troops and that process repeats until someone wins the battle.

The game operates on a trio of roles. Each hero will either control a group of archers, a group of ground troops, or a group of cavalry troops and at that point you’re playing rock, paper, scissors. Archers beat ground troops, ground troops beat cavalry, and cavalry beats archers and that dynamic is the foundation from which all decisions in battle are made.

Each mission in the campaign contains several battles and you’ll have to fight through all of them to finish the mission. Each mission generally has a boss battle at the end. After missions are completed, you’ll earn various resources, mostly gold, which can then be used to upgrade and train your troops. During battles, you can also capture enemy commanders and convince them to join your cause and grow your army that way.

Blood Brothers 2 has one of the better stories out there for a tap to play game. You kind of get thrown into the action to start with but you get a real sense for what’s going on fairly quickly and it grows from there. It’s a dark fantasy story that’s very gritty and dirty. You’re commanding monsters and fighting in the trenches and the game does a good job of relaying that feeling to the player.

Along with all of that, you can engage in PvP combat in the arena, engage with weekly events to get extra resources and gear, and there is a tree of research that you can assign your commanders to research that will give you extra abilities, benefits, upgrades, and more.

The new stuff

DeNA has added a lot of new stuff to the game in a recent update that changes things a whole bunch. By far the biggest change is the inclusion of guilds. Each guild can have up to 50 members and there is a dedicated guild chat. Everything is fairly straight forward and typical of mobile game guilds except for a few things. Let’s discuss some of the exceptions.

Guilds have a shared mastery tree similar to the ones each player has. Guild members can contribute and complete the guild mastery stuff and each member benefits from it, even the new ones. Also, if anyone buys any Blood Sigils through in-app purchases, everyone in the guild gets a gift which is kind of a nice idea.

One of the other new features is a new slew of daily events. This is to help keep the game fresh and give players something else to do a little more frequently. DeNA has said that there will be seven dungeons that will be rotated out daily and players will be able to use these to win more stuff like gear, gold, various souls, and other stuff.

There are other new features as well. One is daily pacts that help players buy specific commanders based on what day of the week it is. This is great for those who have been around for a while and have some Blood Sigils to spare. DeNA has also included a random loot box that will drop at random times after random battles.

The good

Here’s what we liked about Blood Brothers 2:

• The game play is consistent, simple, but still fun. You’re not asked to do a whole lot but you do have to pay attention and think a little bit in order to win. This not only includes battles, but upgrading, skill research, and pretty much everything is easy to do, but you have to make sure you’re doing it right.
• The guilds are fantastic. During my testing, I went to bed one evening and woke up with around 45 gifts thanks to the actions of my guild members. The chat is useful for strategy and discussion, and the guild skill trees are very helpful. It was a very positive addition to the game.
• The story is actually pretty decent for a mobile game. It’s not super deep but the dark fantasy grittiness is refreshing. Usually in mobile games you have cute little monsters and you’re trying to do good. It always looks polished and friendly. In this game, you get the trench-warfare feel and the people you work with don’t look friendly. At all. It’s nice.
• There is a lot of stuff to do. Between the campaign, the events, the daily missions, upgrading your troops, recruiting new ones, and getting the skill trees mastered, it’s going to take you a long time to beat this game. Don’t forget the new guild stuff, the achievements, and the PvP arena also. There is just a lot to do.
• The developers get a lot done. You already had a lot of stuff to do and DeNA came back and gave players even more with the guilds, the daily missions, etc.
• Blood Brothers 2 does include cloud saving. It’s not Google Play Games cloud saving, but it’s definitely good enough to get your stuff to your next device.

The bad

And here’s what we didn’t like so much:

• The menu system probably could’ve been laid out a little better. It’s not bad, but it’s a bit overwhelming at first and I feel like things could have been better labeled. Of course, once you pour a few hours into it, you’ll learn where everything is so this is a minor nitpick. Still, a few things are kind of hard to find at first.
• The PvP arena dynamic is a bit weird. I assume that they’re going for an idea where players blindly choose their commanders not knowing what the other player will pick. The problem with this is the game relies heavily on choosing based on what you see on the field so a blind match takes away a lot of control. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it operates on different mechanics than the rest of the game and it feels off.

Wrap up

Overall, this is about as good of a time waster game as you can get. It pulls from a lot of genres, including card collecting, strategy, MMO, and RPG elements which really allows players to delve into the game and gives you a whole lot to do. The new addition of daily missions and guilds help keep the game fresh and gives it a bit more of a social aspect so you have someone to talk to while you play which we liked a lot.

There were a few things here and there that didn’t mesh well with the overall feel of the game, but at the end of the day these are minor nitpicks. The game is free with in-app purchases in the Google Play Store which means it costs nothing to at least check it out and you’ll be showing your support for Android Authority and the Android Apps Weekly show. Who knows, you may actually love it!

IKEA’s wireless charging embedded furniture now showing up in stores

IKEA announced earlier this year that they were planning on selling a wireless charging line of furniture. It’s definitely an odd concept, but if you’re invested in making all of your devices completely wireless, it’s arguably one of the most futuristic accessories you can buy for your smartphone.

The furniture in this lineup includes things like standing lamps and end tablets with a small wireless charging pad embedded right into the surface of the objects. You’ll obviously have to plug it into a wall socket, but after that simply dropping your wireless charging compatible phone on the pad should get things started. Having things integrated right into a table certainly keeps things looking clean, instead of running wires and ugly black pads across tabletops.

IKEA said the entire line of furniture was supposed to be available in store and online by the end of spring. It looks like the stuff is showing up in store, but from my quick searches I haven’t been able to place an order for anything online just yet.

If you’ve got an IKEA store in your area, you may want to go check it out.

source: Droid Life

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The 2015 Hyundai Sonata will be the first Android Auto car

We’ve been waiting for an official Android Auto vehicle to become available ever since Google announced it last year, and although some aftermarket manufacturers have created ways to turn your current vehicle into an Android Auto-capable vehicle, no car manufacturer was in a hurry to get Android Auto integrated out of the factory.

Looks like that’ll change this year, though, with Hyundai leading the pack. Its 2015 Sonata will be equipped with Android Auto on board, allowing drivers to link up their smartphones to their car to take advantage of Google’s smart car OS with all of the voice navigation and music playing you could want.

Current owners of the 2015 Sonata with Navigation can drive to their Hyundai dealer to have their in-car software updated to Android Auto. If you’d rather wait, customers should be able to do the upgrade themselves later this summer by putting the upgrade onto a USB drive, then updating the car manually.

source: Hyundai

All-New Integration Available on Best-Selling Sonata  

• First car company to launch Android Auto on production vehicles, starting with the 2015 Sonata with Navigation
• Free Android Auto software update available for current owners of 2015 Sonatas with Navigation
• Android Auto reduces driver distraction by integrating the driver’s smartphone with the vehicle’s screen and controls 

Fountain Valley, Calif., May 26, 2015 – Today, Hyundai becomes the first car company to launch Android Auto™ on production vehicles. Android Auto is premiering on the 2015 Sonata with Navigation at dealerships nationwide, and will later become available on other Hyundai models.

“Android Auto aligns with Hyundai’s core interior design principles of safety, intuitiveness and simplicity,” said Dave Zuchowski, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. “We launched this highly anticipated feature on our best-selling Sonata, adding to our promise of value. With the launch of Android Auto, we provide more owners with the experience of cutting-edge technology.”

Android Auto not only brings a high technology experience to Hyundai owners, but also improves safety. For example, at any given daylight moment across America, approximately 660,000 drivers are using cell phones or manipulating electronic devices while driving, a number that has held steady since 2010.¹ Android Auto helps keep drivers’ eyes and attention on the road by integrating the advanced driving-related functions of the user’s smartphone with the familiar centralized screen, physical controls and microphone of their car. Furthermore, the smartphone’s screen becomes “locked,” so drivers are not tempted to look down and interact with their phones directly while Android Auto is in use.

 

AVAILABILITY FOR EXISTING OWNERS
Owners of existing 2015 Sonata with Navigation can get the Android Auto software update free of charge at Hyundai dealers starting today. Later this summer, owners can visit www.hyundaiusa.com/myhyundai and download the Android Auto software onto a USB memory drive. Owners will need a MyHyundai account to start the Android Auto download. A MyHyundai account requires name, address and a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Once the USB with the Android Auto software is inserted into their Sonata’s USB port, it will automatically update the vehicle’s Navigation system to make it Android Auto compatible. The Android Auto compatible Navigation system with an eight-inch touchscreen display is available on the Sonata Sport, Eco, Limited, Sport 2.0T and Limited 2.0T models.
ANDROID AUTO
Owners will need the Android 5.0 “Lollipop” operating system or later, and the Android Auto companion app on their compatible phone to integrate Android Auto into Sonata’s screen and controls. A micro USB cable is required to connect the phone to the car’s USB port. The first time an owner plugs his or her phone into their parked Sonata, the phone will prompt the download of the Android Auto companion app from the Google Play. Users of Android Auto will instantly recognize familiar Android phone applications, such as Google Maps, Google Now, messaging, phone calling and Google Play Music upon connecting their Android phone to their Hyundai vehicle. These applications can be controlled by voice, steering wheel controls and touchscreen. Android Auto also will offer many popular third-party audio apps that owners have on their phones, including iHeartRadio, Spotify, TuneIn, NPR, Stitcher, Skype, TextMe and many more. Owners can find out up-to-date information about phone compatibility at https://support.google.com/androidauto.
Advantages of Android Auto

• The Google Now card-based experience provides suggested locations and travel times based on the user’s searches, calendar entries and home and office locations, as well as weather information and “now playing” information for music streamed via the phone
• App software (navigation, streaming music, etc.) is automatically updated because the apps live on the phone
• Natural voice recognition with Google voice actions
• Owners can easily bring their personal reminders, suggested destinations, calendar appointments and music preferences with them when they get in their car
• Android Auto automatically pairs with the Sonata for phone calls through Bluetooth when connected for the first time via USB
• Android Auto has familiar interfaces that are easy to use and have almost no learning curve

 

 

2015 HYUNDAI SONATA
The all-new seventh-generation 2015 Sonata offers a more refined look through a new Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language, stiffer body structure, better ride quality, reduced noise, vibration and harshness, and advanced safety and convenience features. Sonata truly democratizes the premium design and convenient technology of the Genesis sedan for the mid-size class. The new 2015 Hyundai Sonata is built at the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama plant in Montgomery, Ala.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 820 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle limited warranty, Hyundai’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance. Hyundai Blue Link Connected Care provides owners of Hyundai models equipped with the Blue Link telematics system with proactive safety and car care services complimentary for one year with enrollment. These services include Automatic Collision Notification, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Vehicle Diagnostic Alert, Monthly Vehicle Health Report and in-vehicle service scheduling.

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¹ Driver Electronic Device Use in 2012. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. February 2014.

For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com

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