Reviews

Press Reviews

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Pocket Tactics
“Lords of Midnight does story-based, large-scope, high-fantasy warfare better than most titles I can think of, iOS or otherwise.” – Rating 4/5 – Sean Clancy

“The Lords of Midnight astounds with its concise, dire objectives. It’s grand strategy on the edge of a knife. Destroy this totem, win this battle, defend this city, keep this guy alive. That’s the treatment. How you fill out the first draft (and, inevitably, the second and third and fourth and fifth…) is up to you.”

Metro.co.uk
“This is an outstanding remake and developer Chris Wild, a close friend of Singleton for many years, should feel very proud of creating such a superb celebration of the man’s work.” – Rating 8/10 – David Jenkins

appmyworld.com
#1 – Top 5 iPhone and iPad games of the week

multiplayer.it
“Made of extremely bright colors and clean lines, a stylistic choice that was and still is very original.” – Vincenzo Lettera, multiplayer.it

Touch Arcade
“If you’re interested in classic games, especially fantasy and/or strategy games, Lords of Midnight is a must-have.” – Rating 4/5 – Tof Eklund

Arcade Life
“A must own title; pure genius and extremely entertaining. Recommended.”Rating 98/100 – John T

“iOS Best Port/Retro Gamer of the Year”John T

“If you love a game, love the game’s creator and want to produce an updated tribute – here’s your benchmark. Almost thirty years old and yet it feels fresh, relevant and completely at home on a touch screen. Recommended without reservation – so good it makes me want to cry.”

Pocket Gamer
“It’s an unmissable remake. Few titles weather the storms of time as well as this solid-gold classic.” Rating 9/10 – Damien McFerran

Android Police
“The game has a fantastically retro feel, and sticks close to the original. If you’re a fan of the original, or just want a nostalgic, colorful, truly epic experience, Lords of Midnight will be well-worth your $4.99 (£2.99 / €4.49) purchase.” – AndroidPolice.com

Calm Down Tom

Mirror.co.uk
“App of the Year!”
“This is a cracker of an app – original, longed for and a perfect adaptation of a legendary game. Unlike those Spectrum conversions that are strictly for nostalgia lovers, Chris Wild’s Lords of Midnight will enthrall any gamer who thinks he has what it takes for a true battle of wits where only the most brilliant commanders will survive.” – Rating 5/5 – Louise Mensch

Koru Cottage
“Lords of Midnight is an experience that everybody with a remote interest in games should have, buying into your characters and developing your own war stories is a wonderful thing. It is a game with hidden depths that deserve to be plumbed and I cannot recommend it enough.”

Quality Index
“#3 – Top 10 iPad games and apps of December 2012”

Customer Reviews

Finally!
I haven’t been this excited about a game since the original 8-bit version came out in 1984. This update to a gaming masterpiece is faithful in spirit and yet better in every way (graphics, camera panning, auto map). Ride into the land of Midnight, recruit the Free and Fey to your banner and hold back the minions of the dark lord, Doomdark… Not a game for those who like to shoot mindlessly, LOM rewards those who invest their time in it with a rich gaming experience. Respect to Chris for doing this conversion, Jure for the graphics and the late great Mike Singleton for creating this wonderful world in the first place.” – Sparrowhawk

The first Epic game
“Considered one of the best strategy games of all time, this classic game by Mike Singleton makes a welcome appearence on the iPhone/iPad. 28 years after the games original release, it still feels fresh and original. A game of tactics and strategy, your view of the world is through a representative 3d representation of the terrain rather than a top-down map (although one is available to aid in navigation). The graphics have lost none of their original style and charm but have been redrawn in the style of the originals to cope with the much higher resolution of the retina display. There is also an automapping feature, a welcome addition for those who don’t want to carry graph paper along at all times. But for all the contol improvements and graphic updates, this is a perfect conversion of that well-loved game. Not too surprising as it was written by Chris Wild (who probably knows more than anyone else about LOM, and first converted the game 20 years ago) and Mike Singleton. Sadly, Mike Singleton passed away in October before the game was completed. This is a fitting tribute to him for those of us who loved the original,and hopefully it will attract many new fans with its timeless design. But don’t take my word for it- do an internet search for “Lords of Midnight” and see what high regard the original game (and its creator) is held in.” – RDPH

Wonderful and epic game
“If you loved the original or are a fan of Tolkien then this game is an absolute must.” – BahjkDude78

Fantasy Dream
“J.R.R. Tolkien would love this game. Midnight is epic in the true sense of the word. If you love to read, this game is better then Skyrim, and most other RPGs. Get Midnight, be ready to die, to patiently care for your Quest & Kingdom, & try to save the world. If you enjoyed “King of Dragon Pass” this will become your world for a while as well. Solstice release was prophetic applicability for society. We can all learn al lot from Midnight. 100/100″ – Hiræther

Memory jerker
“Just started playing and the memories come flooding back. Great game” – Tinfire

Ushgarak has fallen. Victory to the free!
“Thank you so much for releasing this fantastic version of the classic original – kept me playing for ages… all the memories came flooding back! Just can’t wait for Doomdark’s Revenge… Please?” – v1bra

Terrific update
“There’s obviously been a lot of thought and love gone into this remake of a classic. I’ve already wasted too many hours on it!” – Pogostuck

Lords of Midnight
“Just as I remember it, well worth the price. Nice touch with the mapping” – Shawnlewis0

Loads of midnight
“Brilliant to have this on the iPad. You can lose days playing it. Still trying to see if I can win by invading through the gap of valethor rather than letting them invade me. Wonderful entertainment.” – DD-123-player

Excellent port of a classic
“This is such a great port/update of the original epic game – a real pleasure to play it (again).” – Planetshooter

Stunning
“You are stood outside the tower of the moon, looking northwest. It is morning. Great game… A massive memory blast for me, almost emotional. Got to laugh at it being over 26 meg. The original ran in the spare 41k (that’s kilobyte… 1024 x less than a megabyte) of a Sinclair zx spectrum. Would live Chris to code DDR as well. Thanks for leaving us this great legacy Mike. RIP.” – Unclescritty

Astounding
“How many hours have I lost to this game already? Fantastic to see it updated.” – PhoenixDfire

Wonderful strategy game ! 
“Many thanks to Chris for bringing this game back to all those who remember it fondly. However, to all those who have not heard of this game before and are into strategy games then this is a fantastic game and way ahead of its time when it was released many years ago. Highly recommended ! Really hopping Chris will bring in further subtle touches/additions to the game eg different difficulty levels, colour schemes and falling snow !!” – Betty 2K1

Epic
“It’s a damp and cold time of year and the sun has barely enough strength to penetrate through the overcast gloom that shrouds northern England. Until yesterday I was feeling slightly tired but now, after a refreshing dose of the waters of life, I am utterly invigorated and am very bold. WHAT A GAME. Updated with sensitivity and care, it still has the capacity to become immersive and addicting nearly 30 years after it was first released. And, because there has been absolutely no other comparable game released, (apart from its sequel), in all of that time, The Lords of Midnight remains an original and compelling gaming experience. Now, you can dip in and out, play the odd twenty minutes every few days or you can settle in for a marathon session in the traditional manner. The graphics have been substantially updated and yet they still retain their stark blue and white cast, a hangover due to the limitations of the ZX Spectrum and C64, which gives the game the eerie impression of an ever-changing painting. The new additions of the maps and the ability to marshal and move your commanders together remove a couple of the niggling annoyances. So you won’t need to dig up and print out those old CRASH or ZZAP!64 Magazine maps from the Internet. Oh, there is still no sound effects or music whatsoever. Brilliant. Pop whatever background music floats your boat on the music player and enjoy. 32768 views. A potential 60000 men and beasts under your command. A savage, faceless and unrelenting enemy. Brutal and blackly hilarious, nearly random, unfair slaughter of your captains by roaming wild giants and wolves. A fitting tribute to the late Mike Singleton. The Lords of Midnight is a true epic.” – Thrutchy

Awesome 
“Spent many an hour as a kid playing this game (and Doomdark’s Revenge). This iOS version is simply excellent. Very glad it was finished after Singleton’s untimely death, a great tribute to a great game designer.” – zootlewurdle

Great
“This is a beautiful rebuild of the classic 80s adventure/strategy, made under the watchful eye of the late Mike Singleton himself. Truly absorbing and a work of scale, scope and imagination. I can’t wait for Doomdark’s Revenge….” – Crosbie71

The best 
The original and never bettered. Well done Chris.” – PaulMac3

Perfect
Finally my favourite speccy game comes to the Ipad. This plays as well as the original and is a faithful recreation.” – Daves!!

Classic
“The original version is the best strategy game ever and this is faithful to the original with better AI and some graphic and gameplay tweaks. Mike Singleton’s legacy lives on and hopefully this will find a new audience. It truly is an epic game if exploration, adventure and strategic war game thrown in for good measure, give it a go you won’t be disappointed. No, I am not on commission!” – Davidjzz

The best
“Wow!!! what a fantastic job of converting one of the greatest games ever onto todays tech without losing the feel of the original. Mike would be proud. Please please please let’s have Doomdarks.” – Goonerdig

Stuff of dreams
“Like a lot of other people here this game was the stuff of dreams when I was a kid. The first game that made me believe in a virtual world and the story telling potential potential of video games. So wonderful to see it all polished up and running on current gen’ technology almost thirty years later! Wow is it that old?! The game still looks and feels great and the simple art style still helps sell the game as a virtual folk tale. Wonderful – hope we get Doomdark’s Revenge too.” – Howl’s moving Podcast

Fantastic!
“Amazing! Perfect job Chris! Been playing this since I was 9 years old in some for or other. This version is worth every penny and more. Well done! Mike would be proud! Merry Xmas Chris!” – seriousjay6330

Brilliant conversion 
“A great version of a classic game, I’m having a blast playing it again. I’d highly recommend this to fans of the original, or to anyone wanting to play a classic strategy game in a great fantasy setting.” – ChasDevenney

Great work!
“A fantastic creation of a childhood dream! Thank you!” – thwaitesmonkey

Classic retro, polished perfectly
Lords of Midnight is one of the few old school games that I don’t keep replaying for nostalgia, but because it is genuinely brilliant, even now. RPG, war game or both..you decide. Looks gorgeous and will be back with the fifth star when some of the planned extras creep in. Well done Chris, and RIP Mike Singleton. UPDATE – already seeing some great features like the ability to stack lords on a leader, and they all follow him. Lost over 20 hours due to the early release.. Brilliant! Upgrade to 5 stars” – McDeathUK

CLASSIC
“Chris you have done an outstanding job here Sir. It looks & feels just like the Spectrum original, with some great extra features like the interactive map. LOVE IT. I’ve just put it down after losing 5 hours this evening, & becoming a teenage boy again – only now it’s my Wife not my Mum saying “turn that off & go to bed!” Best £3 I have ever spent. Still failed to recruit Korinel the Fey in time. Back for more tomorrow. If you had the original, BUY THIS APP! If you didn’t, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS REASONABLE – BUY THIS APP! Masterpiece. Classic. LOVE IT! Great tribute to Mr Mike Singleton. RIP.” – Gadgej

Doomdark’s bane
“Incredible conversion and update. This is truly perfection, created by fans for fans, well done Chris. Do not hesitate to play a seminal moment in gaming culture and a master piece. I’ve no doubt Mike Singleton would have been extremely proud. Now to introduce to my 14 year old son!” – Andyclarke1971

At Last
“How long have we been waiting for this? Who cares it’s been we’ll worth the wait. Excellent” – SpacemanSpiff99

Brilliant update
This classic game has been updated with high res graphics, whilst keeping the charm of the original. It will keep you engrossed for hours as you wander the land of Midnight recruiting allies to battle the evil forces of Doomdark. If you haven’t played the original you really should try this and if you did play the original get ready for reliving your youth. Thanks to Chris for releasing this as a tribute to Mike Singleton who died earlier this year.” – ScottGibbens

Lords of Midnight
“This is the way an old game should be reborn. Totally true to the original with a few tweaks to bring it bang up to date.” – Andyj1234uk

A faithful revision
I used to play this game obsessively on the Spectrum, the sense of expanse and exploration in the world was truly unique. It will be interesting to here what modern/recent gamers make of it. Well done on getting this finished!” – meatpuppet666

A new milestone for a gaming masterpiece
In the top 10 of most important games of all time and now gets a new breathe of life. A brilliant and thoughtful update too. Excellent.” – Deejayquai

Midnights back
This game was so fun to play when I was growing up spent, hours and hours playing this game, so glad is been ported to iOS cannot wait for doomdark’s Revenge next, anyway a great tribute to mike and well done chris )” – Lorelorn

A great tribute
“To think of the hours I spent playing this in the 80’s! Finally I can do it again. This is a faithful reproduction and a great tribute to the work of Mike Singleton. Hopefully they will publish Doomdark’s Revenge at some point. Now if only I can remember my tactics!” – daveaa

Outstanding!
“I played this game many times on my spectrum back in the day. I really consider this a true piece of gaming history. If you have never played this game you have a second chance not to miss out again, I suggest you take it! Although at first glance the graphics appear to be original there is a subtle improvement in quality over the original and it seems a lot of thought has been put into the touch interface. I’m looking forward to the follow up, Doomdarks Revenge.” – Tangy Red Smurf

Amazing
“Brilliant job” – Malcolmcoles

R.I.P. Mike
“I’m so glad we get the chance to experience a game decades ahead of its time, created by a departed genius. Would have loved to see the previously planned remake. You’ll be sorely missed, Mr Singleton. Now please port Midwinter!” – HansieSlimP

Great stuff!
“Who would have thought that 20 years after buying the original I could play it on the train going to work. Great game even in this day and age and well developed for iOS. Thanks for this, dream come true!” – koringoringo

Fantasy Epic!
“While seeming deceptively simple, this game is actually a very deep graphical fantasy text adventure. I never played the original game, but I can see the similarities and inspirations drawn from high fantasy classics such as JRR Tolkien’s works.. Etc. others have compared this to ‘King of Dragon Pass’ which I felt was a more engrossing game, but that is a fair comparison. This game is not easy! While I have not gotten very far, I have restarted a few times as I learned the game mechanics. One complaint: PLEASE make the hit detection on the buttons more accurate, or at least more generous. Two I have struggled with are the tiny flashing scroll with tutorial helpful hints, and the ‘X’ in the hint window to close it. Activating these small icons on my 4S iPhone seems to be VERY difficult on several occasions… Often I would click the flashing scroll icon to read a contextual hint, and instead my selected character would advance one step, or open the character view as this scroll appears on the upper right corner overtop the current character coat-of-arms. Could it be moved by the developers to a neutral location onscreen to prevent these issues??? Interesting game though! Check it out!” – Metaljah 57

Fantastic remake of an 8-bit classic!
“A turn based strategy game played from the first person perspective. Assume control of the Lords and save the world! There are multiple ways to win the game, and it plays quite differently depending on what strategy you take. The developers have done a great job updating the graphics while keeping the classic Spectrum ZX look, and the touch controls are fantastic! A great place for more information about the game, including maps and the original manual can be found on the World of Spectrum website.” – Drelbs2345

Engrossing
“This is a flawless port of a classic RPG. Truly from a different era, Midnight is all about strategy and forethought. Don’t be fooled by the simple graphics. Be sure to see the many websites and videos online for help; the tutorial is good, but the overall strategy may elude beginners. This game is a must for strategy and RPG fans.” – Musteion

Flawless.
“My childhood favorite revived. Beautiful. Perfect. Amazing. Thanks Chris!” – Csory

Fantastic!
“It seems like I’ve been waiting for this for years. An amazing game, brilliantly crafted and a fitting legacy to Mike Singleton may he rest in peace. Well done Chris, this has exceeded every expectation I had.”

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