So far, first person shooters for the iOS have garnered mixed reactions from mobile gamers. While it has been progressing well in terms of graphics and feel, there are still kinks to be fixed in general like controls and overall feel of the game. With the touch and tilt interfaces, there are definitely not the same as using a controller pad or keyboard and mouse. Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation seeks to close the gap for FPS games between mobile platforms and the bigger ones.

The gameplay is arcade and straight-up, with none of the tactical nonsense going on. You can just go for run-and-gun and it’ll feel right as rain, so there shouldn’t be too much of difficulty in gameplay mechanics-wise. There are thirteen missions in various locations, which adds variety and more playing time in the singleplayer. There is also online multiplayer for up to twelve players per session, topped off by a good matchmaking system. There are also rankings, achievements, and unlockables for items and skills that add a lot of replay value to this game.

The visuals are as good as any iOS game can get with awesome looking graphics that runs smooth and slick in fourth generation devices. The environments are rendered very nicely, so you won’t feel like you’re in cartoon paper land. Perhaps the drawback to this game is still the controls, which may need more tweaking just to have it suit your preferences. As with most iPhone games, people with big hands may find it a bit aggravating, although it’s not bad enough for them to go ape about it.

It also doesn’t bring too many new things to the table as it just like the previous titles. It’s almost like any other military shooter out there, but that’s more of a flaw in the genre itself as being a soldier and war in general are pretty monotonous anyway. That’s why you see nothing more than “here is the objective, and the enemy is in the way” kind of combat scenarios in here or in any other game of similar theme. The difference lies in the presentation and narrative progression of the story itself, so good military FPS games tend to have some sort of gimmick, plot device, or style of storytelling that makes it different from the other games. What Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation offers is just the direct approach, clutching you by the throat in a good way.

Some may wish that they can just throw eggs at GameLoft, but they can’t because they don’t have the right to. This game may not be as mind blowing as the previous two in the series, but it’s still pretty good nonetheless. Releasing it around the same time as when Battlefield 3 and Modern Warfare 3 are all the rage is a pretty good marketing strategy. Overall, Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation has got to be one of the best FPS experiences you’ll ever have in the iOS. It’s worth way more than its price point, so it’s definitely a recommended purchase.