Title: Swapperoo
Developer: Fallen Tree Games
Platforms: PC, IOS Universal
Price: $9.99 (PC), $2.99 (IOS)
---
I'm not the biggest fan of match-3 puzzlers outside of the genre hybrids like Hero Emblems and Puzzle Quest. So it was a nice surprise that I enjoyed Swapperoo as much as I did. Although, perhaps I should have expected it; Fallen Tree Games had proven themselves with the excellent series of Quell games and Swapperoo evolves the traditional match-3 formula in interesting ways to deliver a surprisingly strategic puzzler.
At its core, Swapperoo follows the same principals as any other match-3 game - connect three or more like items on a grid, removing those matched items from the grid, and so on - but that's where the similarities end. The first and most crucial change is that you only move certain tiles on the grid, and furthermore, only move these triangular tiles in the direction they're pointing. This change alone makes matching a strategic affair, requiring planning moves ahead and thinking if or how to move tiles around the grid,
But soon Swapperoo adds more elements into the mix. Each new addition introduces a new hazard or new caveat to the basic match-3 formula. Suddenly you have tiles that explode after a certain amount of turn, ending your game; now every move you make matters. Then you have sawblade tiles that destroy any tile they collide with; careless moves will throw your grid into chaos, but with planning and careful maneuvering, you can use the sawblade to clear the path for other tiles and set up some high-scoring matches.
And those two are only the start. Tiles that needed to be protected, tiles locked in place, and more continue to add new wrinkles and challenges to the puzzles. On top of those unique tiles, Swapperoo also gives you access to three special abilities, to be used at the most opportune moments: moving a specific tile in any direction, increasing the time on the bomb tiles, and completely detonating the grid. Powering-up these abilities require calculated matches, so each use shouldn't be wasted.
The game features both a hefty selection of handcrafted levels, with unique objectives ranging from simply making a certain number of matches to only making matches with specific tiles, and 38 randomized challenges to truly test your skills and offer long-term replay value.
Swapper is available on Steam, as well as IOS; an Android version is expected soon.
Developer: Fallen Tree Games
Platforms: PC, IOS Universal
Price: $9.99 (PC), $2.99 (IOS)
---
I'm not the biggest fan of match-3 puzzlers outside of the genre hybrids like Hero Emblems and Puzzle Quest. So it was a nice surprise that I enjoyed Swapperoo as much as I did. Although, perhaps I should have expected it; Fallen Tree Games had proven themselves with the excellent series of Quell games and Swapperoo evolves the traditional match-3 formula in interesting ways to deliver a surprisingly strategic puzzler.
At its core, Swapperoo follows the same principals as any other match-3 game - connect three or more like items on a grid, removing those matched items from the grid, and so on - but that's where the similarities end. The first and most crucial change is that you only move certain tiles on the grid, and furthermore, only move these triangular tiles in the direction they're pointing. This change alone makes matching a strategic affair, requiring planning moves ahead and thinking if or how to move tiles around the grid,
And those two are only the start. Tiles that needed to be protected, tiles locked in place, and more continue to add new wrinkles and challenges to the puzzles. On top of those unique tiles, Swapperoo also gives you access to three special abilities, to be used at the most opportune moments: moving a specific tile in any direction, increasing the time on the bomb tiles, and completely detonating the grid. Powering-up these abilities require calculated matches, so each use shouldn't be wasted.
The game features both a hefty selection of handcrafted levels, with unique objectives ranging from simply making a certain number of matches to only making matches with specific tiles, and 38 randomized challenges to truly test your skills and offer long-term replay value.
Title: Blown Away: Secret of the Wind
Developer: Black Pants Studio
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $2.99
---
Besides being quirky and/or having a unique art style, the only definite thing you can say about the games from Black Pants Studio is that they're diverse. From the hand-drawn mirrored landscapes of Symmetrain to the 3D platforming and environmental dicing of Tiny & Bing, each of their games seems to try something different. Blown Away: Secret of the Wind is their newest iOS game and it combines auto-running and fast-pacing puzzling in a charming and colorful package.
Hendrik is unfortunately having a bad day. Through a gust of wind, Mother Nature took away not just his home, but his hair too. Now he travels a weird and dangerous world, collecting the pieces of his house along the way. For the unprepared, this land would prove to be an insurmountable challenge, between deadly gaps, roaming monsters, and raging flames, among other hazards. But Hendrik has a unique tool in his arsenal: a pair of teleporting boots, that Blown Away's puzzles and platforming revolve around.
In each of the game's 120 levels, you walk to the right automatically, recharging your boots with each step. Tapping the screen teleports you to that location, even as you're falling to certain doom. The charging element is what turns a relatively simple mechanic into a puzzler. Your boots only charge when you're moving, and you only have a limited amount of teleports, so reaching the end of a level means assessing the level and figuring out where to teleport so you have enough distance to recharge. But distance isn't the only thing to consider; timing is important as well if you want to evade patrolling monsters and crushing sawblades.
The auto-running and boot recharge complement each other nicely, forcing you to always pay attention to the path ahead, thinking of how many teleports you'll need to cross a gap, where you should teleport to and when. Through that simple single-tap mechanic, Blown Away delivers both puzzles on the go and the arcade-y thrill of dodging traps, and it's all presented in a vibrant hand-drawn art style that brings to mind old-style cartoons.
Blown Away is available for $2.99.
Developer: Black Pants Studio
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $2.99
---
Besides being quirky and/or having a unique art style, the only definite thing you can say about the games from Black Pants Studio is that they're diverse. From the hand-drawn mirrored landscapes of Symmetrain to the 3D platforming and environmental dicing of Tiny & Bing, each of their games seems to try something different. Blown Away: Secret of the Wind is their newest iOS game and it combines auto-running and fast-pacing puzzling in a charming and colorful package.
Hendrik is unfortunately having a bad day. Through a gust of wind, Mother Nature took away not just his home, but his hair too. Now he travels a weird and dangerous world, collecting the pieces of his house along the way. For the unprepared, this land would prove to be an insurmountable challenge, between deadly gaps, roaming monsters, and raging flames, among other hazards. But Hendrik has a unique tool in his arsenal: a pair of teleporting boots, that Blown Away's puzzles and platforming revolve around.
In each of the game's 120 levels, you walk to the right automatically, recharging your boots with each step. Tapping the screen teleports you to that location, even as you're falling to certain doom. The charging element is what turns a relatively simple mechanic into a puzzler. Your boots only charge when you're moving, and you only have a limited amount of teleports, so reaching the end of a level means assessing the level and figuring out where to teleport so you have enough distance to recharge. But distance isn't the only thing to consider; timing is important as well if you want to evade patrolling monsters and crushing sawblades.
Title: Power Hover
Developer: Oddrok
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $3.99
---
Between Temple Run, Subway Surfer, and everything in between, I've been somewhat burned out on behind-the-back runners. It's one of the most common genres on mobile, and in recent years, seems to have been reduced to the format for generic licensed titles. Switch lanes, jump, slide....sometimes it feels like if you've played one, you've played them all. None that I've played have been able to match the variety and style of the hectic Boson X...till now. With its incredibly varied stages and colorful low-poly aesthetic, Power Hover is easily one of the best runners on mobile.
The story is simple. The energy to your robot village has been stolen, get on your hoverboard and follow the thief's trail of batteries to retrieve the power. It's merely there to serve as a framework for the fast-paced chases and hazards to evade, and it's in those aspects that Power Hover shines.
Endless deserts where massive worms gracefully arc through the sands. Sea-bound ruins and seaside cliff faces. Tight canyons wracked by seismic tremors and drills erupting from the dirt. Every level in Power Hover is unique, not merely in terms of locations and hazards, but in how the camera seamlessly changes perspective. One moment, you're guiding your robot boarder through discarded shipping containers from high up; the next, the camera swoops in close as you enter a claustrophobic tunnel.
The constantly changing locations and perspectives, even within the same level, makes each stage feel like an adventure, driving you to see what comes next. The hazards along the way are equally diverse, ranging from stationary stones and rusted cars to rolling spikes and saws to lasers. Between hand-crafted stages and endless boss levels, Power Hover offers a surprising amount of variety in every aspect of its gameplay.
The reflex-testing action wouldn't be worth experiencing if the controls weren't tight. Actually, tight is the wrong word. Your hoverboard has an intentional looseness to it, feeling more like surfing than rigid lane swapping. You're always in control, even as as you smoothly weave between obstacles or grind across rails, but doing so skillfully requires timing and looking ahead to prepare for the next section,
Power Hover's aesthetic completes this polished package. Each level pops with vivid colors and interesting sights, whether it's a coastal strait with wind turbines and gulls skimming the water or a massive machine lumbering through the desert.
Power Hover is available for $3.99 on iPad and iPhone.
Developer: Oddrok
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $3.99
---
Between Temple Run, Subway Surfer, and everything in between, I've been somewhat burned out on behind-the-back runners. It's one of the most common genres on mobile, and in recent years, seems to have been reduced to the format for generic licensed titles. Switch lanes, jump, slide....sometimes it feels like if you've played one, you've played them all. None that I've played have been able to match the variety and style of the hectic Boson X...till now. With its incredibly varied stages and colorful low-poly aesthetic, Power Hover is easily one of the best runners on mobile.
The story is simple. The energy to your robot village has been stolen, get on your hoverboard and follow the thief's trail of batteries to retrieve the power. It's merely there to serve as a framework for the fast-paced chases and hazards to evade, and it's in those aspects that Power Hover shines.
Endless deserts where massive worms gracefully arc through the sands. Sea-bound ruins and seaside cliff faces. Tight canyons wracked by seismic tremors and drills erupting from the dirt. Every level in Power Hover is unique, not merely in terms of locations and hazards, but in how the camera seamlessly changes perspective. One moment, you're guiding your robot boarder through discarded shipping containers from high up; the next, the camera swoops in close as you enter a claustrophobic tunnel.
The reflex-testing action wouldn't be worth experiencing if the controls weren't tight. Actually, tight is the wrong word. Your hoverboard has an intentional looseness to it, feeling more like surfing than rigid lane swapping. You're always in control, even as as you smoothly weave between obstacles or grind across rails, but doing so skillfully requires timing and looking ahead to prepare for the next section,
Power Hover's aesthetic completes this polished package. Each level pops with vivid colors and interesting sights, whether it's a coastal strait with wind turbines and gulls skimming the water or a massive machine lumbering through the desert.
Title: Devouring Stars
Developer: Nerial
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, IOS Universal
Price: $9,99 (Steam), $4.99 (IOS)
---
You've waged war on land, air, and sea. And more than a few real time strategy and tactical games take place in space. But in Devouring Stars, your conflicts don't just occur among the cosmos. Here, the cosmos are your weapons, as you wield the stars themselves in a war between celestial forces.
As a cosmic being far beyond mortal comprehension, you challenge the might of other cosmic factions among the nebula clouds and black abyss. Devouring Stars's gameplay is relatively simple: gather resources to strengthen your units, capture the enemy's portal, and escape the stage. But simple doesn't mean easy, and there's an array of mechanics and complexities that make Devouring Stars stand out.
While it may be an RTS, the game strips back the complex base and building systems of other titles in the genre in favor of a more minimalist approach. Stars act as resources for both you and your enemies, and there's only a finite amount on each battlefield, forcing you to assess the stage and decide when and where to gather cosmic energy.
Each star gathered makes your units stronger, but strength isn't always enough to emerge victorious. Before each mission, you're able to select a small group of units to bring into battle, compared to the typical RTS method of spawning units during battle. This challenges you to consider what strategy you plan on using and choosing which units best suit your plan of attack. While that mechanic may seem limiting, Devouring Stars' units are more versatile than they may first seem.
By combining two units, you can create a single, more powerful unit. These celestial warriors not only gain increased stats that could boost their movement or their efficiency at absorbing stars, but also have unique abilities that can turn the tide of battle. Your merged units can do everything from teleporting short distances to freezing opponents in their tracks, to unleashing powerful ranged attacks or achieve damaging critical hits.
Devouring Stars may lack the bombastic spectacle of other real time strategy games like Planetary Annihilation and Supreme Commander, but what it lacks in bombast, it makes up for in beauty. Battles in Devouring Stars are dances of swirling particles and flashing color as stars and galaxies become weapons of the gods. It's always satisfying to watch.
Devouring Stars is available on Steam, and recently released on IOS. You can learn more about the game here.
Developer: Nerial
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, IOS Universal
Price: $9,99 (Steam), $4.99 (IOS)
---
You've waged war on land, air, and sea. And more than a few real time strategy and tactical games take place in space. But in Devouring Stars, your conflicts don't just occur among the cosmos. Here, the cosmos are your weapons, as you wield the stars themselves in a war between celestial forces.
As a cosmic being far beyond mortal comprehension, you challenge the might of other cosmic factions among the nebula clouds and black abyss. Devouring Stars's gameplay is relatively simple: gather resources to strengthen your units, capture the enemy's portal, and escape the stage. But simple doesn't mean easy, and there's an array of mechanics and complexities that make Devouring Stars stand out.
While it may be an RTS, the game strips back the complex base and building systems of other titles in the genre in favor of a more minimalist approach. Stars act as resources for both you and your enemies, and there's only a finite amount on each battlefield, forcing you to assess the stage and decide when and where to gather cosmic energy.
By combining two units, you can create a single, more powerful unit. These celestial warriors not only gain increased stats that could boost their movement or their efficiency at absorbing stars, but also have unique abilities that can turn the tide of battle. Your merged units can do everything from teleporting short distances to freezing opponents in their tracks, to unleashing powerful ranged attacks or achieve damaging critical hits.
Devouring Stars may lack the bombastic spectacle of other real time strategy games like Planetary Annihilation and Supreme Commander, but what it lacks in bombast, it makes up for in beauty. Battles in Devouring Stars are dances of swirling particles and flashing color as stars and galaxies become weapons of the gods. It's always satisfying to watch.
Title: Euclidea
Developer: Horis International Limited
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: Free
---
Math can be difficult and frustrating for some people, and the very notion of math puzzler probably is enough for people to dismiss some games. But Euclidea isn't like most math-based puzzlers; rather than numbers and addition and subtraction, it's all about geometry, constructing figures and shapes. There are quite a few games that feature similar concepts, usually physics-based puzzlers where you need to build supports or structures, but Euclidea distills that idea down its purest, most minimalist form, with an elegant presentation and easy-to-use controls.
Euclidea starts out simple, easing you into its collection of geometric brainteasers by teaching how to create line segments, select points, draw circles. And then gradually, the challenge begins to increase, as you use intersecting circles to create equilateral triangles and perfectly bisect lines.
But the game isn't completely merciless. For several of the more common and tricky actions like bisecting angles and creating parallel lines, once you learn how to construct it once, Euclidea provides tools that automatically perform the action. Thanks to the game's controls and clean UI, the challenges of the puzzles are about figuring out how to accomplish a task rather than in the execution
You'll need those tools, because while Euclidea may be easy to control, it certainly isn't easy. Figuring out to create a perfect hexagon within a circle or trisecting an angle requires you to think ahead, understand how points and intersections and line segments all interact and can be used together. It may sound scary, but the game does a good job at introducing its concepts and making sure you can use them before throwing the tricky challenges at you. Like math in general, Euclidea's puzzles are cumulative, building upon what you figured out before and challenging you to use that knowledge in new ways.
Euclidea is visually sparse, black lines against white, but there's something appealing and satisfying about the symmetric patterns of lines and arches created from your attempts to solve puzzles, how distinct shapes emerge from the mess of intersecting and overlapping figures.
Euclidea is free to download, with only an IAP to remove ads. You can download the game here.
And if you enjoy this one, the developer released Pythagorea earlier this year, a similarly geometry-focused puzzler with its own unique twists.
Developer: Horis International Limited
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: Free
---
Math can be difficult and frustrating for some people, and the very notion of math puzzler probably is enough for people to dismiss some games. But Euclidea isn't like most math-based puzzlers; rather than numbers and addition and subtraction, it's all about geometry, constructing figures and shapes. There are quite a few games that feature similar concepts, usually physics-based puzzlers where you need to build supports or structures, but Euclidea distills that idea down its purest, most minimalist form, with an elegant presentation and easy-to-use controls.
But the game isn't completely merciless. For several of the more common and tricky actions like bisecting angles and creating parallel lines, once you learn how to construct it once, Euclidea provides tools that automatically perform the action. Thanks to the game's controls and clean UI, the challenges of the puzzles are about figuring out how to accomplish a task rather than in the execution
Euclidea is visually sparse, black lines against white, but there's something appealing and satisfying about the symmetric patterns of lines and arches created from your attempts to solve puzzles, how distinct shapes emerge from the mess of intersecting and overlapping figures.
And if you enjoy this one, the developer released Pythagorea earlier this year, a similarly geometry-focused puzzler with its own unique twists.
Title: Five Card Quest
Developer: Rocketcat Games
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $2.99
---
Between Mage Gauntlet and Wayward Souls, Rocketcat Games is well established as a developer that can develop a challenging quality RPG/roguelike experience on mobile. Now with Five Card Quest, they tackle the turn-based game and deliver a challenging tactical dungeon crawler
In Five Card Quest, you select a duo of warriors from a selection of classes, from the powerful support Priest to the dagger-wielding Rogue, and traverse room-by-room through dangerous dungeons. You might find a healing fountain or a merchant or another warrior to add to your party, but more often, you'll find enemies blocking your path to the exit.
Combat in Five Cars Quest is an interesting blend of card game and lane-based strategy, reminiscent of Zachtronics' Ironclad Tactics (however less complex). Your party is one side of the screen, enemies on the other, spread out across three lanes. Each turn you have five skills to use from, a mix of random abilities from each of your warrior's pool of skills, and with each action, your enemies move down the lane, closing in until they're within striking distance.
The combination of random abilities and staggered enemy approach gives Five Card Quest's combat a unique feel and allows various strategy and tactics. Abilities don't just inflict damage; they let your characters swap lanes, freeze an enemy's movement or knock it back to its side of the screen. Some attacks may take three turns to charge up, forcing you to consider how long it will take certain enemies to close the distance to strike. Other attacks do lane-based damage or injury the front-most foe.
You never know what attacks and abilities you'll have at hand during your turn, resulting in tense and desperate strategy as you use whatever's available to postpone incoming attacks, heal and prepare blocks and parries, switch characters across lanes, and so on. Five Card Quest pulls no punches, and a careless strategy will only get you killed more quickly.
Your enemies are just as varied, ranging from shielded brutes to archers and spellcasters. Each area has its own array of enemies, enemies that can stun and poison, among other actions. Friend and foe alike are brought to life on a bright angular art style, giving Five Card Quest a unique aesthetic.
Five Card Quest is available on iPhone and iPad.
Developer: Rocketcat Games
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $2.99
---
Between Mage Gauntlet and Wayward Souls, Rocketcat Games is well established as a developer that can develop a challenging quality RPG/roguelike experience on mobile. Now with Five Card Quest, they tackle the turn-based game and deliver a challenging tactical dungeon crawler
In Five Card Quest, you select a duo of warriors from a selection of classes, from the powerful support Priest to the dagger-wielding Rogue, and traverse room-by-room through dangerous dungeons. You might find a healing fountain or a merchant or another warrior to add to your party, but more often, you'll find enemies blocking your path to the exit.
Combat in Five Cars Quest is an interesting blend of card game and lane-based strategy, reminiscent of Zachtronics' Ironclad Tactics (however less complex). Your party is one side of the screen, enemies on the other, spread out across three lanes. Each turn you have five skills to use from, a mix of random abilities from each of your warrior's pool of skills, and with each action, your enemies move down the lane, closing in until they're within striking distance.
You never know what attacks and abilities you'll have at hand during your turn, resulting in tense and desperate strategy as you use whatever's available to postpone incoming attacks, heal and prepare blocks and parries, switch characters across lanes, and so on. Five Card Quest pulls no punches, and a careless strategy will only get you killed more quickly.
Your enemies are just as varied, ranging from shielded brutes to archers and spellcasters. Each area has its own array of enemies, enemies that can stun and poison, among other actions. Friend and foe alike are brought to life on a bright angular art style, giving Five Card Quest a unique aesthetic.
Title: Downwell
Developer: Ojiro Fumoto
Platforms: IOS Universal, PC
Price: $2.99
---
Gunboots are probably not the safest fashion choice, but safety isn't your concern in Downwell. Treasure awaits in the deep dark well, so down you go, entering a fast and frenetic downward shooter/platformer that definitely scratches the itch for a Spelunky/Binding of Isaac-style roguelite on mobile.
Yes, Downwell is a roguelite, so that means procedurally-generated wells, randomized enemy, random upgrades, and of course permadeath. Each attempt, you dive into the claustrophobic tunnel of platforms, ledges, and enemies, blasting away with your powerful gunboots.
But Downwell is no simple mindless shooter. Your gunboots can only fire a certain amount of bullets before recharging and they can recharge when you touch the ground, so the gameplay gains a layer of planning and depth. Carefully leaping around enemies to get in the best positions to fire, jumping on enemies to converse ammo, deftly avoiding hazards, is all necessary to survive.
Enemies range from relentless bats to ghosts that can phase through walls, among more dangerous variations, and they all pose a threat. Even the first stage can be hectic, and the worlds only get more challenging, introducing new hazards and enemies.
Thankfully, your fierce footwear is a versatile weapon, obliterating foes with punchy powerful blasts. Each weapon type feels distinct and forces you to approach your descent differently based on range, damage, and spread. The laser can pierce through multiple blocks with a single shot, while the noppy sprays out bullets wildly. Gather enough gems, and you enter a Gem High, a stat buff that boosts your attack damage as long as you keep the meter full by collecting gems.
Collecting gems allow you to upgrade your health and gunboot charges at shops, and between stages, you're able to choose power-ups that imbue your hero with new abilities. Jet boosts to slow your descent, eating dead enemies for health, causing dead enemies to explode when shoot, a drone companion, and many others. Power-ups can stack too, allowing you to mix and match effects.
Downwell shines due to its subtle depth and challenging action. Like games such as Spelunky or Vlambeer's titles, it nails that amorphous element of "game feel", gameplay design that just feels satisfying and addicting and powerful.
You can purchase Downwell for $2.99. The game is also available on Steam.
Developer: Ojiro Fumoto
Platforms: IOS Universal, PC
Price: $2.99
---
Gunboots are probably not the safest fashion choice, but safety isn't your concern in Downwell. Treasure awaits in the deep dark well, so down you go, entering a fast and frenetic downward shooter/platformer that definitely scratches the itch for a Spelunky/Binding of Isaac-style roguelite on mobile.
Yes, Downwell is a roguelite, so that means procedurally-generated wells, randomized enemy, random upgrades, and of course permadeath. Each attempt, you dive into the claustrophobic tunnel of platforms, ledges, and enemies, blasting away with your powerful gunboots.
But Downwell is no simple mindless shooter. Your gunboots can only fire a certain amount of bullets before recharging and they can recharge when you touch the ground, so the gameplay gains a layer of planning and depth. Carefully leaping around enemies to get in the best positions to fire, jumping on enemies to converse ammo, deftly avoiding hazards, is all necessary to survive.
Thankfully, your fierce footwear is a versatile weapon, obliterating foes with punchy powerful blasts. Each weapon type feels distinct and forces you to approach your descent differently based on range, damage, and spread. The laser can pierce through multiple blocks with a single shot, while the noppy sprays out bullets wildly. Gather enough gems, and you enter a Gem High, a stat buff that boosts your attack damage as long as you keep the meter full by collecting gems.
Collecting gems allow you to upgrade your health and gunboot charges at shops, and between stages, you're able to choose power-ups that imbue your hero with new abilities. Jet boosts to slow your descent, eating dead enemies for health, causing dead enemies to explode when shoot, a drone companion, and many others. Power-ups can stack too, allowing you to mix and match effects.
You can purchase Downwell for $2.99. The game is also available on Steam.
Title: hocus
Developer: Yunus Ayyildiz
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $0.99
---
Earlier this year, developer Yunus Ayyildiz released the challenging shape-crafting puzzler rop. Its simple mechanic of manipulating ropes and nodes to mirror shapes was used to offer quite tricky and complex spatial conundrums. Now Ayyildiz's next game hocus is also about spatial conundrums, but rather than recreating shapes, you're navigating them,
Each level in hocus presents you with an impossible Escher-inspired structure. You guide a red cube along the perimeter of the shapes, traveling along the odd shapes towards the waiting exit. Forced perspective allows you to travel along planes that appear to touch, letting your cube navigate each impossible maze to reach your destination.
It may sound complicated, but hocus is actually a pretty laid-back puzzler. There are no timers or move counters, so you can access each level at your own pace. While the shapes grow more complex and intricate, the core mechanics remain the same and the game even has a compass that lets you know which directions the cube can move at each junction.
Every new level in hocus is a pleasure to study and navigate, especially if you're a fan of Escher-style illusions and impossible shapes. The game's minimal aesthetic complements its simple yet increasingly challenging puzzles.
Hocus currently features 50 levels, with more to come. You can purchase the game for $0.99.
Developer: Yunus Ayyildiz
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $0.99
---
Earlier this year, developer Yunus Ayyildiz released the challenging shape-crafting puzzler rop. Its simple mechanic of manipulating ropes and nodes to mirror shapes was used to offer quite tricky and complex spatial conundrums. Now Ayyildiz's next game hocus is also about spatial conundrums, but rather than recreating shapes, you're navigating them,
Each level in hocus presents you with an impossible Escher-inspired structure. You guide a red cube along the perimeter of the shapes, traveling along the odd shapes towards the waiting exit. Forced perspective allows you to travel along planes that appear to touch, letting your cube navigate each impossible maze to reach your destination.
It may sound complicated, but hocus is actually a pretty laid-back puzzler. There are no timers or move counters, so you can access each level at your own pace. While the shapes grow more complex and intricate, the core mechanics remain the same and the game even has a compass that lets you know which directions the cube can move at each junction.
Hocus currently features 50 levels, with more to come. You can purchase the game for $0.99.
Title: Verreciel
Developer: Devine Lu Linvega
Platforms: IOS Universal
Releasing January 2016
---
Devine Lu Linvega is known for his enigmatic abstract puzzle games, from the Myst-esque Hiversaires to the dimensional-hopping Oquonie. For his next game, he's taking that approach and applying it to space exploration, in Verreciel.
Verreciel sits you before the control consoles of a Glass Ship traversing the cosmos, surrounded by screens on all sides. By connecting different parts of the ship, you'll be able to power thrusters, autopilot, weapon systems, oxygen levels, shields, radio scanner, and other modules. The tactile UI looks perfect-suited for touchscreens.
In your travels, you'll discover extraterrestrial structures like the Prismatist and venture into the ashen Opal dimension. You'll collect batteries, ammo, warpgates, cloaking devices, and other items in your cargohold. You'll set autopilot coordinates to follow NPC travelers. To survive the dangers of space, Verreciel will challenge you to reroute and manage your systems amidst dangerous weather systems and hostile events.
Verreciel is slated for release on January 10th, 2016; you can learn more about the game on the developer's site and see gameplay clips on Vine..
Developer: Devine Lu Linvega
Platforms: IOS Universal
Releasing January 2016
---
A virtual space exploration project
Verreciel sits you before the control consoles of a Glass Ship traversing the cosmos, surrounded by screens on all sides. By connecting different parts of the ship, you'll be able to power thrusters, autopilot, weapon systems, oxygen levels, shields, radio scanner, and other modules. The tactile UI looks perfect-suited for touchscreens.
Verreciel is slated for release on January 10th, 2016; you can learn more about the game on the developer's site and see gameplay clips on Vine..
Title: SPL-T
Developer: Simogo
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $2.99
---
If you follow mobile games, no doubt you're familiar with Simogo. Their games - from the haunting adventure game Year Walk to the enigmatic text-twisting Device 6 - are defined by how they use the touch interface and slick polished presentations to deliver unique and compelling narrative experiences. So at first glance, SPL-T doesn't appear to be a Simogo title. But as you learn its rules and master its intricacies, SPL-T reveals that it's as unique as any of their other games.
Your first attempt at SPL-T is likely to be confusing. Its gameplay seems as simple as its minimal appearance. The core concept is that you need to gather points by splitting the screen into blocks. Splits alternate between horizontal and vertical divisions; by dividing an area into four or more equally-sized blocks, those blocks convert into "point blocks" marked with a number. That number indicates how many splits are required to remove those blocks from the screen.
Once you realize that those blocks disappear from the screen, SPL-T's hidden depth becomes apparent. When those blocks disappear, above blocks as well as new blocks fall down to fill in the gaps, allowing for new splits to be made. Adding to the mechanic is that point blocks that fall into an empty space have their split number halved, letting you remove them more quickly.
SPL-T evolves from a puzzler with seemingly little strategy into a game of careful planning. To earn a high score, you must be mindful of how the screen will affected several splits in the future and be careful not to create a scenario where mo more splits are possible. It's a tricky and surprisingly addictive challenge.
And not surprisingly, just like its simple puzzle mechanics blossomed with hidden depth, SPL-T is not as basic as it first appears. A plethora of secrets are waiting to be found within the game itself. To say more would spoil the mysterious nature of Simogo's puzzler, but rest assured that SPL-T might be more than just a block-splitting game.
With SPL-T, Simogo once again showcases its mastery of mobile puzzlers, delivering an engaging game hiding a strategic challenge behind its simple aesthetic.
You can purchase SPL-T for $2.99.
Developer: Simogo
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $2.99
---
If you follow mobile games, no doubt you're familiar with Simogo. Their games - from the haunting adventure game Year Walk to the enigmatic text-twisting Device 6 - are defined by how they use the touch interface and slick polished presentations to deliver unique and compelling narrative experiences. So at first glance, SPL-T doesn't appear to be a Simogo title. But as you learn its rules and master its intricacies, SPL-T reveals that it's as unique as any of their other games.
Your first attempt at SPL-T is likely to be confusing. Its gameplay seems as simple as its minimal appearance. The core concept is that you need to gather points by splitting the screen into blocks. Splits alternate between horizontal and vertical divisions; by dividing an area into four or more equally-sized blocks, those blocks convert into "point blocks" marked with a number. That number indicates how many splits are required to remove those blocks from the screen.
SPL-T evolves from a puzzler with seemingly little strategy into a game of careful planning. To earn a high score, you must be mindful of how the screen will affected several splits in the future and be careful not to create a scenario where mo more splits are possible. It's a tricky and surprisingly addictive challenge.
With SPL-T, Simogo once again showcases its mastery of mobile puzzlers, delivering an engaging game hiding a strategic challenge behind its simple aesthetic.
You can purchase SPL-T for $2.99.
Title: Lara Croft GO
Developer: Square Enix Montreal
Platforms: IOS Universal, Android
Price: $4.99
---
I'll start with a confession: when I first saw the screenshots and footage of Hitman GO, my impressions weren't exactly positive. I'm a big fan of the stealth franchise and it seemed like such a weird direction to take. But then I played the game and realized it was a brilliant distillation of Hitman's stealth-puzzle DNA into an experience built from the ground up for mobile. So to say my hype and expectations for the Tomb Raider-themed follow-up were high would be an understatement.
Lara Croft GO not only exceeds those expectations, but also refines the turn-based puzzle template introduced in Hitman GO, all in a gorgeous isometric package.
While Hitman GO presented its sneaky puzzles like a board game, Lara Croft GO sheds the tabletop veneer to deliver an action-puzzle adventure. The turn-based movement along paths remains, but it's no longer contained to flat surfaces and figurines. You guide Lara through ancient temples and dense jungle, past deadly traps and subterranean passages. This is an adventure in the full sense of the word, as levels flow together seamlessly and areas seen in the distance might be traversed several stages later.
Yes, traversal. The levels here are multi-tiered environments and Lara is as agile as ever, able to scale walls, shimmy along edges, and even pull off the occasional handstand. The handstand isn't the only callback to the main games; Lara's dual pistols return as well, as you deal with the numerous creatures found throughout GO's levels. Like in Hitman GO, you need to bump enemies from the side or back to kill them, but the combat is far more involved here. You might need to goad a lizard to chase you, or time your movement to avoid the poisonous fangs of a giant spider. Single-use spears let you skewer creatures from afar, and the environment is your greatest weapon, since traps and hazards can kill creatures.
However Lara Croft GO wouldn't be compete without environmental puzzles and all the elements you'd expect are here: pillars to push and pull, switches and pressure pads, platforms to raise. Given the turn-based nature of the gameplay, puzzles rely heavily on timing and figuring out the optimal path through the levels so you can avoid danger while activating switches or getting platforms into position. While the grids are smaller than the ones in Hitman, Lara Croft focuses more on interactive elements and environmental dangers to add challenge and variety to its puzzles.
Lara Croft GO visuals are just as impressive and polished as its gameplay. The board game aesthetic is gone, and in its place is a colorful isometric world filled with detail and life. Foliage sways in the breeze, lizards test the air with forked tongues, waterfalls drain out over cavernous drops. Each chapter, divided between different Mazes on your journey to a mysterious artifact, has a different visual tone, from the cliff-side ruins of the Maze of Snakes to the underground ruins and murky swamps of other levels. That visual polish even extends to the stylish menu and minimalist UI. An atmospheric soundtrack completes the engrossing presentation.
Lara Croft GO truly impressed me in how it adapted the turn-based puzzle gameplay seen in Hitman GO to Tomb Raider's platforming-heavy adventure. Once again, it distills the core aspects of a franchise - the exotic locations and ruins, the dangerous traps and creatures lurking within, environmental puzzles and agile climbing - into a mobile-friendly experience that's simple to control but still challenging and engaging.
If there's one gripe, it's that the game lacks the replay value of Hitman GO, with no collectibles that require extra puzzling to reach, optional challenges, or move pars to beat. There are gems and hidden relics to find, which in turn unlock new outfits, but those are hidden in the background rather than extra gameplay elements. But I imagine those elements would tarnish the atmosphere and adventure vibe, so perhaps the experience is better without those aspects.
Lara Croft GO can be purchased for $4.99 (Also on Android).
---
*Okay, so Lara Croft GO is a slight deviation from the usual games I cover, but with a mobile game this good, I really wanted to share my impressions, and honestly I put it in the same category as Grow Home and Valiant Hearts, aka games from larger publishers that are more indie game-esque than their usual work.
Developer: Square Enix Montreal
Platforms: IOS Universal, Android
Price: $4.99
---
I'll start with a confession: when I first saw the screenshots and footage of Hitman GO, my impressions weren't exactly positive. I'm a big fan of the stealth franchise and it seemed like such a weird direction to take. But then I played the game and realized it was a brilliant distillation of Hitman's stealth-puzzle DNA into an experience built from the ground up for mobile. So to say my hype and expectations for the Tomb Raider-themed follow-up were high would be an understatement.
Lara Croft GO not only exceeds those expectations, but also refines the turn-based puzzle template introduced in Hitman GO, all in a gorgeous isometric package.
While Hitman GO presented its sneaky puzzles like a board game, Lara Croft GO sheds the tabletop veneer to deliver an action-puzzle adventure. The turn-based movement along paths remains, but it's no longer contained to flat surfaces and figurines. You guide Lara through ancient temples and dense jungle, past deadly traps and subterranean passages. This is an adventure in the full sense of the word, as levels flow together seamlessly and areas seen in the distance might be traversed several stages later.
Lara Croft GO visuals are just as impressive and polished as its gameplay. The board game aesthetic is gone, and in its place is a colorful isometric world filled with detail and life. Foliage sways in the breeze, lizards test the air with forked tongues, waterfalls drain out over cavernous drops. Each chapter, divided between different Mazes on your journey to a mysterious artifact, has a different visual tone, from the cliff-side ruins of the Maze of Snakes to the underground ruins and murky swamps of other levels. That visual polish even extends to the stylish menu and minimalist UI. An atmospheric soundtrack completes the engrossing presentation.
If there's one gripe, it's that the game lacks the replay value of Hitman GO, with no collectibles that require extra puzzling to reach, optional challenges, or move pars to beat. There are gems and hidden relics to find, which in turn unlock new outfits, but those are hidden in the background rather than extra gameplay elements. But I imagine those elements would tarnish the atmosphere and adventure vibe, so perhaps the experience is better without those aspects.
Lara Croft GO can be purchased for $4.99 (Also on Android).
---
*Okay, so Lara Croft GO is a slight deviation from the usual games I cover, but with a mobile game this good, I really wanted to share my impressions, and honestly I put it in the same category as Grow Home and Valiant Hearts, aka games from larger publishers that are more indie game-esque than their usual work.
Title: Manowar
Developer: Lachlan Nuttall
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $1.99
---
A swaying ship, cannons, and a colorful assortment of cannonballs. That's all Manowar needs to deliver a tricky and satisfying puzzle game.
But that's only the start. as new mechanics compound to create suprisingly devious challenges. Firing a cannon cause the remaining cannonballs onboard to bounce into the air, allowing you to get them over walls or balance them atop other cannonballs. Then the game adds colored cannons that only affect cannonballs of the same hue. And then barriers that can only be crossed from certain directions, then platforms that swing in specific patterns, and then portals, and so on.
All these mechanics turn Manowar into a puzzler with a focus on timing and careful planning. Moving and firing cannonballs without thinking of how it will affect the remaining cannonballs can easily led to having one stuck without a way to maneuver it. You may need to block passages to guide cannonballs along a certain route or fire colored cannonballs in a specific sequence, among other tricky scenarios.
Manowar remains challenging through its 48 levels, and the game's polished presentation compliments its equally polished puzzle design. You can purchase Manowar for $1.99.
Developer: Lachlan Nuttall
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $1.99
---
A swaying ship, cannons, and a colorful assortment of cannonballs. That's all Manowar needs to deliver a tricky and satisfying puzzle game.
All these mechanics turn Manowar into a puzzler with a focus on timing and careful planning. Moving and firing cannonballs without thinking of how it will affect the remaining cannonballs can easily led to having one stuck without a way to maneuver it. You may need to block passages to guide cannonballs along a certain route or fire colored cannonballs in a specific sequence, among other tricky scenarios.
Title: Prune
Developer: Polyculture
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $3.99
---
Mobile is home to wide variety of genres, and games like Shadowmatic, Zen Bound, and Monument Valley have shown how relaxing tactile experiences are well suited for the platform. The recently released Prune drives that point home, delivering a wonderfully artistic puzzler that's a worthy addition to any mobile library.
Grow a tree, lead it to the light and watch its flowers bloom: that's the core concept of Prune across the game's five chapters. Swiping on the screen lets you slice away branches and steer the growing tree towards the light, through narrow passages, and around obstacles. From red spheres that infect your tree to windswept landscapes, gates and switches, and pollination, Prune's zen veneer blossoms into a surprisingly tricky puzzler in later levels as new and interesting elements are introduced.
Prune is as enjoyable to watch as it is play. Watching your tree sprout and reach out with twisting branches towards the light is always satisfying; combined with the shadowy landscapes with red sun and stars overhead, Prune is art in motion. Even the game's menu is elegant, as you spin the earth to switch chapters, the stars streaking by and the ground eroding with the passage of time.
Prune's freeform gameplay makes it fun to replay, or just sit back and enjoy the artistic experience. You can purchase Prune for $3.99.
Developer: Polyculture
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $3.99
---
Mobile is home to wide variety of genres, and games like Shadowmatic, Zen Bound, and Monument Valley have shown how relaxing tactile experiences are well suited for the platform. The recently released Prune drives that point home, delivering a wonderfully artistic puzzler that's a worthy addition to any mobile library.
Grow a tree, lead it to the light and watch its flowers bloom: that's the core concept of Prune across the game's five chapters. Swiping on the screen lets you slice away branches and steer the growing tree towards the light, through narrow passages, and around obstacles. From red spheres that infect your tree to windswept landscapes, gates and switches, and pollination, Prune's zen veneer blossoms into a surprisingly tricky puzzler in later levels as new and interesting elements are introduced.
Prune is as enjoyable to watch as it is play. Watching your tree sprout and reach out with twisting branches towards the light is always satisfying; combined with the shadowy landscapes with red sun and stars overhead, Prune is art in motion. Even the game's menu is elegant, as you spin the earth to switch chapters, the stars streaking by and the ground eroding with the passage of time.
Title: Drive Ahead!
Developer: Dodreams Game Studio
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: Free
---
Between games like Wrestle Jump, Badland, and others, mobile has a nice selection of fun local multiplayer games. I'm glad I recently discovered Drive Ahead, because it's a polished and fun addition to that list.
Most reminiscent of Wrestle Jump, Drive Ahead has you controlling a vehicle in wild and unusual arenas with the goal of smashing your opponent's head to earn points. It's simple and hectic, but the sheer variety of vehicles and arenas is what makes Drive Ahead stand out from similar titles. From go-karts, limos, and FI cars to tanks, garbage trucks, forklifts, and more, a sizable array of vehicles are available, each controlling differently due to their size, speed, and shape. The arenas are just as varied, ranging from simple islands with ramps to see-saw platforms. The matches only last a few seconds before entering a "sudden death" state where a random hazard appears, like descending saw blades or fireballs.
It's the little touches that give Drive Ahead its charm. A hurt driver on stretcher slides out of the back of the ambulance, bottles fall from the garbage truck when it flips upside down, and churning tires kick up dust and dirt as they barrel around the arenas. If you don't have a friend to battle, the game offers a nice selection of single player modes, including classic fights against the AI, a mission mode with various objectives, and King of the Hill. The developers have been consistently updating Drive Ahead with new arenas and new vehicles.
Drive Ahead is free with optional and unobtrusive IAP. You can download the game here.
Developer: Dodreams Game Studio
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: Free
---
Between games like Wrestle Jump, Badland, and others, mobile has a nice selection of fun local multiplayer games. I'm glad I recently discovered Drive Ahead, because it's a polished and fun addition to that list.
Most reminiscent of Wrestle Jump, Drive Ahead has you controlling a vehicle in wild and unusual arenas with the goal of smashing your opponent's head to earn points. It's simple and hectic, but the sheer variety of vehicles and arenas is what makes Drive Ahead stand out from similar titles. From go-karts, limos, and FI cars to tanks, garbage trucks, forklifts, and more, a sizable array of vehicles are available, each controlling differently due to their size, speed, and shape. The arenas are just as varied, ranging from simple islands with ramps to see-saw platforms. The matches only last a few seconds before entering a "sudden death" state where a random hazard appears, like descending saw blades or fireballs.
It's the little touches that give Drive Ahead its charm. A hurt driver on stretcher slides out of the back of the ambulance, bottles fall from the garbage truck when it flips upside down, and churning tires kick up dust and dirt as they barrel around the arenas. If you don't have a friend to battle, the game offers a nice selection of single player modes, including classic fights against the AI, a mission mode with various objectives, and King of the Hill. The developers have been consistently updating Drive Ahead with new arenas and new vehicles.
Title: Her Story
Developer: Sam Barlow
Platforms: IOS Universal, PC, Mac
Price: $4.99
---
With the advent of games like Proteus, Gone Home, and other experiences, the question of what exactly constitutes a game has been brought up often over the past few years. I imagine Her Story will be another experience brought up when that discussion comes up. Whether you classify it as a game, a visual novel, interactive fiction, or something else, one thing remains constant: Her Story offers a mature and gripping experience.
Discussing Her Story's story in detail would do a disservice to the narrative it weaves. The core idea is that you're watching a series of interviews of a woman telling her story to the police. These interviews are divided into numerous short clips, and by typing keywords and phrases into the game's wonderful recreation of a 90's era desktop, you can search for new videos to learn more about the woman and her situation.
Ideally I'd classify Her Story as a narrative adventure. In adventure games, you collect items, and typically need to figure out how and when to use them to solve puzzles and continue. Her Story is that cycle, distilled to its purest form. Your items you gather are the parts of a story, and you're trying to discover the truth. Through deduction and learning more details, you gather new keywords and phrases to unlock more of Her Story's narrative puzzle box.
There's no hand-holding here. In other detective games, such as LA Noire or The Trace, you might have a notes screen that highlights clues, connections, and important videos, or maybe a hint system, Her Story strips all out those extraneous elements. The onus is on the player to piece together the mystery; it's a completely cerebral experience. There isn't even a definite end; you finish when you feel satisfied that you've learned enough.
Her Story's non-linear structure is also very unique. How you piece together the story could be different from how someone else might. You may stumble on some revelation earlier or later than another person, or learn the context of a clip later in the story. But no matter how you approach the story, Viva Seifert anchors the tale with her excellent performance.
Her Story might not appeal to everyone, but if you're looking for a unique experience that tackles a mature and gripping story in a way not often seen in games, it's well worth checking out.
Her Story is available to purchase for $4.99.
Developer: Sam Barlow
Platforms: IOS Universal, PC, Mac
Price: $4.99
---
With the advent of games like Proteus, Gone Home, and other experiences, the question of what exactly constitutes a game has been brought up often over the past few years. I imagine Her Story will be another experience brought up when that discussion comes up. Whether you classify it as a game, a visual novel, interactive fiction, or something else, one thing remains constant: Her Story offers a mature and gripping experience.
Discussing Her Story's story in detail would do a disservice to the narrative it weaves. The core idea is that you're watching a series of interviews of a woman telling her story to the police. These interviews are divided into numerous short clips, and by typing keywords and phrases into the game's wonderful recreation of a 90's era desktop, you can search for new videos to learn more about the woman and her situation.
Ideally I'd classify Her Story as a narrative adventure. In adventure games, you collect items, and typically need to figure out how and when to use them to solve puzzles and continue. Her Story is that cycle, distilled to its purest form. Your items you gather are the parts of a story, and you're trying to discover the truth. Through deduction and learning more details, you gather new keywords and phrases to unlock more of Her Story's narrative puzzle box.
Her Story's non-linear structure is also very unique. How you piece together the story could be different from how someone else might. You may stumble on some revelation earlier or later than another person, or learn the context of a clip later in the story. But no matter how you approach the story, Viva Seifert anchors the tale with her excellent performance.
Her Story is available to purchase for $4.99.
Title: Static Sky
Developer: Framebunker
Platforms: IOS Universal
Late 2015
---
Static Sky puts you in control of a mercenary squad working for the highest bidder. Across a main campaign and side jobs, missions play out in real time, with a slow motion mode that lets you issue orders, giving the game a pseudo-turn-based vibe. One example given was placing your heavy weapon specialist into overwatch while your agile street samurai takes down the suppressed enemies at close range.
A cover system, stealth, upgrades and augmentations, and hacking expand your tactical options, letting you reroute enemy turrets and other strategies as you face forces in high-tech facilities, outside storefronts, and across rooftops. The visuals are easily one of Static Sky's greatest appeals; from dynamic lighting and shadows to neon reflections on wet streets, the detailed cyberpunk atmosphere looks like it'll compliment the high-tech action nicely.
Static Sky is currently in development, with a closed alpha and beta starting later this year and a release planned for late 2015. You can follow the game's development on the developer's site and Twitter page.
Developer: Framebunker
Platforms: IOS Universal
Late 2015
---
A cyberpunk-themed tactical shooter
A cover system, stealth, upgrades and augmentations, and hacking expand your tactical options, letting you reroute enemy turrets and other strategies as you face forces in high-tech facilities, outside storefronts, and across rooftops. The visuals are easily one of Static Sky's greatest appeals; from dynamic lighting and shadows to neon reflections on wet streets, the detailed cyberpunk atmosphere looks like it'll compliment the high-tech action nicely.
Title: Xenowerk
Developer: Pixelbite
Platforms:
Price: $1.99
---
Pixelbite's Space Marshal was one of the best dual stick shooters to grace mobile this year. Stealth, mechanics like flanking and cover, and a varied loadout added a layer of tactical depth you don't often find in top-down shooters. Xenowerk takes the tight controls, detailed visuals, and satisfying gameplay of Space Marshals and delivers a faster, more arcade-y experience, as you cleanse an science facility of a mutant infestation.
While Space Marshals offered larger levels and a slower pace, Xenowerks is set in claustrophobic dark corridors, where mutant creatures lurk around every corner. A vast array of weapons are available, from simple assault rifles and shotguns to powerful flamethrowers, grenade launchers, and miniguns. You can carry any two guns, and complimenting your loadout is a selection of armor, each granting special abilities that can boost your speed and damage or unleash a enemy-slowing aura,
Each of the game's 50 level is a contained lab floor, where you either hack into terminals to gather data or defeat deadly mini-bosses. As you progress, mutants grow in strength and ability, charging with incredible speed or launching projectiles; success means using your skills at the best time, getting kill streaks to fill up your power meter faster, and managing your fire so you don't overheat your weapons. The missions tend to be short, only a few minutes long, but the varied mutants add more challenge as you descend deeper.
Xenowork is available on IOS for $1,99. An Android version is coming soon.
Developer: Pixelbite
Platforms:
Price: $1.99
---
Pixelbite's Space Marshal was one of the best dual stick shooters to grace mobile this year. Stealth, mechanics like flanking and cover, and a varied loadout added a layer of tactical depth you don't often find in top-down shooters. Xenowerk takes the tight controls, detailed visuals, and satisfying gameplay of Space Marshals and delivers a faster, more arcade-y experience, as you cleanse an science facility of a mutant infestation.
While Space Marshals offered larger levels and a slower pace, Xenowerks is set in claustrophobic dark corridors, where mutant creatures lurk around every corner. A vast array of weapons are available, from simple assault rifles and shotguns to powerful flamethrowers, grenade launchers, and miniguns. You can carry any two guns, and complimenting your loadout is a selection of armor, each granting special abilities that can boost your speed and damage or unleash a enemy-slowing aura,
Each of the game's 50 level is a contained lab floor, where you either hack into terminals to gather data or defeat deadly mini-bosses. As you progress, mutants grow in strength and ability, charging with incredible speed or launching projectiles; success means using your skills at the best time, getting kill streaks to fill up your power meter faster, and managing your fire so you don't overheat your weapons. The missions tend to be short, only a few minutes long, but the varied mutants add more challenge as you descend deeper.
Title: Fugl
Developer: Johan Gjestland
Platforms: IOS Universal
2015
---
Fugl is a game about flight. Playing the open alpha, the controls are simple enough: hold both sides of the screen to flap, move your thumbs in various directions to pitch, yaw, and roll. The mechanics are easy to grasp and, above all else, fun to master. The game currently offers an arcade mode, in which you need to fly close to the ground to recharge your flap/boost, but the most enjoyable experiences come from flying in free roam. It is so satisfying to just fly in Fugl, gliding over the waterfalls and forests, swooping under arches and through narrow valleys and past stalagmite in subterranean caverns.
In some ways, Fugl reminds me of the PC game Proteus. Gameplay that exudes a zen-like atmosphere, a colorful vibrant world to explore, a world teeming with life. Dolphins and fish leap from the oceans and rivers as you pass overhead, other birds fly through the skies, deer traverse the forests and woodland plains.
Fugl is still in development; the final version of the game will include a story mode with hazards to evade such as enemies, falling rocks, volcanoes, and powerful winds, as well as more biomes ranging from dense jungles to floating islands.
You can follow Fugl's development in the game's thread on Toucharcade. If you're interested in checking out the open alpha, email the developer at fugl.game@gmail.com.
Developer: Johan Gjestland
Platforms: IOS Universal
2015
---
A flying game in 60 fps featuring procedural voxel terrain that really tries to nail the wonderous feeling of flightIf you've played Minecraft, no doubt you've experienced a moment like this: cresting a hill to see some amazing natural wonder in the distance. A towering mountain, an expansive overhang, a sprawling canyon or a river twisting serpent-like through a narrow valley, or the entrance to some unknown cave system. Fugl delivers a similar sense of discovery and exploration, as you soar over its procedurally generated landscapes upon technicolor wings.
In some ways, Fugl reminds me of the PC game Proteus. Gameplay that exudes a zen-like atmosphere, a colorful vibrant world to explore, a world teeming with life. Dolphins and fish leap from the oceans and rivers as you pass overhead, other birds fly through the skies, deer traverse the forests and woodland plains.
You can follow Fugl's development in the game's thread on Toucharcade. If you're interested in checking out the open alpha, email the developer at fugl.game@gmail.com.
Title: Sproggiwood
Developer: Freehold Games
Platforms: IOS Universal, Android, PC, Mac, Linux
Price: $9.99
---
Mobile has quite the repertoire of roguelikes. From original titles like Hoplite and Auro to excellent ports of games such as FTL and Desktop Dungeons, the genre has thrived on the platform. Sproggiwood continues that trend, offering a charming roguelike with accessible gameplay and tactical depth.
The story is simple; doom is destined to ravage the land and a powerful forest spirit tasks you to defeat this coming evil. You start as a mere farmer, with a small village, but progressions unlocks new classes to choose from and new buildings and denizens to expand your home providing various buffs and support throughout your quest. Sproggiwood is not as obtuse or incredibly challenging as your typical roguelike; the game is divided into distinct randomized stages (each one a set of floors, with a boss to defeat) rather than a sprawling overworld, and permanent upgrades and unlocks persist across playthroughs.
But this accessibility doesn't mean Sproggiwood is an easy stroll through the forest. Armed with various weapons, special abilities, and armor, you face a plethora of enemies, each with their own unique quirks and attributes. Some charge at you sight or explode into flames upon death or unleash ranged attacks. All this information is at your disposal, giving Sproggiwood more of a puzzle game vibe; you must plan out movement, attacks, and ability cooldowns around your knowledge of how enemies will maneuver and react. Different classes, such as the sneaky thief and ranged archer, as well as powerful weapons, expand your tactics with various starting stats and attacks, and the Savage difficulty introduces new enemies and new behaviors to learn. All in all, there's a sizable amount of content, challenge, and replayability beneath Sproggiwood's colorful veneer.
Sproggiwood is available for $9.99 on IOS and Android ($14.99 on Steam/Humble)
Developer: Freehold Games
Platforms: IOS Universal, Android, PC, Mac, Linux
Price: $9.99
---
Mobile has quite the repertoire of roguelikes. From original titles like Hoplite and Auro to excellent ports of games such as FTL and Desktop Dungeons, the genre has thrived on the platform. Sproggiwood continues that trend, offering a charming roguelike with accessible gameplay and tactical depth.
The story is simple; doom is destined to ravage the land and a powerful forest spirit tasks you to defeat this coming evil. You start as a mere farmer, with a small village, but progressions unlocks new classes to choose from and new buildings and denizens to expand your home providing various buffs and support throughout your quest. Sproggiwood is not as obtuse or incredibly challenging as your typical roguelike; the game is divided into distinct randomized stages (each one a set of floors, with a boss to defeat) rather than a sprawling overworld, and permanent upgrades and unlocks persist across playthroughs.
Title: Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake
Developer: SleepNinja Games
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $4.99
---
Successfully Kickstarted over a year ago, Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake is a charming new puzzle game, the debut title of SleepNinja Games. While it shares elements with other games in the genre, Monsters stands out due to its colorful cute visuals, a narrative, varied mechanics, and just offering a fun polished puzzle adventure experience.
While many puzzles games are simply a series of challenges, Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake presents its brain-teasers within the framework of an interesting story and design more akin to a RPG than your usual puzzle game. You play as Niko, a young boy who wakes to find his birthday ruined when the nefarious Boogins steal his precious cake. This theft sets him on an adventure across the various areas of Gogapoe Island, where dangers and new friends await. Most puzzle games would be content with a simple string of levels, but Monsters lets you explore Niko's village, take with villagers for side quests, visit shopkeepers along your journey to purchase new items and outfits: a fleshed-out structure that adds purpose to your puzzle solving.
But the meat of the game is obviously the puzzles and in that regard, Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake delivers a polished array of challenges. Niko and the monster friends he meets throughout his journey each have their own unique abilities, useful in their own way: pulling and pushing blocks, an obstacle- and enemy- crushing ramming dash, a shriek that destroys obstacles and stuns enemies, and more. You have to use these abilities in conjunction to open blocked paths, avoid or defeat the varied Boogin enemies, and collect coins, keys, and pieces of cake. The enemies also add their own puzzle element, as one must rush at you when you enter its line of sight, another may patrol an area, or unleash a shriek of its own that disables your special abilities. Figuring how to move through the levels, how you need to work together, timing and syncing your movements makes Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake a fun game, and special objectives such as not using a certain abilities or not killing enemies adds extra challenge and replay value.
Personally I think Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake controls well; you simply draw your character's path and double tap to activate your abilities. The game is easy to play, allowing the visuals and overall polish to shine. From the character bios in your journal and the notes you find along the way, to the charming aesthetic, to the varied puzzles and the game's RPG-esque elements, to the story framework that ties it all together, Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake is a complete wonderfully-crafted package.
You can purchase Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake for $4.99.
Developer: SleepNinja Games
Platforms: IOS Universal
Price: $4.99
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Successfully Kickstarted over a year ago, Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake is a charming new puzzle game, the debut title of SleepNinja Games. While it shares elements with other games in the genre, Monsters stands out due to its colorful cute visuals, a narrative, varied mechanics, and just offering a fun polished puzzle adventure experience.
While many puzzles games are simply a series of challenges, Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake presents its brain-teasers within the framework of an interesting story and design more akin to a RPG than your usual puzzle game. You play as Niko, a young boy who wakes to find his birthday ruined when the nefarious Boogins steal his precious cake. This theft sets him on an adventure across the various areas of Gogapoe Island, where dangers and new friends await. Most puzzle games would be content with a simple string of levels, but Monsters lets you explore Niko's village, take with villagers for side quests, visit shopkeepers along your journey to purchase new items and outfits: a fleshed-out structure that adds purpose to your puzzle solving.
You can purchase Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake for $4.99.
