Category: Game Releases

I’ve tried to be a bit more proactive this week, although I spent the first couple of days with Glen and Sean to help teach them about Pocket Tactics and its’ legacy. They’re already very excited to get stuck-in, but they’re spending these next couple of weeks doing a lot of boring admin work.

In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, make sure you catch up on my post from Tuesday going into more details about what the future holds for Pocket Tactics. The header image is from Door Kickers: Action Squad.

Meanwhile, in mobile gaming…

New App Releases

I haven’t seen anything massively exciting released this week that we haven’t already covered, have you? There’s a new Orangepixel game on the way later this month – Snake Core – which you can pre-order now on iOS, but we’ll talk more about it closer to the time.

[embedded content]

App News & Updates

Something not everyone might think about amidst the growing Covid-19 situation is the effect certain games have on our lifestyle. Sure, Esports events and game conferences are being cancelled, but what about games like Pokemon GO that almost require you to go outside?

Will, Niantic have definitely been thinking about it themselves, because they recently announced to Polygon that they’re implementing a number of chagces which will allow their players to enjoy the game without having to go outside as much. The main changes coming include:

• More habitats, so that more Pokemon can be encountered at home.
• Incense packs have been reduced in price by 99% and last an hour.
• Incubators can hatch eggs twice as fast
• Several real-world community events have been cancelled or postponed.

Niantic postponed a Harry Potter event as well, and they’re not the only ones trying to make changes to help deal with the situation. Discord, for example, have offered increased functionality even for non-paying users to help with the increasing number of people working from home.

I’ve actually been kind of interested in checking out Games of Thrones: Beyond the Wall ever since I heard about it last year. Sure, it’s likely going to be a free-to-play gacha game, but hey, I’m a sucker for the Night’s Watch. We haven’t really heard or seen much about it in recent months, but Behaviour Interactive are in the midst of a press tour and have confirmed it will be released on iOS first on March 26th, with Android following on April 3rd. Pre-registration is open for both.

[embedded content]

We’ve got a decent new game announcement this week as well: Door Kickers: Action Squad is a 2D side-scrolling platform/action game released late 2018 that’s a spin-off from 2014’s Door Kickers. It’s finally coming to mobile (having gone everywhere else first). You play as one of six different SWAT troopers sent into one of 84 different levels to deal with whatever situation has arisen – rescue the hostage, disarm the bomb… if you squint, it’s like a 2D solitaire Rainbow Six: Siege.

[embedded content]

Pre-registration/Pre-Order is available for both iOS and Android. The App Store hints at a release date of April 8th, 2020, but that could change of course.

Singapore is the place to be if you want to get your hands on Legends of Runeterra before anyone else. An eagle-eyed twitter user has spotted that Riot’s own collectable card game offering has soft-launched on the Google Play store over there. We’ve not been able to find out if it’s landed anywhere else yet, but it seems to also be in the iOS app store in the region.

Last but not least; I know we don’t really cover PUBG much here, but the mobile version just got a colourmind mode in a recent update, which is neat.

[embedded content]

App Sales

A handful of games on sale this week you might be interested in – haven’t thought about some of these games in a long while! All of the discounts listed below are available on both iOS and Android.

• Friday (or Freitag) by Friedemann Friese is one of the more understated digital board game ports to come out during my time so far. It’s a modest card game, and this is a modest digital version of that game, and you can pick it up for $1.99. 
• Cosmic Express is one of our favourite puzzle games, and it’s now down to its cheapest price yet – also $1,99.
• One of Orangepixel’s earlier classics, Sir Questionnaire is back down to $1.99 for the first time since May 2019. This is the official ‘best price’ right now, so if you haven’t picked it up yet this is your chance. 

This isn’t technically a discount, but as of earlier this week the XCOM-like squad tactics game Xenowerk Tactics has gone ‘Free-to-Try’. You can download the game for free and play through a trial, and then the full-game unlock has been turned into an IAP. That IAP is still currently $6.99, however. 

Seen anything else you liked? Played any of the above? Let us know in the comments?

Symphony of the Night launched on the original Sony PlayStation (PSX) in an era that seemed to hail the end of 2D games. With Mario gone three dimensional the previous year and the Legend of Zelda soon to make the switch, releasing a 2D platformer seemed incredibly shortsighted. But Konami knew exactly what they were doing.

Of course, Symphony of the Night quickly became a cult hit and is now a frequent contender for the top of “greatest games of all time” lists. It launched not one but two well-received trilogies on Nintendo handhelds and became grandfather to its very own subgenre: the ‘metroidvania’. As the indie revolution arrived, the freedom, creativity, and room for narrative that the metroidvania formula offered within a 2D space led to an explosion of games in this style.

Where would modern indies be without Cave Story and Shadow Complex?

Emerging from this indie scene, mobile gamers have seen some phenomenal ‘metroidvania’ and metroidvania-inspired titles. Underwater variant Aquaria, beautifully animated Dust, criminally underrated Dandara, rougeish Dead Cells, the fantastic mobile exclusive Grimvalor and even Apple Arcade game Shinsekai. The continuous, iterative gameplay of the genre makes it a great fit for hardcore gamers playing on mobile. It is now the perfect time to revisit the game that inspired them all: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

Presumably as part of a promotion for the third season of the surprisingly good Netflix anime series, Konami has just dropped a mobile port of Symphony executed by the experts at Dotemu. The version hitting mobile is the same one that came with PSP title The Dracula X Chronicles. Compared to the PSX original, it has an ‘improved’ script and voice acting that loses some of the original’s b-movie jankiness (including the infamous line: “What is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets!”) Players who remember the original may be disappointed, but overall it’s for the best. You do also get the option to play as Richter or Maria from the start.

Other differences from the classic are refined item menus that function with touch controls and higher-resolution text and (static) artwork. In terms of live assets, the game’s pixels are chunkier than the retro games that have lifted its style. Played on a larger screen, you may be surprised by how few tiny squares the original animators had to work with. That said, the animation holds up. It’s incredibly detailed and lifelike for the era, and a masterclass for today’s pixel artists.

Gamers without dedicated controllers will be stuck with on-screen controls, of course. These are not ideal – you have a simple touch pad rather than the more-intuitive swipe-anywhere controls used by games like Dead Cells. The jump button is easy to hit, but the various attack buttons are fiddly-er. There are a few allowances made to touch gamers: hotkeys are available for the spells and transformations, although one does wonder why it’s still d-pad-up+attack to use special weapons. The touch controls are also not customizable for sizing and position, which is a weird oversight for an experienced developer of emulated classic games to make.

The game works best with a dedicated controller, naturally. One bizarre choice is binding the map to a flick (in any direction) of the second analog stick, especially when L2 is just sitting there doing nothing.

But the game itself? It’s still incredibly good. You have a massive, varied castle map that’s literally twice as big as you think and packed with details that tell you a story without the need for lengthy cutscenes. It’s challenging, but not frustrating, with plenty of secrets for hardcore gamers. Combat, especially boss combat, requires thought, skill, and judicious use of your abilities. There’s some light RPG elements in building your stats and finding new equipment. Yes, there are ways to break the game and make Alucard incredibly overpowered, but honestly that’s part of the fun. This version is even enhanced with the ability to instantly continue from the last room you entered rather than get dragged back to the last save point. (If this gets you stuck in a tight spot, you can reload from the last hard save.)

At a mere three dollars at launch, this is definitely the cheapest Symphony of the Night has ever been, unless you fancy scouring garage sales for the original CD-ROM. Even with the poor on-screen controls, I’d say it’s worth trying at that price. If you missed the original, it’s a chance to experience one of the pillars of a now-trending genre. If you remember it fondly, that’s a small price to pay for the waves of nostalgia you’ll feel from hearing That Music and fighting That Boss again. If you do have a controller, you have no excuse. Get this game now. Maybe if enough people buy it, a port of Rondo of Blood will be just around the corner! 

Today we’re talking about multiplayer games, whether they be on iPhone (or iPad), Android or Windows Phone (lolz). There are fairly significant games out there that you can play with your friends locally, and then vast, massively multiplayer experiences that you can play online. Granted, a lot of these venture into Free-to-Play territory but it’s come to a point where we can’t ignore them.

What are the best multiplayer iPhone & Android games?

• Mucho Party
• Fortnite
• Identity V
• Clash of Clans
• Heads Up!
• Spaceteam
• Hades Star
• Talisman: Digital Edition
• Arena of Valor 
• Triple Agent
• Worms 4
• Words With Friends 

Presented for the curious, here is a list of multiplayer iphone & android games across all types, as well as local party games to help liven up a gathering. For those of you who’ve been paying attention, yes this is similar to the ‘Best Party Games’ feature we had – as an experiment I decided to ask Michael to give it an overhaul with a new focus. Enjoy!

Mucho Party

Developer: GlobZ
Platforms: iTunes, Android
Price: Free (effectively a trial with limited games), $3.99 one-time IAP for full unlock.

Sample a sumptuous variety of mini-games with inspired and easily-digested twists with goofy facial reactions, and deft touch controls. Your player avatar has an oversized head with a handful of emote options which are customizable: just snap a few photos of your mug with exaggerated expressions and mild hilarity ensues. Yes, the new Mario Party is a classic return to form but Mucho Party is a really nice substitute available for the price of a song. A hidden gem.

Fortnite

Developer: Epic
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free

Fortnite fever shows no chance of breaking anytime soon; the game continues to generate its own hype through cross-overs and events like Thanos’s brief appearance or the sudden appearance of that black hole. It has crafting and the Battle Royale last-man-standing appeal. This phenomenon came from nowhere and isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Both it and PUGB (Player Unknown Battlegrounds) are still the golden standard for Battle Royale games, and until Apex launches on mobile, I don’t see them being unseated.

Identity V

Developer: NetEase Games
Platforms:  iOS, Android
Price: Free

One hunter chases four innocents across a gothic manse while the would-be escapees struggle to find and solve puzzles. The asymmetry and creepy-cute aesthetic make for a thrilling and iconic experience. The devs are always experimenting with new play modes (like the 8v2 for starters) and the hunt-or-be-hunted setup is a timely mix of the survival- and battle-royale games so en vogue these days. Add in a splash of progression (skill trees, new and unusual characters, cosmetic unlocks) and you have a winner. 

Clash of Clans

Developer: Supercell
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free

Clash of Clans is an august title dating all the way back to 2012. Supercell’s launched a billion other projects since and they all have similar DNA: easy core gameplay loops with short bursts of required activity and an addictive structure. Oh, and they’re all free-to-play with boosts and shortcuts tucked not-so-discreetly away behind a paywall. Clash is the original and still among the greats, though it has some issues with plateaus and top-level play, the ramping up to the endgame is still a delight.

Heads Up! 

Developer: Warner Bros.
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: $0.99, Free (android). Optional IAP to unlock extra category modes.

Heads Up! Was a victim of its own success for a time. The game is dead simple: a word appears on screen and is held above the guesser’s head. This same guesser is assailed by clues from teammates until the guesser finds the right word or phrase . Cycling through words quickly to rack up a high score, switching up the guessing role amongst team members. Heads Up! has one simple advantage over every other game on this list: it doesn’t need a surface to work. Works just as great standing or crammed together in a vehicle. Anywhere with good sight lines is fair game for Heads Up! short of a hall of mirrors. It’s so good that it’s cliche, at risk of getting played to death and forgotten. In case you’ve never given it a chance with a bored group, do.

Spaceteam

Developer: Henry Smith
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free

Masquerading as chaos and nonsense, Spaceteam never fails to gin up a riotous good time. Navigating the reaches of space takes technical know-how and precise coordination, and Spaceteam spoofs these facts of spacetime-travel by splitting up instructions from control panels. Someone knows which button to press, and where, but the orders and details are deliberately turned into techno-speak-gibberish. Jabbering, giddy gibbons sharing gibberish…in space. Seriously though, the game works wonders for those improvisational types who thrive on chaos and unprecedented social situations. Oh, and it allows for cross-platform play between Android and iOS.

Hades’ Star

Developer: Parallel Space Inc.
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free

Hades’ Star has a persistent, dynamic and massive world whose contours are shaped by the collective actions of the players. In this respect, it’s like a bite-sized EVE Online, though a tad simpler. I’ve always found that vast settings make the crawl of real-time games more palatable, like with Subterfuge. Situated in outer space, the 4X stages of explore and expand take a good amount of time, but that deliberation is the best part of Hades Star.

It suffers from a little free-to-play structure in its later stages, I guess, but it isn’t really a game which makes sense to binge, so the premium currency of ‘crystals’ is for those who want to play faster on their own terms. A little-known treat for fans of MMOs, 4X or the outer reaches of the universe.

Talisman: Digital Edition

Developer: Asmodee Digital
Platforms:  iOS, Android
Price: $3.99, $3.49. See here for an extensive DLC guide.

Talisman is a wild time and a mess, digital or analogue, but it’s markedly tidier and every bit as much of a caper on the good old ‘pad. Collecting magic artefacts, spells and literal pieces of fate and destiny as the hour grows late. It’s a classic and epic game, but also well suited to casual meet-and-greets, too. Because each turn’s decisions are relatively simple and straightforward, players can banter, chow down or otherwise divert themselves without hampering the flow of the gameplay at all.

Arena of Valor

Developer: Tencent
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free, IAP for cosmetics and other unlocks

Deliberately as evocative of League of Legends as possible, this one is a good game with a few caveats. First, the monetization is not especially burdensome but hard to ignore. Secondly, the controls work pretty well but since the Switch version came out they feel second fiddle, in terms of responsivity. Still, you can experience a polished and mature MOBA with respectable mechanics, tutorials and matchmaking. It’s not quite as vibrant a scene as it used to be, but Arena of Valor is still a rush to play.

Triple Agent

Developer: Tasty Rook
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free

Triple Agent is a mixture of chaos and order, of ineffective backstabs, liars giving useful tips and honest fools botching the naked truth. It’s a find-the-betrayer style party game, just like Mafia and Werewolf, but what sets it apart from its ilk, aside from a whip-smart app and panoply of extra optional win conditions, is the total miniaturisation of the experience. One device is passed around to dole out identities, clues and the final elimination vote. The group at the end of the chaotic play session collectively eliminates one person, and if they were a Good Guy the Bad Guys win and vice versa. Really fresh interface and game design take on an old standard.

Worms 4

Developer: Team17
Platforms:  iOS, Android
Price: $4.99

Worms are good for the earth, enriching the soil and setting the fields for a rich harvest next season. Worms from Team 17, on the other hand, spend all their lives trading quips and aiming impractical and ultraviolent weapons at each other. Carpet bombs, napalm, the holy hand grenade, anything and everything is an instrument of death in Worms. The terrain is destructible too, and the only ‘loot crate’ drops are just in-game goodies and not a euphemism for scummy monetisation. This is a premier zany 2D shootout, decades old and no worse for wear.

Words With Friends 2

Developer: Zynga
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free

[embedded content]

Whoof, Words with Friends is a veritable dinosaur, dating back practically to the first days of the iPhone itself. It is an excellent multiplayer game because it accommodates all kinds of time commitments and skill levels. Yes, it’s a duo affair but so good it bears repeating. A simple word game gets even better with asynchronous play and friends list integration, so that when a moment of creative insight strikes, you can quickly convert it into a witty and devastating turn of phrase. It’s like texting, but with a score attached.

Other Party & Multiplayer Game Recommendations

• Royal Adviser
• Soul Knight
• Psych
• Mysterium
• Legends of Andor

What are your favourite multiplayer games? Let us know in the comments!

By Joe Robinson 10 Mar 2020

It’s not been a terribly interesting week, but I’ve made do the best I can – lots of behind the scenes changes going on at the moment, which I’ll be talking more about next week hopefully. We’ve got a few reviews in the pipeline but as we head towards the end of the month don’t expect much in the way of new features. I’ll be ticking things over with news in the interim.

Meanwhile, in mobile gaming…

New App Releases

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (iOS & Android)

Castlevania is back in vogue at the moment thanks to the Netflix show, but we were genuinely surprised when we’d heard that one of the best entries of the series, Symphony of the Night, had dropped on mobile as a premium port – with controller support, no less!

It’s dirt cheap as well at $2.99, and the game is pretty much as it was back in the PS1 days, with a new ‘Continue’ feature being added by Konami, as well as Game Center achievements on iOS. There hasn’t been a new mobile trailer released as far as we’ve seen, so the below is from when the game was ported to the PS4.

[embedded content]

Other new releases today include War Tortoise 2, which is exactly what it sounds like (an on-rails Idle Shooter where you’re on a tortoise. Free to Play). Interestingly, Motorsport Manager has returned, only this time as online free-to-play game Motorsport Manager Online. I was thinking the other day we were overdue for a new entry in the series and it seems like rather than going down the annual release of other sports franchises, they’d try their hand at the free-to-play MMO world instead.

We’re not sure how it stacks up vs. the premium games, but we’ll try and find out. If you want to try it for yourself it’s available on both iOS and Android.

App Updates & News

Star Traders: Frontiers got some new updates over the past couple of weeks – a new crew class was added called the Blade Dancer, and this week a new blade weapon type was also added. ‘Straight Blades’ use quickness instead of strength as the primary stat, and have a higher piercing chance. This week’s update also closed the loop-hole where you could get a negative jump-cost stat and generate fuel by hyper jumping between systems. Crafty.

Mario Kart Tour has also received a few quality of life improvements ahead of the official release of multiplayer early next week.

App Sales

Football Manager Mobile & Football Manager Touch are at least 25% off on both iOS and Android.

It’s not much, but Bad North is also discounted by $1, which is still the cheapest it’s gone since launch. Kingdom: New Lands is 50% off, as is Star Traders: Frontiers.

Seen anything else you liked? Played any of the above? Let us know in the comments.