Planets Defense aims to bridge this gap. It’s a clever, innovative title that rests somewhere between tower defense and RTS, but with mechanics all its own. It’s a deep, challenging game sure to satisfy strategy fans, but with a simplified interface and some streamlined elements to make the game more touch-friendly. It’s a best-of-both-worlds approach that makes it a perfect fit for Android phones.

The strategic elements in Planets Defense are neatly separated. The highest level strategy takes place on a board where you select your next mission. The campaign is not linear; it allows you to select any stage in an adjacent space, and and each stage unlocks new tech that can be employed in future levels. This seems pretty simple, but it’s actually one of the most important elements. If you don’t have the right units available, some of the missions will seem downright impossible.

Once you enter a stage, you’ll see a view of a small solar system with an enemy based and a few planets. This is the view where you’ll see the action take place, and actually command your offensive units to attack enemy targets. Viewing a planet brings you to the base-building stage of the game, which allows you to mine different resources and produce units to use in the space view.

Although this is reduced to a pretty simple grid with a few fixed slots, a lot of the usual RTS strategies apply. You’ll need to work up enough of the right kind of materials to outpace your opponent’s production before you get steam-rolled. After a few missions, you’ll be able to start taking over other planets and mining meteors to expand your production. You’ll have to balance this expansion against defense, and this ends up being the core decision for much of the game. Don’t let the title fool you. This is not a game about simply warding off waves of enemies. You’ll have to build up a strong offense and ultimately crush your opponent.

Outside of the clever set up, Planets Defense is actually pretty Spartan. Although it uses the Unity engine, the graphics are pretty basic 2D stuff, with little embellishment. There’s no story, and little in the way of special-case design to add variety. This is a game designed to be pure and replayable, and it won’t use slick presentation to draw you through its campaign.

Each mission only takes a few minutes, and even the entire campaign can be tackled in a couple hours, but Planets Defense is not really about such things. The adjustable difficulty settings help the replay value quite a bit, but procedural content generation might have gone a long way to further increase its longevity. As it stands, though, it’s still a must-download for anyone looking for a mobile-friendly strategy game that doesn’t confuse simple for shallow.
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• 80 Missions in an Exceptional Campaign Mode
A contaminated alien organism is about to die… Take a deep look inside, while it launches its final defense program. Enter a microscopic world of cells, neurons and DNA tentacles. Take control of the last antibody cells and save the entire species from extinction.

• Make the Impossible Possible
You can cure the organism by capturing enemy cells. To do this, draw a line between green antibody and red enemy cells. This will launch DNA tentacles which drain energy from enemy cell cores and eventually overtake them. Keep an eye on your energy supply and boost your attacks by cutting the tentacles. Capture all enemy cells to secure a zone. Cure all zones and the life form will survive…

• Furious Enemy
Beware of an intelligent and wide awake enemy which fights back without ever giving up. You’ll need to stay focused and master the art of “Tentacle War” in order to prevent the death of your host.

Hardcore Droid’s Joe Matar gave Tentacle Wars 4 out of 5 stars, saying it feels like a strategy, puzzle, and action game all in one, but that it might be a bit overly difficult for some players. Give us your own review here in 300 words or less!

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In 2013 we’ve seen some of the platform’s best RPGs. To help navigate the RPG highway, Hardcore Droid presents a list of the best Android RPGs of 2013:

Click to View Ravensword: Shadowlands Gallery >>

Ravensword: Shadowlands ($6.99 in Google Play Store)
HD Score – 4.5
Featuring some of the best 3D graphics on the Droid, Ravensword:Shadowlands has all the basics of open world RPG gameplay (level exploration, grinding for gold/experience, upgrade items, etc.) in a condensed mobile package. Think of it as Skyrim Light. You play as a soldier who survived a mysterious event that wiped out both sides of the battlefield. As the game progresses, you learn what happened and why you were spared. Ravensword: Shadowlands is one of the most expansive open-world RPGs available on the Android.
Read Ravensword: Shadowlands HD Review

Epic Pirates Story (99 Cents in Google Play Store)
HD Score – 4.0
If you ever wanted to be Jack Sparrow, Epic Pirates Story is the game for you. Choose your pirate’s gender, name the pirate and island home, and then set out on a swashbuckling adventure to build your following and seek revenge against the pirate king who captured your father. The gameplay is addictive and the writers did a great job of incorporating humor into the story into this Android RPG, earning it a spot on this Best of list. No man is an island but with Epic Pirates Story you can at least own one.
Read Epic Pirates Story HD Review

Avernum: Escape from the Pit ($9.99 in Google Play Store)
HD Score – 4.0
Fans of old school pen-and-paper tabletop RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons will love Avernum: Escape from the Pit. With nine player classes and six upgradeable attributes (intelligence, dexterity, strength, endurance, charisma, and negotiation), you lead your party of four through a series of tunnels to explore an underground world. Avernum is easily the best tabletop RPG on the Android.
Read Avernum: Escape From The Pit HD Review

10000000 ($1.99 in Google Play Store)
HD Score – 4.5
This Android RPG/Puzzle hybrid looks like a Commodore 64 game, but it’s surprisingly fun to play. 10000000 is more reminiscent of puzzle classics like Tetris Attack than a typical RPG, but it’s amazingly fun to play for fans of the genre. What makes the game so addictive is the good ol fashioned RPG staple of leveling up. The upgradeable skills and mission objectives give this game unparalleled replay value.
Read10000000 HD Review

Click to View Chaos Rings II Gallery >>

Chaos Rings II ($15.99 in Google Play Store)
HD Score – 4.0
RPG royalty Square Enix created a rare dark RPG experience in Chaos Rings II. You play as Darwin, who is forced into a world of suspended time and space along with four other individuals. The only way to save the world from impending destruction is to sacrifice the others. Chaos Rings II features visually stunning hand-drawn art and all the standard RPG elements that made Square a legend in the video game industry and cemented their place as one of the best Android RPG developers.
Read Chaos Rings II HD Review

QuestLord ($1.99 in Google Play Store)
HD Score – 4.0
In QuestLord, you choose to play as a human, elf, or dwarf and set out to save the realm from destruction. The 8-bit graphics and accessible user interface make for a solid retro RPG experience on the Android. The graphics aren’t hi-tech, but they’re not meant to be. This game is a nod to retro with compelling gameplay, secret passages and monster-battling action. Gamers pining for the classic days of RPG gaming on the PC can add another star to QuestLord. Even if you’re from the new school, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more solid game.
Read QuestLord HD Review

Click to View Dungelot Gallery >>

Dungelot (99 Cents in Google Play Store)
HD Score – 4.5
It’s easily the cutest game on this list but don’t let the simplicity and cartoony look of Dungelot fool you. This minimalist adventure is one of the few Droid games in which you’ll actually want to share your experiences with your friends. Thankfully, the social sharing aspects are easily accessible in this RPG. If you’re looking for the best bang for your buck, there are few games that can hold a candle to Dungelot.
Read Dungelot HD Review

Final Fantasy Dimensions ($19.99 in Google Play Store)
HD Score – 4.5
The Final Fantasy series is arguably the best in RPG gaming. In fact, the series normally makes multiple appearances on every game reviewer’s top 100 All Time Best Video Games list. Dimensions reminds us what makes this series so great. Mixing the best elements from the first five Final Fantasy titles with an original story, this game will make you think you’re playing a game on a DS or Vita. Dimensions is another brilliant offering in the Final Fantasy series, an instant classic RPG, and a must have for every hardcore gamer’s Android collection.
Read Final Fantasy Dimensions HD Review

~From the Google’s Play Store

“Avernum: Escape From the Pit is an amazing game which will provide hours of fun. I would even go so far as to say it’s a nearly perfect example of a role-playing game.” -AppleTell
“8/10″ – Inside Mac Games
“Fans looking to get into the Avernum series will do very well with Escape from the Pit, and while the improvements beyond the game engine and visuals are relatively modest, there’s still a lot to enjoy even if you’ve played through the game once before already.” – GameBanshee
“The game’s strong writing carries it through, and earns it a place among the greatest indie RPGs. 9.0/10″ – Game Chronicles
“It is a tribute to indie gaming as a whole that a game made by such a tiny team can swell into such an involving, engrossing and glorious fantasy epic. – 9/10″ – The Digital Fix
“If you’re looking for a complex single player RPG and value content at the expense of visuals, don’t miss this title. 8/10″ – Impulse Gamer
“Spiderweb Software have provided a vast world in which to get lost, and a hefty quest in which to sink your teeth, which will reward those who can overlook its lack of finesse with many hours of enjoyable adventure.” – Indie Game Magazine
“Take this one with you on car trips, use it to replace your TV shows on summer break, whatever. No self-respecting fan of RPGs should be without it.” – Technology Tell
Avernum: Escape From the Pit is an epic, indie fantasy role-playing adventure. It is optimized for Android tablets and features an enormous world, a fascinating story, and 30+ hours of gameplay. Avernum is the first chapter in an epic tale, the story of imprisonment, rebellion, and the struggle for freedom against overwhelming odds.

If you want to write a You Review It review for practice, to vent or just for the fun of it, head back here and enjoy.

If you’re interested in writing for Hardcore Droid check out our opportunities page. If you’ve never been published and you think you’d like to give games journalism a try, you might try your hand at writing a You Review It review or two.

The reason we started You Review It has a lot to do with our humble beginnings. When we were in the earliest stages of development we put out an ad looking for writers, stating that:

“Likely candidates need not have experience writing video game reviews but must possess sharp, proficient writing skills.”

And though the site’s theme is specialized (hardcore Android games only), we received over two hundred replies. From that lot two non-professional writers became regular contributors to Hardcore Droid, Joe Matar and John Markley, and we couldn’t be happier with their work.

Now as then we want to create a web space where writers can hone their skills and learn something about writing, and so it occurred to us that we could expand upon our hiring tact and maybe find some bona fide talent among our site’s readership.

Once we’ve accumulated a decent number of reviews we will create a Most Hardcore User Review article on a spotlighted page in the ‘You Review It’ section of our site, and will frill it up with boss graphics and whatever other good stuff we can muster. From the Most Hardcore User Reviews we will as the occasion arises ask particularly proficient user reviewers to write for us.

Write You Review It reviews for us and if you’re good enough we will publish you in a professional venue.

That’s only if you’re into that kind of thing. By all means write them for the fun of it. 

You Review It reviews won’t be held to rigid strictures and any criticism of user reviewers work will be of a constructive nature, but if you are adept at writing reviews and you’d like to give it a try,  you can become a contributor at Hardcore Droid. We’ll publish your work, post your headshot and bio on our contributor’s page and we will pay you the same fee we presently pay all or writers (We pay only a small honorarium at present because we are just starting out; compensation however will increase considerably as the site grows).

Some advice f you’re serious: Read game reviews, a lot of them. You might even go so far as diagramming on paper or in the back of your brain where things go, what’s left in and what’s left out, and applying all of the above to the demands of specific genres. Even better, read the Video Game Style Guide and Reference Manual, found here. The manual, written by veteran journalist’s, David Thomas, Kyle Orland and Scott Steinberg, is the closest thing there is to an industry standard. If you are an aspiring video game journalist you would do well to read it.

Still, even better read our own Hardcore Guidelines found here.

Also, spare time to critique your fellow user reviewers, and we will do our best to comment on your writing as frequently as time allows. So, give it a whirl. Click on one of the articles below or head over to our You Review It  page found here or under Features on the menu above to see them all. Keep it clean and under three hundred words. Best of luck to you.

Al Jackson
Editor-in-Chief
Hardcore Droid

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To be clear, this isn’t quite the original board game per se, but rather a single player adaptation making use of the original rules and board. Only 10 of the Talisman’s 14 playable characters are included, and the rules altered such that you never actually go after the game’s namesake talisman. Instead, each of the game’s characters is given five unique quests a piece, with a scoring system to extend the gameplay. Scoring is dependent on how few turns it takes complete the quest’s objectives and is expressed in the three star rating system typical of puzzle games. Quests range from killing certain enemies to landing on such and such a space. The switch to questing might sound like sacrilege to hardcore fans of the original, but have no fear: a multiplayer version of Talisman is on the horizon, set to be released sometime this summer.

Talisman Prologue HD’s core mechanics are true to its predecessor, however. The board is still the same, a rectangular high fantasy world split into three concentric regions, progressively more dangerous as you travel inward. You start somewhere on the outermost region and getting to the inner regions is a task itself, requiring some lucky die rolls or a face off with the sentinel. The beginning of every turn begins with a single die roll to determine which space you’ll land on, with your only choice being which direction to tread. The majority of spaces call for an encounter card to be drawn, which could bring you anything from magic sword to a dragon to fight. While there is a semblance of agency in your decisions (e.g. the choice between two spaces, and the option to use up your ‘fate’ attribute to get one reroll) most will be calculated gambles. Some squares forego the encounter card have you rolling to determine an outcome, which can lead to anything from a stat boost to being turned into a frog for a few turns.

Certainly, randomness is a huge part of Talisman and anyone expecting to eke out a straightforward formula for success will be sorely underwhelmed. Much time will be spent bouncing around trying to find things to build up your stats while avoiding hazards, but it all depends on your particular hero’s attributes and quest. Combat is carried out via a comparative die roll, with the strength or craft attributes (depending on the enemy) added to the final roll. On this dimension, there’s some clear imbalances between the power of the characters: the assassin, for instance, denies his enemies a roll and only has to beat their strength, while the elf has the lame option of evading the fight, but only when on a forest square.

So the gameplay hasn’t changed much, but how does it play on Android? Like a dream, I have to say. Not one bug to report, and the interface is polished and easy as pie to navigate. Graphically, Talisman does everything to keep the look of the board game, going so far as to render the miniatures and dice. The nostalgic art style is particularly endearing; straight up sword and sorcery may be a well-worn trope, but Talisman retains the earnestness and enthusiasm characteristic of the genre in its heyday. The sound too is surprisingly robust for a board game, with every encounter card having an appropriate sound effect and each playable character his or her own musical theme.

All in all, this is a fantastic title that managed to pull off the rare feat of working exactly as advertised. Sure, the randomness can be frustrating, especially when you’re playing for a high score, but it also adds the sort of drama that makes for great gaming moments. Stressing over a die roll never felt so good.

Write your own review of Talisman Prologue HD  >>>

!

30 years young, the prologue to the seminal fantasy adventure board game now available!

The legend begins with a single-player series of adventures designed to invite both veterans and newcomers to explore the land of Talisman. While multiplayer gameplay will be available in upcoming expansions, Talisman Prologue focuses on creating narrative depth through its single-player campaigns. The story unfolds as the player rolls dice to move around the outer, middle, and inner regions of the board. Each space will require the player to draw a card or resolve a special effect, leading your hero to encounter monsters, discover friendly followers, and gather treasure.

A fantastic quest in a world of magic and monsters!
⊳ FEATURES ⊲

• Based on the Talisman board game | true to the original
• Classic board gaming on the move | fun brief sessions anytime, anywhere
• Single player play* | explore the land of Talisman
• 10 classic board game characters | experience Talisman coming to life
• 50 quests to play through | hours of gameplay to enjoy
• Original soundtrack | enjoy the sounds of Talisman
*Multiplayer game is scheduled for release summer 2013

In his review of Talisman Prologue HD, contributor James Christy gave the game 4.25 out of 5 stars, impressed by its authenticity and loyalty to the original Talisman. Did he overvalue it, or fail to give it the proper accolades? If you think you can set the story straight, post your own review of 300 words or less in the comments.

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Riptide GP 2: The original Riptide GP was a nearly flawless blend of Wave Race and WipeOut that put indie developer Vector Unit high on our list of teams to watch. The sequel, slated for this summer, looks to give the already gorgeous racer a graphical overhaul, while keeping the same awesome water physics that made the first so unique and addictive.

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Dead Trigger 2: There’s little denying that the original Dead Trigger is one of the very best first-person shooters on Android, and the sequel is going to be bigger and better in every way. The first game was addictive for its bite-sized missions, but it suffered from heavy repetition of levels and mission types. Dead Trigger 2 is going to add bigger levels, more complex missions, and giant, terrifying boss fights to take the action to the next level.

Tex Murphy – Project Fedora: For more than a decade, the Tex Murphy series remained one of gaming’s worst unresolved cliffhangers. Trapped in perpetual limbo due to IP rights or lack of financing, the innovative series of 3D adventure games has been in exile for almost 15 years. Now, thanks to Kickstarter, the original creators are hoping to bring it back with the most ambitious adventure in the series yet; the original sequel to The Pandora Directive that the developers had hoped to make, but never could. Whether it’s on PC or the announced Android tablet port, we couldn’t be more excited.

Shadowrun Returns: Long-suffering Tex Murphy fans earn no sympathy from Shadowrun devotees, who have been waiting for a new RPG since the series’ Sega Genesis entry in 1994. After a failed re-launch as a first-person shooter in 1997, the property is back in the hands of its original creator, and reborn as an isometric tactical-RPG that stays true to the series’ pen-and-paper roots.

Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded: After some truly miserable attempts to by misguided publishers to modernize the bawdy adventure series, Larry is once again safe and sound in the hands of series creator Al Lowe. Larry Laffer’s new life begins with an extensive overhaul of his original 1987 adventure game – itself a tongue-in-cheek spoof of the earlier Soft Porn Adventure. This isn’t just a graphical touch-up, though. Al and company have re-designed the game’s puzzles and expanded the story with a fourth girl for the hapless Larry to seduce. If all goes well, Reloaded should be arriving in mere weeks.

Broken Age: Double Fine’s high-profile Kickstarter not only propelled the lovable independent studio into the spotlight, it changed the gaming landscape. Now the pressure is on for Double Fine to deliver a game that not only delivers on their promises, but shoulders an entire movement of crowd-funded games. With an ever-swelling budget well in excess of its original $3.5 million, the 2D adventure game oozes production value, with beautiful hand-painted graphics and some impressive lighting effects. Ultimately, though, it’s the writing that will make or break the title, and Broken Age couldn’t be in better hands.

Phoenix Wright Trilogy: If ever there was a series made for smartphones, it’s Phoenix Wright. Already out in Japanese, we’re eagerly awaiting the English release of the newly repackaged adventures of everyone’s favorite lawyer (Really, that’s not a tough contest). Combining the spiffed-up hi-res art of the PC and Wii versions with the touch screen interface that worked so well on the Nintendo DS, these new releases have the potential to be the best yet. It’s the perfect way to get ready for the new 3DS sequel later this year.

Final Fantasy: This is a big year for the classic Japanese RPG series on Android, with treatments of three of the series’ best games all coming to Android. First there’s a fairly direct port of Final Fantasy Tactics, the seminal strategy-RPG that introduced many to the genre. Next we have Final Fantasy IV, an enhanced port of the remake that first appeared on Nintendo DS. With 3D graphics like the earlier Final Fantasy III treatment, it’s should be the best-looking mobile game the series has seen. Lastly, we have an all-new 2D remake of Final Fantasy V, remembered fondly for its deep job system, and often cited by fans as the best of the classic 2D series.

 Frozen Synapse: Frozen Synapse was a surprise sleeper hit when it arrived on PC two years ago, and its unique blend of turn-based tactical combat and minimalistic graphics seems like the perfect fit for tablets. Borrowing a page from Introversion Software, developer Mode 7 proves that less can be more with a game that is both simple and deep, with a stark visual style that still manages to be distinctive.

 Soul Fjord: The mere fact that Airtight Games and Portal designer Kim Swift are working for our beloved Android OS seems like reason enough for excitement. Soul Fjord is a cartoon action-adventure game that blends Norse mythology with ‘70s blaxploitation, and hopefully packs some of the same humor that made Portal and Quantum Conundrum so amusing. For now, Soul Fjord remains OUYA-exclusive, but we remain hopeful for a wider release.

“They Need To Be Fed 2 is a near-perfect mobile platformer. [...] an incredibly satisfying experience.” – Kotaku

Run and jump in this 360 degree gravity platformer!

Gravity in all directions means you can never fall off, but that’s not to say the game is easy!

This is the sequel to the original They Need To Be Fed, which received much acclaim. They Need To Be Fed 2 is bigger, better, full of new surprises but also “more of the same”! 

They Need To Be Fed 2 is like a ridiculous ice cream flavour that you can’t get enough of. A superb combination of fun & frustration! You won’t find a game like it.

They are hungry… Go feed them!

In her review of They Need To Be Fed 2, Melissa Parker gave the indie platformer a 4.2 out of 5, because of its ability to keep the original concept fresh and exciting while appealing to casual and hardcore gamers alike. Do you agree? Or does she need to be a little more grounded? Post your own review below!

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