Ah, the holidays are here. The time of year when fowl of all breeds are mercilessly beheaded and stuffed with bread and surrounded by side dishes soaked in gravy. The time of year when family you haven’t seen in months come together and pretend to be interested in what you’re doing with your life. Fortunately, it’s also the time of year when the games are a-plenty, and if you’re anything like us at Hardcore Droid, you’ll be taking a break from the consoles and spending some quality time with your tablet or phone. On the other hand, you might, like us, hook your lunatic uncle, BFF or favorite nephew or niece with an Amazon App Store gift card or a Google Play card combined with a sharp recommendation, and believe us, there’s nothing better than introducing a loved one to an awesome game – we do it at Hardcore Droid all the time. So we’ve decided to compile a list of what we thought were some of the best games of the year so far. The list has got something for everybody on your list, from strategy fans to puzzle geeks, including whatever wonderful and bizarre subgenre floats your particular boat. So grab some warm cocoa, snuggle up with the Play Store, and spend some of your hard earned holiday cash on these hit titles.
Wayward Souls
Original Score: 4.5
Wayward Souls has a special place in my heart. In addition to being my first review for Hardcore Droid, Wayward Souls is a magnificent action adventure game that blends 16-bit nostalgia with rougelike difficulty. The game is easy to pick up and play, but once the game gets going, you’ll be pulling your hair out from the game’s extreme difficulty. If you’ve been pining for a miniature 2D Dark Souls — this is the closest you’ll get. The multiple control schemes, hats and free DLC is just icing of the 16-bit cake.
Check out the Review here.
Mage Gauntlet
Original Score: 4.5
Ok, so I know this is a list of some of the year’s best, and I know that this is a port of a game that was available three years prior, but I can’t recommend this game enough. The game stars Lexi, a cute, plucky young woman born into a world of magic, yet somehow unable to use magic herself. The game was developed by Noodlecake Studios, the same studio who developed Wayward Souls, arguably the best rougelike for the mobile platform. Mage Gauntlet is an action-RPG complete with great looking 16-bit graphics, a lengthy main game and hordes of unlockables, all wrapped up behind a $1.99 bow.
Check out the Review here.
Hitman Go
Original Score: 4.8
The Hitman series made a surprising leap to the mobile earlier this year, in a way that most would’ve never expected. The popular third-person stealth game was transformed in a complex puzzle, complete with a gorgeous new aesthetic and gameplay tailored for brief playthroughs. It is everything you come to love about the Hitman franchise, filtered through everything that is possible when mobile gaming is treated right. Matthew Bird called it “stunningly beautiful, truly innovative and just plain fun”.
Check out the Review here.
Heroes of Steel Elite
Original Score: 4.6
Heroes of Steel Elite is an old-school RPG experience set in an unusual world where an uprising amongst the gods rained destruction down on the surface of the world and forced humanity to seek shelter in mysterious underground labyrinths and caves. The game is a combat-focused, turn-based game with each member of the party having access to an array of customizable skills. The game is broken up into small episodic bites that maintain that old-school RPG gameplay that older gamers will remember fondly.
Check out the Review here.
République
Original Score: 4.0
The most recent entry to this list is République, an episodic stealth adventure game that dropped on the Play Store a few weeks ago, but after playing the first episode, you’ll immediately realize the potential of this series. Set in a setting frighteningly similar to our own, République creates a world that’s both beautiful and frightening, and tells a story of privacy, observation and information control complete with an ensemble of established and well-known actors that range from David Hayter to Dwight Schultz. Not to mention the game is absolutely freaking gorgeous. Fans of games like The Wolf Among Us and Telltale’s The Walking Dead should not miss out.
Check out the Review here.
$4.99 (per episode) on Google Play
Myth Defense 2 Dark Forces Platinum
Original Score: 4.0
Myth Defense 2 is a tower defense game that delivers lots of content and surprising strategic depth. It’s the type of game that works for the phone – the controls are easy, the rules are simple and the strategy is complicated. The later levels are particularly trying, testing your own tactical know-how on realistic terrains complete with winding roads, swamps, walls, and multiple bases to defend. It makes for an experience that’s easily enjoyable for casual fans and tower defense enthusiast alike.
Check out the Review here.
Modern Combat 5: Blackout
Original Score: 4.0
Behind its seemingly generic title and Call of Duty inspired artwork, lies probably the greatest first-person shooter game available for the mobile. Blackout is gorgeous, complete with decent voice acting and some visually impressive set pieces that would look right at home on an Xbox 360 or Playstation 3. What makes this game so great is that it’s perfect for both short, intense playthroughs our longer play sessions. Complete with robust online multiplayer, tons of customization options and support for multiple control schemes, Blackout is essential for any FPS fan looking for a fix on their phone.
Check out the Review here.
The Inner World
Original Score: 4.5
Here’s another quirky indie title from Studio Fizbin. The Inner World has already received critical acclaim and was awarded both awarded Best German Family Game 2013 Awarded and Best German Computer Game 2014. The Inner World is a strangely sweet and uproariously funny 2D point and click game, complete with strange, hand drawn art and silly dialogue, with puzzles to match.
Check out the original Review here.
Shadow Blade
Original Score: 4.0
If you’re looking for an action game that’s heavy on action and ninjas, look no further than Shadow Blade. You play as Kuro, a ninja after honor and the heads of a rival ninja gang. You control Kuro as he descends into a multi-tiered labyrinth of rooftops and alleys lit with paper lanterns, Bladerunner-style LED billboards, and neon lights swarming with gnats. A Blade Runner cyberscape soaked in violence; Shadow Blade is absolutely riveting and will satiate any gamer looking to blow off some steam.
Check out the original Review here.
Rayman Fiesta Run
Original Score: 4.4
What do you get when you take the auto-scrolling music levels from the excellent Rayman Legends and slap it onto the Android? You get Rayman Fiesta Run, an awesome platformer that captures all the fun and visual splendor of its console brethren. The game shines due its simple controls and casual difficulty, making it the perfect gift for hardcore and casual gamers alike.
Check out the original Review here.
CounterSpy
Original score: 3.9
Although a bit leaner than its console counterpart, CounterSpy is every bit as stylish. A port published by Sony themselves, the game is a 2.5D side scroller with stealth elements set in an alternate history Cold War. The game boasts amazing visuals and a groovy soundtrack, along with some interesting gameplay elements. Shoot, dodge, run and look good doing it.
Check out the Review here.
Back to Bed
Original Score: 3.75
Like an M.C. Esher painting come to life, the surreal Back to Bed is a complex puzzler that manages to blur the line between videogames and art. The oddball visuals and impressive sound design are worth the price of admission alone, but there’s also a challenging and rewarding puzzle game just under the surface. You guide Bob around tiny, diorama like levels, avoiding strange enemies and hazards as you make your way to the goal. It may be rough around the edges in some respects, but the game is worth a look, for puzzle fans and art connoisseurs alike.
Check out the Review here.