Developer Rayark International seems to be in something of a groove for anime-themed rhythm games, if you'll pardon the pun. After a surprise hit with Cytus, the company is back with a similar game. VOEZ is different enough in tone and structure that it doesn't feel like a direct sequel, but it's safe to say that those who liked the original Cytus will also enjoy the new game. It's a free download on the Play Store, supported by in-app purchases for unlocking levels without getting high scores.

The setup is fairly simple as rhythm games go: the screen has one or more "tracks" that drop dots towards a target line, where players tap them in time with the music. There are only a few different "moves," such as they are: tap, hold, slide, swipe. That simplicity hides some staggering difficulty on the more intense tracks. Watch this YouTube player slaughter one of the more intense songs in the iPad version of the game, which came out just last week:

[EMBED_YT]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sViUhCCk_jk

Songs range from easy listening to rock to intense techno, though those that have lyrics aren't in English (don't worry, the game's interface is both simple and well-translated). Even as someone who doesn't particularly like any of the music on offer, I found the tap-tap-hold rhythm mechanics oddly compelling. VOEZ works with phones and tablets, though you may want to play it on the biggest touchscreen possible to hit all those tracks at once. It's compatible with Android 4.0.3 and higher. The only bummer is that for some reason, it requires an online connection - players can't download songs or stages.

[EMBED_APP]https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rayark.valkyrie[/EMBED_APP]