Game Reviews - 4/13 - Android Police - Android News, Apps, Games, Phones, Tablets

Aug

Foosball Cup Brings Table Football To Android With Usable Controls And Nice Graphics

Posted by John Thompson in Game Reviews, Games

Foosball may not be as popular as the game that it's based on, but it's a great way to pass time with some friends after a tough day. Unfortunately, the game hasn't had much luck on mobile devices in the past, with most titles being very awkward to control and play. The next app to take a crack at Foosball, however, looks to have a lot of promise.

The game is free, which means that you can try it out without worrying about wasting your money, but you'll have to put up with adverts along the top of your screen whilst you play.

Jul

Great Big War Game Review: I Love The Smell Of Well-Balanced Strategy In The Morning

Posted by Jeremiah Rice in Game Reviews, Games, Reviews

As mobile gaming starts to mature, new developers and properties have had a chance to shine. While Rubicon's Great Little War Game hasn't reached the lofty heights of some of the more mainstream titles, its mix of cartoonish humor and solid turn-based strategy has made it one of the most popular games on Android. The sequel, craftily named Great Big War Game, brings elements from both new and old strategy games to make a more cohesive whole. Is it worth three bucks? Well, even with the new editions the core gameplay remains the same -the visuals and feel haven't gotten as big a shift as the change from "Little" to "Big" might imply.

Jul

[Game Review] Dead Trigger: The Most Fun I've Ever Had Playing An Android Game

Posted by David Ruddock in Apps/Games, Game Reviews, Games

Once in a while, an Angry Birds or Temple Run comes along in the mobile gaming sphere. Games that are able to hook you with their simple but endlessly entertaining mechanics, and an ability to immediately "dive in" to the game at any time, even if for just 5 minutes (or 3 hours).

The problem with those games is that they're generally aimed at an audience that has never played video games, or has but doesn't actually love them. This "casual gamer" is a mass market holy grail that many game developers are now trying to tap into. As a result, there are very few great games on any mobile platform that I would classify as being directed toward gamers, somewhat ironically.

Jun

Game Review: Babel Rising 3D Is A Rich, Well-Made Time Waster - But Is It Worth $5?

Posted by David Ruddock in Apps/Games, Game Reviews, Games, Reviews

Last Updated: June 19th, 2012

Update: Previously, I mentioned that Babel Rising 3D contains in-app purchasing options. These have since been removed.

It is the conventional wisdom of our time that smartphone and tablet gaming are "the future." Like plastics. It's inevitable, it's going to happen - more and more people will move away from the PSPs, the PCs, and the Xboxes to their all-in-one portable devices. Now, that's not to say these other industries are going away any time soon - console and PC gaming will likely to continue to stand on their own for decades (maybe not so much portable consoles). Console gaming, in particular, is having something of a second "golden age" with the Xbox360 and Nintendo Wii.

Jun

Max Payne For Android Review: Probably The Most Nostalgia $3 Can Buy

Posted by David Ruddock in Game Reviews, Games, Reviews

Max Payne for Android has finally arrived, marking the second classic Rockstar title to hit Android (GTA3 having been the first) officially. Let's cut to the chase: for $3, there's really no reason not to buy this game if you own a compatible tablet. Well, maybe if you just hate shooting things.

There are also quite a few compatible phones, though unless you're using an Xperia Play or Galaxy Note, I can't say I'd recommend spending the money. This was a game designed for 17" monitors and full-size televisions back in 2001, and while it scales well to 10.1", anything smaller than 5" is probably going to be frustrating to work with (that's what she said).

May

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode II Review: A Really Great Game - If You Have A Controller... And Some Patience

Posted by David Ruddock in Game Reviews, Games

If you were a child of the 80's or early 90's (and weren't some Nintendo fanboy, pft), the name Sonic probably has some deeper, almost religious meaning to you. I remember worshipping at the Genesis 16-bit altar for hours on end as a kid, and my deity of choice was the hedgehog in blue. Sonic. Sonic 2. Sonic 3. Sonic and Knuckles. Sonic CD (oh yeah). Screw Sonic 3D Blast, though. That game was bogus.

There have been 30 Sonic video games to date. Sonic 4 Episode II is number thirty-one. In recent years, Sonic has failed to generate much in the way of...

May

Machinarium For Android Game Review: The Best $4 You'll Ever Spend On An Android Game

Posted by David Ruddock in Game Reviews, Games, Reviews

If you haven't heard of Machinarium, you probably aren't much of a PC gamer. That's not mean to be some kind of "high and mighty" insult - it's just the truth. Machinarium is a small indie game that was released for PCs and Macs back in September of 2009, developed by Czech studio Amanita Design. It won numerous awards as indie game of the year, as well as accolades for its astounding artwork and soundtrack.

It's a game I think almost anyone can play and love (and hate, but that comes with the territory), which is saying a lot for a click-and-explore puzzle title.

Apr

[Game Review] 'The Dark Meadow: The Pact' Offers Touch Controls Done Right, Fistfuls Of Nightmares, And One Creepy Old Man

Posted by Cameron Summerson in Game Reviews, Games

Last Updated: April 29th, 2012

I want to put one thing on the table right away: I'm a huge fan of horror-actions games, so I have been insanely excited for the release of The Dark Meadow: The Pact for at least three months now. I've watched the trailer at least a few dozen times, read about the game for iOS (yes, this is a port), and done checked out any info I could find that wouldn't give away all the secrets of the game.

But, the more anticipation involved, the greater the chance for letdown, no? Fortunately, that's not the case with The Dark Meadow - this game is awesome.

Apr

[Review] Demolition Inc. THD Is A Game With Amazing Physics, But Doesn't Quite Deliver On The Chaos

Posted by Ryan Whitwam in Apps/Games, Game Reviews, Games, Reviews

There's not much of a story behind Demolition Inc. on Android. Mike the UFO demolition man, er - alien, has orders to take out one city after the next, and you get to control all the chaos. This game starts out very strong, with cars careening around the road and knocking over buildings. A strong opening can't carry a game all the way to the finish line, though. While Demolition Inc. has some some problems, there is a lot to like about it.

Gameplay

In each zone, you're presented with a number of buildings to take out. The game tracks how long you take to do so, but there is no hard time limit.

Mar

[Review] Temple Run (The Real One!) Finally Makes It To Android, Was Definitely Worth The Wait

Posted by John Thompson in Game Reviews, Games

After countless bad copies, the official Temple Run game has finally hit the Google Play store! Like the iOS version, it's available for free and contains no adverts anywhere in the game. You can, however, make in-app purchases of coins to help you buy various items from the store as you progress. We'll cover that in a bit more detail later on, but for now, let's jump right in to the review!

Gameplay

When you load Temple Run for the first time, you're thrown straight into a game with a few pointers that allow you to get to grips with the controls and the aims of the game.