Welcome to the roundup of the best Android games that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous week or so. Today's list is broken up into several segments, ranging from best, average, to mediocre. So whether you're looking for the best games of quality or are simply looking for the latest free-to-play gacha titles, you're covered. This week I have a completely free balance racing game from Square Enix, the latest rhythm game from Rayark International, and a slick ARPG that's excellent with a controller. So without further ado, here are the new and notable Android games released during the last week.
If you're looking for older posts, here's where you can find our previous game roundups.
Best Games
Titles that offer fair pricing, enjoyable gameplay, polished interfaces, or are intriguing
ChocoboGP'
Android Police coverage: Square Enix just released Chocobo GP on Android, free and with no annoying IAPs
For once, I can start off the best section with a Square Enix release. ChocoboGP' shares the same name as the upcoming Nintendo Switch kart racing game, but this isn't a kart racer. Nope, it's a balanced-based racing game, much like Hill Climb Racing. The goal, to drive as quickly as possible from one side of the stage to the other, all without flipping over. This is challenging as you'll have to contend with hills that will easily see you flip over if you're going too fast. This is why you'll have to carefully balance your vehicle with the two buttons provided, all while racing across each stage. The game is completely free, and there are even some upgrades available, meaning there is progression to be made. Sure, this is a simple casual game, but it's perfect for short bursts of play, and since it's free, anyone can give it a try.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Quest Hunter
Quest Hunter is an isometric action RPG that has made its way from consoles and PC to Android. The game was clearly designed around controller support, and thankfully full controller support is included with the mobile port. I say thankfully because the touch controls aren't all that great, offering a mix of tap-based movement as well as a digital thumbstick that constantly gets in the way of one another. So if you're willing to play with a physical controller, there is a lot to like here as this is an enjoyable ARPG that offers a 14-hour campaign, which is absolutely nothing to sneeze at for a mobile release. Plus, you can try before you buy, and if you like what you see, then you can unlock the full game through a single $10 in-app purchase.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $9.99 apiece
Plant Down
Rouli corp released an enjoyable action platformer last year called Mask Up, and Plant Down is something of a follow-up, as it indeed retains the same simple two-button controls. There are three difficulties to choose from, and each adds a good bit of difficulty over the last, where you can finish the game in 20 minutes on the easiest setting, and it can take over an hour to beat if you choose the highest difficulty. Not only does this setup allow the game to be accessible, but players can also dial in their difficulty to find the challenge that suits them best. Yes, this is a short game, but the experience is fun enough to revisit multiple times, especially if you enjoy exploring numerous difficulties.
Monetization: $0.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Turmoil
Business sims are a genre that works well on mobile, and even though Turmoil has been available on PC for some time, it's a perfect fit for mobile play, thanks to its casual gameplay. The touch controls work well with the real-time simulation gameplay, and that's thanks to the simple 2D graphics that lend themselves well to digging for oil. For a simple timewaster, there's a lot to like here. So even though the game is considered too simple for PC gaming, it's a perfect fit for mobile on-the-go play, especially if you enjoy business management sims.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $2.99
Heck Deck
Bullet hell games are pretty popular, especially on mobile, though the majority definitely play similarly. This is why Heck Deck is so interesting. It's a bullet hell that stops when you're not moving, which means you'll have to plan out your attacks, especially since you'll place cards to gain an advantage over your enemies. Trial and error is the key to success, where you'll test out each stage just to see what happens, then plan out your attack with the deck of cards you've collected. It's a game of balance, and thanks to the unique twist, this game requires a little more thought than a typical bullet hell shooter.
Monetization: $3.49 / no ads / no IAPs
Cubi Code - Logic Puzzles
Okay, Cubi Code - Logic Puzzles might not win any graphics awards, but there is a fun game laying underneath the minimal design. This is a 3D logic game with an emphasis on logic. Much like any Sokoban-inspired title, the goal is to move a bunch of blocks until you move the right block to the right place. This means you'll have to shuffle things around, and when there is only so much space provided, this can be challenging, which is where all of the fun is to be found, conquering these challenges. For a game designed and programmed by a single indie developer, it's a solid effort that's worth checking out.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $0.99 apiece
Average Games
Titles that may not be the best-of-the-best, but still offer fun and interesting mechanics
ZED BLADE ACA NEOGEO
Neo Geo has been on a tear releasing new Neo Geo titles to Android. These are all part of the ACA series that can also be found on consoles, and Zen Blade is the latest to join the collection. It's a horizontal shoot 'em up, like R-Type. While controllers are supported, support is hidden behind a cord icon on the homescreen, which isn't very intuitive. Sadly the touch controls aren't that great, which means this is a difficult game to play without a controller, primarily because it was designed for arcades and is tough as nails. So even though the port is solid, you're going to need a controller if you actually want to finish.
Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Fading City
It often feels like NetEase is the new Gameloft, pumping out blatant clones of better games. Fading City conspicuously looks a lot like a Resident Evil game. So the style is clear, though the gameplay takes a turn as this is a survival game more than a zombie shooting game, though you'll definitely take down a few zombies. As you would expect, you'll scour for resources to build better and better weapons to explore increasingly dangerous zombie-filled areas. Sadly, like many of NetEase's titles, the game is overambitious, so it runs poorly, and you just know NetEase will stuff the title with all kinds of greedy monetization. Still, right now is the best time to try the game since it just entered into early access.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs (yet)
[Premium] RPG Overrogue
Somehow KEMCO is still plugging away, launching new RPGs on the Play Store, and RPG Overrogue is the latest English release from the studio. As you would expect, it's a turn-based RPG, but it's also a card-based roguelike, which means there's a lot of repetition here. As far as card-based roguelikes go, this one is pretty robust, with over 300 types of cards and 150 types of loot. While I wouldn't call the story mindblowing, some of the characters are interesting. While Kemco still insists on adding expensive in-app purchases to its games, they can be ignored, making the $7 price tag easier to swallow, and there's even a free version if you'd like to take a look without putting any money down. Still, if you've played a Kemco RPG before, there are not many surprises here, so don't expect anything mind-blowing.
Monetization: $7.99 / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $49.99
Mediocre Games
Titles that are buggy, unpolished, or offer aggressive monetization
DEEMO II
Android Police coverage: Deemo II finally lands on Android after two years — and it wasn't worth the wait
As much as I wish DEEMO II were a good game, it needs a heavy dose of polish as its current state is pretty rough. First, the performance is bad. No matter the graphics setting you choose, you're capped at 30FPS, and the frames stutter like crazy, even on a high-end device. Beyond the frame pacing issue, the developer has added even more monetization than the previous title, with a stamina system to boot. There's also some sort of battle pass, which borders on ridiculous. Plus, the controls stink, at least when exploring the story mode. While the actual rhythm gameplay is pretty fun, the rest of the game that you're forced to spend time in just isn't up to snuff despite the amazing art. So here's hoping Rayark rethinks its monetization while polishing the game; otherwise, this release is dead in the water.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $59.99
Clash of Beasts: Tower Defense
You might not know it, but Clash of Beasts: Tower Defense is a Ubisoft release. Of course, this is a developer/publisher of many popular PC and console games, but instead of creating quality titles for mobile, we get generic in-app-purchase-infested cash grabs. The tower-defense gameplay stinks, not to mention it's completely devoid of exciting design or fun. Like many of the titles we see from the more prominent console developers, Clash of Beasts mirrors the gameplay found in War Dragons, which was popular six years ago. Late to the party is an understatement. Maybe it's because larger companies just can't chase trends as fast as indie devs? Whatever it is, it gets old seeing brain-dead clones of once-popular games bandied about by big publishers like Ubisoft, especially when these games are clearly designed to be money traps.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Rainbow Story Global
Rainbow Story is the latest auto-play RPG to land on the Play Store, and like every other auto-play RPG, the whole thing is monetized egregiously. It plays like an extremely basic MMO, and it's literally built to be played AFK, meaning the only reason to play is to sink money into the title so it will play itself faster, which is about a ridiculous as it gets. If you're not going to play the game, why spend money on it? Heck, you'd be better off actually gambling, as at least there is a chance you'll be rewarded with something of worth.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Ragnarok: The Lost Memories
There's yet another Ragnarok game on Android, and this time it's called Ragnarok: The Lost Memories. Supposedly it's the followup to the OG Ragnarok Online, and it even offers old-school sprites, just like the original, but sadly it's filled with new mechanics, and they are mobile mechanics, which means the gameplay is shallow, and the monetization is gross. It's also a gacha game with autoplay, and you better believe you'll hit a paywall reasonably soon. So yeah, The Lost Memories is yet another forgettable mobile Ragnarok game, easily skipped.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
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