Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.
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Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.
Featured App
Hostelworld.com - Hostels
This week's roundup is brought to you by Hostelworld.com - Hostels. International travelers know that lodging can often put a huge dent in a travel budget, and usually for the least interesting part of the trip. If you're planning a vacation and all you need from a hotel is a bed and the basics, consider a hostel - it's a great way to save cash, especially for loners or small groups. The official Hostelworld.com app taps into the site's database of thousands of hostels with literally millions of user reviews, each of which can be booked from your phone.
Download the brand new free app from Hostelworld to find and book hostels easily on the go, anywhere in the world. It’s perfect for booking accommodation before a trip, or finding last-minute hostels in cities like London, Paris, New York, San Francisco, and Chicago while traveling.
We have reinvented the app to make it amazingly simple and easy to use, helping you to find a room even more quickly than before. You can securely scan your credit card for an even faster checkout. Search over 30,000 types of cheap accommodation in over 6,000 destinations worldwide. To help you choose, there are over 3.5 million REAL user reviews, as well as photos and descriptions of each property to help you make a decision.
Games
Civilization Revolution 2
Android Police coverage: Civilization Revolution 2 Finally Gets A Turn On Android
Oh God, Ghandi's pissed, everyone run for your lives, the big one's co... oh, it's just China. It's OK everyone, we're safe. Prepare to relive the Civilization memories of your youth with this pint-sized version. 2K didn't see fit to bring the original to Android, but we're getting Revolution 2 only... er, four months after iOS. (At this point that probably counts as a win.) Get your turn-based strategy on with this accessible take on a classic... if you can get past the steep $15 price.
The sequel to one of the most successful strategy games on mobile is here. Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution 2 challenges players to build a glorious empire that will stand the test of time. This is the first game in the Civilization catalog to be developed and available exclusively for mobile devices. Civilization Revolution 2 offers mobile strategy fans a brand new 3D presentation and more tactical depth than ever before. Find out if you have what it takes to rule the world.
Secret of Mana
Android Police coverage: Square Enix Releases Secret Of Mana For $9, Sets A New Standard For Awful Game Icons
Square Enix continues its tradition of porting classic 80s and 90s RPGs to mobile with Secret of Mana. (I've been told that it's "mana," not "manna," which is the way that manna is spelled, dammit.) The Mana series has been somewhat overshadowed in its long tenure, but this is the one that brought it to the big time, at least in the west. For $9, you can get Square's classic on Android - but be aware that the company's shoddy porting process doesn't seem to be improving.
Initially released in Japan in 1993, Secret of Mana took the world by storm with its innovative real-time battle system and gorgeously rendered world. It continues to stand out among other action RPGs for its seamless gameplay that anyone from beginner to veteran can enjoy. One of the most memorable elements of the Mana series is the Ring Command menu system. With the single press of a button, a ring-shaped menu appears on the screen, where players can use items, change weapons, and do a variety of other actions without needing to switch screens.
Battleheart Legacy
Android Police coverage: Battleheart Developer Mika Mobile Returns To Android With Dungeon Crawler 'Battleheart Legacy'
Developer Mika Mobile made quite a splash when they left Android in a huff, but now they're back with the pseudo-sequel to the popular Battleheart. This remix of genre standards uses a more conventional top-down, single player dungeon crawler format, with new 3D graphics that still manage to capture the precursor's simple style. There are no ads or in-app purchases, and for fans of the dungeon crawler format it's an easy recommendation.
The spirit of Battleheart returns, re-imagined. In Battleheart Legacy, you will explore a rich and detailed fantasy world, customize your unique hero with dozens of powerful skills and items, do battle with hordes of enemies, encounter quirky characters and discover the stories of a troubled realm. Will you become a powerful wizard, or a notorious rogue? A noble knight, or a savage barbarian? How will you forge your legacy?
Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition
Android Police coverage: Classic PC RPG Icewind Dale Begins Questing On Android, Nerds Of A Certain Age Squeal With Joy
Icewind Dale is the sequel to the classic PC RPG Baldur's Gate, set in a real-time adaptation of the Dungeons & Dragons universe and rule set. The Android release is a faithful adaptation, which means hour and hours of exploration, fighting, and lots and lots of tiny type. The game features co-op play and a new tablet-friendly UI, but unfortunately skimps on Google Play Games integration.
Evil stirs beneath the Spine of the World. In the northernmost reaches of the Forgotten Realms lies the region of icy tundra known as Icewind Dale. Journey deep into the Spine of the World mountains, a harsh and unforgiving territory settled by only the hardiest folk. Encounter fearsome beasts that have learned the cunning and ferocity needed to survive among the snow-shrouded peaks. Confront an evil that schemes beneath the carven glaciers and mountainsides to wreak destruction upon the face of Faerûn.
Haunt the House: Terrortown
Android Police coverage: Haunt The House: Terrortown May Be The Perfect Spooky Accessory To Your Halloween Night
Being scared is overrated: everyone knows it's much more fun to do the scaring. Such is the case in Haunt the House: you're a restless ghost trying to spook the pants off of everyone on Halloween night by possessing inanimate objects. The super-flat aesthetic is charming, if not exactly "scary," but then the point is to explore and experiment. Right now the game is on sale for a dollar with no in-app purchases. SHIELD Portable and Tablet owners can take advantage of physical controls.
...What was that sound? Is somebody there? Leave the dusty halls of an abandoned clock tower to haunt your way through a town in the dead of night. Possess objects with your ghostly soul, to scare people away from a museum, a hospital, a theatre and a cruise ship. Will you be able to scare everyone out and reclaim what has been lost, before the night is over? A side-scrolling action puzzle game starring ghosts.
Angry Birds Transformers
Android Police coverage: Angry Birds Transformers Arrives In The Play Store—Don't Roll Your Eyes At Me, It's Actually Pretty Fun
Another month, another Angry Birds game, and this time it's... surprisingly okay, actually. Don't let the double franchise cash-in fool you, the gameplay actually has little to do with Angry Birds or Transformers. This game is about halfway between an endless runner and an on-rails shooter, with your character zapping things in the background as it runs along the foreground. And at least this game has a complete lack of Michael Bay and Shiyia Laoubouauff.
Angry Birds and Transformers collide in this action-packed, 3D shoot ‘em up adventure. The EggSpark has transformed the eggs into crazed robots who are destroying Piggy Island, but who can stop them?! Autobirds, ROLL OUT. Have you ever seen an alien robot Angry Bird? Enter the AUTOBIRDS. This brave band of heroes features Red as Optimus Prime, Chuck as Bumblebee and… well you’ll meet the rest soon. They’ve got lasers and they turn into cars. Plus they have arms and legs – that’s a first.
Red Johnson's Chronicles: Full
Red Johnson got his private eye start on the PlayStation 3 as a downloadable title. Though the aesthetics are modern, the game's mechanics are pure adventure: click on everything in sight to try and gather evidence, then solve a few puzzles and watch the hard-boiled story progress. Right now the game is marked as having in-app purchases, but no actual prices, so I assume that later chapters of the Red Johnson story will be added in at some point.
You play the role of Red Johnson, a private detective who is trying to find his place in the corrupted city of Metropolis. You are taken on by the police who want you to solve a murder with no corpse. Discover Metropolis, its unique atmosphere and get to know the rules quickly if you want to survive. It's up to you to look for clues, interrogate the witnesses and put the evidence together in order to find the perpetrator.You'll also have to use your logic to solve the different enigmas, and occasionally, you'll have to use your fists.
Monkey Racing
It's nice to see a cart racing game that's not an obvious franchise cash-in or a sop to the freemium model (the "-ium" is Latin for "not really"). Monkey Racing has simple mechanics combined with some fairly competent 3D graphics to make a solid little racing game. The various simian cars can be customized with a wide array of parts, and the game supports multiplayer and both SHIELD and MOGA controls. And you never have to pay for coins.
Monkey Racing is a new game from the creators of Monkey Boxing. The title is an arcade racing game featuring crazy monkey characters struggling for victory riding ludicrous vehicles.
- Unlockable customizable vehicles in more than 40 million combinations
- 18 bosses to beat
- Supported languages: English, Italian, French
- Single and Multiplayer mode
- 89 rewarding achievements to unlock
- Improve your vehicle stats and make it faster
- Use any means to win: including missiles, shockwaves and shields
- Optimized for MOGA Controllers
- Play it on NVIDIA SHIELD.
Boulder Dash®-30th Anniversary
Boulder Dash, or at least the idea and gaming principles presented in the original, has been around for a long time. The first game was released for the Apple II way back in 1984. In terms of gameplay it's somewhere between Dig Dug and Pitfall, combining basic movement-based logic puzzles and a little platforming. This Android version isn't a re-release, it's a completely new game, complete with 2.5D graphics and some interesting extras. Unfortunately it also includes "modern" in-app purchases.
Boulder Dash®-30th Anniversary™ is the first collaboration by Peter Liepa & Chris Gray, the two original creators of the multi-million unit selling Boulder Dash, since the first game in the series was released in 1984 by First Star Software, Inc. Cave Explorers, Dig This. Boulder Dash-30th Anniversary finds our hero, Rockford™, facing a slew of new, exciting challenges in this legendary action puzzler.
Tasty Tower
Tasty Tower combines the simplicity of basic "bounce higher" games with an aesthetic that's almost sickeningly cute. The smooth graphics show you turning the tower, not the diabetic critter itself, so there's none of the queasy tilting of similar games. It offers 70 levels of simple platforming and the usual costumes and power-ups. A few in-app purchases are included, but the gameplay itself is easy enough that I doubt anyone will need them.
Squishy has a serious craving for sweets. The only way he can get them is with your help. This round happy little blob is hungry for your help, and for cupcakes. Help him climb to new heights of sweetness in Tasty Tower. Guide our plump hero up and past spikes and the evil wee’s whilst making sure he gets enough to eat, be careful though it’s a long way down. Seventy levels of tasty goodness, with seven different colorful and exciting worlds to explore and discover.
Jet Run: City Defender
Jet Run is a mix of old-school mechanics from games like Space Harrier and the endless runner formula. It's an interesting combination, and it doesn't hurt that the whiz-band graphics (which borrow a few old-school elements of their own) are gorgeous. The action stays fast-paced, but a super-simplified tap-and-swipe interface keeps things manageable on a touchscreen. It's got some fairly heavy in-app purchases, but they can be skipped for ads if you prefer.
Pilot your Jet and blast through waves of invaders in this high speed, action packed endless runner. FLY fast, BLAST enemies and RUSH past sky scrapers to fight the invasion and defend the City. Jet Run: City Defender lets the player maneuver a futuristic fighter jet through a modern Metropolis while flying at low altitudes and super sonic speeds. Fly through narrow alleyways, blaze through exploding buildings and ascend over tall sky scrapers as the Mother Ship unloads waves of new enemies to challenge your skill and reflexes.
Escape from Montegrande
In terms of an isolated, inescapable prison, an island seems much more sensible than a mountaintop, where running away is actually easier than if it were on flat ground. And if you're going to leave skis around the place, maybe you should look into another career altogether. As your tiny voxel character skis away from the police in an Olympic event for convicts, he has to dodge obstacles and grab power-ups. Escape from Montegrande is simple, appealing, and (for the moment) completely free.
If you're imprisoned for life anyway, why not take a chance and escape from Montegrande, the world's highest prison? But beware. the policemen are also talented ski masters like you. You will need weapons like the simple but noble slingshot or if you are an eco-friendly criminal you can plant trees in their way. Discover all the weirdness on the mountain like power ramps, hippies, angry neighbors, deadly ice and many other things you'll only see if you're the one who can escape from Montegrande.
Zombie Gunship Arcade
Another Zombie Gunship game? And this time it's a Flappy Bird clone? How on earth does that make it an "arcade" version? This clone doesn't have any pipes or obstacles except the ground, but with each "flap" you'll shoot towards the zombies below. Shoot one human (hidden and hard to see in the zombie hoard) and you'll crash. Frustrating, unintuitive, and filled with ads (but not IAP) - just like a Flappy Bird clone should be, I suppose.
Death from above. Protect the human survivors and shoot the zombies, while trying to stay in the air. The real flappy bird, with guns, zombies and explosions.
- Fast-paced zombie killing action.
- Beat your friends and shoot for the highest score
- Groovy Arcade-style soundtrack
- Insanely addictive and very challenging. Can you handle it?
Battle Worlds: Kronos
Battle Worlds: Kronos (which sadly has nothing to do with Klingons) is another Steam pilgrim, though this is an extremely simple, 2D translation of the full game. It's a standard hexagonal turn-based strategy in the old school style - if you've played Great Little War Game, you probably know what to expect here. The game includes a single player campaign and both online and local "hot potato" multiplayer. It's expensive at $10, but there's also a free demo available.
Prove yourself with the true & challenging turn-based strategy gameplay of Battle Worlds: Kronos. Fight against your friends or the strong AI. For experienced gamers only.
- 50+ hours of singleplayer gameplay
- No free-to-play rip-off.
- By gamers, for gamers
- Two Single Player Campaigns (~50 hours of gameplay)
- Single Player Challenge Maps - Test your skills in different combat scenarios and keep track of your progress.
- Live Multiplayer - Battle your friends live on the internet (cross-platform) or via hot-seat.
- Asynchronous Multiplayer - Take all the time you need and consider your moves.
- Online Features - Leagues, chat and tournaments.
- Strong AI - A clever AI that will challenge even experienced commanders.
Shape Up Battle Run
Shape Up Battle Run is a lot like Zombies, Run... without the zombies. (Except that one of the three scenarios has zombies.) This game-app is meant to be played while running or jogging and listening to the story and instructions through your headphones. It tracks calories. It lets you challenge friends. It has fun colors. It may have something to do with licensed shoes, but presumably it works while you are wearing anything (or nothing) and there are no in-app purchases.
If one more minute on a treadmill means you may die of boredom and finding a running buddy is tough, take on a challenger in Shape Up Battle Run. You’ll be able to use interval-running to turn a simple fitness technique into a game. Audio cues guide you to pound the pavement on the beat in a series of easy to high-intensity runs. Challengers and friends keep you motivated in the themed STORY MODE or try short, 5 minute bursts in QUICK RACE mode. Put on your headphones and start matching the rhythm to level up your fitness.
Galaxy Life™:Pocket Adventures
Galaxy Life began, uh, life as a browser-based strategy game. It's essentially Starcraft with a Worms aesthetic, though that may be selling it a little short - there's a bit of customization in a crafting engine. It's a fairly standard take on the genre, simplified for touchscreens and loaded with in-app purchases, and notably not cross-compatible with the popular Facebook game.
Galaxy Life: Pocket Adventures is a new genre of massively multiplayer online strategy game. Join the most entertaining strategy war game of the galaxy. Install the game for free to take control of crazy Starling aliens, build rich planetary colonies, defend against invasions and lead your troops through interstellar epic battles. In Galaxy Life, evil enemies and rival players are everywhere, so bring friends to help you and show everyone who the boss of the universe is.
Global Assault
Global Assault has a novel approach to strategy: everything on the initially wide-open battlefield happens in just three lanes (though you'd be hard-pressed to tell that from the screenshots). The simple battles play out against a backdrop of G.I. Joe-style heroes and hardware, with the usual rock-paper-scissors style of game balance for simple strategy titles. Free, with typical in-app purchases for currency and upgrades.
Global Assault is a FREE, squad-based RPG with tremendous 3D graphics. Take control of Havoc and adventure around the globe while competing against other players. Take your revenge on the Shattered Sun and create an empire that spans the globe. Set on Earth, Global Assault pits the Heroes of Havoc against the despotic forces of the Shattered Sun in turn based combat. Create new units, unleash their special abilities, and customize them with unique equipment to win the day.
Metal Skies
Metal Skies looks like a dogfight game, and with a selection of old-school planes and fanciful weapons, it would certainly like you to think so. But it's actually more of a turret shooter: you fly against one aerial opponent at a time. Keep him in your sights and keep firing, and you win. That's about it, with the usual grinding/upgrade combo and tons of in-app purchases bolted on. If you want a simple shooter, give it a shot - if not, give it a pass.
You're under attack. Lead the Tiger Squadron to victory in merciless aerial dogfights. In this thrilling flight combat simulator, you'll go down in history or go down in flames.
- Get right into battle with the ONE-TOUCH AIRCRAFT INTERFACE
- Take flight with razor-sharp ACCELEROMETER controls
- Experience combat with powerful 3D GRAPHICS
- Choose from 22 planes, then CUSTOMIZE YOUR AIRCRAFT
- Outfit plane with LETHAL machine guns and MISSILES
- Select pilots with UNIQUE SKILLS, then level them up
Battle of Heroes
Ubisoft is branching into the mobile platform with some original games. Well, technically original - this one is basically the same strategy/tower defense combo you've seen a hundred times over by now. (Seriously, Ubi? "Battle of Heroes?") Build up your base, train up some heroes, and kill all the bad guys with basic RTS touch controls and a generic high fantasy setting. An expensive one, at least if you don't want to grind for currency.
LEAD YOUR HEROES TO VICTORY. Discover a new fantasy world in the pursuit to conquer the Golden Plains of Évagar. Train lethal units, control powerful Heroes and cast devastating spells in epic multiplayer battles in order to rule all the territories and to reach the top of the league. In Évagar, there is but one rule: WIN THE WAR.
- Fight to gain new Heroes then upgrade their skills and spells
- Control Heroes in combat: select targets, carry out incantations
- Train 5 types of units with unique skills and deploy them in battle
Star Wars ™: Galactic Defense
Star Wars. Tower defense. Units. Upgrades. Social network pushes. In-app purchases. Endless loops of John Williams music. Yeah, that's about it.
Skills are put to the test as you choose your allegiance – light or dark – and deploy an arsenal of specialized towers and iconic Star Wars™ characters to defend key locations in the new tower defense mobile game, Star Wars™: Galactic Defense. Battles sprawl diverse locations from the Star Wars universe. Traverse more than 100 different battle scenarios, and experience a mix of adrenaline-fueled encounters that span both the prequel and classic eras.
CONTRACT KILLER: SNIPER
This is essentially Glu's take on the Sniper Elite game, though it's set in the established Contract Killer universe. You move around in a third-person shooter to get into position, then zoom in for the final kill. It's a little bit of Metal Gear, a little bit of Sniper Elite, and a whole lot of in-app purchases. Hey, it's a Glu game after all.
You are a master assassin, hired to infiltrate secure locations and eliminate high-profile targets. Perform lethal strikes and follow your only rule: Honor The Contract. Eliminate a mob of enemies, destroy entire bases or take out the single target that matters most. The next objective is up to you. Take on over 250 missions and campaigns with unique goals. Stake out targets from long-range, take them down with well-placed shots, assault enemy bases head on or infiltrate enemy lines without compromising your identity.
The Wolf Among Us
Android Police coverage: The Wolf Among Us Comes To The Play Store After Four Months Of Amazon Appstore Exclusivity
The Wolf Among Us has been available on consoles, PC, iOS, PlayStation Vita, and even the Amazon Appstore, because apparently developer TellTale has a pathological need to release games on every single possible platform before bringing them to the Play Store. Now you can pick up this episodic fantasy-noir mystery for $4.99 per episode, or $14.99 altogether.
The Wolf Among Us is a five-part (Episodes 2-5 can be purchased in-app) from the creators of The Walking Dead, winner of over 90 Game of the Year awards. Fairytale characters are being murdered in this hard-boiled, violent and mature thriller based on the award-winning Fables comic book series (DC Comics/Vertigo) by Bill Willingham. As Bigby Wolf - THE big bad wolf - you will discover that a brutal, bloody murder is just a taste of things to come in a game series where your every decision can have enormous consequences.
Assassin’s Creed® Unity App
Android Police coverage: Ubisoft Releases Assassin's Creed Unity Companion Android App Ahead Of The Game's November 11th Launch
It is now impossible to launch a triple-A console game without also making a companion app. (Also without trying to sell pre-orders and a season pass, but that's outside our jurisdiction.) Mind you, Assassin's Creed comes by it honestly: with a gigantic digital version of Paris in the French Revolution setting, a handy map on your tablet is a nice extra. There are also a few extras like in-game puzzles and missions to send your trainee assassins on.
Enhance your Assassin’s Creed® Unity experience by taking Revolutionary Paris into the palm of your hand. This Companion app is filled with activities and strategic information to deliver the ultimate second-screen experience. Resolve hidden glyph puzzles on famous Paris landmarks and manage your own Nomad Brotherhood to unlock exclusive missions and rewards in Assassin’s Creed® Unity.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Android Police coverage: Activision Releases Official Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare Companion App
If you really must buy the latest console or PC edition of Call of Duty (don't forget your Mountain Dew and Doritos at checkout), you might as well install the free companion app. It allows you to manage and interact with your in-game guild clan, adjust player and clan ornamentation, and see those oh-so-important stats. There's a mini-game included, but it's not really worth your time when you could be shooting dudes in the face while 12-year-olds scream into your headset.
The Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare App gives fans the amazing tools they need to create and manage their clan, produce in game player and clan emblems, and participate in Clan Wars on the go from their tablet or mobile device. The new Call of Duty®: Advanced Warfare App takes the Clan experience to a whole new level. Clan Wars give you and your friends the opportunity to join up and compete against other clans of similar size and skill for control of positions on the in-app Clan War map.
Know A Worthy New App? Let Us Know!
If you have an application in mind for the next issue of the roundup, feel free to send us an email and let us know.
Important: there are 2 requirements in order for the app to be considered, listed below.
- the app's launch date has to be no longer than 2 weeks ago
- it has to be original, ground-breaking, well-reviewed, interesting, fun, etc - the cream of the crop
Now, if and only if the above requirements have been satisfied, fire up an email to this address: oh.no.its.the@androidpolice.com.
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