Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android games that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous week or so. This week I have the long-awaited sequel to Life is Strange, an awesome take on solitaire card games, and an enjoyable platforming RPG with plenty of turn-based battles. So without further ado, here are the most notable games released in the last week.

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Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.

Games

Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Android Police coverage: [Update: It's back] Life is Strange: Before the Storm is out on Android

Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a new episodic adventure game on Android. It's also the sequel to the original Life is Strange. It stars Chloe Price, a 16-year-old rebel who forms an unlikely friendship with Rachel Amber, a beautiful and popular girl destined for success. As you can imagine, this mismatch of personalities will result in some sort of personal growth for each as they learn to confront their demons. So far only the first chapter is available for purchase, but the second is slated for October 19th. You have the option to purchase each chapter individually for $3.99, or all of them at once for $11.99.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $2.99 - $11.99

Flipflop Solitaire

Android Police coverage: Flipflop Solitaire by Zach Gage has finally made its way to Android

Flipflop Solitaire is a new game from Zach Gage, the creator of Ridiculous Fishing and Really Bad Chess. It combines a few different solitaire games into one cohesive experience, and it works really well. You can choose to play with one suit, which is the easiest mode, and then if you feel like more of a challenge, you can play with up to five suits, though you'll have to unlock the full game for the entire range of suits.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.99 a piece

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40KZfE9SWk0

Phantomgate : The Last Valkyrie

Android Police coverage: Netmarble's turn-based gacha RPG 'Phantomgate: The Last Valkyrie' is here

Phantomgate: The Last Valkyrie may be a new gacha game from Netmarble, but unlike the majority of titles the company publishes, this release isn't half bad. It plays a lot like the platforming RPG Child of Light, but with a Norse mythological bend. The platforming gameplay is a joy, and the turn-based battles should be comfortingly familiar for any seasoned RPG fan. And sure, the in-app purchases are egregious, and the gacha mechanics are tiring, but the core gameplay is solid, which is often rare for a game of this sort.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPn1I7xaU-c

Streets of Rage 2 Classic

Android Police coverage: Streets of Rage 2 Classic is the latest SEGA Forever title on the Play Store

Streets of Rage 2 is a classic beat 'em up, and a very enjoyable game. The problem with this particular release is that Sega has chosen to use an in-house emulator that doesn't provide worthwhile options to the player. Controller support is lacking and broken for many, and the touchscreen controls have so few options that they are as pretty much useless, especially when the gameplay becomes hectic and precision is required. At best this can be played casually for a quick dose of nostalgia, but you'd still be better of emulating the game yourself.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $1.99 a piece

Gravity Quest - Magic Maze

Imagine playing a game like Monument Valley in a first-person view, and that's sort of what you get with Gravity Quest - Magic Maze. It's up to you to solve 12 mind-bending mazes, but you'll have to do so in a first-person view. This mechanic is what makes the gameplay challenging as you can never get a good sense of what the full maze entails. Exploration is key, but it's also a large part of the fun.

Monetization: $1.49 / no ads / no IAPs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvp8iR0WdiE

BestLuck

BestLuck is a narrative adventure game with a beautiful setting. Much of the gameplay is ambiguous since you won't really know what's going on or why you are solving puzzles to advance through some mysterious dream world. There is a floating girl that joins you, but she only ever points you to where you should go. Your destinations are areas with numerous doors, and it's up to you to figure out which ones you should open, and in what order, all by hunting for clues that are only visible through those open doors.

Monetization: $1.99 / no ads / no IAPs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr1dY_Qtw-E

13 Puzzle rooms

Escape room games are nothing new. In fact, 13 Puzzle rooms isn't the only escape-the-room game listed in this week's roundup, though I have to say it holds its own. You are supplied with all of the basics you need to escape, but it's up to you to figure out how to do so. Combining items is a very important step, so make sure to keep an eye out for any that can be logically combined in the real world, otherwise you may be trapped forever.

Monetization: $1.99 / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $5.99

Stockpile

DIGIDICED is an awesome studio that is actively bringing physical board games to the digital world. Some may think Asmodee Digital has the genre on lock, but there are actually a few studios making an effort, and DIGIDICED is one of them. The latest game from the company is called Stockpile, and it's a newer board game from 2015. Basically, players get to act as stock market investors at the end of the 20th century, and of course, the end goal is to strike it rich.

Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / no IAPs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6NHT4yi428

AntVentor

AntVentor is a gorgeous photo-realistic adventure game, but you'll need an Android TV device to play it. You get to play the part of an ant who is trying to make a mistake right anyway he can. Like most adventure games there are plenty of humorous conversations to take part in, and you can even skip the longer dialogs if you'd like to get on with the story. This release serves as the first short chapter in a trilogy, so expect two more releases sometime in the future.

Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / no IAPs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fyCi2zaTWk

Marginalia hero — medieval one tap game

Marginalia hero is a simple tapping game that's requires good timing. The medieval theme is interesting, though most of the background is static. The music can get a little annoying after a while too. As for the gameplay, all you have to do is tap on the screen when the sword moves over a dot. If you miss, it's game over. As you progress, you'll have to tap on more and more dots in succession, which can get pretty difficult.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp_NTUK3DPs

Meowoof（OWO）

Meowoof is an amusing action game that uses a fun little mechanic for movement. A cat and dog are tethered together, and in order to move in the direction you want, you have to tap on the screen to swing the other animal around. You'll have to do this with some speed so that you can move as quickly as possible, and with all the obstacles scattered around each level, it's not going to be easy.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B25CYCEJFs4

Pocket Invader

Pocket Invader is a new pixel-based top-down space shooter. There are a few different ships to unlock, and each has its own unique abilities. As you progress, you can upgrade these ships, which you'll definitely need to do so that you can take on many big boss fights. If you're into solid top-down shooters that don't use any lame gimmicks or push for in-app purchases, this is a great one to try.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Juch-Hj9oPs

Sound Sky

Sound Sky is an awesome rhythm game that also contains a bunch of music creation tools. As you make your way through the game, you will unlock new loops and samples that can then be used in the music editor to create your own tracks. Everyone is free to share their musical creations online, which means this game also has a heck of a lot of replayability.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $0.99 a piece

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IGV2yDWwyw

The Pixel Escape

The Pixel Escape may look like a basic endless runner at first, but don't let the simple graphics fool you. As you run, you can draw on the screen to form bridges and walls that can help you reach new heights or simply cross over a chasm. You'll need nimble fingers to accomplish this, as your character is auto-running the entire time.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $0.99 a piece

Cube Escape: Paradox

Rusty Lake's Cube Escape series has been running for a good while now. There are already eight titles on the Play Store, and today's release makes nine. Cube Escape: Paradox is, of course, an escape room game, just like the rest, though this time around the entire title is not free. The second chapter is available through an in-app purchase priced at $1.99. This fee is to help support the developer as well as a new movie project that will be free when released. For a solid escape the room puzzle game, that's not really a bad price, especially when you know it will go towards more free content.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $1.99 a piece

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thOiscUJ5fg

Targets

Ketchapp's Targets at first looks like a pinball game, and it is, but it's also an action-puzzle game. Your job is to shoot your balls at the marked targets in each stage. If you clear them all, you can move on to the next stage, if not, then it's game over. Things can definitely get hectic once moving elements come into play since you'll have to time your shots perfectly in order to hit your target during a short open window.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.99 a piece

Best Rally

Get your driving gloves out. It's time to race around 31 beautiful handcrafted tracks in Oddrok's latest release Best Rally. You'll find nine different cars at your disposal, and you can choose to play on a touchscreen or with a physical controller. Heck, this racer even supports the Shield TV, which is fantastic to see. So if you are looking for a new racing game, you'll definitely want to check out Best Rally.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $3.49 - $6.49

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPL8mYy0dvc

Tsuki

I'm not really sure how to describe Tsuki. It's an adorable game from Hyperbeard, the devs of KleptoCats (and my favorite Halloween game Muertitos). You appear to be living in a countryside town, and you walk around purchasing collectible toys and items, and then it is up to you to figure out how they can be useful. You can talk with town residents any time you like, forming relationships with them the more you converse. Think of this as a simple yet relaxing game that you play to unwind, and you get the picture.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $6.99

Idle Snakes

ZPLAY Games' Idle Snakes is a simple idle game. All you have to do is click and release snakes, and then collect energy so that you can train the snakes to grow to a higher level. As you progress you'll unlock new upgradeable snakes, and you may even come across a powerful snake that has a few special effects.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $19.99

Wizard's Wheel 2

Wizard's Wheel 2 is a new title from Iron Horse Games, a studio that tends to concentrate on idle games. This release does not stray from that trend as it too is an idle tapping game. You can expect to find plenty of turn-based combat mixed in with plenty of hero collection mechanics. There are over fifty heroes to collect, and plenty of boss battles to work through, all while you try your best to collect as much loot as possible.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $4.99 - $19.99

Decipher: The Brain Game

Infinity Games' Decipher: The Brain Game is a minimally-themed brain teasing game that offers relaxing gameplay that can also be very challenging. There are no timers, and the music is pretty chill. All you have to do is rotate some rings. Sounds easy, right? Well, it is at first, but once you start to really make some progress you'll run across a few puzzles that will melt your brain. Oh, and don't let those IAPs scare you off. The lowest price will grant you the exact same ad removal as the highest.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $22.99

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5twpfOUC3kw

Loud House: Ultimate Treehouse

Loud House: Ultimate Treehouse is a kid-friendly take on more adult-themed games such as Fallout Shelter. In this release, you get to build out your very own tree house. You expand the house by building new floors, but in order to do so, you'll have to move in new characters to occupy those floors. The good thing is these characters can then be sent out on missions to gather the items needed to build even more floors.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $49.99

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7xNSl6uP4c

TOKYO GHOUL :re birth

Bandai Namco's TOKYO GHOUL [:re birth] is a standard gacha game with a popular anime/manga license slapped on top. All your favorite characters from the series can be found in the title, and they're displayed with visuals that combine 2D illustrations with 3D models, which makes for some very pretty graphics. The drop rates are on the lower side, but you can always reroll at the beginning to ensure you start out strong.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $79.99

Bouncemasters!

Playgendary's Bouncemasters is a goofy game all about launching a penguin into the air, to then try and bounce it off of all sorts of animals and objects to so that you can reach the furthest point possible. Sadly the gameplay is limited after you play for three days, so if you plan on playing this simple game long-term, you may want to think that through before you download it.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $94.99

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EspoicKSFU

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realm War

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realm War plays very similarly to Star Wars: Force Arena. It's a MOBA and PvP duel card battler. As you make progress through the game's battles, you'll collect more and more character cards, upgrade your existing ones, and discover powerful and synergistic combinations. You can even take control of the battlefield in short spurts through the use of one of your powerful generals and their special abilities.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Luna: Dragon of Kelpy Mountain

Luna: Dragon of Kelpy Mountain bills itself as an idle action RPG. The idele bit is spot on, but I'm not too sure if I'd call this an action RPG when you don't actually control the battles. You pretty much spend your time micromanaging your heroes and gear. There are over 400 different pieces of equipment to collect, and there are over 50 mercenaries and 60 companions that can be used on your team.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd5WRTCIuGA

Age of Magic

Age of Magic is a graphically impressive title, though the RPG gameplay doesn't really offer much that is new. You grind to get new gear for your warriors, and then you equip it, and then grind some more. Of course, the grind isn't as bad if you happen to pay into the many in-app purchases, but that's hardly surprising either.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $99.99

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ayfrAbBxwQ

Maze: Shadow of Light

Maze: Shadow of Light is a new action RPG that implements tag team battles as a core game mechanic. There are over fifty stages to make your way through, and if you get bored of that, you can always jump into the 2v2 arena mode. Like most free-to-play ARPGs, there's a long grind for those that don't sink their money into the numerous in-app purchases.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $104.99

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mebg8uoRj7I

Planet Bomber!

Planet Bomber! is the latest release from VOODOO, and it's a tapping game. Your job is to destroy planets by firing bombs at it. You do this by tapping on your weapons or tapping on specific spots on the planet. This is a casual game through and through, so make sure to watch out for the in-app purchases. For such a simple game, they are very pricey.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $2.49 - $129.99

Brave Frontier: The Last Summoner

Brave Frontier: The Last Summoner is the sequel to gumi inc's Brave Frontier. It takes the original hero collection gameplay and turns it up a notch. You can now have up to 25 heroes on your team at once. As you can imagine, battles get pretty hectic. The art has also been improved, though it now has a slight chibi style to it, which may not be to everyone's taste. But if you dig free-to-play hero collection games, you'll probably want to give this a try.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $299.99

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d88p7fZC4UY

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