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 a fantastic adventure game where you get to play as a cop in NY in the '80s, an Alien game that picks up where Alien: Isolation left off, and a brand-new Angry Birds release that's all about popping bubbles. So without further ado, here are the most notable games released this week.
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Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.
Games
Beat Cop
Android Police coverage: 80s-style police adventure Beat Cop is out now on Android
Beat Cop is a point and click adventure game that was recently ported to Android. It exudes a clear '80s theme that pays homage to the many cop movies and TV shows of the period. This means you can expect a bunch of sarcastic humor and adult themes, along with lots of naughty language. For anyone that grew up in the '80s these things shouldn't come across as crass, but if you aren't used to the salty speech, then you may not enjoy a lot of the dialog. Still, this is a solid port that runs well on Android, and the enjoyable point and click gameplay should keep players busy for many hours.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $4.99 a piece (single IAP unlocks the full game)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwA8aESZVkc
Alien: Blackout
Android Police coverage: Survival horror game Alien: Blackout terrorizes its way onto the Play Store
Alien: Blackout is a sequel of sorts to the AAA console and PC game Alien: Isolation. It stars Amanda Ripley, and it's just her luck that after she escaped the last space station inhabited with a Xenomorph, she is once again stuck on a crippled Weyland-Yutani station with another Alien. This time around she'll spend the majority of time directing a crew of hapless survivors by watching them on the station's many security cameras. Basically, Alien: Blackout is a high-quality clone of the popular survival strategy game Five Nights at Freddy's.
Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / no IAPs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZIol5bMgBk
Angry Birds Dream Blast
Android Police coverage: Rovio isn't done milking Angry Birds, releases Angry Birds Dream Blast
Rovio has released an all-new game for everyone to play through. It's a brightly colored bubble popper that stars everyone's favorite mobile game birds. This is a casual game through and through, so don't expect to get much out of it unless you enjoy mindlessly popping bubbles over and over again.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGTB2uJOJdM
Fish-o-niric
Fish-o-niric is an adorable pixel-based fishing game with a fantasy theme. It's somewhat similar to Ridiculous Fishing, though the gameplay of this title differs with the exclusion of underwater gameplay. You'll still get to shoot fish as they fly out of the water, which is the primary mechanic in Fish-o-niric, shooting and collecting fish.
Monetization: $1.49 / no ads / no IAPs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqEvOtLS1rU
Sonar Beat
Sonar Beat is an interesting rhythm game that uses the theme of a radar screen as the basis for its gameplay mechanics. So say you miss your cue to tap on one of the circles displayed on your screen, instead of being instantly penalized like most rhythm games you'll have a few more chances to hit that circle right on cue after it drops to a lower line on the radar. This keeps the gameplay accessible up to a point, but if you miss too many circles they will eventually get to the center of the screen, then it's game over.
Monetization: $2.49 / no ads / no IAPs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JAASuDbCaM
Legends of Andor – The King’s Secret
Legends of Andor – The King’s Secret is a digital adaptation of the physical board game Legends of Andor. It comes from USM, the same studio that published the digital translations of board games like Catan and Kahuna. Legends of Andor plays out just like its physical counterpart. It's a co-op game for the most part, though you do have the option to play solo in this mobile release. Heroes will have to work together to defend the realm from invading enemies, and in order to do this, each player will have to complete a bunch of different objectives that are handed down to them by drawing cards and advancing the plot.
Monetization: $5.99 / no ads / no IAPs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xZ-DQcZGsA
Tank Command
Tank Command is a brand-new release from Paradox Interactive. It's a tactical RPG similar in style to Final Fantasy Tactics or the Fire Emblem series. You'll get to battle all kinds of different tanks and armored vehicles in the various battlefields of WW2 Europe. Right now this release is still in testing, which means it isn't monetized just yet. So make sure to jump in and check things out before any in-app purchases are turned on.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IghmkGBtekI
Squat Rack Defender
Squat Rack Defender is a silly casual game with a humorous gym theme. It plays a lot like the classic arcade game Space Invaders. As huge lifting bros make their way to the bottom of the screen, it'll be your job to take them down by throwing all manner of objects in their direction. The goal is to protect your squat rack by any means necessary.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $0.99 a piece
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoWZSzGv1-I
Ghost Town Defense
Ghost Town Defense is a colorful tower defense game that combines strategic gameplay with a few RPG aspects to make for something a little more unique than the majority of TD games on mobile. You retain direct control of the main characters so that you can blast away at your enemies as you set up and upgrade your towers. There's a total of eight abilities available for your character to unlock, and there are over 27 different bosses to defeat.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $19.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IZIkbrkpbk
Clawberta
Clawberta is a new release form HyperBeard, and it exudes an inviting kawaii theme while offering an enjoyable digital interpretation of a physical claw machine game. Just like in real life you'll have to beat the odds by snagging all sorts of prizes with a virtual claw. The goal is to collect as much gachapon as possible, much like the majority of gacha games on the Play Store.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $29.99
TASOKARE HOTEL
TASOKARE HOTEL is primarily a choose your own adventure game, but it also includes an escape the room mechanic that adds a lot more depth to the gameplay. The title plays out as one giant mystery, and it's up to you to play the part of a detective to figure out what in the world is going on.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $42.99
QubeTown
QubeTown is a free-to-play adventure game that's similar to the many life sims out there, such as Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon. So if things like harvesting crops, raising animals, and exploring dungeons sound like something you'd like to spend your time doing inside a video game, then QubeTown is a solid choice.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $79.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8XJq8i2Aho
Idle Ninja Prime
Idle Ninja Prime is a casual idle tapping game that revolves around honing your ninja skills so that you can take on the many space horrors littering the galaxy. It will be up to you to slice your way through these enemies by furiously tapping on the screen, collecting resources, and upgrading your abilities.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $4.99 - $79.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twTOCPpDkyA
Destiny Chaser : Idle RPG
Destiny Chaser is an idle RPG with an anime theme. This particular release was purposely created to be extremely easy while exuding a ton of style. There is even a mechanic that can speed up the gameplay to five times the default setting which makes it even easier to let the game idle as your powers grow.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $89.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDwMEnNDhHU
Langrisser
Langrisser is a brand-new free-to-play strategy RPG that leans heavily on gacha mechanics, much like Nintendo's Fire Emblem Heroes. The series started on the Megadrive way back in 1991, and it pretty much fizzled out eight years later. Since it is a long lost property that hasn't gotten much use in the last few years, it's a perfect series to be revived on mobile. From the quality Japanese voice work to the animated cutscenes and character portraits, there's no question that a lot of polish and attention to detail went into this release.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFdQKIHcd90
Aion: Legions of War
Aion: Legions of War is a gacha game that bills itself as a strategic RPG. You can expect to find over 100 heroes to collect, along with fantastic graphics and a questionable monetization system. The gameplay is similar to that of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, because why bother to reinvent the wheel for your skinner box when you can easily clone someone else's success.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Sons of Warfare
Sons of Warfare is a strategy game similar in style to X-Com. There are many different soldier types to control, and they each have their choice of different weapons, which allows the player to come up with robust strategies through the troops and weapons they equip. The game could use some polish in the art department, and the difficulty is rather high, but for those that are committed there is some enjoyable strategic gameplay to be found in this release.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9DXp3_eluM
Animal Wars
Animal Wars is a competitive PvP game that plays out in third-person, and it's currently in testing. You can expect 3v3 matches that are five minutes long, which makes it a solid choice if you're looking for quick competitive matches that won't waste your time. Think of this release as a very condensed version of Overwatch for mobile, but with worse monetization.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao4uME_UBzo
Mafioso: Gangster Paradise
Mafioso: Gangster Paradise is an online multiplayer turn-based strategy game with a gangster theme. It'll be your job to create your own fearsome mafia family to then take on other players to see whose family will reign supreme. Each battle is a one-on-one affair which keeps things pretty straightforward, and as you unlock new characters, you'll be able to build a stronger and stronger team.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHcIL_gcLuA
Garfield Rush
Garfield Rush is a slightly older release that was recently updated, but since we never covered it before I've decided to include it in this week's roundup. This release is indeed an endless runner that stars everyone's favorite orange cat, and it will be your job to collect items and coins so that you can equip Garfield with some cool outfits as well as purchase a few tools to help you last just a little bit longer on your next run.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $99.99
Fury Survivor: Pixel Z
Fury Survivor: Pixel Z is an isometric pixel-based survival game with a zombie theme. It's your job to smash as many zombies as possible while also scavenging for supplies and weapons. These supplies can then be brought back to your camp so that you can upgrade it and craft even better weapons to take on the army of zombies that now rule the world.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $2.99 - $99.99
RebirthM
RebirthM is a new mobile MMORPG that was recently launched with English support. It was created with the Unity Engine, which is why the graphics are so jaw-droppingly gorgeous. You can expect to find both PvE and PvP gameplay, along with a large guild community and dynamic action combat. If you enjoy games like Lineage 2 or MU Origin, then you're going to dig this release.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $4.99 - $129.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7xxQj0AGKY
The War of Genesis: Battle of Antaria
The War of Genesis is another MMORPG that was released on the Play Store this week. Much like every other mobile MMO, you'll spend your time delving into dungeons, collecting heroes and weapons, not to mention researching new technologies so that you can equip your airship (base) with the latest tech so that you can take on the mantle of the greatest captain in the game.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $389.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhK2EeTNc_k
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