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. Today I have a fantastic open-world MMO from Nexon (seriously), an interesting digital board game adaptation from Asmodee Digital that's all about terraforming Mars, and an immersive narrative-based audio game from Accidental Queens. So without further ado, here are the most notable games released this week.

Please wait for this page to load in full in order to see the widgets, which include ratings and pricing info.

Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.

Games

Durango: Wild Lands

Android Police coverage: Durango: Wild Lands is an open world sandbox MMO from Nexon, now available on Android

Durango: Wild Lands is labeled as an open-world sandbox MMO, which is true, though the primary gameplay mostly revolves around survival mechanics and animal collection. The beauty about this setup is that you'll get to play with all of your friends since this is an MMO, and even though this is a Nexon release, the majority of in-app purchases are only useful for buying cosmetic items, which makes this one of the fairer free-to-play MMOs on the Play Store.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $89.99

Terraforming Mars

Android Police coverage: Tame the red planet in Terraforming Mars, the latest board game adaptation from Asmodee Digital

Terraforming Mars is the latest digital board game adaptation from Asmodee Digital, and it's currently in beta so players can test it out and report any issues. They will have to purchase the game to play, though this does provide those eager to jump in with an early look. Both single-player content and multiplayer content is included, and if you get tired of the primary campaign, there's also a couple of modes available that ramp up the difficulty.

Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Alt-Frequencies

Android Police coverage: Alt-Frequencies is a new narrative mystery from Accidental Queens, and it's available on Android a day early

Alt-Frequencies come from Accidental Queens, the developer behind similar narrative-based games like A Normal Lost Phone and its sequel. The gameplay in this release revolves around solving a mystery by using recorded radio snippets to expose the in-game world to the truth, that the entire planet is stuck in a time loop.

Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Alt-Frequencies Developer: PID Games
Price: 5.49
4.4
Download

Talisman: Origins

Android Police coverage: Asmodee Digital releases Talisman: Origins, a new solo board game that explores the history of the series

Talisman: Origins is a spinoff title from the core tabletop series. The gameplay is more focused on single-player content than its predecessor, and the story revolves around the entire history of the in-game universe instead of a single time period. These bits of history help to tie together many of the expansions for the main game, so if you're a fan of the series, this is definitely a release you won't want to miss.

Monetization: $3.49 / no ads / no IAPs

Talisman: Origins Developer: Nomad Games
Price: 2.49
4.3
Download

SnowWar.io

SnowWar.io is the latest io release on the Play Store. Like most io games, the goal is to be the last person standing, which is a lot tougher than you would at first expect, all thanks to the game's many players that will be vying for the top spot. You'll have to make sure that you run over your foes with your ever-growing snowball before another player flattens you.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Idle Kingdom: Click & Idle Tycoon - City Building

If you don't know what to expect from the aptly-named Idle Kingdom: Click & Idle Tycoon - City Building, then let me fill you in. It's an idle game where you get to build your very own team of knights to then take on the many evil forces of the in-game world. You are free to play AFK, though if you choose to micromanage your team actively, you'll advance faster.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

DEAD CITY Text Adventure & Cyoa

Dead City is a text adventure game that was originally published on the Play Store as a paid release in 2017, and just this week a free version has finally made its way to Android. Unlike the paid version, this free release comes with advertisements and in-app purchases in tow, though luckily you can remove those ads with a single IAP priced at $1.99, which just so happens to be the same price as the paid version.

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

DEAD CITY - Choose Your Story Developer: Everbyte
Price: Free
4.3
Download

RPG Frane: Dragons' Odyssey

RPG Frane: Dragons' Odyssey is the latest KEMCO release to land on the Play Store, and in true RPG fashion you'll begin your journey in search of a missing girl that will soon evolve into a mysterious and fun adventure. RPG Frane is an action RPG, which means you'll need to bring some quick fingers to take on the game's tougher enemies. Luckily you'll be able to upgrade your weapons along your journey to better take on the title's most dangerous foes.

Monetization: $8.99 / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $4.49

RPG Frane: Dragons' Odyssey Developer: KEMCO
Price: 0.99
2.6
Download

Auto Chess

Dragonest Game's Auto Chess comes from the original creator of the Dota 2 custom map that started the entire Auto Chess trend. A few clones have landed on the Play store over the last few months, but if you're looking for something that feels more like the original, this is it. Auto Chess is still under development, hence the "unreleased" moniker in the Play Store title, but so far it runs reasonably well, though performance will vary from device to device.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Auto Chess Developer: Dragonest Games
Price: Free
4.2
Download

Dark Domain

Dark Domain is the latest auto-play MMORPG to land on Android. The graphics are fantastic, and there's a solid mix of heroes to choose from, but the core gameplay is pretty much nonexistent since all you have to do is continually tap on the quest button to advance. I suppose there is a draw for idle game fans, since you'll spend the majority of your time micromanaging your skills, weapons, and items as the game plays itself.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

LaTale W - Casual MMORPG

Much like the Tales of Wind title I covered two weeks ago, LaTale W is a casual MMORPG that sports an anime theme for maximum cuteness. If the name sounds familiar, that's because the La Tale series actually started out as a 2D side-scrolling MMO on PC. Well, this week LaTale W landed on the Play Store as a mobile interpretation of the original game, and much like every other mobile MMO, auto-questing is included, though you do at least have the option to turn it off.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $99.99

Angry Birds POP 2: Bubble Shooter

At this point, Rovio just needs to stop. Once upon a time, the original Angry Birds game was a phenomenon. Sure, it merely placed an adorable theme on top of a tried and true gameplay formula, but there's no arguing that at the time it elevated mobile gaming to the point that casuals were beginning to play. Despite a movie and endless merchandise, all Rovio can muster is a never-ending supply of casual bubble poppers on the Play Store. Angry Birds POP 2: Bubble Shooter is the latest release from the company, and it serves as the sequel to the forgettable Angry Birds POP.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $2.99 - $99.99

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.

1 sponsored placement per week is available (your app would be featured at the top and marked as sponsored) - please contact us for details.