Welcome to the roundup of the new 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 game releases from the last week. So whether you're looking for the best games of quality or are simply looking for the latest free-to-play gacha releases, you're covered. This week I have a gorgeous action-puzzler that offers Metroidvania-like gameplay, an enjoyable chat-style interactive storytelling game, and a unique solitaire card game from the creator of Miracle Merchant. So without further ado, here are the new and notable Android games released during the week of November 9th, 2020.
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Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.
Best Games
Titles that offer fair pricing, enjoyable gameplay, polished interfaces, or are intriguing
MO: Astray
Android Police coverage: MO: Astray is a gorgeous indie platformer that just arrived on Android
MO: Astray is a gorgeous side-scrolling action-puzzler that originally landed on PC back in 2019. Well, the game has been ported to Android, and thankfully it's just as great as the PC release. More or less, this is a Metroidvania title, which is why you'll be tasked with solving puzzles through the skills you acquire as you progress. It's a familiar but enjoyable system that encourages exploration, and since this is a premium release, you won't have to worry about any interruptions or egregious in-app purchases. Plus, the title offers physical controller support, though it seems to be a little buggy at the moment.
Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Underworld Office!
Underworld Office is billed as a chat-style interactive storytelling game, so it's basically a choose-your-own-adventure with branching paths. This kind of setup allows for a fair bit of replayability if you'd like to see all of the game's endings, and thanks to a few collectible items, there's more than one reason to replay. It also doesn't hurt that the title offers a heartfelt story, so it should easily keep players coming back for a bit.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $2.99
Gnomitaire
Gnomitaire is a new card game from the developer behind Card Thief, Card Crawl, and Miracle Merchant, but this time around, you'll take a seat in a tavern to play rounds of solitaire. These sessions tend to be quick, making for a game that lends itself well to mobile play, though there is a high-score mechanic if you wish to really dive in and top the charts. All in all, this is an enjoyable solitaire card game that sports a charming theme, and since it's ad-supported, everyone is free to take a look.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
ChocoHunters
ChocoHunters plays like a SHMUP, but it also offers a few defensive capabilities, which means dodging bullets isn't your only objective, making for a fresh take on the genre. The graphics are attractive, the gameplay is solid, and while stages feel a little static, the rest of the game's animations make up for this. So if you're looking for a premium SHMUP that doesn't take itself too seriously, you'll want to give ChocoHunters a look.
Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Average Games
Titles that may not be the best-of-the-best, but still offer fun and interesting mechanics
Prank Call - The Voice Chat Game
Prank Call comes from the same people behind a Comedy Night Live, which is why the two games offer similar art. Originally both titles were available on consoles, and now they've bridged the gap to mobile. More or less, you'll spend your time in this release steering the conversations of fictional people, all to trick them into saying a specific word. This is, of course, easier said than done, which is what makes the game challenging, and in the long run, enjoyable, though the title's honor system and boring graphics means it may not appeal to everyone.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Unbroken Soul Lite
Unbroken Soul Lite is just that, a lite version of the premium game. This way, people can test out the action-platformer without spending any cash. Sadly it would seem the game's controls are still a little iffy, so they take some getting used to, but at the very least, they are customizable, which minimizes this issue. So if you were eager to take a look at Unbroken Souls back when it was initially released, there's now a free lite version available that anyone can take for a spin.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $10.99
Mediocre Games
Titles that are buggy, unpolished, or offer aggressive monetization
Wasteland Punk - post apocalypse open world RPG
Wasteland Punk bills itself as an open-world RPG, but really it's just a lazy Clash of Clans clone, which is probably why all of the screenshots don't actually show any worthwhile images of the game. Developers like Try Hard Gаmes absolutely love to hide what their game actually offers, because no one would download this garbage if they fully understood what it was. Best of all, this is an early access release, which means the game is still in development, and yet it's already monetized heavily. Yep, this is a cash grab, just as you would expect.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $79.99
Warpath
Warpath is a new release from LilithGames that basically offers a war theme over top Rise of Kingdoms, another free-to-play strategy game from the studio. As expected, the visuals are great, though the gameplay is lacking thanks to the title's reliance on in-app purchases. Really, the game boils down to a kingdom builder, much like Clash of Clans or Game of War, so doesn't even bring anything new to the table.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Goddess of Genesis S
Goddess of Genesis S is an anime-themed gacha RPG, and if you guessed that this is a waifu collector, you'd be right. One thing is for sure, the graphics are great, though the RPG gameplay hardly requires any skill, and you will run into paywalls that make this clear within the first couple of hours. Essentially this is the latest generic gacha game on the Play Store, and it does very little to set itself apart from the crowd. Plus, it's monetized aggressively, just like the rest.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Evo Pop
Evo Pop is the latest release from ZeptoLab, the creators of Cut the Rope. While the studio has also found success with CATS: Crash Arena Turbo Stars, it would seem it's usually struggling to find a foothold in the free-to-play market. Sadly Evo Pop is another failure from the studio that's rife with egregious monetization. The strategy game is filled with paywalls, not to mention loot crates and a battle pass system. Apparently, ZeptoLab's greed knows no bounds, and the game isn't even polished. It feels like it was slapped together in a weekend, and since it's filled with paywalls, there's no real way to advance as a free player.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $99.99
A3: STILL ALIVE
A3: STILL ALIVE comes from Netmarble, and it's an open-world RPG that also offers a battle royale mode, because of course it does. I mean, why make a focused and polished game that targets a single audience and their interests when you can throw crap at walls to see what will stick? As expected, auto-combat is included, although the battle royale mode requires manual controls the entire time. Basically, you'll auto-grind though the story mode in order to level up to take on opponents in the battle royale mode. So if you'd like to grind endlessly just to reach a competitive level or simply love paying endless funds to remain competitive in the latest generic RPG on mobile, you're going to love A3: STILL ALIVE.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $2.99 - $99.99
Forsaken World: Gods and Demons
Forsaken World: Gods and Demons is a fantasy MMORPG that contains auto-mechanics, so if you're looking for a game that plays itself, you're in luck. Of course, like all generic fantasy RPGs on the Play Store, the game is filled with horrible monetization. Worse yet, little of the gameplay is explained, and even when it is, there's no way to revisit these explanations. Forsaken World is a study in how to not design your game, which seems to be a popular strategy in the mobile gaming world.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $299.99
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