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Games not to miss
Swords &
Crossbones
£2.99/$4.99
Ahoy there, a turn-based tactical RPG
without the usual freemium model! Build
up your pirate island and go on ocean
voyages with your crazy crew in this
enjoyable madcap adventure.Downton Abbey:
The Game Free + IAPs
Fans of the television show will
appreciate the inclusion of familiar
characters, but we were hoping for a
proper adventure story rather than a
hidden objects game looking in various
rooms of the house.Order & Chaos 2:
Redemption
Free + IAPs
This MMORPG sequel features an open
world to explore. Enhanced features
include new environments, a gear-
crafting system, a new Kratan race and
the option to roam solo in the dungeons.SirVival Free + IAPs
This side-scrolling runner casts
you as a brave knight riding on
horseback, avoiding hazards and bashing
enemies using a comic lance tipped with
a big red boxing glove. It’s good fun with
cool cutesy visuals.A Moon for the
Sky Free
The interesting gameplay
mechanic sees you drawing elastic lines
to repeatedly bounce a moon up through
vertical stages. It takes a while to get
the hang of the controls, but it eventually
proves quite addictive.Beacon 38
£2.29/$2.99
Navigate your tiny scout
spaceship through a dangerous alien
world using sonar pinging to detect
hazards in your way. It’s a unique
gameplay mechanic and the art-deco
visual style is captivating.Just how many
currencies do you need
inafree-to-playgame?
We counted at least four here. In
addition, No Limits was the ironic
subject of news headlines back in
January when it was revealed that
players would be charged for gas.
It turns out it’s just a variation on
the typical energy system that
costs(slowlyrefilling)gastoplay
each stage. However, considering
that races typically last around 30
seconds, this can seriously limit
your daily playing time. You may
wellbetemptedtoresorttoIAPs
for this, as well as for avoiding the
longgrindtounlocknewcars.It’s
ashamebecauseonceyoudoget
behind the wheel the racing action
is very good indeed, featuring slick
graphics and responsive carNeed for Speed: No Limits
»PriceFree + IAPs
»Designed forPhone and tablet
»Requires Android4.0.3 and upThe racing action is good, but there’s too little of it
handling. Control is very simple: tap
the left or right side of the screen to
steer and swipe up to trigger a nitro
boost. In the tradition of Need for
Speed, various event types include
one where you need to smash
through police road blocks. If only NoAlways out of gas
Limits could escape from its
freemium limitations.Like its predecessor,
thiscaptivating
physics-based
puzzler sees you swiping to
spin each platform to guide
an alien eyeball safely to the
exit.However, the addition of
asecondeyeball,itsbrother,
complicates matters
considerably. The ability to
freeze either eyeball and
make it hover in midair is
often key to solving the level.
For instance, you can then
rotatetheleveltodrainaway
the beautifully animated
water,thenspinitbackand
letyourballdropdirectlyontoaswitchorteleport.Indeed,
every fifth stage rotates automatically, so you have to use
your freezes wisely. Since each eyeball can activate a
particular switch type, you often have to juggle them
around the stage to get them in the right positions. With
limited freezes available and plenty of hazards to avoid, it
can get very tricky. Fortunately, if you fail a stage ten
times, you can skip it.Astro Party sees up to four players competing in
retro battles on a single device. To save screen
space, each player uses just two buttons for
control: one to fi re and the other to turn the ship
(double-tap this one to dodge). The action is of the classic
duel type as players chase each other around arenas,
negotiating barriers and avoiding environmental hazards
such as lasers and tanks. There are also collectable
power-ups: Laser, Jouster, Proximity Mine and Reverse All.
Three game modes add some variety too, as well as the
standard Headhunter Duel mode and a two-on-two Team
Deathmatch option. There’s also a Pilot Execution mode
where a pilot is ejected from a ship and you need to kill
him before he generates a new ship. While the action and
graphics are basic, it offers some fun multiplayer melee.
Freeze! 2
- Brothers
Astro Party
» Price Free
» Designed for Phone and tablet
» Requires Android^ 2.3 and up
There’s double
trouble with two
balls to juggleMultiplayer battles on one device
In this creepy sequel, you need
to guide two eyeballs safely to
the spiral exit» Price £1.39/$1.99
» Designed for Phone and tablet
» Requires Android 4.1 and upUp to four players
get to battle using
two buttons each