
574 Published Reviews
The Sims™ Mobile
Android7.00
All in all, it won’t replace the PC version, nor is it meant to be. Crossover play would have been nice, as a one-time “unlock everything” fee as an in-app option, but for folks who are looking fora quick hit, this might satisfy the craving.
Criminal Case: Mysteries of the Past
Android8.00
In the end, it’s a pretty fun game. The biggest plus is that it has great pedigree, in that its developer has experience in this genre, and that experience shows in this latest extension of the franchise. The scenes aren’t as haphazard as you might find in other games of this kind, and the period backgrounds are interesting almost on their own.
TEKKEN
Android8.00
So, here’s a game that is looking to be a new portal for a fantastic tenured console game. It mostly manages to do that, even while subtly building in an RPG-style marker battler that should appeal to those folks — dare I say “millennials?” while propping myself up with me walking cane — who are new to the concept. It’s a hard feat to merge a retro hit with the modernity of mobile tablets, but I figure this one makes more than a valiant effort.
Balls Race
Android7.50
Ketchapp really does have an enviable blueprint, and Balls Race highlights it: fun from a visual standpoint, easy to get into and invariably addictive. It begs you to take it on, and then dares you to win individual races.
Mad Skills BMX 2
Android8.50
It’s fun, relatively self-contained number, easy to get into and enjoy. It allows for plenty of play of somewhat different types. It does bog down at times if you go the free route, so a little bit of patience would be required. Worth a look, and even an afternoon.
Smashing Four
Android8.50
The cards can reveal new players (with new attributes) or clones of cards already owned and/or deployed. Clones can then be used to upgrade existing pieces do that they can be more useful in battle. It comes together well, and has been an enjoyable pastime for the past few days. Better than shuffleboard?
Level It! Tower Falling Over
Android7.50
So, it’s a simple game with a specific focus. You get what you get, and from a time waster perspective, it mostly works.
Hero Hunters
Android9.00
My personal gripe is an admittedly nitpicky one; seriously, I get the buxom soldier trope, yes, but if there was ever a reason to use Kevlar to project gender equality, this could have been it. Seriously. Off my soapbox. It’s a seriously enjoyable game, and worth the time it takes to try it out.
World of Warships Blitz
Android9.00
The game is exceptionally well done. It does a good job of making the game feel fairly realistic, adding in gameplay elements that make it interesting for naval acolytes like this one. From the steering mechanism, through the battling systems, upgrading… heck, even the repair methodology. It comes together well and makes a lot of sense.
Sniper Shot 3D: Call of Snipers
Android7.00
In the end, it does the deed if one is looking for an engaging time waster, because it doesn’t overly complicate matters with intricate missions or complex upgrade mechanisms. Shoot, get better, advance.
Finger Driver
Android8.00
When it comes to games that are easy to pick up and get into, few will be able to complain about Finger Drive. It’s a tough game, yes, but has enough side roads to make is palatable for even the most impatient casual gamers out there.
Sonic Forces
Android7.50
The game is very sonic-y, in that it is just what Sonic and Sega fans should like: high octane arcade racing with plenty of obstacles and weaponized collectibles. This isn’t just about getting from point A to point B the fastest; it’s about deft touch and blasting other competitors to point C.
June's Journey - Hidden Objects
Android8.00
One of the coolest trends we are seeing in games nowadays is story-driven game… even the “simplest” of games, with a bigger saga connected. In June’s Journey, it is as such: the big picture is the murder mystery, but you navigate this by finding said hidden objects in each frame. Finding the objects solves the bigger puzzle that envelopes the hidden object experience.
US Army Zombie Slayer 2: The Zombie Hunter Returns
Android7.50
It’s definitely not a bad shooter; as noted it, it includes the basics, such as swarms of enemies, diversity of monsters, upgrade paths and more. With regards to the gameplay, it feels quite familiar, but doesn’t have some of the refinements some may expect in such first person shooters.
Thimbleweed Park
Android9.00
Thimbleweed Park is an easy one to fall in love with for a host of reasons. It has an old-school look with murder mystery sensibilities, and still incorporates a passable Choose Your Own Adventure element to the party.
Merge Town!
Android7.50
So… the one attribute we laud whenever we find it — simplicity — just might be a double edged sword here. The delightfully mindless nature is great when it comes to picking this on up on the fly might make it just as easy to quit. It doesn’t have lot of depth, and the continuous tapping and merging can verge on the monotonous. There are different worlds to navigate, yes, but this really is a game that has very little complexity.
Boonk Gang
Android7.00
What makes the game compelling is the way it incorporates the controls. It takes a bit to figure it out, because it isn’t natural, but that is part of the game’s charm. Getting the goodies is hard enough, but when you toss in the exits and entrances and the “Man” and other moving bodies, the game becomes a bit more interesting. For folks who enjoy quick reaction games that double as veritable time wasters, this one just might hit the spot. It’s silly enough to take the edge of any supposed moral rejoinders, but still provides enough of a challenge to make it feel almost mature.
Big Cruise Ship Games Passenger Cargo Simulator
Android7.00
As noted earlier, the speed and preciseness required probably prevent it from being a true furtive time-filler, but they pause button helps a bit. A wider array of ships (or some type of upgradability of a core ship) could really help with keeping folks coming back, but even as-is, it does possess a certain charm.
The Catapult
Android7.50
Interestingly enough, even while bandying around the “time-waster” descriptor, I admit — almost reluctantly — that it somehow, some way feels like a bit more. The simple scoring method is easy tto keep up with, and the simple escalation process just makes sense.
Homescapes
Android8.00
It’s fun, and isn’t just a belated Fishdom twin. All in all, great to play.
Zombie Invasio: Dead City HD
Android8.00
And so it goes, through numerous levels… a tri-fold adventure, if you will. It plays well, dials up the action, and allows us to kill zombies.
Football Strike
Android8.00
The game also has a training section, and there are goodies that can be collected, and accumulated game cash can be used to procure better gear and such. Fun all the way round. But alas, there is an energy requirement. This can be circumvented by real money. Still, it is a worthy game, such that you don’t need need to be a soccer feen to enjoy it. You just might afterwards, though.
Jump Ball Quest
Android8.00
It’s simple, and for this one, that descriptor is far from a negative. It’s a game you can pick up and get into at a moment’s notice, while at doctor’s office waiting room, or while the oil is getting changed and the like. In that, it works very, very well as time waster, but somehow feels like it can be even more.
Sonny
Android8.50
It comes together nicely; it can be a bit of a challenge to creatively use such a tried and true such as the undead in a current mobile game, but in Sonny, it works relatively well.
Zombie Shoot: Pandemic Survivor
Android8.00
It is a relatively simple game, easy to pick up, and relatively self-contained in that it doesn’t necessarily require an outpouring of real cash. Zombies are a tried and true trope, but there is a reason it never gets old.