AppAdvice

Alto's Odyssey is an improvement on an already great, classic iOS game. I never thought that you could improve on perfection, but Team Alto has done it. The graphics in Odyssey look even better than the first, and those were already great. The music is soothing and immersive, the new mechanics just add another layer of depth to everything, and there's high replay value.

Caravan War is an interesting take on the casual strategy genre that's richer and more involved than many of its stablemates. The gameplay contains enough different threads that you always have something to do, and the difficulty is only ever as challenging as you want it to be. Unfortunately, a slightly drab appearance detracts from the overall package, and there are more exciting alternatives in the App Store. But if you don't mind putting up with generic visuals, there's plenty to like in Caravan War.

As a cat fan, Purrfect Date is a nice surprise on the App Store. I didn't know about the game before this week, but it's certainly a fun, interactive visual novel experience. Plus, dating the cats (crazy cat lady style) is fun and silly, which is to be expected from the same people who developed Surgeon Simulator. And honestly, the visuals are charming and appealing to everyone, and the sound is great.

Light a Way is a gorgeous ARPG with a distinctive, charming aesthetic. Developer Appxplore has cleverly taken a gameplay mechanic that's more about the thrill of upgrading than it is about the fighting, and stripped the action back to its minimal viable state, while still giving the player a palpable sense of involvement in the fights.This makes for a decidedly casual take on the ARPG genre, with very little in the way of challenge.

As a fan of dogs, platformers, and roguelikes, I think Dig Dog - Treasure Hunter is great. I appreciate the vintage graphics and music, and the digging mechanic is quite fun. The two game modes are enough to give players a challenging experience, or something more relaxing and calm. Even though it can be a bit repetitive, I think this is a great game to pick up when you're waiting around somewhere.

I played through the first chapter of FFXV Pocket Edition, and I'm getting much more enjoyment out of this than the console version so far. I wasn't expecting to like the game this much, but it's won me over with the cute and endearing, slightly deformed character models and vastly improved combat system. I've already gotten farther in just the first chapter than the console version, and that's saying something. The dialogue matching up is also impressive. Whether you've played FFXV or not, this is a great port that's exceeded my expectations.

Visually, Dandara has a classic, pixel-perfect aesthetic that takes me back to my childhood, where I'd play games like Super Mario Bros. and the like. The retro, 2D pixel art style in Dandara is a blast from the past and looks like it came straight out of the '80s, especially with all of the bright, vivid colors. Even though it's pixelated, everything in the game is incredibly detailed, from shading to textures. Animations are smooth and fluid with no lag on my iPhone 8 Plus.

Graphically speaking, Magic Golf is definitely pretty to look at. The game's rendered in 3D and it's full of bright and vibrant colors that are appealing to the eyes. The various stages feature what looks like a children's playroom, complete with all sorts of toys and gadgets laying around on the textured, wooden floor. On the courses themselves, it's easy to recognize the different types of obstacles that await you, as well as where your rabbit ball can actually go.

Visually, PAKO 2 is a unique blend of handcrafted, highly detailed environments with low-poly vehicles and explosions. The game is rendered in 3D and has an angled, top-down perspective so you can see everything happening on screen in a single glance. PAKO 2 has five huge areas to drive in, and they're all quite different from each other (the desert, downtown, snowy mountains, and more) but pack in a ton of fine details, such as lighting, shadows, and textures.

Alike Studio had a hit on their hands with Love You To Bits, and they definitely have created another gem with Bring You Home. The game's cute cartoon-style graphics are sweet and lovable, while the soundtrack tugs at your emotional heartstrings. Controls are intuitive, and it's just fun to watch the outcome of each possible path that you create. This is a true gem for puzzle fans.