Touch Arcade

Despite some of my complaints though (and they're all quite small), Sword of Xolan is a fun platformer with great controls and a good variety of enemies. While it's not perfect, it's definitely a great choice for anyone who loves platforming on mobile.

You can battle other players in the “Arena,” make or join a Guild to participate in events and challenges, and complete mini quests to get rubies, equipment, or rare allies. So if you don’t mind being a little more hands-off during combat, Dragon Blaze has a lot to offer.

It looks and sounds pretty darn good as well, for an overall package that is very well worth the two dollar asking price (and no IAPs!). I do wish it had an endless mode with Game Center leaderboards, but that’s just me gettin’ all greedy. What’s here is awesome, and you know what? I’m glad I’ve got my consciousness to enjoy it.

If you're the kind of person who is willing to make sacrifices for console-style gaming on mobile, and doesn't care if a game is a particularly good fit for mobile, then you'll enjoy Heroes and Castles 2. If you need something that can be enjoyed in short bursts or can be dropped at a moment's notice, if a lack of commitment is a feature not a bug for you, then I'd probably stay away from this.

I don't know that I've played anything quite like it before, and that's just the sort of thing I'd hope to be saying on the other side of a Lovecraft-inspired gamebook. Sons Of Uruzime is just traditional enough that it likely won't appeal to those who aren't already into gamebooks, but if you do enjoy them, this is worth picking up and taking a few cracks at.

Overall, the game looks great and controls well. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in action RPGs.

Capitals is a satisfying game. I like the blend between strategic, hex-grid real game tactics and word game mechanics. Download and check it out, it's a really satisfying game.

BlazBlue is a very different series, and it's not for everyone. The story is convoluted and very anime (a.k.a. weird). There's a lot of terminology to learn, and that's true in this card version. Regardless, the BlazBlue series has gained a strong following over the years for its solid game design. Hopefully this free iPad game does too. Well worth a look.

The game features a world that fans of a certain wildly popular Nintendo game will jive with pretty quickly. From its patches of vigorously shaking bushes to the impromptu destruction of random children’s precious pets, EvoCreo might leave you feeling a little nostalgic.

For now, though, this is without a doubt a lesser game than the first, and a much more bland experience overall. Fans of the first might enjoy what it has to offer, but depending on why they liked that game, they just as easily might not. At the same time, it's too close to the original to please those who weren't on board with it.