Touch Arcade

I'm never happy to see big coming soon signs in lieu of a proper ending, and the packed-to-the-bursting-point controls can cause frustrating let-downs, but on the whole, I think Bit.Trip Run! accomplishes the somewhat lofty goal of being a worthy premium-priced entry to a genre with no shortage of great freebies.

Unfortunately, in the final tally, Thor's a pretty mediocre game on its own merits, even without taking the crushing monetization aspects into account. It's repetitive, it's missing its final world, and it's buggy. Add the insane amounts of premium currency or grinding required to have a decent chance of seeing the game through, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

I'm honestly kind of conflicted with Echo Prime. When it's going, it's fast and fun, and I love playing an action game like this that actually calls for a measure of skill and reflex. At the same time, it's trying to get you into a longer game that it has trouble maintaining interest for thanks to some content that's recycled just a little too much.

I understand that there are plenty of arguments to be made for why Device 6 is in fact not a game at all. After all, the game is mostly text and features very little of what we traditionally refer to as “gameplay”.

The developer says they'll be adding a new mode to the game, so that might be something to look forward to, but in the meantime, it's an enjoyable, clever game that you'll certainly have fun with while it lasts. People in our forums have really had a good time with it, too. If the onus is on the multiplayer to give Pocket Titans legs, it needs to be tweaked a little bit, but I think there's more than enough here already to satisfy.

While a good space sim at its core, Strike Wing is still a game of tempered expectations. The actual space sim gameplay is refined with controls that really work well and a visual system that looks impressive on high end iOS hardware. The simple mission-based gameplay is also enjoyable, but the content at least on the onset feels constrained.

Duet is good—very good. It's not flawless, but neither does it expect you to be. This isn't an endless strive for a few more moments of perfection. The dance allows a few missteps, and doesn't it feel incredible when you get it just right?

Paint It Back looks great, has fun and clever puzzles, and just plain feels good to play. The only complaint I have is that I want more puzzles. What's in here already is hours of fun, but like Galactus, I ever hunger for more, so I hope the developer provides. As a Picross fan, I'm absolutely delighted that there is finally an iOS game that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Nintendo's take.

Mimpi isn't going to wow you with fast-action sequences or elaborate cutscenes, but it's still an awesome experience experience to play through. Mimpi is adorable, the artwork is amazing, and the puzzles are both challenging and simply fun to play through. Silicon Jelly and Crescent Moon have a winner on their hands, and I highly recommend folks check it out.

If you are expecting a streamlined version of Civilization, this is not it. Empire is a rogue-like that uses the 4X genre as its base. I enjoy it for what it is, an experience that is both singular and innovative. Seriously, if you like strategy games, this is not one to be missed.