Pocket this: February's mobile hit list
Flappy Bird Is Dead
With the untimely death of mobile star Flappy Bird , youll be needing something else to play. Lucky for you, mobile games tend to be cheaper than more traditional console or PC releases, but that doesnt mean that theres a lack of quality. Over the last few months, weve seen a slew of incredible games come out on iOS and Android platforms. Were talking real, meaty, authentic gaming experiences that will satisfy the most hardcore of gamers.
The problem is, to find that spectacular puzzler or innovative stealth-action game youve been jonesing for, you have to wade through a dozen derivative cash-grabs. But dont worry, thats what youve got us for--well find the mobile games you need to play.
Final Fantasy 6
Widely considered to be one of the best in this legendary series, Final Fantasy 6 dropped on Android early in January, and just hit the iOS store. Its hard not to recommend this one to somebody whos never played it, but there are a few niggling issues that keep it from being as good as it could have been.
Many users are reporting a strange bit of input lag in moving controls, which would be incredibly frustrating to latency fiends, but Final Fantasy has never required precision navigation, so it should be okay. Square also made some, uhimprovements...to the graphics, and upset some people with the new look. That said, the gameplay is reportedly very solid. If you can get past the stiff price ($16), youll probably find a lot to enjoy.
Republique
This atmospheric stealth-action title got its legs from a successful Kickstarter back in 2012, and its easy to see why--the pedigree of the developer is incredible. With credits on games like Metal Gear Solid, Halo, and F.E.A.R., Camoflaj brings a lot of talent to the table.
Theres no denying that Republique looks to be one of the best-looking games on iOS, but it also has a damn good cast, including Jennifer Hale, David Hayter, and Khary Payton. Check out our Republique review for more on how the game fared.
Baldurs Gate 2: Enhanced Edition
Baldurs Gate 2 is one of those games everybody needs to have played. Its challenging, it has fantastic characters, and the mechanics of its Advanced Dungeons and Dragons guts are immensely satisfying.
Of course, Baldurs Gate 2 was originally released on PC, and the transition to tablet hasnt been perfectly smooth. A lot of the functionality youd gain with a keyboard and mouse have been lost in the move to touch controls. If you can get past the clunky interface, youll find a juicy RPG chock-full of exemplary storytelling.
The Room 2
Point-and-click adventure games seem to be a natural fit for touch-screen devices, and while theres no shortage in the escape the room genre, Fireproof games might have it all locked down.
I havent played The Room 2 or its predecessor, but this one has been getting rave reviews from all over the web. It looks like a solid puzzler, so if you need an excuse to exercise your brain, consider giving it a shot.
Hall of Shame: Tales of Phantasia
When it first showed up on the SNES back in 1995, Tales of Phantasia wasnt a huge hit, but it gained a bit of a following over the past two decades. The fluid side-scrolling action of the combat system is fun on its own, but what really sets Tales of Phantasia apart is its presentation. Namcos original SNES release has some of the best pixel art youll find. Seriously, just look at it. Namco Bandai just released Tales on iOS, but its just too bad they had to ruin the game first.
Apparently, Namco Bandai decided they needed another a free-to-play game. So, they cranked Tales' difficulty to 11, doubled the price of items, took out pre-boss checkpoints...and filled the cash shop with much-needed buffs and XP boosters. Its one of the clearest examples of how the free-to-play model is antithetical to satisfying gameplay--Namco took what was a solid single-player game and rebalanced it to try and bully players into their cash shop. Say what you will about Squares costly iOS ports, but at least they arent breaking their own games.
Long Live Flappy Bird
Those are the big new releases we think you need to care about. Think we missed one, or have suggestions for the Hall of Shame? Let us know in the comments!
Want to know what games we want to see more of? Check out our list of mobile games we want to see get console releases!
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