[ENG] A Brief Word About Mobile Games
(Polska Wersja Dostępna Tu! - [PL] Krótko o Grach Mobilnych
And now, during the COVID-19 global pandemic, many games were given away for free to make us stay at home and not get bored too quickly. Be it PC, consoles or mobiles – games are given for free everywhere. I got myself Lara Croft GO, Deus Ex GO (there was also Hitman GO given away for free, but I unfortunately missed it), Monument Valley 2 and Alien: Blackout. I will talk a bit about them later, but for now I will say that I have been positively surprised because these all are quite good games.
(In Alien: Blackout you need to be aware and quick with your decisions)
Let's be honest here. We all have been there – scrolling through App Store or Google Play, seeing dozens of possibly interesting titles that ultimately ended in being a cheap rip-offs of popular franchises or seemingly decent game that was filled to the brim with microtransactions, advertisements and content locked behind paywall. I could download several random games from Google Play right now and I bet that majority of them would be filled to the brim with disgusting wallet-sucking practices. Maybe let's not talk here about Candy Crush Saga and literal dozens of it's copies filled with paywalls.
In the recent years, mobile games have been getting more popular, with games like Clash of Clans or Clash Royale grossing millions of dollars annually. Aaaand then there are games quite hated due to aggressive advertising practices – I bet that most of you have heard at some point about RAID: Shadow Legends or Azur Lane. Games they may be somewhat decent but thanks to such practices are widely hated.
(Mobile Hearthstone is one of my favorite time-killers on a long journey or boring day)
I think we all can agree that huge majority of free mobile games are total craps or cheap rip-offs of popular franchises. But then there are games that don't have their mobile equivalent so someone makes similar title and in effect – it became a rip-off, with a lot of possibilities to spend money but also allowing you to unlock everything slowly by just playing. For example amazing Slay the Spire (which from what I know has mobile ports on the way) and it's mobile rip-off called Dungeon Tales. I downloaded DT back in the day and... Well, it surely isn't as good as the original, but I think it's decent enough to make an acceptable mobile substitute of Slay the Spire.
Aaaand then there you have games from big, known publishers that have their already successful equivalents on PC. Games like Hearthstone, Teamfight Tactics, Fortnite or PUBG – all of them were quite successful on PCs, so developers decided to port them to mobiles to expand their possible playerbase. For example you can enjoy a nice match of TFT or Hearthstone or your way home from college, work or something along these lines. Personally I've been playing Hearthstone on my phone for quite some time by now and it made the most boring times (like being on a train on a long journey to meet someone) a tad bit less boring than they would normally be. These aforementioned games are examples of actually quite good, free-to-play, mobile games.
Aaaand now for the mobile games that you have to normally pay for to experience. I say normally since I got all of them for free and I mentioned them a bit earlier. There is a visible difference between paid and free games – be it on mobiles or normally on PCs and consoles. Often paid products don't have so aggressive microtransactions and paywalls whereas many free titles need them to survive. Ooof course nowadays even paid products have either some amount of microtransactions or dozens of DLCs just to milk out the original product as much as they can.
(Monument Valley 2 is one of the most eye-soothing experiences I have seen)
Let's start with Monument Valley 2. I have heard about this game some time ago but since I wasn't really mobile gamer, I wasn't that interested in getting it. Buuut since the opportunity presented itself, I've decided to download the game and give it a shot and... I certainly wasn't disappointed. I am not really sure if the story presented is connected to the first installment. This game has a really soothing graphics and audio, for example at the end of each 'chapter' let's call it, you can draw a symbol – and it doesn't matter how ferociously you will try and draw something ugly – the game will create something beautiful nonetheless. But the essence of these game are puzzles presented in each level – very often you need to play with perspective and kind-of think outside the box (Well, kind-of because you can see a lot of things while simply experimenting).
From what I've been reading, Monument Valley 2 is easier than the first installment, but the length of the game wasn't really changed. The biggest difference between MV1 and 2 is that... First installment focused on puzzles whereas the second one focuses on the story. Despite the length – I wholeheartedly recommend this game – visuals, audio, puzzles and story really make up for quite short length of this title.
And now for the 'GO' games. Lara Croft GO and Deus Ex GO (I am still mad that I missed Hitman GO). As for now there are only 3 games in the 'GO' series and it's really hard to tell if there will be more, but... For 2 I have played – both of them have surprising quality, gameplay and graphics for their price and being mobile games (To be clear – I am not hating mobile games, I just think it's much harder to make a good-looking, at least decent mobile game because I haven't many like that). The games were created by SQUARE ENIX LTD and... Say what you want about them, but the GO series is one of the best things that have happened to mobile gaming in my opinion.
Let's start with Lara Croft GO – the movement is made in a simple, but effective and intuitive way (the same applies to all GO games) – levels have clearly visible paths through which you can walk – you swipe right, you go right; you swipe up, you climb up and so on. Simple. Each level is a puzzle. And a lot of initial puzzles are simple, the more of them you complete, they become quite hard and you really need to use your head and patience to complete them. There are enemies, some are stationary, some are mobile and particular ones work the same way as you do – when you walk one tile, they walk one tile – and they follow your path, so if you for example go – left, right, right, down – enemies will also walk the same path after you (that's if they see you of course). There are dozens of collectibles hidden on the levels and at some point it's really hard to notice them, hiding in the background behind some rocks or vines. You can kill enemies by approaching them from behind or from the side which... Well, is used in many puzzles – you have to kill enemies in a very particular order to proceed. Soundtrack is pretty good and... I haven't play a lot of Tomb Raider installments, but I have noticed few references so I think that it's a nice easter egg hunt for series' fans!
Deux Ex GO – personally I liked that part much more but only because out of all three franchises I like Deus Ex the most, Tomb Raider the least and Hitman is in the middle (Just because I like TR the least, doesn't matte I hate it or anything, I just enjoy Hitman and Deus Ex games much more). The basics like controls, graphics and enemies work basically in the same way but there are also some differences here. For example gimmick of Lara Croft GO was ability to climb certain walls – the gimmick of Deus Ex GO is invisibility and hacking – former is a 'power-up' which, when used gives you invisibility for two moves, sometimes you really need to think about when to use it to complete the level and the latter allows for turning certain platforms on and off, hacking turrets so they shoot enemies and so on. Puzzles are a bit easier than in Lara Croft GO but it doesn't mean that they are stupid easy, some of them can still give you a small headache. I must admit that I have been much more interested in storyline presented in Deus Ex GO rather than Lara Croft GO and... Well, I didn't expect a mobile title to have quite a bit intriguing story.
Nonetheless, I recommend GO series as well, it's cheap and it can provide you hours of gameplay and a nice challenge for your brain. Personally I have been playing GO games for a several minutes before going to sleep and after waking up and... It was a nice way of tiring my brain to fall asleep easier as well as kick-starting my brain after awakening.
Alien: Blackout. In this game we play as Amanda Ripley, protagonist of Alien: Isolation and as far as I understand – Blackout takes place after Isolation (since Amanda mentions Sevastopol Station and she literally says that she have encountered 'these creatures' after seeing Xenomorph for the first time). One could call this game a mixture of FNaF and Alien – you have to look at the cameras, control the doors and motion trackers to know where the Xenomorph is and you have limited power to do so. Just like in Isolation, here we are trapped on a space station, but this time it's not us wandering through it's halls. A crew of four members arrives to the station and it's our job to guide them through the station while keeping them and ourselves alive. Due to your decisions – crew members can die or proceed safely, but sometimes you need to act quickly. Aaand don't get too focused on the cameras and holo-map because the Xenomorph will come rushing down the air vents to get you. Although it's a mobile game... When you see Xenomorph rushing at you when you are lying in your bed at 3 AM with your earphones plugged in... There is a certain charm and a thrill to that.
Alien: Blackout isn't really long – even if you fail a level or two, it could still be a one-night experience if you want it to be. Aaand it's the cheapest of all mentioned games – it literally costs $1. There is no reason to not give it a shot.
After all, in the games you have to pay for there is a certain level of quality. GO Series is really fun and a good challenge for your brain, Alien: Blackout is a surprisingly thrilling experience (but as with majority of the horrors, it's better if you play it at night), Monument Valley is an eye-soothing experience that beautifully plays with perspective and design of the levels.
I haven't been the biggest fan of mobile games, have these games changed it? Not that much, but I think it's safe to say I am interested in how Diablo Immortal will turn out as well as I want to play NieR: Re[in]carnation once it comes out. As far as I am concerned both titles should be free-to-play which unfortunately means there will be some degree of microtransactions and paywalls but... On the other hand, in NieR case maybe it's for the better if it will be free, more people will have the chance of experiencing this beauty of a franchise (And if it won't be, I'm ready to pay for a mobile game... I never thought I will say that). And about Diablo... Well, it was controversial, but it may put an end to this terrifying amount of Diablo clones that constantly appear on App Store or Google Play.
After all, I hope you will give at least one of the games I have mentioned and recommended here a chance. There is quite a high chance that you will enjoy it and maybe you will change your view on mobile games at least slightly.
Kind Regards,
Wing.
From what I've been reading, Monument Valley 2 is easier than the first installment, but the length of the game wasn't really changed. The biggest difference between MV1 and 2 is that... First installment focused on puzzles whereas the second one focuses on the story. Despite the length – I wholeheartedly recommend this game – visuals, audio, puzzles and story really make up for quite short length of this title.
(You need to take out snakes in a particular order to proceed further)
And now for the 'GO' games. Lara Croft GO and Deus Ex GO (I am still mad that I missed Hitman GO). As for now there are only 3 games in the 'GO' series and it's really hard to tell if there will be more, but... For 2 I have played – both of them have surprising quality, gameplay and graphics for their price and being mobile games (To be clear – I am not hating mobile games, I just think it's much harder to make a good-looking, at least decent mobile game because I haven't many like that). The games were created by SQUARE ENIX LTD and... Say what you want about them, but the GO series is one of the best things that have happened to mobile gaming in my opinion.
Let's start with Lara Croft GO – the movement is made in a simple, but effective and intuitive way (the same applies to all GO games) – levels have clearly visible paths through which you can walk – you swipe right, you go right; you swipe up, you climb up and so on. Simple. Each level is a puzzle. And a lot of initial puzzles are simple, the more of them you complete, they become quite hard and you really need to use your head and patience to complete them. There are enemies, some are stationary, some are mobile and particular ones work the same way as you do – when you walk one tile, they walk one tile – and they follow your path, so if you for example go – left, right, right, down – enemies will also walk the same path after you (that's if they see you of course). There are dozens of collectibles hidden on the levels and at some point it's really hard to notice them, hiding in the background behind some rocks or vines. You can kill enemies by approaching them from behind or from the side which... Well, is used in many puzzles – you have to kill enemies in a very particular order to proceed. Soundtrack is pretty good and... I haven't play a lot of Tomb Raider installments, but I have noticed few references so I think that it's a nice easter egg hunt for series' fans!
(Baiting enemies and moving when they are distracted is one of the differences between Lara Croft GO and Deus Ex GO)
Deux Ex GO – personally I liked that part much more but only because out of all three franchises I like Deus Ex the most, Tomb Raider the least and Hitman is in the middle (Just because I like TR the least, doesn't matte I hate it or anything, I just enjoy Hitman and Deus Ex games much more). The basics like controls, graphics and enemies work basically in the same way but there are also some differences here. For example gimmick of Lara Croft GO was ability to climb certain walls – the gimmick of Deus Ex GO is invisibility and hacking – former is a 'power-up' which, when used gives you invisibility for two moves, sometimes you really need to think about when to use it to complete the level and the latter allows for turning certain platforms on and off, hacking turrets so they shoot enemies and so on. Puzzles are a bit easier than in Lara Croft GO but it doesn't mean that they are stupid easy, some of them can still give you a small headache. I must admit that I have been much more interested in storyline presented in Deus Ex GO rather than Lara Croft GO and... Well, I didn't expect a mobile title to have quite a bit intriguing story.
Nonetheless, I recommend GO series as well, it's cheap and it can provide you hours of gameplay and a nice challenge for your brain. Personally I have been playing GO games for a several minutes before going to sleep and after waking up and... It was a nice way of tiring my brain to fall asleep easier as well as kick-starting my brain after awakening.
(Seeing this at 3 AM can really get your heart pumping a bit)
Alien: Blackout. In this game we play as Amanda Ripley, protagonist of Alien: Isolation and as far as I understand – Blackout takes place after Isolation (since Amanda mentions Sevastopol Station and she literally says that she have encountered 'these creatures' after seeing Xenomorph for the first time). One could call this game a mixture of FNaF and Alien – you have to look at the cameras, control the doors and motion trackers to know where the Xenomorph is and you have limited power to do so. Just like in Isolation, here we are trapped on a space station, but this time it's not us wandering through it's halls. A crew of four members arrives to the station and it's our job to guide them through the station while keeping them and ourselves alive. Due to your decisions – crew members can die or proceed safely, but sometimes you need to act quickly. Aaand don't get too focused on the cameras and holo-map because the Xenomorph will come rushing down the air vents to get you. Although it's a mobile game... When you see Xenomorph rushing at you when you are lying in your bed at 3 AM with your earphones plugged in... There is a certain charm and a thrill to that.
Alien: Blackout isn't really long – even if you fail a level or two, it could still be a one-night experience if you want it to be. Aaand it's the cheapest of all mentioned games – it literally costs $1. There is no reason to not give it a shot.
After all, in the games you have to pay for there is a certain level of quality. GO Series is really fun and a good challenge for your brain, Alien: Blackout is a surprisingly thrilling experience (but as with majority of the horrors, it's better if you play it at night), Monument Valley is an eye-soothing experience that beautifully plays with perspective and design of the levels.
(Here you will spend majority of the time, trying to track the Xenomorph and prevent crew members from becoming the victims. Oh, and look at the timer at upper-left corner. When it ticks down to 0, it means certain death)
I haven't been the biggest fan of mobile games, have these games changed it? Not that much, but I think it's safe to say I am interested in how Diablo Immortal will turn out as well as I want to play NieR: Re[in]carnation once it comes out. As far as I am concerned both titles should be free-to-play which unfortunately means there will be some degree of microtransactions and paywalls but... On the other hand, in NieR case maybe it's for the better if it will be free, more people will have the chance of experiencing this beauty of a franchise (And if it won't be, I'm ready to pay for a mobile game... I never thought I will say that). And about Diablo... Well, it was controversial, but it may put an end to this terrifying amount of Diablo clones that constantly appear on App Store or Google Play.
After all, I hope you will give at least one of the games I have mentioned and recommended here a chance. There is quite a high chance that you will enjoy it and maybe you will change your view on mobile games at least slightly.
Don't let the Xenomorph catch you and train your brain!
Kind Regards,
Wing.
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