When it's time to blow stuff up or get really bloody, you want an action game. These are the games that keep your reflexes sharp as you take on the evils of this world and the next. When engulfed in one of these apps, you can be a superhero, a sniper or even a battle-hardened robot. But for an action game to be considered really great, you should feel transported by console-quality graphics and seamless controls. Here are our top picks.
INFINITY BLADE III
The Infinity Blade series outdid itself with its third iteration and action-packed conclusion. As the fierce Siris or stealthy Isa, you take on the nefarious Worker of Secrets. The battle scenes are filled with frenetic swipe-and-tap combat that has proven a hallmark of all three editions. You'll soon be crafting your own weapons, armor and potions in the new exploration hub, when you're not storming into a fight. Spoiler alert: The last expansion, Kingdom Come, reveals more secrets and answers, and pits players against one very pissed-off dragon.
IMPLOSION: NEVER LOSE HOPE
Fight for humanity’s future in Rayark’s sci-fi hack-and-slasher Implosion: Never Lose Hope. Piloting an agile Warmech, players do battle against the alien XADA, engaging in intense melee combat and gunplay. Implosion’s slick graphics, responsive controls and adrenaline-pumping combat are all wonderfully satisfying, evoking the spirit of console greats in a remarkably nimble mobile title.
MODERN COMBAT 5: BLACKOUT
Gameloft's Modern Combat series has consistently spawned some of the best first-person shooters on mobile devices, and Modern Combat 5: Blackout is no exception. Blackout provides mobile gamers with firefights straight out of an action movie, with console-quality graphics to match. Players can engage in a single-player campaign, as well as multiplayer shootouts, with experience and rewards from either mode carrying over to the other. A class progression system allows players to choose how they want to play the game, with specialized roles as Assault, Heavy, Recon and Sniper troopers.
WORLD OF TANKS: BLITZ
Playing like a miniaturized version of its desktop brother, World of Tanks: Blitz sees treadheads taking control of iconic Allied and Axis tanks from World War II and engaging in 7-versus-7 multiplayer shootouts across a variety of maps. Blitz shares the PC version's impressive graphics, modeling everything from shell physics to intricate tank details, all while delivering controls that are intuitive and natural for a touch-screen shooter. New content keeps coming, with some of the latest updates bringing new armored vehicles to the field, such as the American Hellcat and T110E4. Blitz is also a great example of "free to play" not degenerating into "pay to win."
VAINGLORY
A showcase of the iPhone's potential as a mobile gaming platform, Vainglory is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game in the vein of Dota 2 or League of Legends, only scaled down to make it playable on touch-screen mobile devices. Players take their pick from a roster of heroes and engage in 3-on-3 battles in an attempt to destroy the Vain, which sits at the core of the enemy base. Vainglory might not be the first attempt at a mobile MOBA, but it does a great job with its slick graphics and touch-screen-friendly controls.
RIDICULOUS FISHING
What do you get when you combine the sedate pastime of fishing with high-powered firearms? Ridiculous Fishing. Crafted by gaming auteur Vlambeer, Ridiculous Fishing is a three-part game: Players cast their line as deep into the water as possible by dodging fish, reel the line up to snag as many fish that they can, and finally throw them into the air and blast as many as possible with a variety of guns. Players earn points to unlock even crazier weapons and accessories as they advance into ever-stranger hunting grounds. It even avoids the sin of odious in-app purchases; the entire game is available as a single purchase, and all items are unlockable only through in-game progress.
EPOCH 2
The battle-hardened guardian robot Epoch returns in Epoch 2, a cover-based touch-screen shooter that delivers gritty, Unreal Engine-powered graphics and innovative shooting mechanics. Tap-and-swipe controls allow you to easily guide Epoch in and out of cover, as it trades shots against enemy machines. New gameplay elements, such as Rapid Reload, expand your tactical options, while new enemy types keep you on your toes. Make your way to Princess Amelia's side and fight for the future of humanity in this post-apocalyptic shooter.
DEAD TRIGGER 2
Madfinger Games returns to the zombie apocalypse with Dead Trigger 2, a free-to-play first-person shooter. Blast your way through grotesquely detailed undead hordes as you engage in various missions for the human resistance. Outside of the single-player story campaign, players take part in a massive, worldwide cooperative effort, with their victories counting toward community goals and awards. Madfinger has been diligent in content updates, bringing players new weapons and maps, as well as a rebalanced economy and an expanded campaign map to constantly keep the game fresh.
INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US
A mobile version of the hit console fighting game, Injustice: Gods Among Us lets players take control of DC Comics' most iconic superheroes as they battle it out in a dark, alternate universe. With its fusion of fighting and collectible card-game mechanics, Injustice has you forming teams of three superheroes pitted against rival teams of heroes and villains. Tap-and-swipe touch-screen battles ensue as your heroes duke it out, with the tempo broken up by substitutions and special abilities. As you advance, you can use earned credits to unlock new hero cards or upgrade your existing roster of heroes and villains.
GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES
For a meatier fighting-game experience, check out Garou: Mark of the Wolves, an SNK fighting game classic ported over into iOS by DotEmu. With the last of the classic Fatal Fury games, Garou has all the technical fighting game flair of the franchise while also introducing features such as the "Just Defend" counter, which rewards perfectly timed blocks, and the "T.O.P. System" for sudden bursts of late-game performance. Garou features virtual button controls with shortcuts for each character's super moves, as well as support for a wide variety of wireless gamepads. A particularly neat feature of the iOS port is support for both local Wi-Fi multiplayer and Game Center online matchmaking.
PUNCH QUEST
Punch Quest is an endlessly entertaining way to kill your time. Essentially an infinite runner, Punch Quest has you barrel through your enemies with an endless barrage of jabs and uppercuts. As you smash your way through the opposition, you'll earn points and achievements, which you can spend to customize your character with just about any absurd look you want. Smash through zombies, orcs and wraiths, and have fun with bonus stages riding laser-spewing dinosaurs or cartwheeling as a gnome.
DEUS EX: THE FALL
Deus Ex goes mobile with Deus Ex: The Fall, a mobile spin-off of Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Players step into the cybernetically augmented shoes of Ben Saxon, a mercenary on the run from the villainous Titans, as he tries to unravel a conspiracy that threatens the augmented community. Deus Ex: The Fall stands out in how it ports over not only the look and feel of the Deus Ex universe, but also the same gameplay freedom that Deus Ex: Human Revolution provided. It's up to you to choose what augments and skills to develop, as well as whether you want to play aggressively or stealthily.
BASTION
In Bastion, protagonist The Kid wakes up to a broken world, and there's no putting it back together. Supergiant Games' hit action RPG sets you loose in the broken land of Caelondia, in an attempt to find out the truth behind the mysterious Calamity that just destroyed it. Stylish art direction, a great soundtrack and fantastic narration blend together perfectly with slick, top-down beat-'em-up gameplay. Players can explore the shattered ruins of the world, unlocking a variety of upgradable weapons and home-base structures. Mechanics such as idols (gameplay mutators) and a New Game Plus mode add a lot to the experience, even after you've finished the game.
TRANSISTOR
Supergiant Games returns to prove that Bastion wasn’t just a one-off success with its latest game: Transistor. Dive into an Art Deco cyberpunk metropolis gone mad as you untangle the mystery of a girl named Red, her sword the Transistor, and the strange cataclysm that has befallen the two of them. Players can configure the Transistor with an incredible variety of combat functions, providing diverse ways to play. The game mixes classic top-down beat 'em up gameplay with a “planning mode” that allows you to plot out a set of moves that Red executes once you unpause the game.
HALO: SPARTAN STRIKE
The Halo saga continues on mobile with Halo: Spartan Strike, a sequel to 2013's Spartan Assault twin-stick shooter. Put on some Spartan armor and take on humanity's enemies, from the vengeful Covenant zealots to the mysterious Prometheans. Players fight their way through a 30-mission campaign spanning the breadth of Halo history, from the historic Battle of New Mombasa to the imposing Gamma Halo station. Each mission brings new challenges, such as Promethean enemies and weaponry, as well as familiar standbys such as the Bubble Shield and an arsenal of UNSC and Covenant weapons and vehicles.
No comments:
Post a Comment