There are tons of new games out every week, and it’s hard to decide which ones to purchase, let alone which free games to download. We’re here to take some of the guesswork out of your decision, though, as we’ve scoured the best games that have come out so far this year.
From time wasters to deep strategic gems, this list will have you gaming in no time. Grab your copy of these five great –and brand-spankin’ new — gaming experiences today and you can thank us later.
Mayday! Deep Space, by Iron Cloud Games, is a fantastic science fictional thriller written by bestselling author Daniel H. Wilson (Robogenesis, Amped). It’s an interactive audio game, where you guide the stranded protagonist around a spaceship that’s been infected with a zombie-creating virus. Like any good early Twighlight Zone you’ve ever seen, the action is made all the creepier by what you don’t see, along with the brilliant writing, engaging voice work, and ambient audio. Check this one out late at night in a dark room if you want to never sleep again.
Strike fear into the hearts of 8-bit monsters everywhere with Combo Quest, a twitch-based tap-fest from Tapinator, LLC that brings the familiar tropes of knights and RPG combat into one simple mechanic. You’ll tap the screen while a slider moves back and forth — tap it within green, red, or purple areas and you’ll both hit your enemy and earn a combo point. Hit at least five combo points and you can deal a bunch of damage at once. Keep gathering combo points in a row and you’ll do more damage. Miss a shot, though, and you’re back to zero. It’s an addictive, ahem, combination of mechanics, fun chip tune soundtrack, and bright, inviting graphics. Give it a shot, why don’t you?
Tap Titans technically came out at the end of last year, but it’s so good, I’m still playing it. If you’ve ever played Cookie Clicker on your computer, you know the addictive nature of one of these types of tapping games. In Tap Titans, you simply tap the screen to hit the monster with your sword, thereby earning coins. You can use those coins to then level up your hero’s damage, hire helper heroes, and buy special power ups along the way. Soon, your simple taps will blast through the toughest of monsters — at least until they level up, too. It’s silly, simple, compelling, and totally free (with in-app purchases).
If you’ve been hankering for some RPG action, including wizards, dungeons, and, erm, golf, well then Floor Twenty-Seven Industries has your back, with a hilariously retro golf game that has you aiming at an escape ladder from each of nine dungeon floor iusing the least amount of magic possible. You’ll have to avoid spikes, bottomless pits, water hazards, and the like while making sure your teleportation spell (ball) gets to the exit (hole). It’s silly fun but strangely compelling.
Frozen Synapse originally came out in 2011 for Mac and PC and quickly became one of the most respected turn-based strategy games of the year. Now, in 2015, developer Mode 7 has ported the game to the iPhone, bringing the amazing gameplay to that device you’re always carrying around in your pocket. This version lets you play in either landscape or portrait mode, and even though the learning curve is fairly steep, it’s well worth the time. The soundtrack itself (a hip ambient set of chill music also available separately on iTunes) is worth the download, if nothing else.
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