What We Liked..
Guardian vs. Guardian hook is unique
Plenty of hero builds and customization
Varied selection of heroes with multiple roles to choose from
Regular updates and new content
.. and what we didn't
Cash shop limits hero selection for new players
Matchmaking limited due to limited players
Your team of five must strategically capture points, called power circles, in order to grant your Guardian enough power to attack the enemy Guardian, at which point you get the awesome privilege of seeing your gigantic creature dart across the map to give the enemy a good walloping, causing the enemy Guardian to become vulnerable to damage. If your Guardian overpowers the enemy’s enough, then it will be instantly wounded, and you won’t even need to attack it yourself. Talk about a sense of satisfaction (or overwhelming weight of your failures if you’re on the other end).
The game currently features 21 heroes, with more arriving as time goes on, and three maps, plus the expected assortment of skins for both heroes and weapons.
What We Liked..
Gameplay is simple yet complex enough to keep the player engaged
Accelerated time keeps the game moving and interesting
Graphics are engaging and excellent
.. and what we didn't
Dangerously easy to rely on the game shop
Not good on battery life
Very time consuming as you level up
If orange is the new black, then farming is the new popular app. With games like Farmville and Hay Day, players can immerse themselves into the artificial pleasures of farming. This includes things like growing crops, raising livestock, and delivering goods and services to awaiting customers. Like Farmville, Township got its start on the Facebook platform and evolved into a standalone app. But where Farmville and Hay Day focus strictly on farm-building, Township expands the player's reach into other areas of development, like house-building, factories, restaurants, movie theaters, and even a zoo. It blends farm and city building together into something that's less 'nostalgic farming' and more 'farming metropolis'. The game is also quick to catch on to, with a fairly basic tutorial that relies on simple animated GIFs that show the player exactly how to play, but leaves enough room to let the player explore on their own if they want.
With a fairly basic premise ("Congratulations on inheriting some property!"), a simple-yet-complex gaming structure that keeps you engaged, and amazing graphics, Township remains a top contender in the world-building simulation apps out there.
What We Liked..
looks and sounds great
lots of strategy
positioning adds another layer
currently quite balanced
.. and what we didn't
just not as popular as some other CCGs
Bandai Namco brought more microtransactions
In most collectible card games, the hero, or summoner (or whatever you want to call it), sits out of sight, signified by a portrait, but in Duelyst, your general starts on the battlefield and gives the game its namesake. Battles in Duelyst are just that, duels. It’s your general pitted against your enemy’s general, and all the cards you play are in service of that.
What We Liked..
Lots of customization Decent 2D art Progression comes decently fast for free
.. and what we didn't
Cash shop gets expensive fast lackluster animations low population
Gods Origin Online is a browser-based MMORPG by VivaGames. In it, you controller a summoner who wields the power to yank various deities back through time in an effort to prevent Ragnarok from happening.
What We Liked..
Deep Customization
Nemesis System
Fun Gameplay
.. and what we didn't
Poor Graphics
Confusing HUD
Lots of premium content
Based on famed table top game Champions, Champions Online is a recently free-to-play MMORPG created by City of Heroes developer Cryptic Studios. Champions online is a comic book lover’s ideal virtual world. While it has its issues, mostly related to graphics, playing through Champions is still an enjoyable romp filled with a plethora of well executed ideas. The game creates a rich yet traditional MMO experience, however much of the game’s systems and classes are locked behind a subscription-based paywall.
The combat feels, for the most part, very traditional. It’s a variation of the classic tab targeting system we’ve come to love, and expect from games like World of Warcraft and Star Wars: The Old Republic. What differentiates combat the most is the ability to enter combat with a unique ability called a travel power. Travel powers are pretty much exactly as the sound, superpowers that allow for different methods of travel. There are a plethora of travel powers to choose from, each compliments a certain class type, however you can choose whichever you are most fond of.
What We Liked..
Stunning graphics and 3D world
Fun companion system
Plenty of servers
.. and what we didn't
Textures sometimes don't load
Heavy cash store influence
Rise of Angels is a browser-based MMORPG that's free to play, features isometric action based combat and a companion collection system that requires players to obtain, upgrade and look after Goddesses who alters your combat skills and stats for the better. The game offers both PvE solo and group content as well as PvP arenas and guild wars for competitive gameplay. The game world is incredibly stunning due to the ability to zoom, rotate and inspect closely the finer details of textures and aesthetics that's almost unheard of for a browser MMORPG. While the content is very predictable and might come across as a carbon copy of most other games, it's aesthetics wins out and makes you pick this title of the next. There is a heavy reliance on the cash shop but it's largely forgettable if you're taking your time playing through the game's lengthy main story.
What We Liked..
Available on Steam
Fun and fluid combat
gorgeous art style
solid voice acting
.. and what we didn't
Combat gets repetitive after a while
lack of endgame content
English version has halved exp rates and double energy costs
obnoxious stamina system
too many P2P/P2W elements
server issues and long loading times
Anime MMORPGs are a rare breed. Good ones anyway, and for use anime and MMO fans, that’s a darn shame. So when a good Anime MMORPG comes around, we play it as long as we can and cherish it more than that all-red Pokeball.
SoulWorker is a refreshing entry into the somewhat sparse Anime MMORPG genre. The art style is just plain gorgeous, and the combat is fast and furious, no Vin Diesel required. And most importantly, the game is fun.
While it lasts at least. The game is still young, but in its’ current state, there just isn’t enough to do. Players will have a blast in the initial hours, but once the serious grinding starts, the fun drops off a cliff. The endgame is pretty nonexistent, and what little there is to do, isn’t very enjoyable. Soul Worker is an instanced based, dungeon hack and slash, and it can get very repetitive very quickly. And the alterations that Game Forge made to the game, make the bad aspects of Soul Worker even worse. In its’ current state, it doesn’t have much in the way of lasting power, but it’s a great way to spend a weekend or two with friends.
What We Liked..
Free to play and mostly fair
Good graphics
Runs well on modern rigs
.. and what we didn't
Low player population and long match finding queues
Input lag issues
notmycar is a free to play vehicular battle royale game, featuring fast cars and deadly weapons in fast paced matches using familiar battle royale mechanics. The game is in early access beta, meaning that more features and gameplay improvements will be added over time. There are limited game modes available, but players can expect brand new rewards from progression systems like XP levels up, or they can be purchased from the Season Pass and Cash Store.
The game runs very well with excellent graphics and presentation. Gameplay is fluid and fun, but suffers from occasional input lag in which skills don't react fast enough to make a difference in vital moments. The playerbase is also low for a game that's fairly new. Overall, notmycar is a fresh entry into the battle royale genre and one that's worth a look if you enjoy pimping out cars.
What We Liked..
Beautiful Environments
Fun Combat
Pretty Costumes
.. and what we didn't
PvE content is simple
Lacks innovation
Needs better Optimization
Blade and Soul is a Korean MMORPG recently published by veterans of the MMO industry, NCSoft.
Originally published in Asia, a little over four years ago, the long anticipated game finally makes its way westward. Fans here in the west have long been clamoring for Blade and Soul: the flashy anime inspired graphics and the apparent innovation of its highly touted combat system make NCSoft’s newest experience seem like an amazing proposition.
The question though, does it live up to all the hype? In many ways yes, the game’s combat is reminiscent of classic combo based fighting games, making each encounter engaging and unique.
The graphics are great, if a little dated. However optimization issues and lag run rampant, PvE is somewhat lack luster, and gearing at max level can be a bit of a chore.
The game is a mixed bag, it does some things right and some wrong, however the things it does correctly may be enough to outshine its rougher aspects by the standards of some players.
What We Liked..
Intuitive UI functionality
Healthy playerbase
.. and what we didn't
Difficult for free players
Localization issues
Genre: simulation, strategy, war
Setting: present
Graphics: animated artworks
PvP: guild or factions PvP all vs all
Generals: Art of War is a free to play browser-based strategy game. Set in a modern-day period in which authentic military elementsdoesn't look modern but if that's not your concern, then gameplay will feel very familiar to veterans. New players can ease their way in thanks to a good tutorial, and the community is large enough to support engaging alliances that is a core feature for team-play in larger warfare. The game does have a cash shop and while beneficial, players can opt to play for free and still make progress.