AppAdvice's Scores

  • Games
For 701 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 64% higher than the average critic
  • 27% same as the average critic
  • 9% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 10.7 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 86
Highest review score: 100 Lich Defense
Score distribution:
  1. Negative: 14 out of 701
701 game reviews
    • 94 Metascore
    • 92 Critic Score
    I downloaded Flipping Legend as soon as it was available on the App Store, and I have had a hard time putting it down, honestly. I love voxel graphics, and Flipping Legend has done them beautifully. The music is pretty catchy as well, and I like how it is an integral part of the gameplay. Controls are simple to pick up, but getting the rhythm perfectly will take some time. There is a lot of goals to accomplish that keep the game feeling fresh, and the difficulty of the game means there’s plenty of reason to keep coming back as you try and beat your previous best score. Overall, Flipping Legend is a fantastic high score chaser that is worth a download.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Overall, Art of Gravity is a gem for any physics-based puzzle game fan’s collection. The game not only looks good with the voxel-style graphics, but it has soothing music and realistic sound effects that just add a layer of depth to the game. Controls are simple enough, and not having the game tell you how everything works is a selling point, because it’s so much more rewarding that way once you figure something out. The flaws I’ve mentioned are something that the developer should think about optimizing in future updates, but this is still a solid game that deserves a spot on your device.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 88 Critic Score
    I’m in love with the remarkable geometric visuals and the music is perfect for me. I’ve gone through a lot of puzzle games during my time here at AppAdvice, and YANKAI’S PEAK is one that stands out from the crowd, which just seems to get harder and harder these days. If you are looking for a fantastic puzzle experience to get you through the weekend, and you already finished Monument Valley 2, then YANKAI’S PEAK is worth a download.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 89 Critic Score
    The visuals are breathtaking like the original, but with much more vibrant tones. The soundtrack is engrossing and adds to the experience, and the controls are easy enough for anyone. The original Monument Valley was a monumental experience for me, and this sequel only reinforces that.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    I’ve only started Zombie Gunship Survival, but so far it’s an enjoyable way to pass the time. I love how realistic the graphics are because it is truly immersive and unique, unlike some other zombie shooter games that I’ve seen. The controls are easy enough to understand, and you can easily change the y-axis and x-axis to have inverted movement. I’m usually not a fan of freemium base building games, but the distinctive combat system of Zombie Gunship Survival is interesting enough to keep me coming back for more. I don’t like the timers for opening crates though, but I suppose I can live with it.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Even though I was not too familiar with Skullgirls before this week, I think I’m now a fan. The artwork is downright amazing, and I love the voice acting for these lively characters. The music is also catchy and pleasant, and I’m not that big of a jazz fan to begin with. While I still prefer physical buttons for my fighting games, I think Skullgirls did well with the touch screen controls, because they’re not too bad and everything is responsive. The story is interesting and I like that there are multiple game modes so you can always find something entertaining if you need a break from a particular mode. While I don’t think I’ll be using the Fight Assist mode, it’s nice that the option is there for those who usually don’t play fighting games, which make this title truly a “fighting game for everyone.”
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I love the retro aesthetic design, because it reminds me a lot of Geometry Wars, which happens to be one of my favorite dual-stick shooter arcade games. As a fan of EDM in general, I found the soundtrack to be delightful, and the sound effects and numerous explosions on screen are quite satisfying. And while the main objective is pretty straightforward, I like having the other three goals on each stage to keep things interesting, and it just means more replay value. I kind of wish that the game did offer different difficulty levels for players to choose from though, because it’s fairly difficult and definitely not something I’d recommend for casual players who may get frustrated easily.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I am in love with the gorgeous art style, especially the subtle color swirls that make it feel like it’s alive. The audio is superb, and the controls work well for the touch screen. I also like the fact that there’s a powerful narrative that is told through the game but it’s done entirely without the use of dialogue or words, and is only shown to players through imagery that we can all relate to in some way. Personally, to me, these are the best experiences you could ask for. I highly recommend giving Old Man’s Journey a go if you’re into games with emotional stories and life experiences.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The visuals in Run-A-Whale are downright exquisite, especially all of the realistic effects such as the water rippling and affecting what you see below the surface, as well as the dynamic day, night, and weather cycles. The music and nature sound effects will bring you pure zen, and the controls work out well for the touch screen. The goals keep you coming back for more, and some of them are rather hard to do, which just means you’ll just keep trying until you get them, and the addition of bosses is a nice touch. And to top everything off, Run-A-Whale has zero in-app purchases — you pay the dollar and get everything in the game! The only way to get enough coins for everything is to play the game.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The graphics are cartoonish and follow the clean aesthetic of the other CARROT apps, the sound effects are charming and fun, and the slider control for picking decisions is intuitive and feels natural. I love the variations between each parallel world, the snark and humor in the game is top-notch (though not for everyone), and the tasks are fun to try and accomplish if the opportunity arises, though I do wish that you got some kind of in-game reward for completing them. The only problem I have with Artificial Superintelligence is the fact that sometimes the worlds seem too similar, and should definitely have more variation or randomness in them. Still, this is a game that I will continue to come back to whenever I have some spare time throughout my day.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    It’s fairly difficult, which is to be expected from a bullet hell shooter, but because of the roguelike elements, such as randomly generated runs, it’s refreshing and even more challenging since you can’t predict what comes next. Even though the boss battles wreck me, I still can’t help but keep coming back to it. The Daily Run also gives you something to look forward to each day, and the arena is a nice way to just practice and get better. And as a fan of pixel art games, the graphics are top-notch and some of the best I’ve seen lately for a bullet hell space shooter. And who can resist a great metal soundtrack? The only downside to Steredenn is the fact that you can’t play your own music while you’re in the game, even if you turn the music and sounds down completely. Hopefully the developers can change this in a future update, because while the metal soundtrack is great and all, sometimes I just want to listen to my own tunes.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The graphics are fantastic for a mobile version of a console game, the roster is expansive, the fights are challenging but fun at the same time, and the controls work well for what it’s worth. I do wish that it wasn’t such a pain to get hero shards to get more characters, because of course the good ones are always super expensive and costly, and I could do without the energy system, but hey, I suppose that’s a good reason for me to pick up the PlayStation 4 version eventually. I recommend checking out Injustice 2 if you’re a fan of the original game, love DC, or just want a fun fighting game.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The graphics are stunning and take me back to my childhood days, and the circus theme music is both dastardly and charming at the same time, somehow. It’s also hard to find platformer style games that nail down the controls, but Penarium did a great job with them, because they feel like perfection as it is, though you can customize them in the settings. The gameplay mechanic itself is rather fun and frantic, so it’s a great way to test your skills, and there are no in-app purchases or extras. On top of it all, the game is fairly humorous thanks to the wacky ways that Willy can die for the audience, and the ringmaster has some funny bits of dialogue as well. Overall, Penarium is just a fantastic game that should not be missed.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I know that infinite runner style games have gotten a bit tiresome over the years, but I feel like Pengy brings in a unique gameplay concept that makes it a bit more challenging than the typical infinite runner, since you only have a limited supply of ice to get you as far as possible. It requires a bit of practice to get good at this game because of the resource management, but it’s still fun and a great gem to play for quick game sessions. Plus, the delightful cartoon-style graphics are fun to look at as you play, the sounds are soothing, and the controls are perfectly optimized for touch screen devices. Pengy Has a Dream is a great addition to anyone’s mobile game collection.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The game is not only gorgeous to look at, but the sound effects are nice to listen to as well. Plus, since there is no music in the background, the player still has the option to listen to their own music while playing, which is always a great thing. The controls are super intuitive and responsive, and the gameplay mechanic is interesting and brings a challenging new twist to your usual puzzle fare.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I recommend giving Match Land a try if you are into match-three RPGs and want something that is a bit different from the norm and much more challenging.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    As a fan of word games of all kinds, I am enjoying Antitype so far. The game is unlike most other word games I’ve tried in recent memory, and I love the simplicity of the visual and audio design. It can definitely be challenging on some levels because of the shifting mechanic, but I like the fact that there will always be a different solution on each attempt, because it keeps things fresh and interesting, and no one gets an unfair advantage over another. This is a perfect game to play for both quick and longer game sessions. I highly recommend Antitype to anyone who likes word games and brain teaser puzzles.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    If you are looking for a retro arena-based arcade shooter that has some humor thrown into the mix, then you should check out Get Me Outta Here. Just be warned about the controls, as they need to be better streamlined.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Vignettes may appear simple on the surface, but the game is much deeper than that once you start, and it ends up being hard to stop. Plus, the interactions with some objects provide fun extras, such as rescuing cute cats, time travel, selfies on a mountain, and more. They’re not exactly obvious, but part of the fun is discovering all of these secrets for yourself.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The minimal style is aesthetically pleasing, and the colors are eye-catching. However, if the colors are too bright when you play in the dark, there is a Night theme that you can switch to in the menu to turn everything into grayscale, which is a nice addition. The music is soothing as well, so it’s easy to put your attention into solving the puzzles. Controls are intuitive and responsive, the myriad of puzzles can be fairly challenging, and the gameplay mechanics are introduced at a gradual pace that never overwhelms. The only thing that is missing are hints for those who prefer immediate gratification when it comes to puzzle solving, but I think it’s better this way since there’s no way to squeeze more money out of you for hints through in-app purchases or watching ad clips. And as I said, everything can be solved by trial-and-error.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The game is gorgeous to look at, the music is fun, and there are a ton of customization options available for you to create your ultimate battle bot. I just wish that there was a way for you to control your bot in battle, but this auto battle mechanic does mean it’s easier to play this game in short bursts throughout the day, at the very least. Plus, it’s just fun to see what you can come up with when it comes to the parts that you manage to get a hold of. I do find the timers for boxes to be a tad frustrating, but the gems that you need to unlock them faster are not too hard to get, but of course you can buy them through in-app purchases if you’re impatient (this is a free game, after all). I recommend giving CATS: Crash Arena Turbo Stars a try if you’re looking for a fun, pint-size arcade battle bot game.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I like the simple and clean visual style, the tranquil music is great and helps you focus on solving the puzzles, and the concept is basic but still challenging. I just wish that the game still kept the colors at the bottom because I feel it’s easier to switch between the colors this way — perhaps it should be considered as an option. Another thing I found weird was the loading times between stages — it seems a bit long for what it is, and I hope that the developer optimizes these loading times in the future. And finally, I would like to see are more levels added eventually, as it would increase the longevity of the game. Other than that, I think Polycolor is a pretty solid release so far.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    I love the beautiful visual style and music, and the fact that everything is mostly automatic makes it easy to see what’s happening and understand. It’s a bit disappointing that the developers don’t plan on adding the expansions to this version, or even adding more game modes in the future. But if you’re looking for a great solitaire game for quick sessions, then Onirim is a pretty good fit for the price of a dollar.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    While I’m not a huge horror movie fanatic, the game is still incredibly enjoyable. I love the graphics, the music is amazing, the dialogue for kill scenes is hilarious, the Gorepacks are fun to watch, and the puzzles themselves are challenging. The best thing about the game is the fact that there are no in-app purchases, so even though getting all killers and Gorepacks is expensive, it’s great that you can’t just buy your coins to get them before other people. It keeps players coming back for more gory horror movie fun while earning coins to get optional collectible content. And while I prefer to keep the game in R-mode, it’s nice that they included a less bloody PG-mode to keep even the squeamish satisfied.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    I love the vintage aesthetic because it takes me back to my childhood, and the music is well done. The roguelike and randomly generated levels may not be for everyone, but I do like that it keeps things fresh and interesting every time you play. The touch screen controls do need a bit more work before they feel streamlined for a touch interface, though, so hopefully that is coming sooner rather than later. I do recommend Meganoid(2017) if you enjoy tough roguelike platformer games.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The visuals and sound effects are pretty simple but still lovely to see and hear. There are plenty of puzzles for the price, and while they do get challenging as you get further along, they never once feel overwhelming, so this is a puzzle game fit for all ages. While you can buy keys to skip levels that you are stuck on, I feel that almost all of them can be solved through trial-and-error, so the keys are completely optional. I recommend picking up Trilogic if you’re in the mood for relaxing but stimulating logic puzzles.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    The game is a fantastic follow-up to the original, which I adored. The visuals make the game look and feel like genuine origami, the sound is amazing, the puzzles are challenging enough without being too overwhelming, and the wide variety of included levels as well as daily challenges and user-made stages keeps everything fresh and interesting, even if you beat the main game. This is another fantastic puzzle game from State of Play Games that I will be keeping on my device for some time.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    It did take me a while to figure out how to do anything in the start, but once everything clicked, it all felt super intuitive. My best recommendation is to just tap on anything that looks interesting and see what happens, then look at the bigger picture and put it all together. I don’t think the puzzles are too difficult either, as you can figure out what needs to be done after a few attempts, so this is a great puzzle adventure for all ages. The hand-drawn graphics are beautiful to behold, and when it’s combined with the ambiance of the music and sounds, it’s a surreal dreamscape that’s hard to escape from.
    • tbd Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The visuals are definitely appealing with the isometric voxel style, and the music is delightful. The puzzles start off easy enough, but things pick up in difficulty at a nice, gradual pace, so it’s never overwhelming. Adding a hard mode that changes everything up keeps the game interesting, and gives you brand new opportunities to beat your previous high score. I recommend giving Ellie & Max a try if you like shifting perspective puzzle games.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    As a fan of word games, I’ve found TypeShift to be a delightful gem among the recent flood of big indie game titles on the App Store. The visuals are simple and clean, the sound effects are fun to hear, the haptic feedback is nice, and the game mechanic is different enough to stand out among the word game market.

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