Even lacking the punch of the opening act, From The Ashes is a solid follow up that has left me wanting more. In shifting down gears for a slower paced story with less “shocking” moments, the foundation has been laid for more explosive future episodes.

I enjoyed the game enough to warrant the purchase of a few booster packs (thankfully I managed to keep it at a few). I’m sure that if you spent enough money, your people could live like royalty in a safeguarded oasis, away from all the ghouls, raiders and rad-roaches. But, then what? It becomes a base-building sim just like any other.

Crescent Moon Games and Cinopt Studios have delivered a game that is frustrating, glitchy and pretty dull in spite of its genuinely beautiful pixel-style graphics and pleasing ambient soundtrack. Bambi was lambasted for almost half a decade before being recognised as a cinematic masterpiece, so there is a chance that in years (and patches) to come my opinion of The Deer God may change – but probably not.

Yes, I have had some issues with Ronin, but I’ve still had fun. Enjoyable and frustrating this game may be, when all is said and done, there isn’t anything quite as satisfying as surprise tossing a thug out of a tenth story window and watching him sail into the darkness.

Admittedly, .PXL does not boast much staying power and you’ll probably delete it off you iPad after a few weeks. Nonetheless, for a free game (if you can stand the intrusive ads), it’s a good time waster. Just be mindful that you probably will lose your temper more than once.

The game’s total length of twelve levels feels like a fair proposition for the money you’ll spend, and there is not an IAP in sight. Had the game gone on for longer, I would have really needed more variety to hold my interest - as it stands, Ammo Pigs only just outstays its welcome.

Hot Tin Roof: The Cat That Wore a Fedora gives you a comical world to explore, interesting characters and enough collectibles to keep you plugging away. And, although many of its greatest qualities are dulled by odd design choices, it’s still a worthy addition to the Steam store that should satisfy gamers with a penchant for discovery.

It's evident that Gameloft has in its ranks the talent necessary to craft an epic, rich action-RPG - and I'd dearly like to see the development team do just that - but DH5 is not that game. There's certainly excellent examples of those on iOS, and players after such adventures would do well to grab Iesabel or Battleheart Legacy and forget this title.

Unbound introduces a new mechanic, which allows players to take control of both Joey and Lauren. Joey can’t physically interact with real objects, although he can touch other spirits, make a breeze and interfere with electronic equipment. This is a great step forward for the series, opening up a whole new spectrum of plot ideas and puzzles.

Legacy is heavily influenced by classic point-and-click adventure games from developers like Sierra and LucasArts. Technically, Legacy captures the look of these classic adventures spot on, but it’s missing what can only be described as that “spark” which made games like Space Quest or Leisure Suit Larry so memorable.

I’ve had a great time playing Back to Bed, just don't play before bedtime, all this talk of sleeping and not sleeping can keep you awake for hours.

Super Secret Service’s impressive visuals and catchy melodies set the stage for a simple and increasingly frenetic passion project that harkens back to the simpler days of gaming.

When you can and can't swipe isn't really explained either. I learnt purely through some frustrating trial and error that you can swipe horizontally during a vertical dash, but not vertically mid-horizontal dash. Asides from these minor issues, Duke Dashington is a pithy if busy puzzler that will leave you wanting more. I finished the four temples in just over an hour, which for a game where each level lasts no more than ten seconds, means a whole lot of gameplay in such a tiny package.

So two weeks into my Godus adventure I took stock of what I was doing and realised it was nothing more than checking into the game a couple of times a day to click on various things and collect my resources with a view to having enough currency - termed Belief - to knock down a mountain that was in my way. It turns out God can move mountains, but man is it expensive.

Hyperfocal Designs should be commended for creating a title that can be at times a warm, calming meander through space, yet at others a cruel and punishing challenge from the pits of hell, reminding you that you can never take a second for granted. If you're feeling stressed, grab a beverage, your favourite pair of headphones and pick up a copy of Unknown Orbit.

There are some nice touches in the design - the smears of previous cubes on the arena floor, the cries of anguish as the cube is squashed to a cerulean goo - but any charm that they generate is killed by the full screen ads that pop up every now and again, with no option to turn them off by paying the developers for their efforts.

Yet I remain super impressed with Blowfish Meets Meteor. The instantly likeable visuals and unique presentation are evidence of a game given lots of love. Furthermore, there is a true sense of satisfaction at beating some of the trickier levels and bosses.

Electric Mammoth aren't trying to change the world with this addictive tap ‘n’ swipe arcade fix, but it's clear that a lot of fun was had making this game. It's totally worth a play.

The Heart Of Gold is an incredibly gorgeous hidden object game, with a fantastic variety of mostly fun puzzle minigames to work though. However, erratic spikes in puzzle difficulty and one of the weirdest stories ever keep it from being a truly excellent game. [Episode 7, September 2014]

With some tweaked level design and some re-balancing of the currency system, Flow Spark Studios’ cheery game has the potential to be a promising physics puzzler. As it stands, it’s still worth a look to see if you want to persevere at the timer. [Episode 6, July 2014]

I’m not sure if Instantion was already well into development when The Swapper came out or not, but its interesting premise is weakened by the fact the idea has already been done, and more effectively (albeit on other platforms), too. It makes Instantion a hard sell. It delivers on enough of what it sets out to do to provide some mild entertainment, but if I did have an army of clones at my dispersal, I might choose to cook dinner and hand Instantion over to one of them.

Too often my victories felt like strokes of luck instead of skilled management. Yet there is an obvious heart to Armstrong’s David that carries it over the line, delivering a beautifully depicted and high-concept arcade experience that you can enjoy for free. [Episode 6, July 2014]

CLARC shapes up as a great foundation for first-time iOS developer Golden Tricycle. Its core concept is simple, but when coupled with striking visuals, odd characters and wonderfully crafted puzzles, CLARC positions itself as a great base to build a library of memorable iOS titles around. [Episode 6, July 2014]

While elements of Adventure To Fate are enjoyable, the frustrating and repetitive combat sucked most of the fun out of it for me. Still I wouldn’t be surprised to discover there’s hardcore JRPG fans out there that have an absolute blast with this game.

A worthwhile look for the retro-curious keen to scratch a Doom itch they didn’t know they had while dusting down a transitional fossil in the evolution of our industry. Just check your expectations at the door though: for the big smile it will give you when you hear those SFX, the frustrations of frequent freezes and fiddlesome controls will test your patience.

Despite many of the ideas on display in developer Gibs & Gore’s anatomical platformer aren’t exactly original, it remains a well-made experience, benefiting from a unique visual style and extremely good controls. That said, the ruthless difficulty ensures its place as one of gaming’s great masochists. [Episode 5, June 2014]

There’s loads of unlockables and a nice little nod to Canabalt (look out for the birds), ensuring Bill Killem remains a fine quick fix experience for those gamers who view Duke Nukem as a class act. [Episode 5, June 2014]

While it isn’t the most polished way to relive some of platform gaming’s finest moments, Retro Runner: Princess Power makes an earnest attempt at fulfilling its premise and does take a fond look back at some of the characters, art and tropes that have made the genre such a classic. [Episode 5, June 2014]

Playing more like snooker on acid than soccer, it’s a fun little distraction, albeit a non-essential one. It really does feel like something brainstormed at a Game Jam, polished for a week or so and (kind of) thrown onto the App Store. [Episode 5, June 2014]

A few additional environments and more meaningful collectibles would add some needed depth. That being said, digiKhel’s first iOS game is worth its weight in gold, especially considering it is a one-man effort. I am very excited to see what his future efforts will yield.

The beauty of Shapist rests in its simplicity, with the interface stripped back to its barest essentials. There are no time limits or scores: not even any words or a tutorial. I found it incredibly cathartic to just sit back and solve a bunch of puzzles without any expectations placed on me. [Episode 4, April 2014]

I can’t see Dudeski setting the iOS world on fire, but it does provide enough warmth to make it worth stopping by for a pleasant downhill session every now and then. [Episode 4, April 2014]

It’s not a new concept by any stretch, but much like NimbleBit’s Tiny Death Star, Assault Team feels like an authentic Star Wars experience. Hearing Chewbacca’s roar, R2D2’s squeaks and Han’s cynical quips gave me a great sense of satisfaction. Plus I found myself pushing on and playing for just that little while longer for the simple joy of seeing which of the series’ many classic characters I’d pick up next. [Episode 4, April 2014]

There are some interesting ideas here, such as being able to control individual parts of your vehicle that have differing functions, and some imaginative level design, but I would be remiss if I didn't point out how heavily it borrows from Bad Piggies, minus that game's extra layer of polish.

The touchscreen feels like the perfect home for Kahuna, but developer USM definitely needs to address the cracks in its foundations before it’s too late and the walls come crumbling down.

The glimpses of potential that occasionally shine into In Fear I Trust's darkness make the end result even more disappointing. An intriguing start is let down by a nonsensical story, frustrating puzzles and fiddly controls.

Touch Force isn’t particularly long; you’ll be able to finish it in around 15 minutes. The baddies don’t pose too much of a challenge, and there is little to encourage replayability. In that respect, it is almost a proof of concept, but thanks to the unique controls and chaotic fun, these 15 minutes do feel like time well spent and will leave you hungry for a sequel. [Episode 3, April 2014]

Only One is a fantastic arcade title on iOS that’s easy to pick up and hard to put down. It may not be the biggest thing to hit the App Store, but its charming pixelated graphics and diabolically tuned gameplay will see you striving for that next high score. [Episode 3, April 2014]

Despite occasional frustrations, Castle of Illusion is a fun and visually impressive rework of a true classic. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d played this experience in too many different guises over the years to fully enjoy it.

Isle of Bxnes is unrepentant in its brutality and challenge, and its inaccessibility will be a turn off for many people. But if you’re willing to dig in and master the fiddly controls, you will unearth the bones of a very solid roguelike.

An impressive debut from developer Flat Earth Games, TownCraft is a robust package that will have you happily sinking countless hours into building your own world without ever realising it.

Formula Legend is already a fun experience, but more importantly, it’s also a solid foundation from which BeerMogul Games can build a truly comprehensive and great F1 management sim. [Issue 0, January 2014]

Zombitsu’s yo-yo controls – undulating between unresponsive or oversensitive – and frustrating map design could do with some tweaks… but the addictive formula of an endless runner feels like a natural fit with the slaying of undead minions. [Issue 1, February 2014]

It’s very much a blink and you’ll die situation and what starts out at a leisurely pace rapidly escalates to a screen filled with fearsome foes. If you’ve got a spare few minutes, this is a great game to fill in time. It may be dark, but all is not quite hopeless. [Issue 1, February 2014]

It really needs more content and some storytelling to link the stages together, which will hopefully come in the form of updates down the track. As it stands, however, The Lawless will certainly give you a few minutes of fun, even if it leaves you thinking about how much potential there is in the concept. [Issue 1, February 2014]

With an intuitive interface, a thoughtful premise and engaging gameplay, Magnetized is about as close to iOS perfection as you can get. [Issue 1, February 2014]

The shadowy art style and haunting soundtrack will pull at your heartstrings as damaged toys burst back to life, but a few practical problems cause Lost Toys to fall short of its potential and the standard set by the likes of The Room. [Issue 1, February 2014]