Carcassonne isn't a difficult game to grasp, but it does have an extraordinary amount of depth.

There are oddities, such as some cut-scenes being fully acted-out by quality artists and others relying on simple text, online connectivity requirements, and for the non-RPG player, it's definitely recommended to step through the guide every now and then to ease confusion

It oozes character without beating you over the head with it, and, you know, its colors and contrasts also look pretty sharp on 'HD' devices.

Oh, there's even a whopping 23 music tracks, including some from the original, which brings back happy memories and the new tracks sound as great as the original ones.

Is GRID Autosport a perfect game? No, but it's pretty close to that. For instance, the menus could have been all on one screen so I don't have to scroll right and left all the time. And maybe some of the text could have been slightly larger on a phone. But this is me being nitpicky because GRID is a really amazing mobile game that fans of racing should buy immediately. Buying a game with so much content and one that plays so well for just $9.99 almost makes me feel guilty (almost). GRID Autosport is a great port of a great game, and despite a few little issues, it should be a no brainer. If you decide to grab it, keep in mind that it takes about 6 GB on your device and will only play (or at least play well) on an iPhone SE, iPhone 7 or newer, iPad (2017), iPad Pros, and requires iOS 11. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a supercar to drive down a long, long straight.

If you treat Anomaly Korea as more of an expansion pack rather than a full-on sequel you'll be pleased with the purchase. Even if you wanted more, I find it hard to believe that you can resist more pure Anomaly.

There's a lot of things going on in Pocket Planes. There's simulation, there's strategy, and then there's the world that you've created and the people you might have interacted with along the way. While it's probably true that the game's mechanics will only keep your interest for so long, there's a lot of game here to like. More importantly, though, Pocket Planes is just ... fun. Game business doesn't need to inform game design, after all.

This is yet another speedrunning masterpiece that everyone ought to own.

Joe Danger is the complete package. It's the console-caliber game that everybody craves on their mobile device, except in this case the console it was made for is actually the iOS platform.

That being said, if you've been playing along with every GTA release Rockstar has made on iOS over the years, Liberty City Stories is every bit as must-have as the rest of them.

AirAttack 2 is one of the best looking games on mobile right now, and it backs that up with pristine gameplay that would satisfy any shmup fan. This is definitely going into my permanent shooter folder.

Mutant Mudds really has it all, and in terms of the slower-paced, exploration-based platforming games it's unmatched by anything else on the App Store.

You can play it for the awesome story, or to help train your brain. It is beautifully polished and for any one who has been following its production from the very beginning, this game is unquestionably worth the wait.

This isn't the scariest game on the planet, nor is it the best put together. The combat in particular is a black eye. But there's a lot in Dead Space to keep you engaged and there's some points of great design that I think you'll appreciate - especially if you're daring enough to play this on your sofa with the lights off and some great headphones on.

Battleheart Legacy is easily among the best games I've played this year, and I can't imagine a reality where it isn't still high in the running when we get around to doing all of our game of the year stuff in December.

Teeny Titans could have been a nasty and probably quite effective free-to-play money-cruncher, but I'm quite happy it took the road less-traveled.

It's a better game, a cooler experience, and a must-buy for action-adventure aficionados and aspiring arachnids alike.

You can play it and know that you're getting your money's worth, and you get a lot of game out of this, because getting to space is extremely difficult, and a real accomplishment.

Cardpocalypse is perhaps my favorite game on the Apple Arcade. The deep strategy and customization offered here is amazing and gives me so much replayability that I could easily see myself playing it at least four times and still not running out of new things to try. If you enjoy battling card games or just think you want to try one out, this is the game for you.

This is a game you need.

The emergent gameplay is second-to-none, and the sheer number of secrets is massive. No game will give you more to find and discover than The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth will. This could conceivably be the only game you play for the rest of the year, considering how much time you'd have to spend to be good at the game, and then unlocking everything there is to see in Rebirth. And it's a ton of fun along the way. It took a long time to get here, but enjoy this one, folks.

I couldn’t stop playing Shredder’s Revenge until I finished it, and the minute I did, I played through it again. And then I played through it one more time. And then I pulled my family in and we played through it once more. I keep firing it up to play my favorite stages when I’ve got a bit of free time. It’s an outstanding TMNT game, a jaw-dropping take on the Konami-style beat-em-up, and more pure goofy fun than I could ever have anticipated it to be.

If you’ve not played Alien: Isolation before, the mobile version is phenomenal. It isn’t just a good value proposition with all DLC included at the low asking price of $14.99 compared to other platforms, but it looks and runs brilliantly even compared to the Xbox and PS4 versions. I know Feral Interactive is capable of miracle mobile conversions, but this Alien: Isolation is on a whole other level. Having tried it on consoles including the new Xbox Series X where it has an FPS Boost through backward compatibility, the iPad version with good headphones and an optional controller trumps all other console versions of the game. If you’ve been wanting to experience Alien: Isolation, this is a fantastic way to do so and one of the best iOS conversions ever.

While it looks old, and has virtual joysticks, Max Payne is every bit the great game it was 11 years ago. I wish Rockstar had put more love into the port, but for costing me 1/25th of the original game, I'll cut them some budgetary slack.

The addition of new mechanics changes up the gameplay in wonderful new ways without sacrificing an ounce of what made the original such a standout game in the first place.

It's rare to find a game that does something so original so well, with every element of gameplay and design falling into place. Simogo has pulled it off with Beat Sneak Bandit. In my books it's a must buy, and such a shame it would be to miss out.

This is the third time Capcom has released Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, and I really do hope this is the time it properly catches on. It’s every bit as good as the other work Shu Takumi is known for, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. If you’ve never played it before, this is your chance to do so. It has a superb story, clever mechanics, charming characters, a sizzling presentation, and satisfying puzzles to untangle.

This is a fantastic game that other developers of platformers need to take heed of, and that you need to play.