In Stardew Valley a stressed-out pen pusher quits his office job to bring his deceased grandfather's farm back to fruition. — dpa
Farming, shooting, ghost-fighting and solving puzzles using AR – take your pick: The latest smartphone games have it all.
From office worker to farmer
A stressed-out pen pusher quits his office job to bring his deceased grandfather's farm back to fruition. That's the plot of Stardew Valley (iOS/Android version planned) which PC and console gamers have been enjoying for some time and which is now also available for smartphones.
To begin with, fields have to be cultivated and the first harvest achieved to bring some money into the coffers. The more money, the more possibilities there are. More fields can be put into production and animals and machines purchased.
In addition to work, the player must take care of the social side of life. In the nearby village there's a lot to experience, perhaps even romance.
At all times the player has to keep an eye on the time, energy and resources of the farmer. This farm simulator game has already been released for iOS and costs US$8 (RM34). An Android version is said to be in the works.
Solving floating puzzles using AR
Puzzle solving with a wow factor: that's what Euclidean Skies (iOS) offers. The game incorporates augmented reality (AR) very well with objects seeming to float in the air.
But the use of AR is not just a nice accessory, it helps you to play the game. That's because you can look at the puzzles from all sides and zoom in closer by moving the smartphone around.
Players can look at each level from different viewpoints while they try to solve the game's 40 puzzles. The tasks are reminiscent of the successful Monument Valley game but with the use of AR, Euclidean Skies adds its own touch. The game is available for iOS and costs US$5 (RM21).
Using flashlight to fight ghosts
In Candies ‘n' Curses (iOS/Android) Molli has to clear evil spirits out of the way in a haunted house using nothing more than a flashlight. Luckily for the little girl with the pink ponytail the ghosts don't like light.
Players move Molli over the four floors of the house with simple touch gestures, eliminating ghosts and collecting their souls - these enable her to move through the game's levels and upgrade her flashlight.
This fast game is perfect when you have moments to kill. Available free for Android and iOS, it offers in-app purchases that help players accelerate their progress.
Surprises in space
Black Paradox (iOS) is a retro shooter with pixelated graphics and a spaceship that looks a lot like the DeLorean car from the Back To The Future movies. The player flies from left to right, shooting at countless enemies while trying to dodge their projectiles.
From time to time there are new weapons or shields. This does not sound very exciting at first but the game does have a special game principle – when a player dies all progress is lost.
However, the next life offers a surprise as the game is harder or easier depending on how the player did in the previous level. So the game adapts to the skill of each player.
Also, upgrades are completely different in the new round so that the game remains varied. This colourful action game is available in the iOS App Store for US$4 (RM17). – dpa
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