ToG #237 – Clash Royale and Legacy Quest

ToG #237 for the Week of March 14, 2016

Jared: Clash Royale (Free, iOS & Android, Supercell) – Jared went in ready to really dislike this new game from Clash of Clans creators Supercell. Instead he found an extremely fair, easy to get into, and novel take on the MOBA genre. There are a lot of things to love about this game and a lot of things it does right, so you should go yourself a favor and check it out. Recommended!

Todd: Adventure to Fate: Quest to the Future ($2.99, iOS, Touchmint) – This is the 3rd game in the Adventure to Fate “series”. This one focuses on character progression through dungeon exploration and lots and lots of strategic little battles. The game can feel grindy and there is pretty much no story line here, but it can also be a nice little addition to the JRPG genre. It all depends what you are looking for. If you enjoy loot, leveling up, crafting and lots of battles, then this might be something for you. If you enjoy stat progression that you control (min/max-ing) and deep stories with lots of territories to explore, this game will leave you wanting. A cautious recommendation.

Jared: Fishing Break (Free, iOS & Android, Roofdog Games) – The latest game from Pocket Mines’ creator Roofdog Games, this game has you fishing. There is a lot to do here but it all feels a bit forced and not so lovingly crafted as their prior games. The free to play elements are also a bit steep and it does not always feel fair. This one will not be staying on Jared’s device.

Todd: Ice-Bound Concordance (app)/Compendium (physical book) (Free & $25.00, iOS app & Book, Aaron Reed and Jacob Garbe) – this is something completely different. The app is a game where you help a “simulacrum” (i.e. – a digital representation) of a dead author try to finish off a novel he was working on but never finished. That novel is called “Ice-Bound”. As you delve deeper into piecing together the story, a mystery about the author begins to appear. You are then asked to add in an actual physical book to the mix and use it, and augmented reality, to uncover even more things. It is extremely compelling and a totally different experience on mobile. It is interesting and has a ton of replay value. Even with the steep price tag, Todd recommends this game/book. At the very least, try out the app to get a feel for things. You cannot complete the game without the book but it will give you a bit of an idea of things to come.

Jared: Glass Road ($4.99 on iOS, $4.54 on Android, Smart and Smarty) – Jared is bound by ToG Contract to discuss all board game to mobile adaptations. As such, he took this game for a spin. The board game is one of his top 20% of games but this adaptation is a bit lacking. It looks nice enough and it plays well enough but the tutorial is not good and the app does not always really tell you why things are happening the way they are. If you already know and enjoy the game, this will make a nice addition to your library. If you have never played, you might want to keep an eye on this to see how the update it/tweak it.

Todd: Legacy Quest (Free, iOS, Nexon) – Todd just started this free-to-play Action RPG. You start with 3 characters and you can pick any one of them to battle through dungeons while defeating monstors and getting loot. There are a ton of things to unlock and upgrade and that makes it feel a bit grindy and tiresome. The gameplay is good and the action is frantic, but it will take more time for the ToG crew to reach a verdict on this one. For now; go ahead and try it out if you are interested in ARPG/loot games.