New Android Games

July 24, 2017 3:36 PM

Looking for a new Android game, good for my commute, that doesn't require an internet connection to launch. Rogue-lite or RPG preferred but a good puzzle game also works.

I usually keep a couple games on my phone and the current ones are getting stale.
I prefer no internet connection required, no microtransactions or pay-to-win games, and touch controls instead of a fake joystick on the screen. Happy to pay for a good one.

Likes:
Pixel Dungeon
100 Rogues
Legends of Yore
Punch Quest
You Must Build A Boat and 10000000
Monument Valley
Mage Gauntlet and Wayward Souls (The controls are amazing, like Secret of Mana built for a phone)
Injustice (Not the micro-transactions, but the ability to pick it up and play a fight just for a couple minutes)
A bunch of puzzle games that I can't remember the name

Dislike:
Squaresoft ports (Can't handle the controls)
Most Mobile focused strategy games with a buy gems or wait an hour mechanic
Injustice 2 and that other DC game (Can't play without connection)
Platform games with on-screen controls

posted by kittensofthenight to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

Response by poster: I should also say that sadly I am a sucker for a strong theme, and more abstract puzzle games like 3s can feel pointless.
posted by kittensofthenight at 3:40 PM on July 24, 2017

I'm quite into Polytopia at the moment. The basic tribes are all free, it works without internet and no in-built "need to wait an hour before next thing happens". Think Civ-lite.
posted by kariebookish at 3:51 PM on July 24, 2017 [3 favorites]

Hoplite - Rouge-lite
Ending Rouge-lite/puzzler. A little abstract, but I feel like it has a lot of personality in spite of the abstraction.
Reigns RPGish Game of Thrones filtered through Tinder
Triple Town Puzzler, same developer as Threes, but with a little tiny but of a narrative
Out There Rougeish/RPGish in spaaaace.
posted by clockwork at 5:42 PM on July 24, 2017

Ghosts of Memories and Maestria are Monument Valley -likes that try to add their own complications to the basic formula. I just tested them both on my phone in airplane mode and they didn't seem to complain about lack of connection.
posted by radwolf76 at 6:25 PM on July 24, 2017

Tactics Maiden, and prequels
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:38 PM on July 24, 2017

Eternium kept me entertained for quite a while. Diablo-ish hack and slash RPG. You can do almost everything offline, it only needs to sync up to submit quests, finish crafting items, etc. It does have a gem system, but it's pretty generous and entirely possible to play & enjoy without spending any money. (I did wind up shelling out a few bucks for the "subscription" option that's offered when you start playing the game. It gives you 100 gems/day over 30 days, which was more than enough to unlock extra character slots/inventory slots/etc.)
posted by gennessee at 10:14 PM on July 24, 2017

Pathos: Nethack Codex is a nice, free tiled version of Nethack for Android. Hard, because...Well...Nethack, but the developer did a (IMO) brilliant job translating things to a touch interface. It is still being actively developed, and, as I learned from an email exchange, rather a nice person to boot.

Also, no ads and zero transactions of any sort other than uploading your scores to his server (optional, but still free).

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.x10host.pathos
posted by Samizdata at 2:10 AM on July 25, 2017 [1 favorite]

I really enjoyed puzzler The Room - work out how to unlock various machines and contraptions to progress
posted by sarahdal at 3:42 AM on July 25, 2017