[sc name=”numlist” number=”1″ title=”Day of the Tentacle Remastered”]
Oh, to be young and free and careless! For the elder statesmen of millennials, Day of the Tentacle is a time machine taking them back to the long-gone days of childhood, when the captivating magic of video games was at its utmost, and you could easily spend afternoons clicking and pointing without a care in the world. Thanks to Day of the Tentacle Remastered, that time machine just got upgraded, and that nostalgic magic reinvented. The story, of course, remained the same: Dr. Fred’s – who might be familiar from Day of the Tentacle’s iconic prequel, Maniac Mansion – mutated purple tentacle sets his sights on world domination, and no one but you can prevent his evil plans in a time-travelling, head-spinning adventure for the ages starring three unlikely friends. Although the ingenious plot has not been tinkered with, there’s plenty of fresh content to be amazed by: hand-drawn, high resolution artwork, remastered music and sound effects, the ability to switch back and forth between original and remastered modes, and even the awesome feature of creating delicious concoctions of old school and new school content, including graphics, audio, and user interface. Day of the Tentacle Remastered costs $4.99, which is a measly amount for a cult classic of such high caliber.
[sc name=”numlist” number=”2″ title=”Superbrothers: Sword & Sorcery EP”]
Brought to you by the funny-sounding Capybara Games, Superbrothers: Sword & Sorcery EP is an App Store Essential and a modern classic that every iPhone user should try at least once to see whether the game’s slow-paced brilliance is their cup of tea, because – based on user reviews collected from all over the interwebs – it’s definitely not for everyone. The plot takes place in a mythic and often surreal 8-bit realm affected by moon phases, while the main character is a sword-wielding, sorcery-practicing, wandering warrior monk who you must help complete her burdensome mission by solving brain-straining puzzles and defeating terrifying foes. Besides its unique gameplay experience and the vintage spectacle that is its immensely beautiful 8-bit graphics, the best thing about Superbrothers: Sword & Sorcery EP is its soundtrack, as the game comes equipped with an album’s worth of original music courtesy of lauded composer Jim Guthrie. Since Sword & Sorcery EP’s soundtrack is made up of literally an album’s worth of tracks, there actually is an album entitled “Jim Guthrie’s Sword & Sorcery LP: The Ballad of the Space Babies”, which is worth a listen even if the game itself did not impress you that much. Although some say that Superbrothers: Sword & Sorcery EP is more of a graphic novel than a game, it’s still worth its $3.99 price tag, because no matter which genre you file the game under, it still remains a refreshingly original and must-see masterpiece.
[sc name=”numlist” number=”3″ title=”Grim Fandango Remastered”]
Another literally otherworldly cult classic containing heaps of unforgettable moments etched into the memories of everyone who’s ever played with the original PC (as in Personal Computer, not Politically Correct) edition of Grim Fandango. In this adorably grim and lethally funny afterlife noir seasoned with a dash of Mexican folklore, you play as Manny Calavera, a travel agent working for The (Dead) Man at the Department of Death, selling luxury packages to fellow skeletons to give a lavish boost to their four-year journey on the railroad track leading to eternal rest. Unfortunately for Manuel, he gets caught in a web of conspiracy he must untangle himself from in order to secure his own salvation. On the visual front, Grim Fandango Remastered packs repainted, high-resolution character textures and dynamic lighting, and it has something new and blissful for the ears in the form of an original score rerecorded with a live orchestra. Grim Fandango Remastered costs $4.99, and it’s better than ever, a feat we thought was impossible to accomplish.
[sc name=”numlist” number=”4″ title=”80 Days”]
80 Days is a somewhat steampunkish adventure game featuring stunning, minimalistic artwork and an unbelievable five hundred thousand word script that launches this globetrotting curiosity to the pinnacle of interactive storytelling. In 80 Days, you play as Passepartout, Phileas Fogg’s loyal, do-it-all, and as-smart-as-it-gets valet, who must multitask like a workaholic boss to take care of his master’s health, manage their finances, and use his arsenal of tricks and trading prowess to ensure that their worldwide voyage does not become a hellish journey as he and his master make their way from city to city traveling by submarines, airships, steam trains, hot-air balloons, and everyone’s favorite means of transport, mechanical camels. In each location, new challenges await and abound, presented to you in the form of some of the best interactive storytelling we’ve ever seen.[sc name=”quote” text=”Your actions, choices, and words determine how the story unfolds, putting you behind the wheel of your own fate”]
Your actions, choices, and words determine how the story unfolds, putting you behind the wheel of your own fate. Further complicating matters are murder, romance, rebellion, and plenty of intrigue, so make sure you tread carefully, as a single bad decision can breed disaster – especially with a relentlessly ticking in-game clock. 80 Days has an online feed broadcasting the position, progress, routes, triumphs, and disasters of all other players from all over the world, allowing you to engage in a breakneck race to become the fastest globetrotter and to learn from their mistakes. 80 Days costs $4.99, which is a bargain for an unforgettable journey around the world.
[sc name=”numlist” number=”5″ title=”Broken Age”]
Featuring an all-star Hollywood cast bursting with A-listers such as Frodo Baggins Elijah Wood and Jack Black, Broken Age is a coming-of-age story for the ages. Having been funded by a record-breaking crowdfunding campaign, it was basically predestined for success. The two main characters in Broken Age are Vella Tartine and Shay Volta, a pair of teenagers facing almost identical situations in two planes of reality which could hardly be any more different. You can switch between the two characters and storylines whenever your heart desires, diving into magical adventures graced with beautifully detailed 3D-like graphics, and also with barfing trees and talking spoons. Broken Age costs $4.99, so it certainly won’t break your budget.
[sc name=”numlist” number=”6″ title=”Banner Saga 2″]
In the sequel of the award-winning quest-game-slash-role-playing game, the objective is to lead your Viking caravan through hostile territories in a world that’s about to fall apart by employing leadership skills worthy of a wise and battle-tested chieftain, by managing resources with great care, and by using cunningly ingenious military tactics in the brutal battles against your enemies. Banner Saga 2 packs stunning 2D visuals, including bloody awesome combat sequences, jaw-dropping animations, and wow-inducing effects. In case you’re not new to the world of Vikings, and have played with Banner Saga, you can pick up the storyline from the end of the first episode, or you can dive into a brand new adventure, starting things off from scratch with pre-set character abilities.[sc name=”quote” text=” Banner Saga 2 packs stunning 2D visuals, including bloody awesome combat sequences, jaw-dropping animations, and wow-inducing effects”]
During your adventures – which were partly inspired by real Viking myths -, you have to make tough choices, some of which will have grave consequences, as your characters can set sail to Valhalla and never return again, meaning they can die permanently. But don’t you worry none, because less respawning means more excitement and a more realistic gameplay experience, with the latter especially pertaining to turn-based combats, in which you have to employ delicate military tactics to defeat your enemies. As the storyline progresses, so do your characters’ abilities which you can upgrade to unlock new deadly moves that will come in handy in the aforementioned battles. To put the icing on the merciless and bearded Viking cake, Banner Saga 2 features new characters and a new race called the Horseborn, and boasts an evocative original soundtrack courtesy of Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory.
[sc name=”numlist” number=”7″ title=”The Silent Age”]
Set in 1972, in an era characterized by the rising tensions of the Cold War and the horrors of the Vietnam War, and simultaneously set in a dystopian future where mankind has gone extinct and haunting silence is omnipresent, The Silent Age is a time-travelling adventure delighting the more mature gaming crowd with a captivating storyline split into two episodes (the first one is free, while the second one costs $4.99) and sleek yet emotive graphics. In The Silent Age, you play as Joe Average, whose name is more of an epithet, as everything about him and his life is as blatantly average as it gets – but it’s all about to change in the blink of an eye. Brain-challenging puzzles, an eerie soundtrack, and intuitive, swiping-based controls specifically designed for touch devices make this award-winning adventure game extraordinaire a standout not only in its genre, but among all iPhone games.
[sc name=”numlist” number=”8″ title=”Ember”]
Characterized as a passion project fueled by the everlasting love that developers have for the cult classic role-playing games of the good old days, Ember is the result of an arduous work process spanning over a decade. Featuring a deep-branching storyline with more than 30 hours of gameplay crammed with intriguing characters, epic adventures, loads of humor, and dynamic environments with unpredictable weather conditions and a day-and-night cycle, Ember is RPG heaven. Over 70 quests, 65 plus combat skills, an advanced character upgrade system, a complex crafting system (covering all crafting activities from baking bread to forging powerful weapons of mass destruction), and hand-painted aboveground and underground realms ensure that the charm of Ember’s enchanted parallel universe will stay with you long after you’ve finished the game. As for the story, you play as a freshly resurrected Lightbringer, summoned to this plane of existence to protect the dying Embers – fallen stars with enormous powers – in a world on the brink of collapse. On your epic journey to the City of Light, you’ll cross lush and desolate landscapes, descend into dark abysses, meet companions with unique backstory quests, defeat frightening foes, and make pivotal decision regarding the fate of the hundreds of strangers you encounter. Ember comes with a $9.99 price tag, but it’s well worth every cent of those ten bucks, as it’s one of the best RPG/adventure game projects ever undertaken.
