Just in case Apple’s huge WWDC announcements weren’t enough to whet your appetite for the next year of mobile, the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) also kicked off this week, and brought with it a series of important gaming announcements for iOS and Android. The games collected below might just be the next big thing come this time next year.
Payday has been highly successful on PC and consoles, and now it’s time for the crime-themed first-person shooter to hit mobile. The game will change significantly in its transition, though, and as the “Crime War” subtitle suggests it should be a more aggressive game than its predecessor. Unlike the PC version, which pits four players against AI-controlled police in a series of escalating heists, this new mobile edition will send four criminal players up against four police players. Gamers can unlock upgrades, gear and personalization options as they play. Payday: Crime War is set to release soon on iOS and Android.
Severed is a unique role-playing game built from the ground up to take advantage of touch controls. Drinkbox Studios originally launched the game on the PlayStation Vita, but the responsive swipe-based combat and stunning visuals should be right at home on iOS devices, too. Players control Sasha the one-armed warrior as she explores dungeons, battles monsters and solves puzzles.
Square-Enix has successfully rebooted Hitman and Tomb Raider for mobile, and now it’s time for Deux Ex to get the “GO” treatment. Like the previous GO games, Deus Ex GO will take the world and mechanics of the PC/console series and repurpose them as a devious puzzle adventure game. Players will utilize unique hacking and combat abilities to thwart a terrorist plot in a futuristic world plagued by civil unrest. The first two GO games were financially and critically successful, and it wouldn’t be surprising for Deus Ex to follow in suit.
A big update is incoming for everyone’s favorite post-apocalyptic bunker building sim. Developer Bethesda Softworks showed off a new Quest system by which players can send their Vault Dwellers out into the Wasteland, where they’ll do battle with enemies using a new combat system. The additions promise to be meaningful, but the real question is whether or not they’ll bring in lapsed players for a second go.
A host of new features, including cross-platform multiplayer and new animals, are coming to Minecraft Pocket Edition via what Mojang and Microsoft call “The Friendly Update”. Perhaps the biggest change is the addition of Realms, persistent, private multiplayer servers from which you can invite other players, thereby mitigating a lot of the risk you might run into by allowing random players into your world.
Two of EA’s big mobile brands are getting updated in conjunction with this year’s E3. First, The Sims FreePlay has received a Police Update which gives players two new career choices: Metro Police or Special Agent. These in turn will let players become the Chief of Police or… a Paranormal Agent? The next update is for SimCity BuildIt, and gives players access to “Future Cities” including new Omega items like Jetpacks. With this year’s E3 games looking hotter than ever, mobile gamers should have plenty to look forward to in the coming year. And who knows - One of these games might be the giant everyone’s chasing after come next year’s convention.
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