The smartphone has afforded game developers the opportunity to go in new and unique directions. Over the last few years, we’ve seen a number of fascinating mobile games developed for smartphones: from the technologically advanced augmented reality of Pokémon Go to the simple text-based enjoyment found in Doublespeak’s The Dark Room. Here, we’re going to take a look at some of the most impressive.
Telling Lies
Telling Lies is a fascinating game, particularly when the viability of news is constantly coming into question. It uses footage of people revealing pieces of information that the player then has to put together in order to find the truth.
Developed by Sam Barlow, who worked on Silent Hill: Origins and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, this narrative-based game follows his previously successful Her Story, which enjoyed similar mechanics. Through video clips and other evidence, the player tries to unravel the mystery. Three alternative endings are built-in, depending on what videos the player sees and what evidence they choose to follow.
Hearthstone
Hearthstone is deceptively innovative. Its seemingly straightforward mechanics belie a richly populated magical world of heroes and villains. Via its user interface, it is compellingly geared to replicating the feel of physical cards and has been created to work across platforms. As one of a number of digital card-based games for smartphones, Hearthstone remains a popular favorite in spite of growing competition within the niche.
The Elder Scrolls: Legends, which utilizes a similar gaming mechanic, is one of the most recent to emerge. Others have taken the digital card game in new directions too, for example, the Kickstarter success, Exploding Kittens.
Meanwhile, classic games have had innovative makeovers such as board game Clue, and Evolution Gaming’s Speed Blackjack. The latter is a unique take on the popular online casino game of blackjack that sticks to the traditional rules (players have to beat the dealer’s hand without going bust by breaking 21), but rewards participants for acting the fastest when deciding to hit, double down, or split.
Monument Valley 2
This sequel was almost inevitable after the critical acclaim received by Monument Valley’s debut in 2014. Developed by Ustwo and released on iOS prior to its November 2017 launch on Android devices, Monument Valley 2 is an immersive puzzle game. Boasting a minimalist isometric view giving the player a 3D stage in which to see the story-driven world, our job is to solve puzzles to help a mother and daughter on their perilous journey.
The aim of the game is for the player to help the two protagonists overcome seemingly impossible architecture. It’s unique in the way it tells its story visually, avoiding traditional narrative techniques such as text or dialog and, instead, using color and audio motifs to reveal character traits, mood, and the development of their relationship.
As the rise of mobile gaming continues, developers will seize upon the chance to bring increasingly unique and imaginative ideas to smartphone screens. From other examples such as the intuitive one-touch control games seen in Trick Tip and Thumb Drift, groundbreaking graphics in Riptide GP: Renegade and Nimian Legends: BrightRidge, to the musical theatre of Peter Panic and the interactive literature of Device 6, the smartphone gaming market is awash with truly innovative alternatives.
