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Top 10 best Android games of May 2013

Beat-'em-ups from the past, online shooters, and moody adventures

Top 10 best Android games of May 2013
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Welcome back! Has it really been a month since we last sat here glancing back at April's top Android offerings? Yes, of course it has.

Guess what? May's selection is just as good as April's, if not better. We've got several nods to the '90s golden era of gaming, a serious strategy epic, and a lush-looking online FPS, among other things.

In case you're new to this feature, here's how it works: we take a look back at our own Android reviews section from the past month. We also take a peek at the Quality Index boards, and feed in any interesting titles that have caught our attention during the month.

Naturally, this list is far from definitive, so please do tell us what your own favourite Android games of the month were in the comments section below.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the top ten Android games of the past 30 days.

Hiversaires
By David Mondou-Labbe - buy on Android

A first person point-and-click adventure with a monochrome palette might not sound like the most inviting game to load onto your Android device, but Hiversaires is just that.

It's also arguably the best game of May 2013. Beautiful, mysterious, and oh-so-atmospheric, Hiversaires is perfect if you're open to something a little different.

Combo Crew
By The Game Bakers - buy on Android

From the developer of the fabulously quirky Squids games comes Combo Crew, which does for the side-scrolling beat-'em-up what the aforementioned cephalopod-centric series did for the turn-based RPG.

That is, make it feel completely at home on a touchscreen device. A clever swipe-based control system and some brutal combos make this a winner.

Factory Balls
By Bart Bonte - buy on Android

Factory Balls started out as a browser-based game, but now you can submit to its simple charms on Android.

It's a brilliantly fresh puzzler in which you must use a bunch of objects and tools to apply a custom paint job to your ball.

It's a lot more involved than your average browser game, that's for sure.

Turbo Racing League
By PikPok Games - buy on Android

Uh-oh. Turbo Racing League is a tie-in game for an upcoming kid's film. Those are almost invariably rubbish.

But wait! It's made by PikPok, the developer of the Flick Kick series and Into the Dead. Sure enough, it's a classy casual racer with bright visuals and bags of knockabout charm.

Blitz Brigade
By Gameloft - buy on Android

An online first-person shooter with virtual controls and a contemptuous IAP model might not sound too appealing, but - by Jove! - Gameloft has pulled it off.

With Blitz Brigade, the prolific French studio 'borrows' elements from such PC shooters as Team Fortress 2 and Battlefield Heroes, but does so to surprisingly good effect in this Android blaster.

We doff our bullet-ridden helmets to the Gameloft squadron.

Leviathan: Warships
By Pieces Interactive - buy on Android

Smartphone strategy games aren't renowned for being particularly, well, strategic, but Leviathan: Warships is a notable exception.

This sea-based effort is as deep as one of its oceans, so you'll issue orders to your fleet, set waypoints, and angle your shields for maximum impact. Be warned, though: it's a tough cookie.

Active Soccer
By The Fox Software - buy on Android

Remember when football games required genuine skill and patience to master? When a licensed roster of players and a full complement of flashy skills weren't the most important factors in their success?

In Active Soccer, The Fox Software steps back to such a time with its Sensible Soccer-like approach to footy. This game's scrappy, rough around the edges, and an absolute pig to control at times. But it sure does get the heart pumping when you score a 30-yard screamer.

Survivalcraft
By Igor Kalicinski - buy on Android

Yes, Igor Kalicinski is another game developer that owes a lot to Minecraft. You can tell that from his game's title, as well as Survivalcraft's pliable Lego block world.

But Survivalcraft is more than that. Here is a veritable survival-horror experience in a sandbox world. Build, craft, and try to survive the inevitable onslaught.

Karateka Classic
By Liquid Entertainment - buy on Android

Karateka Classic is a pretty accurate reimagining of the seminal Apple II beat-'em-up. Surprisingly, though, there's still a considerable amount of sophistication on display in this golden oldie.

Unlike in most beat-'em-ups, things can end in a single enemy strike here if you don't pay proper attention to defence, timing, and momentum.

Bonds of the Skies
By Kemco Games - buy on Android

Good old Kemco. The Japanese developer keeps on trying to resurrect the spirit of classic '90s JRPGs on Android with a string of similar releases.

Bonds of the Skies is a decent effort, containing all the usual genre tropes (an epic storyline, anime art style, and turn-based combat). If that kind of thing still floats your boat, you can't go far wrong here.


Top 10 best Android games: April 2013
Top 10 best Android games: March 2013
Top 10 best Android games: February 2013
Top 10 best Android games: January 2013
Top 10 best Android games: December 2012
Top 10 best Android games: November 2012
Jon Mundy
Jon Mundy
Jon is a consummate expert in adventure, action, and sports games. Which is just as well, as in real life he's timid, lazy, and unfit. It's amazing how these things even themselves out.