Chrono Blade is a pure hack and slash RPG for Android! [Game of the Week]

And the combat is somehow better than most other mobile fighting games!

March 9, 2018: This week, check out the kick-ass action-RPG Chrono Blade. Then, dust up on your Simlish as you guide customized characters through life in The Sims Mobile.

Chrono Blade

What a pleasant surprise Chrono Blade ended up being. Blending RPG elements with a kick-ass side-scrolling beat-em-up, Chrono Blade is a winning combination of excellent arcade-style combat and RPG strategy. You have four characters in your party to choose from as you play through each mission, which is timed at just under 3 minutes.

Perhaps it's because I discovered it after attempting to slog through the grind that is Lineage 2: Revolution, but man, this is what I want to see from more games. There are still some mobile features that hold it back a bit, such as the time-based energy system and balancing your in-app currencies. Also, in-app purchases might become more tempting as you progress deeper into the game and need to upgrade your character for the PvP arena you unlock later on.

But for a free game that delivers some of the smoothest combat I've played since Icey, I gotta say I'm pretty impressed by Chrono Blade.

Download: Chrono Blade (Free w/IAPs)

The Sims Mobile

Let's make it clear: I would not be recommending The Sims Mobile in this space if it was a pile of crap — and I went into it expecting it to be a total pile of crap. I mean, it's a mobile version of a beloved PC franchise released by EA. Major red flags.

Instead, The Sims Mobile is a pretty good take on the Sims — optimized for mobile, of course. Right off the bat, you get to customize your very own Sim, and kudos to EA and Maxis for letting you tweak pretty much everything about your Sim. Once you get your Sim settled into his home, you get to work on his or her love life, help them hold down a job, and guide them through life by finding hobbies and pimping out their pad.

You level up your character's stats by completing events and quests, which include going to work, going on dates, or upgrading different rooms of your home. If you've played The Sims before, you know the deal — you're the omnipresent god deciding what happens in your Sim's life.

I haven't been keeping up with the Sims franchise over the past decade, but I do have very fond memories of playing the Sims as a kid. That nostalgia certainly plays a part in me liking The Sims Mobile, but I swear its surprisingly playable!

Download: The Sims Mobile (Free w/IAPs)