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[More_Badass]

Each month, the iOS GAF community hosts a thread for new game releases, rumors and discussion that define the fast-moving world of iOS gaming.

The OP will contain recommended games that released during the previous month. All the games listed will have been highlighted by the GAF community in one way or another. This way you can keep tabs on the best games and at the same time curate an excellent resource to look back on to find games you may have missed.

If you're a developer who wishes to have your game featured, please talk about your game in the thread and if the GAF community at large likes the game then your wish just might be granted. Please note that there's a difference between posting about a game you made and just advertising your game with no further interaction with the community, this thread is not for the latter and such advertising behavior is frowned upon.

Directory
1) Introduction & Recommended Games
2) Recommended Games continued
3) Upcoming Releases, Past Threads & Other Links

Site | App Store
YANKAI'S PEAK. is a love letter to PYRAMIDS. A colorful PYRAMID-pushing puzzle game about the beauty and joy of being a sentient PYRAMID.

Yankai's Peak is a slick and deceptively challenging puzzler from Kenny Sun, who you might be familiar from his previous games Yankai's Triangle and Circa Infinity. Your goal is simple: maneuver around claustrophobic tight grids, pushing other triangles onto their correctly colored tiles. It's a more minimalist Sokoban, with a greater focus on movement as a core mechanic; while you can simply flip side over side, you can also anchor a vertice down and rotate around it, giving you other means to push triangles around. Learning the subtle ruleset among increasingly complex stages makes for some challenging puzzles even in the first section.

The simple moveset that hides surprising variety, the Sokoban-inspired mechanics, and the tight stages that revolve heavily on positioning and movement have reminiscent of the kind of brainteasers found in Snakebird and Stephen's Sausage Roll.

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Site | App Store
Steredenn is a frenetic and chaotic space shooter, carved in big beautiful pixels, with insane boss battles. Embark in your ship and engage the fight against dreadful space pirates in a never-ending combat for your survival.

The game is quite challenging. Like even the early enemies can be dangerous if you get hit. I love how varied the weapons are. And just how pretty the game looks, between the weapons effects and the environments every battle is a spectacle

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Site | App Store
Enter Majestia for the ultimate strategic battle!
From King Arthur, Napoleon, to Genghis Khan! Strategic battle fantasy with legends!
Use tactics such as United Attack, Deception, and Supply Route to claim victory!
Duke it out with real-time strategic battles!

Thanks for the heads-up. I'm enjoying this a LOT. Like as of now, I might like it more than Clash Royale. CR is faster and easier to get into, but I really like everything else about this. The low poly aesthetic; the MOBA + chess + card game hybrid of gameplay; the visual effects of attacks, skills, and effects; the rock-paper-scissor strategy that has surprising nuance; the different heroes; the generous F2P model.

My second favorite May game after Yankai's Peak. Hope this game takes off.

This is a turn-based strategy/card hybrid featuring figures from various mythologies and world history. I was attracted to this game by its cool aesthetic but had low expectations. Happily, those expectations have been exceeded by a good margin.

Game is very good, especially for F2P. The actual gameplay is a pretty unique approach to the light-strategy/card game hybrid. There are timers for acquiring and training new cards and the like but no energy timers or anything, you can play to your heart's content like most CCGs. Game starts you off with all you need to get going and running through the challenges will net you a bunch of new cards.

New Heroes can be acquired through several means but the main two, after exhausting the challenge levels, is through a chest purchased with premium currency, which gives a random hero, or through a selection of three that refreshes every 12 hours and is obtained through the standard currency. Both currencies are earned through play as victory prizes and achievement unlocks. You can use the premium currency to reduce the wait for the Hero refresh or you can use the "Soul Timer" which is an amount of time that automatically builds that can be spent to reduce any wait timer as you see fit.

Any new heroes and tactical cards you acquire can be used instantly, btw, if that's not clear. The selection and leveling up process is what is on a timer.

All in all, given how many cards and heroes I have acquired after a couple days of play, I feel like I have plenty of deck-building options already and have not felt the need to spend any money at all. There is a good amount of depth here while also still feeling breezy.

Also, Abraham Lincoln is a warrior in this game, as is Dracula. Live the dream.

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Site | App Store
Immerse yourself in a visual narrative as you uncover stories of the old man's life told through beautiful vignettes of his memories. Interact with the serene, whimsical environment as you solve playful puzzles and shape the landscape around you, growing the hills to create the old man's path forward.
Explore life's complexities through the old man's eyes as you experience his heartache, regret, and hope.

Old Man's Journey is really fantastic. While it's relatively easy to play, moving terrain to allow him to continue, the memories you unlock, music and artwork are phenomenal. It's a bit of an heartstring tugging experience. Haven't finished yet, but highly recommend it.

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Site | App Store
A story-driven experience about two doctors traversing backwards through a dying man's memories to artificially fulfill his last wish.
Dr. Rosalene and Dr. Watts have peculiar jobs: They give people another chance to live, all the way from the very beginning... but only in their patients' heads.
This particular story follows their attempt to fulfill the dream of an elderly man, Johnny. With each step back in time, a new fragment of Johnny's past is revealed. As the two doctors piece together the puzzled events that spanned a life time, they seek to find out just why the frail old man chose his dying wish to be what it is.

OH MY GOD.

One of the best stories in gaming. I didn't even know this was coming to iOS or clearly forgot lmao.

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Site | App Store
The ridiculous bike riding competition!
Bike and shoot your way through the crazy tracks at Big Wheelie's. Collect cards upgrade and beat your friends.

Anyone else playing Bike Club?
Wacky game, but I'm digging it so far

This is scratching my "just one more" itch so, so nicely. Really enjoying this, although I can see where the IAP will become more in your face. Despite this, it doesn't detract from the chaotic fun of the game, and there is no energy or any timer to speak of (besides the free toolbox you get every few hours.) Super, super cute and very addictive game.

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Site | App Store
A challenging minimalist skiing game powered by physics

Just Ski is from the guy who made Krashlander. Simplifies the controls a bit, and has a more relaxed approach. A nice minimalist style, and simple controls that still require skill and timing to master

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Site | App Store
Escape from reality but not from your custom-made jail! Prison Architect: Mobile challenges you to build and manage a maximum security prison, from laying out cell blocks and inmate facilities, to managing staff pay and prisoner morale. From layout to execution (literally, in some cases), you are the architect, the warden, and the enforcer.

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Site | App Store
Chroma Squad is a tactical RPG about five stunt actors who decide to quit their jobs and start their own Power Rangers-inspired TV show!
Cast actors, purchase equipment and upgrades for your studio, craft weapons and giant Mechas out of cardboard and duct tape. Once the cameras are rolling, you will control your cast of five colored-jumpsuit-clad warriors in dramatic, turn-based battles!

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Site | App Store
The State has appointed you to SPY ON YOUR TENANTS! Your primary task is to covertly watch your tenants and eavesdrop on their conversations. You must BUG their apartments while they're away, SEARCH their belongings for whatever can threaten the authority of the State, and PROFILE them for your superiors. You must also REPORT anyone capable of violating the laws or plotting subversive activities against the State to the authorities.

 

[More_Badass]

Site | App Store
A Snake's Tale is a puzzle game about snakes in cramped places. Clear a path to get to the hole, eat some eggs along the way, and make sure to press all the buttons

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Site | App Store
Happy Robot presents a fresh take on the classic retro-arcade shooters we all know and love. Featuring 30 levels of non-stop mayhem, a huge variety of enemies, strategic weaponry, and a unique control scheme, No Stick Shooter is packed full of explosive fun!

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Site | App Store
Battle creatures, collect loot, master magic, and build your very own Wizard Tower sanctuary in this rogue-lite, dungeon-crawling role playing game.
It's not all dungeon-crawl. Feel at home in your very own Wizard Tower where you can enhance and customize the way you play by building a thriving town, brewing your own reagents, crafting or buying your own gear, powering up your magic, and recruiting help.

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Site | App Store
Turn-based historical simulation strategy will lead you through the history of Pre-Dynastic Egypt. Starting from 5000 B.C. you will guide the nomadic and humble Egyptian tribe through all the hardships to prosperity and power culminating in the Unification of Lower and Upper Egypt.

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Site | App Store
Welcome to the TRAPPIST System. A monolith was recently discovered dotted with obelisks emitting holographic glyphs and binary controls. What could they mean? Enter the sequences to travel further into the unknown, and unearth a deeper mystery that may never be fully understood.
Due to the nature of this voyage, your screen has been outfitted with vacuum-tolerant pixaels, a more resilient form of pixel. This does however preclude the use of advertisements or in-visor purchases. A complimentary synthwave mix-tape has been included to mitigate space-madness.

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Site | App Store
The sequel to Kid Tripp is finally here! Misfortune catches up with Miles as he crashes on a perilous island yet again; but this time his trusty canine pal, Kilo, is joining the fun.

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Site | App Store
Skullgirls is a 2D Fighting RPG packed with unique, colorful characters to collect, upgrade, and customize as you search for the mysterious SKULLGIRL!

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Site | App Store
The latest in the 3.5 million selling series of strategic war games offers an immense array of challenges that will push your battle tactics to the limit, and beyond. With a huge single player mode, online one-on-one or six player skirmishes, and gazillions of maps to dominate (not to mention a random map generator), Epic Little War Game raises the bar for strategy.

 

[More_Badass]

Cubiques - June 1st

The Frankenstein Wars - June 1st

Dead Age - June 8th

Art Of Gravity - June 14th

Memoranda

More releases to be added soon
___________________________________________________________________________

iOS Gaming May 2017 | Got 99 problems but 32 bit ain't one
iOS Gaming April 2017 | Canceled due to backlog
iOS Gaming March 2017 | Switch to iOS
iOS Gaming February 2017 | Providing escapism since 2008
iOS Gaming January 2017 | Swipe Right Into The New Year

Visit the January 2017 thread for links to all 2016 iOS Gaming threads
Visit the January 2016 thread for links to all 2015 iOS Gaming threads
Visit the January 2014 thread for links to December 2013 through November 2012 threads!

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This website keeps track of all the controller enabled games. It gets updated regularly.

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Genuine thanks to our iOS Gaming community for keeping these monthly threads alive!
Special thanks to protonium for this month's thread title, as well as Tunesmith for his fantastic thread format and month after month of hard work in maintaining these threads

 

[Saucycarpdog]

Fantastic thread More_Badass!

 

[More_Badass]

Alike (devs of Love You To Bits) released a teaser for their next game, Bring You Home

===

Frankenstein Wars, from the devs of Heavy Metal Thunder
https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1217423017

 

[awp69]

Thanks again MB!

 

[HotHamBoy]

Great work, MB! Happy to see Majestia at the top. I'm still really into it and it really needs to gain traction here because most of the playerbase right now is Korean. We need more clans from other nations.

I'm still very impressed with the depth and the F2P model. All of the tactical cards seem to be provided for free through the challenge maps (which are pretty fun scenarios) and continue to add new depth. I just discovered that it's possible to change a hero's class, adding another wrinkle.

The game is still pretty new and I think some of the tactical cards need some rebalance. Some cards, like Resupply, are too essential not to have in a deck. Other cards, like Wall of War, are absolutely worthless and not worth taking up one of the 14 card slots. Fortunately everyone has access to all of the tactical cards, so that's nice, but I see the same handful of tactical cards being used and the majority ignored.

Confusion and Resupply, noobs. Use them.

 

[Grim Patron]

Thanks MB. This month I'll buy and play more!

 

[TheExodu5]

Yankai's Peak is basically unplayable on my iPad Air. Runs at like 10 fps. Is there any way I can get a refund?

 

[More_Badass]

Yankai's Peak is basically unplayable on my iPad Air. Runs at like 10 fps. Is there any way I can get a refund?

Is this during an early level that's a straight path with a bunch of triangles falling and getting knocked off?

If so, that's intentional, and not actually a low frame rate

 

[TheExodu5]

Is this during an early level that's a straight path with a bunch of triangles falling and getting knocked off?

If so, that's intentional, and not actually a low frame rate

I got to that part. But the game itself actually runs at a very low frame rate.

Interestingly, it goes to 60fps during the opening credits. But back down to like 10 during gameplay. Very unpleasant.

 

[killercow]

Framed 2: June 14th:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9isDV9XjkM

 

[Grudy]

Steredenn looks pretty interesting. How long would you say the game is?

 

[More_Badass]

Steredenn looks pretty interesting. How long would you say the game is?

It's a roguelike shump, so you'll be doing many procedurally generated stages. Plus a boss rush mode

 

[Pachimari]

Framed 2: June 14th:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9isDV9XjkM

This is nice!

I think Street Kart could be releasing soon too, they are currently in Beta 3 and I haven't been on it for a while but it seems to have a lot going for it.

I also haven't been active in here for the past month. I just can't support or keep buying mobile games if they'll be inaccessible if a iOS hits like the one that asks developers to update their apps and games to 64 bit.

 

[awp69]

I also haven't been active in here for the past month. I just can't support or keep buying mobile games if they'll be inaccessible if a iOS hits like the one that asks developers to update their apps and games to 64 bit.

I think they also need to make apps that aren't 64-bit on the App Store as well. There's a ton of 32-but games being sold still.

 

[Remembrance]

Steredenn looks pretty interesting. How long would you say the game is?

To actually finish the game: anywhere from 10 hours to forever.

On Steam, PSN, and Xbox alike only 2% of players have even beaten the game once.

 

[Grim Patron]

Planescape huge update. Updating it now.

 

[killercow]

I think they also need to make apps that aren't 64-bit on the App Store as well. There's a ton of 32-but games being sold still.

Well anyway now you can only submit 64bit apps and that's been the case since 2015. Also any update to any apps since 2015 makes that app 64bit compatible.

 

[baconcow]

Worried about losing some games I bought last year. Now that I am finally able to play them, I find several are not updated (FF Tactics, Le Havre, Spirit, XCOM, and Rolando, to name a few).

 

[killercow]

Worried about losing some games I bought last year. Now that I am finally able to play them, I find several are not updated (FF Tactics, Le Havre, Spirit, XCOM, and Rolando, to name a few).

Rolando is never going to be updated, the publisher is dead. Xcom should suffer the same fate as the developer has also gone under.

 

[TheExodu5]

Anyone else buy Yankai's Peak for iPad Air or prior?

 

[More_Badass]

Anyone else buy Yankai's Peak for iPad Air or prior?

I'm playing on iPad Mini 2. Not sure how that compares to an iPad Mini Air but it works fine for me.

 

[More_Badass]

This is nice!

I think Street Kart could be releasing soon too, they are currently in Beta 3 and I haven't been on it for a while but it seems to have a lot going for it.

I also haven't been active in here for the past month. I just can't support or keep buying mobile games if they'll be inaccessible if a iOS hits like the one that asks developers to update their apps and games to 64 bit.

Is this that different from say, Windows 95-era PC games not working or able to be played on Windows 7, 8, 10, etc?

 

[mrklaw]

How is escapists on iPad? I have an MRI controller if that makes it play better. Looking at that and prison architect but the latter seems like it'd be pretty difficult without a mouse and keyboard (have it on PC)

 

[teacupcopter]

Is this that different from say, Windows 95-era PC games not working or able to be played on Windows 7, 8, 10, etc?

Yes it is because of many reasons. Firstly it's not 1995. Secondly it's meant to be a big strength of the apple brand and ecosystem that everything just works. Thirdly on windows you could patch it or even emulate other versions. You could also not update that machine, whereas your phone not having an update misses out on huge security features which are a lot bigger of a deal than on your average pc.

I'd compare it more to a console than a pc anyway. Also it's just anti consumer regardless, like apple are STILL SELLING THESE APPS knowing full well they will break in a few weeks/months. That's my main gripe.

 

[Remembrance]

Is this that different from say, Windows 95-era PC games not working or able to be played on Windows 7, 8, 10, etc?

There is nothing written for Windows that you can't run on any computer of your choice, using commonly available tools.

Also, don't forget it was 14 years between Windows 95 and Windows 7. All my iOS games were made in just the last 7 years.

 

[killercow]

How is escapists on iPad? I have an MRI controller if that makes it play better. Looking at that and prison architect but the latter seems like it'd be pretty difficult without a mouse and keyboard (have it on PC)

Don'y know about The Escapists but Prison Architect works beautifully on iPad.

 

[More_Badass]

There is nothing written for Windows that you can't run on any computer of your choice, using commonly available tools.

Also, don't forget it was 14 years between Windows 95 and Windows 7. All my iOS games were made in just the last 7 years.

That's a big time gap though; that's like a console generation if we use that metric.

Mobile is so relatively new and recent that we have basically no set structures and defined understanding for how such things work; we know consoles evolve between different generations and models, with their games and tech advancing with them, it's been like that way for decades. PC improves and advances in its own ways. But mobile?

 

[Frostt]

You dont have to update unless you buy a new iPhone so if you are going to loose a lot of apps, dont upgrade. Thats what im doing

 

[awp69]

My biggest problem is a lot of consumers don't think about this stuff and, as I noted before, there's nothing on the App Store to indicate to them that the games they are buying will no longer work. That's the complete BS about it. Apple KNOWS this is the plan but yet continues to allow 32-bit games to be sold. There should at least be some sort of warning on the App Store for those games / apps.

It's not like for Windows when MS would have had to go out and test games to see if they worked. They already have the means of identifying these.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

I'm a little peeved about the 64bit update as well but at least Apple is currently in the process of standardizing their back-end software so that they no longer have to do these big updates that breaks compatibility with apps and games. 128bit is years away and by then I'm sure Apple will have implemented a new GUI into iOS that allows for backwards compatibility without the performance losses.

I wouldn't be surprised if Apple talks about forward compatibility at WWDC.

 

[killercow]

My biggest problem is a lot of consumers don't think about this stuff and, as I noted before, there's nothing on the App Store to indicate to them that the games they are buying will no longer work. That's the complete BS about it. Apple KNOWS this is the plan but yet continues to allow 32-bit games to be sold. There should at least be some sort of warning on the App Store for those games / apps.

It's not like for Windows when MS would have had to go out and test games to see if they worked. They already have the means of identifying these.

I agree with that. The 64bit only stuff is sad but the devs have been warned for years now and that's seriously enough time. The consumers though have been barely aware of it and that hurts. We'll see on Monday what's the plan with iOS11 anyways.

 

[teacupcopter]

That's big time gap though; that's like a console generation if we use that metric.

Mobile is so relatively new and recent that we have basically no set structures and defined understanding for how such things work; we know consoles evolve between different generations and models, with their games and tech advancing with them, it's been like that way for decades. PC improves and advances in its own ways. But mobile?

Seriously, the major publishers and mobile companies ream consumers enough without apologists defending their behaviour.

 

[HotHamBoy]

My biggest problem is a lot of consumers don't think about this stuff and, as I noted before, there's nothing on the App Store to indicate to them that the games they are buying will no longer work. That's the complete BS about it. Apple KNOWS this is the plan but yet continues to allow 32-bit games to be sold. There should at least be some sort of warning on the App Store for those games / apps.

It's not like for Windows when MS would have had to go out and test games to see if they worked. They already have the means of identifying these.

That would really hurt devs that are hoping to get a 64 bit update out. Bad business.

 

[awp69]

That would really hurt devs that are hoping to get a 64 bit update out. Bad business.

Like killercow said, they've known for years. And if they really plan to do so, they can add it to the description of their app.

There are probably thousands of apps that won't be updated. Personally think the consumer, who has not known for years and has no way of knowing whether an app is 32-bit or not, should come first since the vast majority likely won't be updated.

 

[Oynox]

I am wondering if we will still able to redownload 32 bit apps after iOS 11 through our purchase history. If not it would be a pain to search through it :/

 

[killercow]

I am wondering if we will still able to redownload 32 bit apps after iOS 11 through our purchase history. If not it would be a pain to search through it :/

Absolutely no reason to think it won't be possible.

 

[Grim Patron]

We might also not know what will happen until a day later where they have the state of the union keynote after WWDC or some dev sessions. Also hopefully iOS 11 doesn't lag on iPad Air 2.

 

[PittaGAF]

Apparently all 32 bit apps (i.e. Apps that weren't updated in years) have been delisted from the AppStore.

I still have them all in my purchase history (as expected).

 

[awp69]

Apparently all 32 bit apps (i.e. Apps that weren't updated in years) have been delisted from the AppStore.

I still have them all in my purchase history (as expected).

Welp, that's a good thing IMO. Until a dev can update them to put them back out there, people shouldn't be able to buy them.

 

[Oynox]

Apparently all 32 bit apps (i.e. Apps that weren't updated in years) have been delisted from the AppStore.

I still have them all in my purchase history (as expected).

This cannot be true since Ryan North's To Be Or Not To Be by Tin Man Games is still listed, though it is not supported in future iOS updates as per the settings page.

/edit

Apparently it is somewhat different. You cannot find the Apps through the search but if you tap through a developers library it is still visible to me.

 

[PittaGAF]

This cannot be true since Ryan North's To Be Or Not To Be by Tin Man Games is still listed, though it is not supported in future iOS updates as per the settings page.

/edit

Apparently it is somewhat different. You cannot find the Apps through the search but if you tap through a developers library it is still visible to me.

Direct links now still work.
Apps have been delisted so searching doesn't work and you won't see them around in charts and such.

But anyway it's a clear message.

 

[awp69]

Direct links now still work.
Apps have been delisted so searching doesn't work and you won't see them around in charts and such.

But anyway it's a clear message.

Also found that if you have one app that is in your history, you can use the "developer apps" thing to everything by the dev still even if it is 32-bit. Like all of Cave's shmups are gone but you can still get them all by using that method or a web link.

 

[PittaGAF]

According to TouchArcade 32 bits apps are now back in the AppStore listings.

http://toucharcade.com/2017/06/04/32-bit-apps-no-longer-appear-in-app-store-search/#update

Someone in Apple must have a lot of fun reading all the wild speculations about what is happening.

Assuming 32 bits apps will work on iOS 11 (something I personally don't think will happen) maybe they are just tuning the store to have 'old' apps in a separate listing store starting tomorrow.

 

[awp69]

According to TouchArcade 32 bits apps are now back in the AppStore listings.

http://toucharcade.com/2017/06/04/32-bit-apps-no-longer-appear-in-app-store-search/#update

Someone in Apple must have a lot of fun reading all the wild speculations about what is happening.

Assuming 32 bits apps will work on iOS 11 (something I personally don't think will happen) maybe they are just tuning the store to have 'old' apps in a separate listing store starting tomorrow.

They probably were testing it for it to go live. When is the question.

 

[Mario]

They probably were testing it for it to go live. When is the question.

It seems quite coincidental that this is right up against WWDC.

I wouldn't be surprised if they announced and made such change during the event in order to slow the consumer uptake of soon to be defunct apps, ahead of the OS11 release in September.

To the issue in general, I agree there should be a warning on the Store itself. That's really the main area where Apple is failing to communicate. Otherwise, I think between their developer 64 bit submission requirements, popup warnings, and the compatibility list that they have provided ample time and visibility. Just seems odd for there to not be a warning at the front end before purchase. I imagine a lot of people are quite annoyed when they buy or download something only for it to come up with a warning straight away.

 

[HotHamBoy]

A video preview of Epic, from the makers of Star Realms.

https://youtu.be/eEyrAAp44no

This looks much more polished already.

I have the physical game, it's basically Draft MTG for 2-4 in a $15 box. Very fun.

 

[killercow]

Not entirely related to games but this will be useful: Finder/File Explorer in iOS 11 (but could also be a way to put all your cloud accounts like dropbox in one place, we'll see tonight.)
https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/04/files-app-for-ios-leaked/

 

[Grim Patron]

Also split view drag and drop