The latest Android RPG app that is noteworthy recently is the Thor: Lord of Storms creation from Animoca.    (Sorry for that link.  There’s an annoying video that starts automatically…but credit given where due.)

Thor isn’t a mystery or unknown to anyone these days.  The “God of Thunder” from Asgaard has made it big, especially with the comic hero’s incarnation in Marvel’s string of hits such as The Avengers and Thor’s own series of movies.  (Watch the trailer for Thor:  The Dark Word!)  Well, now you get the tough guy in cool cartoonish graphics and his own Android tower defense game app.

I’ve been on a fantasy/RPG/MMORPG trip the last month or so when it comes to my Android app downloads and Thor: Lord of Storms doesn’t disappoint.  I was a little skeptical about this app after playing Wizard Ops Tactics.  I just didn’t want to be disappointed again by a mixture of RPG and strategy.

Thor: Lord of Storms Gameplay

As in any tower defense game, you start on the left hand side of your device’s screen.  You’ll prepare attacks with a diminishing and replenishing mana-type system and then…well, you fight the bad guys.  Once you attack you’ll use collected mana and gold to strengthen Thor’s abilities, his troops abilities and make you tougher.

You can use Thor and his godly abilities to extend massive amounts of destruction on your enemies, but be careful…  It takes a while for those abilities to replenish so use wisely.

And, oh yes, present in Thor:  Lord of Storms is a game currency and here we have blue gems. And, oh yes, if your impatient then you’ll need real currency to buy blue gems through an in-app purchase.  Just chillax and wait, though, and you’ll earn gems naturally through the game.

If you’re interested in killing time and playing a game with stunning graphics and okay sound then this app might be just the thing you’re looking for. I’m still caught up in Dungeon Hunter 4 (speaking of in-app purchases…) to give Thor any real time.  There’s a link to download Thor:  Lord of Storms in the review box below the trailer video…

So you want to be “utsey-cutesy” with your special honey?  Well, then Couple from TenthBit Inc. has got you covered.

If you’re a guy this can’t be any better of an app.  Have you ever been accused by your girl that you never think about her or remember to talk to her?  Do you travel a lot on business leaving your girl behind to obsess over what you’re doing without her?

Yeah, me too.  We’ve all been there.  But check this out!  Go to your girl tonight and tell her that you want to download and use the Android app, Couple, together.  When she asks what is and why, just tell her that it’s an app for two people who love each other to stay in better touch.  Then tell her that you want to use it because you know that it will make her happy.

Features of Couple for Android:

You can do a lot of things as a couple with this app. The best thing about it is that it between only you and your special someone.  This isn’t your typical social app.  When your girlfriend or boyfriend is online the app will let you know…but that’s it.  You won’t have to be visible to all of your friends like on those massive social networks.  This is just between the two of you.

With Couple you can send instant messages, photos, videos and audio voice files to your other half from all over the world.  Imagine how many credit points you could get when your girl wakes up to a recording of “I love you baby” when you’re all the way around the world.

And if you’re on the go, you can let your girl know that you’re thinking about her with one simple tap through the app.  It’s sorta’ like the poke function on Facebook, but you know….more intimate.

Couple also has something called “thumb kiss”.  When both of you are online, the thumb kiss feature allows you to see where your girlfriend is touching on her screen.  When you hold the same spot, both of your phones vibrate.  I know it doesn’t sound all that special, but we all know that every little bit of romance counts!

Some other features include:  Sketch and share, play tic-tac-toe, set anniversary reminders and even share a to-do list when you’re both on the move.

Whether you live in the same apartment or attempting a long-distance relationship, then the Couple app is a thoughtful reminder to each other that you’re both in this together and thinking about one another.  Plus, it’ll win you points, guys, if you suggest that you use it….trust me!

I’ve been playing Dungeon Hunter 4 for about three weeks now.  (Can you tell I’m on a fantasy game app kick lately?  Merlin’s Rage, Arcane Legends, Ravensword, etc.)

Gameloft continues to impress me with their wide assortment of fun, interactive, games.  Most notably with DH 4 and the official Iron Man 3 Android app.

Dungeon Hunter 4- More than Meets the Eye

It’s heart and soul, yes, DH4 is a hack, slash and zap your way through massive amounts of bad guys.  However, there is so much more.  Personally, I chose to be a Blade Master in the game.  And even though it’s a lot of fun to just bludgeon and slice my way through the hordes, it’s just as important to keep an eye out for the best equipment drops, upgrading equipment, improving your skills, magic and spells and following along with the story line.

The game description itself says the basics of what you need to know: “Embark on an epic adventure and get ready to fight your way through intense solo and multi-player levels in this new free installment of the iconic dungeon crawler game.”

Another In-App Purchase Money Bagging App

I’ve spent money on in-app purchases in Dungeon Hunter 4, I’ll be honest right up front.  It’s pretty difficult to continuously progress at the game without doing so.  Once you start getting deeper into the more challenging scenarios you’ll need some of the best weapons and armor to kill and not be killed.

You’ll find no shame in Gameloft’s game, either.  They’ll beckon you with high-end weapons and armor all throughout your play, particularly during load screens where “having trouble with XXXX?  Maybe this will help” kind of items.  You buy gems and the gems buy you stuff.  The gems also “speed up” weapon upgrades as well as other stuff.

That being said, if you play the multi-player game and go into a battle with a couple of other players then you’re going to pick up some weapon and armor upgrades.  However, they are nothing compared to what you can buy.

Final Analysis:

Good game.  I’m rocking it and I’m nowhere ready to stop playing it yet.  Be prepared to spend some money if you want to play long and not get frustrated though.  Dungeon Hunter 4 would have a “5″ rating from AMC if the app wasn’t money mongering.

You know that I had to do a Bang with Friends Android review!  Relax, prudish people, relax…  It isn’t that bad.  It’s discreet and not the x-rated, immoral app that everyone is making it out to be.

Even a popular Android app review site disappointed me with their review of  BWF.  AndroidTapp called it made it a point to call out the “douche bag alert” for this app, but I think that’s a little rough.  How one chooses to spend their weekends, who they choose to spend them with and how they hook up is really nobody’s business.

Besides, using Bang with Friends to hook up takes TWO douche bags to complete the hook-up…so everyone will be on an even, douchey, playing field.  So, eff it!  If you’re going to clubs, hitting bars and looking to hook-up on anyway then why not use a different and unique tool, right?

How to Use Bang with Friends on Android Devices

When you download Bang with Friends you’ll have to link it with your Facebook account to get the pool of friends that you’ll be “interacting” with…if they choose.  (You’ll see…I’m getting to the point here.)

After that, it’s pretty cut and dry:  A picture of your opposite sex (by default) friend shows up and you either swipe up to “hang” or swipe down to “bang”.  And, relax, you can just as easily swipe to your next friend without choosing one or the other just in case your mom, aunt, or other people you just don’t want to think of in that way come across screen.

Note: No worries…you can choose which gender of friends to display so there are options out there for anyone’s lifestyle choice.

And here’s where it takes two people to actually make this happen…

Important Bang with Friends Information:

Unless a friend that you want to hang with or bang also wants to hang or bang you then they’ll never know.  That’s right, that hot co-worker who doesn’t have Bang with Friends downloaded and hasn’t chosen to either hang with or bang you then they’ll never know, either!  If they do, though…game on!

Final Analysis:

I personally don’t think that there’s anything douchebaggy about this app.  It takes two. (Can’t reiterate that enough.) Sometimes people need to test the waters and see if someone is really interested in them before they make a move.  Bang with Friends (no matter how crudely named) does that for you.  Simple and easy to use, Bang with Friends is just a hook-up or dating app that is blunt about it.

I was excited to learn about, and download, the new Android Brain & Puzzle/Tactics game Wizards Ops Tactics from Phyken Media.  I like games most of all on Android and lately I’ve been on a fantasy and MMORPG kick.

Wizard Ops Tactics didn’t really start off on the right foot with me.

When I first downloaded it on my Samsung GS3 it failed to start on the very first try and I got the “Wizards Ops Tactics has failed” message…hmmm…

Then, on the second try, the game still failed to load but with no warning message.

When I finally did get the game to boot up (on the third try!) I ran into a different set of problems.

The Tutorial

You have to finish the tutorial in one sitting.  I left for dinner and when I came back to continue the tutorial I restarted it the app and, yeah, I was at the beginning again.

That being said, while the tutorial is clunky and slooooow…it does teach all of the basics and necessary tactics and procedures needed for game play.

But once complete you’ll get some free coins that you can use to purchase booster packs in order to purchase more wizards.  (Yeah, that makes sense to you…)

Premise

You lead a team of runt like, mustached wizards against another team of wizards.  The game is turn-based and requires some tactical combat savvy.  In common with lots of the sub-genre, fantasy, strategy games, each wizard has an elemental power trait that comes with its own strength and weakness.  Think fire/air, red/blue just like in Merlin’s Rage.

Wizards Ops Tactics Game Play

When first playing the game I can see how you might be a little taken in.  It’s new, after all.  But…it’s not unique.  It’s real common to every other asynchronous game since I’ve been playing electronic/video games.

Once you actually start a game with someone you’ll be lucky to finish.  My first 3 games crapped out after the first round and the rest (10 in all) have been spotty at best.  It’s pretty damn poor quality in that regards.

Final Analysis

While the little wizards are cartoony and cute, that’s not enough to get me over the crappy game play and snooze fest that happens while giving your orders to all your wizards.  Good app?  Not yet.

I’ve officially began to promote LogMeIn Ignition as the premiere remote access app on the Android Market.  Let’s just say this: If you need consistent, dependable, advanced feature, remote access to your home desktop or laptop computer with your Android phone or tablet then LogMeIn Ignition is the app that can do it.  And when I say consistent, I mean- it works all the time.

BLUF (That’s “bottom line up front”)

A lot of people will balk at the $29.99 price tag that LogMeIn Ignition comes with.  And that’s ok.  These are the people that don’t really need the app.  The ones that don’t really need to access their home computer files and if they do, then they don’t need to do it enough to justify an app.

Install

I’m an Android guy and I’ll always promote downloading apps directly from Google Play.  In the case of LogMeIn, though, you can get it just as easily at their website for a FREE DOWNLOAD and TRIAL with no need for a credit card.

Set Up

Pretty simple, but not the simplest.  First, you create an account at the LogMeIn website. You do have to download the LogMeIn software onto each computer that you want to access remotely with your android device.

Once you access and sign-in to the LogMeIn software/server on the PCs that you want to access and the Android app then you’ll have create a secure connection between the two.  Then, voila!  You have access!

Using LogMeIn Ignition

With my Samsung Galaxy S3, I access the app and I can see my home laptop (the one that I’m typing this on) and I just have to enter the username/password to gain access to it.  Of course, you can “store” both for easier, continual use but that may not be such a hot idea on computers that have a high-security value.

The difference between LogMeIn compared to the cheap, free remote access app is immediately evident in the app usage and navigation.   While the cheaper apps are more difficult to use and understand the navigation, LogMeIn is developed for streamlined and easy use.  You won’t be disappointed or confused.  You’ll have easy, remote access to your registered computers.

A word of note, businesses that want to add a mass of computers will need to use “LogMeIn Central” which can support it.

Final Analysis:

Again, I’m not going to tell you that LogMeIn Ignition is a great app for anyone.  Most casual Android device users won’t have the need to access their computers remotely, especially if they’re using something like Dropbox or Google Drive to save and store documents and files.

However, for those people or businesses that like to keep everything “close hold” on their own network and have access to everything at anytime…then LogMeIn Ignition will make your job and life a whole lot easier.

Let me start off with this disclaimer: I am not a “zombie head”.  I don’t believe in a zombie apocalypse.  As a matter of fact, people who do live and breathe with the idea that someday we will all be fighting zombies actually terrify me.  These people have guns and, in many cases, enough ammo to destroy a small town.  I am finding Please Stay Calm a totally bitching time, though.

I have to admit…there is a fun kind of brutality that comes with cutting down zombies with a chainsaw and good boot to the head.

I like the comic book, Frank Miller-esque, graphic novel method of delivering and narrating the story line especially.

Is Please Stay Calm a new app?  Nope.  It’s been around on iOS for quite some time now.  But, Please Stay Calm is now here available on Android devices at Google Play.

Powered by Mobage, Please Stay Calm brings with an awesome feature that I’m sure we’re bound to see more of; location based MMORPGs.  That’s right!  Fighting the zombies and scavenging for supplies, equipment and cash brings the battle to your own backyard, local businesses, bars, gyms, roads, and friend’s homes.  (Yes, even in a world over run with zombies the need for the mighty dollar still exists!)

Location based RPGs have been around since around 2011, but when Massive Damage developed Please Stay Calm they did it the best…and still do, in my opinion.

Premise

The year is 2014 and as the zombie epidemic sweeps the world and politicians scatter of to safe zones and remote locations, all the while telling the scared masses to “please stay calm”, those left behind realize that survival and grouping up is the new world order.  They must gather and construct arms, protect themselves, group together (safe houses and community units) and…Kill zombies!

Game Play

The line between real world and in-app fiction is really blurred here and it gives the game an eery feeling by making survival and battling in real world locations more dramatic than ever.

You’ll chat with fellow survivors and help each other out from all over the world on the back of DeNA’s Mobage multiplayer, interactive platform in Please Stay Calm.

With the chat, coupled with the Facebook and Twitter (@PleaseStayCalm) communities of the app, this zombie world will feel all too real at moments and you’ll have a kick ass time coming in and out of reality.

Hmm…on second thought, maybe I AM a zombie head…

AMC’s Rating for Please Stay Calm

Right off the bat, no questions asked:  AAA (Awesome Android App) Rating!  I can’t get enough. Unlike games like Merlin’s Rage it doesn’t take forever and a day to reload health, energy and stamina to keep on playing and minimizing the in-app purchases.  I’ve had only limited issues with the connectivity issues where I’ve had to entirely re-start my tablet to get Please Stay Calm rolling again.

I guess everyone is taking advantage of the Mother’s Day shopping rush.  Wandering around on Google Play and Amazon today both of the giants are making a big push with their Android tablet line; Google with the Nexus 7 (“For Moms Who Love to Read”) and Amazon with the Kindle Fire HD (“The Perfect Gift for Mom”).

I love their enthusiasm and confidence.  It’s refreshing and a helluva’ lot of fun, actually.  But which one is actually better for mom?  Well, I think it really depends on our moms.

The Kindle Fire HD

The Kindle Fire HD  seems, to me, a more practical gift for moms who are like, well, mine.  The Kindle has all of the high-performance capability of any of the best tablets out there right now.  Dolby audio and dual-stereo speakers.  The 1.2 Ghz dual-core processor. And a stunning 1280×800 HD display.  But seriously, my mom wouldn’t care about or even know what most of that means.

What my mom would appreciate is access to over 23 million movies, books, audio-books, songs and all of the real apps that they would ever have a need for.  Pinterest, Facebook, Netflix, HBO and of course, Angry Bird.

Okay, so many of you may not really consider the Kindle a true Android tablet, and I guess it’s so “Amazon-ized” that it may not be.  But, it is Android.  Trust and know that.

The 16GB, Kindle HD Fire is available on Amazon for $199

The Nexus 7

Google’s Nexus 7 is our other pick for perfect tablets for mom.  The Nexus 7 is very much a true Android tablet and has a lot going for it as well.  You get all apps on Google Play as opposed to some limitations with the Amazon app store for the Kindle.

Yes, you still get the 1280×800 HD display.  16GB of memory  with up to 32GB available if wanted.  (Same with the Kindle.) However, where the Nexus surpasses and offers more in the way of apps it lacks the superb speakers and sound quality of the Kindle.

So, is this competition considered a “push”?

Not so much, in my opinion.

Final Verdict:

The Kindle is probably a better choice for moms who will appreciate and operate better with the tight little Amazon package.  The Amazon App store and the Kindle itself is probably a little bit more user friendly than the Google Play and the Nexus.

For moms that are younger or more apt to appreciate a little bit of adventure on Google Play and the “freedom” that the Nexus 7 offers, then I think you can safely go in that direction.

Google also loses us with the Nexus in the respect that is promoted on the Play store as being “designed with gaming in mind”.  I don’t see my mom doing too much gaming. On the other hand, the Kindle was very much designed with moms, Pinterest and book reading in mind.

Of course, there are a lot of other awesome Android tabletss out there that you could go with, like Samsung’s  Galaxy Tab 2, 7.0 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0.   As far as tablets go, there are a plethora of great “mom friendly” options out there right now.

Related Items:

• HDE® Hard Cover Case with Keyboard for 7" Tablet - Pink
• List Price: $47.99
• Price: $8.69
• Read Reviews
• 

Price Disclaimer

Prices are accurate as of less than 12 hours ago. Product prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availablility information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of any products.

Archos is doing something interesting.  They’re going against the grain.

Most Android smartphones are so different from each other that the learning curve can be pretty steep from manufacturer to manufacturer and from wireless service to wireless service.

I’m a T-Mobile customer and when I bought my Samsung Galaxy S3I was “stuck” with the T-Mobile specific apps and software that came with it.  Oh yeah, and Samsung also throws their own apps on the devices too.  Software and apps that I’ll never use! Like Samsung Apps and T-Mobile TV.

Well, think of the new Archos pre-paid phones below as “naked and pure Android”.

These new Archos Android phones won’t glue any customer to any one pre-paid service.  These phones actually have two SIM card slots which will allow customers to switch between carriers without even opening the phone up.

Sure, they may have what they’re calling Archos Media Centre Apps, but that won’t be nears as horrible an experience as my T-Mobile/Samsung ridden Galaxy SIII sucking up a lot of the space on my phone.

The Archos 35 Carbon

The Archos 50 Platinum

The Archos 53 Platinum

Related Items:

Join Merlin’s cast of noble warriors. Fight for King Arthur and Camelot.  Build power and rank.  Battle the computer or other players.  Have a helluva’ lot of fun!

Yeah…this is the Android game that took up most of a Sunday and had me begging for more time to play in the wee hours of the night.

Merlin’s Rage  from RenRen Games was recently released onto Google Play and was even named an “App to Watch” by Appolicious.

That Mad Man Merlin!

Merlin is pissed.  Hence, the “rage” that he has.  Why?  Well, someone has committed regicide.  (That’s the murder of a King or Queen).  Yup, ole King Arthur is dead.  Murdered by the evil hands of Mordred.

Now, Merlin is going to make him pay and take control of Camelot back for King and Country!  Well, Merlin really doesn’t do anything except explain the rules and walk you through a pretty simple tutorial.  But, hell, Merlin’s mad and when the wizard is mad then you just get on his side and start battling bad people and creatures, right?

Premise

Merlin’s Rage is a card playing/battling game much like Rage of Bahamut…but with a twist.  Merlin’s Rage also has a little bit of Candy Crush Saga and Bejeweled in it.

Each card and character has a color that is assigned to a different element; those elements include Red (Fire), Blue (ice) Green (earth) and errrr….Yellow and Purple.  The red fire cards are particularly effective against the blue ice cards.  Yellow and purple will beat the crap out of each other.  I’ve also found that green is effective against the blue cards, but fire will eat a green card like fire through a forest.

How do you activate the powers?  Well, with the elemental color gird, of course.  Players can move a piece anywhere on the board.  As long as you’re holding the piece it won’t drop until the time, which is indicated by a small status bar, runs out.  You can get a lot of power and magic going if you’re an experienced player with some well thought out placement.

I’ve been playing Merlin’s Rage for about two weeks now and I’m both ecstatic and completely frustrated with the game.

The Bad Part of  a Fun Game App

Free apps are nice.  Free apps with advertising are okay.  Free apps that require in-app purchases to continue playing and be effective can get annoying. I mean, seriously.

You very become hampered down by weak cards and getting trampled in the higher levels of the main map.  By the time you get to a point where you really need to pay attention what colors make up your team, how to most effectively combine the crystals to get the best combos you’re in over your head unless you start making in-app purchases.

And if you really want to start “Merging” (packing cards into others to make them level and gain power) or “Evolving” (taking a card at max level and evolving it into something else) you’re DEFINITELY going to have to make purchases.

Example:  I have a green card.  He’s a Level 10 Boy Ogre.  This was the original card that I started the game with and I’ve evolved him once from “baby” to “boy”.  Well, today I amassed about 5 green cards and I wanted to use those to “merge” and hopefully, eventually get him to max level so that I can evolve him again.  Yet, when I went to merge it takes “coins” to do so…and I didn’t have enough.  How to get more?  Grind through lower levels until your energy runs out or purchase coins in the app.

So, with my energy gone and unable to battle and gather coins and experience I just put the app away for a while and started writing this review.  I’m stuck and well, I’m not on the app and not spending money on it.  Yes, I understand that many apps are monetized in the same way but Merlin’s Rage just seemed a bit too greedy for me.

If anyone has some tips and player tactics for Merlin’s Rage I’d love to hear about them.  Please let me know in the comment section below.

AMC Rating for Merlin’s Rage: 3.9 out of 5

It’s a good game.  It’s fun and intoxicating but I’m not the kind of Android gamer that likes the in-app purchases…especially when they are essential to continued success and enjoyment with the game.