What to play on your smartphone: Ultimate Sackboy, Tomb Raider Reloaded, Final Fantasy XV: War for Eos

In this issue, legendary console franchises attempt to conquer the mobile market: Sackboy from LittleBigPlanet sprints across the screen, Lara Croft clears dungeons, and Final Fantasy XV heroes rewrite history. In addition, the final days arrive in a zombie apocalypse, a drake tests his kung fu, and a hamster saves the world in an unusual platformer.

Major mobile releases of February

Ultimate Sackboy

The LittleBigPlanet series and its main protagonist need no introduction to PlayStation fans. Released in 2008, the platformer about a small burlap character became one of the flagship projects for the PS3. Its sequels were embraced by critics and players alike with open arms. Beyond Sony's ecosystem, the burlap fellow didn't venture often, though he had already appeared on smartphones as a 2D runner.

The new Sackboy game is a straight clone of the popular Subway Surfers. It features the same three lanes along which the hero runs, the same obstacles, and identical swipe controls. Asymmetrical multiplayer is designed to spice things up. To place higher on the leaderboard after a run, players must score more points during their runs than their opponents.

Ultimate Sackboy looks cute, but that is unlikely to be enough to compete with genre hits such as Subway Surfers and Minion Rush. Crash Bandicoot: On the Run failed at this task. Based on first impressions, monetization in Ultimate Sackboy is tuned more aggressively than in its rivals, and the competitive mode won't be to everyone's liking.

Tomb Raider Reloaded

The mobile version of the long-announced Tomb Raider Reloaded finally received its official release this February. It is not the first time the famed Tomb Raider gaming franchise has arrived on smartphones, but when it was announced during the series' anniversary year, fans were hoping for something more from a game subtitled Reloaded than just another clone of the mobile hit Archero.

The gameplay mechanics borrowed from its source of inspiration work, clearing out dungeon rooms is fun, but it shares nothing with Lara Croft's PC and console adventures. Lara Croft has also undergone a visual makeover. The developers abandoned the seriousness and realism of recent entries, and now the famous tomb raider looks more like a character from a low-budget children's animated series.

Square Enix predictably bypassed the Russian gaming market, so those wanting to play Tomb Raider Reloaded will have to look for alternative ways to install the game.

  • Free-to-play with microtransactions.
  • Early access review on the iXBT Games channel.

Final Fantasy XV: War for Eos

A big name on a game's title screen does not guarantee success, as Square Enix already learned with the mobile battle royale Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier. Series fans who have already tried Final Fantasy XV: War for Eos predict the same fate for it. In War for Eos, fans will find familiar characters voiced by the same actors and a familiar world, but… a completely different game.

The developers promise reimagined epic multiplayer conflicts; a new combat mode that lets you look at the world of FFXV in a new way; a vast world map with diverse biomes; building your own city; and “stunning” 3D character design.

Unfortunately, behind the marketing fluff lies a typical mobile clicker. Alas, the project doesn't try to be original. Gacha mechanics for collecting heroes, upgrading, resource grinding, base building, automated battles, and a vertical gameplay layout that doesn't suit proper role-playing games. It is, however, perfect for lazy battles with the “auto” button enabled.

Fans of this genre on smartphones do exist, but will there be any among Final Fantasy series fans? We'll find out in time.

Worth keeping an eye on

Doomsday: Last Survivors

The mobile strategy game Doomsday: Last Survivors is now officially available in marketplaces worldwide, including Russia. In many ways, this project is formulaic. Auto-battles, hero collecting, upgrading, base building, clan showdowns — the standard checklist. Doomsday didn't even distinguish itself with its setting: over the past couple of years, about a dozen games with a similar atmosphere have hit smartphones. The most famous among them is State of Survival.

You shouldn't expect engaging gameplay, but if this genre appeals to you, tapping your smartphone screen to gaze at terrifying zombies and attractive heroines is certainly an option. The game is translated into Russian, so there will be no trouble finding your way around this post-apocalypse. Everyone else would be better off passing by.

Pompom: The Great Space Rescue

A game about Pompom the hamster, who embarks on a journey to battle the evil Captain Cat meows, is an unusual project. Unlike classic platformers where the player controls the protagonist, in Pompom: The Great Space Rescue you have to “build” the levels, adding various types of platforms to help the hamster make it to the end.

The game came out in the fall of 2022 on PC and Nintendo Switch, but has only now made its way to mobile platforms. Player reviews are positive, so fans of the genre should definitely take a look. 

A free demo version is available for download on marketplaces. The full version must be purchased. Given Google and Apple policies regarding Russian players, doing this with local accounts and payment cards will not work, so you will have to seek out alternative payment methods or ways to obtain the full game.

Punch Kick Duck

An unusual beat ’em up where the player takes on hordes of enemies as a drake. Unlike most brawlers of this kind, in Punch Kick Duck you can't just button-mash your way through enemies. When confronting them, you need to choose the strike tailored to the specific encounter, and that is the only way to triumph. The faster the player makes decisions and the more precise their actions on the stage, the better the final score.

Punch Kick Duck does not feature top-tier graphics or claim to make breakthroughs in game mechanics, but if you enjoy it, it can kill plenty of time. Just what you need for casual, on-the-go mobile gaming.

Vendir: Plague of Lies

The creators of Vendir: Plague of Lies drew inspiration from classic RPGs of the '90s and early 2000s when developing the project. The authors aimed to craft an engrossing story and captivating quests, build a deep combat system, and offer an expansive skill tree. Furthermore, player choices have consequences and alter the narrative. The game is currently available only on smartphones, but a release on PC and consoles is expected soon.

The game was originally slated for 2022, but was postponed to 2023. That didn't help the project much, however — those who tried Vendir: Plague of Lies drowned it in negative reviews, pointing out both technical issues and gameplay balance problems. For Russian-speaking players, the lack of localization adds to the listed woes, which matters a great deal in a story-driven role-playing game. Still, there are enough classic RPG enthusiasts among the reviews who are willing to overlook many of its shortcomings.