October in the mobile realm turned out to be a month of contrasts: on the one hand, there were high-profile releases, tempting with waifus and large-scale CGI, but disappointing with greedy monetization and barriers for Russian players; on the other hand, there were real finds like interesting and atmospheric indie games or a volleyball simulator, proving that a fresh idea can still break through the stream of gacha and the race for donations.
Most Downloaded Games of October
Chaos Zero Nightmare
Chaos Zero Nightmare makes a grand and expensive entrance. It seems that the lion's share of the budget went to cute "waifus" and a CGI video with dramatic twists, a futuristic world, and pathos. Otherwise, the game looks visually much simpler, but, strangely enough, this doesn't spoil it.
The gameplay with a turn-based card battle system saves it. You arrange a squad, choose actions, activate skills — turn-based combat, like in classic tactical RPGs. The interface, leveling, and resource system are clearly inspired by Honkai: Star Rail. And if Honkai is a space opera with a deep world, then Chaos Zero is its more modest, budget version. There wasn't enough money for a large world to explore.
Players in reviews praise the graphics and animations. We like it too. Although some players complain: "The characters should be dressed." Alas, or, on the contrary, good, but this is the standard of the genre.
But the technical and regional problems are more serious. Many Russian players are forced to log in through three letters because it is impossible to pass the loading screen from Russian IPs. Plus — no translation. Dialogues, descriptions, tasks — everything is in English. So if you are not in the know, it will be difficult to follow the plot.
In general, if combat is important to you and you don't mind beautiful pictures, it's worth playing. This is not Honkai, and you don't need to demand it. Yes, there is also a manipulative gacha mechanic here (with the same features as in HoYoverse games). So we traditionally warn: if you are a gambling person, it is better to avoid such games altogether. If you know how to control yourself and not spend money on "waifus", Chaos Zero Nightmare is one of the most curious projects of October. With reservations about English and three letters.
- Free-to-play game with microtransactions and gacha mechanics.
- Rating in Google play 4.1 (66 thousand reviews).
- Downloads: 1+ million
- Google play | AppStore
Stella Sora
Yostar is a name that sounds like a brand in the world of mobile gacha games. Arknights is adored by players. Azur Lane is a cult mobile game. But it is important to remember: in many cases, Yostar is not a developer, but a publisher. But Stella Sora is another matter. This is their own project: they conceived it themselves, made it themselves, and, apparently, decided to step on the well-known rake themselves.
In 2024, the studio announced the creation of a new development team, looked for personnel, hinted at a large-scale future project. And finally released Stella Sora — with beautiful anime heroines, isometric action and dungeons. In early access, everything looked promising: players praised the visuals, combat system and even the gentle gacha mechanics — a rare compliment for the genre.
But then the release came. And negative reviews poured in. Localization into Russian is lame. Stamina (endurance) spoils the game — millions of players have long hated it. There is little of it, and it recovers painfully slowly. Want to play — pay or wait (pay-to-play). And also — prices. The gacha system has become twice as expensive as during the early access period. "Freebies" are left to either grind to numbness, or accept that they are second-rate.
But the gameplay is praised. It's a mixture of isometric action and RPG with roguelike elements — dynamic, sometimes even tense (reviews say that the gameplay is a la Vampire Survivors). The characters are cute, detailed, with a well-thought-out background. You need to sell "waifus".
Play or not? Except for the sake of interest and because it's Yostar. If you are interested in this kind of gameplay and you are ready to put up with the pressure of stamina and prices — you can try it. But for collecting your favorite anime girls, there are less greedy projects.
- Free-to-play game with microtransactions and gacha mechanics.
- Rating in Google play: 3.1 (15 thousand reviews).
- Downloads: 500+ thousand.
- Google play | AppStore
Kingdom Rush Battles: TD Game
Ironhide Games is a name that sounds with respect in the mobile realm. The legendary Kingdom Rush games. The honed gameplay of Iron Marines. When you see the logo of this studio, you expect a high-quality timekiller, a beautiful picture and gameplay that you want to praise. But there is one detail that has been spoiling the impression of their projects for many years — greed.
With the release of Kingdom Rush Battles: TD Game, everything went according to the old scenario — only in PvP 1 on 1 mode. They promise 19 elite towers, 12 heroes, a bunch of spells, six epic bosses and "unique" arenas. Sounds impressive. The game looks in the style of Ironhide: bright, dynamic, with humor in the details.
The gameplay is really good. The studio knows how to make tower defense. The problem is that it is useless to learn if there is a donator against you. Players in reviews are unanimous: the gameplay is excellent, but the game is pay-to-win. Microtransactions decide everything. Towers, heroes, abilities... most of the content is available either for a long grind, or for money. And the price is inhumane even by Ironhide standards. It turns out: either months of patience, or pay immediately. And then victory is guaranteed. Not by skill, but by the ruble.
Technical freezes, minor bugs — this is fixable. But you can't fix the moral side of the game with either an update or a patch. We ourselves wanted to play. Honestly. But it's a pity to waste time. And to support pay-to-win with the ruble? No way.
Is it worth downloading? If you are a fan of the series and are ready to put up with the system — yes, you can try it. But be prepared: your strategy will be powerless against someone else's wallet. Ironhide, let's repeat what we once wrote in the Iron Marines review: greed is bad.
- Free-to-play game with microtransactions.
- Rating in Google play: 3.3 (22 thousand reviews).
- Downloads: 100+ thousand.
- Google play | AppStore
Big Helmets: Heroes of Destiny
Roguelikes are now ruling the roost of the gaming industry. Every second release is a run through random maps, leveling up, death and another run. Big Helmets: Heroes of Destiny — from the creators of Tuny Gladiators and Hunt Royale — is an RPG roguelike with a cartoon aesthetic, where each hero is a tiny warrior in a huge helmet. Looks cute. Plays like a mobile roguelike.
In the campaign, the developers promise: "unique runs". Well, almost. Yes, the locations change, events throw up unexpected twists, and 16 characters from two factions give room for experimentation. Each has their own fighting style, magic, abilities and even a hint of character. Some prefer brute force, others rely on magic. And the developers also promise humor and a funny story. We don't know how funny the story will be, but even from the screenshots it is clear that you need to grind. A lot of grinding.
In such games, tactical decisions, as a rule, fade into the background, and in the first place — leveling and collecting artifacts. In addition, you have PvP and co-op at 1×1 and 2×2. So you can play alone, you can — with a friend. And there is also an AFK mode: the game itself collects resources while you are busy with real life. Convenient, but not very original.
Judging by the reviews of players, everything is fine with the gameplay, but the greed of the developers is disappointing. Progress slows down very quickly. Players run into an invisible wall on the fourth act, after which a comfortable game is possible only with donation.
Is it worth downloading? If you like roguelikes, cartoon graphics and are not afraid of grinding — try it. The game will definitely brighten up a couple of evenings. But be prepared: at some point, the game will start asking not only for time, but also for money.
- Free-to-play game with microtransactions.
- Rating in Google play: 4.2 (16 thousand reviews).
- Downloads: 100 thousand+
- Google play | AppStore
Worth Paying Attention To
Elysia: The Astral Fall
If you regularly dig into mobile RPGs, one glance at Elysia: The Astral Fall is enough. Reviews speak for themselves: "cute", "entertaining", "we've seen it all before", "AFK Journey clone", "Genshin on a minimal scale". Well, when a project begins to be described through analogies, it means that originality is not enough. On the other hand, there is not much negativity, and the rating is good.
Vertical screen, cute drawn graphics, an open world that you want to explore... but only at the release it is empty. Combat is in real time, with elements of the elements: fire, ice, lightning, light, darkness and even kinetics. Each hero has two types of attacks and an ult to beautifully blow up enemies. And there is also gacha, leveling, resource collection and fighter classes — everything on the list.
AFK mode works as it should: the game itself collects rewards while you sleep or do something useful in real life. They promise seasonal events, updates, leaderboards with achievements. You shouldn't expect discoveries from Elysia: The Astral Fall.
The main complaint of players is little content. And this is somewhat alarming. How well will the project develop? Perhaps the studio simply does not have the resources to develop.
Is it worth downloading? If only for the sake of interest and curiosity. And then — see, maybe you'll like it, even if everything seems familiar. But you shouldn't donate now. Wait a couple of months. See if there will be life in the project. Because now Elysia: The Astral Fall is more of a demonstration sample. Let it be cute, and entertaining.
- Free-to-play game with microtransactions and gacha mechanics.
- Reviews in Google play: 4.2 (9 thousand reviews).
- Downloads: 100+ thousand.
- Google play | AppStore
TOEM: A Photo Adventure
While the mobile game market is overwhelmed by a stream of gacha games and donation dumps, TOEM: A Photo Adventure offers a completely different gameplay. The project reached smartphones four years after a successful release on Steam. First of all, the graphics in shades of gray are striking — a bold decision in the era of eye-popping palettes and bright colors. But it is this monochrome that makes the game special: like black and white photographs in the era of digital photography.
You go on a journey through a hand-drawn world to photograph, solve puzzles, help quirky characters and unravel their little secrets. Communication with the inhabitants of this world is kind, sometimes ironic, always — humane. The gameplay is simple: saw a problem — took out the camera — took a photo of the desired object — received a reward. Everything you need to solve is already in front of you — just look more closely. There is no tension. There is no pressure. There is only you, the camera and the desire to understand the world.
Reviews on Steam are extremely positive. Players call the passage a "virtual vacation". True, short — only three hours. But sometimes that's exactly how much you need to disconnect from reality and exhale. The mobile version boasts even more: a cool soundtrack, Russian language, relaxing gameplay, and most importantly — the very idea of the game.
Only the demo version is free — but it is enough to fall in love. The full version requires purchase, which may be a problem for players from Russia. Then there remains the option — to go through the game in Steam and thank the developers there.
- Free demo version of the game.
- Reviews in Google play: 4.8 (3 thousand reviews).
- Downloads: 100+ thousand.
- Google play | AppStore
Volley Girls: Volleyball SPIKE
Against the background of endless anime epics with the collection of "waifus", Volley Girls: Volleyball SPIKE looks like a breath of fresh sea air. Because here "waifus" are not girls in translucent dresses, but volleyball players in sports shorts who can not only pose, but also hit the ball so that the net trembles.
And yes, the game uses gacha mechanics. Here it works like in classic card games: you buy a booster — and who gets into the team, luck decides. Want a strong server? Catch your chance. And the game here is almost real volleyball. On a smartphone. With 4 on 4, with jump serves, blocks, intricate draws and even commentators who shout with delight at a successful block. This is really cool!
All this was created by only two independent developers. And yes, there are technical roughnesses. This is written about in the reviews. But almost no one swears. Because the idea is contagious. Because it turns out: on mobile you can do not only grind, but also live, adrenaline-fueled sports.
There is a story mode in the format of a visual novel — with stories of players. The translation into Russian was added quickly after the release, which is rare for indie projects. There are tournaments, leagues, leveling. It is not yet clear how the project will be developed further. Will the small studio have enough strength? But one thing is clear now: Volley Girls is a fresh mobile game. So download it. Even if you have never held a ball in your hands — here you will feel the adrenaline. And maybe you will be inspired to a sports ground in real life.
- Free-to-play game with microtransactions and gacha mechanics.
- Reviews in Google play: 4.0 (2 thousand reviews).
- Downloads: 100+ thousand.
- Google play | AppStore
INMOST
In 2020, INMOST was released on Steam, and only five years later reached mobile devices — and this is good news: the game is worth seeing. Even if only for half an hour.
This is a pixel platformer with puzzle elements and metroidvania features, but it is praised not for the gameplay. But for the atmosphere, plot and, yes, you did not mishear, animations. Judging by the reviews of players, the project was created with great love. It has three characters, and each of them is not just a new skin. These are three different ways of interacting with the world.
- The girl is light, but fragile. Hiding under the table is easy. Lifting a box is almost impossible.
- The Wanderer is tenacious, agile, like the wind itself. Skillfully slips through the cracks, bypasses traps.
- The Knight is heavy, slow, with a sword and a hook. Does not bypass — breaks through.
The world of INMOST is gloomy, dilapidated, filled with shadows and monsters. You make your way through it, lure enemies into traps, avoid fighting, because winning does not always mean surviving. Here it is more important — to survive. The gameplay is not bad, but does not have time to fully unfold. But players have time to fully immerse themselves in the story — and then do not restrain praise in the reviews. The reviews, although few, are very positive.
So download the free demo version — it is more than enough to understand how interesting it will be for you.
Alas, once again we are forced to state that there are certain problems with buying games in Russia, so if you like the demo version, go to Steam.
- Free demo version.
- Downloads: 5+ thousand.
- Google play | AppStore
Spooky Express
The developers of Spooky Express did not wait — they released the mobile version simultaneously with the release on Steam. Just in time for Halloween under the glowing pumpkins. The Spooky Express is the only railway service ready to transport the undead from the darkest corners of Trainsylvania. Your task is to build paths, plan routes, deliver passengers... only here the passengers are vampires, zombies, ghosts and other inhabitants of the night.
Each monster requires a special approach: vampires need to be delivered to coffins, zombies to graves, and frightened people need to be saved. While they are still whole. Each of the 200+ levels has a new puzzle. You need to not just drive the train, but think through the entire route. The head works. But nice. The visual is ideal for October. Cute, almost cute monsters, frightened little people, pumpkins, coffins and graves. In general, a funny horror story.
Reviews confirm this. Players note that this is a great puzzle, and the atmosphere of Halloween suits it.
The game is ideal for lovers of puzzles and Halloween. In the mobile version, by the way, the gameplay is vertical. So it will be convenient to play on a smartphone.
- Free-to-play game.
- Downloads: 1+ thousand.
- Google play | AppStore
