[Game Roundup] Our Top Seven Picks For The Best New Games Of November 2014

If you’re a fan of strategy games, you had a very good month in November. In addition to soft strategy like Kingdom Rush: Origins and Godus, you’ve got new entries in the XCOM and Civilization series, not to mention the very impressive newcomer The Banner Saga. There are also some respectable entries in what you might call the casual genre (if you weren’t busy swearing at some of the higher levels in The Blocks Cometh), and we’ve added a few honorable mentions as well.

Kingdom Rush Origins

Android Police coverage: Clear Your Schedule—Kingdom Rush Origins Is Now Available

Arguably the best-known tower defense game on mobile has another installment. Origins is – of course – a prequel, setting up the events in the next two Kingdom Rush games. But you don’t care about that: you care that there are new towers, troop types, and environments. Some of the newer and more powerful units are truly impressive, while still fitting into the game’s simplistic visual design. Kingdom Rush Origins is three bucks plus in-app purchases, but they’re not as awful as they might have been.

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Kingdom Rush Origins is the third installment of the award-winning Kingdom Rush saga, loved by millions and earning accolades from gamers and critics around the globe. Take a trip back to the beginning, before Vez’nan ever thought to threaten the kingdom with the gem of power, and experience even more of the lightning-fast, exceptionally captivating gameplay that made the franchise a cornerstone of essential tower defense games.

The Banner Saga

Android Police coverage: The Banner Saga Arrives In The Play Store Priced At $9.99 [Update]

The Banner Saga is an indie strategy game set in a fantasy version of northern Europe. (Think halfway between Marvel’s Thor movies and Lord of the Rings.) Originally released on PC, the mobile version preserves the turn-based tactical gameplay and the fantastic hand-drawn characters and environments. It’s expensive at ten bucks, but there are no in-app purchases, and it’s still half the price of the PC version. Guaranteed to be 100% free of Candy Crushing.

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Embark on your own epic journey in this critically acclaimed tactical RPG, where your strategic choices directly affect your personal story, as well as the outcome of conflicts encountered during your struggle for survival in this Viking inspired tale.

• A 2D fantasy realm inspired by Norse mythology – immerse yourself in beautifully hand drawn combat sequences and animations, accompanied by an evocative score from Grammy-nominated composer Austin Wintory.
• Player choice that drives your own narrative – every decision you make in travel, conversation and combat has a meaningful effect on the outcome as your story unfolds.
• Over 25 playable characters each with unique personalities – embark on your journey with a variety of characters from 7 different classes, each with unique abilities and upgrade options to fit your play style.

Civilization Revolution 2

Android Police coverage: Civilization Revolution 2 Finally Gets A Turn On Android

Oh God, Ghandi’s pissed, everyone run for your lives, the big one’s co… oh, it’s just China. It’s OK everyone, we’re safe. Prepare to relive the Civilization memories of your youth with this pint-sized version. 2K didn’t see fit to bring the original to Android, but we’re getting Revolution 2 only… er, four months after iOS. (At this point that probably counts as a win.) Get your turn-based strategy on with this accessible take on a classic… if you can get past the steep $15 price.

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The sequel to one of the most successful strategy games on mobile is here. Sid Meier’s Civilization Revolution 2 challenges players to build a glorious empire that will stand the test of time. This is the first game in the Civilization catalog to be developed and available exclusively for mobile devices. Civilization Revolution 2 offers mobile strategy fans a brand new 3D presentation and more tactical depth than ever before. Find out if you have what it takes to rule the world.

Godus

Android Police coverage: Play As A Benevolent Creator In Peter Molyneux’s Godus, Now Available For Android

Godus started as a PC game, but with its clever push-pull terrain sculpting and simple art style, you could believe it was made for mobile. This spiritual successor to Peter Molyneux’s Populous has you gently guiding a tribe of stone age wanderers all the way up to the space age, with some simple directions, the ability to move mountains, and the odd miracle or two. And a periodic rain of hellfire, of course. The mobile version is heavy on the IAP and social networking.

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YOU are about to PLAY GOD. Rule over a living, breathing world. It is as SIMPLE to play with as it is AWE-INSPIRING to behold. Feel truly powerful in the most delightful, charming and tactile world you have ever held in your hands.

· Use your touch to physically shape, mold and sculpt every inch of the landscape, making it unique to you.
· Be loved and worshipped by tiny, devoted Followers. Watch them live, learn, and grow in a fully simulated world.
· Nurture the growth of a civilization as it rises from the dawn of the primitive age and advances throughout the ages of humanity.
· Cast miracles of both beauty and destruction: sculpt rivers and grow forests, or throw meteors and spread fires.
· Uncover a wealth of mysteries and surprises waiting to be found above and below the landscape.

Turbo Dismountâ„¢

Android Police coverage: Turbo Dismount Revs Its Engine And Crashes Directly Into The Play Store

Turbo Dismount is essentially an entire game based around those hours you wasted in Grand Theft Auto III seeing how many cringe-inducing ways you could crash a sedan. The game’s crazy levels and rag-doll physics make it a playground for destruction. It’s a spiritual sequel to the oddly cathartic Stair Dismount. SHIELD Tablet owners get a few extra graphical flourishes, but it’s not an exclusive. Turbo Dismount is free to try, with a $7 in-app purchase unlocking all levels.

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The legendary crash simulator is now on Google Play. Perform death-defying motor stunts, crash into walls, create traffic pile-ups of epic scale – and share the fun. Turbo Dismountâ„¢ is a kinetic tragedy about Mr. Dismount and the cars who love him. It is the official sequel to the wildly popular and immensely successful personal impact simulator – Stair Dismountâ„¢.

XCOM®: Enemy Within

Android Police coverage: XCOM: Enemy Within Adds New Units, Weapons, Stages, And Bad Guys In A Standalone Expansion

The original XCOM: Enemy Unknown was a respectable mobile port of the popular console/PC turn-based strategy game. Because expansion packs on mobile are tricky, Enemy Within is actually a stand-alone title, which includes the original alien-hunting story plus new enemies, story missions, units, weapons, and stages. If you’ve got a powerful device with plenty of free space, $13 to spare, and a taste for painstakingly detailed strategy, it’s an easy recommendation.

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XCOM®: Enemy Within is a standalone expansion to the 2012 strategy game of the year XCOM®: Enemy Unknown and it’s now available on Google Play devices. Enemy Within features the core gameplay of Enemy Unknown plus more exciting content. Check out the new soldiers, abilities, enemies, maps, missions, and multiplayer mode for the fresh new strategy gaming experience.

The Blocks Cometh

Imagine trying to play a level of Mario that happened to be occurring inside a game of Tetris. The Blocks Cometh is basically that: your hero jumps around a vertical stage where crates continually fall, using precision jumps off of walls falling in mid-air to avoid a crushing death. There’s a gun as well, but you won’t make it far without precision platforming skills. Some familiar Noodlecake heroes make a cameo, and the tongue-in-cheek “Gamebot mode” (a $1 cosmetic add-on) is perfect.

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The world is being destroyed. Help Blockman and his friends to survive as long as you can. Run, jump, and shoot and climb to top your highest score in this endless vertical climber. The Blocks Cometh is a game about dodging and climbing an endless series of falling blocks. Featuring guest characters like Mr.Destructoid, the one and only Jim Sterling and The Agent from League of Evil. Plus so much More.

Honorable Mentions

• Five Nights At Freddy’s 2
• Battle Worlds: Kronos
• Jet Car Stunts 2
• BattleLore: Command
• Twisty Planets
• Strike Suit Zero
• Valiant Hearts: The Great War

That’s all for November, which had a few fewer games than we might have hoped for, but some standout entries nevertheless. December is usually quiet for big game releases (gotta give Mom and Dad time to buy them, after all), but we’re expecting at least one or two whoppers on the schedule. Be sure to load up on single-device multiplayer games if you’re planning on traveling with family… if not for you, then for the kids.