ZeroAnd09

  For my full article at GameRant, click HERE .

Procreate Developer: Savage Interactive Pty Ltd Platform: iOS Cost: $9.99/$4.99 When I say that Procreate is a revolutionary program, please don’t mistake that as some exaggeration or hyperbole. This one program has completely changed the way I create and subsequently look at art. It is the single best piece of software on my iPad and one I use daily now. Without it, I would still be struggling to not only make art regularly, but make art at all. Prior to this, I had been using a Wacom tablet and a variety of programs. I started with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop before eventually settling on AutoDesk Sketchbook . It worked, but there was always this disconnect as I would draw on the tablet, but have to look at the screen to see what was happening. There was also the issue of the pen tips wearing down the surface of my tablet. It was time to look at something new. Unfortunately, Procreate is only available for iOS at this time. So, there were some upfront costs that needed to be ...

TweetDeck Publisher: Twitter Platform: PC, iOS Price: Free! So, this isn't really an app. Not in the traditional sense. There's no official app available in either the iOS or Android stores. Instead, there's only the website. But this website kicks all kinds of ass. Especially if you're the type of masochist that finds themselves managing multiple Twitter accounts. The idea of TweetDeck is to manage multiple Twitter accounts from one easy-to-use interface without the need for logging in and out of said accounts. So, in my case, I can track my personal account, a show account, and the network account. What's really nice is that I don't have to post a tweet from one account and then retweet it across the other two. Instead, I can check all three accounts and send the same tweet with one click.

Bluk Publisher: Pixel Ape Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! Okay. So, I may have a problem. It seems that the large majority of games that catch my attention on the mobile platforms seem to revolve around simplistic pixel art. The game could play like an absolute wreck and I would be none the wiser, because I'm enamored with the pretty visuals. So, here, have another one. Bluk is easy enough to get into, but gets fairly difficult the further one gets into it. Using catapult physics, the objective is to hurl the little cube from tower to tower. Pull back with a finger to set the arc and strength, then release. If done correctly, the little cube will land delicately on top of the tower. Rinse and repeat until the end of the level. The music is soothing and easy to enter a trance as the levels fly by. As with any free-to-play game, there are items and abilities available for purchase. If you're a fan of pixel art and like puzzles, Bluk may be for you.

Baikoh Publisher: Mum Not Proud Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! Word games. Insults. A simplistic theme. Tell me, Baikoh, were you created just for me? The premise is simple. Letter tiles fall from the top of the screen and will being to fill it up. Tap letters to spell words and clear the board. If the letter pile reaches the top of the screen, it's game over. But, if that were all there was, it would be pretty boring. And Baikoh is not boring. It likes to punish players who misspell. It's a game that actively wants the player to lose. Different hampering abilities and tiles will fall along with the letters, that can freeze the board, block progress, and otherwise make the player's life a living hell. To help the player along their journey, there are power ups to collect and use in each match, so it's not an entirely unfair fight. Not entirely. As with most of the apps I recommend, Baikoh is totally free. If you like word games, give it a whirl.

Offline Survival Manual Publisher: Iigi Platform: Android Price: Free! Let's face it. At some point in life, all of us have thought about the remote chance of being dumped in the middle of nowhere. Lost, alone, and left to fend for ourselves. What would you do? I certainly have no idea. I can only imagine there would be a lot of crying. Well, if you have an Android device, and adequate prep time, or hopefully a full battery, the Offline Survival Manual may be just the trick. This app is packed full of survival-y goodness. Things like building shelter, providing basic first aid, and even elements of psychology can be found within! Now, it may all be good, or it could ultimately lead to certain death. I'm not a survival expert. Either way, it provides an interesting read. And since it's free, what's there to lose? Certainly not your life, right?

YouTube Kids Publisher: Google Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! What did we do before the age of the Internet and television when it came to getting the kids out of our hair for a few hours? Was there ever a time when children played outside or ran off with friends to have adventures? Is it just me or are the little buggers born with touch-enabled devices attached to their little grabbers? Well, I suppose it doesn't much matter. It's the way of the future! Kids and tablets! Kids and phones! Kids and all the abhorrent things the Internet has to offer. I'll be the first to admit that my YouTube account curates some fairly screwy videos. As such, I wasn't inclined to let my toddler use it to watch videos of monster trucks, trains, and nursery rhymes. After all, who knows what will pop up on the auto play? On the flip side of that, going into YouTube without any account can be just as dangerous due to what is trending. As such, when it came time to binge watch...

Authentic Weather Publisher: House of van Schneider Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! Since getting a smart phone, I've found the one thing I'm always on the hunt for is a decent weather app. I've tried so many that I've lost count and they all fall short in one way or another. Either they're too cluttered with information or they lack basic information or there are intrusive ads or the layout is just awful. It's too much. Just tell me the fucking weather and look good while you do it. Well, hello Authentic Weather. I didn't see you over there. AW is the most straight forward and sassy weather app I've had the pleasure of using. After finding your location, AW will give you a summary of the weather. As I write this, it says "It's fucking cloudy. You can look outside to get more information." It's very astute. Pulling down from the top gives a little more info about the forecast in addition to the temperature. It will displa...

Retro Shooting Developer: Livezen Corp. Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! Loyal readers will know that I'm terribly torn on mobile gaming. I greatly enjoy playing games, but there is such a distinct lack of quality games available for phones and tablets. If something becomes mildly popular, there are so many knock-offs and shovelware created, it creates bloat in the marketplace. For the most part, I've given up on mobile gaming. I'd much rather use my phone or tablet to be productive (crap, I think I'm turning into an adult). That being said, every now and then, a gem comes along.

SketchBook Developer: AutoDesk Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! Art is very important to me, despite me being a terrible artist. I had talent and squandered it. I grew up wanting to draw comics for a living. But instead of actually studying and developing my skills, I stalled out. Fast forward 10 years and I'm still floundering. But now, I flounder for different reasons. The world has jumped to digital art and let me tell you, drawing with a tablet instead of pencil and paper is a dramatic disconnect.

Imgur Developer: Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! I don't know why I'm loathe to recommend this app. Maybe it's my own self-hatred for spending so much time on it. Time that I could spend being productive. Maybe it's that I don't want you falling into the same trap that I have. But odds are you're already ensnared with it or its half-brother, Reddit.

Twitch Developer: Twitch Interactive, Inc. Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! There's no denying the huge impact that Twitch has made in the lives of gamers. Everyone, from major tournaments to the 30 year old guy with cats can blast their gameplay out for all to see. But what good is streaming, if there's no one to watch? Don't you worry, baby birds. Twitch has your back.

Tap Hero Developer: Applicatura Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! I've expressed my disdain for idle clickers in the past. For the most part, they seem pointless to me. They're built to waste time, and like many mobile titles, lack any meaningful engagement. There is no progression, no sense of reward, and no real motivator to keep playing. Tap Hero tries to change that.

Light! Developer: Youzu Stars Platform: Android Price: Free! Relaxation is important. Being able to take a moment and let the world around you disappear while you collect your thoughts is critical. So much is demanded of us on a daily basis. From work to families to our entertainment itself. Many apps only reward daily diligence and demand players continually play to make any progress.

LastPass Authenticator Publisher: LastPass Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! Security is super important when dealing with anything on the Internet. In addition to having a strong password, it's always smart to enable two-factor authentication if you are able to. Some providers will allow this through a text message sent to a designated phone number. Others rely on an authenticator app to provide a randomly generated pass code. I already trust LastPass with my life essentially. So, trusting them as my two-factor authenticator was a no-brainer. Setup is easy. When enabling two-factor on an online account, a QR code will be presented. Line it up with the camera within the LastPass Authenticator app and the account will be added. Should that not be an option, you also have the choice to manually add an account via a code. The app can be secured with a PIN or fingerprint, helping to beef up security. LastPass Authenticator is easy to use and it comes from a company I alre...

Little Healer Publisher:Dmitrii Volevodz Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! I have a problem. At one point, I was in a very abusive relationship with a game. World of Warcraft consumed my life for several years. It was all I would play, all I did, all I would talk about, and all I would dream about. It started with a friend letting me try out his account. The night elf dance and Hogger quests sucked me in. I quickly acquired my own days later. It eventually got to the point where I ran my own private server.

Wifi Analyzer Developer: farproc Platform: Android Price: Free! Say you have a fancy new router for your home. Now, imagine your home isn't isolated the the woods or a corn field, but rather, is in a large apartment complex. Now, without getting too technical, do you know how a wireless network operates? How about what happens when you have a bunch of networks working in the same small area?

Abyssrium Developer: Idle Idea Factory Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! The mobile platform still confounds me when it comes to gaming. There aren't normal conventions like platformer, shooter, or RPG. Instead, there are idle clickers, endless runners, and match three games. Now, these games may be entertaining, but for myself, that entertainment is short lived. At most, I only find myself playing a title for a few weeks. The ones I played longer were on my Windows Phone, and I believe a large part of that was because it was my first foray into the smart phone arena. Now that I am entrenched in the Android ecosystem, I find myself stumbling over an embarrassment of riches. When I started writing these reviews, I wanted to cover apps that I enjoyed and would have no problem recommending to others. But, thanks to that previously mentioned embarrassment of riches, I'm coming across more and more garbage. So, I'm going to be falling back into old reviewing practic...

CamScanner Developer: Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! While everyone is busy downloading the latest new game only to become bored of it within a week, we often forget how productive our phones can make us. While being productive may not be as fun, it is definitely more rewarding. Especially when you need to scan in a document and get it off right away so upper lower level mid-management will get off your back.

I am a Brave Knight Developer: Platform: Android, iOS Price: Free! Some of the best games on mobile aren't necessarily games. They're more an experience than anything else.  Such is the case with I am a Brave Knight.