ANGRY BIRDS

Platform: 
iOS, Android

Angry Birds - a name that is familiar with anyone who has ever owned a smartphone. The vastly popular game which spawned a multitude of "sequels" and made millions of dollars is back. This time with a true successor to the original. 

The previous renditions of the games were simply rehashes of the original with different backgrounds adhering to a particular theme (with the exception of Angry Birds Space which introduced a new gameplay element in the form of gravity imposed by asteroids). Angry Birds 2 does away with the old and breathes new life into the series. 

For those who haven't a clue regarding Angry Birds, it's a game where you basically slingshot birds onto green pigs who are holed up in makeshift structures made of wood, glass and stone. 

On starting up the game, players will notice the higher quality menus which are reminiscent of indie games for consoles or PC. No doubt, Rovio's growth as a studio throughout the years shows in the high production values that this game contains. The traditional birds make their return with their original powers. The classic Angry Bird, Red, is given a new power as well. The levels are now randomly generated; so if you restart a level, you'll automatically be presented with a new structure. Also, levels are divided into stages to make getting 3 stars easier. There are new spells in the game which add a hint of diversity to the whole ordeal. 

The in-app purchases in the game are only used to buy lives (which recharge by 1 every 15 minutes) and spells. Not too bad if you consider the recent freemium games out there.