Parents' Guide to Lost Survivors

With so much focus on epic role-playing and action-packed competitive gaming, it can be easy to overlook the simple fun of a good casual game. Lost Survivors does a relatively good job of fitting that bill, giving players a combination of basic gameplay and personalization that works on the go. There's nothing particularly deep about the game, as it's essentially a run-of-the-mill city/village/etc. builder, following the same generic formula as a lot of other games in the genre. Even so, there's a sort of Zen garden appeal to building and expanding the island and watching the people and the animals going about their business.

Lost Survivors is best played in bite-size chunks. Every action takes a substantial chunk of time to complete. Unfortunately, this means an instant of gameplay is followed by a lifetime of waiting. It's usually best to dish out some commands, collect some materials, and then come back later to reap the rewards. While players can use in-game currency to speed things along, you can never earn much through gameplay, and buying more from the shop gets way too expensive for the trade-off. If you're looking for a quick, fun distraction, Lost Survivors fits the bill. For anything with more substance or depth? The waters around this island will likely run shallow.