War Robots

Though this game's been around for more than four years, the app version has significant issues that only the most dedicated robot fan will overlook. The most obvious issues for War Robots are the badly controlled AI for machines on the starter levels and a seeming lack of players. The app has nearly three million downloads, so why then do so many enemy teams play like, well - stupid robots? You could chalk that up to crummy controls. Most gamers know by now that virtual thumbsticks are simply a good means of raising your blood pressure. Still, that doesn't account for the way enemies stand and let themselves get shot. They don't often use cover or shoot back, so unless the developers are trying to make beginners feel like unstoppable war machines, something's seriously wrong.

As a result, working up to bigger and better robots is a chore. The first fifteen/twenty levels count as the "beginner" part of the game, and must be cleared before Clan Wars and the Workshop unlock. That's a downer, since Clans let you interact with other people, and the Workshop's where you get your hands on the really cool robots. Unless you want to spend some cash to speed things up, you're in for a lot of dumb-enemy shooting. On the upside, the different maps are interesting, so if you have bags of patience (or bags of money), higher levels could eventually mean better combat. Unfortunately, most app users are neither patient nor wealthy, and with the mountain of new apps coming out every day, they don't have to be. Ultimately, War Robots is the kind of app that attracts mech lovers of all stripes, but only rewards the most dedicated ones.