Badland vs Greak: Memories of Azur
Badland
Badland gained worldwide acclaim when it was first released mainly because the game itself has one of the best level designs on the mobile platform, responsive and intuitive controls, as well as a realistic physics-based gameplay. However, that's not the cherry on top - the game is possibly among the first on either Android or iOS to offer a multiplayer and co-op option despite being simply "a puzzle game". The graphics in this game is also incredibly stunning in its simplistic kind of way. The color hues supplemented the black, ball-like creature you'll be playing as. And of course, the game offers endless replayability via its level editor where players can create their own levels, share them to the world, and even play other people's levels too!Badland is an excellent atmospheric side-scrolling action-adventure platformer that guarantees hours of fun regardless of whether you're playing alone, or with or against friends. Its awards are very well-deserved and by playing it (you can get it for free), you'll quickly realize this is one of the many gems in the indie gaming scene.
Greak: Memories of Azur
Greak: Memories of Azur is a gorgeous action-adventure game featuring a young boy in search of his sister in a world engulfed in turmoil, no thanks to the bloodthirsty Uglars. Playing as the boy Greak, you’ll venture across various regions in Azur, exploring every inch of it for hidden stashes, completing quests, and battling enemies along the way.The game starts off like a relatively regular action platformer, where you’ll get to jump, swing your sword around, and solve relatively simple puzzles by switching characters once you manage to reunite him with his sister. This part is actually pretty similar to the gameplay in Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, a favorite of mine.
In fact, you’ll get to control both characters at the same time, which is interesting, though it does complicate things a bit during combat especially considering that the sister is a magic user and deals damage from afar while the brother is a sword-wielder and does best dealing damage from a much closer range.
In a way, Greak: Memories of Azur also feels a bit like a Metroidvania in the sense that the game hides secret chests and rare flowers in places that you, if you don’t pay too much attention, might miss. Even if you spotted the items, you will still need to figure out a way to get to them, which usually involves some creative and sometimes very precise jumping. Expect to get frustrated… a lot!
The gorgeous hand-drawn art in Greak is definitely one of the highlights of the game as well. The out-of-focus background in the distance matches well with the stuff at the front too.
In a nutshell, not only is Greak: Memories of Azur a gorgeous action-adventure game with a heartwarming story about a brother trying to reunite with his sister in a world embroiled in war and infested with dangerous creatures, it also comes with a fun gameplay that's perfectly "midcore". So, if you're into story-driven platformers, you'll want to check out this one!