Enemy Within is the expanded version of the original game, Enemy Unknown. It includes everything from the original, as well as new themes and gameplay elements. Players familiar with earlier editions of the game know what to expect: a sprawling, empire-building, turn-based monstrosity that’s difficult to turn away from. First-timers, however, may find the complexity difficult to navigate. Civilization VI comes with a hefty price tag, which is understandable given the similarity to the PC version. But you can demo the game up to 60 turns for free. If you’ve ever wanted to know what it feels like to command a redshirt, knowing full well what a redshirt means, this is the game for you. Rome: Total War is one of many classics to enjoy a rebirth on iOS, losing none of the magic that made it such a great strategy game to begin with. The bundles include the classic Rome: Total War, the Barbarian Invasion, and the Alexander variants. Each can also be purchased separately. The sequel, Civilization Revolution 2, expands on this idea with new technologies to discover and units to deploy. There’s also a new way to play: scenarios, which drop you right smack into the middle of simulated historical events. There’s no doubt that Civilization VI is the ideal, super-sized version, but it also has a super-sized price tag. If you are unfamiliar with the Civilization games, Civilization Revolution 2 is a great way to get your feet wet before jumping into the more complex Civilization VI. This is one of those rare occasions where if you’ve never played the original Plants vs Zombies, the sequel is the best place to start. The free-to-play model, which in other games can swarm with ads and in-app purchases, is tolerable here. The original is great, but you’ll still have a ton of fun if you decide to play through the sequel first. In many ways, Rymdkapsel is reminiscent of the old Dungeon Keeper games, where you build a dungeon with different rooms and prepare your minions to ward off intruders. It’s unfortunate that the Dungeon Keeper remake went too heavy with in-app purchases, but for gamers who like that combination of real-time strategy and tower defense, Rymdkapsel is a load of fun. The retro graphics and light-hearted take on the genre add fun to the experience. As you maintain the ship, you’ll face off against enemies who beam onto your ship. The only downside to the game is the linear storyline, which makes playing through a second time a bit repetitive. TowerMadness features free-form tower defense gameplay and an excellent tutorial that will quickly get you into the game without completely boring longtime tower defense nuts. The cartoon graphics add to the fun and as you progress you’ll unlock new levels of strategy. Each scenario has its own goals, but most of the time you’ll be blasting enemies into smithereens.
