If you consider yourself a gamer, you don’t need the word defined for you. But for the rest of our readers who may not fully understand what hardcore games are, there is a type of player who can be classified as a gamer.
Gamers are dedicated to the sport. They play all manner of games, from casual puzzles to side-scrolling platformers to epic role-playing games (RPG). Most of the time, a gamer’s favorite is the hardcore genre. These are games that take many long hours of deeply engaging gameplay to get through. Some of them are updated regularly to expand on levels and in-game areas so that they never really end.
This is our selection of the best of the best hardcore games…
Final Fantasy IV
Only a year ago, Square Enix made their fifth installment in the Final Fantasy series available for iOS. The series dates back to 1987 and this version first launched in 1991. It was the first game to introduce the Active Time Battle feature, which has gone on to be an iconic trait of all other FF games. Help Cecil save the world and reveal the secrets of the legendary Crystals in this epic RPG. This game is available for $15.99 (on sale now for $7.99)
Order and Chaos Online
The biggest launch of a massively multiplayer online (MMO) RPG came from Gameloft in 2011. At the time, the game had a lot of bugs and glitches and ran painfully slow if you were on a crowded server. However, over the past two years, the game has received many updates and has honed in on what makes an MMO so good. Playing Order and Chaos on the new iPad Air is nearly as good as playing on a desktop computer. This game is available for $6.99.
Aralon: Sword and Shadow HD
The deep and engaging storyline of this RPG is what sets it apart from many others. Play in first or third-person across open 3-D environments that feature day and night lighting cycles, an epic soundtrack, and more than 30 hours of gameplay. Chose from four character classes and customize your character with different races, hairstyles, armor, facial features, and more. Battle enemies with traditional button selection attack mechanics. Adjust your character’s traits by choosing the traits that work best on the Skill Tree. This game is available for $4.99.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Moving out of fantasy and into sci-fi, the XCOM series is a tactical shooter based in the future. Your job is to lead a secret task force called the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit, or XCOM, to infiltrate and investigate the alien threat. The game features turn-based ground combat where players direct their soldiers to engage in combat, research data, and manage the organization’s finances. This game is available for $19.99.
Deus Ex: The Fall
This cyberpunk themed space game mixes RPG storyline with action packed first-person shooter gameplay. The Deus Ex series started in 2000, the game focuses on character development. The choices you make within the game affect the outcome. Players explore environments from mafia hideouts in Moscow to slums of Panama. The immersive storyline, fully explorable open worlds, and high impact combat make this a well-rounded adventure. This game is available for $4.99.
Call of Duty: Strike Team
You’d have to be living under a rock not to have heard of the Call of Duty franchise. The first-person shooter title offers gamers hours of first person shooter storyline, and plenty of collectable guns to make the tactical combat game fairly realistic. This iOS title lets you switch between first and third person viewing. You can customize your squad with different weapons, perks, and armor. In Campaign Mode, play solo in a story driven tactical combat game that puts you in the middle of heavy firefight over and over again. Survival mode gives you the chance to fight of waves of increasingly difficult enemies. This game is available for $6.99.
Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour
This intense first person shooter game puts you in the hot seat as part of an elite team sent to rescue the president. Players control different soldiers across various missions as each one has a specific goal to achieve in order to move on. Additionally, this game features multiplayer online cooperative gaming where as many as 12 players can team up for arena battles like Capture the Flag and Team Battle. This game is available for $6.99.
Apple also recently curated a list of hardcore games. Some of them are included in our own list, some of them aren’t. Make sure to check it out.
What are your favorite iOS hardcore games? Make sure to chime in by leaving a comment below.