AND YOU THOUGHT THE MOBILE PORT OF FFVI WAS BAD...

author=article
The game requires a constant online connection as a result of its money-sapping ways. You won't be able to save your progress in this single-player RPG without having a data connection. And even worse, the iOS game removes many of the original's save points--in order to encourage you to purchase a $2 microtransaction that lets you revive your character.


"Namco has done everything in its power to make you want to, with no regard whatsoever to the considerable effect on the game's enjoyability," Touch Arcade writes in their one-star review. "In previous versions of the game, Tales of Phantasia had multiple difficulty settings, which mostly manifested in the form of enemies with higher stats. In the iOS version, you have no choice, you are locked into a custom setting that sits somewhere between Hard and Mania from the other versions. This makes the fights last a lot longer and makes the enemies far more deadly, especially bosses. If that's not enough, they've outright deactivated many of the game's save points, especially those located near bosses."

Without the ability to save regularly, you'll be more tempted to pay $2 for the resurrection microtransaction, should you fall in battle. And given the increased difficulty, that's going to happen more often than you'd like.

author=Craze

Shinan

Liberty
Aaaand my complaints over the new Breath of Fire kinda vanish a bit more...

Just because something is worse doesn't mean you shouldn't complain about things that are bad.

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anyway if you need good phone games

Tower of Saviors/War of Dragons (iOS name)
+Better than Puzzle & Dragons, the original-but-money-grubbing original in this genre (match-3 monster trainer)
+Gives you lots of free currency for daily play
-Can be a bit grindy, so if you don't like that, avoid this
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.madhead.tos.en&hl=en

Lost Words
+Think you have a good vocabulary? This twist on Mastermind will challenge that
+I've been playing it 100% free, on classic mode (arcade mode is where all the IAPs are, but you can play without them)
-Music's pretty bad, but you can turn it off
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.magmamobile.game.LostWords&hl=en

Cavemania
+It's a turn-based strategy game. It's also a bejeweled clone. Wait, what?
+It sounds bizarre, and it is, but it's pretty engaging
=REALLY HARD (after the first few sets of areas). I'm living proof that it can be done without money, though. Avoid this if you don't want to think too much
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bonusxp.cavemansmash&hl=en

Other notable free games:
-Happy Street (animal crossing meets farmville... but without a lot of the hassle of either)
-Hero Forge (puzzle fighter)
-GIANT BOULDER OF DEATH (RAARRRRRRRGGHGHHHHH)
-Nimble Quest (It's Snake. As an RPG. Try it)
-Pudding Monsters (Really fun puzzle game)
-Random Mahjong (best mahjong game i've found)
-Puzzle Retreat (worth buying the full level pack for a few bucks if you enjoy the free levels. great puzzle game)

most of these are available on ios too. all are free and playable without IAPs (although I have spent a bit of money on cavemania and tower of saviors, in order to support them).

really though, rpgs just aren't really meant for phones, at least not in my experience. they're terrific on handhelds, where the buttons are separate from the display, but with everything all cramped up... ugh.