Mobile games are always a tricky business. Some do amazingly well and yield millions, other games with great ideas simply fall away. I always found that finding a really good Mobile RPG is even harder. There are many out there, heck they have even resurrected old RPG games into the mobile market, but nothing ever really captured a true experience. Nonstop Knight is a mobile RPG from the team at Flaregames that seeks to blend the popularity of "clicker" games with traditional Action RPG aesthetics and gameplay.
You begin as a simple knight who sets out to explore some dungeons. One of the really important elements to the game is that you can play with only your thumb. Most mobile RPGs have you using one hand to explore and the other to choose combos for a fight. Nonstop Knight explores for you. At first, I was surprised by the auto exploration, but soon I was able to understand it for this style of game.
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You can upgrade your knight with several different skills. I have the Whirlwind, Clone, and Leap abilities. They all speak for themselves in terms of classic action RPG abilities. When you are fighting monsters these abilities will help you get through groups and reach your goals. They really come into play when you get to a boss fight. The best part is, boss fights unlock and you can choose when you want to have one. You can also run into bosses around the dungeon as well. In approaching a boss timing is everything and when you unleash your skills is critical. I used clone a lot to get the extra damage and have the extra target on the screen. Then it becomes a combo of the other abilities and when to use them.
The knight can upgrade his gear too - this is an RPG after all even if it falls into the "clicker" category of passive games too. I really liked this part of the game. You begin with a sword, helmet, and cloak. All three of these can be changed. There are lots of different weapons in the game and I ended up using a shovel for a while, now I am using an axe. The helmets are fun too, I have a Rhino helmet right now. Basically this is part of the game that filters out all of the heavy RPG customization and makes it simple.
Where Nonstop Knight really wins is in the fact that it never stops. You continue fighting and killing foes after you turn off your phone (think AdVenture Capital). So you can cash in on gold even when you are not playing. The game also has a very reasonable store. It does have buffs and bonuses and offers gems to buy potions to resurrect, but they are never intrusive and don’t really impact gameplay. If you want to get back up and fight, you can, or you can challenge the boss again later. The team at Flare has really kept the options open.
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So, if you are an RPG fan but find yourself trapped at work or generally away from your PC. Nonstop Knight fills a niche in the mobile game market very well. It hosts a fast paced action RPG that keeps playing with all the upgrades and boss fights you enjoy. The game does not over complicate things and fits well for mobile. Just like other genre successes in the mobile market, Nonstop Knight may have found the sweet spot between RPG and mobile minute to minute accessibility. It's out today on iOS and Android.
