Best Android apps and games of October

Hopefully you guys are gearing up for a fun-filled Halloween, but we wouldn't let October slip by without rounding up the very best Android games and Android apps that have been released in the last 30 days. Both Google and Microsoft had a few really interesting new apps available this month. It was also a fantastic turnout for new games with lots of truly AAA titles be launched.

We're always eager to hear what you guys have installed, so be sure to hit up the comments with your favorite new apps. With that, let's dig into our top ten new Android apps that were released in October.

Republique

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Republique is a beautiful stealth adventure game about avoiding the eye of Big Brother and unveiling a conspiracy of a totalitarian dystopia. The core gameplay of avoiding guards, gathering clues, and employing an array of hacking abilities is paired up wonderfully with a strong storyline, original voice acting, and graphics with cinema-quality motion capture. There are lots of hidden objectives to dig up, and three full-bodied episodes to enjoy. Grab a season pass and catch the new episodes as soon as they're released, not to mention soak in the developer commentary throughout the game.

Secret of Mana

Secret of Mana is a classic role-playing game for Super Nintendo that has been lovingly ported to Android by Square Enix. Dive into real-time combat with a ring menu system that helps you tweak your tactics on the fly, and soak in a lush high fantasy story about angry gods and tyrants seeking unimaginable power. Secret of Mana for Android supports hardware controllers, if you're really looking to emulate the old-school experience.

The Wolf Among Us

The Wolf Among Us puts players in control of Bigby, a sheriff with a temper problem who also happens to be a wolf. The game takes place in Fabletown, and as you might expect, there are plenty of characters that come from some childhood story. These guys have to use magic to disguise themselves and not disturb the citizens of New York, though that's not always easy. The first episode kicks off with an encounter with the Wolf's well-known adversary from Little Red Riding Hood, the Woodsman. It's up to you how you handle every situation, and every decision has lasting effects on the rest of the story.

Don't let the cartoony art style or folklore roots fool you; The Wolf Among Us is an adult game with lots of great things go for it.

Icewind Dale

Icewind Dale is a well-loved D&D game that has made the leap to mobile. Old-school gamers will be happy to see the classic dungeon-delving combat that sticks closely to the 2nd. edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules, and the rich fantasy storyline with branching dialogue options (much of which has original voice acting). Level up your party and earn loot like usual, but there are a few welcome additions to the tried-and-true formula. Co-op, cross-platform multiplayer helps you hook up with buddies, try out 30 new kits and classes on for size, and gear up with dozens of new spells and items.

Botanicula

Botanicula comes from the creators of Machinarium, and has a similarly off-kilter art style and distinct sense of humor. Guide a troupe of five tiny forest-dwelling creatures through 150 meticulously designed locales, each full of danger. Botanicula is kid-friendly, but not without charm for older audiences too. Shifts in perspective, challenging uses of your party's abilities, and split-second decisions are bound to keep even hardened gamers entertained.

Autodesk SketchBook

Autodesk revamped their freehand drawing app for Android, and the new version is fantastic. Fine tune a wide range of brushes, some of which are bundled, some available through an in-app purchase. A layer editor and a mirroring tool unlock once you set up an account, plus you can plug into DeviantArt to share your stuff instantly. Tablet and smartphone screen sizes are supported.

SketchBook is worth a download if you do any doodling.

Inbox

Inbox is Google's reimagining of handling e-mail, that bundles in reminders, and collapses similar messages together. Particularly important messages will bubble up to the top, and Google will go ahead and pull in useful information from outside sources for certain messages. You can also snooze e-mails and reminders, so you can tune out from threads you aren't directly involved in, or tasks you can get to right now. For now, you need an invite to use Inbox, but Google seems to be giving those out pretty liberally. Google also released a bare-bones fitness tracking app this month that will eventually plug into a wide range of apps and have big support for Wear devices.

AutoInput

AutoInput is a fantastic new plug-in for Tasker. AutoInput allows you to automatically fire touch and type events after a certain trigger. This means you can now seamlessly automate interactions with any app on your Android device, even if there isn't some kind of dedicated Tasker plug-in for it. Activate airplane mode after a certain time, or log into after making a voice command. Inputs can also be used as triggers themselves. For example, a gesture on your home screen can open an app, start a search query, or do just about anything your little heart desires.

Tinkerers will have a field day with AutoInput.

djay 2

djay 2 is a music app for professional mixers with all of the online and hardware connectivity you could need. Haul in tracks from Spotify, or use whatever you have stored locally. Mix directly on your Android smartphone or tablet, or with your DJ MIDI controller. djay 2 can automatically sync up the rhythm between your two tracks and you can apply all sorts of distortions, like filters equalizers, gates, and more. Pop in your own audio samples and screw around with the tempo however you like. Anybody serious about making music will find plenty of useful tools in djay 2.

Journeys & Notes

Journeys & Notes is a new social application which connects people by the routes they travel. This is an interesting spin on location-based networks which usually focus on the destinations themselves. Leave tips, check in to your journeys, and connect with fellow travellers. Journey & Notes is just one of a bunch of experimental apps Microsoft released this month, including Bing Torque, CityZen, and Next Lock Screen.

Your favorite new Android apps from October?

That's it from us for new hits in the Google Play Store. Sing out in the comments with your latest downloads!

Simon Sage
Simon has been covering mobile since before the first iPhone came out. After producing news articles, podcasts, review videos, and everything in between, he's now helping industry partners get the word about their latest products. Get in touch with him at simon@futurenet.com.