Top 5 Apps of the Week: Black Beacon, Quizlet, and More!

Each week, we curate an exciting selection of articles dedicated to the world of apps. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, we highlight the best free apps available at that moment, often featuring premium games and applications that are temporarily free. Additionally, our Top 5 Apps of the Week segment offers a fresh perspective, focusing on the standout apps that have genuinely caught our attention. We meticulously download and assess each of these recommendations to guarantee that our insights are both trustworthy and captivating for our readers.

I can’t wait to unveil our carefully crafted list to you!

Black Beacon (Android & iOS)

This isometric, real-time combat game allows me to control a team of up to three characters. Needless to say, there is depth since each character possesses unique active skills, ultimate abilities, and passive traits to help me carve my own playstyle. I also like how the combat system emphasizes timing and strategy without just spamming button mashes, while mechanics like charged attacks and skill swaps can counter enemy moves.

Of course, one's sense of timing will need to be good, since the window for countering can be rather narrow to make dodging a more reliable tactic in certain situations. Those who are familiar with Black Myth: Wukong will definitely love the dodging and countering aspects of gameplay.

What I did not like is how complex gear farming can get, which kinds of kills the momentum of the game since it is a time-consuming process. Of course, this can be solved if one were willing to open their wallets, but I am not that type of gamer. The isometric view limitations also run into trouble at times, as the perspective does hinder immersion for some players.

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99-$19.99) / Account required: Yes

• Download Black Beacon from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Overall, I found Black Beacon to offer a compelling blend of storytelling, strategic combat, and innovative gear mechanics. Of course, there are technical issues at launch that marred my experience, but there is enough in the game itself, especially the narrative and gameplay, to provide a solid foundation. I am sure the overall experience will improve with constant developer support and optimizations.

Bang Bang Legion (Android & iOS)

If you are looking for a pixel-art strategy game that is fun to indulge in, then Bang Bang Legion makes sense. This title offers fast-paced 1v1 battles, a generous gacha system, and a charming retro aesthetic that certainly rolls back the years.

In short, if you have some time to kill, you can dive into quick, real-time 1v1 battles. It works this way: players deploy units to destroy the opponent's watchtower. It takes approximately three minutes to complete each match, making it ideal for on-the-go gaming. With more than 50 unique cards, you can enjoy diverse strategies and combinations. Players can build decks from various factions, each offering distinct skills and synergies. 

I love how the pixel-art style is presented, as it brings me back to a more nostalgic era with its vibrant colors and design. The background music also helps enhance the overall experience. Thankfully, there is a lack of intrusive ads, while the gacha system was designed to be player-friendly, as each recruit guarantees a new card. This further reduces the frustration often associated with random draws. ​

• Price: Free / Ads: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99-$19.99) / Account required: Yes

• Download Bang Bang Legion from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

I did run into some minor lag issues at times, where there were occasional delays during unit placement, but this did not deter me from enjoying the game. Of course, replayability might be another issue as the limited number of game modes tends to keep you returning to 1v1 battles to get the most fun out of the game. Both casual and dedicated gamers would benefit from giving this game a chance.

Superlists — Tasks & Lists (Android & iOS)

There are many theories out there when it comes to productivity, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Well, what if there was an app that might help you get a little bit more organized, won't that be considered a win? Superlist is a cross-platform productivity app that aims to blend the simplicity of to-do lists with collaborative project management features.

I like how task management is made easy, where I can create tasks with subtasks, due dates, tags, and notes. These tasks can be infinitely nested, which further provides flexibility in organizing complex projects. ​Being able to share lists, assign tasks, and comment in real-time also makes it easier to work as a team, although I would say the team should not be too large in size, otherwise it would end up as one convoluted mess.

It is great that the app offers seamless syncing across devices, including iOS, Android, macOS, and web platforms, which is ideal in this world where nobody is tied down to one particular digital ecosystem only. The clean and intuitive design also makes it a snap to navigate around.

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($10-$96) / Account required: No

• Download Superlists — Tasks & Lists from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

Unfortunately, Superlist lacks features such as priority levels, recurring tasks, and comprehensive calendar integration, in addition to a basic tagging system. Still, it is a good place to begin for individuals and small teams seeking a balance between simplicity and collaboration in task management. 

Quizlet: Study with Flashcards (Android & iOS)

The world has gotten so competitive these days, it can be pretty tough trying to gain an edge over the others. If you want to learn better, apps can help, and Quizlet is one of them, as it offers a versatile platform for learners to create, share, and study flashcards across various subjects. This app caters to students, educators, and lifelong learners who want to experience efficient memorization and comprehension techniques.

With this app, I was happy to see how I can create custom flashcards with text, images, and audio. The app itself supports over 100 languages, making it accessible for diverse learning needs. There are also different study modes to choose from, including Learn, Write, Spell, Test, and Match, which will certainly offer a wide range of options to different learning styles.

AI continues to be a hot topic, and I'm happy to note that AI is incorporated here, including features like Q-Chat, an AI tutor that provides personalized study assistance that further enhances the learning experience. ​ There are also community resources to draw from, comprising millions of user-generated study sets for learners to access a vast repository of materials across numerous subjects.

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes ($7.99-$35.99) / Account required: Yes

• Download Quizlet: Study with Flashcards from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

The combination of traditional flashcard methods with modern technological enhancements continues to make an app like Quizlet a firm favorite of mine when it comes to learning new subjects. I am somewhat disappointed by the shift towards a subscription model, but the comprehensive features and user-friendly design make it a worthwhile tool for effective studying. There is no free lunch in this world, is there?

Luna (iOS only)

While the use of AI is often age-restricted, preventing younger audiences from leveraging the technology, the new Luna app makes it possible for children, guided by their parents, to use AI to create personalized and tailored 3D illustrated storybooks. This offers a rewarding experience for both parents and kids, as they can use simple prompts while being as imaginative as they want. The app also provides guides throughout the creation process for convenience, with generation taking about a minute or so in my testing.

The Luna app utilizes OpenAI's latest models to generate both stories and illustrations. It also incorporates safeguards to protect children from harmful and intrusive content, ensuring that the narratives used for stories are child-appropriate and culturally inclusive. In addition, there are parent-friendly controls to manage the app effectively.

Generally, the generated storybooks are mostly short stories that can be read in under 10 minutes, depending on the child's reading capacity. However, they are also ideal for reading aloud together with parents. Once created, the books can be found in the library and accessed offline. They are particularly engaging on large-screen devices like an iPad and tablets, as the portrait layout mimics the action of flipping a physical page.

• Price: $5.00 / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.30) / Account required: No

• Download Luna from the Apple App Store.

The Luna app costs $5, which comes with credit equivalent to creating 10 to 15 books. Users can purchase additional credit to create more storybooks, with each story costing $0.30.

With this, we have come to the end of the list. If you are aware of an app or game that you think is worth letting us know, please share it in the comments.