Top 5 Apps of the Week: Fire Emblem Shadows, Geolio, and More!

This week, we’re excited to share a carefully curated selection of our favorite mobile apps and games, ideal for both Android and iOS enthusiasts. After exploring the extensive offerings on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, we’ve identified five standout titles that truly caught our eye. Whether you’re searching for engaging gaming experiences or handy tools to elevate your productivity, our recommendations promise to introduce you to something thrilling that suits your tastes.

Fire Emblem Shadows (Android and iOS)

I recently had a bout of nostalgia concerning Fire Emblem, and decided to try Fire Emblem Shadows out, and it honestly took me by surprise. I’ve always liked the Fire Emblem series for its tactical depth and character-driven storytelling, so I was curious to see how it would translate into a mobile experience. The moment I launched the game, I could tell it was aiming for something fresh. The visuals were sharp, the voice acting added a lot of personality, and the overall presentation felt polished.

What I enjoyed most about this game? It delivered a sense of drama and intensity right from the start. The story has that familiar Fire Emblem tone—loyalty, betrayal, and moral conflict—but with a new twist that made things feel mysterious. The “shadows” theme runs deep, and I found myself wanting to see how the plot would unfold with each chapter. The gameplay was a bit faster and simpler than the traditional grid-based combat, but that also translated to it being easy to pick up and play in short bursts.

That said, I did find myself missing the deeper tactical layers from the older games. Some battles felt more like quick skirmishes than thoughtful encounters, and I didn’t always feel like my choices had much impact beyond basic attacks and timing. There was also a bit of grinding involved to strengthen my units, and the in-app purchases can be a little pushy after a while. It’s not unbearable, but the monetization does get irritating.

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.79-$77.99) / Account required: No
• Download Fire Emblem Shadows (Android) / Download Fire Emblem Shadows (iOS)

A great place to begin for those who have yet to jump aboard the Fire Emblem series, and if you have an old Nintendo DS lying around, how about giving Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon a go to get started? You can be sure there are no monetization gimmicks there, but this mobile game lets you jump aboard without having to dive into all the lore beforehand.

Trickcal: Chibi Go (Android and iOS)

Trickcal: Chibi Go is an interesting game that caught my attention with its quirky, playful energy. From the moment I launched the title, I was overwhelmed by its colorful nature and silly graphics. The chibi-style characters (an art style originating in Japan where characters are drawn in an exaggerated manner) are ridiculously cute, as the entire game world felt like a sugar-fueled fantasy come to life.

Gameplay-wise, it proved to deliver a nice balance between strategy and simplicity. The combat system lets me jump in quickly without overthinking every move, but there’s still enough room to experiment with different team setups. I liked how I could choose to play more actively or just sit back and let the auto-battle handle things when I wanted a more relaxed session. The voice acting and soundtrack added a lot of personality, making all the little details count.

After a while, I started to grow tired of the game as the battles began to feel a bit repetitive, the moment my team started to form a strong backbone. There was not much need for tweaking then, as I could pretty much handle most opponents that appeared. I also did not like the gacha system of the game, since it stunted my team's growth unless I decided to spend more as the game progressed. 

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99-$99.99) / Account required: No
• Download Trickcal: Chibi Go (Android) / Download Trickcal: Chibi Go (iOS)

Still, I did enjoy myself at first. Trickcal: Chibi Go is not a title that tries to be overly serious, but rather, it is packaged in a lighthearted, funny, and chaotic manner to keep me interested. This is a game where I did not feel like tearing my hair out, even though I am on a losing streak, which is a good thing these days. The world needs more laughter than anger, after all.

CalScan — AI Calorie Tracker (Android & iOS)

Counting calories, who hasn't done that before as they grow older? My battle of the bulge continues to be waged on a daily basis, and it feels like I am on the losing side no matter how much I try. I guess there is no outrunning a bad diet, which is why I have been brought to my knees to try CalScan out.

From the get-go, it impressed me with how straightforward everything felt. The interface was clean, minimal, and really easy to get used to without any unnecessary clutter or extras, just a smooth experience that got me to where I wanted to go in a jiffy. It made tracking and scanning data feel effortless, be it analyzing calorie info, scanning food items, or logging nutrition details.

Reliability is another plus point, as it worked as expected. Now, this is something that does not happen every single day, so it is nice to see the app work as intended without having me jump through hoops. Information was well organized and easy to understand at a glance, and I liked how I could get an overview at a glance. 

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($9.99-$99.99) / Account required: No
• Download CalScan (Android) / Download CalScan (iOS)

I would have liked to see CalScan gain deeper integration with other fitness apps or to provide more personalized insights based on usage, but considering how it does what it was supposed to reliably and consistently, the other "wants" of mine are nothing but frivolous.

Geolio (Android & iOS)

I am always one who is up for some friendly competition, although over the years, I realized that I might be more competitive than I thought! Hence, when I saw Geolio as a game that tests my geographical knowledge, I could not help but download and install it. After spending some time playing Geolio, I have to say, it was a surprisingly fun way to test how well I actually know the world.

The graphics were appealing to me, giving a colorful and modern vibe. Overall, everything was laid out in a bright, easy-to-navigate manner, and it felt inviting without being over the top. It allowed me to jump straight into a quiz or challenge without wasting time figuring out menus.

What really pulled me in was how the game made geography and travel trivia exciting. Instead of just naming countries or capitals, it threw in fun challenges about landmarks, cultures, and even flags. It kind of felt like a mix between a travel guide and a trivia game, and that balance kept me engaged longer than I expected. The daily challenges were a nice touch, too; they gave me a reason to come back and keep my streak going.

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($2.99-$49.99) / Account required: No
• Download Geolio (Android) | Download Geolio (iOS)

I felt more relaxed than stressed playing this game, and being able to see my progress build up over time also added to the fun. However, I did notice that after a few rounds, I’d hit a limit where I had to wait for my “lives” to recharge or watch an ad to continue. While this is not a deal-breaker, it did interrupt the flow a bit when I was in the groove.

Eiren AI: Meditation & Journal (Android & iOS)

Is AI going to take over the world? We have our thoughts, but right now, Eiren AI happens to be a well-designed tool that helps make my daily life a wee bit smoother. I liked the clean and minimalist vibe, where everything looked tidy, responsive, and easy to navigate without requiring me to dig through endless menus to figure out what does what.

I did not find the AI interaction to be dreary or robotic in nature, but rather, it felt really natural. This was a pleasant surprise to me. I found it handy when brainstorming ideas, organizing thoughts, and even having short, meaningful conversations when I needed to untangle a complex topic. Don't get me wrong, this is not a full-blown productivity suite or a chatbot replacement, but rather, it felt more like a friend at the side, offering two cents when required without being intrusive.

It was nice to see Eiren AI run smoothly without any crashes or weird bugs. It did seem to have been optimized for both quick chats and longer sessions, which made it versatile, depending on what I'm doing. Whether I was using it to draft a creative story or just to bounce ideas around, it felt like a personal assistant that really jived with my vibes after a short while.

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($7.99-$69.99) / Account required: Yes
• Download Eiren AI (Android) | Download Eiren AI (iOS)

Having said that, Eiren AI is not perfect. There’s still room for additional customization options, including adjusting the tone or personality of the AI a bit more. I liked how it was thoughtful and well-balanced without being intrusive, smart without being showy, and simple without feeling bare-bones.

And just like that, we've reached the conclusion of this week's roundup. We hope you enjoy a fantastic weekend filled with our curated recommendations. If you have any extra apps or games that you believe could be beneficial for others, feel free to drop your suggestions in the comments!