Daily iPhone App: Escape from Age of Monsters runs on

You may remember Age of Monsters -- it was a really simple game put together by developers working with artist Jeff Matsuda, featuring some really gnarly art and some rock/paper/scissors game mechanics. Now, Matsuda and his team have come back to iOS for a second title, this time called Escape from Age of Monsters. This game is based in the same world, and features the same wild art, but is a running game in the style of Canabalt rather than an RPS title.

It's still very simple, and that's almost too bad -- with art as colorful as what's used here, you almost expect a little more from the game mechanics. However, it's a quality running game with that same wild style: There are children running behind you that count as your "lives" in a morbid kind of way, and you are faced with red and blue walls that you have to punch through with certain colors to keep going. Get caught three times, and the game is over, with the goal being to run as far as possible before that. There are boss levels and powerups to find, too, if you get far enough.

If you like Matsuda's style, you'll love the art, and the music in the game isn't bad either. For 99 cents, it's worth a try, especially if you like the running game genre. I'm a little disappointed that Massive Joe Studios hasn't gone for more -- the gameplay on these two titles hasn't matched up to the quality of the art being used.