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Daily iPad App: Drawn: Trail of Shadows is a simple, beautiful puzzle game
The Drawn series is hard to describe, really -- I've mentioned one of them here before, but I don't know if I quite gave the series a good description. Fortunately, if reading this post doesn't work, I've included a video of me playing the game down below, so you can take a closer look at just what these games are like. The series started up on PC as the domain of Big Fish Games, a company that has released a lot (a lot!) of PC games over the years. But Big Fish is making its way onto iOS (most notably with the great Fairway Solitaire), and the Drawn series is slowly coming along, with Trail of Shadows being the latest release on iOS. At its core, this game is a hidden object title, where you need to poke around a series of still pictures, finding items to use in various adventure-game style puzzles. The title is quite atmospheric and beautifully, well, drawn, and provides a very casual story experience for you to simply relax in and enjoy. These games aren't for everyone -- a gamer used to a little more action might call them boring, and unfortunately, Big Fish hasn't very smoothly ported the game over, so there are some awkward loading screens and the occasional dropped cutscene. But there is definitely a strong mood here, a strong feeling evoked from playing a game like this, and having this around on your iPad can make for a very intriguing afternoon of gameplay. Drawn: Trail of Shadows is available as a free trial right now, and you can pay US$4.99 in the game if you want to play through the whole thing. It's definitely worth a look -- there are certainly games of this hidden object ilk that are indeed a waste of your time, but Drawn is one that's won me over a few times already.
TUAW's Daily App: Cartolina
Cartolina is an app that I noticed over on the great Drawn! illustration blog. While you might not want to get it yourself (it's the thought that counts with greeting cards, and I think that, with both cards and letters, the real thing is still better), you can't disagree that the art of this one is pretty incredible. Cartolina is originally a stationery company, printing cards and letterheads with elaborate and elegant designs on them, but they've also released an iPhone app. For US$2.99, you get access to nine different artistic templates, which can then be made into beautiful email or text messages. It's not a big deal (and it's no substitute for actually writing someone a letter -- something I already don't do enough of), but for classing up the standard congratulatory or simply nice email or text message, it'll work wonders. The app also has a built-in calendar with reminders of major events, and the app promises even more designs and features coming soon. Again, if you already have a schedule and a plan for sending greeting cards, the app probably won't interest you that much. But it's always nice to send someone a reminder that you're thinking of them, and having Cartolina around might help you do just that.
'Drawn: The Painted Tower' ready for adventure this Friday
Trying a little something different from its Mystery Case Files series, developer Big Fish will launch Drawn: The Painted Tower this Friday at midnight. The adventure game will be available on Big Fish's website for $7, with other digital distribution platforms a possibility -- along with brick and mortar retail. But, for now, it's Route 1011100011 only. The story of the game seems to be held together by the legend of a child queen who is supposed to solve puzzles to save a "town dark and bleak with despair." There's another trailer of the game after the break with a voiceover full of foreboding. %Gallery-71331%
Today's hand-drawn video: Super Smash Bros.
It's cute, it's simple, and it's better than a slew of video games we've been playing lately. We give you Super Smash Bros., in hand-drawn animation. A sweeping cinematic score only underlines the awesomeness of this fine video.Nintendo, if you want to save some money, get someone on this project, pronto. Release it, rake in the dough, and we'll have something to tide us over until the real game comes out. Trust us. Make sure you watch until the very ... end?
