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Pyrus, another iPhone word game from the creator of Lexitron
I've mentioned here before how big a fan I am of Lexitron -- it's just the perfect kind of pick-up-and-play game I enjoy having on my iPhone, and the art deco look and feel of it is an added bonus. Now, digicide has come up with a new game called Pyrus, and it looks pretty good as well. Just like Lexitron, you're still focused on making words, but this time, you just need to come up with one word per set, and the app uses multitouch in choosing each letter of whatever word you make. It's an interesting idea, and once again digicide's app is oozing with style, this time in an Egyptian theme (I love the music notes that play when you hit a letter). The app is in the store now for just $1.99, which is probably a bargain for how much time you'll spend messing around with this while waiting in line or for the bus or train somewhere.If I could improve on these games at all, I'd almost like a few more letter options (Bookworm is pretty much the perfect word game, and while digicide obviously can't and shouldn't rip them off, something with a few more letters to choose from would seem fun). I'd also like to see a goal that's a little more involving than just racing against the clock -- maybe building up a power meter that unlocks certain letter choices or cheats, or even multiplayer against an AI or human, if digicide can pull it off. But for sheer pick-up-and-play wordcrafting fun, these games are already great. Very nice job on both, definitely two iPhone games to check out if you haven't yet.
Perilar brings Ultima-style RPG to the iPhone
Man, for all of the great games on the iPhone already (I've been really enjoying Lexitron lately), what we really need is a good old-fashioned, both complex and charming RPG. Arcade games are fun and all, and they just keep getting better, but what the iPhone really needs is a sink-your-teeth-in fantasy world, complete with dragons to slay, swords and magic to wield, and XP to earn.Perilar might just be that. It's based on the old Ultima-style turn-based RPGs, and the tiled graphics aren't much to look at these days, but it sounds like good (Net)hacking, slashing, and exploring fun. We're still not talking about the peak of the iPhone's potential as an RPG machine, but Perilar looks like a good first step.And the best part is that there's a Java version out right now, so you can try before you smack down the $4.99 price. I'm definitely planning on picking it up. Until we get a great original, and solidly addictive fantasy RPG on the iPhone, Perilar seems like it'll help scratch that itch.[via Touch Arcade]
