In this week's episode of The TouchArcade Show, we battle through a discussion of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the "Eli's Scuba Diver At The Bottom Of A Fish Tank" (Eli Note: It's fixed in the second half, I'm so sorry.) voice woes in order to bring you the latest iOS video game news. At the top, we dig into the My Virtual Boyfriend, and then smoothly enter into the iCade, a few other delectables. Later, on the Front Page, we don our tin foil hats to chat about the PS Vita and remove them in order to have a discussion on Galaxy On Fire 2 Full HD. It's a neat show all-round, promise!

If you'd like to give us a listen, you can do so just below via in-browser streaming or direct download. If we've somehow convinced you to stick around, you can always subscribe to us on the iTunes or Zune Marketplace.

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Here's your show notes and remember, you can always talk to us with an e-mail to podcast@toucharcade.com. Let's brighten the mood next week and discuss dating advice. Seriously � send in your dating advice.

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Way back in September of 2009, Godzilab released iBlast Moki [Free/Universal], a game that quickly caught the attention of physics puzzle fans everywhere. iBlast Moki went on to earn accolades from just about every corner of the gaming world, including several Game of the Year awards as well as our own 4.5 star review and inclusion in our Best of 2009 Buyer's Guide. With the success of the original iBlast Moki, a sequel was pretty much a given, and indeed we learned earlier this summer that one was in production.

Following up on that kind of breakout success isn't always easy though, and I've been disappointed on more than one occasion with a sequel to a game that I absolutely loved. With iBlast Moki 2 [99�/Universal], this is not the case, not even close. Godzilab has taken everything that made the first game special and made it bigger and better in every way. There's also an improved social aspect which allows you to check your friends solutions to the single player levels as well as share levels created using the robust level editor. iBlast Moki 2 is truly the whole package, and is the epitome of what you'd want out of a sequel.

The gameplay in the original iBlast Moki was simple, at least on paper. The goal of each level was to get tiny creatures called Mokis into a portal-like end goal. The catch was that you didn't have direct control over the Mokis themselves. Instead, you needed to strategically place bombs around the level to literally blast the Mokis towards the goal, with various other items and a solid physics system there to help you along the way. One of the key components was the ability to control when bombs would explode, and some of the more elaborate levels involved ping-ponging Mokis across a series of well-timed blasts into the exit portal.

iBlast Moki 2 smartly keeps this core gameplay intact, but it also brings a bunch of new elements into the mix that force you to use an entirely different set of strategies to be successful. Shortly after beginning the game, you're introduced to one of the biggest changes: paint bombs. These little guys explode and spread their insides all over whatever surfaces are within their blast radius, giving those surfaces different properties like acceleration, bounce, or stickiness. Just this tiny change alone transforms how you tackle the game, as you'll need to use the landscape itself in unique ways to get your Mokis to their goal.

Things don't stop there though, as there are a ton of other items you'll need to utilize as well to complete each stage in iBlast Moki 2. Ropes, balloons, metal rods � there is literally a smorgasbord of the types of items you'd typically find in a physics puzzle game to aid you in your quest. It almost feels like Casey's Contraptions [$2.99] but with an injection of small rotund creatures and a whole lot more explosions.

This variation of items highlights the game's strongest feature, which is the incredibly brilliant level designs. iBlast Moki 2 is a really challenging game, and more than once I've sat there and stared at a level having no idea whatsoever what the heck I was supposed to do. This encourages experimentation and lots of thinking outside the box, and when you finally do figure out a solution it's a satisfaction greater than almost any other game can offer. I've literally laughed out loud and applauded the game so many times after seeing exactly how a certain solution worked, which has drawn quite a few awkward stares from my cat. It's worth it for the sense of accomplishment it gives you though, and iBlast Moki 2 is brimming with experiences like this.

Another cool feature this time around is the ability to see the solutions used by people on the Game Center leaderboards. So as not to be abused, you'll need to spend coins earned by completing worlds yourself first before unlocking this ability. One of the best parts about iBlast Moki 2 is figuring out how to complete a level, and just viewing how someone else did it and copying that basically sucks all the fun out of the game. I definitely recommend only using this feature after you've completed a level yourself and you're just curious how your buddy got a better score than you did, and in this way the option to see their solution is a welcome one.

Despite how wonderful iBlast Moki 2 is in practically every way, there were a couple of aspects I felt could be better. First off, the tutorials don't do a great job of explaining how to play the game. If you're familiar with the first game it's not an issue, but people coming into the sequel brand new might have a hard time understanding what the visual diagrams in the tutorial are trying to tell you to do. Still, everything will become clear with a bit of practice and experimentation, but it would have been nice to see the game cater a little better to the newbies.

The second issue that stuck out to me is the lack of precision when placing bombs and other items around a level. The majority of the time it's never an issue, but every once in a while you'll need to adjust an item placement just so, and will find it frustratingly difficult to get it how you need it. A handy window inset gives you a magnified view of objects when you're trying to connect them, which is nice, but many times it's actually in the process of removing your finger after placing an object that has a tendency to knock things off kilter. It's not anything that will prevent you from completing the game in any way, it can just be annoying at times.

Other than those small quibbles, iBlast Moki 2 fires on all cylinders. The visuals are crisp, colorful, and full of character. The gameplay retains the appeal of the original while adding fresh new elements and ideas. There's a ton of included levels, with more planned on the way, and that's not even including the robust level editor. As with the first game, I expect the community support behind creating and sharing levels to flourish, giving iBlast Moki 2 legs that extend long term. But aside from all of these bullet points or features, the absolute best part about this game is the feeling of satisfaction it gives you when you solve the challenging and clever levels. This is the part about iBlast Moki 2 that will stick with me for a very long time.

If you have even a passing interest in puzzle or physics games, you need iBlast Moki 2 in your life. It comes in 2 flavors, a cheaper iPhone only version and a slightly pricier Universal version. Both contain high resolution graphics though, and currently they are both being offered at an introductory price. If you enjoyed the first game then iBlast Moki 2 should blow you away, as it has done to the many satisfied gamers in our forums, and it stands tall as one of the best � if not the best � puzzle games in the App Store.

Yesterday, we pointed out a bunch of titles that have incorporated iCade support since the mini-arcade machine's debut. This afternoon, I want to highlight an awesome game that really clicks once you strap it in ThinkGeek's device: Mos Speedrun [$1.99 / Lite].

If you need a little background on Mos Speedrun, our review is a good place to start. In brief, it's a simple and cutesy lo-fi platformer that stresses level completion time instead of exploration or 2D combat. As a personal aside, I love how the game screams "GO" in a non-contrived way � every single system, mechanic, and bit of visual or audio design expertly and organically serves the purpose of expressing speed, much like how a 2D Mario beckons you to move to the right and explore the world without having to throw up blocks and blocks of instructional text.

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Without an iCade, you navigate Mos Speedrun with three big pieces of UI. The virtual buttons are responsive enough, but the iCade adds a level of fluidity and precision to movement that you don't get otherwise, especially when course-correcting mid-air. The physical buttons, on the other hand, give you much better control over jump height, due to the tactile feedback they provide.�Considering that the vast majority of things in your way often breaks down to Something You Have To Jump Over, this shakes out to be a big deal when you're racing against a clock or taking mini-bounces over enemies.

I've been putting up better times and sharper runs since switching to an iCade, but I've also been having a lot more fun with the game, which is way more important than anything else I've mentioned thus far. If you grab an iCade, Mos Speedrun should be at the top of your list.

Cedar Hills Games' Emissary of War [Free] has a lot to live up to. As we've already covered in our preview and our interview with CEO and former BioWare employee Tobyn Manthorpe, the game has a pedigree that's going to be hard to live up.

The core of Emissary of War lies in a simplified isometric hack-and-slash. Control is handled by tapping the screen where you want to go and your character, Ghent, moves there. Simple enough, right? But iOS games never seem to get this modest system right, no matter how hard they try. Thankfully, EoW nails it and it feels natural � no pathfinding issues to speak of and Ghent moves exactly where you tell him.

Considering where it comes from, the story in Emissary of War is probably what most people are interested in. To that end, there is a reasonable chance you're going to feel a little cheated. Not because it isn't good, but because it's short, as is the game as a whole, but if you walk in expecting a short story that operates more as a prologue, you'll find less to be disappointed in. It's short enough, in fact, there is a Game Center achievement for beating it in under forty minutes.

The game kicks off with the two main characters, the protagonist, a barbarian named Ghent and his assistant, Hassock. The two are wondering around making allies for an upcoming war. Your primary control is of Ghent, with Hassock coming in as potion and spell relief. You queue up his actions as you need them and while it simplifies things a bit, it works well, although you'll be spamming the potion button more often than anything else.

You'll spend your time making your way through a variety of environments to talk with different factions about teaming up in the upcoming war. There aren't any dialogue trees or anything, this is a strictly linear experience, but the lighthearted nature of your hero and his partner makes things feel different than most of these games. Along your journey you'll be picking up coins and runes that can be used to upgrade your characters, but most of the upgrades are fairly shallow, you upgrade health, power and a few different weapons and that's all.

In that way, Emissary of War has a lot in common with Pocket RPG. It's stripped down for mobile play and operates in small, bite-sized bits. The levels fork off occasionally to reveal extra runes, but you'll never stray too far in the wrong direction. You can play the first chapter in around twenty minutes, then unlock the second with an in-app purchase of $2.99 to play the second chapter, which is about the same length. It's content with offering up a snapshot of a world and teasing you with the idea of more.

So, the game is short, that has been established, but it is solid. The visuals compliment the action well and the control scheme is the best I've seen in a touch-and-slasher. There is full voice acting for every character as well, but it's on par with a '70s B-movie in quality. I can't help but think the game would have benefited more from gaining an extra chapter or two and cutting the voice work. It's nice in theory, but it's really not necessary in a mobile game.

Emissary of War's biggest triumph is its style and its lighthearted nature. Sure, Ghent looks and talks a little silly, but he's supposed to. Where there are plenty of garden-variety hack-and-slash games in the App Store right now, EoW has a soul behind it so you connect and sympathize with the characters, it's just too bad there isn't more of it.

The story doesn't end with chapter two, so it will be interesting to see what Cedar Hills Games does with it moving forward because at the moment, it feels more like a proof-of-concept than a full-blown game. The serialized story idea is tough to wrap your head around in a RPG and figuring out a way to balance gameplay with variety and story is going to be a serious challenge moving forward. If they can pull it off, Emissary of War could be something truly special.

In this week's podcast, we get into another discussion about the handheld vs mobile space in which I declare that handhelds like the Nintendo 3DS and the forthcoming PS Vita still have a shot to fill a niche that mobile devices can't. I'm of the mind that these devices' big budget games and, generally speaking, their more fleshed out and engrossing experiences are a unique attraction that should draw new audiences and those of us with iDevices that want a bit more.

As terrifying as it is, Sony and I are on the same wavelength on this. Despite the fact that the PS Vita will draw on a lot of the extra functionality that makes handheld gaming so much more attractive with a phone, Sony believes that its retail products will provide the extra oomph to battle purely mobile platforms and their games' comparatively lower-budget and lower dev time experiences.

Speaking with GameSpot, Sony's John Koller said that Sony views mobile and the handheld gamers as two demographics, but he also reckons that mobile people who want the larger, bigger budget experiences will flock to handhelds � the PS Vita in particular.

"When you look at the type of consumer that's playing cell phone games currently, it's someone that enjoys smaller 'kill time' gaming and has not gravitated to the larger, richer, deeper experiences that true handheld gaming provides," he said.

"We've certainly seen that on the PSP, and I know Nintendo has probably commented on it for their products, but as we go toward the PS Vita, I can tell you that as we started looking at that product and the market opportunity several years ago, we saw a real strong demographic for those deeper, richer, console-type experiences. We had them on PSP, but we've taken them to a new level on PS Vita with the entirety of new ways to play."

Our take has always been, via Sony messaging and Vita functionality, that Sony is aware that it's competing against phones. It strikes us as weird that Koller is talking about two separate demographics. Regardless, the point Koller makes is a cogent one: as of right now, we don't have a Half-Minute Hero or a God of War or a Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. You still have to grab a handheld for these kinds of experiences.

The jury is still out, though, on if people actually want to lug around something as big as a Vita or splurge on the tech when they could just grab a console, which will have even bigger and often more satisfying games.

[Via Gamasutra, Gamespot]

A game is typically defined as a success if it manages to nail at least one core gameplay element perfectly. Despite this, too many games fall into the trap of trying to focus on too many different things at the same time, with the result being that they either fail horribly overall or they end up in the dreaded category of 'Jack of all trades, master of none.'

Rogue Sky [$0.99 / HD] succeeds where these lesser games have failed. While primarily a sky-platformer focused on exploration and collection, Rogue Sky also incorporates a well done combat system, and ties everything together a variety of objective-based missions and a perfectly curved difficulty that adjusts to the type of gamer you are. Combine these gameplay elements with beautiful graphics and a grand score, and Rogue Sky becomes a must-play for nearly everyone.

Rogue Sky has you playing the role of a (rogue) hot air balloon pilot that gets attacked by your enemies at the beginning of the game. Unfortunately, the attacks damage your balloon and you are forced to escape in order to recoup and repair. You 'repair' your balloon by playing through each level and collecting gold coins, which help you unlock future upgrades and balloon varieties. How many gold coins you earn is dependent on how high your score is at the end of each level. During your trek, you'll encounter enemy balloons (which shoot back at you), heat-seeking mines, thunderclouds (which must be avoided while navigating the level) and more. Overall, I'd say that Rogue Sky does an excellent job with variety, and no level really seems the same.

Rogue Sky's controls are actually pretty simple. There are two thruster buttons on the screen, with each one turning the balloon in its respective direction. Hold both down, and the balloon goes up, while keeping both buttons depressed causes the balloon to steadily lose altitude. Double tapping either thruster button also launches a cannonball in that direction. Two other weapon buttons, a drop charge (mine) and a disrupt charge (super move) finish out the controls. Since you are piloting a hot air balloon, there is a certain amount of variance when moving around with the thrusters. If you've ever played the classic game, Balloon Fight, you'll have a decent grasp on the movement controls. Thankfully, the controls do become almost second nature with a few minutes of practice, which is necessary considering how challenging this game can be.

As far as difficulty is concerned, Rogue Sky has an interesting interpretation of it. If all you want to do is just pass each level and get to the end of the game, Rogue Sky does a decent job of letting you do that. However, if you're a perfectionist and must earn every gold coin on each level, then you're going to have to do a lot extra work. Each level in Rogue Sky has a variety of different paths, with some paths being much, much more difficult to navigate and fight through than others. If you're just trying to scrape by, most levels will let you take the easy route and call it a day. However, the coin collectors are going to have to go down every single path in order to earn the highest scores.

It's important to note that Rogue Sky's difficulty is not artificial � every single level can be passed with enough patience and coordination. It's whether or not you have that patience and coordination that becomes the biggest question. Also, missions do get more difficult the further you play as new elements are introduced to challenge you (my favorite is a giant airship in the 'background' that fires at you). Occasionally I did encounter a few areas where the room for error was extremely slim and bordered on frustration. However, most of those areas were in optional areas and did not significantly impact the progression. Regardless, Rogue Sky's take on difficulty and collection quests definitely adds to the overall replayability, especially when you take into account the additional balloons with different stats that unlock when you reach a certain amount of gold coins.

Supplementing Rogue Sky's gameplay are incredible graphics and a well done fantastical soundtrack. The visuals are a cross between cartoonish cell-shaded graphics combined with a 2.5D effect in the background. The whole aesthetic just looks great on the iPhone 4's retina display and the smooth framerate doesn't hurt, either. �The soundtrack is very majestic and just sounds entirely appropriate for your role as a rogue balloon pirate taking to the skies against your enemies. You'll definitely want to play with some headphones in order to really take in the music.

Every element in Rogue Sky just seems to fit perfectly together. The mission-based gameplay and levels work well with the controls and are enhanced by the visuals and music. If this type of harmonious platformer peaks your interest, I highly suggest you check out Rogue Sky. Actually, I'd recommend Rogue Sky to nearly any gamer, as it certainly has something for everyone. Just come in ready for a challenge.

Over at Gamescom in Cologne, Pocket Gamer grabbed what appears to be a fair amount of hands-on time with the forthcoming mobile Battlefield 3 title, Battlefield 3: Aftershock. From its account, we get the feeling that EA is playing it pretty safe.

In its the report, PG confirms that Aftershock won't have a traditional campaign. Rather, it'll boast a series of instance-based Horde modes that will have you squaring off against waves with the BF universe's diverse set of modern combat guns and items. Mobile games are not the best place to dump overlong campaigns, so I can see the point of this move. EA says much the same about this decision too, but I find it odd it isn't at least trying to shoot for the blockbuster feel and ambition that it is with Battlefield 3 proper. This just feels like EA is trying to approach this in the easiest way possible.

I guess the good news is that Aftershock will also have what it calls a "classic" multiplayer mode to go alongside of this. EA wasn't showing this off at the event though, so we're left with wondering what exactly "classic" means. Are we talking basic deathmatch here or are we talking about normal, objective-based Battlefield?

One note additional note about Aftershock from PG: it apparently looks like Bad Company 2 [$2.99 / Lite], as in, its running on a similar engine. Also, it plays like BC 2 as well, which should make more than a few fans of the surprisingly well-received game pretty happy.

That's it for the moment, unfortunately. Aftershock still has a some development time to go, as it isn't slated to appear until the back end of this year. We'll definitely give it a spin for ourselves as soon as humanly possible and report back to you. We're fans of shooting things in the face, what can we say?

[Via Pocket Gamer]

Alright, so while two semi-obscure iPad-specific versions of existing iPhone games dropping to 99� might not normally be something we'd cover here, this gives me the perfect opportunity to make my demands to Bulkypix public. Win/win, right? First things first, Pix'n Love Rush DX [99� and Snake Galaxy HD [99�] both dropped to a buck. Snake Galaxy is a fun take on the classic Snake formula, although if it's too modern for your tastes, there's always Snake 97.

Pix'n Love Rush DX is the real star of this sale. We seriously gushed over the game in our review for the iPhone version, and the game has since turned into one of the staples on my phone (and iPad) right up there with the classics like Canabalt [$2.99] and Angry Birds [99�]. The review I just linked goes into the nitty-gritty of how it all works, but in a nutshell Pix'n Love Rush is a action-centric platformer kind of game that is absolutely dripping with retro stylings. In fact, as you play the game and score higher combos the graphics evolve through the history of retro consoles. Check out some of the iPhone gameplay:

The iPad DX version kicks things up another notch by adding a variety of skins to the controls, which are similarly reminiscent of retro consoles. The issue with all this is, as great of a game as Pix'n Love Rush and DX is, you eventually seem to reach a point in both versions of the game where things are just happening too quickly to be able to effectively use the virtual controls. When I die in the game, I rarely feel like I actively made a mistake, and instead it just seems that in a frantic attempt to collect pluses, kill bats, and avoid minuses my thumbs just barely drifted off the virtual controls. This is particularly pronounced in the larger Pix'n Love Rush DX.

…Which brings me to my entirely demanding list of demands. iCade Support. Now that we've got more iCade units distributed across the TouchArcade family, it's becoming more and more clear just how much more iCade support can add to a game like Pix'n Love Rush DX. If this game had iCade support, I'd never leave the house.

Make it happen, Bulkypix.

Firemint sales used to be a much more rare occurrence, but they still have an electricity to them that other creators can't capture with their own price-slashing parties. I'm guessing it has more to do with the quality of the wares, than it does with dramatic price shifts. While I pointlessly ponder this, go ahead and grab Real Racing and Real Racing 2 for the iPhone or iPad. All four games have been dramatically reduced in price for this weekend in celebration of… well, nothing that we can discern. Still! They're cheaper!

• Real Racing � $4.99 ? $.99
• Real Racing HD � $6.99 ? $3.99
• Real Racing 2 - $6.99 ? $2.99
• Real Racing 2�HD � $9.99 ? $4.99

Real Racing 2 is, we reckon, the best racing game Firemint has produced. That doesn't mean the original Real Racing is a slouch, though. Fans of simulation racing games can and will enjoy both; it's just that Real Racing 2 is a fantastic iteration on that original foundation.�If you want to know way more about either of these titles, we've got your back. You can check out a review of the follow-up here and a review of Real Racing here. Non-spoiler: they're good.

It wouldn't be a weekend without a couple of sales, right? This latest one is a great one from the Aussies over at Halfbrick. For the next two or so days, Age of Zombies [$.99 / Lite] will retail for 99 cents as opposed to its usual $2.99 price point. Honorary king of Australia and all around cool guy Phil Larsen of Halfbrick shot us a message earlier and reminded us that this is only the second time the hilariously bent dual-stick shooter has been reduced in price since its October 2010 debut on the App Store.

Considering the new price is under a dollar, I seriously doubt any of you absolutely require a break down of its mechanics, systems, or art design, but just in case, here's a link to our review, which does all those things. In a nutshell, we dug Barry Steakfries' adventure and his accompanying toilet humor.

On a totally different note, what's up with the continuing exclusion of Phil in this game? Age of Zombies seems perfectly suited for a swath of heroes and we can't think of a better auxiliary one than the aforementioned man. Did you fall asleep at the wheel or something, guys? C'mon.

Cipher Prime has a history of bringing out games that are beautiful, engaging and just a little light on length. Auditorium [Free] locked many of its levels behind paywalls, and originally carried a premium price. Pulse: Volume One [$3.99] started its life with only a handful of levels, and has been slowly adding more since its launch. Fractal: Make Blooms Not War [$1.99] is, like its older siblings, a beautiful, engaging experience. Unlike the others, it's also bursting with content.

But be warned: this is not a game for the faint of heart. Cipher Prime doesn't walk players through most of Fractal's intricacies, and it's easy to play yourself into a corner. The puzzles change and evolve as time goes by, and you'll be given only the barest introduction to the new elements. This is a game that can be played wrong, and it doesn't concern itself with guiding you back to the right track.

To begin with, you're presented with a hex grid laid out with fractals (hexagons). You can tap any open space to push adjoining fractals away. Your goal is to push them into blooms � clusters of seven fractals � which clear themselves off the board. Each level of the game's Campaign mode requires you to clear a certain number of fractals before you can progress. You have all the time in the world to do so, but you have a limited number of pushes, so you have to think carefully before making a move.

The beginning of the campaign is where most players will run into trouble. It's easy to breeze through the first few levels to the first soft checkpoint at level 5. My first time through, I skimmed through the early levels with only a few pushes left, but that didn't seem like a problem. I reached the checkpoint and then proceeded to throw myself fruitlessly against the next few levels over and over. The game never chided me, and I kept restarting from the checkpoint hoping for a better result.

That was, as it turns out, a huge mistake. If you pay attention, you'll note that your pushes carry over from level to level in Fractal's campaign. By continuing from the checkpoint I was starting with the bare minimum of pushes, and since I wasn't yet skilled at the game I would run out by level 7 or so. Once I figured this out I started from scratch, and made it to the push-resetting checkpoint at level 10 without a problem.

That's not to say the game gets easy after that. Fractal's campaign is quite challenging. New elements are introduced every few levels, forcing you to adapt your strategy. Not only are you pressed to reach the next checkpoint and keep your push total high, but as you reach your last few pushes the game's visuals dim and the music slows like a fading heartbeat. The tension is nearly unbearable.

Fractal offers two modes beyond the campaign: Arcade and Puzzle. Arcade is a fast-paced version of the game with three difficulty settings. It's more of a survival mode � you have unlimited pushes but tight time limits, and you have to collect timer powerups to keep going. It's good for a few minutes of mindless fun or a serious high-score push on the Game Center leaderboards. Puzzle mode strips the game's mechanics down into 60 individual challenges. The first few serve as a good introduction to the game if you're struggling, but the difficulty quickly ramps up. I'm still beating my head against a few of the later ones, but thankfully they're divided into 10-level sections that are all unlocked at once, so you'll never get stuck with just one puzzle to work through.

If you're easily frustrated, Fractal may not be for you. But if you're up for the challenge and you aren't looking for your hand to be held, it's an outstanding experience. The ambient soundtrack is gorgeous, the visuals are crisp and stylish and the game is strikingly original and fun. There are hours of mind-bending entertainment here. There's some disagreement on our forums as to whether Fractal's campaign is a good challenge or a frustrating experience, and there are certainly tweaks that could be made to help players along. But while the game may not invite you in, it's all the more satisfying when it all comes together. When played well, Fractal is explosive, an experience that makes the struggle feel worthwhile.

Many game developers use cute and colorful graphics in their games, with feel-good or energetic music and sound effects. However, Deo [99c] from Strapped to a Meteor does the exact opposite.� The visuals in this game are intentionally drab and gloomy, because the universe is dying. And it needs to be saved!

The hero is named 'Deo' � a vibrant red roughly-drawn blob, who emits a trail of glowing red vapors.� His destiny is to restore life in the universe by establishing planetoids which are green with healthy vegetation.� The contrast of the red Deo character against the drab colorless worlds is visually dramatic. This game has a real mood and atmosphere, which is also reflected in the haunting soundtrack and ambient wind effects, which leave you feeling quite chilled.

There's two worlds to build during the 90 regular levels and 6 bonus levels. Each level features an oddly-shaped planetoid with jutting-out hills, which slowly rotates automatically. Deo must try to jump his way around the planetoid, leaping from hill to hill, until he touches the final red hill. However, when he jumps, he can only land on "safe zones" as he dies if he lands on any blackness. And don't forget, the level is constantly rotating, so if you take too long, you may slide off into space, or end up in a position where a clean jump is impossible.

The controls are both simple and effective, requiring only one finger. You tap the screen anywhere to make Deo jump, or hold your finger down to make him squeeze-up and then jump further. At first you'll probably fail and mess up a few jumps. But after playing this game for a while, it's surprizing how skilled you become at timing the big leaps of faith, from one side of the screen to the other, to land on a small ledge. You can either play it safe with little baby-hops, or take a risk and attempt longer, more daring leaps, hoping to nail the landing.

Each time you complete three levels, you gain a segment of a new planet in the main menu, and three more unlocked levels appear above your planet to play next. It takes 15 segments (45 levels) to create a whole new planetoid. The amount of vegetation on your planetoid depends on how many times you die in each level.� There's five grades of vegetation that can be achieved, ranging from sparse to lush.� If you tap your planet in the main menu, it expands into segments and you can choose a segment (3 levels) to re-play.

The menu screens are artistic, but also too complicated and not explained well. All you need to know is: The leftmost platform is for credits and the other two are the worlds to build. Start with the left world, as it provides an easier difficulty ramp. Build the rightmost world once you've mastered the jumping.� The developer has heard the feedback about menu confusion, so hopefully this will be improved in a future release.

Deo is a game of skillful jumping, timing, and sometimes, patience. If you enjoy creative, artistic games which evoke a real atmosphere and mood, then check this out. There's no scores, timers, leaderboards or achievements, there's just a gloomy decaying universe, which might stick in your mind as a memorable iOS experience, and I'll happily pay a dollar for that.

Last week at about this time, we learned that developer�Gameprom has a brand new pinball table in the works that is set to be added into their excellent pinball compilation app Pinball HD [99�/HD]. This new table's theme is based around Leonardo da Vinci's famous art and inventions, and the screenshots for it looked absolutely gorgeous. Today, Gameprom has released the first video for Da Vinci Pinball, and it looks even more stunning in motion.

As we've previously stated, Da Vinci Pinball is slated to release sometime next month as an update to Pinball HD for both iOS versions and the Mac version. No word on what the price will be, though based on their previous efforts I'd guess anywhere in the 99� to $2.99 range. Whatever the price, it's sure to be a bargain for the type of production values Gameprom injects into their work. We'll keep our eye out for Da Vinci Pinball to hit this coming September.

Another day, another endless progress game. Appicus's Cave Mice [$1.99] is a charmer, though, with a striking visual style and a few tricks up its proverbial sleeve.

In Cave Mice, you control Theseus Tilsit, a brave mouse tasked with recovering the cheese collection of his family of mice. Since the cheese has fallen into deep caverns below their home, Theseus must travel ever-downwards on a rickety platform connected to a thin string. The slightest bump sends his little gondola flying to pieces, so you need to carefully tilt your device to avoid the obstacles.

As he travels downwards, the obstacles become increasingly aggressive. Aside from the usual denizens of the spaces under homes � spiders, bats, hypnotic toads wearing military hats � strange things are out to get him. There is evidence of a feline conspiracy, but where did they get the dirigibles? Things get mysterious under the ground.

To defend himself, Theseus has options. He can tilt out of the way, but if he bumps into a platform or hits a wall too hard, he's toast. He can also toss cheese at the enemies that come for him, and he can access cheese bombs. He collects the cheese as he drops, and you can swipe to throw pieces of it as a weapon. But when you inevitably crash poor Theseus into something you are scored by how far you traveled and how many pieces of cheese are in your possession, so be aware that you're firing from your eventual score.

Where Cave Mice diverges slightly from the typical endless formula is in its challenge system. When you reach a depth of 200, and every few hundred after that, the game throws a challenge at you. Fireballs might drop from the sky, spiders may show up every few seconds, and so on. Surviving that section nets you progress toward one of the challenges, which are also the game's Game Center achievements. Like the cave layout, the challenges are random, so you can expect a different experience each time you play. The challenges allow you to make progress in the game even if you don't beat your high score.

There are a few ways I'd like to see the game tweaked before I could wholeheartedly recommend it. In some ways the game is too hard � the gondala will collapse if you so much as brush past a platform, and when there's also a volcano on it spitting out fireballs, you're going to have a hard time finding a safe place to pass through. And yet Cave Mice is somehow too slow as well, especially for those first 200 meters. The powerups are few and far between � finding crazy powerups is a huge part of the fun of most endless games, and they could add some much-needed variety here.

Cave Mice does most other things very well. I adore the art � even the menu is great, and Theseus's animations as he peers around the cave are charming. And the physics of the gondola feel quite natural, swinging as you tilt just as you'd expect � until, of course, you brush against a platform and it goes flying off like a bomb exploded. This is a great foundation for a game that could be fantastic with a few small tweaks. I'm also curious to see if Appicus has anything else planned for these mice, given the obvious care that went into designing characters that only appear in the background of this game.

If you also find yourself charmed by the little guys, give Cave Mice a try, and be sure to stop by our discussion thread and post your impressions.

If you've noticed a trend with most of Gameloft's new releases having Universal support over the past few months, it isn't just a coincidence. Talking with Pocket Gamer during the Gamescon '11 conference in Germany, Gameloft PR Manager Gregory Wintgens stated that from here on out the iOS mega-developer plans to "release everything as Universal" rather than the long standing practice of having separate versions for iPhone/iPod touch and the iPad.

Starting with Order & Chaos Online [$6.99] back in April, Gameloft has been releasing almost all of their games as Universal builds. Now, due to your keen sense of detail, you might be saying "Hey! Not ALL of their recent releases have been Universal, I'm calling shenanigans!", and you would be correct. This is because certain licensing agreements don't allow for Universal builds, thus some new releases will still come with two separate versions. Also, I think there were a couple of releases that had already been planned as separate HD versions, but didn't finally hit until just recently.

Which brings me to another good point about all this: typically, the separate HD iPad version of a Gameloft game has taken weeks or sometimes MONTHS to finally release. This has left iPad gamers out in the cold on more than once occasion while their smaller screen-toting peers gamed their days away with the latest Gameloft releases. With Universal builds, all iOS device owners can partake in the fun day and date with each other (unless you own a 1st or 2nd generation device that isn't supported. Sorry guys).

From a consumer standpoint, I absolutely love Universal games. Not only are you saving money by only having to purchase a game once to have it run on your various devices, but it also cuts way down on app clutter in iTunes. It's no picnic trying to juggle the hundreds of apps on my computer, and it's made even worse by having two separate versions of the same game. I know making a game Universal doesn't fit with every developer's strategy, but I sure do appreciate it when it does happen, and for that I give Gameloft a thumbs up.

[Via Pocket Gamer]

One of my favorite genres is the adventure genre, since I was brought up on games like Shadowgate, Zork and Myst. So I admit that before even starting Cryptic Keep [$1.99], I was already rubbing my hands together in anticipation over the idea of it. A deserted castle? Stubborn puzzles to solve? Mysterious music? Why, maybe there would even be the useless combining of items that make no sense together! Wait, what's the appeal of this genre again?

All jokes aside, though, Cryptic Keep looked like a possibly watered down, but still interesting adventure title. You begin the game at the doors of a great castle which was locked down by a royal old dude named King Telvonus, but of course, the Sword of Ire is inside (why he would leave it there instead of taking it on his journey for protection is anyone's guess), and its up to you to get it. Ah, flimsy iOS stories, how do we love thee? Or rather, how do we ignore thee as we barrel past you in favor of the gameplay.

Cryptic Keep is first person, and it operates in traditional adventure style. Rather than clicking a mouse to explore your surroundings, a tap of your finger will get you where you need to go. The game has no NPCs at all, so all of your travels will be solo. However, this lends to the mysterious feeling of the game, and I rather liked it. Now, of course no keep has unlocked doors, so to even get inside you'll have to start solving puzzles right off the bat. You have a small inventory bar on the bottom of your screen where items you pick up will go, and you'll need to decide how to use these items in your�environment�to make progress. What do those runes on the anvil mean? Why is there a frozen skeleton standing in the courtyard? All this and more awaits you as you wander this castle and wonder why Telvonus ever left in the first place.

One thing that bears mentioning is the load screens. It sometimes taks five seconds or more once you click a direction for the next screen to load, and let me tell you, for an iPhone game, that seems long. This is one of the downfalls of Cryptic Keep, and I admit it got under my skin after a while. There's no way those three footsteps took that long, you know?

The other thing about the game that I wasn't crazy about was that the puzzles were rarely a real challenge (although I did mention I cut my teeth on much harder game in this genre, so maybe I'm a harsh critic). The game itself is very short, and finishing it in one sitting is a pretty straightforward task. The developer has promised more puzzles in a future update, but it's good to know before you buy that your $1.99 may buy you an hour of gameplay, maybe two at most if you're not much of a puzzle solver and you get stuck here or there.

Cryptic Keep is good, but not great. For adventure fans looking for a fix, it may provide some entertainment, but there's something about it that feels a bit generic. That being said, I can't say I didn't enjoy going back into adventure mode to solve some puzzles and make my way into the heart of a mysterious castle. Perhaps it's just nostalgia knocking at my door, but despite its flaws, I felt that Cryptic Keep still had a good amount of fun to offer.