Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP iPhone Review

Our rating:

By: Capybara Games Inc.

Version #: 1.00

Date Released:

Developer: By Capybara Games Inc.

Price: $2.99

User Rating:

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Steve Jobs once said that the iPhone is a magical device. From the power of the always-on internet, to the wealth of games, the iOS platform has transformed the mobile scene and given rise to an army of indie game developers that have done amazing things on the platform. There have been many games released for the iOS that I would categorize as “art” games. Today I Die Again, Passage, or more recently One Single Life are all good examples of this style. While these are all fine games for what they offer, they lack the depth and content of a really engaging game. They exist to make a point and then let you move on with life.

A couple years ago a small group of developers showed us a small tech demo entitled Sword & Sworcery EP. It didn’t contain much more than any other art game, but the graphic style and game play was so reminiscent of an earlier era of games that it endeared itself to the audience and the speculation and online discussion exploded with possibilities. Finally last month the game was released with a great deal of fan fair for the iPad. After what seemed like an eternity, the game has finally come to rest on the smaller iOS devices.

I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the gameplay, or story at all, but keep in mind that this game is better experienced without knowing too much about the story. In respects of gameplay, it takes you back to the era of High Sierra games where you tap to move and tap to interact with objects, or talk to people to gather clues. The games makes excellent use of the unique features of the iOS devices, while the soundtrack is of such high caliber that they have since released it on record and iTunes. The game can be completed in a few hours, but the game is designed to take about a month to complete as you are expected to take breaks and many of the puzzles in the game are tied to the phases of the moon.

Games that draw you in and captivate your imagination to this level are rare. So often we find developers are afraid to take chances with games and instead they produce bland repeats of yesterday’s successes. With Superbrother’s Sword & Sworcery EP there is a fresh sense that comes from the risks they took in this game. It certainly is far from perfect, and this sort of game definitely appears to a narrow audience of gamers, but if you keep an open mind , and are willing to give this “experiment” a try, you may find yourself enchanted by this little mountain world and its pixelated residences. We have enjoyed it, and we hope you do as well.

We rate this app 5 out of 5 stars.