iAppLover

Now, there was a PC game, not too long ago, where you played the part of an ancient god watching over a civilization. It gave you the opportunity to examine what kind of god you could be if you had ultimate power or at least to play out some omnipotence fantasies. That kind of joy has leapt over to the iPhone in the form of Pocket God.

Most people will find this change of pace from the standard iPhone game quite refreshing – it’s a fine example of a portable game that’s more than just a match three game or the like. Pocket God is one with a clear and unique premise, with a different set of mechanics, the way that a console or a Nintendo DS game would be made. It doesn’t seem like it’s just an App – it’s a real, full blown game.

Pocket God puts you in the position of being an overlord, a god of some pygmies who’re hanging out on an island. Like the aforementioned game, Pocket God gives you the option of taking the high road with some kind acts or some vicious evil megalomaniacal stuff with some pain. The game’s cruelty potential is startlingly high for a portable app. A good flick of the finger can knock an unsuspecting and happy pygmy into a fiery volcano. Three of those actually could provoke the volcano into an explosion and rain of flaming horror, possibly igniting whatever pygmies you have left.

Shaking the iPhone can also affect the flow of gravity, further tormenting your little subjects. Even lightning is a viable option if you’re a big fan of Zeus. Roast some pygmies, have a few laughs. It’s up to you. Luckily, the game designers foresaw the entertainment that can be gleaned from inflicting abuse upon fictional beings and gave it the graphics and the sounds that make every action very satisfying. The graphics and sounds can easily be considered polished.

Fine, Pocket God isn’t quite a game. There’s no real objective or puzzle to break apart. This app seems to be targeting those who enjoy those Facebook pet games or those ancient Tamagotchi handhelds. This is more of an interactive screensaver than anything else – a very entertaining one, but not one with a point. It’ll entertain, but it’s not something that’ll offer a sense of accomplishment, bragging rights or any of the like.

Fortunately, Pocket God has been receiving frequent updates, offering more and more ways to entertain you when you don’t feel like playing a game and the ennui is overwhelming. At ninety-nine cents, Pocket God is definitely worth a peek.