Stranded is yet another adventure game, but one that may just be a little more RPG than adventure.

Stranded: Mysteries of Time ($2.99; FREE)

You transcend the fabric of time to collect items and complete tasks, which is very interesting, and makes this game something different. Read on for how this game is so different.

Presentation

This game is a very odd game, but it is also very good. You enter the game, after clicking through some menus, running from a dinosaur, a premonition of what will occur later in the game. This game is a mix of RPG, with a tad of adventure mixed in. You mainly direct your character about this strange world, and across time to complete directed missions, a more structured direction than many other RPGs on other platforms.

But this is not a bad thing, it really helps the casual player come in and begin playing without having to guess as to your goal. This game started as a J2ME game, on your typical dumbphone, but has come to iPhone, if a bit roughly – mainly in the controls.

Controls

The controls appear simple and easy to use, but that is not a fair interpretation. The simple d-pad alongside the action buttons that come as needed are common and usually very easy to use – if it is traditional controls being used on a non-traditional device. The d-pad is nearly invisible, which leads to missing. But more so, the control pad is not nearly sensitive enough. You don’t move in the correct direction at times, and it just needs tweaking. A real directional nub would really make all the difference here.

Gameplay

The gameplay is very much an RPG. It has a long, and fairly open plot, where you go from place to place, completing tasks. But this game has a twist – you transcend time as well, going from prehistory to present and back. This twist is it’s distinguishing feature, and the concern of the title.

You progress through your futuristic base, and then are sent back to the age of the dinosaurs. But why am I telling you all this? If you want to ruin it for yourself, there are guides scattered about the Internet. The game itself is very fun, and deep, even if it had its origins directly from Java on dumbphones.

Suggestions

* Controls need some major help. Sensitivity is off, and the area needs to be larger, more noticable, and more tactile.
* iPad version
* Graphical tweaks and improvements. Make it seem as if it were made for iPhone first, not a port from another platform.

Conclusion

This game is a strange game is play, made stranger and more awkward by being a port from an inferior platform. But it really is a good game, with tons of twists and turns that distinguish it above many other similar titles. This game needs some aid to really make it great.