Parallel Kingdom is a fun, (currently) fairly
simplistic mobile platform RPG for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and any
Android-based phone such as the T-mobile G1 (or "Google
phone"). Sometimes jokingly called "Google Maps: the RPG",
PK, as its players call it, overlays your real-time location on Google
maps, and the game begins from there. It's an easy, casual game--but strangely
addictive.
The basic premise is to claim territory with flags, earn gold, hunt
creatures, level up your weapons, gather resources to build things and craft
items, and (if you want) wage war on other players.
Launched October 30th, 2008 by PerBlue, the game has currently had two
"Ages", or evolutions.
The first age, Age of Exploration, was very simplistic. You could
only move around on the map by physically moving your location and having your
wifi connection locate you. Players would literally drive around,
stopping every half a mile or so, to establish their territories.
Age of Gathering launched March 28, 2009. It has many upgrades including
rocs that allow you to travel easily to random locations. Later upgrades
added to AoG include player-craftable items for the first time. Skills like
Archery and Blacksmithing were also later adds to AoG.
The third age, Age of Emergence, is set to launch... when the prophecy is
fulfilled? A huge quest, The Great Scroll Hunt, was launched on the game's
1-year anniversary. Once 4 players gather scrolls (a very rare item drop),
the Great Library will be built. The server will go down for several days,
and then the new age will launch. The assumption is that the new age will be
launched before December, but no one really knows for sure.
Age of Emergence has a LOT of new content,
from the teasers the devs have given us. Water will finally act like
water (flags will become buoys, some resources will be only available on water,
etc). New enemies, many new skills, the ability to build cities for the first
time (leading to a much more cooperative mode of game play for those that
choose it), new enemies, and dungeons.
The official website is http://www.parallelkingdom.com/ and the game can be
downloaded from your respective phone's App Store.