Way back in May (gosh that feels like it was FOREVER ago) I came across an unassuming little first-person puzzle adventure called Faraway: Puzzle Escape (Free) and posted a little thing about how much I was enjoying it. Not only did it offer some excellent Myst-inspired environmental puzzling, but it also weaved a complex sci-fi storyline that was actually quite engaging, especially with some of the deep secrets it was hiding. All of it was wrapped up in a clean visual style and a wonderful touch-based control scheme. Well, as we learned back in August, a sequel to Faraway was in the works that would take the adventuring from the desert sands to the lush jungle, and without much warning today Faraway 2 (Free) arrived in the App Store.

It’s a bit too early to tell if Faraway 2 will live up to the high bar set from its predecessor, but in my few minutes with it so far it’s certainly on the right track. Basically, if you enjoyed what the first game offered, things will feel instantly familiar in this sequel. And that’s not a bad thing at all! Additionally, it uses the same excellent pay model as the first game where the first 9 levels are free with ads, and you have the option of buying further levels in packs of 3 for 99¢ each or you can buy all of them plus ad removal and unlimited hints in a bundle for $2.99. It’s quite a deal I think, and being that it’s free there’s no reason not to check out Faraway 2 (or the first game for that matter) and drop by the forum thread to share in some discussion.