If there was one genre I think proliferated the most due to the rise of mobile gaming I’d say it was the auto-runner. These things just work on a touchscreen, and come in a variety of different flavors. There’s the side-scrolling auto-runner, which mimics a traditional platformer while streamlining the experience to accomodate minimal inputs. Then there’s the third-person runner which almost feels like an evolution of driving games and also utilizes the swipe gesture capabilities of the touchscreen to test your reaction speed. A slight variation of that one is the first-person runner, which removes the ability to see your character and thus gives you even less time to react to the objects coming in your path. It’s this last variety that is the basis for Mad Llama’s Remortal: A Spiritual Journey. Check out the trailer.

This is more than just a runner, as developer Mad Llama describes it as “a journey through a metaphorical curious world" where each chapter in the game represents a stage in your character’s life. Each chapter will feature new mechanics, and new emotions which are represented as hazards in the game, requiring you to figure out how to best deal with those emotions as you continue on your journey of life. Finally, as the developer’s describe when posting about Remortal in our forums last summer, “Overcome the protagonist’s inner demons and help them emerge from their darkest thoughts and feelings, hoping to fulfill an ultimate purpose." Sounds pretty deep for a runner! Which I’m all for. Remortal: A Spiritual Journey is a premium game being published on mobile by Crescent Moon it’s and available for pre-order on the App Store right now at a 30% discount, and its planned launch is later this week on February 21st.