I download plenty of free iPhone games but it’s pretty rare that I’ll actually pay for one. I think Galcon is my only actual purchase thus far.  So, when I do buy a game, you would think I would make really certain first that it is a quality title.  Um, so how did I end up purchasing PhatLewt?

PhatLewt had a few marks against it right away.  First of all, the official website for the game is a static, one-page affair which includes the phrase, “This is the subtitle for your site.”  That didn’t exactly inspire confidence.  More than half of the 23 reviews for the game in the App Store were 3-stars or lower, including six 1-star reviews.  I was unable to locate a single review or discussion of the game anywhere else on the entire interwebs. 

In reading the App Store reviews, it seemed like the price of the game had dropped over time from $4.99 to a paltry 99 cents, with a few stops along the way.  Now, sure, it’s good that the game is cheaper.  But it sure didn’t seem like this was a good sign in terms of quality.

Still, I couldn’t resist buying the game.  I’ve been dying for a simple, fun roguelike on the iPhone and I thought perhaps this was it.  It reminded me for some reason of the free game Monster’s Den, which I think would be an absolutely awesome iPhone conversion.  Or maybe it was the title.  Who doesn’t love that phat lewt?  

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