Earlier today, we looked at the release of adventure game Little Briar Rose [$2.99], which was a triumph in visual design with an ambitious attempt at a colorful stained glass graphical approach. With its own understated and minimalistic aesthetic, Islands: Non-Places [$2.99] is the very antithesis of Little Briar Rose, but at the same time equally impressive. Islands started its life as a collection of beautiful gifs from the artist Carl Burton, who has been featured in The New York Times in the past, as well as a whole host of other endeavours. His stunning gifs featured some visceral environments that were just begging to be explored, so it was a relatively logical step to create Islands, an audio-visual experience that gives another perspective to seemingly mundane landscapes.
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While there is an element of mystery and intrigue to Islands: Non-Places, as not much is divulged in the app description, don't go into the game expecting some epic adventure with any sort of lasting value. Burton is transparent in the fact that the Islands experience only lasts around 45 minutes, which may initially seem somewhat short for the $2.99 cost of entry. However, the way that Burton has managed to expand the tranquil landscapes of his gifs into fully interactive environments is a feat in itself, and anyone looking for a calming and stimulating experience should dive into the varied non-places and find the discover the true depth that B...