Distant Shore - It's lonely out here

I am one of those people that is always looking for a little escape from my crazy days.  When The Blimp Pilots released Distant Shore, I knew it was going to be my little happy place. Well, not so much.

The idea of a peaceful Koi Pond type app with a social networking angle--how could it not be greatness?  Maybe it's one of those things that sounds great on paper but in reality...not so much. Or maybe just a few more capabilities and features could make this everything I thought it was going to be.



The core idea of the app is this: You walk around on a deserted beach looking for shells and bottles.  Once you find five shells you are given a bottle.  With the bottle you can write anything you want and toss it into the ocean.  It travels around the world to some random other person looking for bottles and shells.   Once they find it, they can respond back...or not. 

When you first launch the game you start off in your hut.  If you have any responses from the bottles you've tossed, they arrive in the turtle mailbox.

The game is very relaxing.  Strolling around on the beach with the sounds of the ocean and the occasional seagulls passing by is peaceful, and finding a bottle can be a lot of fun as you never know what the message inside will be.  I have came across some very thoughtful and intelligent anonymous conversations.  Right now this is the best part of the app.  I often send out bottles with whatever big questions are currently on my mind. I hope it is anonymous. The responses have almost always been serious and thoughtful.  Very cool, like a magic eight ball, but from another human.



One of my biggest problems with the app is...it feels too lonely.  If I am on a deserted island, why is there so much evidence of a crowded beach?  Have I become a zombie and destroyed everyone else?  Was I the only one on the island that survived the massive virus outbreak? The idea doesn't flow with the environment.

I do think this concept has some serious potential to be great.  If the environment were in sync with your current location, this one would be greatly improved.  Night should be night.  There should be different weather and seasons.  Interaction with the items on the beach and ocean could add to the zen. Why have all these beach balls and sand buckets if I can't touch them? 

I hear raking the sand has changed lives.  

Maybe I am just imagining too much for a $.99 app, but damn it, it is so close to a great place to escape.  I want more.

You can buy Distant Shore HERE

Comments

[iwantaiphone]

You could always just play this game on the Interactive iPhone over at http://interactiveiphone.com if you don't have an iPhone.