Ruben & Lullaby, an iPhone love story

Half-game, half-art piece, Eric Loyer's Ruben & Lullaby is billed as a "story you can play", a wordless comic book-styled piece in which two lovers have their first fight on a park bench, guided toward resolution by your stroking and shaking. At first glance it seems relatively shallow, but the voyeuristic element appeals: I'd much rather control the destiny of two fictional lovers than develop an ersatz relationship with a computer simulation. (At least for now; girlfriend simulators have always left me cold.)

Publisher Opertoon is billing it as a "story you can play like a musical instrument". I've yet to play it, but from the gameplay video below, it looks nearer to a "story you can watch by rubbing". Still — I'm pleased to see more experimental forms showing up on the platform. And the art style is welcomingly adult.

Ruben & Lullaby is on sale now for iPhone and iPod touch for $3.

Ruben & Lullaby download [iTunes via Technabob]