TL;DR: Dusk Climber is a free physics climbing game for iPhone and iPad that you play with one finger: swipe to aim, release to jump, tap to pull yourself up. It’s out now on the Philippine App Store. Its solo developer, Ivan Soyer, also made Doodle, Please!, a hand-drawn physics puzzler where you sketch your way across 90 levels.
Some mobile games want you glued to the screen with both thumbs. Dusk Climber asks for just one finger, and honestly, that’s the charm. You’re a small climber working your way up from a twilight valley, and every jump depends on how you aim, how long you hang on, and whether you timed that grab right. Mukhang simple, pero physics ang kalaban mo dito.
Ivan reached out to us after reading our KAREI coverage, and we liked what we saw. Here’s what you need to know about both of his games.
How Dusk Climber plays
The controls take seconds to learn. Swipe toward the ledge you want, release to leap, then tap to haul yourself up once you’ve caught it. Body weight and timing matter, so a rushed jump can leave you dangling, or falling. You also have limited strength, so hanging around too long is its own risk.
As you climb, you’ll deal with moving platforms, swinging ropes, branches and footholds that crumble under you. Chain your moves together and you build combos and technique points, which is where the “Compete” part of the full title comes in. Game Center leaderboards let you compare scores with your barkada and players worldwide.
Five worlds, from valley to summit
The climb takes you through five areas: a twilight valley, overgrown gardens, an underground world, rocky cliffs and a snowy summit. Reach a new area and it unlocks, so you can start there next time with a fresh score.
If falling back to the bottom sounds stressful, there’s help. Hooks and safety ropes let you set an anchor and catch a fall, and safe camps between worlds give you a place to breathe. There’s also a Daily Trail, a journal of achievements to fill, and secrets hidden along the way.
Ivan has been updating it steadily since the game launched in September. The latest update added 21 new climbing puzzles, along with smoother safety ropes and improved platform connections.
Free to play, with optional skins
Dusk Climber is free to download. You earn glowing sparks as you climb, and you can spend them on character looks like a hooded robe, an archer, a pumpkin-headed wanderer and the Alpinist. If you’d rather not grind, spark packs are available as optional in-app purchases. There’s no subscription.
It runs on iPhone and iPad with iOS or iPadOS 16 or later, and takes up about 168 MB, so it won’t eat your storage.
How AI helped a solo dev
Ivan builds his games alone, and he told us AI played a part in the work. It helped him debug his code much faster and implement new gameplay mechanics. For a one-person studio shipping regular updates, that kind of speed-up matters. Mas maraming oras para sa level design at sa mismong laro.
Bonus: Doodle, Please!
If you prefer puzzles over parkour, Ivan’s other game is worth a look. Doodle, Please! is a physics puzzler for iPhone where you draw your way to the solution. A small character needs to reach a green flag, and it’s up to you to sketch bridges, supports and counterweights to get them there.
Close a shape and it becomes a solid stone. Tap to place a nail, and you can build something that rotates around it. Add ropes, wheels and weights, and your doodles turn into simple machines, like a lever or a counterweight lift. Physics pauses while you draw, so you can test your contraption, watch it fail, and try again without pressure.
It has a pencil-drawn notebook look, with 90 levels spread across six handmade islands. The first six levels are free, and one purchase unlocks the remaining 84. No ads, no subscription. It needs iOS 16 or later.
Where to get them
- Dusk Climber: free on the Philippine App Store, for iPhone and iPad
- Doodle, Please!: first six levels free on the Philippine App Store, for iPhone
Both are quick to pick up and easy to play in short bursts, perfect for the commute or while waiting in line. One for the climbers, one for the tinkerers. Alin ang trip mo?
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