I’m not by any stretch of the imagination a survival expert. Were I trapped deep in a Bali jungle or marooned on Russia’s icy steppes, I wouldn’t have the least idea what to do (unless cellphone coverage is solid). Because of this lack of survival training, I love adventuring in digital spaces where chances of dying from spider venom are significantly slimmer. That’s why I looked forward to playing Return to Mysterious Island for the iPod Touch.

Return to Mysterious Island is a port of the identically named PC game, originally based on the Jules Verne novel Mysterious Island, itself a sequel to Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The stories are tied together with Mina, a young woman attempting to break a maritime record but swept overboard when caught in a storm. Now marooned on an island, she must use survival techniques to keep healthy and penetrate the island’s mysteries. Exciting, no?

The game’s graphics haven’t decreased in the port. Each screen of the game is photographic, containing high levels of quality and detail. You move from place to place by pressing on floating arrows, which triggers a smooth shift onto the next area. Interaction is marked by various symbols. A hand icon indicates something you can pick up, whereas a gear icon indicates something you can interact with like a fire pit or a vine that you can cut down with the right item. Certain actions are displayed in well drawn stills. The game has some cut scenes, but the stills are the main story tool of this game.

Audio is well done, with a proper collection of island noises. Accompanying music enhances the game’s experience as well. Most of the audio, though, consists of Mina’s voice, which is thankfully one of the best parts of the game. Mina’s personality is perfectly captured through her voice acting so you get a clear understanding her character as you play the game.