Knights of Pen & Paper is funnily enough two games in one. On one hand, you have a pretty old school, turn based, D&D inspired, grind heavy, dungeon crawling RPG. On the other, the presentation takes one step back, and puts you in control of the players at the table, playing the old school, turn based, D&D inspired, grind heavy, dungeon crawling RPG. It's an approach that does a lot to lend a certain amount of charm to the retro style pixel graphics and music, but it might actually be the gameplay that causes this to sink rather than swim.

Every decision made is touch based. Cleverly while the game has a story, like at a game of dungeons and dragons, it's up to the players to decide what they want to do with their time. At any point you can fight monsters to level up (as well as choose the amount to fight), or embark on simple quests to gain rewards and to increase your favor with the land. Upon leveling up, your characters gain skill points that can be used to equip them with four separate skills that can be used in battle, making combat that much easier depending on the class. This is where the grinding comes in, and really most of the game is traveling, fighting (usually based on a dice roll), and then resting to heal up before you engage in the whole practice over and over again. This wouldn't be that much of an issue, or at least it would be one that could be overlooked without the looming presence of gold as an in-app purchase.

Both aspects of the game uses the same gold currency, and to add players to the table (especially players with some of the more interesting benefits), as well as some classes costs the precious metal. In the game inside the game, things are not too different, with not only equipping yourself at town costing currency, but also traveling to a new location, and resurrecting any fallen comrades. It's not completely overbearing, but it is omnipresent.

Fans of old school RPGs should get a kick out of this. The roleplayers at the table have amusing dialogue, and the game is well presented and simple to play. It is a bit grind heavy, and a little without focus, but like in table top games, you as the player make your own story, and as long as the gold and grinding doesn't bother you, this will certainly take up your hours with its two campaigns, combinations of players and classes, and promises of more on the way.