Without a great story, every new technology or new form of interaction is meaningless. I can't remember where I read that but it's hard to argue against it.

Upgrade Soul is an app, an immersive science fiction graphic novel. I won't go deeper into its story, instead will tell you that it's beautifully executed, the use of today's available technology enhances the artwork and story.

Personally, I'm a fan of this illustration style. The color palatte, detailed line work and characters coupled with the use of Opertoonity (a spin-off of the Unity game engine) and the musical score have a great effect on the experience and narrative as you swipe through panels.

The science fiction story is both interesting and intriguing. The art in this app looks great on both the Retina iPad and the iPad mini, and it scales well on both devices. Controls allow you to swipe left and up to advance the story and tilt your iPad for 3-D effects. When you move the iPad back and forth, the different objects in the scene will move for an extra air of realism.

Upgrade Soul was written and illustrated by Ezra Claytan Daniels, the original score was done by Alexis Gideon and the interactive design by Erik Loyer.

I was fortunate to have worked with Erik at one point while at Razorfish. You should check out his other projects like Chroma, an award-winning interactive serial in which users interact with fluid, real-time graphics. Also Strange Rain, an app that turns your device into a skylight on a rainy day. Raindrops fall and splatter on your screen, shifting perspective in 3D as you tilt your device like a handheld camera.