Slayin, developed by FDG Entertainment, is an endless runner with a RPG twist that came out earlier this month.
Instead of traveling through different areas endlessly, you go back and forth on one screen while enemies come at you from both sides, in the air and underground. Your character, either a knight, wizard or rogue, goes back and forth and hits the bad guys with their weapons. Both the knight and the rogue use swords while the wizard shoots magic projectiles.
The game sports retro graphics which gives it charm but doesn't kill you cheaply like some of those old school games did. As you progress, your character automatically levels up and you earn money to buy upgraded weapons, spells and health. In lieu of a story, the game gives you quests such as kill the boss character without being hit, or collect X number of objects, similar to what Jetpack Joyride does.
While you can spend real money to unlock things such as new characters or advanced modes, it is completely within reason to earn enough in game currency through playing to buy those things. When the game does sell things that are less realistic to earn through playing they are entirely cosmetic. For example, every time you die you see your character's gravestone. You can buy different grave stones at exorbitant prices, but again, this is entirely optional and does not feel sleazy.
Slayin offers an old school appeal with modern sensibilities. If that's not enough for you, perhaps this trailer will be.