Trying to decide what app to buy next? These five recenetly released apps should definitely be in contention for your next 99¢ purchase.

Dark Nebula – Episode Two

Dark Nebula – Episode Two is the highly anticipated sequel to Outbreak Studios’ awesome tilt-controlled labyrinth-style game Dark Nebula. Bigger and better, episode 2 promises to be twice as long as the original, with plenty of new content, but still offering loads of the same tilting, sliding and bouncing fun that made the first title in the series so great.

This time around there are 19 levels which are spread across a variety of stunning environments. You’ll have to go on the offensive with 25 brand new enemies and obstacles as well as a new combat system that enables you to fight enemies. Global leaderboards and facebook integration round out the game’s features. I really enjoyed the first episode in the series so this is a no-brainer for me.

Fastar!

Cat In A Box Games, the developer who brought us titles like Blue Attack!, Blue Defense! and Red Conquest, takes things in a completely new direction with Fastar! It’s an “Action RPG for when you just don’t have time for an Action RPG“. Filled with cute hand-drawn graphics and irreverent humor, Fastar! is a simple pick up and play RPG, that is difficult to master.

There are 24 different game modes which add a bit of variety as you are furiously making your way across the landscape, button mashing, sword slashing, shopping and casting spells, in an attempt to reach the goal as quickly as possible. There are global arcade-style high scores lists and a variety of control schemes to suit any player. Heck there’s even a guy on a unicycle and shoppes spelled with two ‘p’s and an ‘e’, so obviously no expense was spared! With a promise of “hours of minutes of seconds of simple arcadey joy“, really how can you go wrong!?

Master of Alchemy

Über Publisher Chillingo released an iPad version of Darkwave Game’s steam punk-styled puzzle game Master of Alchemy a few weeks back and now it’s time for us iPhone-only owners to get a piece of the action. Master of Alchemy has players quite literally trying to do just that, master the ancient art of Alchemy, as they puzzle their way through over 60 levels.

Using Alembics (alchemical stills consisting of two vessels connected by a tube) and a variety of other tools, you’ll have to manipulate matter, converting gases into liquid, liquids into gases or even solids to liquid to successfully transfer elements to a collection container. With beautiful visuals optimized for the iPhone 4’s Retina display and Crystal Leaderboards and Achievements, Master of Alchemy looks to be yet another winner for Chillingo and an excellent addition to the physics-based puzzle genre. The iPad release is also currently on sale for $2.99 for limited time.

Meow Meow Happy Fight

Big Pixel Studios, the folks behind the popular match-3 games Piyo Blocks and Piyo Blocks 2, have now taken on the dual-stick shooter genre with their new game, Meow Meow Happy Fight. Set in modern-day neon-filled Tokyo, a giant Happy Cat (yes you read that correctly) has travelled back in time from the year 2336 AD, to bring happiness and destruction to the city’s inhabitants!

Fight your way through 24 action-packed levels, battling a series of contestants. The game includes 15 unlockable characters and 12 cool power-ups, as well as full OpenFeint integration for global leader boards and over 25 different achievements. Meow Meow Happy Fight looks to be a fun, stylized dual-stick shooter.

Pocket God Comics

With over three million downloads, obviously people just can’t seem to get enough of Pocket God. Now you can get your Pocket God fix in a new form. Based on Bolt Creative’s immensely popular app of the same name, your favorite pygmies come to life in the first issue of their very own beautifully illustrated comic book! Available in both physical and digital form, you can now read the Pocket God Comic book series to right on your iDevice.

The app is published by iVerse Media who have already put out a lot of high quality comic book apps. Some of the initial reviews are saying that the comic feels a bit short, but you can grab the app for just 99¢, which is actually cheaper (and more portable) than the physical comic book. This looks like a must buy for all die-hard Pocket God fans.