Azkend 2: The Puzzle Adventure Reviews

Awesome and unique game

WRS15743

So glad to find a unique match 3 game like this, with no IAP, thank you, developer! Very beautifully designed. The only thing I don’t like is that it’s landscape only (the original Azkend is portrait, much easier to hold and match). Still, that’s not a dealbreaker. This game is super well designed and challenging and fun.

Lovely

DeltaActual

My kid is in love with this game and so am i. Very good job devs. now bring on the Boom Brigade HD!

10x better than original!

Cam12

One of my favorite developers have done it again! I bought this without hesitation and waiting these years for a sequel was well worth it. I'm so impressed by the graphics and the gameplay. This would really look beautiful on the iPad and I can't wait to play further into this game.

Fantastic All Over Again.

dv8godd

I was a big fan of the first one on iPhone, and again later when HD came out for the iPad. If you enjoyed either of the original versions, it's almost a given that this should be on your list to buy. While the story may not be necessary, it's a nice enough addition, and seems better integrated here than the first game. The campaign, as much as you can have a campaign in a matching game, flows well with the progression of pieces and abilities to unlock. Rather than just a random new tile, you're unlocking them within the context of the narrative being told. Again, narrative in a tile matching game is a bit odd, but I like how they made it work rather well. Additionally, where I found the first game to be a bit on the easy side, the difficulty ramps up a bit better in this version. Rather than finishing most levels with tons of time remaining, the new rules and abilities will have you pulling out more squeakers. Yet even with the new additions, everything feels right at home here... It's still Azkend through and through. Finally, the level of polish in the presentation is spot on. Not so overdone that the story or interface gets in the way, and while the file size might seem a bit high, once you start to play it makes sense and feels just right. All the way down to the flow of the in-game tutorials, Azkend 2 just feels like a very well thought out experience designed to be enjoyed. II may not be breaking a lot of new ground in the genre, but the ground it treads is solid and pleasurable.

Fantastic, woot!

Clever21nj

Love it. Can't say it enough, I love this game. So worth the couple bucks for all you get. Amazing.

Not as fun as the original

A. Toonguy

Don't get me wrong, it plays a lot the same, but there's some "thing" missing from the game. I played the old version for the iPhone back to back with the iPad version and everything, the animation, flipping tile backgrounds, even the special effects just seems quicker and smoother on the old game. There was a certain charm to those other images that this version lacks. Add to that the voice over that really want needed,and it almost seems like this game was handed off to another team that just had the most basic idea of how the game works. As another review said, you run into "no more moves" really early into the game which feels more like weak play balancing given the shape and size of that particular board. I really wish I could say that it's more of the same, but it's not. It's a shadow of a brilliant game.

This was my first phone game and it continues to be amazing

ebtnc

Read these reviews, we Azkenders are a loyal bunch. Beautiful graphics, a good storyline to give it structure and the music is wonderful! Thank you 10tons. I may never get my work done now.

not my favorite

kiracat

I really don't like timed games, I think it takes some of the fun out of it

Defines Polish and Elegance But Suffers from Flaws

AlbieOne

Polish and elegance are terms often used when describing games. From the interface and controls to the graphics and animation, those characteristics are typically the foundation for success. In the case of Azkend 2: The World Beneath by 10tons, the match 3 adventure game’s issue is not lack of polish or elegance, but rather flawed substance and execution. While looks may be everything in today’s world, the guts under the hood Azkend 2 needs some fine tuning. Instead of a sequel that should have outshined the original, what you have is a mediocre game. As a huge fan of the original, I expected a similar experience with this second installment. On the visual front, Azkend is a beautiful game with deep backgrounds and vibrant screens. The devs created semi-realistic environments using texture and shadowing techniques that make each scene vivid and deceptively charming. The animated game screens are enticing which is a significant plus since you’ll spend most of the time staring at them. All of this is complemented by a whimsical soundtrack that creates an aura of wonder. Azkend’s storyline revolves around you being shipwrecked in a fantastic world with the overall goal of making it back to civilization. The story is intriguing, but of course, is innocuous and shallow. The game offers three modes of play: Adventure, Time Challenge and Medals Challenge. Adventure is the story mode that takes you through 60 levels with the overall objective of collecting pieces to form power ups. Time Challenge provides a random puzzle where the goal is to score as many points as possible within the allotted time. Medals Challenge provides puzzles based on completed levels in Adventure mode with a gold medal awarded for completing the puzzle quickly. The game boards in Azkend 2 are well designed and vary from level to level. To clear tiles, you must make matches of 3 or more like tiles to clear them off and turn the board blue. Along the way, special pieces are acquired to complete tools and gadgets that serve as power ups. The challenge of course is these pieces don’t appear until the entire board is blue, and you have a limited amount of time. What I enjoyed about the original are the power ups, and that remains the case in this installment. You’ll come across a number of different items from binoculars and glasses to dynamite and even gears. Obstacles are part of the game, and these can range from fires and ice to locks and bugs. These obstacles must be cleared before a level can be completed, and that’s where the power ups come in. For example, the Hammer when activated by making a match of 3 or more of its tiles will turn parts of the board blue and potentially even knock out obstacles. In other puzzles involving bugs, power ups are ultimately used to kill them. Dynamite on the other hand explodes and knocks out tiles in the area as well as turns the board blue. By completing each level in Adventure mode, you acquire a piece to form a specific power up to be used in the next chapters. And, the Inventory area is set up so that you can pick and choose which power ups to use so there is a degree of configurability. From a concept perspective, Azkend 2 sounds like a challenging game experience which for the most part it is. Locating matching tiles, turning the board blue, and securing pieces of power ups is an engaging proposition that should appeal to many. Plus, the time element adds a nice dynamic to the game, and watching the explosive animations on screen is a treat. Where Azkend 2 suffers is in its execution with the puzzles themselves. Too often, the randomly generated levels in Adventure mode are near impossible to clear and with the time element, you have a recipe for frustration. Part of the strategy for players is that as more matches are made, electric coils gradually charge up which when fully charged can turn isolated tiles into blue ones. Longer chains of 5+ tiles automatically generate a charge, which can be a significant strategic advantage. However, what occurs frequently in Azkend 2 is the tiles given do not offer anything more than a match 3 so you find yourself unable to create longer chains. Too many levels end unsuccessfully not because of poor strategy on the player’s part, but instead on the luck of the draw with the tiles. What adds to the frustration is how frequent boards automatically reshuffle due to no more matches. For example, the eyeglasses power up provides hints on matches. More times than not, it will highlight a match 3 to be made, and that will turn out to be the only match available before the boards go into auto reshuffle. I’ve had levels where reshuffling has happened at least four times in a single sitting. Also parts of the story are provided through grand and vivid scenes, and as in the original, Azkend 2 inserts a scene match puzzle. This is similar to hidden item games except the objective to find randomly selected cut scenes in the overall picture. Part of the problem is that this feels more like a tedious exercise than a fun game because most of the scenes can appear so generic you’d rather just skip it altogether. Aside from the Time Challenge mode, there is no high score tracking although there is GameCenter achievements providing some albeit limited replay value. Even in Time Challenge, a shortcoming is that none of the power ups acquired in Adventure mode can be used which for some, may take away from the experience. When it comes to appearances, Azkend 2 is polished with an elegant design and in concept, a terrific game. However, in gameplay, the execution may leave many wanting and frustrated. While every game needs a degree of challenge, Azkend 2 takes it too far leaving gamers more discouraged than satisfied.

Decent game, huge flaws

Brandon Pell

I'm a huge fan of azkend, but with the gaping holes in azkend 2, I can't justify giving it more than 2 stars. Too often, the board needs to reshuffle, and the puzzles are an unneeded and irritating addition. Once these issues get fixed, this will easily be a 5 star game.