Puzzle Quest was a satisfying and exciting title when it first came out
several years ago, and it set a precedent for the gem-matching,
spellcasting fun of modern titles like Puzzle and Dragons or many of the
other similar games on the App Store. Gems of War is the newest title
from the creators of Puzzle Quest, and while it's rife with fantastic
art and addictive gameplay, the fee to entry is ridiculously high.
The Good
Gems
of War follows the same structure as several other titles you're
undoubtedly familiar with: match the colored gems to launch an offensive
on enemy targets, using stamina that depletes with each game that you
play. If you lose a match and you run out of energy to use for the next
round, it's game over. You can wait for them to refill, but you can make
things quicker by spending real-world cash.
You've got your own
crew of fighters with special attributes and stats, as well as different
attacks that they can use to fell enemies. Using a combination of your
allies' special abilities, you'll need to play strategically in order to
conquer each level, especially as the AI rises in difficulty as you
progress.
The Bad
There's a solid game here with Gems of
War, but you probably won't see it because of the massive amount of
paywalls much of the content is hidden behind. You're forced to pay gold
for each and every match you complete, which is won by emerging
victorious every time you head into battle. You can also get it from
helping out towns in bondage, but in order to save the towns, you've got
to spend a hefty amount of gold first. It's a frustrating cycle, and
beyond that you've still got to worry about stamina and the rest of the
frustrating game mechanics that accompany it.
The Verdict
Gems
of War is a competent and interesting matching game with exciting
battles, but most players won't have the patience or desire to spend the
extra cash required to flourish in the ways the game wants you to.
There are plenty of better free-to-play titles out there with fewer
frustrations, so opt for one of those if you're looking for a good
puzzler.
