Azkend 2: The World Beneath (2016, Playstation 4) Review

DID JULES VERNE PLAY CANDY CRUSH SAGA?

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When it comes to choosing what game to play next, here’s a curious reason: I needed a title that starts with the letter “A,” because my review index was missing one. Similar gaps will soon push me toward games like Ziggurat and Xenonauts.

From such humble beginnings, I did not expect to find something this engaging. Azkend 2: The World Beneath is a challenging and thoroughly absorbing match-3 puzzle game—think Candy Crush Saga, but with more mechanical depth—developed by 10tons Ltd. Unfortunately, I played it on the wrong platform. On PlayStation 4, the controls are simply atrocious and borderline impossible to get comfortable with. That the game managed to completely captivate me anyway says a lot about how good Azkend 2 really is.

The core mechanics are familiar. I steer a cursor across a board under constant time pressure. The grid is filled with symbols of different colors and shapes, and by linking at least three adjacent matching pieces, I remove them from the board. Longer chains yield better results. Each level has its own objectives, most impose strict time limits, and some even introduce enemies. A row of Tesla coils at the top of the screen periodically discharges, helping to clear space and keep the action flowing.

On PS4, however, the analog stick is your greatest adversary. When attempting to chain more than three symbols, the cursor may suddenly veer off course, prematurely breaking the link. Correcting this costs precious seconds, and with such tight time limits, that margin for error can be fatal. Azkend 2 is clearly designed with touchscreens in mind, and it’s easy to imagine how much better it would feel on a smartphone or tablet.

The game’s story is lightly flavored with a Jules Verne–inspired sense of adventure. Set in 1896, it follows the account of a female explorer named Jules, who narrates her fantastical journey through uncharted lands. After being swallowed by a maelstrom, she awakens in a strange subterranean world. As she solves puzzles and uncovers rare sights, the tale unfolds through beautifully hand-drawn backdrops. The music emphasizes wonder and amazement rather than danger. Ultimately, though, her goal is simple: find a way back home.

I progress through the game’s seventeen chapters with an obsession that borders on unhealthy. Victories are often snatched at the very last second; failures leave me agonizingly close to success. This constant oscillation between triumph and near-miss makes it impossible to feel indifferent. Whether I win or lose, the emotional response is always strong. To keep things fresh, the game regularly punctuates puzzle sequences with story beats and changes in scenery, giving me just enough breathing room before pulling me back in. Azkend 2 stubbornly resists being put down.

Most stages introduce something new: a fresh game mode, an obstacle like ice or padlocks, or a new invention to aid me. Dynamite clears all adjacent pieces; the compass allows me to chain symbols of different colors. The anticipation of discovering the next twist consistently stretches my play sessions longer than intended. Clever combinations of these inventions can open up strategies I never would have considered on my own.

The standout levels are the bug infestations. Here, a slow tide of insects creeps upward from the bottom of the board. By clearing tiles around them, I damage the bugs until they finally collapse. These are among the most demanding stages in the game, but also the most inventive. Using the same basic mechanics, they transform Azkend 2 into a rudimentary real-time strategy skirmish.

Azkend 2: The World Beneath revolutionizes nothing. Instead, it refines and recombines familiar ideas into a satisfying middle ground between punishing difficulty and compulsive accessibility. The connection between story and gameplay often feels arbitrary, but that’s where the player’s imagination is meant to step in. How do you feel after completing a stage? However you answer that question—that’s how Jules feels. And for me, that’s more than enough.