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When it comes to choosing what game to play next, how's this for a reason: I
needed a game that starts with an 'A', because my review index was missing
one. Similar omissions give me reasons to play games like
Ziggurat and Xenonauts in the near future.
Out of humble beginnings like that, I did not expect something this good to
come out. Azkend 2: The World Beneath is an engaging and
challenging Match-3 puzzle game (like Candy Crush Saga) from
10tons Ltd that I unfortunately played for the wrong platform. The
controls are simply atrocious on the Playstation 4 and impossible to get used
to. The way the game got me totally transfixed, in spite of this, might
indicate how good Azkend 2 really is.
I steer a cursor over a board under the pressure of time. The board is full of
symbols of different colors and shapes, and by linking at least three adjacent
symbols of the same sort, I can make them disappear. This will contribute
towards level completion in some way. The longer the chain, the better the
result. Different levels have different objectives, the vast majority have a
time limit, and some of them even have enemies. A handful of tesla coils at
the top of the screen discharge at regular intervals, helping me clear the
stage.
On the PS4, however, the analogue stick is the toughest opponent. Whenever I'm
attempting to chain more than three pieces, the cursor might very well decide
to take a wrong turn, cutting it short. This means I have to double back and
course correct, wasting valuable time. With a very narrow time limit, this can
be my downfall. Azkend 2 was clearly designed around touchscreens, and playing
it on a smartphone would make more sense.
The Jules Verne-flavored story takes place in 1896. It retells the
accounts of female explorer Jules, who narrates a fantastical journey
across unexplored lands. After being sucked down into a maelstrom, she awakens
in a strange new land. She solves puzzles and discovers rare sights, gradually
revealed through beautifully hand-drawn backdrops. The music channels
amazement and wonder rather than fright. But in the end, she must find a way
back home.
I progress through the 17 chapters with an obsession that borders on insanity.
Whenever I beat a level it's often by a hair, and when I fail, I am on the
verge of succeeding. That dynamic of triumph and tease makes it impossible to
feel indifferent - no matter if I win or lose, it's with a strong emotional
response. To spice things up even further, every few stages comes with story
progression and change of scenery to let me cool down. Azkend 2 bravely
resists your attempts to put it down.
Most stages add something new, be it a new game mode, an obstacle like ice or
padlocks, or some new invention to support me. For instance, the dynamite
removes all adjacent board pieces, and the compass lets me chain pieces of
different colors. The curiosity of seeing what the game conjures up next makes
my play sessions last for too long. And the way different inventions can be
combined can open up whole new avenues I'd never considered.
The most impressive levels are the bug infestations. Here I need to repel a
slow assault of bugs from the bottom to the top of the board. By removing
pieces surrounding the critters I hurt them, until they finally croak. These
are the toughest levels overall, and also the most ingenious. Out of the basic
mechanics, they transform the game into a rudimentary real-time strategy
brawl.
Azkend 2: The World Beneath revolutionizes nothing. Instead it tweaks and
combines existing concepts into a solid middle ground between hard and
addictive. The link between story and gameplay often feels arbitrary, but
that's where your creativity should step in and make sense of the symbolism.
How do you feel upon finishing each stage? Whatever's your answer, that's how
Jules feels. And to me, that's all I need to know.
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