Block Legend Review

By , on March 12, 2014
Last modified 10 years ago


Block Legend
Download on the AppStore
4 out of 5

PROS

  • Pixel-art and chiptunes are well matched with the theme
  • The fast paced puzzle action is fun

CONS

  • RPG elements are not enough to keep you coming back
  • Puzzles are a little simplistic

VERDICT

Block Legend is a fun, casual puzzle game, but its superficial RPG element leave something to be desired.


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Like most puzzle games, Block Legend is all about trying build a high score. The difference here is that rather than simply trying to match coloured blocks to get points, you're fighting a string of fantasy-themed, randomly-spawning opponents in a charming 8-bit world.

Different coloured blocks have different effects in battle. Depending on the properties of the tiles, matching two or more touching squares gives you the power to attack or defend. This means you have to keep a careful eye on your armor and health, and make the right matches to boost your offensive and defensive skills whenever appropriate.

Unlike similar combat-based puzzlers, running out of moves will not end your game. If you find yourself with no blocks left to match. the board will reset at the cost of a chunk of your healthbar.

It's this little alteration to the standard puzzle mechanic which makes Block Legend feel so frantic, if a tad shallow. Planning you moves out in advance is not as important as ensuring you do enough damage to your current opponent to finish them off quickly.

Defeating enemies allows you to level-up and increase your character's stats. These are not persistent, so each game starts afresh letting you constantly experiment with different skillsets.

There are a few boosts and unlock which stick. Stars allow you to permanently unlock new areas and characters with different abilities. While these do offer some spice and variety to Block Legend, the lack of persistence to characters did leave us uninvested in the RPG trimmings.

Though the twitch-puzzle aspect of Block Legend offers some solid thrills, the RPG element feels a little undercooked, making for a slightly less compulsive experience than we'd have liked.

Screenshots

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