Developed by MythPeople, Azkend is a casual puzzle game available for play online and is now on sale in the App Store. Azkend features several challenges to be completed along with the traditional match three or more puzzle premise. Unlock ancient relics with special talisman powers to use and gain bonus time by solving picture puzzles. With well over 50 levels, Azkend is one of the most comprehensive and polished puzzle games I’ve run across.
Each level features a board with various relics. Match three or more to change the relic tiles to blue and clear the level by turning all tiles blue and freeing the final relic. Matching is easy as you simply drag your finger from tile to tile. By taking advantage of special tiles that allow you to combine different relics or by matching multiple talismans, you can create chain reactions and power-ups that increase your speed. Speed is the key to clearing the boards as your objective in Azkend is to clear them before time runs out.
Azkend is by far one of the better games of its genre. The gameplay is smooth, the graphics are solid, and the progression is natural. Certain challenges keep Azkend interesting, but casual. There are two modes of play, with the primary being the multiple levels of adventure mode and the other being a survival challenge to see how many levels you can clear in the time provided.
Being a fan of this genre, I was pleasantly surprised by how detailed and intensive the overall game is. Azkend was obviously well designed with attention given to the transition to the iPhone/iPod touch. I found it to be incredibly smooth and relatively stable. I ran into a crash somewhere between weeks seven and eight of the adventure journey but otherwise had no problems. I especially liked the traveler who marks progress on the map in adventure mode as he reminds me of the Price is Right mountain climber guy without the yodeling.
For puzzle game fans, I have to say that Azkend is both entertaining and well-suited for your device. I’m not sure how long the developer’s sale will last or if the reduction in price is permanent, but at the current $2.99 asking price, Azkend doesn’t disappoint.
