Azkend 2: The World Beneath

After playing the first Azkend game on my android I was interested to see how the second one played on the Xbox One. The original Azkend was fun, but simple, and I hoped Azkend 2: The World Beneath would be a bit more complex. Thankfully it is, bringing more to the table than the original ever did and is enjoyable the whole way through. While there are some notable flaws, they are outweighed by the strengths of the game.

Azkend 2 has a threadbare story that basically gives context for going from one puzzle to the next, and it definitely won’t be the reason anyone picks this game up. The events are narrated by the female protagonist whose voice was more akin to that of a children’s TV presenter. The wonderful artwork fuses well with the game’s musical score, both of which set a suitably mysterious and adventurous tone.

Casual gamers love match three puzzlers and hidden object games. Azkend 2 fuses these two genres together in a rather impressive looking package but is it too simplistic for its own good?

It’s a shame that the bulk of Azkend 2 is hampered by a lacklustre story that feels unnecessary and cumbersome. The actual match-three gameplay is enjoyable, and the mixture of gameplay types on offer add a unique spin on an otherwise tired and overdone genre. If you’re a die-hard lover of match-three puzzle titles and desperately want a new title, then you’ll likely get some enjoyment out of Azkend 2: The World Beneath, but it’s certainly not the best example of the genre. 10Tons should have focused more on engaging gameplay rather than trying to add extra value in the form of a story that un...

In pride of place on Azkend 2's feature list is the phrase "8 different backdrops!" and that really seems to be all you're playing the story mode for here - the chance to see a different barely animated backdrop before more puzzling is thrust upon you. Luckily, the game is not overly pricey at $7.99 and the alternate modes help to keep the interest up, with score chasing on the leaderboard always available to be relied upon to add some interest. With that said, match-3 games are generally good for relaxation, but with the control gremlins to contend with, this isn't one that we found to be ter...