Developed by Infinite Interactive and published by Strategy First, Puzzle Kingdoms is yet another terrific title from their wonderful puzzle series of games. If you're a fan of match three, puzzle, roleplaying or any combination of the three then you'll be pleasantly surprised by Puzzle Kingdoms. The game is very fun, can quickly become quite addictive and provide you with hours of intense gameplay. From what I've read on various forums, many people who enjoyed the first title, Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords, didn't really seem to like the sequel Puzzle Quest 2 quite as much because it wasn't as heavy on the roleplaying elements as the original game was. In that matter, this title seems to be much more like the heavily preferred Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords.

The story, told through hand drawn art and silent dialogue is mildly interesting with a welcomed dose of humor sprinkled in to boot. One thing I didn't like was that the artwork wasn't nearly as great as the superb art seen in the previous titles but it gets the job done as far as storytelling goes. During your travels throughout the land, you will recruit heroes, choose different types of troops with which to build your army and lay siege to various kingdoms before conquering and adding them to your very own empire.

The puzzle battles, which are the highlight of this game are fantastic and have a new twist. You have the typical match three or more gems up and down but now you can also match gems in an "L" formation as well which adds a new degree of strategy to the gameplay. By matching gems you build mana to power your heroes spells as well as attacks for your troops weaponry. In typical R.P.G. fashion, as your heroes level you can choose which abilities to upgrade and equip many different types of loot in the form of spells, weapons, armor and relics with which to upgrade your forces.

The music and sound effects in this game, as in the other Puzzle Quest titles, are top notch and fit the gameplay perfectly. I've been a fan of puzzle games since I first started with Puzzle Quest 2 and although Puzzle Quest: Challenge Of The Warlords is my favorite thus far...I can say that Puzzle Kingdoms is quickly becoming a favorite as well. Highly recommended!

Just - NO. Move on, and leave it to rest in peace. It was somewhat like the touchstone for the Infinite Interactive, a new beggining after the very successful Puzzle Quest. Sadly, it was not made as sweet and refined. Now, after years passed and we have newer games from the same developer, it is just a filler, an irrelevant and bothering stuff you don't really need. Especially when you have to pay for it.

Well, on the bright side, there is a somewhat interesting fantasy story... and music. On the other side, though... is everything else. The visuals are too bleak - apparently much worse than in the Puzzle Quest. But the most unworthy is the combat system. Yes, it is a "match 3" gone wrong. A wonder, really, but yeah, they made a box with gems which is both too small for the gamescreen, and containing too many small details you need to control with your eyes to be good at "matching". Yeah, sure, the idea is not that bad, but realisation... really hurts the eyesight.

More to it, there is a map with castles, there are your heroes and enemy heroes... and there could have been an interesting push-pull game "like in the Heroes of Might and Magic". Yet, alas, it's not working that way. You just move on the map, one point at the time, usually making small battles for every village or town on your way... Without any risk to lose your castle, or even the big trouble in case you'll get your last hero perished.

So, I'll mark it with 5/10, and... It is too boring and nasty looking to actually buy and play. Puzzle Quest was much, much better, and the newer Gems of War, while being a f2p game, keeping all the best improvements Infinite Interactive made, without dull leftovers, which "Puzzle Kingdoms", sadly, so full of.

A fun matching puzzle game with a twist of RPG thrown in. It actually turned out pretty well and you can unlock a variety of heroes, battle units, and relics to support you in your quest as you fight your way through the different kingdoms. Your heroes level up through battles to learn new spells to support you. If you ever wondered what a matching game like Bejeweled would be like with fantasy elements and more of a story/goal to it then here it is.

A review from heart, for all those who need to decide if they want that game or not.
I am really supprised that this game has "Mixed" reviews. I don't understand why people
can possibly give any negative feedback about this game. Yes! I do know it's old. Yes!
I know graphics aren't the best, but back then nobody cared about graphics. I miss times
when You could spend days on one game, and be sad that it ended. I only did 5.2 hours so far,
and I think I'm not even close to the end. It is a bit hard to start the game, because it's so much
different than Puzzle Quest.

If You THINK it's Puzzle Quest game, then don't buy it.
IF You are open for a different experience, then buy it, because it's worth it.

Let me explain why this is not Puzzle Quest game. Mainly because Puzzle Quest was like Candy Crush game with RPG elements. This game has totally different mechanics, and in my opinion its harder than Puzzle Quest.

I gave this game to my friend, and he rejected to play it, because he didn't like the way You need to pull or push the lines. For me these mechanics are exciting, and I really love the way this game works.

I couldn't find any game that I could possibly compere it with, that's how different it is.

So, short version:
Do buy it if You are ready for a new experience, and You will be happy to try something "NEW".
I promise You that this game is interesting, and You will spend a lot of time in it.

Enjoy! :)

You can think of this as a casual game with a tactical twist, or a tactical game with a casual twist. Either way, the game has a fair amount of depth to it. You build armies, level-up heroes, choose spells and artifacts to equip, and battle across the land all through match-3 style puzzles where you play against the computer AI.

The match-3 puzzles play a little differently from the standard "move one color tile to create a row of 3 or more" style found in most match-3 titles. In this game you slide a whole row or column of tiles over by one, and you can match 3 or more in any combination as long as the sides touch eachother (kitty-corner doesn't count). There is a fair amount of strategy involved as you try and match certain colors to power up spells and activate attacks, all while trying to prevent the computer from being able to do so on its turn.

This game can appeal to both the casual gamer as a more strategicly involved game with lots of depth and choices to make, as well as to the strategic gamer as a lighter take on kingdom conquest without lacking in plenty to plan and do.

I bought this game on the premise "from makers of puzzle quest".
But it is worse that pq galactrix. In puzzle quest you play to match 3.
Here you must play so that your opponent dont match it. And even so it is completly
random because of the tiles that comes from the borders.

Grab it while on sale!

Very good game. Most people compare it to another one to judge it, which is pretty unfair.

Game mechanics: You play Match 3 against an AI opponent by pulling on one row or column each turn. Once done, your opponent plays, and so on. If you match 3, you get the point, and your opponent doesn't. You also have unlimited time to think your move. Contrary to most Match 3 where the speed is crucial, here it's all about careful playing and clever moves.

You have soldiers with damage and life. Each time you match the symbol corresponding to your solider, it loads up. When it is fully loaded, you can launch an attack on your opponent's soldiers instead of playing the Match 3. Once all your opponent's soldiers have died, you win.

Then all these battles take place in a larger framework where you move on a map, hire new soldiers, upgrade your hero, who can then learn spells that can be used in "battle".

There is some sketch of a story, but it unfortunately remains at a very bland level. The same narrative mechanics is repeated again and again each time you set foot in a new province. There are plenty of stuff to get you interested though, as you can hire new heroes, dig out new artifacts, plunder dungeons (who play as special challenges, relying on different rules as the regular game)...

Overall it's very fun and nicely done. Graphics are sober but nice. Music is perfectly appropriate. Warmly recommended (on sale).

Quick summary because I don't want to waste even more time on this game:
No strategic AI nor strategic multiplayer, which renders the strategic map useless. Brain-dead AI that will continue matching gems even when it can deliver a crippling blow or save for a powerful spell. The puzzle challenges are entirely random. The story is bad and cares so little that the game will call you a "he" regardless of what character you pick.
And on, and on, and on.
Avoid at all costs!

As petty as it sounds, time has not been kind to puzzle kingdoms, and there are similar or better match 3 games on the market that are superior to Puzzle Kingdoms. Without any other incentives like steam cards, achievments, or similar bells and whistles Puzzle Kingdoms is sort of doomed to be forgotten or passed over except by the most fiendishly addicted match 3 players.

As a game on it's own, as ther title art indicates it comes from a puzzle pedigree, and the game itself is perfectly servicable even if it also lacks a certain visual polish.

Ultimately if you love match 3 or subscribe to a dollar to time valuation of games you'll get plenty of hours of play, just be aware that the satisfaction will only be yours to hold unless you delve into multiplayer

Strategy, rpg and match 3 all in one? Sounds like a great combo, until you actually play the game and realize Lord Antharg is not just an antagonist but the actual designer of this game. Nearly every mechanic is designed to be as painful and frustrating as possible. The requirement to slide an entire row ensures there are rarely more than one or two moves that can be made, the first spell you get sets up the board nicely for your opponent to pummel you with, and mechanics designed for a large roster of units and items don't actually have enough units and items to make it work.