Empires & Puzzles: Dragon Dawn
- March 1, 2017
- Small Giant Games
- 4h median play time
Get on Play Store
Get on Apple Store"Empires & Puzzles: Dragon Dawn" is a tactical match-3 game with strategic battles, building a stronghold, and collecting heroes/troops. It features PvP duels, RPG elements, and stunning graphics. Join the battle now to build, fight, and upgrade your way to victory!
iPad
iPhone
Phone
Android
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- The game combines puzzle mechanics with RPG elements, making it engaging and fun.
- Players can progress without spending money, although it may take longer.
- The graphics and character designs are appealing, enhancing the overall experience.
- The game heavily encourages spending money, making it difficult to progress without purchases.
- Ascension materials are scarce, leading to frustration when trying to level up heroes.
- The matchmaking system in raids and wars is often unbalanced, pitting players against much stronger opponents.
- monetization696 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 74 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing frustration over the overwhelming number of ads and aggressive in-game purchase prompts. While some users appreciate the option to watch ads for rewards and note that the game can be played without spending money, a significant number feel that the game has devolved into a cash grab, making progression difficult without financial investment. Overall, the consensus indicates that while the game is enjoyable, the monetization strategy is intrusive and detracts from the overall experience.
“The in-app purchases are reasonable.”
“In-game purchases are super expensive for very little.”
“There are no ads, so the whole time spent on this game is spent playing the game.”
“Every time I turn it on, it's full of ads screaming into my eyes from every corner of the screen.”
“The game is a cash grab, and every new update only makes that more and more clear.”
“You are constantly bombarded with ads to purchase items from the store; several ads pop up back-to-back over and over.”
- gameplay538 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this game is a mix of engaging match-3 mechanics and RPG elements, but it suffers from significant issues such as a heavy reliance on pay-to-win mechanics, unbalanced PvP, and frustrating luck-based outcomes. While many players appreciate the initial fun and strategic depth, the experience often becomes tedious due to slow progression, frequent interruptions from ads and offers, and a lack of clear mechanics, leading to a sense of unfairness and dissatisfaction over time. Overall, while the core gameplay can be enjoyable, the monetization strategies and balance issues detract from the overall experience.
“The gameplay is fun and varied enough to remain engaging.”
“Gameplay is smooth and the community is not toxic.”
“Great gameplay, engaging, challenging and exciting.”
“After surpassing province 6 (like 3-4 hours of gameplay) it becomes impossible to play.”
“Very unfair gameplay and is geared towards payment for winning.”
“The gameplay is completely luck-based.”
- story433 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and well-integrated with gameplay, while others criticize it as generic and uninteresting. Many users express frustration over the difficulty spikes and the perceived need to pay to progress, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the narrative. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the graphics and the variety of quests, indicating that while the story may not be groundbreaking, it still provides a decent backdrop for the gameplay experience.
“The story is fun and engaging, as well as the combat system, and the strategy that goes with it.”
“Great graphics and storyline.”
“The storyline experience is slow: understandable since they want $$$ for creature comforts in game.”
“The story is non-existent.”
“The story is weak though.”
“The plot is also boring.”
- graphics366 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive a largely positive reception, with many players praising the artwork, character designs, and overall visual quality. While some reviews mention inconsistencies in graphic quality and a few technical issues, the majority highlight the game's appealing aesthetics and engaging art style as standout features. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's enjoyment, despite some critiques regarding gameplay mechanics and monetization strategies.
“The graphics are amazing and it seemed worth spending money on.”
“The graphics are beautiful and gameplay is fun.”
“Great graphics, captivating story.”
“The graphics got caught in a loop type glitch that makes the game completely unplayable.”
“Empires and puzzles is a mediocre game with pathetic graphics that wouldn't have been impressive in the 90s.”
“Repetitive and mind-blowing lame gameplay with really weak graphics.”
- grinding200 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring players to invest significant hours or money to progress. Many users report that while the game can be enjoyable initially, it quickly becomes a repetitive grind with minimal rewards, particularly for free-to-play players. Overall, the consensus is that the game leans heavily towards a pay-to-win model, making it frustrating for those who prefer to advance without spending money.
“They spam you with 'limited offers' and makes gameplay tedious unless you pay to progress.”
“The grinding for materials doesn't feel like grinding if you're creating more than one team, you can test them as you're grinding!”
“It's fun for a while but you'll inevitably hit a point in which you have to spend money for a 1% chance of something useful, or spend hours a day for months at a time grinding the same levels over and over.”
- stability67 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with frequent reports of freezing, crashing, and glitches during gameplay, particularly in critical moments like battles and loading screens. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay, many express frustration over the lack of effective support and resolution for these issues, leading to a negative impact on their overall experience. Despite the game's potential and enjoyable mechanics, the persistent technical problems have caused many to reconsider their investment in the game.
“Gameplay is excellent, smooth, no glitches.”
“No trouble in terms of tech, loads fine, no glitches, runs smoothly.”
“Good tutorial, no glitches, fun art style, reasonable rewards/costs.”
“Says you get 50 jewels if you connect your Facebook, but it freezes on a black screen every time I try.”
“Love this game, but alliance wars freezes every time I try to join the battlefield.”
“This game is not worth wasting time on; it is forever crashing, and recovering lost or deleted accounts is almost impossible even if given all information of your alliance. To new players, don't bother; it's a joke that's full of bugs and glitches. Don't waste your money building a team as you will lose your alliance and progress down the line.”
- music39 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive, grating, and lacking variety, often leading to frustration due to the inability to turn it off. While some appreciate the thematic suitability and quality of the soundtrack, others describe it as intrusive and irritating, particularly during lengthy tutorials. Overall, the consensus suggests that the music detracts from the gameplay experience for a significant number of users.
“Music is great, backgrounds are great, enemies are perfect.”
“Love the graphics and music tone as well.”
“I put on my earbuds just so I can listen to the excellently executed music score!”
“If you like games that play themselves while eating your soul and torturing you with loud, tedious, horrid music, then this is for you.”
“I've literally made no decision on anything for nearly an hour; I can't turn off the garbage music.”
“Any game that forces you through long tutorials without giving you the option to access the settings and turn off the sound and music is a one-star game, no questions about it.”
- humor27 mentions
- 89 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players finding amusement in the absurdity of certain mechanics, such as the poor graphics and the randomness of gameplay outcomes. Many enjoy the camaraderie and banter within alliances, which adds a lighthearted element to the experience. However, some critiques highlight that the developers' greed and the game's pay-to-win structure are ironically frustrating, leading to a sense of humor that often borders on sarcasm.
“Joining an alliance and getting into the titan's hunt or war is really funny if you chat with other members.”
“Claiming that the board resets when there are no matches on the board as if it explains away the fake randomness is hilarious, especially when every other color appears in droves while you might get one or two of the colors you actually need.”
“It's also funny that when you autoplay a PvE mode, the computer gets so dumb even if there's an obvious 5-tile color.”
“I used to love this game, but it's so fixed for pay-to-play players, it's not funny.”
“As much as I have enjoyed this game previously, the new update has driven out so many users, it's not funny.”
“The update should be automatic; it's glitching so badly, it's not funny.”
- character development18 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising the character designs and abilities as impressive and enjoyable. However, some users express frustration over the difficulty in acquiring and leveling up characters, often feeling that the system is hindered by a paywall and matchmaking issues. Overall, while the aesthetic and design aspects are well-received, the progression and accessibility of character development are seen as areas needing improvement.
“I love collecting the heroes and leveling them up; the character design is awesome.”
“I really enjoy the character designs; you can tell that a lot of time is put into this.”
“Game is very fun; character design is done well and there is always something to do.”
“Some of the character design is downright awful and I think ruins a lot of the experience.”
“Character designs look like bootlegs of bootlegs of He-Man fan art.”
“Recycled character design.”
- optimization14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and good graphics, there are concerns about mechanics not being well-optimized and issues with device compatibility. Regular updates and adjustments from the developers help maintain balance, but some players feel that the reliance on algorithms for performance can lead to unfair gameplay experiences. Additionally, there are reports of the app not being optimized for certain devices, causing frustration among users.
“An overall performance of the game is great.”
“Small Giant Games releases new quests, characters, and other features on a regular basis and carries out regular adjustments of character features for a fair balance of performance.”
“Graphics are very well done and the game runs smoothly.”
“The mechanics are not optimized.”
“Player's game performance can depend entirely on the board that they'll get for that round.”
“It says I cannot play unless I update it, but when I go to update, it tells me 'this app may not be optimized for your device.'”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a mix of a "pay to win" environment, particularly for newcomers, and a strong social component within alliances, where players often form friendships and enjoy collaborative gameplay. While the monetization aspect can be off-putting, many players appreciate the positive interactions and camaraderie fostered in their alliances, contributing to an overall enjoyable atmosphere.
“Literally, the only reason I come back to the game is because I set up an alliance, which is full of good people, and a good atmosphere, so I like to help with the titan sometimes.”
“I've actually made friends with alliance members and enjoy the general atmosphere of it.”
“Fun puzzle game combined with leveling up, team play, and an adventure atmosphere.”
“You can buy ascension items occasionally, making it a very pay-to-win atmosphere.”
“The game has a very pay-to-win atmosphere when you first start.”
“Social atmosphere is great in the right alliance though.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players find the game highly replayable due to its engaging character development, addictive gameplay, and numerous expansions. The combination of a fun, accessible experience and the ability to team up enhances its replay value, making it a solid choice for fans of the genre.
“Very easy game to get into, lots of replayability, and you can do well moving along free to play.”
“Truly addictive with loads of expansion, team up, and replay value. Empires and Puzzles is a solid, novel, medieval fantasy-themed gacha game utilizing the (often frustrating) Bejeweled design.”
“The game itself is very playable and replayable.”
“Truly addictive with loads of expansion, team up, and replay value, 'Empires and Puzzles' is a solid, novel, medieval fantasy-themed gacha game utilizing the often frustrating Bejeweled design.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is polarizing; while some players find the story mode lacking and boring, others experience profound emotional responses, with some even expressing that it moved them to tears.
“I cried a river of tears that day.”
“The story touched my heart in ways I never expected.”
“Every character's journey felt so real and relatable, it left me emotionally drained.”
