Kombine

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"Kombine is a minimalist puzzle game on a grid, challenging players to remove all border-blocked same-colored blocks by matching three or more together. Matching upgrades block values; only 1-value blocks can be placed. Progress through 50 levels in normal or time-trial modes, the latter demanding quick play over 10 levels for top times. Navigate using M , B , and Esc ."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 57 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game features an interesting core mechanic that can be satisfying once understood.
It is very affordable, providing decent entertainment value for puzzle enthusiasts.
The game can be challenging and engaging, especially in later levels.

The lack of a tutorial and confusing mechanics make it difficult to understand at first.
There is no undo button, which can lead to frustration when making mistakes.
The puzzles become repetitive, often requiring the same solutions multiple times.

gameplay
16 mentions
31 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The gameplay centers around a core mechanic where players combine dots of the same level to create higher-level dots, offering a complex design space that can be both satisfying and challenging. While the mechanic is engaging and allows for skill development, many players find it repetitive and confusing, particularly due to a lack of clear instruction. Overall, the game is seen as a decent value with clever use of simple mechanics, though some feel it could benefit from more varied puzzles and a different presentation style.
- “The core mechanic is that three or more dots of one level combine to form a dot of a higher level -- for example, three or more single dots combine to form a double, three or more doubles combine to form a triple, and so on.”
- “Overall, despite its repetitive nature, it was fun to build skill in using the core mechanic, and it was also fun to complete the time trials (for the achievements).”
- “For $1.50, it's a decently well-made game and although the game mechanics may appear simple, they're used in very clever ways to create super difficult levels.”
- “The puzzle mechanic is confusing and the game isn't really teaching it to you.”
- “Only one mechanic, repeated 50 times.”
- “The game and its mechanics remain confusing to me in a certain way.”
grinding
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a double-edged sword; while some challenges are engaging, they often become tedious, particularly in the later levels where repetitive tasks are required. The lack of an undo button further exacerbates the frustration, making the experience feel more annoying than challenging. Overall, the game starts off difficult but transitions into a grind that detracts from enjoyment.
- “The last level notably requires you to apply an interesting long solution, made tedious by the fact that you must do it three times.”
- “Chiefly, this game starts out too difficult and later becomes too tedious.”
- “When you get to a certain point in the game, it just gets too tedious to be enjoyable.”
graphics
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The graphics have been criticized for being simplistic and childlike, with some users finding them overly chaotic and annoying. Overall, there is a consensus that the visuals require polishing to enhance the gaming experience.
- “The graphics need polishing.”
- “Graphics are a bit too crazy and annoying.”
- “The graphics are simplistic, the music is slightly depressing, and the sounds don't provide enjoyable feedback.”
replayability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its limited replayability, with users noting that there is little incentive to play it again after the initial experience.
- “The bad: its replay value is very limited.”
- “No replayability.”
music
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as slightly depressing and not particularly engaging, with some users finding it more relaxing than enjoyable. Overall, it fails to provide satisfying auditory feedback, contributing to a lackluster experience.
- “The graphics are simplistic, the music is slightly depressing, and the sounds don't provide enjoyable feedback.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
story
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The story conveys a powerful message about resilience and the unpredictability of life, emphasizing that perseverance in the face of adversity can lead to unexpected and rewarding outcomes.
- “The moral of the story is that you never know what life has in store for you. If I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”